Welcome from M. Reed McCall

Featured 36 Comments

“Humorous, quirky, poignant, and inspiring, with a touch of something magical.”

Welcome to my official website and blog, combining my two different monikers (M. Reed McCall for *contemporary fiction and Mary Reed McCall for historical fiction). I was traditionally published for more than a decade with HarperCollins under their Avon imprint and recently ventured into independent publishing. There are other sites out there connected to my books and even other authors who write under similar names, but this is the one and only authorized version. I invite you to stay awhile and browse: here you can find information about my books, learn a little more about me…or maybe you’d rather click around some of the quirkier elements, like photos, recipes, or some of the old-fashioned sayings and stories that help to shape who I am and what I write. Feel free to comment or contact me. I hope you enjoy your visit!

Actual Final copy with endorsement*Most recent published work: Moose Tracks on the Road to Heaven: NOW AVAILABLE for purchase in eBook OR print from amazon  and Barnes &Noble and in eBook only from iBook, Google Play, All Romance, and Kobo.

Some recent quotes on Moose Tracks on the Road to Heaven:

“A woman discovers her rich relationships in this exquisite exploration into themes of time and connections, love and loss.” Foreword Reviews, Maya Fleischmann

“An engaging and entertaining exploration of a large family’s life in a small town. Telescoping through time, McCall focuses on significant life events—joys and sorrows—within the Wright family. Protagonist Elena’s experiences are charted from childhood through adolescence, to her years as wife, mother, and adult daughter of aging parents. McCall’s fluid writing, eye for detail, appreciation of rural life, and her ability to stir the reader’s empathy guarantee an absorbing and moving read.” ~ Margaret Porter, bestselling author of A Pledge of Better Times

“Intensely moving and beautifully written, Moose Tracks on the Road to Heaven will open your heart and stay with you long after the last page is turned.” ~ USA Today bestselling author Julianne MacLean

Book/Writing/Instagram Update!

Leave a comment

It’s been another year since my last update, so I thought it was high time to pop in again here. I’m about half way through the spin-off of Moose Tracks on the Road to Heaven, having hit page 200 of the manuscript in late August. Writing is slow but sure, and I’m having a ball with it. This WIP is different from anything else I’ve written, but it builds upon some of the more magical elements of Moose Tracks and is what I’d call a “Five People You Meet in Heaven meets Disney’s Soul” type of novel. I think the term is metaphysical fiction.

If you’ve read The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, you’ll have an idea of type of book I’m writing, but with bit brighter tone, as suits the main character, Jesse. If you’ve read Moose Tracks on the Road to Heaven you’ll know exactly who I mean. 😉

Anyway, I know it’s been a while since I posted here, but all is well. Retirement is great for no paperwork, but challenging when you’re in the sandwich generation, caring for an elderly parent and also caring for young adult children and young grandchildren (not to mention husband and home lol). Writing happens and ideas are always brewing. I’ll get more into aspects of this WIP as I go along. It’s challenging in that I need to research various time periods and places along the way, which slows me down. But I love it and believe it’ll be a story that will help others as as well as entertain.

If you’d like more updates than I’m able to post here on my website/blog, I invite you to come over to my FB author page (Mary Reed McCall, Author) or better yet my Instagram page (mrmwriter). I’ve had it for years, but in the past year I’ve been posting regularly and trying to grow it. As you can see, I don’t have much of a following – YET, haha! I don’t worry too much about that though, concentrating on posting writing and “cozy”-themed content on a regular basis there, since I’ve become a fan of reels. 🙂 Reels allow the addition of music, which I love, and I get a little creative fix as well, by crafting the content.

Pinned at the top of my Instragram are reels about all my books, and sprinkled throughout are reels for each of my published books so far (with the exception of Moose Tracks on the Road to Heaven…I just haven’t gotten to that one yet). I’ve had a ball creating them, talking about what sparked each book idea, research tidbits, background information of the publication process, a peek at the printed out manuscripts, copy edits, cover art and revision letters with editorial comments, little excerpts etc etc.

A screenshot of my Instagram page

For a change I sometimes post recipe reels like this one about making a yummy foccacia bread among other tasty foods and libations.

So, if you’re so inclined, I hope you’ll head over to instagram as give me a follow on Instagram to keep even more current with what’s happening in my writing world. With that I’ll say goodbye for now and get back to work on Jesse’s story. As always, Happy Reading and thanks for checking in!

Day Job Retirement…and New Writing!

2 Comments
Writing at the kitchen table last summer with my trusty companion, who is now almost 18 years old.

It’s been a while since I posted, and as is always the case life marches on with or without us checking in. In MY case, during that interim I’ve retired after 32 years as an English Literature teacher, and I’m working now to restart my writing career. As of today, I’m 141 pages into a new manuscript that will be a spin-off of sorts from my latest published novel, Moose Tracks on the Road to Heaven.

