Kristy McCaffrey's Blog: Author Kristy McCaffrey - Posts Tagged "pathway-series"
New Year, New Books: Kristy McCaffrey’s Writing Schedule for 2018
By Kristy McCaffrey
I must admit up front that I don’t usually share my writing goals/schedule for the year. It’s not that I don’t have them, it’s just that in the past I’ve often failed to meet these objectives, and I naturally like to keep my disappointment in myself to myself. But it occurred to me that maybe some of you might like to know what my plans are for the year, so I will swallow my trepidation and lay it all out. I can’t guarantee that each endeavor will reach fruition, but I will certainly try. My New Year’s resolution is to have a more structured writing schedule; fingers crossed that this will lead to the completion of more projects.
My biggest obstacle is/has been the wrestling matches I often have with the creative process. And fear. Most of you have never seen a first draft. Neither had I until I wrote my first one years ago. They can be terrifying things to behold, filled with bad prose, plot holes, and idiotic characters who say idiotic things. Editing fixes all of this, but each project must enter this realm, and there is still a part of me that will sometimes avoid a story (aka procrastinate) because a niggling voice will whisper, “You’re never going to get this to work.” That’s my other resolution this year: to forge ahead despite the fear.
So, here’s my 2018 schedule. I have an ambitious goal, which is to launch a new series in a new genre. The Pathway Series—contemporary adventure romances—will encompass full-length novels (and eventually tie-in novellas). I’m releasing Book 1 on February 26 (My husband’s birthday!! Happy birthday, honey!!). DEEP BLUE features Dr. Grace Mann as she attempts to freedive with great white sharks in Baja Mexico. Underwater filmmaker Alec Galloway is along to film a documentary about her. Despite my usual writerly insecurities, I had such fun developing this. If you like sexy, suspenseful stories that touch on relevant issues (the conservation of sharks), then I think you’ll enjoy this one. There will also be a tie-in novella, DEEP BLUE: AUSTRALIA (an additional adventure starring Grace and Alec), available exclusively at no cost to my newsletter subscribers.
The second Pathway novel, COLD HORIZON, should be out in the summer of 2018. It will follow Ty Galloway (Alec’s brother) as he attempts to summit the second highest mountain in the world—K2. On his team is Lindsey Coulson, a climber who is reentering the world of high-altitude climbing after a tragic accident. Because I had initially planned COLD HORIZON as Book 1, it’s already 2/3rds complete. But once I started mapping the series (there will be many books), I decided to write Alec and Grace’s story first. If all goes well, I’m shooting for a July release for CH.
I’ll be working on the third Pathway novel later in the year, ANCIENT WINDS. I really hope I can publish it by the end of 2018, but I’ll have to see how the writing progresses. This one will feature Brynn Galloway (Alec and Ty’s sister), an anthropologist who travels to Bolivia to locate a mysterious artifact. She’ll need the help of mercenary and all-around rogue Tristan Magee. (I’ve long wanted to write an Indiana Jones-themed novel, and this will finally be my chance.) I only have a bare outline for this story, so I’m not sure how long it will take to flesh out the details. I like to think I can fast track my writing, but that’s never been the case for me. It always seems that if I apply too much pressure to my creative well, it dries up quickly, flowing like molasses rather than a raging river. I may have to disappear come September to work on this one.
I didn’t want to completely abandon my western readers, so I’ve got a few small projects in the works. I’m in the process of sketching out a long novella in my Wings series featuring all the couples (except Molly Rose and Jake). I’d started working on this last year and couldn’t get it going, but I have plans to work more diligently on it in 2018. It’s tentatively titled THE SONGBIRD. Anticipated release date unknown at this point.
I’ve also wanted to write the third short novella in my Crow series. If you’ve read the first two (The Crow and the Coyote and The Crow and the Bear), then you might remember bounty hunter Kit Boggs, brother to Jack and Callum. The working title is A Whisper of Crows. If I can get it to my publisher by April, then you should have that one by Halloween.
And finally, I’ll be working once again on a contemporary cowboy anthology. This one will be Christmas-themed (so will be released some time in the fall) and will include the group of ladies I worked with in 2017 on A COWBOY TO KEEP, which featured my story Blue Sage. I’m currently throwing around ideas in my head for this long novella. More to come, so stay tuned.
There you have it—my schedule for 2018. It’s ambitious since I’ve never been a fast writer, but I’m ever hopeful that inspiration will visit me daily. Nah, I’m just kidding. Writing is a lot of work and the most important avenue to success has always been one thing—to consistently write every day.
I want to give a shout-out to my readers—you guys are so awesome, and I appreciate all your encouragement and support.
To stay updated on the completion of my 2018 projects, check my website, follow me on Twitter or Facebook, or better yet, sign up for my newsletter. I only send news when I have news.
Now, it’s time to shoo self-doubt out the door and get to work. And I wish the same for each and every one of you.
Kristy
xoxo
Connect with Kristy
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Blog ~ Pathways
Newsletter
I must admit up front that I don’t usually share my writing goals/schedule for the year. It’s not that I don’t have them, it’s just that in the past I’ve often failed to meet these objectives, and I naturally like to keep my disappointment in myself to myself. But it occurred to me that maybe some of you might like to know what my plans are for the year, so I will swallow my trepidation and lay it all out. I can’t guarantee that each endeavor will reach fruition, but I will certainly try. My New Year’s resolution is to have a more structured writing schedule; fingers crossed that this will lead to the completion of more projects.
My biggest obstacle is/has been the wrestling matches I often have with the creative process. And fear. Most of you have never seen a first draft. Neither had I until I wrote my first one years ago. They can be terrifying things to behold, filled with bad prose, plot holes, and idiotic characters who say idiotic things. Editing fixes all of this, but each project must enter this realm, and there is still a part of me that will sometimes avoid a story (aka procrastinate) because a niggling voice will whisper, “You’re never going to get this to work.” That’s my other resolution this year: to forge ahead despite the fear.
So, here’s my 2018 schedule. I have an ambitious goal, which is to launch a new series in a new genre. The Pathway Series—contemporary adventure romances—will encompass full-length novels (and eventually tie-in novellas). I’m releasing Book 1 on February 26 (My husband’s birthday!! Happy birthday, honey!!). DEEP BLUE features Dr. Grace Mann as she attempts to freedive with great white sharks in Baja Mexico. Underwater filmmaker Alec Galloway is along to film a documentary about her. Despite my usual writerly insecurities, I had such fun developing this. If you like sexy, suspenseful stories that touch on relevant issues (the conservation of sharks), then I think you’ll enjoy this one. There will also be a tie-in novella, DEEP BLUE: AUSTRALIA (an additional adventure starring Grace and Alec), available exclusively at no cost to my newsletter subscribers.
The second Pathway novel, COLD HORIZON, should be out in the summer of 2018. It will follow Ty Galloway (Alec’s brother) as he attempts to summit the second highest mountain in the world—K2. On his team is Lindsey Coulson, a climber who is reentering the world of high-altitude climbing after a tragic accident. Because I had initially planned COLD HORIZON as Book 1, it’s already 2/3rds complete. But once I started mapping the series (there will be many books), I decided to write Alec and Grace’s story first. If all goes well, I’m shooting for a July release for CH.
I’ll be working on the third Pathway novel later in the year, ANCIENT WINDS. I really hope I can publish it by the end of 2018, but I’ll have to see how the writing progresses. This one will feature Brynn Galloway (Alec and Ty’s sister), an anthropologist who travels to Bolivia to locate a mysterious artifact. She’ll need the help of mercenary and all-around rogue Tristan Magee. (I’ve long wanted to write an Indiana Jones-themed novel, and this will finally be my chance.) I only have a bare outline for this story, so I’m not sure how long it will take to flesh out the details. I like to think I can fast track my writing, but that’s never been the case for me. It always seems that if I apply too much pressure to my creative well, it dries up quickly, flowing like molasses rather than a raging river. I may have to disappear come September to work on this one.
I didn’t want to completely abandon my western readers, so I’ve got a few small projects in the works. I’m in the process of sketching out a long novella in my Wings series featuring all the couples (except Molly Rose and Jake). I’d started working on this last year and couldn’t get it going, but I have plans to work more diligently on it in 2018. It’s tentatively titled THE SONGBIRD. Anticipated release date unknown at this point.
I’ve also wanted to write the third short novella in my Crow series. If you’ve read the first two (The Crow and the Coyote and The Crow and the Bear), then you might remember bounty hunter Kit Boggs, brother to Jack and Callum. The working title is A Whisper of Crows. If I can get it to my publisher by April, then you should have that one by Halloween.
And finally, I’ll be working once again on a contemporary cowboy anthology. This one will be Christmas-themed (so will be released some time in the fall) and will include the group of ladies I worked with in 2017 on A COWBOY TO KEEP, which featured my story Blue Sage. I’m currently throwing around ideas in my head for this long novella. More to come, so stay tuned.
There you have it—my schedule for 2018. It’s ambitious since I’ve never been a fast writer, but I’m ever hopeful that inspiration will visit me daily. Nah, I’m just kidding. Writing is a lot of work and the most important avenue to success has always been one thing—to consistently write every day.
I want to give a shout-out to my readers—you guys are so awesome, and I appreciate all your encouragement and support.
To stay updated on the completion of my 2018 projects, check my website, follow me on Twitter or Facebook, or better yet, sign up for my newsletter. I only send news when I have news.
Now, it’s time to shoo self-doubt out the door and get to work. And I wish the same for each and every one of you.
Kristy
xoxo
Connect with Kristy
Website
Blog ~ Pathways
Newsletter
DEEP BLUE is on sale!! Enter my giveaway!! #sharkweek @mccaffreykristy
Every year, I avidly watch SHARK WEEK on the Discovery Channel. I knew one day I would write a book about sharks and share my passion for the ocean. And that dream finally came true when I released DEEP BLUE earlier this year. So, in honor of Shark Week, my shark book baby is on sale. All this week, digital copies of DEEP BLUE are only 99 cents.
Underwater filmmaker Alec Galloway is hired to produce a documentary of Dr. Grace Mann freediving with great whites, but can he keep her safe when her passionate focus on the sharks just might get her killed?
Learn more and read Chapter One here.
“… like shark week in a book …” ~ Rachel H., reader
“An…engaging tale…” ~ Kirkus Reviews
“… a compelling dance between two very likeable characters …” ~ D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
“… vivid and realistic …” ~ Romancing the Book
“A hunky filmmaker and great whites, what’s not to love?” ~ Lynne Bryant, InD’tale Magazine
And be sure to enter my giveaway!! (U.S. residents only.) 12 chances to win.
Prizes include:
Shark Week mug
Shark Week totebag
"We're gonna need a bigger boat" totebag
"My spirit animal is a great white shark" Large t-shirt
Great White Shark baseball cap
Shark corn-on-the-cob holders
"You're gonna need a bigger boat!" blank notebook
DEEP BLUE totebag
2 print copies of DEEP BLUE
2 $10 Amazon gift cards
Click here to enter.
Winners chosen July 30, 2018.
K2: The Savage Mountain (and my new book)
By Kristy McCaffrey
The legendary climber Reinhold Messner has described K2, the second highest mountain in the world, as the most beautiful of all the high peaks. “An artist has made this mountain,” he said.
K2 is located on the border between China and Pakistan in the Karakoram Mountains, and is the only 8000-meter peak not to have been climbed in the winter. The optimal season for summits is July and August. Most climbers approach from the Pakistani side, starting in Islamabad, then take a bus ride to the town of Skardu. From there, it’s a 10-day treacherous hike to get to base camp, situated at 18,000 feet.
K2, located in the Karakoram Mountains.
