Cover Reveal

June 11, 2025 By JPMcLean 4 Comments

The Never Witch Cover Reveal

I’m so excited to share with you the cover for The Never Witch. A cover reveal is a milestone in a book’s journey. It’s a promise that the book is on its way, and a glimpse of the story’s tone. For this cover, I worked with a Canadian team at ebooklaunch.com. I love their visual interpretation of the story, and they are a pleasure to work with. The book will be available in digital and print formats. Audio to follow.

If magic fires you up and you’re looking for an escape, you’ll enjoy The Never Witch. It’s a supernatural suspense set in present day in the Pacific Northwest.

When power bites back, beware the Never Witch

Adeline Thorne was a witch with no power, until a convicted warlock, in an act of desperation, dumps his magic into her. Power was an irresistible drug to Adeline. The Never Witch now had magic. The only problem? The warlock wants it back.

If you can’t get enough of Rachel Griffin, V.E. Schwab, and Alix E. Harrow, then you’ll love The Never Witch

The Never Witch will be released on September 16, 2025, and is available now for pre-order at all the usual outlets. More outlets added every day.

Upcoming In-person Events

I’m looking forward to being a part of the very first Summer Solstice Market on June 20^th from 5:00 pm until sundown at the Crow’s Nest Artist Collective in Campbell River, 2550 Island Highway South.

The event will have many fun options, including a fire dancer, live music, interactive booths, and free activities. Come by and say hello, and enjoy the festivities.

What I’m Reading

Wild is the Witch by Rachel Griffin. I’d read her first book, The Nature of Witches last month, and really enjoyed it. Wild is the Witch is also good. The aspect I love most about Griffin’s stores is how she finds new takes on magic and sets the stories in the real world. That’s right up my alley.

I also read My Notorious Life by Kate Manning. It tells the story of a scrappy orphan named Axie Muldoon, raised in 1860s New York. The author drew on actual events and conditions. Her story is unflinching and eye-opening for anyone not familiar with the time period. Axie’s story is a testament to the struggles of women, the dangers of midwifery, and the impossible choices women were forced to make under the anvil of what we’d now call morality police. It’s a timely reminder.

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That’s all my news for June. If you’d like to know more about me, my writing life, and my home on Denman Island, sign up for my monthly newsletter, where I share photos, updates, FREE short stories, and insider scoop. I never share your email address, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Until next time…

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.