JP McLean

Writing Addictive Fiction

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Addicted

April 11, 2019 By JPMcLean 17 Comments

Chopped chocolate

Addicted

A wise person once said that if you want to make a difficult change in your life, like losing weight or quitting smoking, the best path to success is to tell someone. The idea is that by saying it out loud not only do you reaffirm your commitment to the change, but the people you tell will shame you into it hold you to it.

That advice is crap.

After I released the final book in The Gift Legacy, I told anyone who’d listen some friends I was making a big change: I was giving up half my treasured writing time to learn how to market the books.

Half because there’s a lot to learn and I’m afraid I won’t figure it out; tech isn’t my strong suit; the books aren’t going to market themselves; time is ticking to take advantage of the new releases, etc. I’ve put it off far too long and writing a book is only half the job. The other half is marketing it.

My plan was to spend the first half of my writing time—when I’m fresh and at my most creative—writing my next book. At the halfway point, I’d shut it down, take a break, eat, get outdoors, maybe get some exercise. When I returned for the second half of my writing time, I’d dig into the Ads for Authors online course I’m taking to learn the ins and outs of advertising, followed soon after with actual advertising.

How’s that big change going you ask?

Coffee mug that says UGHNot so well.

Not only are my friends not naggers (and far too nice), but when the halfway mark arrives, more times than not, I have zero discipline to take a break, let alone move on to marketing. Case in point: at seven o’clock last night, I was still in my PJs (and that wasn’t the first time).

I’m addicted to writing . . . there, I’ve said it.

Writing is my crack. Words are the endorphins that flood my brain with happy juice and fire my imagination. Words are the gateway drug to sentences and paragraphs and then, egads! . . . scenes. Each scene I commit to digital bytes sends out tendrils of endorphins to the next scene and on it goes.

Why can’t marketing feel like that?

There are those who’ll tell you it should and it can, but that’s a lie I’m not there yet.

Truth be known, I have tried out a few new marketing ideas. The March cross-promotion was exciting, and I had a lot of fun as a sponsor with the Creative Ink Festival, but I’ve got to hunker down and make more progress with the online course.

On the plus side, the new book broke 43K, which is about halfway, and is still going strong.

Here’s my new plan: rather than try to quit writing at the halfway point, I’m going to concentrate on marketing one day and then reward myself with writing the next day. Let’s see how that works. If you have any helpful suggestions, I’d love to hear them. Just leave a comment or contact me via the social media buttons. Wish me luck.

Secret Sky is the book that started the addiction. 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 Book CoverHidden Enemy Book CoverBuring Lies Book CoverLethal Waters Book CoverDeadly Deception Book CoverWings of Prey Book CoverLover Betrayed Book Cover

Chocolate photo: Charisse Kenion on Unsplash
Coffee mug photo: Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

And Now Comes Disquiet

February 25, 2019 By JPMcLean 12 Comments

Woman on a log

And now comes disquiet.

It’s an odd feeling putting a series to bed. The long build of excitement reaches a peak then fades leaving disquiet in its wake.

The excitement of the launch lifts you up: holding the physical copy of the final book, smelling the pages as if they were a new puppy, reading the early reviews, attending book signings, planning the big farewell party.

But after the final book’s release, disquiet sucks you under: bidding farewell to characters you know better than your family leaves you hollow, your next book’s characters are still strangers who can’t begin to fill the gap; not knowing if your readers will give a hoot about your next distant book provokes loneliness.

Thankfully, time doesn’t let you linger in either state for long. It ticks away, oblivious to the petty fears of mere writers, nudging you along on your way.

Lover Betrayed $0.99 Ends Tomorow

And so it goes

The $0.99 launch price for Lover Betrayed, a Gift Legacy Companion book, ends tomorrow. If you’re missing this book in the series, now’s your chance to get it for launch pricing. After tomorrow, it returns to its regular price of $5.99. You can read an excerpt here.

Every day, the disquiet lifts a bit. Yesterday, I broke 32K words in my new book. It’s about a young woman who was born with an unfortunate birthmark. The woman believes her birthmark is a disfiguring curse. She doesn’t know the real curse is that her birthmark is disappearing.