The name K2 is derived from the notation used by the Great Trigonometrical Survey of British India, given because it was the second peak measured in the Karakoram Range. Locally, the mountain is called Chogori.
K2 was first surveyed in 1856, but the first attempt to climb it came in 1902 with the occultist Aleister Crowley as one of the members of the expedition, but the team never got any higher than 21,000 feet. Subsequent expeditions in 1909, 1938, 1939 and 1953 all failed to reach the summit. In 1954, an Italian team finally succeeded. A second successful ascent wouldn’t happen again until 1977.
The difficulty in climbing K2 lies in the fact that it’s prone to frequent and severe storms that make treacherous climbing conditions even more challenging. The number of climbers who have reached the summit is only a small fraction compared to successful summits of Mt. Everest, and proportionally K2 has the second highest fatality rate of all 8000-meter peaks (Annapurna, the 10th highest mountain, has the most.)
Don't miss my new book, COLD HORIZON (The Pathway Series Book 2)
Available June 11, 2019
Ambition and courage at the top of the world …
Lindsey Coulson likes to scale mountains. With her sister, Alison, she has made a name for herself climbing the tallest and most treacherous peaks in the world. But when Alison dies on a K2 expedition—the second highest mountain on earth—Lindsey stops climbing. Unable to shed her grief, it becomes clear she must return to the wilderness and only one place will do—K2, the Savage Mountain.
Tyler Galloway has finally secured a permit from the Pakistani government to bring an American team to K2. When Lindsey Coulson inquires about joining the expedition, he gladly brings the famed mountaineer on board. Her strong climbing resume precedes her, and she’ll be a welcome addition to the small crew he has assembled. But K2 is a force unto itself, as is Lindsey. Both will test his limits. And both will test his heart.
Pre-Order COLD HORIZON
Kindle
Nook
Apple Books
Kobo
Google Play
Print is coming.
Read an excerpt
Lindsey's earlier euphoria had given way to a headache that had started pulsing behind her eyes. Trying to ignore it, she paused to take in the expansive view. An endless array of peaks, whiter than usual, filled the horizon. The world was crisp and new, the sun a small, shining dot in a sky as blue as a swimming pool. Lindsey had to imagine the warmth it could offer, because no rays of sunshine had reached them as yet.
She attempted an invigorating inhale of fresh mountain air, but instead it was like dragging ice cubes through her nose, and her lungs struggled for oxygen that wasn’t there. With one final sweep, she enjoyed the abundance of mountains surrounding them, a mythical, almost unreal collection of snow-covered summits and the frozen river at the bottom carved by glacier movement.
Ty, covered in a yellow and black climbing suit, motioned for her to precede him. David, clad in a blue suit, was already at the top of the Black Pyramid. He hooked onto the fixed rope, faced the mountain, then disappeared.
Ty stepped in front of her and gently pulled at her harness, doing a safety check on her once again. She didn’t bother to suppress the smile that crept on her face since the balaclava hid it. Despite the exhaustion pressing on her, she’d already checked her gear three times.
Giving a reciprocal tug on his harness, she eyed the buckle. All good.
Carefully she kneeled and clipped her harness to the fixed rope with a figure-eight device and then eased herself over the edge. The memory muscle of rappelling kicked in, and she began her descent.
Suddenly, Ty released a guttural roar. She glanced up just as Elena’s red clad body careened toward her. Lindsey scrambled to move, but it was too late—the woman slammed into her and with a jerk, they snapped to a stop.
Stunned, Lindsey hung upside down with her back to the mountain, struggling to hold Elena against her chest since the other woman likely wasn’t tied on—to anything. Lindsey’s descender had snapped off the fixed rope and was dangling in her face. Her backup clip must have caught her, but how long would it hold?
“Elena,” she said, trying to get her attention.
“Here,” she replied, her head near Lindsey’s.
Good, she was conscious.
“Before I can let you go, you’ve got to get hooked to the rope.”
Elena flailed and a wave of dizziness hit Lindsey, her stomach boiling.
Oh no.
“Hold on,” Ty yelled.
“Don’t move,” Lindsey ground out between her teeth. “Wait for Ty.”
“I’m below you.” David’s voice echoed beside her ear.
“I’ll get Elena,” Ty said, now closer.
The woman was yanked from Lindsey’s grasp. From below, David pushed Lindsey’s shoulders as Ty leaned down and took hold of her harness as well, but rather than attach her to the fixed line, he hooked himself directly to her. A wave of nausea hit as she shifted upright; she had no time to offer a warning and barely got her balaclava free before she lost her breakfast.
Twisting downhill, she vomited, barely missing David.
“Sonovabitch,” he bellowed.
Coughing, a second wave of convulsions overtook her, the bluish contents of her stomach splattered across the white snow.
“Lindsey, take it easy,” Ty said, his voice calm and soothing.
She hung off the rope, praying the queasiness would pass. This wasn’t the place to be sick.
“David, we need to get her down.” The icy change in Ty’s tone signaled the urgency of the situation.
Copyright © 2019 K. McCaffrey LLC
The legendary climber Reinhold Messner has described K2, the second highest mountain in the world, as the most beautiful of all the high peaks. “An artist has made this mountain,” he said.
K2 is located on the border between China and Pakistan in the Karakoram Mountains, and is the only 8000-meter peak not to have been climbed in the winter. The optimal season for summits is July and August. Most climbers approach from the Pakistani side, starting in Islamabad, then take a bus ride to the town of Skardu. From there, it’s a 10-day treacherous hike to get to base camp, situated at 18,000 feet.
K2, located in the Karakoram Mountains.
The name K2 is derived from the notation used by the Great Trigonometrical Survey of British India, given because it was the second peak measured in the Karakoram Range. Locally, the mountain is called Chogori.
K2 was first surveyed in 1856, but the first attempt to climb it came in 1902 with the occultist Aleister Crowley as one of the members of the expedition, but the team never got any higher than 21,000 feet. Subsequent expeditions in 1909, 1938, 1939 and 1953 all failed to reach the summit. In 1954, an Italian team finally succeeded. A second successful ascent wouldn’t happen again until 1977.
The difficulty in climbing K2 lies in the fact that it’s prone to frequent and severe storms that make treacherous climbing conditions even more challenging. The number of climbers who have reached the summit is only a small fraction compared to successful summits of Mt. Everest, and proportionally K2 has the second highest fatality rate of all 8000-meter peaks (Annapurna, the 10th highest mountain, has the most.)
Don't miss my new book, COLD HORIZON (The Pathway Series Book 2)
Available June 11, 2019
Ambition and courage at the top of the world …
Lindsey Coulson likes to scale mountains. With her sister, Alison, she has made a name for herself climbing the tallest and most treacherous peaks in the world. But when Alison dies on a K2 expedition—the second highest mountain on earth—Lindsey stops climbing. Unable to shed her grief, it becomes clear she must return to the wilderness and only one place will do—K2, the Savage Mountain.
Tyler Galloway has finally secured a permit from the Pakistani government to bring an American team to K2. When Lindsey Coulson inquires about joining the expedition, he gladly brings the famed mountaineer on board. Her strong climbing resume precedes her, and she’ll be a welcome addition to the small crew he has assembled. But K2 is a force unto itself, as is Lindsey. Both will test his limits. And both will test his heart.
Pre-Order COLD HORIZON
Kindle
Nook
Apple Books
Kobo
Google Play
Print is coming.
Read an excerpt
Lindsey's earlier euphoria had given way to a headache that had started pulsing behind her eyes. Trying to ignore it, she paused to take in the expansive view. An endless array of peaks, whiter than usual, filled the horizon. The world was crisp and new, the sun a small, shining dot in a sky as blue as a swimming pool. Lindsey had to imagine the warmth it could offer, because no rays of sunshine had reached them as yet.
She attempted an invigorating inhale of fresh mountain air, but instead it was like dragging ice cubes through her nose, and her lungs struggled for oxygen that wasn’t there. With one final sweep, she enjoyed the abundance of mountains surrounding them, a mythical, almost unreal collection of snow-covered summits and the frozen river at the bottom carved by glacier movement.
Ty, covered in a yellow and black climbing suit, motioned for her to precede him. David, clad in a blue suit, was already at the top of the Black Pyramid. He hooked onto the fixed rope, faced the mountain, then disappeared.
Ty stepped in front of her and gently pulled at her harness, doing a safety check on her once again. She didn’t bother to suppress the smile that crept on her face since the balaclava hid it. Despite the exhaustion pressing on her, she’d already checked her gear three times.
Giving a reciprocal tug on his harness, she eyed the buckle. All good.
Carefully she kneeled and clipped her harness to the fixed rope with a figure-eight device and then eased herself over the edge. The memory muscle of rappelling kicked in, and she began her descent.
Suddenly, Ty released a guttural roar. She glanced up just as Elena’s red clad body careened toward her. Lindsey scrambled to move, but it was too late—the woman slammed into her and with a jerk, they snapped to a stop.
Stunned, Lindsey hung upside down with her back to the mountain, struggling to hold Elena against her chest since the other woman likely wasn’t tied on—to anything. Lindsey’s descender had snapped off the fixed rope and was dangling in her face. Her backup clip must have caught her, but how long would it hold?
“Elena,” she said, trying to get her attention.
“Here,” she replied, her head near Lindsey’s.
Good, she was conscious.
“Before I can let you go, you’ve got to get hooked to the rope.”
Elena flailed and a wave of dizziness hit Lindsey, her stomach boiling.
Oh no.
“Hold on,” Ty yelled.
“Don’t move,” Lindsey ground out between her teeth. “Wait for Ty.”
“I’m below you.” David’s voice echoed beside her ear.
“I’ll get Elena,” Ty said, now closer.
The woman was yanked from Lindsey’s grasp. From below, David pushed Lindsey’s shoulders as Ty leaned down and took hold of her harness as well, but rather than attach her to the fixed line, he hooked himself directly to her. A wave of nausea hit as she shifted upright; she had no time to offer a warning and barely got her balaclava free before she lost her breakfast.
Twisting downhill, she vomited, barely missing David.
“Sonovabitch,” he bellowed.
Coughing, a second wave of convulsions overtook her, the bluish contents of her stomach splattered across the white snow.
“Lindsey, take it easy,” Ty said, his voice calm and soothing.
She hung off the rope, praying the queasiness would pass. This wasn’t the place to be sick.
“David, we need to get her down.” The icy change in Ty’s tone signaled the urgency of the situation.
Copyright © 2019 K. McCaffrey LLC
New Release - COLD HORIZON
By Kristy McCaffrey
I've got a double-release today!!
COLD HORIZON
The Pathway Series Book 2
Ambition and courage at the top of the world …
Lindsey Coulson likes to scale mountains. With her sister, Alison, she has made a name for herself climbing the tallest and most treacherous peaks in the world. But when Alison dies on a K2 expedition—the second highest mountain on earth—Lindsey stops climbing. Unable to shed her grief, it becomes clear she must return to the wilderness and only one place will do—K2, the Savage Mountain.
Tyler Galloway has finally secured a permit from the Pakistani government to bring an American team to K2. When Lindsey Coulson inquires about joining the expedition, he gladly brings the famed mountaineer on board. Her strong climbing resume precedes her, and she’ll be a welcome addition to the small crew he has assembled. But K2 is a force unto itself, as is Lindsey. Both will test his limits. And both will test his heart.
Each Pathway novel can be savored as a standalone story, but for maximum enjoyment the recommended reading order is:
Deep Blue
Deep Blue: Australia (A Pathway Novella available exclusively to Kristy’s newsletter subscribers)
Cold Horizon
Cold Horizon: Telluride (A Pathway Novella)
Now Available in Digital (print is coming)
Kindle
Nook
Apple
Kobo
Google Play
Read an excerpt
The wind blasted Lindsey, threatening to rip her off the mountain and throw her into the abyss far below.
