About Author

Kaylin McFarren

Kaylin McFarren
BIOGRAPHY

Kaylin McFarren has received more than 70 national literary awards, in addition to a prestigious Golden Heart Award nomination for FLAHERTY'S CROSSING - a book she and her oldest daughter, New York Times/USA Today best-selling author Kristina McMorris, co-wrote in 2008. Prior to embarking on her writing journey and developing the popular THREADS psychological thriller series, she poured her passion for creativity into her work as the director of a fine art gallery in the Pearl District in Portland, Oregon; she also served as a governor-appointed member of the Oregon Arts Commission.

Her award-winning time-travel adventure, HIGH FLYING, asks challenging questions that will linger long after the final twists are revealed. Jumping to the supernatural-horror genre, Kaylin's clever GEHENNA series leads readers into the pit of Hell, through the mechanisms of secret societies, and across the Earth’s crust, ever raising the stakes for her leading duo—a wicked demon and guardian angel presented with shocking revelations.

With each story she writes, this author delivers unexpected twists and turns and keeps her readers on the edge of their seats, leaving them guessing and thoroughly entertained. When she's not traveling or spoiling her two pups and three grandsons, Kaylin enjoys giving back to her community through participation and support of various charitable, medical and educational organizations in the Pacific Northwest, and divides her time between her homes in Portland, Oregon and San Diego, California.

FUN TIDBITS

Kaylin is proud of the fact that her great aunt Bessie B. Cordell, an evangelistic missionary during WWII, was instrumental in opening an orphanage in Tientsin, China and also wrote two published novels, Precious Pearl and Blossoms of the Flowery Kingdom, documenting her dangerous, harrowing experiences.

She keeps a glass of wine close by while writing love scenes, Kleenex on her desk while writing heart breakers, and has been known to empty a box of chocolates when she's completely stumped.

A consummate "pantser" and perfectionist, she writes and edits as she goes, and uses photographs of models and actors from tabloid magazines to visualize her characters.

She loves her husband of 48 years dearly. However, if Josh Holloway, Hugh Jackman or Ian Somerhalder came knockin', well... their marriage just might be put to the test.

Kaylin McFarren's Books

Stay in the loop on books by Kaylin McFarren. See upcoming and best-selling books by the author here. You'll also find the deals on books by Kaylin McFarren.
** Please note that the information or price displayed here may not be the updated. Make sure to double-check the latest book price before buying books.
** Also, there might be other books by Kaylin McFarren not listed on AllAuthor.

Book
REQUIEM FOR A QUEEN (Gehenna Book 3)
(1) $3.99 kindle Free with KUeBook, Paperback, Audio,
REQUIEM FOR A QUEEN (Gehenna Book 3)by Kaylin McFarrenPublish: Aug 23, 2022Series: GehennaThriller Suspense Supernatural Suspense Romantic Suspense Paranormal Romance Dark Romance & Erotica Fantasy Horror more»
BLACK WING SKY (Gehenna Book 4)
(1) $3.99 kindle Free with KUeBook, Paperback,
BLACK WING SKY (Gehenna Book 4)by Kaylin McFarrenPublish: Jun 30, 2023Series: GehennaThriller Supernatural Suspense Action & Adventure Romantic Suspense Paranormal Romance Erotic Romance Dark Romance & Erotica Fantasy Horror more»
ANNIHILATION (Gehenna Book 2)
(5) $4.99 kindle Free with KUeBook, Paperback, Audio,
ANNIHILATION (Gehenna Book 2)by Kaylin McFarrenPublish: Feb 04, 2022Series: GehennaThriller Supernatural Suspense Paranormal Romance Dark Romance & Erotica Fantasy Horror more»
SOUL SEEKER (Gehenna Book 1)
(2) $3.99 kindle Free with KUeBook, Paperback, Audio,
SOUL SEEKER (Gehenna Book 1)by Kaylin McFarrenPublish: Oct 18, 2020Series: GehennaThriller Supernatural Suspense Paranormal Romance Dark Romance & Erotica Fantasy Horror more»

Kaylin McFarren's Series in Order

It's exciting to find a book series to follow! Discover the whole new world of book series created by Kaylin McFarren.
** Also, there might be other book series by Kaylin McFarren not listed on AllAuthor.

Kaylin McFarren's Awards and Achievements

    Kaylin McFarren has earned excellence awards over time. Here is the glimpse of the accolades clinched by the author.

