JP McLean

Writing Addictive Fiction

Ghost Mark’s Trailer Debut

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Ghost Mark’s trailer debut is here!

It’s one thing to pick up a book with a compelling cover, turn it over in your hands, and read the description. Maybe you’ll check out the book’s endorsements or editorial reviews, but book trailers offer a unique glimpse inside the story. They capture the mood of a book. Maybe one day I’ll see a movie trailer for Ghost Mark—wouldn’t that be something!

Meantime, Ghost Mark’s pre-release buzz is building, and I’m so pumped about it that I’m spreading the joy. I’ve lowered the price of the pre-order to $2.99. On release day, November first, the price will go back up to its regular price of $4.99. Get the deal here:

Kindle   ~   Kobo   ~   Apple   ~   Nook   ~   Elsewhere

Ghost Mark’s Latest Buzz:

A New Editorial Review

A captivating nail-biter that will leave readers thirsting for more!
—InD'tale Magazine

The full review will be out in the November edition of InD'tale Magazine.

A New Endorsement

This mind-bending, supernatural thriller is a riveting romp through the dark streets of obsession and murder. A story that tugs at your heartstrings and lingers in the mind long after The End. Un-putdownable!
—Sue Coletta, award-winning author of the Mayhem Series

Sue Coletta is an author whose writing and research I admire. She takes research to the nth degree. In an effort to make her mysteries as realistic as possible, she visited a body farm. Yup. It’s a real thing. She wrote about it here. I’ve been hooked on her unflinching mysteries ever since reading that article.

In other news:

Book Shepherd image of JP McLean's book picksI’m now on Book Shepherd. Book Shepherd is an alternative to Goodreads. They’re developing a different way to find books. The more ways folks can find books is all right by me, so when they asked me to create and curate a list of my choosing, I put together a list of the Best Urban Fantasy Series With Kickass Heroines, featuring Ann Charles, EE Holmes, Annette Marie, Charlaine Harris, and Victoria Aveyard. Find great book selections on the Book Shepherd’s Heros list.

If you find yourself in Courtenay or Campbell River, I'll be at the following local events: (Drop by and say hello.)

Big Island Book Fest Promo ImageDate: October 22, 2022
Time: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm PT
Location: Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton Ave, Courtenay, BC V9N 6C6

I’ll be reading from Blood Mark and available for book signings and Q&A

Myth, Magic, and Dark Dreams PosterDate: October 28, 2022
Time: 6:00-8:00 pm PT
Location: Coho Books, 2092-I South Island Hwy, Campbell River BC, V9W 1C1

I’ll be joining W.L. Hawkin in a prelude to Halloween at Coho Books. We’ll be reading from our addictively dark and mysterious books and be available to answer questions and sign books.

Until next time, XO

Jo-Anne

I’m on the Cover of Books & Buzz Magazine

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I’m so proud and honoured to be featured on the September cover of Books & Buzz Magazine. Inside is my interview with Editor-in-chief, Timothy Pike. Also in this issue are articles by bestselling author David D. Schein, Nicole Fanning, & USA Today bestselling author Cari Lynn Webb.

Books & Buzz Magazine Cover

I’m also pleased to share some early buzz Ghost Mark is getting. It’s out November 1st and on preorder right now Kindle, Kobo, Nook, Apple

First Editorial Review:

McLean’s writing is as ingenious as her protagonist, ranging from grunge
to repartee to sophistication to laugh-out-loud snarks. Ghost Mark is gripping.
You won’t put it down till it’s done.

—OTTAWA REVIEW OF BOOKS

First Award:

Will keep you on the edge of your seat . . . an intense, riveting, and fast-paced novel.

—LITERARY TITAN ★★★★★

First Endorsement:

JP McLean’s GHOST MARK has it all—kick-ass characters, a thrilling mystery,
and tons of action, all with a supernatural twist!

—Ann Charles, USA Today bestselling author of the Deadwood Mystery series,

I’m a huge fan of Ann Charles’s books and have recommended them before, so having her endorse Ghost Mark with a blurb is an incredible point of pride for me. Ann writes mysteries infused with witty humour and well-drawn, relatable characters. You’ll laugh out loud at the antics her characters get up to. Learn more about Ann here.

