Category Archives: Novels

Professional Wednesday: Finishing a Book Actually Means More Work

Posted on October 12, 2022 by dbjackson

As I mentioned last week, I have recently finished the third book in my new contemporary Celtic urban fantasy, The Chalice Wars. This book, The Chalice Wars: Sword, will be out sometime fairly early in 2023. Book I, The Chalice … Continue reading →

Posted in Belle Books, Novels, The Chalice Wars, Urban Fantasy, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Professional Wednesday: Finishing a Book Actually Means More Work

Creative Friday: Celtic Urban Fantasy Teaser!!

Posted on October 7, 2022 by dbjackson

This week, I finished the first draft of the third and final book in my new project, a contemporary Celtic urban fantasy called The Chalice Wars. I have a lot to do with this newest manuscript still — I’ll discuss … Continue reading →

Posted in Belle Books, Novels, Publishing, Urban Fantasy, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Creative Friday: Celtic Urban Fantasy Teaser!!

Professional Wednesday: “Hidden Brain,” Perception, and Fiction

Posted on October 5, 2022 by dbjackson

On a recent drive I began listening to the Hidden Brain podcast, with the brilliant Shankar Vedantam. I had listened to scattered episodes before, but never in a systematic way. But this was a long drive and I wound up … Continue reading →

Posted in Novels, Reading, Research, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Professional Wednesday: “Hidden Brain,” Perception, and Fiction

Professional Wednesday: Hampton Roads Writers Conference, and the Hardest Writing Topic to Teach (For Me)

Posted on September 21, 2022 by dbjackson

This week I head to the Hampton Roads Writers Conference in Virginia Beach. I’ll be teaching several workshops over the three days I’m there — a two-hour master class on “Point of View and Voice,” a ninety-minute class on “Character … Continue reading →

Posted in Appearances, Character, Novels, Publishing, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Professional Wednesday: Hampton Roads Writers Conference, and the Hardest Writing Topic to Teach (For Me)

Professional Wednesday: Once More Unto The Breach — To Outline or Not, Redux

Posted on September 14, 2022 by dbjackson

After attending DragonCon and speaking on panels about various aspects of writing, I have found myself thinking—yet again—about the age-old debate between those who outline their books and those who don’t. Or, between planners and pantsers, in the parlance of … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Islevale Cycle, Novels, Time's Assassin, Time's Children, Time's Demon, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Professional Wednesday: Once More Unto The Breach — To Outline or Not, Redux

Professional Wednesday: What To Tell Aspiring Writers About The Current Literary Market

Posted on September 7, 2022 by dbjackson

If we have to write — and I’ve always felt that writing is an imperative, something I do to tame the voices in my head, the stories burning in my heart — then we should do it to satisfy that … Continue reading →

Posted in Business of publishing, Family, Novels, Publishing, Short Fiction, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Professional Wednesday: What To Tell Aspiring Writers About The Current Literary Market

Professional Wednesday: Writing Through — A #HoldOnToTheLight Post

Posted on August 24, 2022 by dbjackson

After running away from social media for six weeks, and ignoring publicity opportunities and the like, I feel a little funny offering any professional advice to anyone on anything. Which, I realize, is entirely wrong-headed. Sometimes the stuff we write … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Friendship, Invasives, kids, nature, Novels, parenting, Radiants, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Professional Wednesday: Writing Through — A #HoldOnToTheLight Post

Monday Musings: Wading Back In (and Why I Left)

Posted on August 22, 2022 by dbjackson

Yes, I’m back, dipping my toes cautiously into the social media waters, gauging my mental state. I have a lot going on professionally right now, and I need to write about it, to boost the signal (as the market phrase … Continue reading →

Posted in Belle Books, Business of publishing, Family, kids, nature, Novels, parenting, photography, Publicity, Publishing, travel, Urban Fantasy, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Monday Musings: Wading Back In (and Why I Left)

Professional Wednesday: Dealing With My Latest Editorial Feedback

Posted on July 6, 2022 by dbjackson

I’ve written many times before about dealing with edits on a story or novel manuscript, and I don’t want to repeat myself any more than necessary. But I have just received feedback from my editor on the first book in … Continue reading →

Posted in Belle Books, Invasives, Novels, Publishing, Radiants, Urban Fantasy, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Professional Wednesday: Dealing With My Latest Editorial Feedback

Professional Wednesday: One Hot-Mess of a Writing Post

Posted on June 29, 2022 by dbjackson

Dispensing writing advice when one is struggling a bit with one’s own work can be somewhat strange. Just ask . . . well, me. I am more than 50,000 words into my current work-in-progress, the third book in my Celtic … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Friendship, Novels, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Professional Wednesday: One Hot-Mess of a Writing Post