A FOUNDATION OF FEAR - Kim McMahill - One Free Book

Welcome back, Kim. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

Well, I hope to see my work reach more people. In this hectic reality we all live in, a little escape from reality can be a nice respite.

You are so right. Tell us a little about your family.

My family has always been adventurous and outdoorsy. Though some have slowed down a bit, the next generation has taken up the baton and keeps us busy trying to follow along.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

Ever since Prism Book Group published Marked in Mexico, I have gotten to know some amazing ladies who were also published by Prism and are very talented writers. I have definitely read some books I never would have dreamed of and found I enjoyed them a lot.

What are you working on right now?

I recently submitted my 4th novel in the Risky Research Series to my publisher, A Measure of Madness. The 5th, and likely final in the series is still in its infancy.

What outside interests do you have?

I love to travel, garden, do jigsaw puzzles, and I enjoy the outdoors. I also have an interest in learning a second language, but that may have to wait until my schedule frees up a bit.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I generally feel a story when I’m visiting a new location and keep it in the back of my mind for possible inclusion in a future novel. Visiting Mayan ruins in Mexico gave me the idea for Marked in Mexico. I’ve also set several books in parts of Wyoming that I have always loved.

If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?

Nellie Tayloe Ross was the governor of Wyoming from 1925-1927, and the first female governor of a U.S. state. I imagine she faced many obstacles that would be interesting to hear about.

I’m sure you’re right. What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

That I likely wouldn’t be able to quit my day job anytime soon.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

Patience, patience, patience…

I’m very familiar with that kind of lessons. What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

First, write a great book. Second, accept constructive criticism from those you trust. Seldom are editors trying to be mean, they are trying to be helpful. Third, if you aren’t a social media guru, become one, and quick!

Tell us about the featured book.

Here’s the blurb for A Foundation of Fear.

FBI Special Agent Devyn Nash is obsessed with taking down Coterie, a deadly group out to control the multi-billion-dollar diet product industry. The FBI’s plan to expose Coterie places Devyn’s best friend and her partner’s fiancé in the crosshairs of this ruthless organization. Can Devyn protect her friend and bring the cold-blooded killers to justice before they strike again while distracted by injury, a sexist bully, and a long-distance relationship with a handsome Wyoming sheriff?

Lobbyist and Coterie assassin Sofia Wilks wants nothing more than to regain control of her life. Sofia knows Agent Nash is nipping at her heels, but the FBI agent isn’t the worst of her fears. She is drawn to a man who has the power to destroy her.

Sounds interesting. Please give us the first page of the book.

Sweat soaked her light pink, I Love DC t-shirt. Hip hop music blasted through her earbuds, helping to keep up her energy level as she pounded down the trail in Rock Creek Park. She ran nearly every night year-round, hot or cold, rain or shine, but with her boss on the road, the past couple weeks at work had been busier than usual. Now she was paying the price.

With only a mile and a half between her and her car, tension already gripped her lazy legs. No one ever said running was easy, otherwise everyone would be doing it, and the trails would be packed with people. As it was, she hadn’t come across another jogger for over fifteen minutes, and the knowledge made her uncomfortable. The park was generally well-used, especially this time of year when the temperatures were pleasant. The hive of activity always gave her a sense of security, but tonight the lack of people encouraged her to run a little faster.

The thick foliage on the deciduous trees crowding the trail made the early evening seem darker than it actually was. As she rounded a bend, she spied a jogger ahead and exhaled a sigh of relief. The tall muscular man’s pace was slow, so she shortened her stride to avoid catching him.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Blog: http://www.kimmcmahill.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimmcmahill   @kimmcmahill

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/KimMcMahillAuthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimmcmahill/

Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/849945.Kim_McMahill

Thank you, Kim, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it.

Readers, here are links to the book.

A Foundation of Fear (Risky Research) - Paperback
A Foundation of Fear (Risky Research Book 3) - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

A TASTE OF TRAGEDY - Kim McMahill - One Free Book

Welcome back, Kim. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I write action, adventure, and suspense because that’s the genres I like to read. I can lean on my travels and my more adventurous younger years for some novels, and others I just go for the most entertainment value I can dream up.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

The day I married my husband. We just celebrated our 33rd anniversary and I couldn’t imagine having taken this journey with anyone else.

I understand how you feel. We will reach 55 years of marriage in November. He is the only one3 for me. How has being published changed your life?

I certainly have less free time. I work 40 – 45 hours a week at my regular job and try to squeeze in another 20 or so for writing and marketing. I know that will change one day, but for now I juggle both to the best of my ability.

What are you reading right now?

Celtic Empire by Clive Cussler

What is your current work in progress?

I recently submitted my 4th novel in the Risky Research Series to my publisher, A Measure of Madness. The 5th, and likely final in the series is still in its infancy.

I will be eager to feature them on my blog, too. What would be your dream vacation? 

I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel a lot. I really don’t have a bucket list, but generally I like visiting places a little off the beaten track, and I like to be warm. I guess, someday I’d like to take a boat up the Amazon.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I generally feel a story when I’m visiting a new location and keep it in the back of my mind for possible inclusion in a future novel. Visiting Mayan ruins in Mexico gave me the idea for Marked in Mexico.

Every trip I take always provides fodder for another novel, too. If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

Samantha Brown. She is one of my favorite travel show hosts and she just seems like a really funny and fun person. I would love to hear some of her “behind the scenes” travel follies.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I love to travel, garden, do jigsaw puzzles, and enjoy the outdoors.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

My most difficult obstacles are finding time recently and marketing. I know the time issue isn’t permanent, and I’m still working on overcoming my lack of experience in marketing.

