Dark Dreams Series Archives - Page 8 of 11

Celebrations Amid the Chaos

March 20, 2022 By JPMcLean 16 Comments

Some days it’s difficult to celebrate the wins, especially under the black cloud of chaos caused by a madman in Russia and the ongoing pandemic. Still, there are celebrations amid the chaos, nuggets that shine despite the gloom around us.

What I’m celebrating:

Bood Mark is now a finalist (FINALIST) for two (TWO) international book awards!

The Chanticleer Paranormal Award for Supernatural Fiction. The winner of this US book award will be announced in June.

The Wishing Shelf Book Award for Adult Fiction. The winner of this British book award will be announced in April.

I am so proud to add these new nominations to Blood Mark’s cover.

I’m also celebrating:

Mandatory mask mandates lifted in BC.

Although the pandemic is not yet over, it’s a relief to see the mask mandate lifted. A small, but hopeful celebration. Though I hate the damn things, I’m still wearing one in crowded situations. I’m not alone. In my outings since the lifting, I’d guestimate 2/3 of shoppers continue to wear masks. It’ll take time for people to get comfortable re-entering this new normal.

As much as I’d rather be celebrating Russia’s defeat at the hands of brave Ukrainians, and the end of the pandemic, I’ll take these small wins and celebrate the hell out of them. It’s me thumbing my nose at the madman and the pandemic.

These are my small celebrations amid the chaos. I hope you find nuggets of your own to celebrate. Every win counts.

You can purchase Blood Mark at your favourite retailer or right here.

Slow but Steady Progress

January 28, 2022 By JPMcLean 18 Comments

The second book in the Blood Mark series is coming along with slow but steady progress. I discovered the outline wasn’t as strong as it needed to be, so I’m beefing it up, adding scenes, increasing the tension. A popular saying repeated in writing circles is that the writer’s job is to get the main character up a tree, and then once they are up there, throw rocks at them. At this stage, I’m throwing rocks at them.

I considered adding references to the pandemic but decided not to. Figured we’re all getting enough of that stress in our day-to-day real lives and don’t need more of it in our downtime. Besides, having the characters masked, socially distant, and staying home feels a little (a lot) boring.

Working Title

I’m still uncertain about a title. The working title is Ghost Mark, but I’m open to suggestions. If you’ve got one, jot it down in the comments below. If I use it, you’ll get credit in the book.

Last month I told you about becoming a bestselling author in three Amazon categories: New Adult and College Fantasy (Books), Ghost Suspense, and Occult Horror. The novelty of calling myself a bestselling author hasn’t worn off.

Now there are two more achievements to add to Blood Mark’s success. On January 12, it was short listed for the 2021 Chanticleer Paranormal Book Awards for Supernatural Fiction. And on January 5, Blood Mark placed 3rd on Go Indie Now’s 2021 books of the year.

Hidden Enemy

And if you haven’t yet, you’ve got to read the review for Hidden Enemy on Scribble’s Worth Book Reviews. I’ve read it a dozen times and it still makes me laugh. Julio Carlos’ enthusiasm is over the top. You can read more about Hidden Enemy here, where you’ll also find buy links and a downloadable PDF of the first chapter.

Successes like those keep me motivated. I can’t say it often enough: Thank you for your part in supporting my books, whether it’s recommending them to a friend, asking your local library to shelve them, or writing a review. Your support means the world to me.

What I’m Reading

On the reading front, I’ve just started Three Mages and a Margarita by Annette Marie. It was a recommendation from someone in the “Fans Of Urban Fantasy!” Facebook group.

I’m always on the hunt for books like mine, commonly referred to as comps (as in comparables) in the book world. If you’ve read a book that would fit on the bookshop shelf alongside mine, I’d love to know about it. Put the title/author in the comments below.

Until next time . . .

XO Jo-Anne

Throwing Stones Photo by Benjamin Davies on Unsplash

Hello 2022

December 30, 2021 By JPMcLean 10 Comments

Hello, and welcome 2022. I hope you enjoy a magnificent year. Your predecessor, 2021, had a rough go of it. Made a bit of a name for himself, and not in the good way. To help you avoid 2021’s mistakes, I’ve prepared a cheat sheet (pay close attention to the legend):

✔ = Good | X = Bad

X Heat Domes

X Atmospheric Rivers

X Landslides

X Flooding

X Wildfires

X Droughts

X COVID variants

Happily, 2021, got some things right:

✔ +79% of British Columbians are now fully vaccinated

✔ Adele released her new album “30”

✔ the Perseverance Rover landed on Mars.

On a personal note, Blood Mark launched in 2021 ✔. Not only has Blood Mark won a Gold Literary Titan award ✔, it’s been long listed for a Chanticleer award ✔, and, on December 16, it became an official Amazon Best Seller! ✔✔✔

And 2021 was my first year in partnership with Creative Edge Publicity, and what a year it’s been. Thank you Mickey Mikkelson! For the complete list of what I’ve been up to (with links) see the Media/Featured On page. And if you’ve not seen it yet, the Media/Fast Facts page contains my publishing career highlights.

So thank you, 2021!

I hope you, too, can find some some successes to celebrate from 2021.

May 2022 be the best year yet with health, happiness, and abundance for all of us.

Cheers!

Jo-Anne XO

Fireworks Photo by Trust “Tru” Katsande on Unsplash

In the Spirit of the Season

December 14, 2021 By JPMcLean 7 Comments

Has there been a more dreadful year? On the west coast of Canada, the combination of pandemic, fires, smoke, and floods have packed a punch that’ll take a while to overcome. And though I can’t do much to help with all that mess, in the spirit of the season, I can provide an inexpensive escape.

I’ve never discounted a newly released book, but I’m doing it this year.

For a few days only, you can get Blood Mark for just 99c. Whether you want to read it yourself or gift it to a friend, it’ll provide a reprieve, an escape, an all-encompassing thrill ride that’ll leave no room for thoughts of Mother Nature’s recent rampage(s!).

Amazon US
Amazon Canada
Amazon UK
Kobo
Nook
Payhip
Elsewhere

But act quickly, the price returns to it’s regular $4.99 in just a few days.

Enjoy!

Here’s the latest review for Blood Mark in the Dec/Jan edition of InD’Tale Magazine:

5/5 stars with Crowned Heart for Excellence

SUSPENSE/THRILLER: Wrapped from head to toe by unusual and unique red patterns, Jane lives her life trying to keep her markings hidden and her secret safe. Abandoned at birth, Jane’s life has been one tragedy after another from a car accident, a deadly house fire, and the debilitating narcolepsy that results in dream visions from the past where she witnesses horrific events. When visions of Rebecca in a psych ward start encompassing her dreams, she finds herself on a mission to find out who this lady is who can also see the past. As Jane dreams of her more often, she starts to notice something amiss with the doctor treating Rebecca and her concern grows all the while she starts noticing that her very own marks are disappearing. Unsure of what is happening or who she can trust, Jane must let go of some of her secrets in order to find the answer she needs to stay safe.

The answer to this year’s boredom, JP McLean’s novel is a fresh and original mystery thriller with a side of budding romance. The movement between the past and the present is captivating and adds an intriguing aspect to the storyline. Jane’s backstory slowly unfolds throughout, allowing the reader to understand her and connect with her on a deeper level. The development of all the characters during the course of the tale was superb, with each of them showing some type of growth. The twists and turns will keep the reader in suspense until the very end when all is shockingly revealed. This gripping tale should be on every bookshelf this year!