Improving Your Productivity - Tips for Writers

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In workshops and interviews, I’m asked a lot about how long it takes me to write a novel. It took me over five years to write my first novel (and another two to get it published). As I worked on my writing and revising skills, I came up with some ideas that would help me be more productive and focused with my writing time. You need to find what works for you and your life. Here is what I do.

  1. I spend about a week plotting the story idea and thinking about what characters need to be involved.

  2. I write an outline of each chapter. It’s usually a bulleted list of what happens. This helps me see where I can add clues and suspense. It also helps me see motives.

  3. I need between 28-35 chapters for my word count. (I write cozy mysteries.)

  4. I create a character list in an Excel spreadsheet to make sure I remember the key details. (I add a column for each book in the series.)

  5. Then I start to write. I still have a day gig, so I write before work and during lunch. If I don’t hit my word count for the day, I’ll write more at night.

  6. I try to do 1,000 words on workdays and at least 3,000 words on weekends and holidays. Life gets in the way sometimes, so if I know I have something else to do, I try to write ahead. Do your best to keep your schedule, but don’t beat yourself up. Some days, the words aren’t there.

  7. I just write during this time. I don’t revise or edit. When I started writing, this really bogged me down. I spent months rewriting and revising before I ever finished the first draft.

  8. When I’m done, I save it. (And always make a backup.) I then print out the draft.

  9. Now it’s time for revising. I’ll spend another month or so looking for typos, plot holes, and any other thing that doesn’t make sense or contribute to the story. I add new stuff, and I delete a whole bunch of junk that bogs down the flow.

  10. It’s time now for beta readers or my critique group.

  11. Then it’s time for more revisions.

  12. My agent and her fantastic crew read it next and provide feedback.

  13. And it’s finally ready to go out for query.

This is my system, and it works for me. Give it a try. Keep what works for you. I am able to write at least three novels a year now.

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Ashley Weckesser

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Please welcome Ashley Weckesser to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things:

The outdoors, plants, animals and good food are just a few of my favorite things.

Things you need to throw out:

I need to throw out my garbage from this week, donate some articles of clothing that I no longer wear and some nasty old cat toys that my cats still seem to enjoy.

Words that describe you:

Crazy (in a good sense I hope), passionate, creative, adventurous, kind.

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t:

Intimidating, anti-social.

Something you wish you could do:

I sincerely wish that I could fly (without the aid of technology)!

Something you wish you’d never learned to do:

I wish that I had never learned how to crack my knuckles. I make a lot of people cringe…

Favorite things to do:

I love exploring the great outdoors when I get the chance to escape, playing video games, playing sports, creating art and cooking new and exciting meals.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing:

Cleaning up other people’s messes.

Things that make you happy:

Ice cream, cats, sunshine, fresh air.

Things that drive you crazy:

Gossip and people who don’t seem to mind taking advantage of other people including yourself.

Things to say to a composer:

Really any compliment will suffice however if you dig deep into all the hidden messages and complexities composers usually layer within their work, you will win them over.

Things to say to a composer if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next composition:

“You should’ve done ___ instead”, “It sounded nice.”, “Did you mean for it to sound like that?”.

About Ashley:

Ashley Weckesser is an Edmonton, AB-based composer and interdisciplinary artist working in the fields of music and sound, visual art and theater. An early-career artist, her instrumental and graphic score works have premiered at the University of Alberta’s Convocation Hall through the University’s Experimental Improvisation Ensemble (“XiMe”), Contemporary Music Ensemble and Edmonton's Ultraviolet Ensemble. A recent graduate from the University of Alberta, she has studied composition with Dr. Mark Hannesson and Dr. Scott Smallwood. Her current interests involve music design for video games and film, producing animated graphic scores, working with advanced music software such as Max/MSP, and the visual arts.

