JP McLean

Writing Addictive Fiction

Happy Hot Toddies!

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JP McLean with her dog, Molly, sitting on the hearth of a blazing fireplace
JP McLean and Miss Molly

Happy hot toddies. Another Christmas Eve has arrived. The tree is up, the wreath is hung, and the shopping is done. December 24th is my favourite day of the holidays. For me, it’s the calm before the storm; a quiet day to enjoy with a warm toddy, a soft dog and fluffy blanket in front of the fire.

And as the seasonal gatherings roll on, and we exchange holiday cheer with our friends and family, I’m reminded how very fortunate I am, and for that, I am grateful.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your encouragement, laughter and support over this past year.

From our home to yours, here’s wishing you and your family a very merry Christmas, and a healthy and happy 2016, and many hot toddies.

If you’re looking for a book to enjoy during the calm before the storm, you can gift yourself Secret sky with one click right here. And if ebooks or Amazon aren’t your preference, other purchasing options are available under the Bookstore tab.

Susan Toy Turns Two!

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Well … maybe not Susan Toy herself, but her Reading Recommendations site is celebrating two fabulous years!

One of a writer’s most difficult jobs comes after the writing is done. It doesn’t seem to matter which publishing path you choose, discoverability is the next step, and it’s a tough slog.

When I was new to the publishing world, I floundered around the Internet looking for information on how to get the word out about my book and find readers. It seemed an insurmountable task, and as a newbie, sorting the wheat from the chaff proved taxing on my time and my sanity.

Susan Toy

Happily, I stumbled upon Susan Toy and her Reading Recommendations site. It was such a refreshing change to the naysaying negativity that can run rampant on the Internet. Here I found a woman with a long history in the publishing industry, and a writer herself, making the time and effort to support other writers.

But I am not just a writer, I’m also a reader, as most writers are. Through Reading Recommendations, I’ve discovered many new writers and continue to do so. These are books I may never have found if I hadn’t read about them on Susan’s site.

And that is discoverability, the very thing all writers strive for.

Reading Recommendations works, and better still, I’ve met a network of writers who are supportive, approachable, and readily share their knowledge.

November 18th is the second anniversary of Reading Recommendations. I am grateful and proud to be a part of this supportive network of readers and writers.

Congratulations, Susan, on your second year anniversary, and thank you for being at the helm.

Home in Bequia

On Summer, Cherries, and Shoulds

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On Summer, cherries, and shoulds. Abundant cherries on a cherry-tree branchLook at those cherries! Man, what a crop. It’s been a fabulous spring—biggest, sweetest cherries ever! And now spring is behind us and the cherries are already gone. Even these long perfect days of summer will fly by far too quickly.

So why not take the time to savour what’s right in front of us while it’s still sweet?

We’ve all got things we should do, and they won’t go away for neglecting them. For example, I should clean the spider webs out of the window casings, and I should transplant the winter jasmine before it croaks. I should definitely promote my new book.

But summer days aren’t getting any longer, so I’m going to put the shoulds on the back burner and spend a day writing in the shade of the brolly with an iced tea—I might even up my game with a glass of wine. I’m going to enjoy the hell out of a girl’s night out—late—on a weeknight! I may even indulge in a lazy afternoon pedicure and let my nails dry in the sunshine with a book in my hands, my phone close by and my friends on speed-dial.

I hope you’re able to put away your shoulds for an afternoon or two as well. Enjoy the summer while it’s here.

If you’re looking for something to read in the shade of that brolly, click here to buy Lethal Waters. It’s good for the soul! And if ebooks or Amazon aren’t your preference, you can find other purchase options under the Bookstore Tab.

On Summer, cherries, and shoulds

Christmas and Odds & Sods

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Christmas tree & Fireplace in JP's home on Denman IslandChristmas and Odds & Sods. Miraculously, five days before Christmas, I find myself in the position of having some free time. Not sure how that happened. Somehow the parcels got wrapped, mailed, bagged, and tagged; the vacuum and dust mitt performed a slap and dash; the decorations made it out of the crawl space; and the meals planned themselves.

So I’m sitting here on my duff with a glass of wine in hand and the computer in my lap, and it occurred to me that I probably owe you all an update!

But before I get to that, I’d like to take a moment to say thank you. Your enthusiasm for these characters and this story is heartwarming. Writing is often a solitary venture and every time I hear from one of you, it makes my day. Truly. Thanks for that.

Odds & Sods

And so…Book IV, titled Penance*, has been through the first round of beta readers and is now in the capable hands of intrepid story editor, Nina Munteanu. When she sends it back, I’ll incorporate her comments, and then send it out to the second wave of beta readers. After their comments are folded in, it’ll go to the copy editor. Finally, another beta read and then off to the proof-reader. When those tweaks are done, it’ll be ready to publish. It may seem like an arduous journey but believe me, all those extra eyes will make for a much better story!

Meantime, Viona Halim, has been working on the cover art, which will, once again, originate with a photo. This time the photo was taken on Granville Island, where pivotal scenes in Book IV take place. Viona will edit the photo and then paint it to achieve the same ominous “feel” to it that the others have.

At the same time, I’m working on the back cover blurb, summaries, tag lines, book marks and other promotional material. I’m writing press releases for the spring launch and seeking pre-release reviews (wink, nudge, hint-hint). If you are interested in receiving an e-copy of Penance for review, please let me know. Reviews that are posted to coincide with the book’s release are better than balloon rides, rum in your egg nog and snow on Christmas!

Coming Soon . . . Boxed Sets

Also, I decided to offer the first three books of the Gift Legacy in a “boxed set” format for the eBook market. Viona Halim has prepared a phenomenal cover for the boxed set, which I can’t wait to share with you. For the first time, I’m trying my hand at formatting this edition myself. I’m not the most tech-savvy person, so wish me luck. If the challenge proves too much, I’ll have to hire the expertise.

And then, because apparently I should be offering a nugget to entice readers to sign up for my newsletter (which, sadly, I’ve been neglecting), I’ve been writing a give-away short story.

Of course, I’m still jotting down ideas for the continuation of Emelynn’s story in yet another adventure with Sam Jordan, James Moss and hmm, well…not sure who else might make an appearance in Book V, but it’s sure to be exciting. If you have any ideas, I’d love to hear them.

All the best, from our house to yours, over this holiday season. Cheers!

If you have no idea what I’m going on about, you need to get a copy of Secret Sky right now! You can order the ebook with one click right here. And if ebooks or Amazon aren’t your preference, you can find other options under the Bookstore Tab.

*Penance is now Lethal Waters