Author Archives: dbjackson

Professional Wednesday: Eliminating Excess Verbiage, Part I

Posted on April 19, 2023 by dbjackson

As I mentioned in a recent post, I have been doing a tremendous amount of editing and revising these past several months. Between co-editing (with Edmund Schubert) the Artifice and Craft anthology for Zombies Need Brains, revising my upcoming Chalice … Continue reading →

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Monday Musings: For Our Adult Children

Posted on April 17, 2023 by dbjackson

We want them to be happy, but we know happiness is elusive, and we remember being their age and struggling to find joy ourselves. We want them to be safe, but we know a safe life is not likely to … Continue reading →

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Monday Musings: Places I Want To Visit

Posted on April 10, 2023 by dbjackson

As spring begins and summer looms, I find myself thinking more and more about travel. I already have a couple of trips planned for a bit later in the year — a trip to Denver, Colorado and Laramie, Wyoming in … Continue reading →

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Professional Wednesday: When To Fight an Edit, and When To Let it Go

Posted on April 5, 2023 by dbjackson

I know my knee-jerk response is not always my wisest response. All of us who have gone through the editorial process are familiar with the conundrum: We want to work with our editors. We want to cultivate reputations for being … Continue reading →

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Monday Musings: Missing a Missing Friend

Posted on April 3, 2023 by dbjackson

We lived in Australia for a year back in the mid 2000s, when our daughters were in primary school. Alex, the older one, turned 11 while we were there. Erin turned 7. Both girls were already swimming competitively here at … Continue reading →

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Professional Wednesday: 2023 Is 1/4 Gone — What Have You Done?

Posted on March 29, 2023 by dbjackson

Spring is here. April is knocking on the door. 2023 is just about one quarter gone (a thought that sends me into a frenzied panic) and with the first three months of the year nearly over, I felt this would … Continue reading →

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Monday Musings: The Things We Say, The Things We Don’t Say

Posted on March 27, 2023 by dbjackson

Let’s begin with a couple of quick exercises. First, I want you to pause for a moment and think of someone you’re fond of to whom you have something to say, something you haven’t yet said. Think of your feelings … Continue reading →

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Professional Wednesday: What Holds Me Back, part III — Imposter Syndrome and Other Insecurities

Posted on March 22, 2023 by dbjackson

Continuing my series of posts on “What Holds Me Back,” I turn today to more difficult issues. In my experience, the greatest challenges creators face are emotional ones, and I have struggled with such things throughout my career. This is … Continue reading →

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Monday Musings: Joni Mitchell and the Creative Journey

Posted on March 20, 2023 by dbjackson

Recently, I have been reading a biography of Joni Mitchell (a holiday gift from my older daughter), a long-time favorite of mine and, in my opinion, the finest songwriter in the history of rock and roll (more on that shortly). … Continue reading →

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Creative Friday: THE CHALICE WAR: CAULDRON Cover Reveal!!

Posted on March 17, 2023 by dbjackson

As I have mentioned previously, the release of the first book in my upcoming Celtic urban fantasy, The Chalice War (Bell Bridge Books), has been delayed. We had hoped for February. It will be May. After that, though, the other … Continue reading →

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