Next month

Next month, I’m excited to be participating in a new adventure with writers who may be new to you, but who are far from unknown. I’m teaming up with a dozen fabulous writers, many of them A-list best sellers, to bring you new books at terrific prices along with bonus prizes. I’ll provide details shortly.

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 Book CoverHidden Enemy Book CoverBuring Lies Book CoverLethal Waters Book CoverDeadly Deception Book CoverWings of Prey Book CoverLover Betrayed Book Cover

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

Opening Photo by pawel szvmanski on Unsplash

Lethal Waters Has Launched 🌊🌊🌊

December 27, 2018 By JPMcLean 4 Comments

Has Boxing Day chaos and the mad rush of the holidays left you craving an escape? I know just the thing: the fourth book in The Gift Legacy, Lethal Waters, has launched. Pour your favourite bevvy, put your feet up, and lose yourself in Emelynn’s world. Lethal Waters is available at a special $0.99 launch price for a limited time . . .

Emelynn Taylor’s first assignment with International Covert Operations is a drug case in the coastal city of Vancouver. Intrigue and danger lurk in the cold Pacific. When the case reveals a grisly murder that implicates one of her own kind, Emelynn takes on a perilous undercover role embedded in a drug ring where anyone could be the murderer.

Read the book reviewers call fun, exciting, and addictive.

[bctt tweet=”Read the book reviewers call fun, exciting, and addictive.“]

For a short time, the third book in The Gift Legacy, Burning Lies is also available for $0.99. But not for long. All of The Gift Legacy books will return to their regular price of $5.99 by week’s end. Don’t miss this opportunity to load up your e-reader ahead of a brand new release. And keep your eyes on this blog: On January 8th, book 5, Deadly Deception, will launch.

Get your copy of Lethal Waters today:

Kindle → Click here

Kobo → Click here

Apple → Click here

Nook → Click here

Lethal Waters rebranded cover replaces Penance

Lethal Waters was formerly titled The Gift: Penance. If you own one of the originals, congratulations! You now have a collector’s edition. The fifth and never before released stand-alone book in the series, Deadly Deception will be dropping on January 8, 2019.

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

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 Book CoverHidden Enemy Book CoverBuring Lies Book CoverLethal Waters Book Cover

THIS ED OUT OF PRINT

 

Secret Sky was formerly titled The Gift: Awakening
Hidden Enemy was formerly titled The Gift: Revelation
Burning Lies was formerly titled The Gift: Redemption

A Heartfelt Thank You

December 21, 2018 By JPMcLean 4 Comments

Your cover love has been a very special Christmas gift, for which I am grateful. Please accept a heartfelt thank you to everyone who voted for Secret Sky in Kobo’s Cover Contest 2018.

Adam Croft BookcoverHearty congratulations to international best-selling author Adam Croft whose book cover for The Indie Author Mindset came out on top. Adam Croft writes thrillers, mysteries and self-help books. He’s sold more than a million books to date.

3D Cover for Secret Sky featuring sidelong image of the head and torso of a woman with long hair on a beach

Given the competition, I’m pretty happy to report that Secret Sky’s cover came in second overall, and it placed first in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy category. Congratulations and a special thank you to the design team at JD&J Book Cover Design.

On Christmas day, the fourth book in The Gift Legacy series, Lethal Waters, will be released. This fourth cover is another fine example of JD&J’s design work.

For a limited time, Lethal Waters will be available on pre-order for the special launch price of $0.99.

Click here to pre-order Lethal Waters.

Lethal Waters was formerly titled The Gift: Penance. If you own one of the originals, congratulations! You now have a collector’s edition. The fifth and never-before released book in the series, Deadly Deception will drop on January 8. As always, I’d love to hear your feedback. Just hit reply or contact me via the social media buttons.

Lethal Waters rebranded cover replaces Penance

Get your copy of Book 1, 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 Book CoverHidden Enemy Book CoverBuring Lies Book CoverLethal Waters Book Cover

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