Friday, April 8, 2016

Interview With Author Kate McMahill

Joining us today to celebrate her new release is author Kate McMahill

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
My love of crafting stories began in high school. Well after high school I dusted off a short story I had written years earlier for a creative writing class. My teacher noted on the paper that with more character development I was well on my way to a novel. Taking her advice, I scanned the pages into my computer and turned the story into my first novel, and have never looked back.

When did you write your first book?
My first novel, The Lodge, was published in 2004, but the idea developed years earlier. The Lodge is the story my high school writing teacher commented on that I mentioned in the previous question.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
If the weather is nice I like to garden, hike, or just explore the nearby mountains. When I’m stuck inside I enjoy putting together jigsaw puzzles and reading. My broader passions are travel, and I’m a bit of a foodie.

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
10 (9 novels and one non-fiction). Picking a favorite is a very difficult question to answer. There’s something about each of my stories that I love, whether it’s an exotic location, the characters, or a plot with tidbits pulled from life, but I think my latest novel, A Taste of Tragedy, is my best work yet. 

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
I get ideas from travel (Marked In Mexico), remnants of dreams (Deadly Exodus), magazine articles and documentaries (Shrouded In Secrets), and I even sometimes get creative nuggets from my life, especially my rural youth, like the Wyoming settings in Big Horn Storm and A Dose of Danger. In fact, I doubt I could have written the terrifying horseback escapes in Big Horn Storm without growing up on horseback and having some pretty harrowing experiences in the backcountry. As far as information, some of my novels require an extensive amount of research, and I rely heavily on the internet.

Can you tell me and your readers something about your main characters?
A Taste of Tragedy is book two in the Risky Research series. The main new character is Morgan Hunter, a success driven business woman who will stop at nothing to succeed until she stumbles upon information potentially too dangerous to ignore. One of the main characters who will carry through all the books in the series is Devyn Nash. Devyn is a socially challenged, tough and gritty FBI agent, who isn’t all that good at playing by the rules, yet has a tender heart buried under layers of insecurity.

What do you think makes a good story?
Strong characters (protagonists and antagonists), a complex well-developed plot, and a great setting are all essential in order to craft a compelling story.

What are your favorite book genres in writing and reading? Why?
I mostly read suspense and adventure in many forms, from romantic suspense to pure action adventure. I’m pretty true to my genre, whether I’m writing or not, though I do throw in a few different genres every now and then to keep it fresh. I enjoy suspense and adventure because I love to be entertained and to be transported to a world much more exciting than my real life.   

Who are you favorite authors to read?

James Rollins, Clive Cussler, and Dan Brown

Kate's New Release


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 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 cross-hairs 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...




Where To Find Kate

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