Kim McMahill

I hope everyone has a fun, memorable, and safe Halloween full of many treats.

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.  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, ther...

Fishing stories have become synonymous with exaggeration. No harm is ever intended, but after countless retelling of the story, it often morphs into something much more interesting and exciting than the original. The two-pound fish that took several minutes to reel in evolves into an eight-pound monster which battled valiantly for hours before succumbing to your superior skill. This is how many of my real-life adventures have infiltrated my action-adventure novels. I’ve explored numerous Mayan ruins tucked into steamy bug-infested jungles in several countries, yet I’ve always managed to avoid running into looters or ruthless kidnappers; I’ve pondered the current of the Rio Grande, but have suppressed the urge to jump into the churning mud and attempt an illegal border crossing; and I have ridden horseback down a terrifyingly-steep slope in which stopping was not an option as scenes from Man From Snowy River flashed through my mind, all without a single gunshot from a foreign enemy aim...

Normally, fall just reminds me that winter is fast approaching, and I’m not a huge winter fan. This year, I’m perfectly happy to put summer behind me and embrace the changing seasons. Despite having my first cold in about five years, I’m still optimistic that things are looking up and for once, I’m fine with fall. I’m trying harder to enjoy the festivities, the vibrant fall colors, and the slower pace by getting out and exploring places I haven’t been to in years. Whether you’ve had a wonderful, fun summer or a not-so-great summer, I’m hoping you’ll have a fabulous fall and embrace the season with gusto. FREEBIES Midnight in Montana (Risky Research Series Micro-read prequel ebook):   https://books2read.com/u/mgjR7K A Formidable Foe (Risky Research Series novelette prequel ebook): https://books2read.com/u/b6MGE6 WRITING NOTES AND NEWS I don’t have any new news to report concerning my dystopian adventure series that’s in progress, but keep your fingers crossed that I find the...