Pre-order Ghost Mark right now and it will be on your e-reader when it releases November 1st! It’s available from all the usual retailers:

Kindle     ~     Kobo     ~     Nook     ~     Apple     ~     Direct

Download a PDF preview of Ghost Mark here.

McKellar Vacation

After three long years, I finally braved the airport and a plane to visit my family in McKellar. My sister met me in Toronto, and we spent a few nights with my niece and her partner, which is always fun, and then drove up north. First to Parry Sound for groceries, a wine supply, and a mani-pedi, and then on to McKellar. Ahhhh. It’s so relaxing and beautiful here on the Manitouwabing River.

View from my sister's Porch in McKellar Sister's cottage in McKellar

I helped Mom organize her potting shed, putzed with Dad on a few things in the driving shed, and there’ll be more projects this coming week. But mostly it’s just so nice to catch up in person. Yesterday, my cousin arrived from Haliburton, and we all piled into the pontoon boat for a cruise down the river. Along the shores, the shanty shacks of our youth are now jaw-dropping mansions. My grandfather’s old house is one of them, and another stands in his old potato field.

Pontoon Boat

Wherever you find yourself today, I hope you’re able to get outdoors and enjoy this Labour Day. You’ve earned it!

Until next time, XO

Jo-Anne

Ghost Mark Cover Reveal

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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).

NIEA Finalist Medal

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.

Better off Dead in Deadwood Book CoverOn 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

An Award, A Book Trailer, and Publicity News

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I'm thrilled to announce that Blood Mark has received a Gold Literary Titan award. The Literary Titan also interviewed me, and you can read the interview here.

And if that wasn't exciting enough, here's your first look at the new book trailer for Blood Mark.

On the publicity front:

Mark your calendar! On October 23rd from 11 am to 2 pm PST, I’ll be at Blue Heron Books in Comox, BC (1775 Comox Avenue) signing copies of Blood Mark. I’d love to see you there. Stop by for a chat.

On November 1st, from 1 to 2 pm PST, I’ll be live with Beth Worsdell on The Witty Writers Show. It’s a Facebook live event (https://fb.me/e/1AEuXW5bC). We’ll be talking about writing and Blood Mark, you’ll have a chance to ask questions, and I’ll be giving away a paperback copy of Blood Mark. Click the Facebook Event's  "Going" button and share to be entered for the draw. So please join us—it’ll be fun.

Blood Mark is available for pre-order from Amazon
And Kobo

Here is Literary Titan's Review of Blood Mark.

Blood Mark, by J.P. McLean, is set in Vancouver and tells the story of Jane Walker who was abandoned at birth and thrown into the system after a series of tragedies. She meets Sadie, a troubled teen who sticks with her as they make their way in life. Jane’s past is mysterious and this mystery is driven by what she believes are red birthmarks snaking around her body. Jane would do anything to get rid of these unsightly marks and has a stable job at a garden center to earn the money to have them removed. Sadie, who lives with Jane, works as a waitress while still caught up with the seedier side of Vancouver. We learn that Jane also suffers from vivid dreams where, while in a deep sleep, she visits people known to her in the past and sees things happening – often terrible and frightening events. Jane meets Ethan and things start to change when her birthmarks start disappearing and her dreams take a disturbing and deadly turn.

Blood Mark is an action packed thriller and Jane’s character reminded me of Lisbeth from The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest. All the characters are gritty and flawed, which I enjoyed because they all felt authentic.

This story has one of the most unique twists to the crime fiction genre I’ve seen this year. Is it a crime thriller or a paranormal romance novel? It is a fantastic blend of both. This is pulled off by the meticulous writing of JP McLean, who has created a detailed backstory to both the protagonists and the world, making them both captivating and alluring.

The story flowed well and the plot developments were easy to follow. This is key to ensuring readers know exactly what is happening in a novel that has wild twists and terrifying nightmares that bleed into reality.

Blood Mark is an enthralling dark fantasy novel with captivating characters that will appeal to anyone looking for a crime thriller with a unique supernatural setup.

You can download an excerpt and read more about Blood Mark here.