Kim McMahill

Book Reviews serve a variety of purposes and are very important to readers and writers. Reviews help other readers choose books. An articulate review provides information about a book that a marketing blurb may not, and a vast majority of Kindle readers rely heavily on reviews before making an online purchase.  Book sales and book reviews play into a bookseller’s algorithm. The more sales and reviews a book gets, the higher its ranking will be on the bookseller’s site, which provides more exposure for a book and its author. Additionally, more reviews may get authors noticed by book clubs, blogging communities, book review sites, and other promotional venues.  Lastly, many authors do read reviews and may find helpful feedback in articulate reviews to improve their craft. For example, saying “I hated the book” isn’t helpful, but explaining that you’re not fond of a book because it was written in first person and you prefer third, you find multiple points of view confusing, there...

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. I’m not a huge fan of pumpkin pies, so as I do most years, I share my version of the holiday dessert, pumpkin cheesecake. I hope you enjoy the cheesecake, if you choose to give it a try, and the holiday. PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE Crust : Crush 10 whole graham crackers and mix with 3 tablespoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of butter. Press into a 10 inch cheesecake spring pan (bottom and 2 inches up the sides). Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove. Filling : Beat together until smooth, 2 (8-oz) packages of cream cheese (works best if softened), 1 cup of light cream, 1 cup of canned pumpkin, ¾ cup of sugar, 4 egg yolks (save whites in a separate bowl), 3 tablespoons of flour, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon each of ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Beat egg whites until stiff and gently fold into the pumpkin mixture. Pour over prepared crust and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Baking times vary, so make sure the center is...

For those of you who like to add a little excitement to your day by listening to action-packed adventure and romantic suspense novels, many of my books are available in audio book through Amazon Audible including Marked in Mexico, Shrouded in Secrets , A Dose of Danger . A Dose of Danger, and A Taste of Tragedy. I hope you’ll check them out. Here are the blurbs. Click on the book title, and the link will take you to each book’s page on Amazon. Enjoy!   A Dose of Danger :   When researcher Grace Talbot and her team discover a possible solution for weight loss they are targeted by a group dedicated to controlling the multi-billion dollar a year diet-product industry. Her unsanctioned testing methods bring tragedy to the family ranch and the attention of the local sheriff’s deputy. With her colleagues either dead, missing, or on the run she soon realizes she must trust the deputy with her life, but can she trust him with her heart? (Risky Research Series Book 1).  ...

In 2021, the National Park Service has six entrance fee-free days where all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone. The last fee-free day in 2021 is November 11, Veterans Day. Get out and enjoy your parks and say a special thank you to all Veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice. For more information visit https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/fee-free-parks.htm

Here are the days to keep in mind for November.   November 1 - All Saint's Day November 1-2 - Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) November 2 - All Soul's Day and U.S. General Election Day November 7 - Daylight Savings time ends (turn clocks back an hour) November 11 - Veteran's Day November 13 - Caregiver Appreciation Day November 18 - Great American Smokeout  November 20 - Universal Children's Day November 25 - Thanksgiving Day  November 26 - Black Friday November 28 - Advent begins