Jackson Dean Chase is a USA TODAY bestselling author and award-winning poet whose work spans fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and tabletop roleplaying games.

His writing crosses genres, but the underlying goal stays remarkably consistent: create work with a strong voice, a clear purpose, and something worth remembering after the last page.

Fiction

Jackson’s fiction ranges across fantasy, horror, science fiction, urban fantasy, dystopian fiction, and other forms of speculative storytelling.

His work includes novels, short fiction, young adult horror, and collaborative projects, including the Gods War / Titan series with Daniel Mignault.

Other fiction includes his dystopian YA novel, Drone, featured in the USA TODAY bestselling box set, Marked by Fate.

His fiction often draws on the energy of pulp adventure, thriller, horror, and noir while focusing on strong characters, high stakes, and stories built to move.

Nonfiction

Jackson has also written extensively about writing craft, creativity, storytelling, and practical techniques for authors.

His nonfiction includes guides such as Writing Heroes and Villains, Writing Monsters and Maniacs, Writing Apocalypse & Survival, and Writing Dynamite Story Hooks.

The emphasis is practical: cut through theory, identify what works, and give writers tools they can actually use.

Poetry

Jackson is an award-winning poet whose work has ranged from dark and serious to humorous, personal, and occasionally cat-related.

Poetry gives him room to work at a different scale than fiction: fewer words, less distance, and nowhere for the language to hide.

Tabletop Roleplaying Games

Jackson is also the founder and lead designer of MageGate Games, an independent publisher creating premium tools for serious 5e Game Masters.

MageGate Games focuses on practical resources for encounter design, monsters, villains, magic items, traps, environmental hazards, religion, worldbuilding, and other parts of campaign design.

That work grew naturally from the same instincts behind his fiction and nonfiction: identify what matters, strip away unnecessary complexity, and build something useful.

• Explore MageGate Games

A Career Built Across Formats

Jackson’s work has appeared in multiple forms and markets over the years, from traditionally structured books and digital publishing to independent publishing, game design, direct sales, and crowdfunding.

The formats change.

The underlying standard does not.

The work should have a reason to exist.

It should do something well.

And it should respect the reader’s time.

Explore Jackson’s Work

Fiction

Fantasy, horror, science fiction, speculative fiction, and stories built around danger, tension, and strong characters.

Nonfiction

Books about writing craft, creativity, storytelling, and practical tools for authors.

Poetry

Award-winning poetry ranging from dark and personal to sharp, strange, humorous, and unexpected.

Tabletop Roleplaying Games

5e resources and Game Master tools published through MageGate Games.