Today’s Gone Writing guest is Kim McMahill, whose new novel, A FOUNDATION OF FEAR, was released just a few days ago.
Kim McMahill grew up in Wyoming which is where she developed her sense of adventure and love of the outdoors. She started out writing non-fiction, but her passion for exotic world travel, outrageous adventures, stories of survival, and happily-ever-after endings soon drew her into a world of romantic suspense and adventure fiction. Along with writing novels Kim has also published over eighty travel and geographic articles, and contributed to a travel story anthology. Kim currently resides in Colorado, and when not writing, she enjoys gardening, traveling, hiking, and spending time with family.
Please join me in getting to know a bit more about Kim and the latest entry in her Risky Research Series.
GW: What inspired you to write A FOUNDATION OF FEAR?
Kim: A FOUNDATION OF FEAR is the third novel in the Risky Research Series. The series explores the diet, nutrition, research and pharmaceutical worlds. The book topics range from a miracle weight loss pill, to a deadly sweetener, to the political influence exerted in order to maximize profits from an industry worth roughly 40 to 100 billion dollars annually. Health and nutrition are such complex topics and impact nearly everyone, and the money involved is definitely worth killing for.
GW: How is your main character completely different than you?
Kim: Devyn is a fearless FBI agent who definitely leads a much more adventurous life than I do. Well, she has no fear of drug dealers, crime bosses, or back-alley thugs, but she does have a fear of relationships and having her heart broken.
GW: Tell us something about yourself we might not expect.
Kim: Hold on to your hats! I don’t own a Smart Phone. I don’t have anything against the device and suspect I’ll get one in the not so distant future, but for now I haven’t felt the need for one and fear it may consume time I don’t have to spare.
GW: If you were not a writer, what vocation would you pursue?
Kim: I always dreamed of being an archeologist, but when looking into college majors I thought I should pursue something more practical. Writing action, adventure, and suspense allows me to explore and solve mysteries. My goal in the next phase of my life is to find and take advantage of volunteer opportunities to participate on digs.
GW: Do you prefer to read in the same genre you write in, or do you avoid reading that genre?Why?
Kim: I love to read suspense and action adventure. I can’t imagine writing in any other genre. Action adventure and romantic suspense can take the reader on journeys to places they can only dream of and put them in situations that make their hearts race, something very far from most of our daily lives.
GW: When you’re brainstorming for a new story, what usually comes first for you, the plot or the characters?
Kim: Usually the plot comes first. Once I know how the story will unfold it is easier to determine the types of characters that I need in order to accomplish the mission in an interesting and entertaining way.
Kim was kind enough to share a sample of A FOUNDATION OF FEAR with us.
A FOUNDATION OF FEAR
Kidnapping. Extortion. Antiquities smuggling. Add one light-fingered, bad-tempered monkey, and it’s all in a day’s work for novice bodyguard Casey Callahan when she’s hired to protect the five-year-old niece of a handsome archaeology professor.
Alec Bainbridge has been balancing excavation and teaching duties with single parenthood since the death of his sister. When a stranger attempts to kidnap his niece, he hires a bodyguard to pose as the little girl’s nanny. However, the young woman who shows up is a far cry from the matronly type he was expecting.
Amid break-ins, anonymous threats, and arson, Casey and Alec race to identify the villains before they harm the child or make off with a priceless Egyptian artifact. All the while, their mutual attraction complicates an already volatile situation. With an innocent child’s life at stake, Casey and Alec risk everything to solve the mystery before their growing feelings become the final casualty.
Excerpt
Devyn stowed her gun, unable to discharge a round with Morgan so close. She leapt up and brought her elbow down near the back of the man’s neck with all the force she could muster. The impact was enough to make him release his grip on Morgan’s throat.
Morgan stumbled back and fell to the ground, gasping for breath. She crawled away.
The big man went down but grabbed Devyn’s ankle as he fell, taking her with him to the ground. Before she could react, he pounced on her and pinned her arms under his knees.
Devyn bucked and squirmed, trying to dislodge the massive bulk. She was clearly out-matched, and helpless in her current position.
The man backhanded Deyvn across her cheek. She struggled to keep from blacking out as she braced herself for another blow.
The heel of Morgan’s remaining shoe came down hard on the man’s head.
He fell to the side, allowing Devyn to scramble to her feet and out of his reach.
He grabbed his head with one hand, cursing violently, while his other hand shot out towards Morgan.
Morgan leapt back, narrowly missing being ensnared.
“Go! I mean it. Go now!” Devyn screamed at Morgan.
Morgan hesitated, then ran.
The man struggled to gain his footing, but Devyn kick out, connecting with his stomach, sending him toppling to the ground, gasping for breath. He staggered to his feet, his back toward Devyn. With his hand low on his stomach he slowly turned around until he faced her. Pulling his gun from his waistband, he raised his arm and took aim at Morgan.
You can purchase A FOUNDATION OF FEAR from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes.
CONNECT WITH KIM MCMAHILL
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: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/849945.Kim_McMahill
Phyllis Entis 