Category Archives: Novels

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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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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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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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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Professional Wednesday: What Holds Me Back, part II — Building a Platform

Posted on March 15, 2023 by dbjackson

Last week, I started my newest series for the Professional Wednesday feature: “What Holds Me Back.” My first entry was on life in general, and the ways in which we learn to cope with life’s intrusions on our creative output. … Continue reading →

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Professional Wednesday: My Best Mistakes, part IV — Managing Expectations

Posted on March 1, 2023 by dbjackson

For the past several weeks, I have been sharing “My Best Mistakes,” which have included inappropriate remarks at a convention, poor business decisions, and replies to reviews. This week’s “Best Mistake” is a little different, in that it’s less about … Continue reading →

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Professional Wednesday: My Best Mistakes, Part III — Reviews, Damn Reviews, and More Reviews

Posted on February 22, 2023 by dbjackson

Continuing the “My Best Mistakes” series of blog posts . . . . Very early in my career, when my first book, Children of Amarid, was the only one I had out, I responded publicly to a online review from … Continue reading →

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Professional Wednesday: My Best Mistakes, Part II — A Bad Contract Is Worse Than No Contract

Posted on February 15, 2023 by dbjackson

Last week, I kicked off the latest Professional Wednesday blog post series, “My Best Mistakes,” with a humorous story about my behavior at a convention early in my career. I hope you enjoyed it. This week, I turn to more … Continue reading →

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