Monthly Archives: February 2021

Creative Friday: Rime and Mist

Posted on February 26, 2021 by dbjackson

Late last week, after days of snow and freezing temperatures, we finally had a much needed thaw. But before the thaw began, I took a Friday morning walk out to Jackson Lake, a spot I have visited often in the … Continue reading →

Posted in nature, photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Creative Friday: Rime and Mist

Professional Wednesdays: Lessons From Manuscript Critiques — Simple Is Better

Posted on February 24, 2021 by dbjackson

I am reading stories right now for a teaching gig I have coming up in early March. I’ll be running a critique workshop, and so I not only have to read and comment on the manuscripts, I also should take … Continue reading →

Posted in Novels, Publishing, Setting, Short Fiction, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Professional Wednesdays: Lessons From Manuscript Critiques — Simple Is Better

Monday Musings: My Declaration of Creative Independence

Posted on February 22, 2021 by dbjackson

So many professional issues on my mind today — I’m finding it hard to organize my thoughts into something coherent. These remain hard times for creators. Writers, musicians and composers, visual artists of all sorts, actors and directors, dancers and … Continue reading →

Posted in Business of publishing, Family, Friendship, Novels, Publishing, Short Fiction, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Monday Musings: My Declaration of Creative Independence

Creative Friday: SITTIN’ IN Fifty (!) Years Later

Posted on February 19, 2021 by dbjackson

For this week’s Creative Friday post, I’m doing something a little different, and writing about someone else’s creativity. Lately, I have been on a kick of going back to old music that I once loved but lost touch with along … Continue reading →

Posted in Fun, History, Music | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Creative Friday: SITTIN’ IN Fifty (!) Years Later

Professional Wednesday: Thoughts After Virtual Boskone

Posted on February 17, 2021 by dbjackson

Boskone was held this past weekend. Virtually, of course. It has quickly become one of my favorite conventions, and it was the only in-person convention I attended last year (not counting the SAGA professional workshop) before COVID shut down the … Continue reading →

Posted in Appearances, Boston, Business of publishing, Family, Friendship, Fun, Publishing, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Professional Wednesday: Thoughts After Virtual Boskone

Monday Musings: Beyond Impeachment

Posted on February 15, 2021 by dbjackson

I really didn’t want to write another Monday Musings post about Donald Trump. I would like to be shot of him, just like a majority of the country. And (this is Washington’s dirty little secret) just like a majority of … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Monday Musings: Beyond Impeachment

Creative Friday: More Snow Photos!

Posted on February 12, 2021 by dbjackson

This has been an unusual winter for us. We’ve had several snowfalls, none of them huge, but almost all of them significant enough to turn our pretty little town into a wonderland. This past weekend was no exception. A snowfall … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, nature, photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Creative Friday: More Snow Photos!

Thieftaker Cover Reveal! THE LOYALIST WITCH

Posted on February 11, 2021 by dbjackson

I shared this with subscribers to my newsletter and Facebook Group on Tuesday, along with another in a series of teasers from the new Thieftaker project. Now, here for all to see, is the artwork for the new Thieftaker novellas … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethan Kaille, Fantasy, History, Mystery, Publishing, Short Fiction, Thieftaker, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Thieftaker Cover Reveal! THE LOYALIST WITCH

Professional Wednesday: Placing Your Inciting Moment In the Right Spot

Posted on February 10, 2021 by dbjackson

Generally speaking, writers — from beginners to professionals — know what it means to have an inciting moment for our stories. The inciting moment is the occurrence that sets in motion all the events that constitute our narrative — Luke … Continue reading →

Posted in movies, Novels, Short Fiction, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Professional Wednesday: Placing Your Inciting Moment In the Right Spot

Monday Musings: Sports and COVID

Posted on February 8, 2021 by dbjackson

Last year, on the weekend of the Super Bowl, I wrote a post for that following Monday about the power of sports in our culture. In it, I noted that the Big Game was one of the few truly shared … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Fun, History, Sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Monday Musings: Sports and COVID