InD'Tale Magazine Archives

Ghost Mark Launch Events

November 30, 2022 By JPMcLean 8 Comments

Ghost Mark Book Launch Events

Ghost Mark is out in the world and meeting new readers. I’m thrilled to be doing two book launches for the new release, one at Blue Heron in Comox at 1775 Comox Avenue on Saturday, December 3rd from 10 am to 2 pm, and another at Abraxas Books in downtown Denman Island on Saturday December 10th from 10 am to 2 pm. I hope you can join me at one of them and pick up a signed copy of my new release. I’m happy to inscribe them to a favourite reader on your Christmas list. If you can’t make one of the launches, you can purchase Ghost Mark here from your favourite retailer.

And a shout out to all those who came to visit me at the Campbell River Toy and Craft Sale last weekend. It was fun to chat, whether introducing you to my books for the first time, or hearing how you connected with one of them and had come back for more. I love when my stories resonate with you and never tire of hearing about it!

Ghost Mark’s Reviews

This is what a few reviewers have to say:

McLean’s writing is as ingenious as her protagonist, ranging from grunge to repartee to sophistication to laugh-out-loud snarks. Ghost Mark is gripping. You won’t put it down till it’s done. —Ottawa Review of Books

A captivating nail-biter that will leave readers thirsting for more! —InD’tale Magazine

Will keep you on the edge of your seat . . . an intense, riveting, and fast-paced novel. —Literary Titan

The reviews are all very encouraging and they energize me.

Writing News

I’m getting back into the writing groove and enjoying how the next Dark Dreams novel is developing. It’s still very early days, but it feels good, like putty warming in the palm of my hand.

And as exciting as it is to talk about the new book, I have to confess, it’s difficult to extract my thoughts from the next book I’m writing. That’s the writer’s dilemma: by the time the new book is launched, we’re busy writing the next one. As far as problems go, it’s a pretty good one to have.

Christmas is Fast Approaching

It seems unimaginable that Christmas is only a month away. I swear 2022 sprouted rockets and blew by. I’m assured by my elders that it’s a trend that will only speed up with age. I’d curse them, but my wand sputtered and fizzled out. Overuse, I suppose as there’s no shortage of things to curse these days (inflation, Putin, Twitter, I could go on…).

What I’m Reading

But I don’t want to dwell in the murky depths of the glass. A lot of things are going really well. On the reading front, I finished Charissa Weaks’ The Witch Collector. Loved it! I also binged the second in that series, City of Ruin, but I wasn’t as taken with the second novel, mostly because I’m not fond of cliffhangers. (When I buy a book, I want the whole story, not a partial) but I’m curious and may read the next one.

My laugh-out-loud meme this week was “I dusted once. It came back. I’m not falling for that again.”

Until next time, XO

Ghost Mark’s Trailer Debut

October 5, 2022 By JPMcLean 9 Comments

It’s one thing to pick up a book with a compelling cover, turn it over in your hands, and read the description. Maybe you’ll check out the book’s endorsements or editorial reviews, but book trailers offer a unique glimpse inside the story. They capture the mood of a book. Maybe one day I’ll see a movie trailer for Ghost Mark—wouldn’t that be something!

Meantime, Ghost Mark’s pre-release buzz is building, and I’m so pumped about it that I’m spreading the joy. I’ve lowered the price of the pre-order to $2.99. On release day, November first, the price will go back up to its regular price of $4.99. Get the deal here:

Kindle ~ Kobo ~ Apple ~ Nook ~ Elsewhere

Ghost Mark’s Latest Buzz:

A New Editorial Review

A captivating nail-biter that will leave readers thirsting for more!
—InD'tale Magazine

The full review will be out in the November edition of InD'tale Magazine.

A New Endorsement

This mind-bending, supernatural thriller is a riveting romp through the dark streets of obsession and murder. A story that tugs at your heartstrings and lingers in the mind long after The End. Un-putdownable!
—Sue Coletta, award-winning author of the Mayhem Series

Sue Coletta is an author whose writing and research I admire. She takes research to the nth degree. In an effort to make her mysteries as realistic as possible, she visited a body farm. Yup. It’s a real thing. She wrote about it here. I’ve been hooked on her unflinching mysteries ever since reading that article.

