Kim McMahill

Authors have goals. For non-fiction it may be to enlighten or educate. For me, I strive to entertain and take readers on a new and exciting adventure.   I was very pleased with the following review of Big Horn Storm , feeling as if I may be accomplishing what I’ve set out to achieve in my writing. The review below was taken from  Carlene Havel's blog . August 29, 2012 Exciting Book What can make a book special? Lots of things for me. Good research skillfully woven into historical fiction, detailed biography, words that transport me from where I am into the story the book tells. Websites that sell books seem to operate on the premise they know what I like - they're always offering up recommendations for my reading pleasure. Generally, their selections do appeal to me. But now and then I step over the line to read something completely different from my list of "already read" books. Big Horn Storm is one such book. It's an adventure romance set in the Bi...

I’m very pleased to announce the release of Big Horn Storm, a contemporary western romantic adventure set in rugged mountain country, which combines a too-close-to-home military crisis, harrowing horseback escapes and an attempt to reconcile the past in an action-packed thriller. Big Horn Storm is available in ebook and trade paperback through  amazon.com and through the publisher, Prism Book Group , and in ebook format through Barnes and Noble ,  smashwords.com , Kobo  and All Romance Ebooks . As part of an anniversary celebration, Prism Book Group is offering a 50% discount on purchases through their website from 8/22-8/31. Enjoy!

Join Prism Book Group in celebrating! After a great first year in publishing sweet and inspirational romance, Inspired Romance Novels has expanded! Inspired Romance Novels will now be an imprint of Prism Book Group. A new look, new fiction lines, and more new releases every month–but always quality, wholesome fiction!   Mark your calendars! Prism will host its grand opening August 22nd-31st. All ebooks will be discounted 50% off, plus Prism authors will be blogging, sharing FREE short stories, and giving away prizes--including a Kindle! Aspiring authors can attend Prism's online pitch session and speak directly with editors about their book. For more information go to http://prismbookgroup.com . Here's t he schedule of events:  8 /22 Grand Opening Kick-off! Enter to win a Kindle! 8/23 Meet author Kim McMahill as she discusses Nature Inspired Writing. 8/24 Join us for the first segment of our free short story, After the Storm. 8/25 Join us for the second s...

It’s easy to mistake black bears for grizzly bears when relying on attributes such as color or size since both can vary from blonde to black, but there are a few traits that lead to a more accurate identification. Black bears have no shoulder hump, its ears are tall and pointed and its facial profile is straight from nose to ear. The grizzly bear however, has a distinctive shoulder hump, short rounded ears and its facial profile appears dished in. Grizzly habitat in Wyoming is primarily confined to northwestern Wyoming, but as populations increase and habitat decreases bears will expand their territory and reestablish in previous historical ranges or in new habitats. While grizzly bears have not inhabited the Bighorn National Forest since the early 20th century, black bears are widespread and for the sake of fiction I have hastened the expansion of a solitary grizzly back into the Big Horn Mountains as a deadly storm is brewing…

The Minuteman I missile (developed in the 1950s) and later the Minuteman II missiles are intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that could be deployed from unstaffed underground silos by crews in launch facilities located miles away. The Minuteman II’s warhead has the explosive equivalent of more than one million tons of dynamite and was capable of traveling over the North Pole to reach its target in 30 minutes. Although many of the ICMBs have been decommissioned, approximately 500 missiles are still scattered throughout the upper Great Plains. The Great Plains comprise a broad expanse of land lying west of the Mississippi and east of the Rocky Mountains. This area covers parts of ten states including Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska and the Dakotas, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. American writer, Ian Frazier, stated in his 1989 non-fiction history, Great Plains , “A nuclear-missile silo is one of the quintessential Great Plains objects: to th...

I mentioned awhile back that my next novel, Big Horn Storm , will be released on August 24, 2012 and I promised to post tidbits, facts, excerpts and news of interest. So let’s set the scene.   Located in north central Wyoming, the Bighorn National Forest encompasses over one million acres and is home to the Cloud Peak Wilderness. The Big Horn Mountains have elevations ranging from 5,500 feet to over 13,000 feet above sea level, accounting for the diverse vegetation and unpredictable weather. The abundant wildlife, evergreen forests, grass prairies, mountain meadows, rugged peaks, dramatic canyons, cascading waterfalls and overall dramatic geology make the area breathtakingly beautiful and the perfect setting for an action packed adventure.

As I watch the news every evening and see all the devastation occurring across our draught-ridden country I can’t help but think about how different this summer is from the previous year. 2012 will be marked as a year of destructive wildfires, excessive heat and failed crops. This morning the Missouri River level at Omaha, Nebraska was 14.83 feet. On this date last year the river was at 35.27 feet, well above the 29 foot flood-stage. The river peaked on July 1 at over 36 feet and laid waste to homes, farm ground, highways and parks, just to name a few.     I wonder, and somewhat fear, what next summer will bring, and desperately hope we see a middle ground to alleviate the suffering of so many. Note: river level data obtained from http://waterwatch.usgs.gov