Returning Guest Author JP McLean of BC.

The Scribbler is pleased to have one of our most popular authors back. JP McLean returns to talk about her books and the new covers. If you missed her first visit, follow this link. 

Thanks for inviting me to the South Branch Scribbler, Allan. Your support of me and the other authors you’ve featured over the years is commendable and much appreciated.

A Rebrand by Any Other Name

If you’ve ever wondered why publishers change the title of a book, here’s a case study.

The first book in what became The Gift Legacy began as a one-off titled Awakening. That book soon had two more to keep it company, Revelation and Redemption, and the one-off became a trilogy. The fourth book, Penance, put an early death to the trilogy notion and the series became what it remains today, The Gift Legacy.

If you aren’t familiar with the books, no one would blame you for thinking they might fall within the religious/spiritual genres. The books covers would even support that supposition.

 

 

Hence the problem. These books, in fact, fit into the fantasy/thriller genres.

 

 

It wasn’t immediately obvious to me that there was a problem. Sure, early on a few people wondered if the books were religious, but the feedback from most people was positive, glowing even. What author doesn’t like that kind of feedback?

However, as the books began to reach a wider audience, the “are these books religious?” voices grew much louder. About eighteen months ago, the ruckus reached a fever pitch and I was forced to stop and listen. I conceded that the naysayers were right, and the beautiful covers compounded the perception. In hindsight, I’m embarrassed to say it seems quite obvious.

Rebranding the books with new titles and covers was a difficult decision. It meant I risked losing all of the wonderful reviews that I’d collected on Amazon and reviews are an author’s lifeblood. There will never be a good time to rebrand, but with the final two books of the series written and ready to go, there will never be a better time. I took the plunge.

I feel like I’ve jumped off a cliff, and I suppose I have. I just hope the water below is not too cold … or too deep.

Thankfully, I’ve been handed some lifelines along the way. A good friend and author, Elinor Florence, was instrumental in helping me brainstorm new titles and my online blog family and social media connections helped tease out the best of them. And back in July, the design team at JD&J Designs began the process of designing new covers.

The first book in the series has now been launched and the second is on pre-order and I couldn’t be prouder of the final result. I hope you’ll agree.

 

 

 

Awakening is now Secret Sky.

An intrepid young woman. An incredible gift. A terrible price to pay.

 

When Emelynn Taylor accepted a stranger’s gift, she couldn’t know it would hijack her life. It strikes without warning, strips her of gravity and sends her airborne. Vowing to tame her gift, Emelynn returns to the seaside home where it all began. Here, she finds a dangerous world hidden within our own that will plunge her into a fight for her life.

 

 

This is Chapter One: link:   https://jpmcleanauthor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Secret-Sky-Ch1-for-website-preview.pdf

  

Revelation is now Hidden Enemy

A forbidden book. A dangerous secret. A life in the balance.

Emelynn Taylor’s discovery of a forbidden book threatens to expose dangerous secrets. Two powerful factions clash: one ancient, one evil. And both of them want a piece of her. Not even her gift of flight will save her. Emelynn must form an uneasy partnership with a dangerous man and risk her gift and her future to protect her friends’ lives.

 

This is Chapter One: link: https://jpmcleanauthor.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Hidden-Enemy-Ch1-for-website-preview.pdf

 

JP McLean social media links are:

Website: https://jpmcleanauthor.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JPMcLeanBooks

Twitter ID:  @jpmcleanauthor

Twitter Website: https://twitter.com/jpmcleanauthor

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you JP for being our guest and sharing your exciting news. The new covers look fantastic.

 

 

Guest Author Darlene Foster of Alberta

The Scribbler is honoured to have Darlene Foster, an award winning author, as our guest this week. She has agreed to a 4Q interview and offered to share an excerpt from Amanda in New Mexico-Ghosts in the Wind, the sixth book in the Amanda Travels series

Brought up in southern Alberta, Darlene Foster dreamt of writing stories, travelling the world and meeting interesting people. It’s no surprise that she’s now an award-winning author of short stories, travel articles and the exciting Amanda Travels series featuring spunky 12-year-old Amanda Ross who loves to travel to unique places. Readers of all ages enjoy travelling with Amanda as she unravels one mystery after another. When she isn't travelling herself, Darlene divides her time between the west coast of Canada and the Costa Blanca, Spain with her husband and entertaining dog, Dot. She believes everyone is capable of making their dreams come true.