Another Medal and a Blank Calendar (be still my beating heart)

April 26, 2022 By JPMcLean 12 Comments

Another Medal

I’m thrilled to announce that Blood Mark has won another medal! It received silver at the 2022 Global Book Awards for occult and supernatural fiction.

And there’s more. Because Blood Mark earned a five-star review in InD’tale Magazine (page 103), it’s now nominated for a RONE award.

RONE awards are selected by readers just like you! But you have to register first. You can register here.

Verify your email address, and then cast your ballot here (NOTE: Voting has now closed). You’ll find Blood Mark under Week 3, Paranormal Long.

I know it’s bit of work, but I’d love your support if you’re up for it!

A Blank Calendar

I’ve had my share of techno scares. Screens that flash black and don’t come back, a computer that boots up to display a desktop stripped of icons, a document you were certain you’d put in Dropbox but can’t find now that you’re away from home.

It’s why I don’t trust on-line calendars to keep track of my schedule. Sure, I have one, but the calendar I depend on is the paper version beside my chair.

Each Sunday night, I flip the page on my calendar to look at what’s on the following week. Living on an island, I have to plan ahead and check ferry schedules, even for mundane chores like shopping. This week, when I turned that page, there was nothing but white squares stretching all the way to next Sunday! A blank calendar (be still my beating heart).

I got so excited. An entire week with no obligations! I can write to my heart’s content, garden if the weather goddess plays nice, find a quiet corner and read until some body part goes numb. Heaven.

Speaking of heaven, and writing

I’m happy to report that the first draft of the second book in the Blood Mark series is almost finished! It’s so close that I’ll go out on a limb and say it’ll be done by my final blank calendar day, this Sunday.

I’ve already peeked ahead in the calendar to next week. It’s a full one with an overnight off-island trip, and a newcomers’ welcome event at the facility where I volunteer. Knowing I’m going to be tied up next week, and now that I’ve put my deadline in writing, I’d better get busy and make good on finishing that draft.

Wish me luck.

And if you want to get your hands on Blood Mark, you can buy it from your favourite retailer right here.

In the Spirit of the Season

December 14, 2021 By JPMcLean 7 Comments

Has there been a more dreadful year? On the west coast of Canada, the combination of pandemic, fires, smoke, and floods have packed a punch that’ll take a while to overcome. And though I can’t do much to help with all that mess, in the spirit of the season, I can provide an inexpensive escape.

I’ve never discounted a newly released book, but I’m doing it this year.

For a few days only, you can get Blood Mark for just 99c. Whether you want to read it yourself or gift it to a friend, it’ll provide a reprieve, an escape, an all-encompassing thrill ride that’ll leave no room for thoughts of Mother Nature’s recent rampage(s!).

Amazon US
Amazon Canada
Amazon UK
Kobo
Nook
Payhip
Elsewhere

But act quickly, the price returns to it’s regular $4.99 in just a few days.

Enjoy!

Here’s the latest review for Blood Mark in the Dec/Jan edition of InD’Tale Magazine:

5/5 stars with Crowned Heart for Excellence

SUSPENSE/THRILLER: Wrapped from head to toe by unusual and unique red patterns, Jane lives her life trying to keep her markings hidden and her secret safe. Abandoned at birth, Jane’s life has been one tragedy after another from a car accident, a deadly house fire, and the debilitating narcolepsy that results in dream visions from the past where she witnesses horrific events. When visions of Rebecca in a psych ward start encompassing her dreams, she finds herself on a mission to find out who this lady is who can also see the past. As Jane dreams of her more often, she starts to notice something amiss with the doctor treating Rebecca and her concern grows all the while she starts noticing that her very own marks are disappearing. Unsure of what is happening or who she can trust, Jane must let go of some of her secrets in order to find the answer she needs to stay safe.

The answer to this year’s boredom, JP McLean’s novel is a fresh and original mystery thriller with a side of budding romance. The movement between the past and the present is captivating and adds an intriguing aspect to the storyline. Jane’s backstory slowly unfolds throughout, allowing the reader to understand her and connect with her on a deeper level. The development of all the characters during the course of the tale was superb, with each of them showing some type of growth. The twists and turns will keep the reader in suspense until the very end when all is shockingly revealed. This gripping tale should be on every bookshelf this year!