Her works have won awards for best video game audio design, multiple university scholarships and recently her animated graphic score, A Composer’s Nightmare, has been featured in the Toronto 4th Multicultural Film Festival 2021. Ashley’s primary goal in her works is emotional storytelling that ignites passion. Music cannot effectively impact listeners without having a story and without having emotion. Ashley has taken a new interest in musical compositions that are designed to explore the impact of music on the conscious and subconscious emotional reactions of both the performers and listeners. Her goals are to design music in both the film and video game industries, as well as live performances (taking multiple forms), that turn the active listener into a participant; creating their own personal story and subsequently emoting on a transcendent level. “I believe music and sound have the ability to connect people, thoughts and emotions. Music and Sound allow us to tell engaging stories with lasting effect. It is the bridge by which we can cross into the land of our subconscious and transcend our self awareness; it inspires.”

Her music, photography, graphic scores, and more can be viewed at https://www.aweckesser.com.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: https://www.aweckesser.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a.weckesser/?next=%2F (@a.weckesser)

#WriterWednesday Interview with Daniele Cybulskie

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I’d like to welcome Daniele Cybulskie to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

Things you need for your writing sessions: A cup of tea, a glass of water, a clean desk, and a good notebook and pen to hand for catching stray ideas as I type.

Things that hamper your writing: Noise and clutter. Interruptions! I need a block of quiet time to deep think, whether I’m planning, editing, or crafting sentences.

Things you love about writing: I love that it’s a way of reaching out to people and connecting. For me, the flow state comes when I’m writing about something really interesting that I can’t wait to share. As a non-fiction writer, it’s all about showing people things and saying, “Look! Isn’t this cool?”

Things you hate about writing: It’s hard! It takes a lot of revision, and reading from different perspectives, and rethinking – but not overthinking. It also takes a thick skin, learning to accept feedback from editors, copyeditors, and then readers. But the benefits outweigh the pain.

Things you never want to run out of: Tea! Good pens, notebooks with the right line spacing, and Post-It Notes. Also time, but I frequently find myself running out of that….

Things you wish you’d never bought: Sometimes I impulse-buy lipstick, but I always regret the seriously pink ones.

Things you always put in your books: Jokes, and a sprinkling of sarcasm. History doesn’t need to be serious all the time. Some of the best-researched history books I’ve read have also made me laugh out loud at a well-timed joke.

Things you never put in your books: Insults. I want my books to be uplifting overall, so I avoid putting people (living or dead) down as much as possible.

Favorite places you’ve been: Scotland. Edinburgh is my favourite city. I’ve been to Scotland several times (lived there for a while), and every time I leave it’s heartrending. It’s just an absolutely beautiful, friendly, and historically rich country.

Places you never want to go to again: My old apartment. I honestly had a nightmare about it the other day.

Favorite books (or genre): I read a lot of books on positive psychology, so I was thrilled to be able to connect this scientific work to history in How to Live Like a Monk. These books give me a mood boost, and I’m really interested in the different ways we can test and challenge ourselves. I find human nature endlessly fascinating.

Books you wouldn’t buy: I don’t buy true crime. I would much rather investigate lives from long ago.

Things that make you happy: I’m a really simple person at heart. I live for sunshine, a cup of tea, and a good book. Time with family and friends. I love the physical challenge of Krav Maga, and the mental release of meditation. A quiet existence!

Things that drive you crazy: Unkindness. Casual rudeness – usually on the road! Injustice. Selfishness. Everyone is stressed these days, so it’s worth it to take two seconds to smile, wave, thank someone, or stand up for someone. Small gestures of kindness can change the world.

About Daniele:

As a writer, TEDx speaker, former college professor, and podcaster, Danièle has made medieval history fun, entertaining, and accessible for millions of people around the world. As well as introducing a general audience to the fascinating world of the Middle Ages, her books, articles, videos, and weekly podcast have been used as resources in schools and universities across North America. Danièle’s mission is to share the joy of history by highlighting our common humanity across time and space. When she’s not reading, writing, or recording, Danièle can be found drinking tea, doing Krav Maga, or sometimes building a backyard trebuchet.

