Kim McMahill

The Beartooth Chronicles is set in the future at a time when all of the world’s ice has melted into the oceans and inland lakes, forcing populations around the world away from the coasts. If all of the ice melted, sea levels could raise over 200 feet, which would submerge the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, and the White House in Washington, D.C The fictional community of Beartooth is located near the top of Beartooth Pass. The top of Beartooth pass is currently over 9,400 feet above sea level. In the series, after a rise in sea level and subsidence, the community’s elevation is about 8,900 feet above sea level. Currently, the road over the pass is open from approximately Memorial Day to mid-October, depending on the amount of snow (photo was taken opening day 2022). In the novels, snow no longer falls and the residents of Beartooth have been able to grow food year-round. The isolation, ability to grow food, and abundant wildlife has enabled them to c...

When I started The Beartooth Chronicles , I envisioned it as an upper young adult (YA) series, but then I came across the subcategory of New Adult (NA) fiction. NA novels explore the transition from late adolescence to early adulthood and are typically aimed towards readers in their upper teens and twenties. The main character, Ashley McPhee, is eighteen in Refuge from the World, and the love of her life, Caleb Solomon, is 20. Their story is one of embracing the challenges of learning about each other, dealing with tragedy and grief, entering adulthood, protecting their community, and trying to find solutions to a rapidly changing environment and deteriorating world.   The primary supporting characters range in age from thirteen to twenty, making the characters and themes relatable to upper YA, NA, and adult (we were all teenagers once) readers, especially as the series evolves and the characters take on more responsibilities, build families, and are forced to face how far they w...

I’m hoping the old saying, April showers bring May flowers, holds true this year. So far this winter, we’ve gotten modest amounts of snow here and there, but the snowpack in the high country is down, which is never a good thing. Much of the water available for human and agriculture uses throughout the western U.S. comes from snowmelt high in the mountains, and if the forests are dry, we could be looking at a bad fire season. But, there’s still time. Often the mountains get the heaviest and wettest snows in March and April. So, here’s hoping we get enough showers to give us flowers so we can enjoy colorful mountain meadows filled with fragrant spring blossoms and avoid the often-devastating effects of drought. Along with flower growth, I would love to grow my connections. If you aren’t following me already, I would greatly appreciate new followers to any of my social media platforms listed at the end of this post. Thanks in advance and have a happy Easter.    WRITING N...