4Q: For those unfamiliar with your heroine, Amanda Ross, tell us about her.

DF: Amanda Jane Ross is a twelve-year-old girl from Calgary, Alberta. She lives with her mom and dad, both accountants and partners in an accounting firm. They work long hours. Her life is pretty ordinary. An only child, she is bored and lonely. She enjoys cooking, often prepares the meals at home, loves to read and has a great imagination. She wishes for travel and excitement on her twelfth birthday as she blows out all the candles on her cake. The next day she receives tickets in the mail to visit her aunt and uncle who work in the United Arab Emirates. That is when her life changes. In the UAE she makes friends with an English girl, Leah, and has an adventure of a lifetime. Her curious nature and eagerness to help people tends to get her in trouble.

4Q: Please tell us about The Amanda Ross Traveling Series.

DF: In the UAE, Amanda purchases a mysterious perfume flask, tries to help a beautiful princess, befriends a loyal camel and is chased across a dangerous desert by bounty hunters. After this exciting experience, Amanda is eager to travel and see more of the world. She jumps at the chance to meet Leah in Spain, where they attempt to help a young Spanish girl escape the clutches of a mean horse thief. Leah invites Amanda to visit her in England, where they get lost in a maze, hide in an underground tunnel and ride the London Eye while searching for a missing vintage novel. When Leah visits Amanda in Alberta, they enjoy the Calgary Stampede, Head-Smashed-in Buffalo Jump, and an amazing dinosaur museum, while trying to decipher the mysterious writing on a stone and keep it from getting into the wrong hands. Amanda and Leah go on a river cruise down the Danube with their families. Along the way, she meets a homeless young musician who gives her a valuable violin for safe keeping which turns out to be more difficult than she thought. Wherever Amanda travels, she learns about the history and culture, meets interesting people and encounters mystery and intrigue.

4Q: Please share a childhood anecdote or memory with our readers.

DF: I have many fond memories of my maternal grandmother. I was her first grandchild and I know she loved all of us, but she always made me feel special. She lived in the city, about one hour from our farm, and I loved to stay with her whenever I could. On one visit, Grandma took me downtown shopping. We went to Woolworth’s where I found the most amazing colouring book, filled with pictures of children from all over the world wearing the traditional dress of their country. I had just enough spending money to purchase it. I couldn’t wait to colour the lederhosen, kimonos, flamingo dresses, wooden shoes and sombreros. Laden with packages, we took the bus home. When we got to Grandma’s place, I eagerly searched for my book in amongst the bags, but it wasn’t there. I was devastated. The next day my dear grandmother took me back downtown on the bus and bought me the last International Children colouring book on the shelf. I treasured that book and dreamt of visiting all those fascinating places as I coloured the pages.

4Q: Every author has their favorite spot to write, they either listen to music or must have complete quiet, prefer a Mac over a PC. What’s the ideal place and setting for you Darlene?

DF: Like Virginia Woolf, I simply need a room of my own to write. We converted the second bedroom in our small house in Spain into my office where I can close the door and write to my heart’s content on my laptop. I don’t need complete quiet but I can’t have loud noises either. I find once I’m really into my story, I can block out most noises. If it is nice outside, and it usually is in Spain, I will often take a notebook and pen, sit on my terrace and scribble down a chapter or two to be typed up and polished later. I also like writing longhand while I travel - trains, planes, automobiles or boats, it doesn’t matter. I feel inspired while travelling and there are few interruptions. 

Thanks for inviting me to be a guest on your blog, Allan.

An Excerpt from Amanda in New Mexico-Ghosts in the Wind

Blurb

Amanda Ross is on a school trip to Taos, New Mexico with several of her fellow creative students. Join Amanda, Cleo and their funny friend, Caleb, as they visit an ancient and beautiful landscape where a traditional hacienda, an ancient pueblo, and a haunted and spooky hotel all hold secrets to a wild and violent past. Does Cleo really see ghosts? Can Amanda escape the eerie wind that follows her everywhere? Perhaps the Day of the Dead will reveal the mysteries of Taos in this latest adventure of Amanda's travels.

