JP McLean

Writing Addictive Fiction

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Denman Island’s Annual Herring Spawn

March 27, 2025 By JPMcLean 4 Comments

March has been a busy month with Denman Island’s annual herring spawn.

The island where I live is home to an annual herring spawn that occurs between late February and early March. The millions of herring that arrive on our shores turn the water the colour of the Caribbean. A cacophony of sea lions, seals, eagles, and seagulls, follows, along with the fishing fleet. I took this video in early March to give you an idea of what it looks and sounds like.

Oceana Canada provides a more in-depth explanation on YouTube.

It’s loud, it’s bright, and it’s busy. At night, when we’d normally only see stars and a few distant lights on neighbouring islands, we instead look out on what could be mistaken for a cityscape with glaring lights in constant motion.

I wouldn’t want to live with that full-time, but once a year it’s an exciting change of pace.

Witch Book Progress

I’m thrilled to report that my WIP (work in progress) now sits at 80K. The finished draft will end up between 90-100K.

image

When I’m writing, I find it useful to find a photo that looks like the character I’ve created in my head. This is who I picture for the main character, Adeline Thorne. Adeline is a thirty-four-year-old witch who didn’t come into the magic she should have inherited. In real life, this woman is Magdalena Zalejska, a Polish model.

Upcoming In-Person Events

Can you believe I’m already booking Christmas? Continue Reading

Audiobook Update: It’s DONE!

January 1, 2025 By JPMcLean 2 Comments

 

Audiobook Update

After fourteen months and countless hours, I’m beyond thrilled to announce that the audiobooks for the Dark Dreams novels are D O N E. Finally! And I’m delighted with how the recordings turned out.

The process has challenged me, tested my patience, and convinced me that I’d rather spend my time writing. And though I may not record another audiobook, I’m proud of the quality of work I was able to achieve with these books.

image

The next step is a stamp of approval from Audible, Kobo, Spotify, and other retailers. When (hopefully not if) the audiobooks are approved, they’ll show up on the retail sites. I’ll be posting links on my Bookshop page as soon as the audiobooks are available.

Blood Mark Audiobook Sample

Ghost Mark Audiobook Sample

Scorch Mark Audiobook Sample

In-Person Events

My next in-person event will be the 2025 North Island Writers Conference, where I’ll be presenting a workshop on writing deeper dialogue.

Many writers have a love/hate relationship with dialogue. But dialogue is a key element in most fiction writing. It’s a heavy lifter in a writer’s toolbox. When done well, dialogue can reveal character, heighten emotion, define subtext, and advance the plot. If you want to take a deeper dive into writing dialogue, join me. Registration is now open.

Date: January 19, 2025

Time: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Location: North Island College Comox Valley Campus

Tyee Hall, Room 204

2300 Ryan Road, Courtenay, BC, V9N 8N6

Witch Book Progress

I’m back in my happy place, writing again. Though the outline is a mess, I couldn’t help myself. I popped the cork on all the creativity that I’d bottled-up while I finished the audiobooks. I’ll indulge in writing a little while longer, then go back and tune up the outline. I won’t even mind if I have to rewrite what I’ve written; it just feels SO good to be back to writing.

That’s all my news this final month of 2024. Have a wonderful New Year. Sending all my best wishes for a healthy, happy, 2025. If you’d like to know more about me, my writing life, and my home on Denman Island, please 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.

Audio Book Update & Upcoming In-person Events

November 1, 2024 By JPMcLean 2 Comments

Audiobook Update

I’m happy to report that the audiobook for Ghost Mark, the second book in the Dark Dreams series, is finally finished! I’ve started recording and editing the third book, Scorch Mark, and I'm determined to work on it daily to get it done as soon as humanly possible. I'll keep you updated on audiobook updates as I have news.

In-Person Events

drawing of red & white striped lighthouse aginst a wintery scene

My next in-person event will be the Lighthouse Christmas Market in Qualicum Bay. I’ll have the popular three- and seven-book gift packages of The Gift Legacy with me, and a good supply of the Dark Dreams novels.

Saturday, November 16, 2024, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Lighthouse Community Centre, 240 Lions Way, Qualicum Bay, BC
Delicious food provided by Hojo Eats Food Truck

Union Bay Community Club Coat of Arms logo

Following that, I’ll be at the Union Bay Christmas Craft Fair and Luncheon

Sunday, November 24, 2024, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Union Bay Community Club, 5401 South Island Highway, Union Bay, BC
Yummy homemade soup and sandwiches provided by the Union Bay luncheon crew

New Retailers

I’m happy to announce that two new retailers will now be carrying my books. Sea & Summit Bookshop in Parksville and the Comox Airport Gift Shop, Compass. I encourage shopping locally and make that easy through a Shop 🍁 Local button on my bookstore page that will point you to bookshops in your neighbourhood.

(Details for all my upcoming events are available on my website.)

To learn more about me, my writing life, and my home on Denman Island, please 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.

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