Book Series Archives - Page 7 of 9

Penance: Now available for pre-order!

April 22, 2015 By JPMcLean 11 Comments

I feel like a hungry bear emerging from its cave, blinking up into the light after a long brutal winter, bewildered and clutching a newborn cub. That cub is the fourth book in The Gift Legacy series. Penance is now available for pre-order on Amazon and Kobo. Placing a pre-order puts you at the front of the queue. Pre-orders are delivered immediately upon release, May 30th.

After release, Penance* will be available in print and ebook formats at all the usual outlets.

The process of bringing Penance into the light of day has challenged me to the core, and the last two months in particular have tested my sanity. So I’m taking a break to recharge my batteries. First up is a visit to Vancouver to attend the Creative Ink Festival on April 25.

When I return, I’m packing my bags for a trip to Spain. I’ve never been and can’t wait. Sight-seeing and people-watching are rich fodder for the imagination, and I’ll be taking notes along with plenty of photos. Mmm, I can almost taste the sangria.

Don’t forget to mark the date: May 30th! Penance is now available for pre-order on Amazon and Kobo.

If you’d rather stay home, you can visit the West Coast through Emelynn’s eyes in Secret Sky, available with one click right here. And if ebooks or Amazon aren’t your preference, click the Bookstore Tab for more purchasing options.

*Update: Penance is now titled Lethal Waters

Cover Reveal: Penance

March 20, 2015 By JPMcLean 26 Comments

Coming fresh on the heels of Penance‘s sneak peek premiere on The South Branch Scribbler, I am thrilled to present the cover reveal for Penance, the fourth book in The Gift Legacy series.

This is Penance (Now titled Lethal Waters).

It’s been months in the making and once again, graphic artist, Viona Halim, has designed a cover that not only reflects the book’s ominous mood, but she has also captured the setting beautifully with a watercolour scene from beneath the Granville Street Bridge in Vancouver, British Columbia. And if you look carefully, you’ll find Emelynn in her cover debut.

Deadly Games . . .

A body in the water. A vast ocean. A killer on the loose.

In the midst of a bloody rebellion, Emelynn Taylor exposes her gift of flight to save a man’s life. Now International Covert Operations knows her secret. The powerful organization is willing to cover up the carnage and protect her secret—in exchange for her services.

Her first assignment is a drug case in the coastal city of Vancouver. The case soon reveals a grisly murder that implicates one of her own kind.

Stalked by the ancient Tribunal Novem and vilified by a distrustful team of detectives, Emelynn takes on a perilous undercover role embedded in a drug ring where anyone could be the murderer.

Intrigue and danger lurk in the cold Pacific, challenging Emelynn’s unique gift and pitting her loyalties against her honour. And her choice is guaranteed to hurt someone.

The fourth book in The Gift Legacy is a thriller that skirts the edges of reality in a world within our own. Don your life jacket and escape the ordinary: take flight with Emelynn Taylor.

Lethal Waters (formerly Penance) is a dark supernatural thriller, perfect for fans of JR Ward, Deborah Harkness, Jim Butcher, Charlaine Harris, and Keri Arthur.

Download a PDF excerpt here.

Pick up your very own copy of Lethal Waters with one click right here. And if ebooks or Amazon aren’t your preference, other purchase options are available under the Bookstore Tab.

Playing Whack-A-Mole with a Trilogy

February 21, 2015 By JPMcLean 5 Comments

Every time I sit down to write this post, another trilogy mole pops up and I race off in search of my mallet. I’m playing Whack-a-Mole with a trilogy. Those “moles” are hidden in more cubby holes than I’d imagined, though I shouldn’t be surprised, after all, I put them there.

I’m referring to the “trilogy” descriptor I used liberally to describe The Gift books when they were, in fact, a trilogy. Now that the fourth book, The Gift: Penance (now titled Lethal Waters), is approaching the starting blocks, the terminology is decidedly inaccurate. Hence, I’ve started the process of switching out “trilogy” for “legacy.”

I thought about all the places I’d used “trilogy,” and made a list. There were the obvious spots, like this blog, the website and Goodreads. Then I looked at Twitter, Facebook and Google+. Mustn’t forget Wattpad and Library Thing. Oh, and LinkedIn.

Okay, I thought … I can do this.

Oops, forgot about my author page on Amazon, which sent me scurrying back to look at my author page on Goodreads. And wait, I’d made a note to change the wording in Facebook, but what about the header picture—that had to change. Do I even remember how to do that? Then I noticed the tagline in my email signature, which lead to the realization that my business cards are now outdated. Along with the posters I use at book signings. And the back-of-the-book blurbs.

Oh crap! Pretty much all of the promo material I’ve ever prepared has to be changed. This is going to take a lot longer than I thought.

I suppose the silver lining in all of this is that the Gift’s book information has spread as far and wide as it has. The not-so-silver lining is that I’ll be whacking moles for a long time yet.

With that in mind, I’d appreciate it if you’d tell me if you come across any of my “trilogy” lingo on your cyber travels. I just know I’m going to miss something. (Anyone who misses a fourth book sneaking into a trilogy is going to miss something—and it’ll probably be big.)

I’ve got a spare mallet. If you’d like to take a whack, and want to know what started this whole trilogy mess, you can get Secret Sky with one click right here. And if ebooks or Amazon aren’t your preference, other options are available under the Bookstore Tab.

Hammer Photo by Adam Sherez on Unsplash

Christmas and Odds & Sods

December 20, 2014 By JPMcLean 18 Comments

Christmas 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!