It was blisteringly obvious that K2 wasn’t going to give up her summit without a fight. Descending the Bottleneck in this shitstorm of low visibility was bad enough but having to guide an impaired Elena down was enough to give Lindsey sharp pangs of panic.
Had Alison been in this same spot, gripped with the same bone-deep fear?
Her sister had died on this mountain two years ago, likely not far from where Lindsey currently stood.
This won’t be my fate.
Two climbers materialized behind them in the darkness. For a moment, Lindsey thought it was Tyler, but that elation was dashed when the first one spoke with a German accent. Frieder.
They came to Ditch first, but to her surprise didn’t stop and instead climbed around him and Elena.
When they tried to do the same to Lindsey, she blocked them.
“Can you help us get Elena through the Bottleneck?” she asked.
Frieder stopped and said nothing, then finally shook his head and uttered one word, “Nein.”
To Lindsey’s shock, he said nothing more and climbed past her, hooking himself to the fixed rope.
What the hell?
When the second German, Volker, moved to do the same, she planted her axe in front of his face. “We need help with Elena.”
Volker shook his head. “We are spent.”
“So are we. If we leave her here, she’ll die.”
“Then she should not be here. Not our responsibility.”
“Bullshit,” Lindsey said. “It’ll go faster with four of us.”
Volker ignored her and climbed up a few feet to get past her. Then he went to the fixed rope, clipped on, and the swirling snow swallowed him up.
Stunned, Lindsey remained where she was, trying to quell her anger.
A loud snap filled the air, and then a rumble.
Shit!
“Hold on!” she yelled, facing the mountain and tucking her head, praying her helmet would fend off any blocks of ice.
She closed her eyes and held her breath, waiting as the roar grew. A cloud of snow and ice slammed into her, and she held tight to her ice axes to keep from being blown off the mountain.
But the avalanche hadn’t hit them.
Trembling, she didn’t move.
“Lindsey,” Ditch said. “Where are the Germans?”
Her headlamp revealed the fixed rope to be still intact. Maybe the two shithead Germans were okay. She almost didn’t care.
She swung her light back toward Ditch and Elena, trying to answer, but the words wouldn’t come. Ditch had retrieved his radio. “David, come in.”
In addition to Ty, Lindsey, and Ditch, their team had consisted of David Shaw and Billy Packer. Since Shaw had summited the day before with the Poles, a move that had irritated Lindsey, he had nonetheless stepped up to care for Packer at Camp Four until the rest of them could return to help.
“I’m here,” Shaw replied.
“We think part of the serac broke off. Frieder and Volker might have gotten hit. Over.”
“Copy that. I’ll go out and look for them, but it’s a white-out. Be careful. Over.”
Ditch stowed the radio. “Is the fixed rope still there?” he asked Lindsey.
“It looks like it,” she answered, her teeth chattering.
“You stay here with Elena,” he said. “I’ll go check.”
Unable to move, all Lindsey could do was watch as he moved above her and soon disappeared into the snowstorm, just as the Germans had.
Ditch had hooked Elena to an ice screw before he had left them, so she was secure for the moment, allowing Lindsey to remain where she was and regroup.
She was shakier than she wanted to be.
The snow conditions were becoming untenable. It was too dark. A piece of the serac had just broken off, possibly killing Frieder and Volker. And if the two German men weren’t dead, how would anyone find them? Was there anyone left at Camp Four besides David and Packer?
And now, as the she waited for Ditch to return, she faced the fact that she might have to bivouac with Elena right here. Spending the night hanging off the side of K2 was a terrible idea, and one she wanted to avoid. Climbers joked that bivouac was French for “mistake.” And Elena had certainly made a mistake as she’d tried to reach the summit earlier today, instead of turning around. Now, Lindsey was paying the price for the woman’s piss-poor decision-making.
Knowing she needed to stop complaining, Lindsey switched to problem-solving mode, trying to corral her errant thoughts into something useful. Hours—no, it had been days—of oxygen deprivation was fast destroying her cognitive skills.
She had a bivy sac, but it was only meant for one person. There was no way she could secure it on this near vertical face, so they would need to ascend. But what if they got lost?
What about Ty? Was he still behind her? And wasn’t the other American team also downclimbing from the summit? If she waited long enough, surely they would meet up with her and could help get Elena down. But it was already so late. They could be hunkered down, bivouacking despite the lunacy of sitting still and waiting out the storm. Waiting for sunrise.
Or they could be lost themselves.
Copyright © 2019 K. McCaffrey LLC
COLD HORIZON: Telluride
The Pathway Series Book 2.1
Lindsey Coulson has lost her edge. After surviving a harrowing descent of K2, the second highest mountain in the world, life back home has left her with serious doubts about continuing the dangerous life of a high-altitude mountain climber. When she accompanies her boyfriend, Ty Galloway, to a trade show in Telluride, Colorado, a chance encounter with a climber who knew her deceased dad—famed mountaineer Robbie Coulson—sets her on a different course.
Ty Galloway has settled into a nine-to-five routine with his new job as editor-in-chief of Mountaineer Magazine, but the monotony is already beginning to chafe. A weekend away with Lindsey at his parents’ place seems like the perfect antidote, but when his mom and dad unexpectedly arrive, their presence puts a damper on his romantic plans. And they’ve got a few surprises in store for Ty.
This short novella follows the full-length novel, COLD HORIZON, and includes appearances from Italian climber Elena Rossi and the irreverent mountaineer Dan Beck.
Learn more and read Chapter One at Kristy's website.
I've got a double-release today!!
COLD HORIZON
The Pathway Series Book 2
Ambition and courage at the top of the world …
Lindsey Coulson likes to scale mountains. With her sister, Alison, she has made a name for herself climbing the tallest and most treacherous peaks in the world. But when Alison dies on a K2 expedition—the second highest mountain on earth—Lindsey stops climbing. Unable to shed her grief, it becomes clear she must return to the wilderness and only one place will do—K2, the Savage Mountain.
Tyler Galloway has finally secured a permit from the Pakistani government to bring an American team to K2. When Lindsey Coulson inquires about joining the expedition, he gladly brings the famed mountaineer on board. Her strong climbing resume precedes her, and she’ll be a welcome addition to the small crew he has assembled. But K2 is a force unto itself, as is Lindsey. Both will test his limits. And both will test his heart.
Each Pathway novel can be savored as a standalone story, but for maximum enjoyment the recommended reading order is:
Deep Blue
Deep Blue: Australia (A Pathway Novella available exclusively to Kristy’s newsletter subscribers)
Cold Horizon
Cold Horizon: Telluride (A Pathway Novella)
Now Available in Digital (print is coming)
Kindle
Nook
Apple
Kobo
Google Play
Read an excerpt
The wind blasted Lindsey, threatening to rip her off the mountain and throw her into the abyss far below.
It was blisteringly obvious that K2 wasn’t going to give up her summit without a fight. Descending the Bottleneck in this shitstorm of low visibility was bad enough but having to guide an impaired Elena down was enough to give Lindsey sharp pangs of panic.
Had Alison been in this same spot, gripped with the same bone-deep fear?
Her sister had died on this mountain two years ago, likely not far from where Lindsey currently stood.
This won’t be my fate.
Two climbers materialized behind them in the darkness. For a moment, Lindsey thought it was Tyler, but that elation was dashed when the first one spoke with a German accent. Frieder.
They came to Ditch first, but to her surprise didn’t stop and instead climbed around him and Elena.
When they tried to do the same to Lindsey, she blocked them.
“Can you help us get Elena through the Bottleneck?” she asked.
Frieder stopped and said nothing, then finally shook his head and uttered one word, “Nein.”
To Lindsey’s shock, he said nothing more and climbed past her, hooking himself to the fixed rope.
What the hell?
When the second German, Volker, moved to do the same, she planted her axe in front of his face. “We need help with Elena.”
Volker shook his head. “We are spent.”
“So are we. If we leave her here, she’ll die.”
“Then she should not be here. Not our responsibility.”
“Bullshit,” Lindsey said. “It’ll go faster with four of us.”
Volker ignored her and climbed up a few feet to get past her. Then he went to the fixed rope, clipped on, and the swirling snow swallowed him up.
Stunned, Lindsey remained where she was, trying to quell her anger.
A loud snap filled the air, and then a rumble.
Shit!
“Hold on!” she yelled, facing the mountain and tucking her head, praying her helmet would fend off any blocks of ice.
She closed her eyes and held her breath, waiting as the roar grew. A cloud of snow and ice slammed into her, and she held tight to her ice axes to keep from being blown off the mountain.
But the avalanche hadn’t hit them.
Trembling, she didn’t move.
“Lindsey,” Ditch said. “Where are the Germans?”
Her headlamp revealed the fixed rope to be still intact. Maybe the two shithead Germans were okay. She almost didn’t care.
She swung her light back toward Ditch and Elena, trying to answer, but the words wouldn’t come. Ditch had retrieved his radio. “David, come in.”
In addition to Ty, Lindsey, and Ditch, their team had consisted of David Shaw and Billy Packer. Since Shaw had summited the day before with the Poles, a move that had irritated Lindsey, he had nonetheless stepped up to care for Packer at Camp Four until the rest of them could return to help.
“I’m here,” Shaw replied.
“We think part of the serac broke off. Frieder and Volker might have gotten hit. Over.”
“Copy that. I’ll go out and look for them, but it’s a white-out. Be careful. Over.”
Ditch stowed the radio. “Is the fixed rope still there?” he asked Lindsey.
“It looks like it,” she answered, her teeth chattering.
“You stay here with Elena,” he said. “I’ll go check.”
Unable to move, all Lindsey could do was watch as he moved above her and soon disappeared into the snowstorm, just as the Germans had.
Ditch had hooked Elena to an ice screw before he had left them, so she was secure for the moment, allowing Lindsey to remain where she was and regroup.
She was shakier than she wanted to be.
The snow conditions were becoming untenable. It was too dark. A piece of the serac had just broken off, possibly killing Frieder and Volker. And if the two German men weren’t dead, how would anyone find them? Was there anyone left at Camp Four besides David and Packer?
And now, as the she waited for Ditch to return, she faced the fact that she might have to bivouac with Elena right here. Spending the night hanging off the side of K2 was a terrible idea, and one she wanted to avoid. Climbers joked that bivouac was French for “mistake.” And Elena had certainly made a mistake as she’d tried to reach the summit earlier today, instead of turning around. Now, Lindsey was paying the price for the woman’s piss-poor decision-making.
Knowing she needed to stop complaining, Lindsey switched to problem-solving mode, trying to corral her errant thoughts into something useful. Hours—no, it had been days—of oxygen deprivation was fast destroying her cognitive skills.
She had a bivy sac, but it was only meant for one person. There was no way she could secure it on this near vertical face, so they would need to ascend. But what if they got lost?
What about Ty? Was he still behind her? And wasn’t the other American team also downclimbing from the summit? If she waited long enough, surely they would meet up with her and could help get Elena down. But it was already so late. They could be hunkered down, bivouacking despite the lunacy of sitting still and waiting out the storm. Waiting for sunrise.
Or they could be lost themselves.
Copyright © 2019 K. McCaffrey LLC
COLD HORIZON: Telluride
The Pathway Series Book 2.1
Lindsey Coulson has lost her edge. After surviving a harrowing descent of K2, the second highest mountain in the world, life back home has left her with serious doubts about continuing the dangerous life of a high-altitude mountain climber. When she accompanies her boyfriend, Ty Galloway, to a trade show in Telluride, Colorado, a chance encounter with a climber who knew her deceased dad—famed mountaineer Robbie Coulson—sets her on a different course.
