Cover Reveal Archives

Scorch Mark Cover Reveal

September 20, 2023 By JPMcLean 12 Comments

Today, I’m excited to reveal the cover for Scorch Mark, the third Dark Dreams novel. JD&J Book Cover Designs has once again created a cover that hits all the right marks. This time, Jane is on the cover with the Rosetta-style dial she now bears on the back of her hand.

The cover captures the essence of the series with a hint of danger, covert mystery, and the grit of the inner city. Something dangerous lingers, and it’s evident in Jane’s expression. I love it! Let me know what you think in the comments.

An excerpt of the first three chapters is available in pdf form on my website. The book will be released on November 14 and is now available for preorder on Kindle, Kobo, and at all other retailers.

Pre-publication Award

Scorch Mark has already received a 5-star gold Literary Titan Award. This is what Titan had to say: “…Scorch Mark stands as a testament to McLean’s literary prowess. The book is a genuine page-turner, replete with action and masterfully crafted prose.” —Literary Titan

Read the full review here.

What I’m Reading

Temple by Robert Swartwood. Temple is a thriller with a supernatural twist. The genre combo is much like the Dark Dreams series, but with a male protagonist. It’s described as “Watchmen meets Jason Bourne,” which is an accurate description. It’s fast-paced with lots of fighting, gun action, and a twisty plot. (Thanks to Tom for the recommendation!)

The Gift Legacy Update

The digital editions of The Gift Legacy books are now out of the Kindle Unlimited subscription program and are once again available at all retailers. Those of you in the Kindle Unlimited program who downloaded the books will still be able to read them.

Upcoming Events

The GEM Readings

October 1^st from 2-3:30 pm

Denman Activity Centre, 1111 Northwest Road, Denman Island.

I’ll be joining two local Denman Island authors, Stewart Goodings, My Friend, My Enemy and Bill Engleson, The Life of Gronsky, to read from our latest releases, take audience questions, and sign books. Bring a mug. Coffee, tea, and sweets will be served.

On a Personal Note

I’m home from my trip to visit family in Ontario. The photos show us moving my parents’ dock, enjoying my cousin Steve strum his guitar, porch snacks, and beautiful McKellar vistas, including me in the hat on my sister’s pontoon boat on the Manitouwabing River. Three weeks felt like a nice long chunk of catch-up time when I set out, but it flew by in a flash.

Immediately following my return from Ontario, I left again for a catch up with a friend who was visiting Vancouver. We stayed at the Sylvia Hotel, which has become my very favourite Vancouver Hotel. It’s historic, right on the water, and walking distance to Stanley Park, Granville Island, and the downtown. The staff are super friendly and the restaurant is top-notch.

While the preparation for Scorch Mark’s November 14 release continues, I’ll be happily staying put on Denman Island.

Until next time . . .

Ghost Mark Cover Reveal

July 10, 2022 By JPMcLean 12 Comments

Ghost Mark Cover Reveal!

It’s finally here and I’m so pleased to share it with you. Cover Reveals are the icing on the cake in the book world. Ghost Mark’s cake is deadly dark chocolate with two layers, fresh raspberry filling, and a spicy ginger, butter-cream icing. I’m craving a corner piece, the one with the red, devil’s tail flourish.

This is Ghost Mark, the second and newest Dark Dreams novel.

Once again, the folks at JD&J Book Cover Design have created a gorgeous cover. They are a joy to work with and they do a spectacular job. It’s hard to believe they designed this cover based on a scant written summary and a few notes about tone and character.

Ghost Mark will be out on November 1. That may seem like a long ways off, but I’ll need every minute to finish the technical prep, gather endorsements, organize early reviews, and pave the way for a skyrocketing release (at least, that’s my hope!).

Ghost Mark is available right now for pre-order from all the usual retailers:

Amazon ~ Kobo ~ Apple ~ Nook

In other news

Blood Mark has racked up another award, its 7th! This one from the National Indie Excellence Awards (NIEA).

On the Writing front:

A lot of my writing time these days is consumed with Ghost Mark’s release and all the material that must be written to usher it out into the world. But I also continue to work on the third book in the Dark Dreams series, building the outline and sketching out scene and character arcs. It’s very early days but already the story is developing in wonderful and unexpected ways, which is a good sign.

