Kim McMahill

I’m not sure if I ever shared the link to the YouTube trailer for my Risky Research Series, but if you haven’t seen it, you can check it out at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clZIRJ1s-Fo&feature=youtu.be . It’s pretty cool! The series includes, A Dose of Danger (book 1), A Taste of Tragedy (book 2), A Foundation of Fear (book 3), A Measure of Madness (book 4), and two prequel micro-reads, A Formidable Foe and Midnight in Montana are always #FREE to download.

This is the last newsletter for 2024. I want to thank everyone who stuck with me and all those who have joined in the past year. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving and wish you a very Merry Christmas and New Year.    WRITING Isolated from Anarchy ( The Beartooth Chronicles, Book 3) was released on November 25, 2024. If you’ve already read the first two novels, I hope you will continue to follow Ash and Caleb’s adventures. If you haven’t, in anticipation for book three’s release, Refuge from the World (Book 1) has been reduced to just $0.99 and Above the Abyss (Book 2) to $2.99, so now is the perfect time to jump in. Here’s the blurb for Isolated from Anarchy or download your copy now at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DMV1QS9Q/   When the sound of an incoming helicopter interrupts Ash and Caleb Solomon’s fishing, it reminds them that their mountaintop community of Beartooth may be isolated, but it’s no secret from the outside world. Ash, Caleb, and the residents...

If you haven’t already started the third novel in The Beartooth Chronicles, Isolated from Anarchy , here’s an excerpt from chapter 1 to get you started or download your copy now at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DMV1QS9Q/ . Enjoy! CHAPTER 1 TWO MONTHS AGO, Ashley was nearly incapacitated by fear when she found the man who assaulted her on her wedding day standing between her and the only exit from the greenhouse. Tyler Hewitt had tried to stop her from marrying Caleb Solomon, and it got physical. When Caleb found out, he broke Tyler’s nose and warned him to never go near Ash again, especially when she was alone, yet there he stood, knowing full well that Caleb had gone hunting. Ash’s heart rate accelerated as her mind replayed that morning in the greenhouse. She had her back to the door. When she heard his voice behind her, frightening scenarios raced through her mind. She stood, turned, and eased her hand toward the bear spray holstered at her hip. She could still hear his voice ...

In keeping with what has become a bit of a blog tradition, I’m sharing my pumpkin cheesecake recipe with readers. I’m not a huge fan of the traditional pumpkin pie, so I’ve found this to be a nice alternative. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.   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 t...

I’m so pleased to announce the release of the third novel in The Beartooth Chronicles, Isolated from Anarchy . It is scheduled to be released on November 26, but you can pre-order your copy now at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DMV1QS9Q/ If you are following the series, I hope you will enjoy this latest installment in the saga. If you haven’t jumped in, you can download the first two novels in the series, Refuge from the World and Above the Abyss , at special discounted rates offered in anticipation of the release of the third novel. Here’s a bit more about the series and Isolated from Anarchy . Series Blurb: In a world plagued by natural and human disasters, a small group establishes a community high on a mountain. The home they’ve created has provided a safe and comfortable existence, b ut as the environmental disasters continue to multiply, bringing out the worst of humanity, the residents of Beartooth find themselves faced with a series of challenges that will test their abil...

I’m not only an avid traveler, but I’m a huge fan of stories set in out-of-the-way places, different countries around the world, and areas with unique or beautiful scenery. And, who doesn't love a good romance. So, needless to say, I am very excited to welcome J. Arlene Culiner to my blog. Please read on to learn more about her and her incredible work. J. Arlene Culiner: I love setting my romance books in out-of-the-way places — the Nevada desert, a forgotten cove on the California coast, or in backwoods towns no one has ever heard of. But it was time I wrote about the country I know best: France. After all, France is where I live and work as an artist. And why not create a heroine — and hero — who are both artists? The result is, The Unpredictable Colors of Love. The Unpredictable Colors of Love Contemporary Romance in the French Countryside  by J. Arlene Culiner In her late forties, Callie Patterson, an amateur artist, craves success in the art world. Opportunity presents...

