A month ago today, bombs set off near the finish line of the Boston Marathon killed three people and wounded hundreds. One month. It doesn’t seem like that long ago, and yet the bombing has virtually disappeared from the headlines. The city is healing; I heard a report on NPR this morning about how some semblance of normality has returned to that part of Boston. But for those whose lives were shattered that day, the long, slow, at times painful recovery continues. And you can help them.
The Thieftaker Fundraiser/Giveaway is still up and running, collecting donations for the One Fund for Boston, which will donate every penny to helping the injured, and the families of those who died. We are only about $200 short of the first giveaway: a signed bound manuscript of THIEFTAKER, a collector’s item. But we remain several thousand dollars short of the fundraiser’s goal of $5000.00. If you have already given, thank you. If you have not yet done so, please consider giving a gift today. You don’t have to give a lot; every dollar truly does help. Here is the URL:
http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/DBJacksonThieftaker/thieftakergiveaway
Many thanks.
Today’s post can be found at http://magicalwords.net, the group blog on the business and craft of writing fantasy that I maintain with fellow authors Faith Hunter, Misty Massey, Mindy Klasky, John Hartness, Kalayna Price, and James Tuck, among others. The post is called “On Writing and Creativity: Who Are Our Characters?” In it I discuss the work I do to give my characters personalities, emotions, and even opinions that are unique, and not at all my own. I hope you enjoy the post.
I grew up just outside of New York City. I was a Yankees fan, a Knicks fan, a Rangers fan, a Giants fan. And, as a loyal New Yorker, I have spent much of my life rooting against teams from Boston — the Red Sox, the Celtics, the Bruins (the Patriots too, but they haven’t really been the Boston Patriots since I was a little kid).
On the other hand, I lived for several years in Providence and all of my siblings lived for at least some time in the Boston area. So, while I grew up hating Boston’s teams, I have always loved the city of Boston. When it came time to set my Thieftaker books in a Colonial era city, Boston seemed the logical choice.
The terrorist attack on the Boston Marathon venue left me stunned and grieving, not only for the victims most affected by the bombings, but for the entire city. I still recall my sense of outrage, of violation when my beloved New York was attacked in 2001. I know what the people of Boston are feeling.
And so, it is with deepest sympathy and love and solidarity that transcends lifelong sporting rivalries that I embark on a fundraiser and giveaway to do my small part in helping Boston get back on its feet. Through a website called First Giving, I am hosting a fundraising event the goal of which is to raise $5,000.00 by July 2 (the release date for THIEVES’ QUARRY, and for the paperback reprint of THIEFTAKER) for the Boston Foundation and the One Fund of Boston. If you will help me raise the funds, I’ll make it interesting for you. Here’s how it works:
For each fundraising milestone we reach, I will be giving away prizes to lucky donors.
– When we reach $1000 raised, I will give away one signed uncorrected manuscript of THIEFTAKER. This is a collector’s item — a copy of the manuscript that was sent out to other authors who were asked to blurb the book before its release in 2012.
– 
When we reach $2000, I will give away one Boston Thieftaker’s Guild t-shirt in whatever size the winner wants. The t-shirt can be signed if the winner would like it to be.
– When we reach $3000, I will give away one signed paperback edition of THIEFTAKER. (This book comes out on July 2, so the giveaway will happen then.)
– When we reach $4000, I will give away one signed hardcover edition of THIEVES’ QUARRY. (This book will also be available on July 2 and will be given away then.)
– When we reach $5000, I will give away a second signed paperback of THIEFTAKER and a second signed hardcover of THIEVES’ QUARRY to one lucky donor. (Also to be given away on July 2.)
The donation site can be found here: http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/DBJacksonThieftaker/thieftakergiveaway
I hope you will join me in reaching out to the people of Boston, and doing our part to speed the healing process. And I hope that you’re one of the luck winners.
Thank you.
