Coffee, Books & a Blog, Reader News, Thursday Thirteen

Thursday Thirteen and ebook Giveaway

Good morning and welcome to Thursday Thirteens. My name is Kim McMahill. I started out writing non-fiction, but my passion for exotic world travel, outrageous adventures, stories of survival against the odds, and happily-ever-after endings soon drew me into a world of romantic suspense. To introduce my work and to celebrate with this awesome group, I’ve put together thirteen facts, pieces of trivia, and items of note for my latest three novels. And to make it a little more interesting I’m giving away an ebook (format of your choice) of one of my three most recent novels, which will be featured throughout the day. Just comment on any of my book trivia posts and one person will be selected at random to receive a complimentary ebook.

First, thank you, Bonnie and the team at Coffee Time Romance for hosting me today and to kick off this thoughtful Thursday Thirteen, let’s go behind the scenes with Big Horn Storm. (sorry if the numbering doesn’t show up)

The story is set in the Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming.
The heroine, Niki, is a graphic designer by trade and in her spare time she enjoys sketching, fishing, and tying flies.
The hero, Deuce, is a smoking-hot rancher, and due to the very nature of this demanding profession he has little time for hobbies or women.
The Protagonists are an unlikely coalition of foreign invaders who share a common dislike of the U.S. and decide to stage a coordinated attack on American soil.
The leading horse is Storm and he is loosely based on a horse we had while I was growing up.
Along with the human threat the characters must survive the rugged environment and wild animals including bears. The most common bear in this area is the black bear, but black bears are generally not overly aggressive.
Black bears vary in color from blonde to black, have tall pointed ears, a straight facial profiles from nose to ear, short curved front claws, and no distinctive shoulder hump.
Grizzly habitat 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. Grizzly bears have not inhabited the Bighorn National Forest since the early 20th century, but for the sake of the story I’ve hastened the expansion of a solitary grizzly back into the area.
Grizzly bears vary in color from blond to black, have short rounded ears, a facial profile that appears dished in, long straighter claws, and a distinctive shoulder hump.
Big Horn vs Bighorn. When referring to the national forest or the wild Rocky Mountain sheep it’s one word. The Big Horn Basin is two words and the Big Horn Mountains is generally shown as two words on maps, but I’ve seen it both ways. For the book’s title I liked the looks of, Big Horn Storm, so went with it.
Minuteman I missiles (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. Although many of the ICMBs have been decommissioned, approximately 500 missiles are still scattered throughout the upper Great Plains.
The diverse landscape of the Bighorn National Forest makes for a perfect setting for a novel. The area contains mountain meadows, evergreen forests, alpine peaks, dramatic canyons, massive unique boulder formations from an ancient glacial retreat, and stunning waterfalls.
The ultimate goal for the characters in Big Horn Storm: Survival

With a deadly storm brewing in the Big Horns, can the rugged rancher and the sheepherder’s granddaughter survive the wrath of determined foreign invaders and rekindle lost love?

I hope you found these facts interesting. Please check a little later for trivia from Marked in Mexico.

When you get a chance, drop by some of the other author blogs to check out their lists, and just say hi. Have a great day!