News About THIEFTAKER!

Posted on August 31, 2011 by dbjackson

Okay, some of the news is not so good.  The official hardcover release date for Thieftaker, book 1 of The Thieftaker Chronicles, has been pushed back once more, this time to July 2012.

But other than that, it’s all good news.  That July 2012 release date from Tor is firm.  That’s when the book will be out.  We have several terrific cover quotes from some truly excellent authors.  And we have cover art.  Beautiful cover art.  Perfect cover art, from artist Chris McGrath.

I’ll be sharing all of this in the coming weeks and months, as well as new short fiction in the Thieftaker universe and information on my 2012 appearance schedule.  So stay tuned:  It won’t be too long, now!

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A Change of Pace: A Ribs Recipe!

Posted on July 7, 2011 by dbjackson

Yeah, I know.  This has nothing to do with history or Boston or writing or any of the other things I normally post about on this blog.  But my house smells really, REALLY good right now, and I thought I’d tell you why.

Let me start by saying that my older daughter, who I love very, very much, is a vegetarian.  She has been for some time — since she was 13 (she’s 16 now).  She’s committed to that lifestyle choice, and my wife and I have done everything we can to support her.  But she’s away right now, and while we miss her, we also know an opportunity when we see it.  Because my wife, younger daughter, and I are still carnivores.

So today, I’m making ribs.  Baby back ribs.  Fall-off-the-bone baby back ribs.  I start with a marinade of kosher salt, sugar, chili powders, dried peppers (chipotle, ancho), coriander, dried garlic, and a few other herbs and spices.  Most of the rub is mixed with olive oil and a bit of water to make a fairly thick paste.  The rest of the rub I set aside as a powder. I spread the paste over the ribs and then sprinkle on the leftover rub, thoroughly covering both sides of the racks.  (This time I cut the racks in half, to make them more manageable.)  I leave the ribs in the marinade for a couple of days (refrigerated, of course).  Then, I brown them on the grill for about 20 minutes.  Enough to cook the meat and get a nice barbecue finish on the outside.  Finally, I tightly double wrap each rack in foil, leaving one end slightly open, and pour one bottle of beer per rack into the foil cocoon along with the left over marinade.  I then finish sealing the cocoon, so that none of the liquid can spill out.  I’m making three full racks, so essentially I wind up with three double wrapped foil cocoons, each holding a rack of ribs, a beer, and some marinade.  I put the cocoons on a large baking sheet and stick them in the oven, pre-heated to 250 degrees.  And I leave them there for five hours.  Yep.  Five (5) hours.

That’s where we are now.  The ribs are in the oven, the house smells divine, and when dinner time comes around we will feast on the most tender, delicious baby back ribs you can imagine.

Give it a try — it’s a great recipe and a wonderful treat.

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Another Week in Boston’s History

Posted on June 27, 2011 by dbjackson

Another week, another historical trend to share.  I’m going to assume that most of you are familiar with the stuff that was happening 235 years ago (the Continental Congress, the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, etc.) but there was also some interesting stuff going on around this time of year 246 years ago, in the summer of 1765.

In March of that year, the English Parliament had passed what came to be known as the Stamp Act, a revenue bill that placed a tax on all printed matter in the colonies.  Colonial subjects of the Crown responded to the bill with outrage, and nowhere was that response more explosive than in Boston.  During the summer of 1765, all through the thirteen colonies, loose groups of political leaders, all of them opposed to the Stamp Act, began to coalesce into organizations that called themselves the Sons of Liberty.

In Boston, this group came to be led by a number of men whose activism in the face of what they viewed as colonial tyranny would eventually make them famous throughout the American colonies.  The original opposition, however, was made up of a group of nine men who called themselves the Loyal Nine.  They were lesser known — the Nine’s most prominent members were Benjamin Edes and John Avery.  As the group continued to expand and took on the more familiar moniker, Sons of Liberty, these nine were joined by the likes of Paul Revere, James Otis, and Samuel Adams.

Thieftaker, the first volume in the Thieftaker Chronicles, is set against the backdrop of the Stamp Act riots of August 1765.  James Otis and Samuel Adams figure prominently in the story, as do men, like the controversial Ebenezer Mackintosh, a street leader who figured centrally in the riots.  But that is a topic for another post.

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This Week in Boston’s History

Posted on June 17, 2011 by dbjackson

During this week, in 1768, Boston’s royal customs officials, who on June 11 of that year fled the city for the safety of the British Garrison on Castle William, a fortified island in Boston Harbor, petitioned the Crown for military intervention.  The customs men had ordered the seizure of John Hancock’s ship, Liberty, which they believed (with good cause) to be carrying contraband wine.  The seizure of the ship led to rioting which left the customs men feeling threatened, prompting their flight to Castle William.