This new novel is still vintage MRM-style novel fiction, but with a slight shift in focus. For the past 8 years, my tagline has read, “Humorous, quirky, poignant, and inspiring, with a touch of something magical“, and the new novel takes the leap to hit a bit harder on the magical part, in setting at least.

The main character is Jesse James Wilder, from Moose Tracks on the Road to Heaven, and if you’ve read that novel, then you know why the magical part is needed. Think Disney’s Soul blended with Albom’s The Five People You Meet in Heaven, blended with Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas and you might start to get an idea where I’ve been going.

I love working on this novel because it takes me back to my roots as an historical writer, immersing me in deep research about people, language, customs, and lifestyles in Ancient Mesopotamia, Ancient Rome, 8th century Sweden, medieval England, 19th century China, and several other locales and times. Loads of fun, but also time consuming. At the heart of this novel is a really important message though, so I keep whittling away to bring my vision into a form that includes all the elements readers have told me over the past two+ decades that they love about my work: characters to care about, deep emotions, exciting events happening in engaging and realistic settings, underpinned by meaningful themes and messages about the nature of life, love, honor, and what matters most.

Stay tuned here for any updates as I go. It may take a while, but I’m working away at it, never fear. To all of my die-hard readers and fans, thank you for your continued support. For anyone new to me here, I invite you to peruse all of my novels with free excerpts through “The Books” link on the left side of the homepage here. And as always, thank you to everyone for coming along with me on my journey!

A Moment of Beauty

Leave a comment

A little moment of beauty in a stressful time. I picked these a few minutes ago from the grass around the house to make a mini bouquet.

I’ve been doing this every spring since I can remember. I’d always pick them for Ma when I was a child and every year growing up until I no longer lived at home, and then I’d pick them to remember those wonderful years.

Pa once told me that wild violets were among his beloved mother’s favorite flowers. She died about seven months before I was born, but I knew Pa had loved her deeply, and they gave me one little connection to the grandma I’d never know.

Since 1991 I’ve put my little bouquet in this tiny vase, purchased from a small secondhand street seller in London on my husband’s and my August 1990 honeymoon. Another happy memory to add to the ritual.

And this year more than most, I am so grateful for all those 50 years of memories, woven like a tapestry in my heart. ♥️

Winter Wonderland

8 Comments

Winter 2019 WRitingeditedI know many people who live in “snowy” zones are often either fantasizing about a tropical vacation or waiting to retire and move to a warmer climate.

Not me, though.  Although I’m getting a teensy bit tired of the constant white and gray and brown landscape, mornings like this one, with a brilliant blue sky, make my heart sing.

I’m a winter baby, so maybe I’m just predisposed to enjoy this season. I enjoy the cold, snow, howling winds, crystal clear skies, frosted tree branches, and the fresh silence of the air after a snowfall.

This photo is of a street near my house this morning, as I drove off on the 40 minute journey to my teaching job. We had another six inches of fresh snow last night, and the plows are having a tougher time piling it up on the sides of the street. But isn’t it beautiful?  All fresh and cleanly white. 🙂

HUGE Price Reduction!

Leave a comment

MooseTracks_CoverFor the Months of July and August, we’re celebrating summer and beach reading…so we’re offering Moose Tracks On the Road to Heaven on kindle for just 99 cents!

The price has NEVER been this low on this full-length (in print it’s trade-sized and over 320 pages) novel.

Go HERE and click on the cover to read a FREE excerpt.

Snap it up now, while you can.  Happy summer – and Happy Reading!

It’s Been A Long Time…

3 Comments

Mary RM editedIt’s been a very long time since my last post. I have no reason other than the usual one for many: a very full life outside of my writing life – along with some unexpected bumps in the road and a close family member’s ongoing recovery from a very difficult circumstance.

However, I am back, and I will strive to be more present here.

I have a backlog of recipes/cooking to offer up.

The Crimson Lady

The Crimson Lady, originally released in 2003 and re-released in 2012

I also have several interesting and quirky experiences to share, and some book talk too. I’m mulling ideas (and have begun a prequel novella to my medieval romance The Crimson Lady; The original novel follows Fiona Byrne in the years after she’d fled London and the notorious existence she’d had there. She’d been sold as a young woman into a life of sin, purchased by a powerful nobleman who is as depraved as he is handsome, and turned into England’s most desired courtesan: Giselle de Coeur, “The Crimson Lady”. The prequel is called “Becoming the Crimson Lady” and details just how she was transformed from a street urchin to the sought-after courtesan…and what led to her ultimate escape).

I have a few other ideas rolling around that are not tied to works I’ve already written, but we’ll see what transpires.

MooseTracks_CoverIn the meantime, my latest, “Fried Green Tomatoes of the Adirondacks style”, very loosely and semi-autobiographical novel Moose Tracks on the Road To Heaven is still available for only $3.99 in digital and $13.99 in trade-sized print.

I’m not reading too much lately, outside of material for work (endless papers, exams etc), but a title I’m reading a bit at a time, because it fascinates me, is Change the Story of Your Health: Using Shamanic and Jungian Techniques for Healing by Carl Greer, PhD, PsyD. Has anyone else read this book or something similar?

