Worldcon & Summer Update
What I've been up to since February
Hi everyone, it’s been five months since my previous update. True to the spirit of the “Year of the Naga,” I’ve been holed up in my den, quietly working and preparing, and getting ready to unleash a lot of exciting announcements.
Worldcon schedule
Short Story: “The Snake Star” (coming next month!)
Update on The Celestial Saga
Stone Golem availability
What I’m working on
What I’ve been reading
Other Updates
Worldcon Schedule
I’ll be at Seattle Worldcon from August 13 -16.
I’m scheduled to sit on quite a few panels, and I’ll also be doing a reading of a new short story (more on this below) and hosting a Table Talk. All of these events are available to convention attendees. If you’re coming to the convention, please attend and say hello!
My Worldcon schedule:
The Moral of a Story
Thu, Aug 14, 9:00am-10:00am
“There is something ancient and true that resonates in the mythic wonder of fantasy, allowing us to explore the essence of how we feel, think, or dream in way that is unbound from the rigidity of our day to day. Join us as we uncover the roots of our favorite fantasies and explore how these stories resonated with us, why they did, and how to sprinkle some heart into your own works while still maintaining your narrative”
We're Going on an Adventure: Fantasy Writing 201
Thu, Aug 14, 3:00pm-4:00pm
“Join our authors as they go over the elements of fantasy beginnings, identify crucial components for the first act, and demonstrate practical ways to apply them to your own work.”
Northwest Speculative Reading: Seattle Worldcon Grimoire Anthology
Thu, Aug 14, 7:30pm-9:00pm
“Join the authors as they a read their stories from Grimoire: A Grim Oak Press Anthology. It's an amazing opportunity to hear these stories as read by the brilliant minds behind their creation. A short Q&A and signing session will follow.”
Table Talk
Fri, Aug 15, 9:00am-10:00am
“Have an intimate discussion (up to six participants) with your favorite creators. Advance sign-up is required.”
A Strong Bridge: Fantasy Writing 202
Fri, Aug 15, 12:00pm-1:00pm
“Building upon strong starts, our panelists will focus on the middle of a fantasy story, dissecting the ways one can strengthen and effectively build through the core of the narrative.”
The Grand Finale: Fantasy Writing 203
Sat, Aug 16, 12:00pm-1:00pm
“Join us as we focus on the climatic conclusion to all the questions and plots of your fantasy story, and landing it firmly in the minds of your readers for years to come. Or, at the least, some techniques to help elevate your work and get the most out of this final part of your story.”
Short Story: “The Snake Star”
I’m delighted to announce that my new short story, “The Snake Star,” will debut in Grimoire: A Grim Oak Press Anthology For Seattle Worldcon 2025.
You can pre-order it now. You don’t have to attend Worldcon to receive a copy. It can be mailed to you as normal. But if you attend the convention, you can pick it up in person and get it signed.
This will be the 3rd time one of my stories has been published by Grim Oak Press, and as always, I’m humbled to be featured alongside these other incredible writers.
What’s Snake Star about?
“The Snake Star” is about a snake who dreams of becoming something more and begins a journey of transformation fueled by desire, fear, and longing. Set within the world of The Celestial Saga, The Snake Star is a mythic parable that explores the pursuit of power, the search for purpose, and the quiet awakening that comes when we let go of who we were to discover who we might become.
Update on The Celestial Saga
I continue to be ecstatic about this book project that I’ve been working on for years. I originally conceived it as a sprawling standalone novel that invoked everything I love about classical epic high fantasy: grand quests, complex and compelling characters, awesome magic, inspiring adventure, and the exploration of timeless themes.
The story is completely written. I’ve shared it with early readers, my literary agent, and a major publisher. It’s received a lot of positive feedback and already has some amazing blurbs from notable authors.
The book remains unsold for the moment, but things are looking positive.
The only thing I can say is that I’ve made the difficult decision to split the book into multiple volumes. This pained me to do initially, but I think it’s ultimately the right choice. The book series can be delivered in reasonably-sized installments and each one will still have clear arcs and strong endings. The good news is that the story is already written! When these books finally come out, there should be a reasonably short gap between each one. (The publishers control when books get released. Not me. But generally speaking they don’t keep things on the shelf too long if they are done and written.)
A lot of you have been asking about this project. Thank you for your ongoing patience. I promise to share all the news when it happens.
Stone Golem Availability
Just a reminder that my short story, “The Stone Golem of Qual’Jom” is available in print, ebook, and audiobook formats. (The audiobook version is included in the Unfettered III anthology from Grim Oak Press on Audible.)
What I’m Working On
My full-time effort is currently focused on two things:
First, as mentioned above, I’m doing a revision on The Celestial Saga in order to split it from a standalone novel into a series. I hope to have the “first book” ready very soon, with revisions to the follow-up books to come quickly after.
Secondly, I’m currently drafting a brand new novel (currently code named Hydra), which I anticipate will also be the start of a series. It’s too early for me to talk about that, but, wow… I can’t wait to share it with all of you. It’s another passion project of mine which I began dreaming of over a decade ago. I’m mentally living in that world every day now and I’m having the time of my life writing it. It’s a major goal of mine to have a completed first draft of book 1 by winter.
What I’ve Been Reading
Books that I recently read and highly recommend:
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett — a masterwork of historical fantasy.
2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke — even better than the movie.
The Sign of the Dragon by Mary Soon Lee — Oof. Written in narrative poetry, this is a powerful story.
Written on the Dark by Guy Gavriel Kay —Kay’s latest, and always brilliant.
Watering Words: 52 Short Stories by Bridgette Kay — a charming short story collection from my friend and writing group colleague.
Other Updates
Other quick updates:
I’m in negotiations to announce a cool project related to the Mystic books. I can’t talk about it yet, but I’m pretty excited. (No, it’s not a movie or other adaptation or anything wild like that.) Here’s hoping that I can share more info soon with you!
If you’re a writer in Northern California, please consider coming to my monthly community event, Writing Demystified at A Seat at the Table Books in Elk Grove, CA. We meet every first Thursday of the month. See the ASATT event calendar for details.
Also in Nor Cal, I’ll be a featured local author at Elk Grove Hobby Quest to help them celebrate their 5-year anniversary. August 9, 1-5pm.
Thank you!
I continue to be so very grateful for your support and interest in my work. Thanks for being awesome, and I hope to have some exciting announcements for you later this year.
Jason