The Liberty controversy was the catalyst for a series of confrontations between the royal Governor of Massachusetts, Francis Bernard, and the Massachusetts General Court, which was led by, among others, Samuel Adams.  These confrontations culminated in the arrival in Boston of British troops in late September 1768, and the commencement of the city’s occupation under royal decree.

I bring this up because the beginning of the occupation provides the historical backdrop for the second book in the Thieftaker Chronicles.  The book is tentatively titled The Dead Ship, and it once again finds Ethan Kaille investigating a murder committed with magic.  He must find the sorcerer responsible while threading his way through the ongoing struggle for power between loyalists and patriots, and while also keeping one step ahead of his rival, the lovely Sephira Pryce.

This second volume in the Thieftaker series is finished, but is still being edited and revised.

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Podcast Interview Available!

Posted on April 19, 2011 by dbjackson

Last fall I visited Calgary, Alberta, where I was Guest of Honor at ConVersion (appearing as David B. Coe).  While there, I met Mike Plested, an aspiring writer who hosts a podcast called the Irreverent Muse.  Recently I sat down with Mike for an interview.  That interview is now up at Mike’s blogsite and available for download.  Here is the link.  Check it out and enjoy!

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JordanCon!

Posted on April 14, 2011 by dbjackson

This weekend, April 15-17, I will be literary Guest of Honor at JordanCon in Atlanta, under my other writing name, David B. Coe.  If you happen to be in the area please stop in and say hello.  Other guests at the convention include Brandon Sanderson, Eugie Foster, and my good friend Jana Oliver.  Hope to see you there!

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AFTER HOURS Reviews!

Posted on March 30, 2011 by dbjackson

Reviews of After Hours:  Tales from the Ur-Bar are starting to appear online, and the response to the anthology has been overwhelmingly positive.  A few reviewers are even taking note of “The Tavern Fire,” which is flattering given the quality of the stories in the collection.

April Steenburgh’s review can be found here.

Science Fiction and Other ODDysseys’ review is here.

And the Night Owl review is here.

Also, if you visit the After Hours LiveJournal page, you can enter a contest to win signed books from all the authors in the anthology, including yours truly (although written under my other pen name).  So check out the reviews and the site.  And then go out and get yourself a copy of the anthology!

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Free to Write

Posted on March 23, 2011 by dbjackson

Been a while in between posts.  Sorry for that.  Spent a week out West traveling with my family (and enjoying a memorable birthday in the Grand Canyon).

But I’m back now, feeling refreshed and eager to work.  As I’ve mentioned before (here and elsewhere) this is an odd year for me.  Aside from “The Tavern Fire” (now out in the After Hours anthology) I have no original book releases this calendar year.  The third book of my most recent trilogy (written under another name) comes out in December, but in terms of writing, that series is a bit old.

Fortunately, I have lots of other projects keeping me busy now.  Thieftaker is in production, and still on schedule for a May 2012 release.  The second (as yet untitled) book in the Chronicles of the Thieftaker is complete and with my editor.  I have recently finished work on a middle reader book and have sent it off to my agent to get her opinion on it.  And I have just started a new contemporary urban fantasy.  In fact, I completed chapter 1 today.

There are times when I like to throw myself fully into a single project.  While I was writing the first two Thieftaker books, I steeped myself in that world, and was happy to do so.  I loved the stories, the characters, the research.  I’m looking forward to getting back to that series eventually.  But right now I’m flitting from project to project, like a hummingbird darting from feeder to feeder.  And I’m loving it.  Everything feels fresh, new, exciting.  There is no pressure — I have no deadlines except those I’ve given myself.  I’m free to write what I want when I want to.  I wouldn’t want to work this way all the time.  Deadlines mean contracts and contracts mean money.  I’m a businessman, after all.  I do this for a living.  But for now, this freedom feels great.

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Back From StellarCon

Posted on March 7, 2011 by dbjackson

I am back home after my weekend at StellarCon, which was terrific.  Cons tend to remind me of what I love about being a writer, and to leave me energized.  This one was no different.  I’ve been pretty excited about my work anyway, and the convention just reinforced that.

I had a great time reconnecting with friends, and also got to meet some new people.  I did a reading of “The Tavern Fire,” which was well-received despite the fact that the story is longer than I thought and longer than the half-hour I was allotted for my reading.  I got some good feedback on the story, and also on the first Thieftaker book from two of my Beta Readers, who were at the con as well.

As I say, a great convention, a fun weekend.  Feeling very fortunate to do this for a living.

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StellarCon!

Posted on March 3, 2011 by dbjackson

I leave first thing tomorrow for High Point, North Carolina, where I will be a guest at StellarCon.  I may be masquerading as someone else — a certain fantasy author — but trust me:  I’ll be there.  I hope to see as many of you as possible at the convention.  Please stop by and say hello!  (If you can find me…)

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