D. Mark Jackson

SHORT BIO

Mark is seeking representation for his debut novel, BALLAST, a 93,000-word upmarket thriller. His nonfiction work has been published in academic journals and other periodicals, including The Washington Post. He's a Deputy Attorney General with the State of California and an avid sailor. He lives in Northern California.

LONGER BIO

Mark was born in Portland, Oregon and grew up in the nearby mountains and countryside. He's also lived in Virginia and Ecuador. He graduated from William & Mary Law School and Willamette University.

He's currently seeking representation for his debut novel, BALLAST, a 93,000-word upmarket thriller. It's about a disgraced San Francisco prosecutor drawn into an investigation of politically-motivated fires. To uncover the truth, she must confront the loss of her husband (who's killed in a sailing accident) and the sources of shame she's long avoided. It's also a modern take on Milton's Paradise Lost, about big tech's sins and humanity's fall from grace.

Mark is a member of the California Writers Club of Marin. His nonfiction has appeared in the Washington Post, William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal, Buffalo Public Interest Law Journal, Virginia Poverty Law Journal, FindLaw's Writ, Lean Blog, The Daily Journal, and ABA's Law Technology Today. His blog — Demarcations — looks at culture, reading and writing, and personal productivity.

He races sailboats on the San Francisco Bay and is now working toward his captain's license. He recently refitted a 1978 Cal 2-27, which inspired the sailboat featured in BALLAST.

Mark is a Deputy Attorney General with the State of California, serving in the Health Quality Enforcement section. He was previously a partner at a San Francisco law firm. He's had the privilege of representing clients in jury trials and appeals, including before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

He lives in Northern California with his wife, two sons, and their pug.