Today at Magical Words, Book Identity and THE HOBBIT
April 29, 2013
Today’s post can be found at http://magicalwords.net, the group blog on the business and craft of writing fantasy that I maintain with fellow authors Faith Hunter, Misty Massey, Mindy Klasky, John Hartness, Kalayna Price, and James Tuck, among others. The post is called “On Writing: Book Identity, and Why I Didn’t Like THE HOBBIT Movie.” It is about my reaction to the movie adaptation of THE HOBBIT, and the lessons I draw from it for writing. I hope you enjoy the post.
Turning Critiques into Revisions, at Magical Words
April 22, 2013
Today’s post can be found at http://magicalwords.net, the group blog on the business and craft of writing fantasy that I maintain, under the name David B. Coe, with fellow authors Faith Hunter, Misty Massey, Mindy Klasky, John Hartness, Kalayna Price, and James Tuck, among others. The post is called “Your Critique of My Work Revisited.” In it, I return to a passage I posted a couple of months ago for comment and critique by Magical Words readers. Today I discuss the process of turning those criticisms into revision. I hope you enjoy the post.
A Writer’s Manifesto, Today at Magical Words
April 8, 2013
Today’s post can be found at http://magicalwords.net, the group blog on the business and craft of writing fantasy that I maintain with fellow authors Faith Hunter, Misty Massey, Mindy Klasky, John Hartness, Kalayna Price, and James Tuck, among others. The post is called “A Writer’s Manifesto: The Doubts and Resolve of a Midlister.” It’s a statement of why I love to write and continue to pursue a career in writing, despite the frustrations of the publishing business. I hope you enjoy it.
Short Fiction and Worldbuilding at Magical Words
April 1, 2013
Today’s post can be found at http://magicalwords.net, the group blog on the business and craft of writing fantasy that I maintain with fellow authors Faith Hunter, Misty Massey, Mindy Klasky, John Hartness, Kalayna Price, and James Tuck, among others. The post is called “On Writing: Short Fiction and Worldbuilding.” It’s about the differences between setting a short story in a world that you’ve already established for novels, and setting it in a new universe created just for that story. I hope you enjoy it.
A Post About Short Fiction at Magical Words
March 18, 2013
Today’s post can be found at http://magicalwords.net, the group blog on the business and craft of writing fantasy that I maintain with fellow authors Faith Hunter, Misty Massey, Mindy Klasky, John Hartness, Kalayna Price, and James Tuck, among others. The post is called “On Writing: Why I Love Writing Short Fiction.” It’s about the different approaches I take to writing short stories and novels. I hope you enjoy it.
A New Post on Plotting and Pacing at Magical Words
March 11, 2013
Today’s post can be found at http://magicalwords.net, the group blog on the business and craft of writing fantasy that I maintain with fellow authors Faith Hunter, Misty Massey, Mindy Klasky, John Hartness, Kalayna Price, and James Tuck, among others. The post is called “Creative Intersections: Pacing and Plotting.” It’s about the steps I take to blend my plot points and my narrative into a story that flows at what I believe to be the correct pace. I hope you enjoy it.
A Book Giveaway: 17 Books by 17 Awesome Writers!
March 4, 2013
There is a HUGE contest underway. I’m part of it, and you do NOT want to miss it. A group of authors — 17 of us in all — are giving away books to some lucky readers. That’s right: you have a chance to win 17 books by 17 very talented authors (if I do say so myself), all of them writing in the fantasy or alternate history genres. (The image link below, and the website link will both say “16 authors,” but we have since added someone. Trust me: it’s 17.) These authors include, among others, Mary Robinette Kowal, David Liss, Kate Elliott, and yours truly, D.B. Jackson (David B. Coe). (I’m giving away signed copies of Thieftaker.)
The contest is called the Ides of March Book Giveaway, because the winners will be chosen on the Ides, March 15. For every 500 entries, we will give away one set of books; the more people who enter, the more winners! If you want to enter, go to this site.
And if you’d like to see the books you’re trying to win, check out this very cool graphic:
So visit the site, enter the contest, and good luck to you all!