Let’s Be Social:

Author/Podcaster/Historian

Website: www.danielecybulskie.com

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TedTalk:  History in Three Dimensions


A Playlist for National Redhead Day - November 5

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Tomorrow is National Red Head Day! Here’s a playlist of ginger references. I was surprised at how many there are out there…

  • Garth Brooks “Ain’t Goin’ Down”

  • Dolly Parton “Jolene”

  • Willie Nelson “Redheaded Stranger”

  • John Palmer “The Band Played On”

  • REM “Redhead Walking”

  • Amy Winehouse “Valerie”

  • Bruce Springsteen “Redheaded Woman”

  • Ed Sheeran “You Need Me, I Don’t Need You”

  • Miranda Lambert “White Liar”

  • Bob Dylan “Tangled in Blue”

  • Flock of Seagulls “I Ran”

  • Counting Crows “Good Time”

  • Gaelic Storm “Green Eyes, Red Hair”

  • Natalie Merchant “San Andreas Fault”

  • Bob Segar “Sightseeing”

  • Brooks and Dunn “Boot-scootin’ Boogie”

  • Neil Young “Cinnamon Girl”

  • Travis Tritt “Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde”

  • Billy Joel “Keeping the Faith”

  • Taylor Swift “Fifteen”

  • Jake Owen “Barefoot Blue Jean Night”

  • Billy Idol “Dead on Arrival”

  • Shania Twain “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under”

  • Little River Band “Redheaded Wildflower”

  • Lonestar “Front Porch Lookin’ In”

  • Sammy Hagar “Red”


#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Scott Overton

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I’d like to welcome the talented Scott Overton to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday.

A few of your favorite things: Books, books, and more books. My house is insulated with books. Also my 12-string guitar.

Things you need to throw out: Fifteen jackets (mostly leather). Twenty-five sweaters. Ninety-five percent of the junk I have stuffed into every available drawer.

Things you need for your writing sessions: A keyboard and a healthy supply of good coffee (especially in my Ember self-heating mug).

Things that hamper your writing: Like everyone, the constant availability of the internet is both a blessing and a curse. Has there ever been such a potent distraction? (Sex doesn’t count.)

Things you love about writing: Creating something from nothing, then hearing a reader tell you how much they loved it.

Things you hate about writing: The fact that there’s no magic spell that will carry your words and thoughts from your mind to your reader’s without the obstacles of publishing, distributing, and marketing getting in the way.

Things you never want to run out of: Kleenex. As long as I have boxes of Kleenex all around the house, I don’t feel poor.

Things you wish you’d never bought: Do we have that much space? How about a battery-powered rotating tie rack? Sheesh!

Favorite music or song: I love so many I could never pick one favorite song or genre. But the full-length version of Don Henley’s “Heart of the Matter” is one of the most amazingly well-crafted songs I know.

Music that drives you crazy: I try to appreciate rap, but I just can’t.

Favorite beverage: Home-roasted, freshly ground coffee brewed in a French press.

Something that gives you a sour face: Sour craft beers. I love most craft beers, but I just don’t get the appeal of the sours.

Favorite smell: My wife’s freshly baked bread. Isn’t that in everyone’s Top 5?

Something that makes you hold your nose: We have outhouses on our property, but cleaning the trap of a kitchen sink smells even worse.

Something you’re really good at: Talking to an audience, any audience (I was a career radio host).

Something you’re really bad at: Asking favors. I really hate to inconvenience anyone. It might be my inner Canadian coming out. I’ve always hated phoning people too, in case I was interrupting something. Texting is only marginally better.

Things you always put in your books: A love story. Falling in love is one of the most essential parts of the human experience, and compensation for all the bad things in life.

Things you never put in your books: I don’t write gruesome or gory. Sick people can do horrible things to other people, but that’s not entertainment to me.

Things to say to an author: I loved your book so much! (And I just posted a 5-star review on every online site I know.)

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: I don’t read and I don’t understand how you can waste your time just making stuff up.

Favorite books (or genre): Lord of the Rings. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. Books by Larry Niven or Robert J. Sawyer.

