JP McLean

Writing Addictive Fiction

February Has Lost its Mind

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Last month when I wrote An Uncommon Winter, I had no idea that February would charge in and dump a 20-year record snowfall on us. Clearly, February has lost its mind, or at least its bearings.

Photo of record snowfall on Denman Island

One of our ornamental trees fell over and couldn’t get up (below is a photo of it in better days, and after the tumble). Many large fir branches waved their final adieu, and at least one of the neighbourhood boathouses is out of business.

Before and after photos of ornamental willow tree that toppled from heavy snow in JP's Denman garden.

On the plus side, the extreme weather gave me all the excuse I needed to stay home and spend some quality time indoors. I’ll happily write by the fire all day. I’m well into the next book in the Gift Legacy series, as yet untitled, which will continue on from Lethal Waters (formerly Penance), and I’m continuing to make notes on the new Dark Dreams project.

Lethal Waters rebranded cover replaces Penance

Being in creative mode is nirvana for me. I carry a notebook around like a security blanket when I’m away from the laptop. I love the surprise of the story going off script with a new plot twist!

If you had snow this February, I hope you were better equipped for it than we were! Hang in there, spring is just around the corner.

Until next time . . .

And if you find yourself snowbound, curl up with a good book. It takes just a minute to download Secret Sky from your favourite retailer right here! Or click on the image for more purchase options.
3D Cover collection for all formats of Secret Sky

On Festivals and Readings

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On Festivals and Readings . . . When you don’t hear from me for ages, you can assume the writing is going well, but even so, where did August go?

JP's luggage inside the Vancouver airportI’m at the Vancouver airport on an extremely long **yawn** layover to Toronto, and thought I’d take the opportunity to catch up with you.

In July, at the Denman Island Reader and Writer Festival (DIRWF) I had the great pleasure of introducing award-winning author, Eliza Robertson. She read three short stories from her book, Wallflowers. I also had the opportunity to introduce eight of Denman Island’s local writers to the stage, and I then shared a reading from Penance (now titled Lethal Waters).

I also attended the DIRWF writer-in-residence program with Steven Price. You might remember that I’ve got a few writing projects on the go. One of them is a companion piece to Secret Sky. It’s the story told from Jackson’s perspective with the working title Sins of the Father. I took Sins to Steven Price’s workshop and the participants’ feedback improved and inspired the story. Can’t wait to finish it.

A New Story is in the works

Dinosaur hanging inside the Comox airportI also have a new work in progress tentatively titled Witness. I’ve worked out most of the outline and even written a number of chapters. Interestingly, because I’m writing Witness from the third person point of view and Sins from the first person point of view, I’m finding it a challenge to work on both at the same time.

Last week I attended When Words Collide in Calgary and had the opportunity to meet the extremely personable Diana Gabaldon and hear her read from the as yet unpublished ninth book in her Outlander series. What a treat.

Which brings me to now . . . waiting to board a plane to Toronto and from there, points north. In addition to visiting family, I’ll be doing a reading at McKellar Public Library on Monday, August 24th at 1:30. If you’re in the neighbourhood, please stop by (701 Highway 124, McKellar, Ontario). I’ll be reading from Lethal Waters and offering a few other surprises. Come and check it out, and then check out a fishing rod and head down to the river to catch your dinner.

See you there.

The Gift Legacy books are available to borrow from the McKellar library, but if you’d like your own copy, you can pick up Lethal Waters for Kindle with one click right here. And if ebooks or Amazon aren’t your preference, other purchase options are available under the Bookstore tab.

Penance: Now available for pre-order!

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Penance Book CoverI 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

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Penance Book CoverComing 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.