On the Reading front:

Ann Charles’ Deadwood series continues to entertain me. I’m currently reading the fourth book, Better off Dead in Deadwood. These books are such fun reads. I’m so ~~envious~~ impressed that Charles continuously comes up with original, witty material.

On the Home front:

Summer still hasn’t properly arrived on Denman Island. Cooler, wetter weather is hanging on, but occasionally, Mother Nature tosses in a warm, sunny day, which I’m convinced is just to tease us. Urgg.

But the crap weather hasn’t stopped the weeds. Thankfully the flowers don’t seem to mind it either. They’re colourful and fragrant right now, which is lovely. The tomatoes and zucchini continue to grow and we picked a bumper crop of garlic scapes, which I minced and froze to enjoy all winter long.

Review Team:

Another important pre-launch job is putting together an advanced reviewer team for Ghost Mark. If you’ve reviewed another of my books, and you’d be interested in reviewing Ghost Mark, reply to this newsletter or contact me through my website to let me know. ARC reviewers get a free digital copy of the book before it’s released.

Until next time, XO

Jo-Anne

Blood Mark Cover Reveal (and a Sneak Peek)

June 5, 2021 By JPMcLean 16 Comments

Blood Mark cover reveal and this one comes with a sneak peek inside!

Cover reveals are exciting on so many levels.

It’s the first visual representation of the story.
It’s a signal to the world that a new book is coming.
It’s collaborative artwork.

This is the cover for Blood Mark:

My thanks to the creative team at JD&J Book Cover Design for their fine work. JD&J are SO easy to work with. They’re resourceful and responsive, so if you need a book cover, I highly recommend them.

Sneak Peek & Preorder

Wrapping up The Gift Legacy Launch

February 6, 2019 By JPMcLean 9 Comments

Wrapping up The Gift Legacy launch.

Today marks the end of The Gift Legacy’s launch campaign. Thank you for riding this exciting release wave with me. Sharing new covers is a thrill, more so because of your support and encouraging comments.

Books 1 through 6 tell the story of Emelynn Taylor, the unwitting recipient of a remarkable gift that strips her of gravity and sends her airborne, unchecked. Today, the first book in The Gift Legacy Companion series is being released. Lover Betrayed tells the story of Secret Sky from Jackson Delaney’s perspective. Jackson’s role in Secret Sky was controversial, pivotal and demanded to be told. Love him or hate him, you won’t forget him. Lover Betrayed is Secret Sky Redux.

Rashomon treatment

Examining an event from different characters’ viewpoints is referred to as a Rashomon treatment, named after the 1950 film of the same name directed by Akira Kurosawa. Kurosawa was the first to present this unique way of exploring the nature of truth by telling the same story as witnessed and interpreted by different people.

When Jackson Delaney’s wife disappears, Jackson flies into high gear to find her. But has she been abducted, or has she left him for his half-brother? With fear and retribution fueling his quest, he recklessly engages the feared Tribunal and unscrupulous thugs from his past. And when his quest for justice at any cost leads him to a mysterious young Flier with no knowledge of her arcane gift, Jackson’s vengeance gets the better of him and may cost him something more precious than his life.

Testimonials

JP McLean possesses her own unique gift: the ability to bewitch her readers with her boundless imagination.
—Elinor Florence, Globe and Mail best-selling author of Bird’s Eye View and Wildwood

Exciting action and conflict of loyalties make this a fantastic page-turner.
—Kristina Stanley, author of the Stone Mountain Mystery Series

Click here to buy your copy of Lover Betrayed from your favourite retailer.

CLICK HERE TO READ AN EXCERPT

As always, I’d love to hear your feedback. Just hit reply or contact me via the social media buttons.

Secret Sky is the book that started it all. Get your copy of Secret Sky from Kindle with one click right here. And if ebooks aren’t your preference, click on the bookstore tab for other purchase options, or just click on the covers below.

Secret Sky was formerly titled The Gift: Awakening
Hidden Enemy was formerly titled The Gift: Revelation
Burning Lies was formerly titled The Gift: Redemption
Lethal Waters was formerly titled The Gift: Penance
Lover Betrayed was formerly titled The Gift: Betrayal