Ty Galloway has settled into a nine-to-five routine with his new job as editor-in-chief of Mountaineer Magazine, but the monotony is already beginning to chafe. A weekend away with Lindsey at his parents’ place seems like the perfect antidote, but when his mom and dad unexpectedly arrive, their presence puts a damper on his romantic plans. And they’ve got a few surprises in store for Ty.
This short novella follows the full-length novel, COLD HORIZON, and includes appearances from Italian climber Elena Rossi and the irreverent mountaineer Dan Beck.
Learn more and read Chapter One at Kristy's website.
The Belay
By Kristy McCaffrey
K2, located in the Karakoram Mountain Range, is the second highest mountain in the world at 28,251 feet, straddling the Pakistan/China border. Its icy sides are steep and exposed, and it’s prone to heavy storms and avalanches. K2 wasn’t surveyed until 1852, and the first known climbing attempt was in 1902, with one of the climbers none other than the English occultist Aleister Crowley. They never made it higher than 20,000 feet.
K2, located in the Karakoram Mountains of Pakistan.
In 1953, with the summit yet to be reached, an American expedition was launched, marking the fifth quest to conquer the mountain. The team was led by Charles Houston, who had attempted to climb K2 in 1938 but had retreated just shy of the summit due to diminishing supplies and imminent bad weather.
High-altitude mountaineering had, up to this point, been an enormous undertaking with the establishment of many camps along the route to the top, taking several weeks of ascents and descents to stock gear, food, and heavy oxygen cannisters. Instead, Houston proposed a lightweight expedition, and this would later become known as the Alpine style of climbing.
There were eight men on the team: Charles Houston, a physician; Robert Bates, a climbing friend of Houston’s from their Harvard days, who had also gone to K2 in 1938; Robert Craig, a ski instructor from Seattle; Art Gilkey, a geologist from Iowa; Dee Molenaar, a geologist and artist from Seattle; Pete Schoening, also from Seattle and the youngest member at 25; George Bell, a nuclear scientist from Los Alamos; and Tony Streather, an English army officer.
As they approached the summit, Art Gilkey became ill, most likely with thrombophlebitis (a blood clot). The team decided to descend in order to save Gilkey’s life, despite that his condition was likely fatal. Since he was unable to walk, they carried him in a makeshift stretcher made from canvas, ropes and a sleeping bag.
Somewhere around 24,600 feet, Bell slipped and fell on a patch of ice, pulling off his rope-mate, Streather. As they fell, their rope became entangled with those connecting Houston, Bates, Gilkey and Molenaar, pulling them along as well. Pete Schoening, who had been belaying Gilkey and Molenaar, was now the only climber still standing and was connected to the force of six falling men. He quickly wrapped the rope around his shoulders and ice axe, and he miraculously held all six climbers from plummeting to their deaths. This act became known as “The Belay,” considered one of the most famous events in mountaineering history.
After the climbers had recovered and made their way to a tent at the next lower camp, they unfortunately lost Gilkey. He had been anchored to the ice slope as the exhausted climbers had prepared the tent. They could hear his muffled shouts, but when they returned to retrieve him, he was gone. The most likely culprit was an avalanche. Later, members of the team concluded that Gilkey had released the anchors to unburden himself from the team, but the true cause of his death remains unknown.
In more than 150 years of mountaineering, only about 300 climbers have reached the summit of K2, known as the Savage Mountain, while nearly 80 people have died trying.
Two years ago, Lindsey Coulson lost her sister on K2, the second highest mountain on earth. Searching for answers, she sets out to climb the Savage Mountain. Mountaineer and freelance writer Ty Galloway has assembled a small team to conquer K2 and welcomes the esteemed climber. But K2 is a force unto itself, as is Lindsey. Both will test his limits. Both will test his heart.
“Full of action, suspense and adventure. Loved this book!”
~ Rebecca Lyndsey, author/illustrator of the children’s book Into the Ocean
Cold Horizon is now available in Print.
Contact Kristy at kristy@kristymccaffrey.com if you would like to purchase an autographed copy.
Read an excerpt from COLD HORIZON
“All the 8000-meter peaks have been conquered with winter ascents now, except for K2,” Ty said, seeking to change the subject. “As usual, she’s holding out. Here’s another interesting fact—K2 is the site of the most famous belay in mountaineering history.”
“I’m hoping to get a photo as we pass the spot,” Packer said. “I’m gonna put it on my social media with hashtag ‘BadAssBelay.’”
“Why is it so famous?” Brynn asked.
“One man held the force of six falling men,” Ditch replied. “It was in 1953 and the summit of K2 had yet to be reached by anyone. The expedition—only the fifth one here—wouldn’t reach it either. It was an American team led by a man named Charles Houston, an excellent and well-respected climber. They had made it quite high on the mountain when one of their teammates, a man named Art Gilkey, for whom the memorial here is named, became very ill. They had to bring him down in a makeshift stretcher, which is a very dangerous thing to do. At one point, each man slipped in fast succession, becoming entangled in the ropes. A young climber named Pete Schoening was at the end, and he held them all, saving their lives. It was an incredible feat, really. Unfortunately, later, they anchored Gilkey to the mountain while they set up a tent, and he disappeared, likely swept away by an avalanche.”
Brynn took a sip of coffee from her mug. “Don’t all of you find the death in these places unsettling?”
“You can’t let it get to you,” David said. “On Everest, some of the dead are still where they died. You walk right by them.”
“One of the markers to the summit is Green Boots,” Ditch said. “I think he was an Indian climber.”
“They just freeze and are left there?” Captain Juneid asked, having remained silent during the meal.
“It’s too dangerous to move them,” Ditch replied. “It sounds unfeeling, but if they’re dead, they don’t need to get down the mountain.”
“Sometimes climbers try to bring bodies down,” Ty said quietly, glancing at Lindsey. Alison’s body was somewhere on K2. “But most of the time it’s all they can do to get themselves down safely.”
“Well, if I freeze my ass to K2, I give everyone here the green light to leave me,” Packer said. “I’d be happy to spend eternity here. Then everyone can pass me by, referring to the Packer marker.”
Ditch smirked. “You mean they’d be saying ‘The summit is just beyond the asshole blocking the route.’”
Packer let out a whoop. “I’ve been called worse.”
Brynn’s face took on an expression of concern. “I know climbing is addictive—I surfed for years, so I get the mentality—but really, why do you all do it?”
“It beats working,” Packer said.
Ditch finished off his coffee. “Which I don’t think you’ve ever done.”
“If you’re nice to me, I’ll let you rope up with me.”
“I think I’ll rope with Lindsey.”
Packer released an exaggerated sigh. “God, I hate it when there’s a better climber on the team than me. I have to work so much harder. Wait a minute, why do you get to rope up with the lady?”
Lindsey looked at Brynn. “Are you sure you don’t want to take up climbing?”
“Maybe I will. But I can see why you always climbed with your sister.”
“You girls are too picky,” Packer said.
“Just watch yourself,” Ty cut in. “There’ll be no messing around with my sister.”
Glee filled Packer’s face. “But Lindsey’s fair game?”
“No.” Lindsey answered at the same time as Ty.
He immediately regretted the force of his opposition, the hair rising on the back of his neck. The protectiveness for his sister didn’t surprise him, but hell if he wanted anyone laying claim to Lindsey.
Shit. So much for keeping his feelings under the radar.
Copyright © 2019 K. McCaffrey LLC
COLD HORIZON
Kindle
Nook
Apple
Kobo
Google Play
Print
COLD HORIZON: TELLURIDE
Kindle
Nook
Apple
Kobo
Google Play
Each Pathway novel can be savored as a standalone story, but for maximum enjoyment the recommended reading order is:
Deep Blue
Deep Blue: Australia (A Pathway Novella available exclusively to Kristy’s newsletter subscribers)
Cold Horizon
Cold Horizon: Telluride (A Pathway Novella)
K2, located in the Karakoram Mountain Range, is the second highest mountain in the world at 28,251 feet, straddling the Pakistan/China border. Its icy sides are steep and exposed, and it’s prone to heavy storms and avalanches. K2 wasn’t surveyed until 1852, and the first known climbing attempt was in 1902, with one of the climbers none other than the English occultist Aleister Crowley. They never made it higher than 20,000 feet.
K2, located in the Karakoram Mountains of Pakistan.
In 1953, with the summit yet to be reached, an American expedition was launched, marking the fifth quest to conquer the mountain. The team was led by Charles Houston, who had attempted to climb K2 in 1938 but had retreated just shy of the summit due to diminishing supplies and imminent bad weather.
High-altitude mountaineering had, up to this point, been an enormous undertaking with the establishment of many camps along the route to the top, taking several weeks of ascents and descents to stock gear, food, and heavy oxygen cannisters. Instead, Houston proposed a lightweight expedition, and this would later become known as the Alpine style of climbing.
There were eight men on the team: Charles Houston, a physician; Robert Bates, a climbing friend of Houston’s from their Harvard days, who had also gone to K2 in 1938; Robert Craig, a ski instructor from Seattle; Art Gilkey, a geologist from Iowa; Dee Molenaar, a geologist and artist from Seattle; Pete Schoening, also from Seattle and the youngest member at 25; George Bell, a nuclear scientist from Los Alamos; and Tony Streather, an English army officer.
As they approached the summit, Art Gilkey became ill, most likely with thrombophlebitis (a blood clot). The team decided to descend in order to save Gilkey’s life, despite that his condition was likely fatal. Since he was unable to walk, they carried him in a makeshift stretcher made from canvas, ropes and a sleeping bag.
Somewhere around 24,600 feet, Bell slipped and fell on a patch of ice, pulling off his rope-mate, Streather. As they fell, their rope became entangled with those connecting Houston, Bates, Gilkey and Molenaar, pulling them along as well. Pete Schoening, who had been belaying Gilkey and Molenaar, was now the only climber still standing and was connected to the force of six falling men. He quickly wrapped the rope around his shoulders and ice axe, and he miraculously held all six climbers from plummeting to their deaths. This act became known as “The Belay,” considered one of the most famous events in mountaineering history.
After the climbers had recovered and made their way to a tent at the next lower camp, they unfortunately lost Gilkey. He had been anchored to the ice slope as the exhausted climbers had prepared the tent. They could hear his muffled shouts, but when they returned to retrieve him, he was gone. The most likely culprit was an avalanche. Later, members of the team concluded that Gilkey had released the anchors to unburden himself from the team, but the true cause of his death remains unknown.
In more than 150 years of mountaineering, only about 300 climbers have reached the summit of K2, known as the Savage Mountain, while nearly 80 people have died trying.
Two years ago, Lindsey Coulson lost her sister on K2, the second highest mountain on earth. Searching for answers, she sets out to climb the Savage Mountain. Mountaineer and freelance writer Ty Galloway has assembled a small team to conquer K2 and welcomes the esteemed climber. But K2 is a force unto itself, as is Lindsey. Both will test his limits. Both will test his heart.
“Full of action, suspense and adventure. Loved this book!”
~ Rebecca Lyndsey, author/illustrator of the children’s book Into the Ocean
Cold Horizon is now available in Print.
Contact Kristy at kristy@kristymccaffrey.com if you would like to purchase an autographed copy.
Read an excerpt from COLD HORIZON
“All the 8000-meter peaks have been conquered with winter ascents now, except for K2,” Ty said, seeking to change the subject. “As usual, she’s holding out. Here’s another interesting fact—K2 is the site of the most famous belay in mountaineering history.”
“I’m hoping to get a photo as we pass the spot,” Packer said. “I’m gonna put it on my social media with hashtag ‘BadAssBelay.’”
“Why is it so famous?” Brynn asked.