  • Reader Views Reviewers Choice Award - Erotica & Horror
    2022

    ANNIHILATION (Gehenna Book 2)

    award
  • Best Thriller Book Awards - Winner
    2021

    SOUL SEEKER (Gehenna Book 1)

    award
  • Literary Titan Book Award
    2021

    SOUL SEEKER (Gehenna Book 1)

    award
  • Indie Reader Discovery Awards
    2021

    SOUL SEEKER (Gehenna Book 1)

    award
  • Indie Book Awards
    2021

    SOUL SEEKER (Gehenna Book 1)

    award
  • Shelf Unbound
    2020

    SOUL SEEKER (Gehenna Book 1)

    award
  • Chanticleer International Book Awards - Grand Prize
    2020

    SOUL SEEKER (Gehenna Book 1)

    award
  • NYC Big Book Award
    2020

    SOUL SEEKER (Gehenna Book 1)

    award
  • Shelf Unbound Best Indie book - Long List
    2019 award
  • NYC Big Book Award - Gold Medal
    2019 award
  • Independent Press Award - Gold Medal
    2019 award
  • Global Ebook Awards - Gold Medal
    2019 award
  • Chanticleer Independent Book Awards - 1st Place Paranormal
    2019 award
  • Global Ebook Awards - 1st Place Thriller Fiction
    2018 award
  • Feathered Quill Book Awards - 1st Place Romance Category
    2018 award
  • Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Horror - Online Book Club Book of the Year
    2018 award
  • New York City Big Book Awards
    2018 award
  • Chanticleer Review CLUE Awards - Grand Prize Thriller/Suspense Fiction
    2018 award
  • Reader Views Reviewers Choice Award - Mystery/Thriller/Suspense/Horror
    2018 award
  • NYC Big Book 1st Place Award Winner - Thriller Category
    2017 award
  • Chatelaine Awards - Best Overall Book
    2015 award
  • Readers' Favorite
    2015 award
  • Global Ebook Awards
    2014 award
  • Chanticleer Book Awards
    2014 award
  • Shelf Unbound - Best Indie Book
    2014 award
  • Readers' Favorite - Adventure Category
    2014 award
  • Reader Views Reviewers Choice Awards
    2014 award
  • Pacific Book Awards
    2014 award
  • CLUE Awards
    2014 award
  • IPPY Awards - Best Mystery/Thriller
    2014 award
  • eLit Awards
    2014 award
  • Romance Book of the Year Award
    2012 award
  • Publisher's Award of Excellence
    2010 award
  • RWA Golden Heart - Romantic Elements
    2008 award

Kaylin McFarren Interview On 03, Apr 2018

"Author Kaylin McFarren was born in Compton, California and traveled on airplanes a lot with her two brothers because of her dad’s job with United Airlines. She was writing at ten years old but it wasn’t until her children were grown that she applied myself in this direction. Kaylin discovered her love for painting in college and opened and operated an art gallery and wine bistro in downtown Portland for seven years. Her husband and she formed a non-profit benefiting cancer research nine years ago after losing loved ones to the disease. As an author, she enjoys teaching her readers something new and feels delighted when readers discover her books’ symbolism. Kaylin is currently working on a time travel adventure – High Flying."
Could you tell us a little about your childhood and life growing up? Was being an author something you always aimed towards?

I was born in Compton, California, of all places, and moved with my family to Torrance (near Santa Monica) at a very young age. My dad worked for United Airlines as a maintenance foreman and mechanic so I grew up traveling on airplanes every year with my two brothers to numerous cities in the U.S. in addition to skiing on every body of water in California. I honestly enjoyed reading all kinds of books and was particularly drawn to mysteries, especially Nancy Drew. By the age of ten, I was putting pencil to paper to create short stories, drawings, and a collection of poems. One of my teachers in school saw my creativity and encouraged me to keep a journal. By the age of twelve, I must have filled eight of them with my vivid imagination. However, it wasn’t until my children were grown that I considered a full-time writing career and applied myself in this direction.

When did you start out in art? What was your most memorable experience working as a director of a fine art gallery in Portland, Oregon?

I’ve always had an interest in art and discovered my love for painting while attending college. In fact, I loved art so much that I opened and operated an art gallery and wine bistro in downtown Portland’s Pearl District for seven years. I always looked forward to First Thursday art walks as we typically had 2,000 guests and became one of the most popular galleries in town. My favorite memory is when I filled a beautiful Street of Dreams house with over thirty pieces of art and received word that the new buyer wanted to purchase the house exactly the way it was shown - complete with every piece of art. This turned out to be a $60,000 transaction for my gallery and thrilled all the artists I represented.

Tell us a little about the Soulful Giving Foundation and how it came into being.

