Kim McMahill

This month has a number of important days to remember along with something for you Sci-Fi fanatics. Here’s what’s happening in May. May 1 – May Day May 4 – Star Wars Day May 5 – Cinco de Mayo May 8 – National Teacher’s Day and VE Day, World War II May 13 – Mother’s Day May 16 – Ramadan begins May 19 – Armed Forces Day May 28 – Memorial Day

My first book, The Lodge, was published in 1999, so I’m coming up on twenty years of pursuing my passion. Sometimes the rapidly changing face of publishing and marketing makes me want to throw in the towel, but that’s easier said than done. After dedicating nearly every free moment of my time for several decades it’s become a part of who I am as much as what I do. It may even be a bit in my blood. My grandfather wrote a column for the local newspaper on the typewriter in the photograph, which has been handed down to me. I’m proud of my body of work and I believe that each project has evolved in the right direction. I can only hope that some piece of it has touched someone or at least provided an escape from the everyday by taking the reader on an exciting adventure. Thank you for sharing in my journey

"We stand now where two roads diverge. But unlike the roads in Robert Frost's familiar poem, they are not equally fair. The road we have long been traveling is deceptively easy, a smooth superhighway on which we progress with great speed, but at its end lies disaster. The other fork of the road / the one less traveled by / offers our last, our only chance to reach a destination that assures the preservation of the earth." - Rachel Carson-

In 2018 there are only four entrance fee-free days, down from ten in 2017. The first was on January 15 in celebration of Martin Luther King Day. The next is April 21 (First Day of National Park Week); and the final two will be September 22 (National Public Lands Day); and November 11 (Veterans Day). Mark you calendar and be sure to visit your favorite National Park. For more information visit https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/fee-free-parks.htm

"Humor is the great thing, the saving thing. The minute it crops up, all our irritation and resentments slip away, and a sunny spirit takes their place."   -Mark Twain-

The Mojave and Colorado deserts are both represented in Joshua Tree National Park. Joshua trees can be found in the higher elevations of the Mojave, while the lower Colorado Desert is populated by cholla cactus, ocotillo, and creosote bushes.   Aside from the namesake feature, there is plenty more to see including a myriad of plant and animal life, unique geological features, and remnants of the area’s human and cultural history dot the landscape. For more information visit http://www.nps.gov/jotr

"A journey into the wilderness is the freest, cheapest, most nonprivileged of pleasures. Anyone with two legs and the price of a pair of army surplus combat boots may enter." — Edward Abbey

Bonnie McCune I’m a chicken. That’s the truth. Why then do all my novels feature exciting, heart-pounding adventures in the Colorado out-of-doors? One has a blizzard that shuts down the city, another a forest fire. Even the most benign features a water leak that floods the apartment. My newest, Never Retreat (Imajin Books, March 2018), pits the heroine and hero against a massive flash flood in the mountains. In it, a feisty single mom clashes with an ex-military, macho corporate star at a business retreat in the wild Colorado mountains, where only one can win a huge prize. When the flood imperils their love and survival, they learn the meaning of true partnership. Potentially thrilling, right? Even if you discount the thrill of new love. I certainly thought so as I was writing the novel. Living in Colorado, I get news every few years about flash floods, forest fires, blizzards. And all of these have the potential to be featured in my fiction. Two main reasons influence ...

There are so many social media options out there that if you’re reading this post on my blog, thank you for spending a few minutes with me. If you're interested in getting book release news through other venues as well, I thought I’d post those here to make it easy to find me and follow me. The next novel in the Risky Research Series is A Foundation of Fear . I don't have a definite release date yet, but keep following me here or at any of the links below for news as it develops. Thank You!  Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimmcmahill Author Facebook Page:   https://www.facebook.com/KimMcMahillAuthor/ Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kim-mcmahill Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/849945.Kim_McMahill Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Kim-McMahill/e/B007IK0EJW/

Have I mentioned lately that I love spring? I can’t wait to see those first shoots of green timidly appearing throughout the garden and yard and the gradual appearance of birds. April has a lot going for it. Here are a few dates to remember. April 6 – National Walk to Work Day April 13 – Friday the 13 th April 15 – Income taxes due April 16 – Patriot’s Day April 22 – Earth Day April 25 – Administrative Professionals Day April 26 – Take Your Daughter to Work Day April 27 – Arbor Day