“One man held the force of six falling men,” Ditch replied. “It was in 1953 and the summit of K2 had yet to be reached by anyone. The expedition—only the fifth one here—wouldn’t reach it either. It was an American team led by a man named Charles Houston, an excellent and well-respected climber. They had made it quite high on the mountain when one of their teammates, a man named Art Gilkey, for whom the memorial here is named, became very ill. They had to bring him down in a makeshift stretcher, which is a very dangerous thing to do. At one point, each man slipped in fast succession, becoming entangled in the ropes. A young climber named Pete Schoening was at the end, and he held them all, saving their lives. It was an incredible feat, really. Unfortunately, later, they anchored Gilkey to the mountain while they set up a tent, and he disappeared, likely swept away by an avalanche.”
Brynn took a sip of coffee from her mug. “Don’t all of you find the death in these places unsettling?”
“You can’t let it get to you,” David said. “On Everest, some of the dead are still where they died. You walk right by them.”
“One of the markers to the summit is Green Boots,” Ditch said. “I think he was an Indian climber.”
“They just freeze and are left there?” Captain Juneid asked, having remained silent during the meal.
“It’s too dangerous to move them,” Ditch replied. “It sounds unfeeling, but if they’re dead, they don’t need to get down the mountain.”
“Sometimes climbers try to bring bodies down,” Ty said quietly, glancing at Lindsey. Alison’s body was somewhere on K2. “But most of the time it’s all they can do to get themselves down safely.”
“Well, if I freeze my ass to K2, I give everyone here the green light to leave me,” Packer said. “I’d be happy to spend eternity here. Then everyone can pass me by, referring to the Packer marker.”
Ditch smirked. “You mean they’d be saying ‘The summit is just beyond the asshole blocking the route.’”
Packer let out a whoop. “I’ve been called worse.”
Brynn’s face took on an expression of concern. “I know climbing is addictive—I surfed for years, so I get the mentality—but really, why do you all do it?”
“It beats working,” Packer said.
Ditch finished off his coffee. “Which I don’t think you’ve ever done.”
“If you’re nice to me, I’ll let you rope up with me.”
“I think I’ll rope with Lindsey.”
Packer released an exaggerated sigh. “God, I hate it when there’s a better climber on the team than me. I have to work so much harder. Wait a minute, why do you get to rope up with the lady?”
Lindsey looked at Brynn. “Are you sure you don’t want to take up climbing?”
“Maybe I will. But I can see why you always climbed with your sister.”
“You girls are too picky,” Packer said.
“Just watch yourself,” Ty cut in. “There’ll be no messing around with my sister.”
Glee filled Packer’s face. “But Lindsey’s fair game?”
“No.” Lindsey answered at the same time as Ty.
He immediately regretted the force of his opposition, the hair rising on the back of his neck. The protectiveness for his sister didn’t surprise him, but hell if he wanted anyone laying claim to Lindsey.
Shit. So much for keeping his feelings under the radar.
Copyright © 2019 K. McCaffrey LLC
COLD HORIZON
Kindle
Nook
Apple
Kobo
Google Play
COLD HORIZON: TELLURIDE
Kindle
Nook
Apple
Kobo
Google Play
Each Pathway novel can be savored as a standalone story, but for maximum enjoyment the recommended reading order is:
Deep Blue
Deep Blue: Australia (A Pathway Novella available exclusively to Kristy’s newsletter subscribers)
Cold Horizon
Cold Horizon: Telluride (A Pathway Novella)
Polish Climber Wanda Rutkiewicz and a Giveaway
By Kristy McCaffrey
Polish climber Wanda Rutkiewicz was the first woman to climb K2—the second highest mountain in the world—in 1986, which she accomplished without the use of supplemental oxygen. Unfortunately, that same summer, thirteen climbers died on K2.
Wanda was born in 1943 in Lithuania, but her family moved to Poland after World War II. As a young woman, she earned an electrical engineering degree from the Wroclaw University of Technology.
Wanda Rutkiewicz
Her first major expedition was to the Pamir Mountains in Central Asia, which she found to be an unpleasant experience due to difficult relationships with the other male climbers. After that, she led her own trips, which included a number of all-female expeditions. She was known for her blunt leadership style.
In 1978, she became the third woman and first Polish climber and first European woman to climb Mount Everest.
Her goal was to become the first woman to summit all fourteen 8000-meter peaks. She reached nine, and possibly ten, although she disappeared in 1992 on Kangchenjunga (the third highest mountain), so her summit was in question. During that climb, her partner, Carlos Carsolio, and Wanda started for the summit at 3:30 a.m. on May 12, 1992, from Camp Four at 7950 meters. After climbing for 12 hours in deep snow, Carlos reached the top. As he was descending, he met Wanda. She decided to remain and bivouac (camp in the open—never recommended at such a high altitude and harsh environment) and she would start for the top the following day. She had no food, no utensils for cooking, and no equipment to bivouac. No one ever saw her again, and her body has never been found.
Wanda Rutkiewicz
Rutkiewicz once said, “I never seek death, but I don’t mind the idea of dying in the mountains. It would be an easy death for me. After all that I’ve experienced, I’m familiar with it. And most of my friends are there in the mountains, waiting for me.”
* * *
Click here for a chance to win an autographed print copy of COLD HORIZON.
(U.S. addresses only. If winner is international, then an ebook will be substituted.)
“Packed with action, adventure, and suspense at every turn!” ~ Ann Charles, USA Today Bestselling Author
“The characters are believable, realistic and unpredictable … a thrilling read!” ~ Vicki, reader
Ambition and courage at the top of the world. Ty Galloway has assembled a small team to conquer K2 and welcomes esteemed climber Lindsey Coulson. But K2 is a force unto itself, as is Lindsey. Both will test his limits. Both will test his heart.
Excerpt from COLD HORIZON
That night, Ty bunked in a tent with Ditch at Camp One, while Lindsey was alone next door. Time to change that.
Ty pulled the hood of his jacket onto his head. “I’m going to ask Lindsey to join us.”
“It would be the neighborly thing to do,” Ditch said as he sorted through packets of freeze-dried food.
“Try to clean up the place, would you?” Ty scooted to the front of the tent and unzipped the doorway, then crawled out into the blustery cold and braced himself against the wind. As night descended, an eerie isolation had encompassed them.
“Lindsey,” Ty yelled. “Can I come in?”
“Yeah, help yourself,” came her muffled response.
He unzipped the opening of her tent and got himself inside as quickly as he could, securing the entrance behind him. He remained in the vestibule, so he wouldn’t get snow from his boots all over her tent. He was also careful not to bump into the burner hanging from the tent ceiling that she was using to melt snow. It was easy to have a mishap in a very flammable tent.
“How are you doing?” he asked.
Sitting atop her sleeping bag, she rubbed her wool-clad feet. “I’m a little tired and sore, but otherwise I feel good.”
“You sound surprised.”
She jammed her fingers into her ponytail and scratched her head. “I guess I was a little worried. You never really know how you’ll do until you’re on the mountain doing it.” She hugged her knees toward her chest.
“Wanna share a candy bar for dinner?” He pulled off his gloves and retrieved the treat from his coat pocket.
“Maybe we should split it three ways. Ditch might be hungry.”
“He’s already eaten. He had half a Pop-Tart.”
Ty unwrapped the candy bar, twisted it in half—exposing peanuts resting in a hardened nougat center—and handed a piece to her.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome to hang out in our spacious accommodations,” Ty said. “Ditch likes to play Hearts, and it’s no fun with two.”
She shut off the stove and donned her mitten to carefully remove the pan filled with hot water. “Well, as you can see, I am quite busy.” Holding her water bottle between her feet, she carefully poured the liquid into it.
“If you join us then at least we’ll have an excuse to say no to Elena.”
Lindsey’s head snapped up. “Did she try to get in your tent?”
Regretting his words, Ty said, “No, sorry. I was just kidding.” But he thought he detected a tinge of jealousy in her voice, and he liked it. He couldn’t tell if the flush on her cheeks was from the cold or from her sudden outburst, but either way she looked too damned enticing.
“All right, I’m heading back,” he said, conceding defeat in his efforts to be neighborly.
“Wait. I’ll go with you. It’s kind of lonely in here by myself.”
“You could invite Elena over for a slumber party.”
“Bite your tongue.”
Once she secured the lid on her water bottle, she reached past him for her boots, bumping into him. A charged atmosphere settled around them as it became impossible for Ty not to touch her in such a confined space.
Ditch had encouraged Ty to dial it back where Lindsey was concerned, and yet at the same time he had cautioned Ty against ending up old and alone.
Ty released a laugh, easing the tension sparking between him and the woman who was affecting him far more than he’d ever anticipated.
“What’s so funny?” Lindsey asked, zipping her jacket.
“I was thinking about a passage from Alice in Wonderland. ‘It’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.’”
Lindsey smiled. “‘We’re all mad here,’” she said, quoting another line from Alice with a gleam in her eye.
Ty leaned close. “‘You must be, or you wouldn’t have come....’”
Copyright © 2019 K. McCaffrey LLC
Cold Horizon is now available at:
Kindle
Nook
Apple
Kobo
Google Play
Print
Polish climber Wanda Rutkiewicz was the first woman to climb K2—the second highest mountain in the world—in 1986, which she accomplished without the use of supplemental oxygen. Unfortunately, that same summer, thirteen climbers died on K2.
Wanda was born in 1943 in Lithuania, but her family moved to Poland after World War II. As a young woman, she earned an electrical engineering degree from the Wroclaw University of Technology.
Wanda Rutkiewicz
Her first major expedition was to the Pamir Mountains in Central Asia, which she found to be an unpleasant experience due to difficult relationships with the other male climbers. After that, she led her own trips, which included a number of all-female expeditions. She was known for her blunt leadership style.
In 1978, she became the third woman and first Polish climber and first European woman to climb Mount Everest.
Her goal was to become the first woman to summit all fourteen 8000-meter peaks. She reached nine, and possibly ten, although she disappeared in 1992 on Kangchenjunga (the third highest mountain), so her summit was in question. During that climb, her partner, Carlos Carsolio, and Wanda started for the summit at 3:30 a.m. on May 12, 1992, from Camp Four at 7950 meters. After climbing for 12 hours in deep snow, Carlos reached the top. As he was descending, he met Wanda. She decided to remain and bivouac (camp in the open—never recommended at such a high altitude and harsh environment) and she would start for the top the following day. She had no food, no utensils for cooking, and no equipment to bivouac. No one ever saw her again, and her body has never been found.
Wanda Rutkiewicz
Rutkiewicz once said, “I never seek death, but I don’t mind the idea of dying in the mountains. It would be an easy death for me. After all that I’ve experienced, I’m familiar with it. And most of my friends are there in the mountains, waiting for me.”
* * *
Click here for a chance to win an autographed print copy of COLD HORIZON.
(U.S. addresses only. If winner is international, then an ebook will be substituted.)
“Packed with action, adventure, and suspense at every turn!” ~ Ann Charles, USA Today Bestselling Author
“The characters are believable, realistic and unpredictable … a thrilling read!” ~ Vicki, reader
Ambition and courage at the top of the world. Ty Galloway has assembled a small team to conquer K2 and welcomes esteemed climber Lindsey Coulson. But K2 is a force unto itself, as is Lindsey. Both will test his limits. Both will test his heart.
Excerpt from COLD HORIZON
That night, Ty bunked in a tent with Ditch at Camp One, while Lindsey was alone next door. Time to change that.
Ty pulled the hood of his jacket onto his head. “I’m going to ask Lindsey to join us.”
“It would be the neighborly thing to do,” Ditch said as he sorted through packets of freeze-dried food.