In 2024, 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. Five have already passed. The last free entrance day is November 11, 2024 in celebration of Veterans Day. For more information visit https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/fee-free-parks.htm  

With Halloween in the review mirror, it’s time to look forward to Thanksgiving. However you choose to celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful holiday. WRITING I just got the cover for Isolated from Anarchy ( The Beartooth Chronicles, Book 3) . I love the way the designer kept the common elements from the covers of the first two novels in the series, Refuge from the World (Book 1) and Above the Abyss (Book 2) , but used a completely different color scheme to mix things up and added a helicopter which hints at an event that will forever change Beartooth. I think it’s pretty awesome. My publisher also indicated that the prices on the first two novels may be reduced prior to release of the third novel, so watch for that. If you haven’t started the series, you’ll be able to jump in for a very low cost. I hope you will j oin Ashley and Caleb as they embrace the challenges of learning about love, dealing with tragedy and grief, protecting their community from deadly predators and ruthle...

I’d like to welcome Mary Martinez to my blog. She writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, suspense, and women’s fiction, and she has just begun to dabble in young adult mystery. Mary also writes as  ML Foxx . This is her first jaunt into Fantasy and Sci-Fi, and she loves it.     Mary lives in Magna, a little town west of Salt Lake City, Utah. She loves to spend time with family and friends--she includes good books as friends! She and her husband love to travel, especially to the Caribbean for relaxing, Ireland and Scotland for her heritage, and Italy for the wine. One of her favorite US destinations is New York/Brooklyn, where her beloved Beckett's live. When she visits, she can wander their neighborhoods, favorite parks, and visit their favorite pub,  Putnam's . Mary and her husband are also enthusiastic college football fans. They have season tickets to the UTES; University of Utah Football and they tailgate every game. They love tailgating so ...

  “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste it, to experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” -  Eleanor Roosevelt

When I was a kid, it was a rare thing to see a turkey in the wild. The numbers have increased significantly over the years in western states, and it seems like they can be found nearly everywhere now. When we lived in South Dakota we had a lot of them on our property (photo at left). They can be difficult to hunt and are much smarter than they look, but are fun to watch. In The Beartooth Chronicles, hunting turkeys for the community's annual Thanksgiving feast is a tradition that Ash and Caleb share and the resident’s appreciate.

“A man practices the art of adventure when he breaks the chain of routine and renews his life through reading new books, traveling to new places, making new friends, taking up new hobbies and adopting new viewpoints.” Wilferd Peterson

I hope everyone is settling into fall nicely. My only problem with fall is that it is the precursor to winter. I’m not a fan of the cold and have aspirations of becoming a snow-birder one day. So far that hasn’t happened, but a girl can dream. WRITING While I wait for the next round of edits to come back for Isolated from Anarchy ( The Beartooth Chronicles, Book 3) . I’m working on book 6. The first two novels in the series, Refuge from the World (Book 1) and Above the Abyss (Book 2) , are out, so if you haven’t jumped into this epic series, there is no better time than the present. I hope you will j oin Ashley and Caleb as they embrace the challenges of learning about love, dealing with tragedy and grief, protecting their community from deadly predators and ruthless neighbors, and experiencing amazing adventures while trying to find solutions to a rapidly changing environment and deteriorating world. Here's a very short excerpt from Refuge from the World : Caleb stowed ...

A trip to Ecuador (Photo taken in Quito, Ecuador) many years ago ignited my fascination with llamas. They were used for a variety of purposes including meat, milk, and to haul heavy loads. I bought a llama-wool sweater. It was hand-dyed and hand-woven, but it was nearly too itchy to wear even with a turtle-neck underneath it, but every time I took it out, it brought back a lot of found memories of the comical creatures. In Book 2 of The Beartooth Chronicles , Above the Abyss , three geologist arrive in Beartooth on horseback, leading a pack string of six llamas. Find out what they brought and how the new arrivals and llamas fit into the community. 

In 2024, 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. Four have already passed, September 28, National Public Lands Day, is the next, and November 11, 2024 is the last of the year. For more information visit https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/fee-free-parks.htm

Here’s one of my favorite Mark Twain quotes, though I have many.  “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain

In Above the Abyss , book 2 in the series, the residents of Beartooth construct cold frames along the side of one of the log structures to help them continue to grow greens year-round after the first stratospheric aerosol injection lowers the temperatures at their high-elevation home. In agriculture and gardening, cold frames are transparent-roofed enclosures, generally built low to the ground . The transparent top allows sunlight in and prevents heat from escaping, particularly at night. Cold frames are a great way to extend the growing season in areas with short seasons.