Books you wouldn’t buy: I have no interest in celebrity confessions or salacious scandals. Who cares?

Things that make you happy: Nature makes me happy. The sun on water, the moon on water. Loon calls. The smell of pine needles. Bright stars, northern lights, and utter silence.

Things that drive you crazy: Bad drivers who risk my life as well as their own.

Best thing you’ve ever done: Marrying my wife.

Biggest mistake: Believing anything a boss promised me.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: (Daring? Or just stupid?) I skated down a hill after an ice storm (and didn’t die!)

Something you chickened out from doing: Sky-diving (though, to be fair, I had a commitment to fulfill at the time, and a young son watching if I’d gone splat.)

The coolest person you’ve ever met: An actor named Don Harron — most people might know him as the comedic character Charlie Farquharson, who appeared on Hee Haw, but he was a true Renaissance man who could do everything and do it well.

The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video: As a radio host, I met dozens of celebrities and they all looked like I expected. They didn’t all act like I expected. But most were genuinely nice people.

About Scott:
A radio broadcaster for more than thirty years, Scott Overton described that world in his first novel, the mystery/thriller Dead Air, shortlisted for a Northern Lit Award in Ontario, Canada. Now he writes science fiction including his 2020 SF-thriller The Primus Labyrinth, the 2021 SF-adventure Naïda, 2022’s SF-psychological thriller The Dispossession of Dylan Knox, and the 2022 cautionary tale Augment Nation. His short fiction has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies.

Drawing on university training in theatre arts as well as his radio career, he’s also a freelance voice talent, including narrating audiobooks in his home studio on a lake in northern Ontario. His website is www.scottoverton.ca 

Let’s Be Social:

Buy the Books   https://books2read.com/ScottOverton  
Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/ScottOverton.author  
Twitter @SFtruenorth

Goodreads www.goodreads.com/ScottOverton

Amazon amazon.com/author/scottoverton

#WriterWednesday Interview with Judith Copek

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I’d like to welcome author Judith Copek to the blog today for #WriterWednesday.

A few of your favorite things: Paintings, books, mid-century modern furniture

Things you need to throw out: Old memorabilia, junk, research for published novels

Things you need for your writing sessions: computer, thesaurus, list of characters, ideas, or plot points

Things that hamper your writing: interruptions, too many other tasks to do, reluctance to plant butt in chair

Things you love about writing: when the words are flowing

Things you hate about writing: when the words don’t come

Favorite foods: chicken, strawberries, home-grown tomatoes

Things that make you want to gag: runny eggs, low-fat anything, margarine

Favorite smell: lilacs, roses, meat roasting, bacon frying

Something that makes you hold your nose: cat barf, wet wool, rotting vegetables

Something you’re really good at: cooking, writing, gardening

Something you’re really bad at: ice skating, calculus, networking

Something you like to do: watch mystery programs on television

Something you wish you’d never done: sassed my mom so often

Last best thing you ate: cranberry-apple crisp

last thing you regret eating: second bowl of spicy chili

The last thing you ordered online: bread baskets

The last thing you regret buying: the wrong cat food

Things you always put in your books: food and romance

Things you never put in your books: graphic violence and graphic sex

Favorite places you’ve been: Yellowstone Park, San Francisco, Paris

Places you never want to go to again: Tijuana, Hospital, Aldi in Taunton, MA

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: Attended Burning Man (3 times)

Something you chickened out from doing: downhill skiing

About Judith:

Such Stuff As Dreams is a leap into another genre for Judith, a historical novel set in the twenties. She discovered that bad guys and scary situations are not limited to mystery fiction. Judith belongs to The Historical Novel Society, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime. In addition to five crime-fiction novels, she’s published memoir, poetry, and short stories.

Let’s Be Social:

Amazon link to author page. https://www.amazon.com/author/judithcopek

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

Blog: http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/judyinboston

Twitter: https://twitter.com/judyinboston

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/judyinboston

Expanding Your Web - Networking Tips for Authors

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Sometimes, networking is a challenge. It can be difficult to step out and strike up conversations. Here are some ideas to help authors expand their network of contacts.

