Goodreads Archives

First Reviews for The Never Witch

August 15, 2025 By JPMcLean 3 Comments

August Highlights

August is the best of our summer months: sunny days, warm nights, vacations, and outdoor festivals. Sadly, we also have forest fires. So, though I do love August, I keep those affected by the forest fires in my thoughts.

In Canada, the first Monday in August is a civic holiday. This year, once again, I spent my long weekend at the Nautical Days Festival in Comox.

I love talking to readers and watching their eyes light up when a pitch lands perfectly. Some readers gravitate toward the Dark Dreams books, others to the Gift Legacy, and this year, I also had advance review copies of The Never Witch.

And finally, Denman’s Reader/Writer Festival

The Denman Readers and Writers Festival sold out again this year. This festival is unlike any other I’ve attended. The atmosphere is laid back, the authors are approachable, and the audiences are enthusiastic. Invited authors are billeted with families on Denman and mingle with attendees during lunches and dinners at the event’s venue. This year’s opening session was over-the-top entertaining! I dare say there is no other festival where the invited authors’ books are shown this much love! This is a video link to that very special opening session. Enjoy!

Someone’s Having a Birthday!

October 27, 2022 By JPMcLean 10 Comments

Blood Mark is Turning One!

It seems like it was just yesterday I was sweating over the release of Blood Mark. Hard to believe it’s already been a year. Blood Mark is turning one this month. Blood Mark was the first book in a brand new series, and I worried it would flounder in the shadow of the Gift Legacy books. I shouldn’t have. Blood Mark found its feet and has earned ten awards (TEN!). The cover is now shortlisted in the Page Turner Awards with all the credit going to JD&J Book Cover Design.

To mark the one-year birthday occasion, I’m putting Blood Mark on sale. Until November first, you can pick up the multi-award-winning Blood Mark for just $0.99. (Tell your friends!) It’s available from all your favourite retailers here.

Ghost Mark Launches This Coming Tuesday!

Ghost Mark is also at a special price of just $2.99 during the pre-order period, which ends with its release on November 1st. It will go up to its regular $4.99 price on launch day. You can pre-order from all the usual suspects here.

Watch the book trailer here.

Ghost Mark’s Latest Buzz

A number of retailers don’t allow posting of reviews ahead of the publication date, but Goodreads and BookBub are two happy exceptions. This is the latest review from a BookBub reviewer:

As a paranormal fantasy junkie this book was just my cup of tea. In short it is an intense and emotional paranormal story that will keep you on your toes till the very end. —DiKetcup, Bookbub reviewer

Upcoming In-person Events

I’ll be in Campbell River haunting Coho Books with W.L. Hawkin this Friday, October 28. We’ll be reading from our books and hanging out by the caldron. Come on by for some fun.

Date: October 28, 2022
Time: 6:00-8:00 pm PT
Location: Coho Books, 2092-I South Island Hwy, Campbell River BC

In other news:

The inaugural Big Island Book Fest in Courtenay this past weekend was a wonderful event. Forty authors offered books in a multitude of genres, and throughout the day, a number of us read from our books. The organizer, JP Bailey, left no detail to chance. I doubt she’s slept for the past six months.

A bonus meet and greet at the Courtenay Museum on the evening ahead of the festival was such fun! It provided an opportunity to mingle with the other authors and enjoy some appies and 40 Knots wine. We were allowed to stroll through the museum and JP even organized for a photographer to be there to take headshots for those who wanted them.

It was such a well-organized event! I hope it returns again next year, and if it does, I’ll be there.

As this is the final week leading up to Ghost Mark’s release, I’m unbelievably busy, so I’ll end here.

Until next time . . .

Jo-Anne

JP McLean

Writing addictive fiction

Crimson Frost (A Supernatural Noel)

November 16, 2021 By JPMcLean 12 Comments

I’m pleased to announce the release of my Christmas novella, Crimson Frost: A Supernatural Noel. It’s a story I’ve been working on for a while now. I found time to polish it in the calm between finishing Blood Mark and the storm of activity that marked its release.

Crimson Frost has an unusual origin story. It started with the book cover—which I won in April of 2020 in a prize draw from Rocking Book Covers—I’m a big fan and have their covers on a few of my short stories. I had my choice of cover, and since I’d been thinking about writing a Christmas story, I chose the cover you see.

But then I had to come up with a title because, well, it is a book cover. And you know how terrible I am at choosing book titles. So, a couple of writer friends got together, brainstormed, and came up with Crimson Frost. Which left me with this gorgeous cover, a title, even a sub-title, A Supernatural Noel, but I had yet to write one word of a story to go with it.

My first two attempts were woefully un-Christmassy—seems I have a dark streak that not even Santa Claus can erase. But my third attempt felt just right. It still has a dollop of angst in it, but what family Christmas doesn’t? This is the description:

A blood moon on Christmas Eve brings magic . . . and menace

After their mother dies on Christmas Eve, eighteen-year-old Charlotte struggles to raise her younger half-brother Oliver. Then Oliver’s abusive deadbeat dad shows up with a malicious agenda to tear the siblings apart. Although Charlotte has always denied her mother’s inherited magical talent, a special holiday ornament and a mysterious handwritten poem force Charlotte to admit the truth . . . and unleash some extraordinary magical powers of her own.

