Tag Archives: Sarah J. Sover

Blogging, D.B. Jackson, David B. Coe, editing, Falstaff Books, Invasives, Radiants

A Thanksgiving Post, and Something For Which I’m Thankful

This is not my typical Thanksgiving post, although, before I dive into it, I do want to say that I am thankful for so much: my family, my friends, the wonderful memories I have of those I have lost and the enduring bonds I have with so many who are reading these words. Thank you. I am grateful for my new home, for the daily comforts I take for granted most of the year, and for the opportunities I have been privileged to enjoy throughout my life.

I am also, of course, grateful for my writing career, which brings us a little closer to the core of this post.

It’s no secret that my family and I have been through a rough period, and that during that time, I virtually stopped writing. I continued to post here when I could, but I did not write any original fiction for more than two years.

This fall, I decided I’d had enough of not writing. A few weeks ago, the Kickstarter for the Disruptive Intent anthology that I will be co-editing with the fabulous Sarah J. Sover for Falstaff Books funded. That meant not only that I will have more editing to do before too long, but also that, at the request (insistence? direct order?) of John Hartness, head of Falstaff, I will be writing a short story for the project.

I am truly delighted to report that, as of about a week and a half ago, I have started writing said short story, which will be set in my Radiants universe.RADIANTS, by David B. Coe (Jacket art by Belle Books)

Yes, I am writing fiction again.

It’s coming quite slowly right now. But I am making progress each day and now have nearly half the story drafted. It’s not very good. Not yet. I may have to scrap much of what I’ve committed to phosphors thus far. That, though, is beside the point. I am writing. Finally. It feels really good.INVASIVES, by David B. Coe (Jacket art courtesy of Belle Books)

Before starting on the fiction, I actually took a couple of weeks and wrote about Alex, about losing her, about our relationship, about my grief, about the complex tangle of emotions that seemed to be getting in the way of my creativity. Those words I will never share with anyone. I just knew that I needed to write them before I could move on. The writing was painful, but it was also freeing. A lesson there, I believe. Writing is not always about producing words for publication. Sometimes it is catharsis. Sometimes it is a means of processing emotions that cannot be addressed in any other way. That, at least, is how it sometimes is for me.

In any case, I wanted to share this.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all. May you be surrounded by love and laughter.

Blogging, D.B. Jackson, David B. Coe, editing, Falstaff Books, Writing

Professional Wednesday: New Anthology Project In The Offing!!

Disruptive Intent announcementIn the next week or so, we — Sarah J. Sover, the good people at Falstaff Books, and me — will be starting a Kickstarter for a new anthology, Disruptive Intent.

Sarah and I will be co-editing the collection. Falstaff Books will be publishing it. And we have a terrific lineup of authors who have committed to submitting stories. The theme of Disruptive Intent is, essentially, stories that have a key element challenging the political/social/cultural orthodoxy of this moment in history. Each story will be accompanied by an author’s note, detailing their intent and their reasons for challenging that orthodoxy as they have. Ever wonder while reading a story, “Did the author mean to do that?” Well, wonder no longer!

We are not yet announcing who our authors are — that will come as we draw nearer to the start of the Kickstarter. But trust me: You’re going to want to read these stories. As for my fellow editor, Sarah J. Sover, author of the Fractured Fae series, is as wonderful a writer as she is a person. She is passionate about this project, and like our other authors, she is committed to writing a story as well as editing. And, for the record, I’m committed to writing one, too.

Our publisher, of course, is Falstaff Books, owned and operated by the shy and retiring (/snort) John G. Hartness. So, you know the book is going to be beautifully produced, reasonably priced, and packed with the sort of innovative, exciting stories for which Falstaff is known.

So, watch this space for updated Kickstarter information and author announcements! And help us meet our funding goal!

Blogging, D.B. Jackson, David B. Coe, editing, Falstaff Books, Radiants, Thieftaker Chronicles, Winds of the Forelands, Writing, Zombies Need Brains

Friday Musings: Checking In and Sharing a Song From Alex

Summer is speeding by, and I have been terribly remiss in keeping up with my blog. For those who have reached out to me in recent weeks, asking if I am okay, the short answer is, “Yes, I am.” I won’t claim to be wondrously fantastic, because you wouldn’t believe me if I did. But I am well.

Our new house continues to feel more and more like home. The house itself is pretty much where we would like it to be at this point. A few more doors, door frames, and window frames need painting, but that can wait for cooler weather. We have found a couple of pieces of furniture to fill gaps in the three-season room on the back of the house, and we now have outdoor furniture for the backyard patio. All we need now is a fire pit for the fall. The yard looks great — Nancy has been planting and transplanting and weeding, and I have been keeping the grass under control with my new (used) standing mower. (If you don’t know what a standing mower is, look them up. This thing actually makes cutting the lawn sort of fun.)

We have a large flock of Wild Turkeys that walks through the yard a couple of times each day. How large? Five hens and twenty-two growing chicks. The young were adorable when they were little fuzzballs. Now they’re bigger, more awkward — like adolescents — but still dependent on their moms. Apparently it really does take a village… We also have a White-tailed doe and two fawns who show up most evenings while we’re eating dinner in the back room. And there is a young buck, with velvet still on his antlers, who appears to be shadowing them. Add to that our hummingbird family, the Indigo Buntings and Chipping Sparrows, and our local Cooper’s hawk, and we have a nice selection of wildlife paying us visits on a daily basis.

I have recently finished reading slush for the Skulls X Bones anthology I am editing with Joshua Palmatier for release from Zombies Need Brains. Soon, we will be making our final choices of which stories to include and will begin the actual editing of the manuscripts. And already I am working on my next editing project, which will be for Falstaff Books with the fabulous Sarah J. Sover. More details to come.

RADIANTS, by David B. Coe (Jacket art by Belle Books)As for writing, I have still not done much at all. But that might be changing soon. There are a lot of moving parts to this development, and nothing is set in stone yet, but for fans of the Radiants books, who have wondered if I ever planned to go back to those stories, stay tuned . . . . Yes, I know that I have promised a return to the Thieftaker universe as well, not to mention a reissue of Winds of the Forelands, which I have had on the back burner for years now. Those will be coming eventually as well. I am slowly working my way back into a writing mindset. I would ask for your patience, as I continue to heal and find my emotional footing again.

Nancy and I have been out to see Erin in Colorado, and will be seeing her again before too long. We have plans for multiple trips later this summer and into the fall, and are also looking forward to welcoming some guests to our home.

Other than that, life has been sailing along. We see family and friends. We watch our favorite shows and listen to music. We cook fun foods and taste new whiskeys. I have been playing music as well, polishing long-neglected guitar skills and trying to retrain my voice.

Alex, of course, is a constant presence in my thoughts. I am learning to live with my grief, to honor her memory in ways that do justice to the loss while also allowing me to function and breathe and be thankful for all that we still have in our lives. At the risk of misspeaking for Nancy and Erin, I believe it is a journey for all of us. There’s no real end point. It is just the reality of our world now, and always will be. Not long ago, I shared a song with my guitar buddy and dear, dear friend, Alan Goldberg. It was a tune I first heard on a mix CD Alex made for me when she was in high school, a tune I hadn’t listened to in several years, since well before her death. I knew he would love the song, but I was also afraid to play it for him. I didn’t know how I would feel upon hearing it again.

I needn’t have worried. It brought a smile. It made me feel close to her, thankful for this tiny gift she had given me — one gift among so, so many. Did it make me miss her? Of course, but it’s not like I need help in that regard. And the sweet memories that came with the melody were a balm.

Here is the song. Enjoy your weekend. Hug those you love.