“Try to clean up the place, would you?” Ty scooted to the front of the tent and unzipped the doorway, then crawled out into the blustery cold and braced himself against the wind. As night descended, an eerie isolation had encompassed them.
“Lindsey,” Ty yelled. “Can I come in?”
“Yeah, help yourself,” came her muffled response.
He unzipped the opening of her tent and got himself inside as quickly as he could, securing the entrance behind him. He remained in the vestibule, so he wouldn’t get snow from his boots all over her tent. He was also careful not to bump into the burner hanging from the tent ceiling that she was using to melt snow. It was easy to have a mishap in a very flammable tent.
“How are you doing?” he asked.
Sitting atop her sleeping bag, she rubbed her wool-clad feet. “I’m a little tired and sore, but otherwise I feel good.”
“You sound surprised.”
She jammed her fingers into her ponytail and scratched her head. “I guess I was a little worried. You never really know how you’ll do until you’re on the mountain doing it.” She hugged her knees toward her chest.
“Wanna share a candy bar for dinner?” He pulled off his gloves and retrieved the treat from his coat pocket.
“Maybe we should split it three ways. Ditch might be hungry.”
“He’s already eaten. He had half a Pop-Tart.”
Ty unwrapped the candy bar, twisted it in half—exposing peanuts resting in a hardened nougat center—and handed a piece to her.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome to hang out in our spacious accommodations,” Ty said. “Ditch likes to play Hearts, and it’s no fun with two.”
She shut off the stove and donned her mitten to carefully remove the pan filled with hot water. “Well, as you can see, I am quite busy.” Holding her water bottle between her feet, she carefully poured the liquid into it.
“If you join us then at least we’ll have an excuse to say no to Elena.”
Lindsey’s head snapped up. “Did she try to get in your tent?”
Regretting his words, Ty said, “No, sorry. I was just kidding.” But he thought he detected a tinge of jealousy in her voice, and he liked it. He couldn’t tell if the flush on her cheeks was from the cold or from her sudden outburst, but either way she looked too damned enticing.
“All right, I’m heading back,” he said, conceding defeat in his efforts to be neighborly.
“Wait. I’ll go with you. It’s kind of lonely in here by myself.”
“You could invite Elena over for a slumber party.”
“Bite your tongue.”
Once she secured the lid on her water bottle, she reached past him for her boots, bumping into him. A charged atmosphere settled around them as it became impossible for Ty not to touch her in such a confined space.
Ditch had encouraged Ty to dial it back where Lindsey was concerned, and yet at the same time he had cautioned Ty against ending up old and alone.
Ty released a laugh, easing the tension sparking between him and the woman who was affecting him far more than he’d ever anticipated.
“What’s so funny?” Lindsey asked, zipping her jacket.
“I was thinking about a passage from Alice in Wonderland. ‘It’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.’”
Lindsey smiled. “‘We’re all mad here,’” she said, quoting another line from Alice with a gleam in her eye.
Ty leaned close. “‘You must be, or you wouldn’t have come....’”
Copyright © 2019 K. McCaffrey LLC
Cold Horizon is now available at:
Kindle
Nook
Apple
Kobo
Google Play
New Deep Blue Novella Releases
By Kristy McCaffrey
When shark researcher Grace Mann accompanies her boyfriend, underwater filmmaker Alec Galloway, to Western Australia for a commercial shoot with great whites, she envisions relaxing days in the sun and smoldering nights between the sheets. But as Alec’s mood becomes increasingly distant, Grace worries the chemistry they shared—so effortless in the beginning—was starting to fizzle. Is his reticence related to her, or something else? And can she find a way to help him get the footage he needs before his behavior places his life in danger?
Download at your favorite ebook retailer. Click here for more info.
(Please note: This novella was previously accessible only to Kristy's newsletter subscribers, but is now available for purchase. If you would like a free download, sign-up here for the newsletter.)
* * * * *
“Bull shark,” Grace confirmed. “And a big one by the look of it.”
Dr. Grace Mann has joined her boyfriend, underwater filmmaker Alec Galloway, on a trip to the French island of Réunion. Alec and his team—Dan “Double D” Donovan and Stephie Kim—have come to document the capture and relocation of mature bull sharks from the western coastline.
For over ten years, shark attacks have terrorized the people of Réunion, essentially ruining the diving and surfing industry. Angry exchanges between locals who want the sharks culled and a government trying to preserve the ecology of the ocean environment have failed to resolve the issue.
The relocation program is a last-ditch effort to bring a peaceful coexistence between humans and sharks, but Grace’s resolve will be tested as she enters the water with these tenacious predators. Bull sharks didn’t earn their name because they were polite.
Click here to purchase at your favorite ebook vendor.
Excerpt from Deep Blue: Réunion Island
Movement caught her eye, and she barely had a chance to shine the light of her camera toward it when a blunt nose slammed into her, shoving her violently through the water. The beady eye, a black slit against white, watched her, then its gills slid past in a flurry as the fish flicked and turned away, the dislodged camera sinking to the sea floor. Stunned, Grace struggled to keep her regulator in her mouth as the dark abyss swallowed up the equipment in the last bit of light.
She should swim down and retrieve it, but every fiber in her screamed to get out of the water. The shark had every advantage in the dark. Kicking her fins, she headed to the boat. When her head broke the surface, she spit the regulator out.
“Stephie! Get out of the water!”
The men were struggling with the captured shark and their shouts drowned out her voice. Stephie swam closer, struggling to keep her head out of the water, her heavy air tank weighing her down. A fin crested the surface behind her.
Grace ducked under, her mask still on, and pushed Stephie aside, extending her arm and shoving hard when the shark came close. The bull turned and her hand scraped on its rough skin as it bolted away.
Whipping her head above water, Grace sucked in a breath.
“You go,” Grace gasped to Stephie, who was still behind her. “I’ll watch your back.”
Stephie moved quickly to the ladder hanging off the boat, and Grace followed, her gaze continuously scanning the surroundings. A pressure wave pushed into her. She put her face in the water just in time to see a large shadow pass below.
The goddamned shark was beneath her.
Without looking up, she kept moving to where she thought the ladder was. The shadow turned, moving upward, revealing the unmistakable outline of a shark. The aggressive beast was coming straight for her. She readied herself to redirect with her hand, but it would meet her feet first. Did she have enough strength to kick it? Grace really didn’t want it to snag one of her flippers.
Pumping her arms, Grace prayed the boat was behind her.
With the shark almost upon her, she was suddenly yanked from the water. She flew onto the back deck of the boat as the shark slapped the surface with its caudal fin, turned sharply, and splashed her as it spun away.
“What the hell was that?” Alec said in her ear.
With relief, she leaned back into him. “Mother Nature’s perfect creation.”
Copyright © 2019 K. McCaffrey LLC
Pathway Series Reading Order:
Deep Blue
Deep Blue: Australia (A Pathway Novella)
Deep Blue: Réunion Island (A Pathway Novella)
Cold Horizon
Cold Horizon: Telluride (A Pathway Novella)
When shark researcher Grace Mann accompanies her boyfriend, underwater filmmaker Alec Galloway, to Western Australia for a commercial shoot with great whites, she envisions relaxing days in the sun and smoldering nights between the sheets. But as Alec’s mood becomes increasingly distant, Grace worries the chemistry they shared—so effortless in the beginning—was starting to fizzle. Is his reticence related to her, or something else? And can she find a way to help him get the footage he needs before his behavior places his life in danger?
Download at your favorite ebook retailer. Click here for more info.
(Please note: This novella was previously accessible only to Kristy's newsletter subscribers, but is now available for purchase. If you would like a free download, sign-up here for the newsletter.)
* * * * *
“Bull shark,” Grace confirmed. “And a big one by the look of it.”
Dr. Grace Mann has joined her boyfriend, underwater filmmaker Alec Galloway, on a trip to the French island of Réunion. Alec and his team—Dan “Double D” Donovan and Stephie Kim—have come to document the capture and relocation of mature bull sharks from the western coastline.
For over ten years, shark attacks have terrorized the people of Réunion, essentially ruining the diving and surfing industry. Angry exchanges between locals who want the sharks culled and a government trying to preserve the ecology of the ocean environment have failed to resolve the issue.
The relocation program is a last-ditch effort to bring a peaceful coexistence between humans and sharks, but Grace’s resolve will be tested as she enters the water with these tenacious predators. Bull sharks didn’t earn their name because they were polite.
Click here to purchase at your favorite ebook vendor.
Excerpt from Deep Blue: Réunion Island
Movement caught her eye, and she barely had a chance to shine the light of her camera toward it when a blunt nose slammed into her, shoving her violently through the water. The beady eye, a black slit against white, watched her, then its gills slid past in a flurry as the fish flicked and turned away, the dislodged camera sinking to the sea floor. Stunned, Grace struggled to keep her regulator in her mouth as the dark abyss swallowed up the equipment in the last bit of light.
She should swim down and retrieve it, but every fiber in her screamed to get out of the water. The shark had every advantage in the dark. Kicking her fins, she headed to the boat. When her head broke the surface, she spit the regulator out.
“Stephie! Get out of the water!”
The men were struggling with the captured shark and their shouts drowned out her voice. Stephie swam closer, struggling to keep her head out of the water, her heavy air tank weighing her down. A fin crested the surface behind her.
Grace ducked under, her mask still on, and pushed Stephie aside, extending her arm and shoving hard when the shark came close. The bull turned and her hand scraped on its rough skin as it bolted away.
Whipping her head above water, Grace sucked in a breath.
“You go,” Grace gasped to Stephie, who was still behind her. “I’ll watch your back.”
Stephie moved quickly to the ladder hanging off the boat, and Grace followed, her gaze continuously scanning the surroundings. A pressure wave pushed into her. She put her face in the water just in time to see a large shadow pass below.
The goddamned shark was beneath her.
Without looking up, she kept moving to where she thought the ladder was. The shadow turned, moving upward, revealing the unmistakable outline of a shark. The aggressive beast was coming straight for her. She readied herself to redirect with her hand, but it would meet her feet first. Did she have enough strength to kick it? Grace really didn’t want it to snag one of her flippers.
Pumping her arms, Grace prayed the boat was behind her.
With the shark almost upon her, she was suddenly yanked from the water. She flew onto the back deck of the boat as the shark slapped the surface with its caudal fin, turned sharply, and splashed her as it spun away.
“What the hell was that?” Alec said in her ear.
With relief, she leaned back into him. “Mother Nature’s perfect creation.”
Copyright © 2019 K. McCaffrey LLC
Pathway Series Reading Order:
Deep Blue
Deep Blue: Australia (A Pathway Novella)
Deep Blue: Réunion Island (A Pathway Novella)
Cold Horizon
Cold Horizon: Telluride (A Pathway Novella)
Jumping Genes and an Excerpt from COLD HORIZON
By Kristy McCaffrey
Jumping genes, or transposons, are small pieces of DNA that have the unusual ability to copy and insert themselves in random places within a genome. These genes—long known as junk DNA—were thought to be nothing more than genomic parasites, but research is beginning to show their importance in evolution.
Most cells in our body contain DNA, a molecule composed of a double helix that carries the genetic instructions required for life. (Mature red blood cells are the only ones that lack DNA, having gotten rid of it to pack themselves full of more hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein). For cells to access the information contained in DNA, they must transcribe it onto a related molecule called RNA. Despite that the same DNA is in almost every cell, not every cell is expressed in the same way, otherwise we would be one giant blob of undifferentiated matter.
Jumping genes were first discovered by geneticist Barbara McClintock in the 1940s. At the time, most scientists dismissed them, but McClintock suggested they might play a regulatory role by determining which genes are turned on and when.