I think that most authors are always learning new ways to market their books. What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Be realistic in your expectations and dig for patience you may not even know you have.

Tell us about the featured book.

Here’s the blurb for A Taste of Tragedy.

Morgan Hunter sacrificed everything for her career. She had yet to encounter anything she wasn’t willing to do to succeed...until now. When she uncovers evidence that the healthy foods that she’s been hired to promote may be dangerous she must reevaluate her priorities. As questions mount and the body count rises, she finds herself caught in the crosshairs of an organization that will stop at nothing to hide its secrets and protect its profits. With no one else to trust, Morgan is forced to seek help from the man she drove away, but whom she never stopped loving.  

Sounds interesting. Please give us the first page of the book.

The newly fallen powder fanned out behind Dexter Fowler in a high arch as his skis slammed down at the bottom of each well-formed mogul. His knees bent to absorb the impact from the motion, and he kept his body low over the slope.

He loved the speed he could achieve while careening down the steep grade. The challenge of conquering the most intimidating mountains made him feel alive. The allure of a greater thrill always pushed him further, to the brink of his physical limits, testing the laws of physics.

 Mornings like this transported him back to his glory days. He wouldn’t trade a moment of his lost childhood, the grueling training regime he had followed for so many years, the adrenaline rush of competition, more broken bones than he cared to count, or the exhilaration he felt over each victory in his career, for anything in the world. His only regret was missing the Olympics by one hundredth of a second, an eternity in the racing world.

 

He had given his quest for gold everything he had, mentally and physically, but it hadn’t been enough. Sometimes, things didn’t work out the way a person planned no matter how much effort was expended. The true test of a person’s character came from being able to move on, which he did.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Blog: http://www.kimmcmahill.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimmcmahill  

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/KimMcMahillAuthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimmcmahill/

Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/849945.Kim_McMahill

Thank you, Kim, for sharing your book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it.

Readers, here are links to the book.

A Taste of Tragedy - Paperback
A Taste of Tragedy (Risky Research Book 2) - Kindle
An audio book is also available

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

A DOSE OF DANGER - Kim McMahill - One Free Book

Welcome, Kim.  Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters. 

There probably isn’t much of myself in my characters, but I do pull from my experiences growing up in rural Wyoming. I couldn’t have written some of the horseback escapes in Big Horn Storm without that well of experience, and the second chapter of A Dose of Danger was based on an early Christmas morning drive through a snowstorm we made in order to reach our cabin in time to open gifts with family.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Well, it wasn’t on purpose, but we drove to a town over 30 miles from home before I realized I had my slippers on. Rather than return home, I went about the day of shopping and eating lunch out in my slippers. I imagine everyone who noticed thought it was quirky, but it was just a simple case of rushing out the door too quickly.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I took a creative writing class my senior year in high school. We were given total freedom to write anything from a three-line poem to a short story. I wrote a longish short story and the teacher wrote that with a little more character development I was well on my way to a novel. I held on to that paper for a number of years, and eventually finished my first novel based on that story.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

I love action, adventure, and suspense, which is what I primarily read and write. I cry easily, so avoid “feel good” books because that’s usually a huge clue that it will make me cry. Other than that, I like to try new authors and new genres, anything from sci-fi light to historical romance to non-fiction travel.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

That has been especially difficult this past year, but thankfully I have a wonderfully supportive husband who is more than happy to pick up the slack when I have too much on my plate. When I have the time, though, nothing is more calming to me than working on a jigsaw puzzle.

When our daughters were still home, we often had a jigsaw on a card table near the fireplace in winter. How do you choose your characters’ names?

I keep a notebook by my chair and anytime I hear a name that grabs my attention I write it down. Once I use a name, I cross it off, because after ten novels, I don’t always remember every detail so want to avoid reusing names. There’s actually more to the story for choosing the name Deuce in Big Horn Storm, but I’ll save that for another interview.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I put myself through college and graduated with honors.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

Probably a cat. Though I’m more of a dog person, cats are shrewd, resilient, and independent, but they can also be wonderful companions.

What is your favorite food?

I love peanut butter – sandwiches, peanut butter cups, or just straight out of the jar.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it? 

Marketing is my biggest issue. I love to tell stories, but I’m not the best with spreading the word and convincing others to try my books. As far as overcoming this obstacle, I’m still working on it.

Tell us about the featured book.

Here’s the blurb for 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 diet product industry worth billions. 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?   

Please give us the first page of the book.

The unmistakable haze of smoke filled the valley below. Snow covered the ground and weighed heavily on the pine boughs lining the highway, ruling out a forest fire as the source of the dark billows. The old rancher rolled down his window, despite the bitter cold, and inhaled deeply. The air smelled of fire, destruction, and death.

With the last switchback navigated, he shifted up and pressed the accelerator down as far as he dared while driving on icy roads. He tried not to let his imagination get the best of him, but couldn’t help but fear the worst. Someone, maybe even him, was suffering a loss.

As he approached the turnoff to his ranch, he realized immediately the nightmare was indeed his. Gunning the one-ton’s motor, he churned down the snow-covered dirt lane at such a rate of speed he didn’t even notice the fresh set of tire tracks cutting through the white powder—new tracks, since he’d left for town just hours before.

Interesting! How can readers find you on the Internet?

Blog: http://www.kimmcmahill.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimmcmahill   @kimmcmahill

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/KimMcMahillAuthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimmcmahill/

Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/849945.Kim_McMahill

Thank you, Kim, for sharing this book with us. I’m eager to read it.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Dose-Danger-Risky-Research-Book-ebook/dp/B07PYPQ9T5/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=A+Dose+of+Danger&qid=1560993667&s=books&sr=1-1

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com