  1. Save business cards of people you meet. I usually jot on the back where I met them. It helps later when you have a pile of business cards and no recollection of the meeting.

  2. Use some sort of software or contact list (e.g. in your phone or email program) to keep all of your contacts in one place. When you get a new contact, add it immediately. I add notes about where I met the person. I book a lot of programs for my writing group, so it helps to remember what they do and where I met them. I also use the “File As” field to help me find them again. Instead of typing Doe, Jayne. I enter, Doe, Jayne - Web Designer. (Make sure you back up these files, so that you can recover them in an emergency.)

  3. If you are shy, quiet, or not outgoing, make a pact with yourself to meet five new people each week. It’s good practice for putting yourself out there and talking to strangers. You will meet some interesting people. You can use this technique on social media too. Follow five or ten new people a week or join in a conversation.

  4. Volunteer. It’s good for everyone. There are so many groups out there looking for the skills you have as a writer. And it’s a great way to meet new people.

  5. Donate to prize give-aways. I do a lot of book baskets for my favorite charity fundraisers. It’s a nice way to contribute.

  6. Let the planners in the organizations that you are a part of know that you’re a writer, and you’re willing to do events. Clubs, book groups, religious groups, charities, and alumni organizations are always looking for speakers and program content.

  7. Find an organization that you’re interested in and join. Go to meetings and events to network with new people. The easiest way in an organization to meet others is to volunteer for an activity.

  8. Follow hashtags (Twitter and Instagram) and groups (Facebook) to join online communities to meet others with similar interests.

Unless you’re an outgoing, people person, it’s often hard to meet new people and strike up conversations. It’s good practice to get in the habit of networking. Authors are often called upon to do speaking engagements or interviews. What would you add to my list?

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with J. P. McLean

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I’d like to welcome J. P. McLean back to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Favorite thing that you always make time for:

Responding to reader’s comments. I love hearing their feedback on the books and answering their questions.

The thing you’ll always do just about anything to avoid:

Cold calling anyone to promote my books. This is exactly why I hired a publicist! (Shout out to Mickey Mikkelson of Creative Edge publicity!!) It was the best career move I’ve ever made.

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave:

Though there are times when I can tune out the outside world, I prefer a quiet setting. Coffee is a given, but I’ll take tea in the afternoons.

Things that distract you from writing:

There’s nothing worse than a phone ringing, construction noise, or a car alarm. I’ve been known to unplug the landline and turn off the volume on my cellphone when I’m writing. There’s not much to be done about the other two distractions—construction noise and car alarms—but I don’t often have to deal with them. Thankfully!

The thing you like most about being a writer:

The flexibility to write anywhere, anytime. I can take my laptop on the ferry or into any waiting room and get words down.

The thing you like least about being a writer:

Having to stop when I’m on a roll. But life happens and I can’t go all day without prepping a meal.

Things you will run to the store for in the middle of the night:

Potato chips. Unfortunately, there are no stores here (Denman Island) that are open in the middle of the night. But perhaps that’s a good thing!

Things you never put on your shopping list:

Bottled water, jam, zucchini, and salmon. We have delicious well water, a sister who makes us yummy jams, porch pirates who leave zucchini in the middle of the night, and my husband loves to fish, so we usually have enough salmon to enjoy.

The coolest thing you’ve bought online:

Lee Valley tomato wapper. Actually, it’s called a European Tomato Press, but I call it a wapper because that describes the sound it makes when you crank the handle. It’s made short work of my roasted tomato and garlic sauce.

https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/kitchen/kitchen-tools/presses-and-mashers/food-processors/44040-european-tomato-press?item=EV101

The thing you wished you’d never bought.

Linen shirts. I love linen and couldn’t resist the online photos, but I should have known better. The shirts didn’t fit, and the quality was terrible. But all is not lost. I’m going to make napkins out of them.

