Category Archives: Short Fiction

Professional Wednesday: Three Ways To Help Your Short Fiction Submission, and Three Ways To Doom It

Posted on December 21, 2022 by dbjackson

The deadline for submissions to Artifice and Craft, the anthology I’m co-editing with Edmund Schubert for Zombies Need Brains, is ten days away. December 31. As of this writing, we are closing in on 400 submissions. The anthology will have … Continue reading →

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Professional Wednesday: Planning For Next Year — Try Something New!

Posted on December 14, 2022 by dbjackson

As you know, early in 2023 I will be coming out with a new urban fantasy series that is steeped in Celtic mythology. Before working on this series, I hadn’t known much about Celtic lore. But I did my research, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bell Bridge Books, Business of publishing, Invasives, Islevale Cycle, Novels, Publishing, Radiants, Short Fiction, The Chalice War, Thieftaker, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Professional Wednesday: Planning For Next Year — Try Something New!

Professional Wednesday: Special Guest Joelle Presby

Posted on November 2, 2022 by dbjackson

I first met Joelle Presby several years back at a convention, and I was struck straight off by a number of things. 1) She’s just plain nice. That’s certainly not unheard of in the publishing world, but it’s also not … Continue reading →

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Professional Wednesday: In Which I Ask You, What Should I Write Next?

Posted on October 19, 2022 by dbjackson

As I discussed at length in last week’s Professional Wednesday post, I have recently completed a first draft of the third book in my contemporary Celtic urban fantasy, The Chalice Wars. The novel needs to sit for a while before … Continue reading →

Posted in Belle Books, Business of publishing, Ethan Kaille, Fantasy, Friendship, Invasives, Novels, Publishing, Radiants, Short Fiction, The Chalice Wars, Thieftaker, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Professional Wednesday: In Which I Ask You, What Should I Write Next?

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 →

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Professional Wednesday: Writing For a Themed Anthology . . . And My Story Idea Revealed!

Posted on August 31, 2022 by dbjackson

With the Zombies Need Brains Kickstarter well underway, and our pledges slowly creeping up on our ambitious funding goal (four anthologies instead of three this year, to mark ZNB’s 10th anniversary!), it is time for my yearly “Writing For a … Continue reading →

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Professional Wednesday: What We Can Learn About Writing From a Horny Bluebird

Posted on May 4, 2022 by dbjackson

I got you with the title, didn’t I? I thought I might. The horny bluebird in question lives in our yard and is so hopped up on testosterone, so eager to make himself THE player among breeding bluebirds in the … Continue reading →

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Monday Musings: The Power of Professional Friendships

Posted on April 25, 2022 by dbjackson

Coming off a fun, productive weekend at JordanCon in Atlanta, I find myself thinking about the power of professional friendships. I am fortunate beyond measure to have a wonderful life partner, children I adore, family (immediate and extended) who mean … Continue reading →

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Professional Wednesday: I’m Stuck

Posted on April 13, 2022 by dbjackson

My muse, on the other hand, is a peripatetic tramp who can’t be counted on to show up at any given time on any given day. If I had to wait for that bastard to show in order to write … Continue reading →

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Professional Wednesday: Most Important Lessons — Trust Yourself, Trust Your Reader

Posted on March 9, 2022 by dbjackson

Today, I’m introducing a new feature for my Professional Wednesday posts: “Most Important Lessons.” We are coming up on the 28th anniversary of the start of my career (which I trace to the offer I received from Tor Books on … Continue reading →

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