JP McLean

Writing Addictive Fiction

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Playing Whack-A-Mole with a Trilogy

February 21, 2015 By JPMcLean 5 Comments

Selection of hammers

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 Then I noticed the tagline in my email signature, which lead to the realization that my business cards are now outdated.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

On Sideways Rain and Writing

January 6, 2015 By JPMcLean 16 Comments

On sideways rain and writing: Grey storm clouds on Denman IslandThe winds are howling again today, which means our Internet is out, the power is threatening to call it quits, and the rain is coming at us sideways. I’m not complaining; stormy days without the Internet are perfect for distraction-free writing. Well…if you don’t count fir cones pelting down on the steel roof as distractions.

I’m re-visiting Awakening (now titled Secret Sky). This time I’m writing from Jackson Delaney’s perspective. He was Emelynn Taylor’s love interest in the first book. Looking at the same story from another character’s perspective is an interesting exercise. The treatment is referred to as Rashomon, named after a film by the same name directed by Akira Kurosawa.

The Rashomon effect refers to contradictory versions of the same event. I’m taking some liberties with my Rashomon treatment. Jackson’s perspective is not contradictory, and the time frame is not identical, but his version will reveal information neither the reader nor Emelynn would have been privy to when Awakening/Secret Sky unfolded. It’s giving me an opportunity to fill out Jackson’s world with the characters and circumstances that motivated his actions in Awakening/Secret Sky.

It’s been fun to write from the male perspective for a change, but its a challenge. I’m constantly weighing Jackson’s observations and thoughts for believability. In my experience, men use different and fewer words to describe objects, scents and sounds. Their frame of reference is different. I need those differences to colour Jackson’s voice so that he springs off the page.

seagulls in flight over ocean on wet daySpeaking of which, Jackson’s calling, so I must go before we really do lose power. The storm outside isn’t letting up. Each time I look up from the keyboard, another seagull soars past. It looks like they’re playing in the wind, riding it like a roller coaster. At times they hang mid-air as they spread their wings into the force of it. Wish I could fly like that.

Until next time…

Stormy days are perfect for curling up with a book. You can download Secret Sky in the blink of an eye with one click right here. If ebooks or Amazon aren’t your preference, you can find other purchase options under the Bookstore Tab.

The Wait is Over

November 26, 2013 By JPMcLean Leave a Comment

And just in the “St. Nick” of time!

Redemption Book CoverThe wait is over. The Gift: Redemption*, the third book in The Gift Legacy, is now available. You can find it on-line at your favourite retailer and order it from over 25,000 booksellers.

Thank you for all your encouragement and support over the past few years. Writing the series has been an unexpected and thrilling adventure for me. I hope you enjoy reading the books as much as I enjoyed writing them.

It’s now time for you to return your trays to the upright and locked position, fasten your seat belt, and enjoy the flight!

Available right now:

Get it from your favourite retailer right here.

This edition published by FriesenPress, 8½” x 5½”, 328 Pages, Black and White

The wait is over. The Gift: Redemption is the stunning conclusion* of J.P. McLean’s whirlwind series set on the coast of British Columbia. Having barely survived a brutal attack by a murderous psychopath who coveted her gift, Emelynn Taylor seeks peace with her unruly powers and a new beginning. Instead, she collides with intrigue and becomes the target of faceless terrorism.

When the escalating violence spreads to the inner circle of her covert community, powerful figures within it surrender to paranoia, and Emelynn uncovers a tyrannous conspiracy that threatens to expose the gift and all those who share it.

With no way out, Emelynn must face her worst fears and gather all her strength to protect those she loves . . . and she must do it alone.

*Update

Redemption is now Burning Lies and is the third of seven books in The Gift Legacy series. You can read about the series’ evolution here.

Redemption Book Cover Revealed

November 7, 2013 By JPMcLean 6 Comments

Redemption Book CoverHere it is: Redemption Book Cover Revealed!

This is the book cover for Redemption*. You might have noticed the beach theme to the series’ covers. That’s because the beach is never far from the action in these books. This particular beach is near Bodega Bay in California. It’s where pivotal scenes in this third book take place.

It starts with a photo

Like the previous covers, this one originated with a photograph. I took this photo in early 2013 during a research trip to bodega Bay. (There’s no better way to fine-tune descriptive detail.) Viona Halim painted the photo and the designers at FriesenPress added the titles. Viona has, once again, created a cover that reflects the ominous mood of the book.

Redemption concludes** Emelynn Taylor’s extraordinary journey through a frightening new world, where brutal treachery and ambitious power collide with exhilarating freedom and infinite possibility.

November Release

FriesenPress will release Redemption in early November. The book is 5.5” x 8.5”, 328 pages, and will be available for order in e-book, trade paperback and hardcover formats from all the usual bookshops and on-line retailers.

Meantime, you can download an excerpt here. As always, your feedback is most welcome.

Update on Redemption Book Cover Revealed

*The cover for Redemption has undergone two updates. Once when it was republished with WindStorm Press in January of 2016 and again when it was re-titled Burning Lies in November of 2019.

**And silly me. I mistakenly thought Emelynn’s journey was done. It wasn’t. It’s now a 7-book series. You can read all about The Gift Legacy here.

 

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