JP McLean

Spain in May

May 25, 2015 By JPMcLean 22 Comments

Inside Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain — Inside Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

Normally, vacations seem to fly by, but the two weeks we spent in Spain in May felt like a good, long holiday. We savoured every day, filled up on castles, cathedrals and tapas, and enjoyed almost perfect weather. After spending six days in Barcelona, we then had one day each in Valencia, Cordoba, Granada, Seville, Madrid, and Girona. We finished off with one day in Lyon, France and two days in Vevey, Switzerland.

Olive Vendor at La Boqueria Market, Barcelona, Spain — Olive Vendor at La Boqueria Market, Barcelona

A few observations of note: Facecloths, hair conditioner and tissues are not standard issue in the vast majority of Spanish hotels; both the dotted and the solid lines on roads in Spain are only suggestions; your Spanish driver will NOT scrape the mirrors off the side of the car going down lanes that would challenge a bicyclist.

Gaudi Apt in Barcelona, Spain — Gaudi Apt in Barcelona

I didn’t write a word through the whole trip, though I did spend a few hours the first few days updating files with retailers and distributors for the May 30 release of Penance (Now titled Lethal Waters). The break from all writerly things was just what I needed.

Here are a few pics from our visit to Spain in May. (Seems I can’t take a straight picture to save my life–it’s a good thing there’s software to fix that!)

L'hemisferic, Valencia, Spain — L’hemisferic, Valencia

Overhead Heat Relief, Cordoba, Spain — Overhead Heat Relief, Cordoba

Pots of flowers at Festival de Patios, Cordoba, Spain — Festival de Patios, Cordoba

Pond fountain and hedge in Gardens at Alhambria, Granada, Spain — Gardens at Alhambra, Granada

"Cerveceria Alemana" Hemingway Hangout in Madrid, Spain — Hemingway Hangout in Madrid

Green, rolling hills and blue sky countryside in Girona, Spain — Girona Countryside

Carousel in Lyon, France — Carousel in Lyon

Dinner charcuterie plate in Lyon, France — Dinner in Lyon

Terraced mountainside vineyards in Vevey, Switzerland — Terraced vineyards in Vevey

Chateau de Gruyere in Switzerland — Chateau de Gruyere

Penance: Now available for pre-order!

April 22, 2015 By JPMcLean 11 Comments

I feel like a hungry bear emerging from its cave, blinking up into the light after a long brutal winter, bewildered and clutching a newborn cub. That cub is the fourth book in The Gift Legacy series. Penance is now available for pre-order on Amazon and Kobo. Placing a pre-order puts you at the front of the queue. Pre-orders are delivered immediately upon release, May 30th.

After release, Penance* will be available in print and ebook formats at all the usual outlets.

The process of bringing Penance into the light of day has challenged me to the core, and the last two months in particular have tested my sanity. So I’m taking a break to recharge my batteries. First up is a visit to Vancouver to attend the Creative Ink Festival on April 25.

When I return, I’m packing my bags for a trip to Spain. I’ve never been and can’t wait. Sight-seeing and people-watching are rich fodder for the imagination, and I’ll be taking notes along with plenty of photos. Mmm, I can almost taste the sangria.

Don’t forget to mark the date: May 30th! Penance is now available for pre-order on Amazon and Kobo.

If you’d rather stay home, you can visit the West Coast through Emelynn’s eyes in Secret Sky, available with one click right here. And if ebooks or Amazon aren’t your preference, click the Bookstore Tab for more purchasing options.

*Update: Penance is now titled Lethal Waters

Cover Reveal: Penance

March 20, 2015 By JPMcLean 26 Comments

Coming fresh on the heels of Penance‘s sneak peek premiere on The South Branch Scribbler, I am thrilled to present the cover reveal for Penance, the fourth book in The Gift Legacy series.

This is Penance (Now titled Lethal Waters).

It’s been months in the making and once again, graphic artist, Viona Halim, has designed a cover that not only reflects the book’s ominous mood, but she has also captured the setting beautifully with a watercolour scene from beneath the Granville Street Bridge in Vancouver, British Columbia. And if you look carefully, you’ll find Emelynn in her cover debut.

Deadly Games . . .

A body in the water. A vast ocean. A killer on the loose.

In the midst of a bloody rebellion, Emelynn Taylor exposes her gift of flight to save a man’s life. Now International Covert Operations knows her secret. The powerful organization is willing to cover up the carnage and protect her secret—in exchange for her services.

Her first assignment is a drug case in the coastal city of Vancouver. The case soon reveals a grisly murder that implicates one of her own kind.

Stalked by the ancient Tribunal Novem and vilified by a distrustful team of detectives, Emelynn takes on a perilous undercover role embedded in a drug ring where anyone could be the murderer.

Intrigue and danger lurk in the cold Pacific, challenging Emelynn’s unique gift and pitting her loyalties against her honour. And her choice is guaranteed to hurt someone.

The fourth book in The Gift Legacy is a thriller that skirts the edges of reality in a world within our own. Don your life jacket and escape the ordinary: take flight with Emelynn Taylor.

Lethal Waters (formerly Penance) is a dark supernatural thriller, perfect for fans of JR Ward, Deborah Harkness, Jim Butcher, Charlaine Harris, and Keri Arthur.

Download a PDF excerpt here.

Pick up your very own copy of Lethal Waters with one click right here. And if ebooks or Amazon aren’t your preference, other purchase options are available under the Bookstore Tab.

Playing Whack-A-Mole with a Trilogy

February 21, 2015 By JPMcLean 5 Comments

Every time I sit down to write this post, another trilogy mole pops up and I race off in search of my mallet. I’m playing Whack-a-Mole with a trilogy. Those “moles” are hidden in more cubby holes than I’d imagined, though I shouldn’t be surprised, after all, I put them there.

I’m referring to the “trilogy” descriptor I used liberally to describe The Gift books when they were, in fact, a trilogy. Now that the fourth book, The Gift: Penance (now titled Lethal Waters), is approaching the starting blocks, the terminology is decidedly inaccurate. Hence, I’ve started the process of switching out “trilogy” for “legacy.”

I thought about all the places I’d used “trilogy,” and made a list. There were the obvious spots, like this blog, the website and Goodreads. Then I looked at Twitter, Facebook and Google+. Mustn’t forget Wattpad and Library Thing. Oh, and LinkedIn.

Okay, I thought … I can do this.

Oops, forgot about my author page on Amazon, which sent me scurrying back to look at my author page on Goodreads. And wait, I’d made a note to change the wording in Facebook, but what about the header picture—that had to change. Do I even remember how to do that? Then I noticed the tagline in my email signature, which lead to the realization that my business cards are now outdated. Along with the posters I use at book signings. And the back-of-the-book blurbs.

Oh crap! Pretty much all of the promo material I’ve ever prepared has to be changed. This is going to take a lot longer than I thought.

I suppose the silver lining in all of this is that the Gift’s book information has spread as far and wide as it has. The not-so-silver lining is that I’ll be whacking moles for a long time yet.

With that in mind, I’d appreciate it if you’d tell me if you come across any of my “trilogy” lingo on your cyber travels. I just know I’m going to miss something. (Anyone who misses a fourth book sneaking into a trilogy is going to miss something—and it’ll probably be big.)