Barbara McClintock
Transposons have been found to jump across plants, animals and fungi as well. The process is known as horizontal transfer, as opposed to the normal parent-offspring transfer, and has had an enormous impact on mammalian evolution. For example, 25% of the genome of cows and sheep is derived from jumping genes.
One such jumping gene is called LINE1, abundant in almost all genomes of mammals. It’s repeated half a million times in the human genome, making up nearly a fifth of the DNA in every cell. Studies of mouse embryos have shown that LINE1 is especially active during early development of the organism, suggesting that the segment might play a key role in coordinating the formation of cells. Researchers believe that LINE1 RNA particles act as a molecular “glue,” switching off the two-cell stage of early development and jump-starting it to the next phase.
There are many different types of jumping genes, including some that drive the evolution of genomes, thereby creating more genetic diversity in a species.
In my book COLD HORIZON, Lindsey Coulson is a chemist who studies jumping genes.
Two years ago, Lindsey Coulson lost her sister on K2, the second highest mountain on earth. Searching for answers, she sets out to climb the Savage Mountain. Mountaineer and freelance writer Ty Galloway has assembled a small team to conquer K2 and welcomes the esteemed climber. But K2 is a force unto itself, as is Lindsey. Both will test his limits. Both will test his heart.
“Blending romance, suspense, adventure, and action, it really was a great thrill ride of a book and one that I gladly recommend.” ~ Jamie, The Romance Studio
Excerpt from Cold Horizon
Lindsey scooped more snow into the pan and set it atop the stove. Ty was all business with her, giving no indication that they were more than friends. A few times she had to stop herself from touching him, or leaning into him, or standing too close. Not that there was any big reason to keep it a secret. Still, she was tempted to kiss Galloway in full view of Fiske if only to get the jerk off her case.
“Ty, you still planning to go to the South Pole?” Beck asked.
“Maybe. It depends on my schedule.” He drank from his water bottle, flinching from the hot liquid.
“You wanna go?”
“I’m interested. Let me know when/if you settle on a date. Maybe you should come too, Lindsey.”
“Why’s that?” she asked.
“It’s the last great frontier. A real feather in any explorer’s cap.”
“I thought space was the last frontier,” Packer said from his spot just outside their circle.
Beck ripped open the wrapper on a candy bar. “We’re nearly in space on this mountain.”
Packer laughed. “That’s for damned sure.”
Fiske took a bite of a power bar. “Mountains are more difficult,” he said around the food in his mouth. “The South Pole is just dragging a sled for miles.”
“It’s all about the mind, Fiske.” Beck broke off a piece of chocolate and popped it in his mouth.
“Seeing if you have the mental capacity to do it.”
Was it Lindsey’s imagination, or did Beck’s voice hold a hint of sarcasm?
If Fiske noticed, he gave no indication, and said, “I think it a waste of time. Climbing has better goals. Will you climb while you are there?”
Ty shook his head. “No. It would be a trek across ice.”
Beck’s attention shifted to her. “So, what do you think?”
If for no other reason than to irritate Fiske, she answered, “I’ve always wanted to visit Antarctica.”
Ty gave her a sidelong glance, a wicked gleam in his eyes. “Then you should come.”
She smiled and looked away before she did a happy jig over the open invitation.
Packer moved to stand beside her and said, “But please, by all that’s holy, don’t go near any strange creatures and try to study their DNA. We all know what happened in ‘The Thing.’”
“Because that was a completely true story,” Ditch said in a dry tone.
“Did you know that the dot on an ‘i’ is called a tittle?” Packer chuckled.
“Do you get whiplash?”
“From what?”
“Your ADD,” Ditch said.
Lindsey looked over her shoulder at Packer. “That movie wasn’t really that farfetched. The alien functioned like a virus, infecting its host and taking over. Viruses like to jump around, and we humans are ripe for the picking because we like to take a lot of risks. We eat things we probably shouldn’t, and we poke around in places where maybe we should stay away.”
Packer’s eyes widened. “Like here?”
Lindsey smiled. “We do like to push those boundaries. It’s evolution, baby.”
Copyright © 2019 K. McCaffrey LLC
COLD HORIZON is available in ebook and print.
Kindle
Nook
Apple
Kobo
Google Play
Print
Jumping genes, or transposons, are small pieces of DNA that have the unusual ability to copy and insert themselves in random places within a genome. These genes—long known as junk DNA—were thought to be nothing more than genomic parasites, but research is beginning to show their importance in evolution.
Most cells in our body contain DNA, a molecule composed of a double helix that carries the genetic instructions required for life. (Mature red blood cells are the only ones that lack DNA, having gotten rid of it to pack themselves full of more hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein). For cells to access the information contained in DNA, they must transcribe it onto a related molecule called RNA. Despite that the same DNA is in almost every cell, not every cell is expressed in the same way, otherwise we would be one giant blob of undifferentiated matter.
Jumping genes were first discovered by geneticist Barbara McClintock in the 1940s. At the time, most scientists dismissed them, but McClintock suggested they might play a regulatory role by determining which genes are turned on and when.
Barbara McClintock
Transposons have been found to jump across plants, animals and fungi as well. The process is known as horizontal transfer, as opposed to the normal parent-offspring transfer, and has had an enormous impact on mammalian evolution. For example, 25% of the genome of cows and sheep is derived from jumping genes.
One such jumping gene is called LINE1, abundant in almost all genomes of mammals. It’s repeated half a million times in the human genome, making up nearly a fifth of the DNA in every cell. Studies of mouse embryos have shown that LINE1 is especially active during early development of the organism, suggesting that the segment might play a key role in coordinating the formation of cells. Researchers believe that LINE1 RNA particles act as a molecular “glue,” switching off the two-cell stage of early development and jump-starting it to the next phase.
There are many different types of jumping genes, including some that drive the evolution of genomes, thereby creating more genetic diversity in a species.
In my book COLD HORIZON, Lindsey Coulson is a chemist who studies jumping genes.
Two years ago, Lindsey Coulson lost her sister on K2, the second highest mountain on earth. Searching for answers, she sets out to climb the Savage Mountain. Mountaineer and freelance writer Ty Galloway has assembled a small team to conquer K2 and welcomes the esteemed climber. But K2 is a force unto itself, as is Lindsey. Both will test his limits. Both will test his heart.
“Blending romance, suspense, adventure, and action, it really was a great thrill ride of a book and one that I gladly recommend.” ~ Jamie, The Romance Studio
Excerpt from Cold Horizon
Lindsey scooped more snow into the pan and set it atop the stove. Ty was all business with her, giving no indication that they were more than friends. A few times she had to stop herself from touching him, or leaning into him, or standing too close. Not that there was any big reason to keep it a secret. Still, she was tempted to kiss Galloway in full view of Fiske if only to get the jerk off her case.
“Ty, you still planning to go to the South Pole?” Beck asked.
“Maybe. It depends on my schedule.” He drank from his water bottle, flinching from the hot liquid.
“You wanna go?”
“I’m interested. Let me know when/if you settle on a date. Maybe you should come too, Lindsey.”
“Why’s that?” she asked.
“It’s the last great frontier. A real feather in any explorer’s cap.”
“I thought space was the last frontier,” Packer said from his spot just outside their circle.
Beck ripped open the wrapper on a candy bar. “We’re nearly in space on this mountain.”
Packer laughed. “That’s for damned sure.”
Fiske took a bite of a power bar. “Mountains are more difficult,” he said around the food in his mouth. “The South Pole is just dragging a sled for miles.”
“It’s all about the mind, Fiske.” Beck broke off a piece of chocolate and popped it in his mouth.
“Seeing if you have the mental capacity to do it.”
Was it Lindsey’s imagination, or did Beck’s voice hold a hint of sarcasm?
If Fiske noticed, he gave no indication, and said, “I think it a waste of time. Climbing has better goals. Will you climb while you are there?”
Ty shook his head. “No. It would be a trek across ice.”
Beck’s attention shifted to her. “So, what do you think?”
If for no other reason than to irritate Fiske, she answered, “I’ve always wanted to visit Antarctica.”
Ty gave her a sidelong glance, a wicked gleam in his eyes. “Then you should come.”
She smiled and looked away before she did a happy jig over the open invitation.
Packer moved to stand beside her and said, “But please, by all that’s holy, don’t go near any strange creatures and try to study their DNA. We all know what happened in ‘The Thing.’”
“Because that was a completely true story,” Ditch said in a dry tone.
“Did you know that the dot on an ‘i’ is called a tittle?” Packer chuckled.
“Do you get whiplash?”
“From what?”
“Your ADD,” Ditch said.
Lindsey looked over her shoulder at Packer. “That movie wasn’t really that farfetched. The alien functioned like a virus, infecting its host and taking over. Viruses like to jump around, and we humans are ripe for the picking because we like to take a lot of risks. We eat things we probably shouldn’t, and we poke around in places where maybe we should stay away.”
Packer’s eyes widened. “Like here?”
Lindsey smiled. “We do like to push those boundaries. It’s evolution, baby.”
Copyright © 2019 K. McCaffrey LLC
COLD HORIZON is available in ebook and print.
Kindle
Nook
Apple
Kobo
Google Play
My Writing Schedule For 2020
By Kristy McCaffrey
I always begin the new year with much optimism and ambition in regard to my writing/publication schedule. I sincerely hope I can stay on track, because I’ve been known to get lost in research piles along the way, or sometimes sidetracked by a shiny new publishing venture (group projects – always a welcome challenge and great fun).
But here’s where my head is at the start of 2020.
I’m currently in revision mode of ANCIENT WINDS, Book 3 in my Pathway series. I wrote a first (very rough) draft in November, and then spent December reading, reading and more reading to figure out my characters in more depth. I’m happy to report that I’m starting to uncover what makes archaeologist Brynn Galloway and physicist Dr. Tristan Magee tick. This is my “Indiana Jones” meets “The X-Files” story, so expect adventure alongside some weirdness (ancient aliens anyone?). Stay tuned! I’m hoping to have it out by March or April.
Once I finish Brynn and Tristan’s story, I’m planning to write COBALT SEA (Book 4), which will star Chloe Mann (Grace’s sister – Grace was in DEEP BLUE) and Nick (he doesn’t have a last name yet). Chloe, like Grace, is a computer programming wunderkind and she’s working on deciphering the language of Sperm whales. She’ll travel to Dominica (a Caribbean island that has a year-round population of Sperm whales) where she’ll meet Nick, who runs the program that studies them. I can’t wait to write this one! Anyone who knows me can attest to my deep love for the whales of this world. I’m really hoping I can have this one completed by August or September.
I’ve been focused on the Pathway series for the past few years because I wanted to give it a chance to find a readership before I went back to my westerns. (Thank you so much to my western readers for being patient.) Since COBALT SEA will give me four novels in the Pathway series, I’m planning to pen the first book (a full-length novel) in a new historical western romance series in the fall. Tentatively titled COPPER CANYON, it will be set in southern Arizona in the late 1870s (my favorite old west time period) and will feature three brothers (not blood-related but adopted together) and the women who tame them. The stories will be filled with colorful characters, gritty settings, and steamy romance. I’m not sure if these will cross over with my Wings series – still trying to figure that one out.
Despite my ambitious schedule of producing three novels this year, I’m also hoping to carve out time here and there to add to the Pathway short stories. I’ve got several about Grace and Alec from DEEP BLUE in mind, and another climbing adventure for Lindsey and Ty from COLD HORIZON. Fitting them into the timeline is proving to be a bit tricky, so I may hold back on publishing them until I get the new novels completed.
I would also like to add to my Wings of the West series, as many of you have requested more stories (although the series itself really came to an end for me with THE BLUEBIRD). However, I’m exploring the possibility of side stories. I’ve had a long novella called THE SONGBIRD on the backburner for a while, and hopefully I’ll have a chance this year to spend some time on it. Stay tuned.