The thing that you will most remember about your writing life:

The passion I have for creating stories. It was a surprise to me to discover how much I love writing. I never tire of tucking into my writing nook and letting my imagination loose.

Something in your writing life that you wish you could do over:

I wish I’d started writing years earlier. I may not have written the same stories, but I’m sure I would have found the passion and written even more books.

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid:

A princess. Man, was I fooled. I think it was the pointy hat with the veils that I saw in animated films when I was a kid. https://historicalhoney.com/truth-princess-hat/

Something you do that you never dreamed you’d do:

Scuba diving, which I don’t do as much as I’d like. It was my husband’s idea to get certified, and I love the sport, especially in warm Caribbean waters. Not so much where I live in the Pacific Northwest, but only because I’m a wimp in cold water.

Your best recipe:

Roasted tomato and garlic sauce, which is super simple. Core and quarter enough fresh tomatoes to fill a turkey roaster. Add a head of garlic cloves, salt and pepper to taste, and drizzle olive oil over top. Roast at 350 and stir every hour or so until reduced by 2/3. The skins will blacken, which adds tons of concentrated flavour to mix. When cooled, pass it through a press. Add basil for a tasty pasta sauce, or add milk/cream for a wonderful tomato soup.

Something that didn’t turn out like you planned when you made it:

Oh, so many! Where to start?

Things you always put in your books:

Humour. Even my darker-themed books need a little levity.

Things you never put in your books:

I can’t say “never” but I’d avoid at all costs putting a pet in a situation where they were abused.

People you’d like to invite to dinner (living):

Rick Mercer (http://www.rickmercer.com/). He’s a Canadian comedian, author, and political satirist. He performs clever rants with razor sharp wit and his comedy makes me laugh out loud.

People you’d cancel dinner on:

Almost any politician.

The funniest thing that happened to you in an airport:

I was on a layover in Calgary and decided I had time enough to grab a meal, but forgot about the time difference. Panic set in when I heard my name called over the loudspeaker in one of those last call for boarding messages. I dropped cash on the table and raced to the gate. Happily, I caught my flight, but it took ages to catch my breath and settle my heart.

The most embarrassing thing that happened to you in an airport:

My husband and I were going to the Cayman Islands when my luggage didn’t pass muster on the x-ray belt. An agent called me aside and searched my bag. She asked me a few times if I’d packed the bag myself, which I had. She put it through the x-ray machine twice before dumping everything out of it. I couldn’t understand what she was looking for, and she wouldn’t tell me, but she finally found a small penknife in an outside pocket that had been travelling around unbeknownst to me for years. It was mortifying, especially as I had to repack everything in front of an audience.

The best job you ever had:

I’m probably being repetitive with this answer, but the best job I’ve ever had is this writing gig. I still get excited by the prospect of a few hours to myself to get words down, and hope I never grow tired of it.

The worst job you ever had:

Staffing in a hospital. And that was long before the current staff shortages. That staffing job would be a nightmare right now.

The one thing you cook/bake that is better than a restaurant dish:

Spaghetti and meatballs. It’s my mom’s meatball recipe and everyone I serve it to loves it. (Either that or they’re afraid to tell me they don’t care for it!)

The one thing you cooked/baked that turned out to be an epic disaster:

Deep-dish pizza. It turned into a pizza casserole. Had to eat it from a bowl. Memorable in all the wrong ways.

About JP

Short bio: JP (Jo-Anne) McLean is a bestselling author of urban fantasy and supernatural thrillers. She is a Global Book Award winner, a CIBA and Page Turner Award finalist, and has received honours from the Eric Hoffer Book Awards, the Wishing Shelf Book Awards, the NIEA Awards, and the Whistler independent Book Awards. She lives on Canada’s West Coast.

Let’s Be Social

Website: https://jpmcleanauthor.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jpmcleanauthor (@jpmcleanauthor)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jpmcleanauthor (@jpmcleanauthor)

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jpmclean

Newsletter: https://jpmcleanauthor.com/mailing-list-signup-form/