James D. McCallister

author of the Edgewater County series

The Simmering Topicality of the Confederate Flag Flap and the DIXIANA Series

Regular readers of the blog know of my status not only as a novelist, but that I present myself specifically as a South Carolina novelist, one writing about his time and place. Hell, my original author headshot includes a glimpse of the State House building, a shot taken only steps away from the Confederate monument now […]

MANSION OF HIGH GHOSTS: A Major Revision is Done

Almost ten years to the day that I finished the all-important first draft of my first novel, I’ve completed what I anticipate as the last major rewrite of MoHG. In the wake of its close call with a publishing contract, this was an intense project I forced myself to undertake (and had scheduled anyway for […]

Live Radio Appearance Tonight!

I’m honored to have been asked to appear live tonight on Evolve AM/PM with Tzima Brown, a radio talk show centered around current events, politics, spirituality, and consciousness issues. Area terrestrial radio listeners may find us tonight on Columbia’s talk show channel The Point, 95.9FM/1470AM, but to join on the web please visit Tzima’s web page and click on the Listen Live […]

MANSION OF HIGH GHOSTS: The Story River Peer Review

Two years ago I began a journey with Pat Conroy’s fiction imprint at the University of South Carolina, Story River Books, that led to both wonder and disappointment. In receiving peer review that’s on the whole positive, the manuscript still did not manage to fully connect. Publishing is a tough business, a heartbreaking one. During the […]

The Characters of DIXIANA

As promised at the end of the ‘Notes On DIXIANA‘ posts, here’s the guide to the eight major POV characters who drive the intertwining narratives in my recently-completed Southern literary novel series DIXIANA, DOWN IN DIXIANA, and DIXIANA DARLING.

State of the Projects: Spring 2015

The last couple of years here in Edgewater County have made for quite the novelistic ride. From seeing the publication of Fellow Traveler to getting an agent for DOGS OF PARSONS HOLLOW (no sale) and then losing said agent over trying to cut a deal with Story River Books on MANSION OF HIGH GHOSTS (no sale, […]

Speech to My Dad’s Retirement Luncheon

This year, my family and I are thrilled that my dad’s retiring from his long career in the heating and air business. Later today we’ll be celebrating his long and productive work life with a special luncheon in his honor. Here are a few thoughts I plan to make.

Manuscript Evaluations Now Open

Now that I’m into the revision phase of my work on DIXIANA, and a light revision phase at that, I thought I’d once again promote the availability of my editorial service, which is explained below. By this point in my life I’ve enjoyed quite the varied writing career, with much accumulated knowledge and professional experience to share, including […]

Storytelling Workshop Returns this Summer!

While we’re all making plans for this summer, Columbia SC-area writers may wish to consider taking my five week class, Storytelling Workshop, that’s again offered as part of the Midlands Technical College Corporate and Continuing Education program. Students may anticipate the structure of the course as half lecture/salon on writing topics such as discipline, style, and various other elements […]

DIXIANA Progress Report

And it’s an exciting one! On February 17 I completed a close line edit on what’s known as the fifth draft of DIXIANA, or rather, the first of the three volumes. With an April 30 deadline looming for the completion of all three manuscripts, I find myself not only pleased with the work, but well ahead […]