Crimson Frost is available for free through the Kindle Unlimited Subscription plan or for purchase on Amazon for $2.99 US. But watch for a sale closer to Christmas (Tip: put it on your Amazon wish list and you’ll be notified when it goes on sale!)

What’s next?

The build-up to the launch of Blood Mark was a gradual process. Day by day, my calendar filled with podcast recordings, VLOG appearances, and time set aside to answer written interview questions and guest blog posts. And then release day hit and I went full throttle; my calendar was crosshatched in black as far as I could see. It wasn’t until I flipped ahead into this week and saw a day on the calendar that was blindingly white—empty of commitments—that I realized how much I’d been doing. Launch activities are far from over, but how lovely it is to see more free time in my future.

Time to write! And I’m taking advantage of those breaks in my schedule to continue Jane’s story in a second book with the working title Ghost Mark. It’s such fun to get back to the writing—the quintessential, satisfying, soul-feeding nugget that makes this writing gig worthwhile.

On the Publicity Front

Blood Mark continues to collect rave reviews:

“McLean’s writing is clear, gentle, relentless, and original.”—Ottawa Review of Books
“Blood Mark is a fast-paced suspense with a heart-pounding plot and a compelling set of characters.”—The Red Cliffs Chronicles
Blood Mark is holding a 4.8-star rating on Goodreads with 24 reviews and building.

Recent podcasts and VLOGs include:

Dennis Rimmer and I had a fascinating chat about my backstory, and the backstory to Blood Mark and on his Talking Books and Stuff podcast.
Sarah Meckler interviewed me on the GSMC Book Review Podcast. We laughed a lot, and I accidentally called her messy (oops!)
And I had tons of fun with Beth Worsdell on The Witty Writers’ Show talking all about the ins and outs of writing.
Peter Anthony Holder and I had an interesting chat on the Stuph Files (at the 28:28 mark)
And I had a light-hearted conversation with Caramel Lucas on Keeping it Real

You can read the full list of publicity events under my Media/Featured on tab.

My next live event will be on November 27 and 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Campbell River Toy and Craft Fair in the Sportsplex at 1800 S Alder Street in Campbell River, BC. Come by and say hello. I’ll have copies of all my books, including Crimson Frost. I’d be happy to inscribe books for the readers on your Christmas shopping list.

Sizzling Hot Blurbs!

September 24, 2021 By JPMcLean 8 Comments

I’m humbled and honoured to share with you the sizzling hot blurbs Blood Mark has received from authors whose work I admire so much.

“Featuring a fearless, badass heroine and plot twists that will leave readers breathless, J.P. McLean’s Blood Mark is a gritty, sexy, fast-paced thrill ride from start to finish.”

—E.E. Holmes, award-winning and best-selling author of The Gateway Trilogy, The Gateway Trackers, and The Riftmagic Saga, with over 4,400 reviews for Spirit Legacy. You can find her here on Amazon.

“A deliciously addictive fever dream of a mystery with a surreal beauty akin to a David Lynch film. I loved it!”

—Jennifer Anne Gordon, author of Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent, winner of the Kindle Award for Best Horror/Suspense 2020. You can find her here on Goodreads.

“An explosive new series that combines mystery and magic into a can’t-put-down thriller.”

—Eileen Cook, award-winning author of You Owe Me a Murder and With Malice. Eileen is also a speaker, editor, and mentor. You can find her here on Amazon.

“This edgy, intelligent, psychological thriller has tantalizing touches of Inca myth and will capture your soul from beginning to end.”

—W. L. Hawkin, award-winning author of The Hollystone Mysteries. You can find her here on Amazon.

I feel very lucky to belong to this supportive community of talented writers. Please check out their books. If you enjoy my style of writing, I’m sure you’ll enjoy theirs, and you can never have enough books!

Advance Reader Team Reviews

With less than a month to go until the release of Blood Mark, the advance reader team has been busy! Their reviews are popping up on Goodreads and BookBub. I am so grateful for each one. Reviews are the lifeblood of indie writers; each one is gold—another piece of social proof that Blood Mark is worth a reader’s time. Thank you so much.

What I’m Reading

I recently read and reviewed W.L. Hawkin’s award-winning novel To Charm a Killer. The title of my review sums it how much I loved it: A deliciously sensuous dive into Wicca. This is the first in a series, so there’s lots more to enjoy from W.L. Hawkin. Highly recommended.

Publicity

Mickey Mikkelson continues to keep me busy with interviews, features, podcasts, VLOGs, and reviews. You can find links to all of my media appearances on the Featured On drop-down menu item under my Media tab, or just click here.

Blood Mark is available for pre-order from Amazon