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James H. Duncan

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James H. Duncan

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Born
The United States
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Influences
John Steinbeck, Alan Furst, Stephen King, Carson McCullers, Charles Bu ...more

Member Since
September 2012


James H Duncan is the editor of Hobo Camp Review and the author of We Are All Terminal But This Exit Is Mine, What Lies In Wait, The Cards We Keep, Dead City Jazz, and Vacancy, among other books of poetry and fiction. He is a former editor with Writer's Digest, a columnist for Albany Poets, and a reviewer of independent bookshops at www.TheBookshopHunter.com. He currently resides in Upstate New York. For more, visit http://www.jameshduncan.com. ...more

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James H. Duncan The best way to deal with writer's block is to set aside the project that feels stuck and work on something completely different. If a novel writes it…moreThe best way to deal with writer's block is to set aside the project that feels stuck and work on something completely different. If a novel writes itself into a corner, go write some poetry or flash fiction for a few days. If the poetry feels forced, set it aside for a bit and try an essay or try journaling or writing a book review. It helps not to let a project languish for too long or you'll lose the thread, but you can't force it if you're stuck. Step back, try something different, and return with fresh eyes. The important thing is to keep writing, something, anything. (less)
James H. Duncan I'm currently expanding a previously published novella (post-apocalypse survival story I based on my sister) into a full-length novel and slowly putti…moreI'm currently expanding a previously published novella (post-apocalypse survival story I based on my sister) into a full-length novel and slowly putting together another poetry collection I'm calling The Midnight Dictionary, all while shopping around 3-4 books among presses and agents. Busy times! (less)
Average rating: 4.76 · 123 ratings · 33 reviews · 21 distinct works
The Cards We Keep

4.56 avg rating — 18 ratings — published 2013 — 2 editions
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We Are All Terminal But Thi...

4.50 avg rating — 14 ratings — published 2017
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Lantern Lit series Vol. 1

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it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 7 ratings — published 2014
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Dealing With the Devil in t...

4.86 avg rating — 7 ratings — published 2012
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What Lies In Wait

4.67 avg rating — 6 ratings — published 2015 — 2 editions
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Vacancy

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it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2019
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Proper Etiquette in the Sla...

4.80 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2017 — 3 editions
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The Girl Who Loved Halloween

really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2018 — 2 editions
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Berlin

it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2014
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Nights Without Rain

it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2018 — 2 editions
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More books by James H. Duncan…

New Poem in Book of Matches

Book of Matches is an incredible online literary journal (great words, stellar art) and they recently published my poem “Thompson Hill Blues” in their Eighth Issue. available to read online as a flipbook or download as a PDF. The poem is a quick one about living in a lonely little apartment in Troy, NY’s south end years ago. I hope you enjoy!

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Published on September 21, 2026 16:53
An Untouched House
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An Untouched House by Willem Frederik Hermans
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Rereading this now in my mid-40s, it strikes me how much this book influenced me as a young boy. I really related to this character, his curiosity, dealing with divorce and loneliness at school. It's a far more thoughtful and touching book than one m ...more
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I first read this as a boy, around age 12, and now rereading it in my mid-40s I see how much this book helped shape my own thoughts and ideas about what it means to be a young person searching for themselves and their purpose. This is a deeply warm a ...more
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More of James's books…
Chris Crutcher
“I believe there was a big bang and that because of that we are all connected into infinity, and I know very little having to do with human beings that doesn't also have to do with connection.”
― Chris Crutcher, King of the Mild Frontier: An Ill-Advised Autobiography

Charles Bukowski
“It was like the beginning of life and laughter. It was the real meaning of the sun”
― Charles Bukowski, Factotum

Alan Furst
“Politicians were like talking dogs in a circus: the fact that they existed was uncommonly interesting, but no sane person would actually believe what they said”
― Alan Furst, Dark Star

Fredric Brown
“The shortest horror story:

The last man on Earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock on the door.”
― Frederic Brown

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