Kim McMahill is visiting and talking about being a Panster or a Plotter #MFRWAuthor #panster #Plotter #writing #Beartooth Mountain

 

1. Are you a panster or a plotter or perhaps a bit of both?

I’m a little of both. For my latest project, The Beartooth Chronicles, there are a lot of characters and the series unfolds over about five years, so it is essential to keep the timeline straight and introduce events that may not play out for another book or two, so I’ve had to plot out the storyline a little more than usual. 

2. Which comes first - characters or plot for you?

Usually the plot comes first, though the main character in The Beartooth Chronicles definitely drives the story. 

3. What are you working on now? Is this a book in a current series or something totally new?

I’ve finished the first four novels in The Beartooth Chronicles. Book 1, Refuge from the World will be released in mid-March. The next three novels in the series will be released every four to five months thereafter. I just finished the first round of edits for book 2, Above the Abyss. In between meeting editing deadlines, I’m writing book 5.

4. Do you have some kind of object or place that figures in most of your books? I use gems a lot, hospitals and caves.

Locations for my books are generally based on someplace I’ve been that has made an impact on me. Sometimes it’s places I’ve traveled to, but my latest series is set in the Beartooth Mountains decades in the future. Currently the road over the pass is only open from Memorial Day to around October. In the series, temperatures have warmed around the planet, melting all of the ice and snow, raising sea levels. The new climate in Beartooth no longer receives snow, and the population in the U.S. is being pushed to higher elevations.

5. Do you write every day or just when the spirit hits?\

I generally write every day. Even if I’m not in the mood to work on a novel, I also publish Kindle Vella episodes, update my social media, or work on marketing and promotional tasks.

6. Where can we find you?

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

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

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

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kimmcmahill

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kim-McMahill/e/B007IK0EJW/

7. Who are your favorite authors? What about a book you’ve enjoyed?

James Rollins, Suzanne Collins, and Dan Brown. I love books that take me on an adventure or to a new place. I enjoy everything from romantic suspense to dystopian.