I really want to thank the readers for embracing my work – for reading and sharing and posting reviews. Please know that your support is so appreciated and helps tremendously in keeping my small business (with one employee – me!) going.
I wish you all a fantastic 2020!!
“I simply do not distinguish between work and play.” ~ poet Mary Oliver
I always begin the new year with much optimism and ambition in regard to my writing/publication schedule. I sincerely hope I can stay on track, because I’ve been known to get lost in research piles along the way, or sometimes sidetracked by a shiny new publishing venture (group projects – always a welcome challenge and great fun).
But here’s where my head is at the start of 2020.
I’m currently in revision mode of ANCIENT WINDS, Book 3 in my Pathway series. I wrote a first (very rough) draft in November, and then spent December reading, reading and more reading to figure out my characters in more depth. I’m happy to report that I’m starting to uncover what makes archaeologist Brynn Galloway and physicist Dr. Tristan Magee tick. This is my “Indiana Jones” meets “The X-Files” story, so expect adventure alongside some weirdness (ancient aliens anyone?). Stay tuned! I’m hoping to have it out by March or April.
Once I finish Brynn and Tristan’s story, I’m planning to write COBALT SEA (Book 4), which will star Chloe Mann (Grace’s sister – Grace was in DEEP BLUE) and Nick (he doesn’t have a last name yet). Chloe, like Grace, is a computer programming wunderkind and she’s working on deciphering the language of Sperm whales. She’ll travel to Dominica (a Caribbean island that has a year-round population of Sperm whales) where she’ll meet Nick, who runs the program that studies them. I can’t wait to write this one! Anyone who knows me can attest to my deep love for the whales of this world. I’m really hoping I can have this one completed by August or September.
I’ve been focused on the Pathway series for the past few years because I wanted to give it a chance to find a readership before I went back to my westerns. (Thank you so much to my western readers for being patient.) Since COBALT SEA will give me four novels in the Pathway series, I’m planning to pen the first book (a full-length novel) in a new historical western romance series in the fall. Tentatively titled COPPER CANYON, it will be set in southern Arizona in the late 1870s (my favorite old west time period) and will feature three brothers (not blood-related but adopted together) and the women who tame them. The stories will be filled with colorful characters, gritty settings, and steamy romance. I’m not sure if these will cross over with my Wings series – still trying to figure that one out.
Despite my ambitious schedule of producing three novels this year, I’m also hoping to carve out time here and there to add to the Pathway short stories. I’ve got several about Grace and Alec from DEEP BLUE in mind, and another climbing adventure for Lindsey and Ty from COLD HORIZON. Fitting them into the timeline is proving to be a bit tricky, so I may hold back on publishing them until I get the new novels completed.
I would also like to add to my Wings of the West series, as many of you have requested more stories (although the series itself really came to an end for me with THE BLUEBIRD). However, I’m exploring the possibility of side stories. I’ve had a long novella called THE SONGBIRD on the backburner for a while, and hopefully I’ll have a chance this year to spend some time on it. Stay tuned.
I really want to thank the readers for embracing my work – for reading and sharing and posting reviews. Please know that your support is so appreciated and helps tremendously in keeping my small business (with one employee – me!) going.
I wish you all a fantastic 2020!!
“I simply do not distinguish between work and play.” ~ poet Mary Oliver
What’s New On The Writing Front
By Kristy McCaffrey
It’s a strange and heartbreaking time we’re going through, filled with anguish, boredom, sadness, irritation and fear. During this unprecedented worldwide quarantine, my family and I have been taking it one day at a time. Admittedly, some of those days have been better than others. It’s been a challenge for me to write, because I’m a worrier, and times like these have raised the anxiety level for many of us.
I had hoped to have my next novel, ANCIENT WINDS, completed by now, but I’m still mired in plot shenanigans that I’ve been meticulously unraveling. I need more time with Brynn Galloway and Dr. Tristan Magee and their adventure in the Amazon jungle, so I hope you’ll bear with me. Hopefully by June I’ll have an idea on a release date. I had planned to immediately dive into Book 4 in the Pathway series (COBALT SEA), but I’ve decided to set that aside for now and instead, once ANCIENT WINDS is done, I’ll begin working on COPPER CANYON, a new historical western romance.
In the meantime, I do have a fun treat coming – a new DEEP BLUE short. It’s currently with my editor but should be ready in a few weeks. Here’s the blurb:
DEEP BLUE COCOS ISLAND – A Pathway Short Adventure
Dr. Grace Mann is invited to participate in a documentary alongside several distinguished female marine scientists, and Alec Galloway, Double D, and Stephie come along to film them in the waters off Cocos Island near Costa Rica. Grace is still dealing with recent criticism of the film Alec made of her last year diving with great white sharks, and in the company of such accomplished women, she struggles to keep her insecurities at bay. When differing viewpoints lead to friction, Grace must learn to stand up for herself, but a bright spot emerges when Alec makes a surprise decision about their relationship.
So far, the DEEP BLUE shorts have only been available digitally, but I’ll be grouping all of them together (AUSTRALIA, REUNION ISLAND and COCOS ISLAND) for a paperback edition for those of you that prefer print.
As always, to receive the most up-to-date info on my projects, subscribe to my newsletter. (I’ll be sharing the cover for ANCIENT WINDS soon. I love it! I hope you will too, and subscribers will see it first.) You can also catch my latest news at my Facebook and Twitter pages.
I’m still working on a Wings of the West novella, THE SONGBIRD. I’ve got a bit written, but right now I’m only writing on it when I have a spare moment here and there. I’m hoping this summer to set aside some time to give it the focus it deserves. My creative well is a funny thing – it doesn’t always cooperate when I switch gears too much.
I’m also exploring a new COLD HORIZON short adventure starring Ty and Lindsey. If you recall, they spoke about a mountain called Hkakabo Razi in the short story COLD HORIZON TELLURIDE, and it keeps nudging me. I think I’ll have to write this one soon, but preliminary research has shown me that this journey will be a bit complicated, so I’m not gonna dive in just yet.
I hope you and your families are well, and if that isn’t the case then I send you my heartfelt prayers.
Brighten the day with music (and maybe a nice hot cup of orange-cinnamon tea)!! What I’m listening to: Thriller, YMCA, One Night in Bangkok, Marrakesh Express, Sweet Emotion, Sultans of Swing, Take Me Home Country Roads.
I wanted to share a favorite recipe that I frequently make because it’s so easy.
Spaghetti with Lemon and Basil
½ lb. uncooked spaghetti
2/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp. lemon zest, plus ½ cup fresh juice (from 3 lemons), divided
5 oz. Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 3 1/3 cups)
¼ tsp. finely ground sea salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
½ cup chopped fresh basil (if I can’t find basil, I substitute fresh spinach)
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Add spaghetti, and cook until al dente, 9 to 11 minutes. Drain spaghetti, reserving ¼ cooking water. Return drained spaghetti to pot; cover and set aside.
Whisk together oil, lemon juice and reserved ¼ cup cooking water in a medium bowl; add cheese, and stir until mixture is thick and creamy. Stir in salt and pepper.
Add lemon sauce to spaghetti in pot; toss until pasta is evenly coated with sauce. Stir in basil and lemon zest; serve immediately.
Serves 6. Total prep time: 15 minutes.
So delicious and the citrus is great for the immune system.
Be Well. Be Safe.
Connect with Kristy
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Blog ~ Pathways
Newsletter
It’s a strange and heartbreaking time we’re going through, filled with anguish, boredom, sadness, irritation and fear. During this unprecedented worldwide quarantine, my family and I have been taking it one day at a time. Admittedly, some of those days have been better than others. It’s been a challenge for me to write, because I’m a worrier, and times like these have raised the anxiety level for many of us.
I had hoped to have my next novel, ANCIENT WINDS, completed by now, but I’m still mired in plot shenanigans that I’ve been meticulously unraveling. I need more time with Brynn Galloway and Dr. Tristan Magee and their adventure in the Amazon jungle, so I hope you’ll bear with me. Hopefully by June I’ll have an idea on a release date. I had planned to immediately dive into Book 4 in the Pathway series (COBALT SEA), but I’ve decided to set that aside for now and instead, once ANCIENT WINDS is done, I’ll begin working on COPPER CANYON, a new historical western romance.
In the meantime, I do have a fun treat coming – a new DEEP BLUE short. It’s currently with my editor but should be ready in a few weeks. Here’s the blurb:
DEEP BLUE COCOS ISLAND – A Pathway Short Adventure
Dr. Grace Mann is invited to participate in a documentary alongside several distinguished female marine scientists, and Alec Galloway, Double D, and Stephie come along to film them in the waters off Cocos Island near Costa Rica. Grace is still dealing with recent criticism of the film Alec made of her last year diving with great white sharks, and in the company of such accomplished women, she struggles to keep her insecurities at bay. When differing viewpoints lead to friction, Grace must learn to stand up for herself, but a bright spot emerges when Alec makes a surprise decision about their relationship.
So far, the DEEP BLUE shorts have only been available digitally, but I’ll be grouping all of them together (AUSTRALIA, REUNION ISLAND and COCOS ISLAND) for a paperback edition for those of you that prefer print.
As always, to receive the most up-to-date info on my projects, subscribe to my newsletter. (I’ll be sharing the cover for ANCIENT WINDS soon. I love it! I hope you will too, and subscribers will see it first.) You can also catch my latest news at my Facebook and Twitter pages.
I’m still working on a Wings of the West novella, THE SONGBIRD. I’ve got a bit written, but right now I’m only writing on it when I have a spare moment here and there. I’m hoping this summer to set aside some time to give it the focus it deserves. My creative well is a funny thing – it doesn’t always cooperate when I switch gears too much.
I’m also exploring a new COLD HORIZON short adventure starring Ty and Lindsey. If you recall, they spoke about a mountain called Hkakabo Razi in the short story COLD HORIZON TELLURIDE, and it keeps nudging me. I think I’ll have to write this one soon, but preliminary research has shown me that this journey will be a bit complicated, so I’m not gonna dive in just yet.
I hope you and your families are well, and if that isn’t the case then I send you my heartfelt prayers.
Brighten the day with music (and maybe a nice hot cup of orange-cinnamon tea)!! What I’m listening to: Thriller, YMCA, One Night in Bangkok, Marrakesh Express, Sweet Emotion, Sultans of Swing, Take Me Home Country Roads.
I wanted to share a favorite recipe that I frequently make because it’s so easy.
Spaghetti with Lemon and Basil
½ lb. uncooked spaghetti
2/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp. lemon zest, plus ½ cup fresh juice (from 3 lemons), divided
5 oz. Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 3 1/3 cups)
¼ tsp. finely ground sea salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
½ cup chopped fresh basil (if I can’t find basil, I substitute fresh spinach)
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Add spaghetti, and cook until al dente, 9 to 11 minutes. Drain spaghetti, reserving ¼ cooking water. Return drained spaghetti to pot; cover and set aside.
Whisk together oil, lemon juice and reserved ¼ cup cooking water in a medium bowl; add cheese, and stir until mixture is thick and creamy. Stir in salt and pepper.
Add lemon sauce to spaghetti in pot; toss until pasta is evenly coated with sauce. Stir in basil and lemon zest; serve immediately.
Serves 6. Total prep time: 15 minutes.
So delicious and the citrus is great for the immune system.
Be Well. Be Safe.
Connect with Kristy
Website
Blog ~ Pathways
Newsletter
Author Kristy McCaffrey
Kristy McCaffrey writes western historical and contemporary romances. She and her husband live in Arizona with their two dogs. Visit her online at kristymccaffrey.com.
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