Nine years ago, my husband and I decided to form a non-profit benefiting cancer research after losing dear friends, business associates and family members to this indiscriminate disease. It wouldn’t have taken a lot of effort to issue a check to various hospitals ourselves, but involving our community in our project became our shared and dedicated purpose. In order to make this possible, I formed an eight member foundation board and orchestrated the Soulful Giving Blanket Concert - an annual summer event that features music, wine, great food, arts and crafts and includes over 3,500 ticket holders. One hundred percent of our proceeds goes to the oncology unit at Randall Children’s Hospital and to Providence Cancer Institute in Portland, and we’re proud that our honorary board includes Senator Merkley, Senator Wyden, Governor Brown and other well-known politicians and business leaders.

What does being an author mean to you? Do you write purely to entertain or do you hope to impart some sort of change?

I love the idea of being a published author and having had the opportunity to share my stories with readers of mysteries, thrillers and romance novels. It’s also exciting to be notified when one of my books wins an award, giving credence to my passion. However, what I enjoy most about the life of an author is teaching my readers something new, whether it be about treasure hunting or the secret lives of closed societies, especially those living in Japan.

What was the inspiration behind the story "Flaherty's Crossing"? What are some themes that you weave throughout this novel that you hope readers pick up on?

I wrote my first book, Flaherty’s Crossing, after losing my father to cancer. I was angry, frustrated and bitter...and blamed God for my loss. Writing this book helped me resolve my personal issues, while encouraging others to mend damaged relationships, whether they be between husbands and wives or fathers and daughters. This book is basically a woman’s journey to find forgiveness, and I’m still proud of the message it shares.

What got you interested in writing dark romance and suspense novels? Who are some authors that have inspired your work?

I’ve been reading murder mysteries for years and enjoy dark novels by talented authors, Lisa Jackson and Toni Anderson in particular. They inspired me to test my writing ability by delving into this genre.

How did you get the idea for "Severed Threads" and the rest of the books in the series? Did you plan on making it a series from the beginning or is that something that just happened by itself as your wrote?

I originally wrote Severed Threads based on my interest in hidden treasures and inability to scuba dive. I nearly drown as a young child and to this day still struggle with jumping into the ocean or the deep end of a pool. This book was going to be a single novel but I loved the characters so much that I elected to turn Threads into a four book series.

How would you describe your character Akira Hamada from "Twisted Threads"? What was your motive in making her a person of Japanese heritage?

Akira was originally introduced into the series in Buried Threads - a treasure-hunting adventure in Japan that my main characters from Severed Threadsare drawn into. This woman is a beautiful, young geisha who is contracted to a Yakuza gang leader, After his sudden death, she is convinced that the leader of the same gang is responsible and attempts to poison him. Her failure results in her assuming the forced life of a trained assassin - where her feminine wiles becomes an asset and her naivety in regard to the male species becomes a detriment.

Do you like to tie in a lot of symbolism in your books or characters?

I do and throughly enjoy hearing from readers when they discover them.

Of all the awards you've received, which one was the most unexpected? Who's the first person you usually tell when you win something?

Being notified that Flaherty’s Crossing was a finalist in the RWA Golden Heart was perhaps the sweetest and most meaningful call I ever received in regard to my writing. Although I didn’t win, this award encouraged me to pursue a career in this field, which continues to surprise me with many unexpected awards. The first person I called after this announcement? My oldest daughter, Kristina McMorris, who acted as my editor and encouraged me to write…and is now a USA Today, New York Times best selling author and incredible cheerleader. Then I share my happiness with my husband…and best friend.

How do you balance between writing what you want and what you think your audience wants?

I typically write the types of stories I enjoy reading and love surprising my audience. And if I had to describe my overall style, I would have to say I’m all about page turners and leaving the reader wanting more.

What do you enjoy most about being an author? What is a less talked about downside to writing as a career?

I enjoy typing the last sentence in a book, seeing it completed for the first time in published form, and knowing that it’s available for purchase on a store shelf or internet site. Nothing beats the sense of fulfillment this process brings.

What are some of your future book projects? Do you ever see yourself retiring from writing?

I’m currently working on High Flying - a time travel adventure involving a stunt pilot and her alienated father. The truth is…I love writing so much that I can’t imagine ever stopping.

Ask Kaylin McFarren a Question

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    • AllAuthor AllAuthor 5 years ago
      Allauthor
    • Have you ever incorporated something that happened to you in real life into your novels?
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      • Kaylin McFarren Kaylin McFarren 5 years ago
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      • For the most part, everything I write about has been experienced first hand. I've been fortunate in meeting interesting people while traveling around the world and am always thinking about the next story to write.
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      • Kaylin McFarren Kaylin McFarren 5 years ago
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      • I've always had an interest in writing, although poetry was my avenue for creativity until I started attending workshops. Then my focus shifted to writing books.
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      • Kaylin McFarren Kaylin McFarren 5 years ago
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      • I do read them and understand that not everyone is going to relate to my stories. When they're good, I'm thrilled of course. But bad ones can be deflating and I try not to let them bring me down.
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