On Writing Archives - Page 12 of 29

A Spring Update … and Bleating Lambs

March 31, 2016 By JPMcLean 7 Comments

A spring update: Warm days with the kiss of summer test my resolve to keep my butt in the writer’s chair. Across the road, the bleat of new lambs draws me to the fence to try to catch a glimpse of their antics. Today I walked over and had a visit with John and Linda Mather and took these photos of the new lambs and the yearling calves.

Yellow primroses and glass fishing floats in a garden — Primroses & fishing floats

Wandering back to the house, I stroll by the flower gardens and can’t help but pull a weed and pick a bloom.

It’s probably a good thing I have some deadlines to keep me focused. With that in mind, I thought I’d share an update.

The Gift Betrayal

I’m very close to finishing the companion piece to Awakening, which is Jackson’s story. The title is The Gift: Betrayal. I’m starting to think about covers and need to line up editors and beta readers. It’ll be a push, but I’ll try to have it published this fall.

One black and one brown yearling cow — Cows in the ‘Hood

I’m also excited to be presenting a workshop on indie publishing which I’ll be delivering in a fifty-minute format at the Creative Ink Festival in May, and in a three-hour format at the Denman Island Readers and Writers Festival in July. My goal with both workshops is to provide participants with a better understanding of what to expect before, during and after publication.

More Spring Updates

On the audio front, the excerpts for the first three books are now done and live. You can find them here: Awakening Revelation Redemption. (*Update: I’ve rebranded the books. Awakening is now Secret Sky, Revelation is now Hidden Enemy, and Redemption is now Burning Lies. But I haven’t yet rerecorded the excerpts). There have been mixed reviews, and making them is far more time consuming than I imagined, but it’s a lot of fun.

Our neighbour, John Mather on his tractor — Gentleman Farmer John Mather

My other writing projects aren’t getting a lot of writing time, but they’re never far from my thoughts and percolate on the back burner while I clear the deadlines.

Meantime, boxes of books are arriving as I stock up for the year.

Enjoy the warming weather. Until next time . . .

The Gift Legacy is enjoying some fabulous 5-star reviews. See what the fuss is about. Get your own copy of Secret Sky with one click right here. And if ebooks or Amazon aren’t your preference, other options are available under the Bookstore tab.

Writing and Wellness Features J.P. McLean

February 25, 2016 By JPMcLean 3 Comments

If you’ve a writer or other creative person, and have not yet discovered Colleen M. Story and her blog Writing and Wellness then you’re missing an interesting and valuable resource.

Her site’s mission statement is “Writers and other creatives need to stay well to keep producing the work they were meant to do.”

Pretty good fit, I’d say. And today, Colleen is featuring me on Writers on Wellness.

“When I think of physically challenging jobs, I imagine professional athletes, construction workers, or firefighters. Writers? not so much.”

But when back pain sidelined my writing, my gardening, and even my ability to sit comfortably, I revised my thinking. Writing and wellness go hand in hand.

So, though writing may not fit into an expected definition of physically challenging work, sitting for long periods of time, no matter how fit you are, is asking for trouble . . .

To continue reading, go on over to Writers on Wellness and check out!

Rest and relaxation is a key component of wellness. There’s no better way to relax than by reading. Click here to get a copy of Secret Sky, and if ereaders or Amazon aren’t your preference, other options are available under the Bookstore tab.

Laptop photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

Does This Recording Make My Voice Look Fat?

February 4, 2016 By JPMcLean 23 Comments

I’m miles outside of my comfort zone, in an entirely different format, as a matter of fact. I’ve decided to try my hand at audio recording. After all, I’m often invited to read from my books. It’s in that light that I decided to record audio editions of the excerpts from all four books in the Gift Legacy series. But it’s left me wondering if I’m out of my depth with voice recording.

How hard could it be?

Let’s just say it’s been an eye-opener.

I now have a much deeper respect for voice actors who are able to switch up their voices in a variety of ways to speak for different characters. I don’t have that knack. Nor, apparently, do I have the ability to read a simple sentence with the same intonation three times in a row over a very short span of time.

But it has been fun, despite stealing time away from my writing. I’ve learned a lot about mics (dynamic is the type you want for voice recordings) and boom stands (a must for changing positions) and Audacity, an incredibly easy to use and free software program that I would highly recommend for audio recording.

And though I may never do more audio recording than these excerpts, it’s been an incredible experience.

Click here to hear the excerpt for The Gift Awakening. (Update: Awakening is now Secret Sky, but I haven’t yet re-recorded the excerpt.) I’m working on The Gift Revelation right now, and the others will following in the coming days. I’ll put up a link on the “excerpts” page when I’m done.

I would love to hear your opinion of the recording. Whether you find it pleasant, are indifferent, or hear nails on chalkboard, leave your comments below.

If you’re more of a “reader” than a “listener,” get your own copy of Secret Sky with one click right here. And if ebooks or Amazon aren’t your preference, more purchasing options are available under the Bookstore tab.

Under the Monster Storm

January 23, 2016 By JPMcLean 8 Comments

A white bush honeysuckle bloom — Bush Honeysuckle

A winter weather emergency is blasting the east, and I’m with you in spirit here on the wet, muddy West Coast, buried deep in down comforters and keeping toasty warm. Like spring, I’m hiding under the monster storm.

It hardly seems possible that underneath all that winter white, Spring is stirring, but it is. Days are getting longer and Spring is only eight weeks away. In my neck of the woods, signs of life are popping out and up everywhere, even if they’re only at the contemplation stage. (Except for the dandelion – that bloom means business.)

An early spring dandelion — Dastardly Dandelion

I feel like I’ve been in limbo for a month, dabbling in bits and bobs of writing, reconnecting with Facebook and Twitter friends, and catching up on publishing news.

It’s been fun. Relaxing. And I’ve enjoyed my wee reprieve immensely. But, as usual, the characters in my head are tapping their pencils on the desk. They’re telling me enough is enough – get back to weaving our worlds!

Dangling hazelnut catkins — Hazelnut Catkins

It’s time. The editorial review is finished and the entire Gift Legacy Series is now back in print and online. I’m excited to dig back in where I left off, with Jackson’s version of Awakening.

And just to keep things interesting, I’m learning how to make a voice recording, or the basics anyway, so look for audio excerpts from the books to come to a link near you!

You can get all of the The Gift Legacy books with one click right here. And if ebooks or amazon aren’t your preference, you can find other options under the Bookstore tab.