Lastly, the school year is finally wrapping up for 2017. This will mean more free time to write (and visit here!) but less than when I was building this site, due to some of those life circumstances I mentioned in the first paragraph. It will still be a change of schedule, and I am looking forward to embracing all that the summer has to offer, in my personal life, in the great beauty of nature, and in a bit of travel, writing, relaxation, and family time.

How about you? What are your plans for the next few months? I’d love to hear in the comments.

Thanks for visiting!

In Bloom

1 Comment

imageOver the weekend, my backdoor garden has come into bloom.

Except for a bit of weeding (which I, sadly, rarely get to), this garden is self-sustaining, filled with perennials, many of them gifted to me by my dear father before he died. The tea roses are from cuttings he brought from the Homestead (originally brought there from his mother’s tea roses in Massachusetts). My Grandma Reed died the summer before I was born, but I feel like I “know” her a little through the stories my father told me about her quiet, intelligent nature, her inventive and hearty cooking, and her beautiful flower gardens.

The iris are quintessentially my father: he loved this kind of large, colorful – and some scented – iris. These are all gifts from him, with his favorite being what he called the “blue and whites” that are in the foreground. I feature one, even, in my family-life-love-loss-hope-filled novel Moose Tracks on the Road to Heaven.

We spoke many times about the mysteries of life, the Universe, energies, and what the afterlife might hold. I detail some of those conversations and thoughts in the novel as well – but I like to think that the tangible  beauty of this garden speaks to that in a different way. It blooms every year, all on its own, bringing joy, a feast for the senses, and happy memories that keep uplifting emotions and treasured people in the forefront of my thoughts.

And it reminds me yet again that love might change form, but it never truly dies.

Spring Sights

Leave a comment

imageSpotted on back roads leading to Daughter #2’s voice lesson (her wonderful voice teacher lives about an hour distant in the countryside…well worth the trip!) The sheep looked content…and curious.

 

imageAfter this first pic on the left was snapped (at a Stop sign), the two sheep in front, who had been grazing when we first pulled up, raised their heads and stared at us. We “spoke” for a bit and then we continued on our way. 🙂

Print Advertising – Yes or No?

5 Comments

Moose Tracks SUM.16 Third Vertical V05I suppose that’s not really a fair question in that I’m committed to this first stab at print advertising…I’ve already paid the fee to have a print ad produced and for it to appear in in the Summer and Autumn quarterly issues of Foreword Reviews, in an effort to maximize on the news that Moose Tracks on the Road to Heaven (which is on sale now!) has been named a finalist in their prestigious Book of the Year Awards.

As I’m sure you’ve already deduced, this is the ad. What do you think? It was created (with some back and forth input from me) by talented graphic designer Barbara Hodge, who works freelance but also works in a design capacity for Foreword Reviews as well. It will be 1/3 of a page in the glossy print magazine (which is also available to subscribers in a digital reader online).

I guess I’m tossing the question from the post’s title out there to see what any of your thoughts on the matter are. I don’t have a background in marketing, nor am I a large-scale book-buyer (though I do buy a LOT of books! 🙂 ).

Basically, I’m wondering whether or not you as a consumer believe that print ads have any effect on your purchasing choices…or if you are an author, if print ads have been successful or not for you or other authors you know? I’m trying a few different things, and though I realize there are many “free” ways to market (like a web presence etc), my efforts at that are often sporadic, as many of you who follow me here know, due to life/day job circumstances outside my control; that’s why I’m looking to widen the process where I can.

So…please chime in! Do print ads work for you as a reader, buyer, or author? What makes you “notice” and try the work of a new author? I’m open to any and all suggestions (though depending on the cost of them in time or money, I may not be able to actually put them into practice, LOL) 🙂

Fire away with your thoughts (and/or feedback on this particular ad…I’m all ears!)!

 

Award-Winning Novel SALE!

Leave a comment

MooseTracks_CoverFor a limited time…my award-winning, full-length general fiction/women’s fiction novel Moose Tracks on the Road to Heaven is available in e-book from Amazon for just $3.99! That’s $10 off the print price!

Described as “Fried Green Tomatoes meets Prairie Home Companion”, this novel is set in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains and is over 100,000 words/300+ trade size print pages. If you’ve been waiting to give something new a try, now is your chance.

For those who are new to this site, you can click on the title to be taken to the book page, where you can read an excerpt and learn more about the book. Click on the word “Amazon” above to be taken to the sale page for your e-book copy. In the meantime, from the back cover blurb:

“…Humorous, poignant, and endearing (Moose Tracks on the Road to Heaven)…is a tender foray into the emotional landscape of family, friendship, and the kind of love that transcends boundaries, weaving an inspiring tale about what it means to hang on before learning to let go . . . and remembering how to keep living when you lose someone you love.”

I hope you’ll give it a try, and enjoy a new read at a bargain!