James D. McCallister

author of the Edgewater County series

Notes on DOGS OF PARSONS HOLLOW

Now that DOGS OF PARSONS HOLLOW has gone out into the big-six world of publishing (in the form of pitches to specific editors), I thought it might be useful to discuss the inspirations and intentions behind this piece. While a long way from publication, here’s some backstory and character sketches to whet the appetite of […]

Origins and Intentions of Fellow Traveler

Here we have a collection of articles covering various aspects of the novel Fellow Traveler. Beware of [SPOILERS]! THE LOGLINE A longtime fan of a legendary rock band investigates his friend’s overdose—or was it suicide, a bleak end undertaken over the death of their mutual idol, the iconic 60s figure Rose Partland? When Z begins […]

“Trailer Trash” — Featured Short Story

Here’s the full, 4,000 word version of ‘Trailer Trash,’ my short story honored by being selected by both the Petigru Review, as well as the Saturday Evening Post in its 2012 Short Fiction contest, the disqualification of which is described here. This is one of a series of ‘Stories of Adolescence’ set in my fictional […]

UPDATED: Simultaneous Submissions: An Embarrassment of Riches a/k/a Be Careful!

I sit waiting tonight on an answer regarding what could be my most significant short story publication yet: a lovely little sepia-toned autobiographical piece I wrote called “Trailer Trash,” about a grandfather and his cronies conspiring to arrange a young man’s first brush with manual labor, was named a finalist in the 2012 Saturday Evening Post Short […]

WUSC Interview, November 1, 2012

Here’s an interview promoting Fellow Traveler that I did on WUSC last week. Don McCallister WUSC Interview

Going Down Screenplay Way

With all the work I have in the can and also on a low simmer, I’ve decided to ‘knock off’ a quick screenplay adaption of my novel MS, DOGS OF PARSONS HOLLOW. The damn thing was designed to have that sort of cinematic appeal, so why not? If not me, who? If not now, when? […]

Revision, Lesson 1: Take a Step Back

As the process of selling DOGS OF PARSONS HOLLOW moves along, I will make occasional posts about working with my agent and future editors on bringing this novel to its ultimate published life.

SIGNED! and Future Projects

What a week—first the book release of FT, and then the momentous news that I’ve been signed by the enthusiastic Michelle Johnson of the Corvisiero Literary Agency, who says that DOGS OF PARSONS HOLLOW is suspenseful, accomplished, and eminently sellable. Well now! No more encouraging words have been said to this writer, one who’s worked […]

FT Launch Event Tonight!

It’s here—tonight Fellow Traveler is officially launched! What a long time from its original inception in October 2000 to this happy occasion; what a terribly accomplished feeling to get this particular book into print. Twenty-seven years since my first Grateful Dead concert, and 17 since Jerry Garcia died, I now have a measure of closure […]

DOGS Gets a Nibble

My trip to the 2012 edition of the SC Writer’s Workshop conference on October 19 turned out to be a banner day—for winning 2nd place in the Novel–First Chapter category, I received as a prize a complimentary 30–page extended critique from the faculty member of my choice. Sweet! Besides Fellow Traveler, which is already in […]