Excerpt:

Amanda stepped outside. She looked around for Caleb, but he was nowhere to be seen. The wind got colder and stronger. She zipped up her jacket and pulled the hood over her head, glad she’d listened to Ms. Bowler’s advice.

She took pictures of the San Geronimo church and then continued on to a ruin tucked behind houses. Crumbling gravestones and weathered wooden crosses were scattered around the remainder of a damaged brick bell tower. Among the weeds lay broken gravestones and crosses that had fallen over. Amanda felt a sudden sadness wash over her.

She pulled out her map and guide. It explained that the ruin was the original San Geronimo church, destroyed by the soldiers in retaliation for Governor Bent’s murder. Only the battered bell tower remained standing. The graves belonged to the many who lost their lives in the fight.

The sun went behind a cloud. Tall grass leaped around the crosses as the wind whistled a mournful tune.

Amanda shuddered. A harsh breeze pushed her forward. Looking up at the sky, Amanda felt the wind push her again and she tripped over a rock. She stumbled hard into the low adobe brick wall surrounding the cemetery. Another shove sent her right over the fence. Her head hit a fallen brick. She saw stars before everything went black.

Thank you for being our guest Darlene. For you readers that are curious to know more about Darlene and her novels, please follow the links below.

www.darlenefoster.ca

https://darlenefoster.wordpress.com/


https://www.facebook.com/DarleneFosterWriter/

https://twitter.com/supermegawoman

https://www.amazon.com/Darlene-Foster/


Amazon buy link https://www.amazon.com/Amanda-New-Mexico-Ghosts-Travels-ebook/dp/B01MT8LXAR/

Guest Artisit Andy Gill of Moncton, NB.

I met Andy many years ago when we both worked for a jewellery manufacturing company. He was doing the jewellery designs which were quite amazing. Now he works on portraits of superheroes, famous people and animals. His work is scattered all over North America and as far as Europe with buyers wanting to own his life-like drawings. He has agreed to participate in a 4Q Interview and allow us to show his work.

(All sketches shown here are the intellectual property of the artist, used with permission. They are not allowed to be copied, shared or used without the artist's permission)

4Q: When did you start drawing Andy?

AG: I started very young, around age 3 or 4.

4Q: How do you decide which drawing you are going to do when you stare at the blank page? Do you accept commissions?

AG: I do the eyes first. Mostly I have to feel the subject, then see it in my head. Yes I accept commissions.

4Q: Please share a childhood memory or anecdote.

AG: Drawing war tanks on 8.5×11 paper. Green Sherman tanks and Blue Tiger tanks...hours and hours of drawing WW2 battle tanks.

4Q: Tell us about your favorite spot to work and the type of material you use for your drawings.

AG: My antique illustration table, Prismacolor Premier color pencil, on Stonehenge print stock.

Thank you for being our guest this week Andy.

For those of you wanting more information on Andy, check out this link.

https://www.facebook.com/AndyGill1964/

In Memory of Lockard Young - Author & Friend

Lockard - Lockie to his friends and family - was a terrific storyteller.  He was also a frequent guest on the Scribbler and one of his posts reached an all time high of 1005 visits -  he was a popular guest.








Unfortunately, Lockie left us on December 26th, 2016. He's dearly missed, not only be friends and family at home but by the dozens of friends he made online through his writing efforts. He always had a smile and it would be difficult to find anyone friendlier, always eager to help.

This week I would like to celebrate Lockie and share the previous posts with you.



This is the most visited post from September 11, 2016 and I invite you to take a look HERE!



Lockie wrote many amusing short stories. One of them was plagiarized and reached an audience of over 10,000 shares. A testament to his writing skills but he was never paid for it. An author's nightmare.




Lockie's first visit was a 4Q Interview back in 2014. Check it out by going HERE!

His short story - The Lone Shepard appears HERE!

A sample of his poetry here and stories inspired by his visit to Africa with his wife Trish. HERE!

His short story - Are You Sure? HERE!

I hope this post is a tribute to an author I admired. Lockie is gone but his words live on...as does the memories.

Thank you Lockie. RIP my friend.