Wednesday, November 28, 2018
SleuthSayers: Senseless Writing by Michael Bracken
SleuthSayers: Senseless Writing: by Michael Bracken How we sense the world around us impacts our writing in ways we may not realize. Apparently, the couch is blue. B...
Monday, November 26, 2018
Little Big Crimes Review: Plan Z by Travis Richardson
Little Big Crimes Review: Plan Z by Travis Richardson: "Plan Z," by Travis Richardson, in Deadlines: A Tribute to William E. Wallace, edited by Chris Rhatigan and Ron Earl Phillips,...
Sunday, November 25, 2018
A Short Walk Down A Dark Street: Issue 28
As posted by SMFS list member Peter DiChellis to the list….
This week’s
blog celebrates short mystery and crime fiction with a bad-ass bunch of links
to reviews, releases, free stories, and more.
Includes EQMM editor Janet Hutchings’ views on
1st person vs. 3rd person POV.
A short walk down a dark street (#28)
Best wishes,
Peter
Saturday, November 24, 2018
SMFS Short Story Saturdays: Joan Leotta
SMFS Short Story Saturdays
was born out of the very successful International Short Story Month this year.
Each Saturday we feature a SMFS list member whose work can be read online for
free. These short stories are at least a year old and were not previously
linked to during the May 2018 Short Story Month event.
Today for SMFS Short
Story Saturdays, Joan Leotta shares her 2015 short story, “A Cup of Comfort” archived
at Over My Dead Body!
If you would like to be included and are a member of the SMFS
list at yahoo groups, email the link to your story to KevinRTipple at Verizon
dot net. If you are not a member, this would be a good time to check us out at Yahoo Groups.
Friday, November 23, 2018
SMFS Member Publishing News: Chapin Wright
SMFS list member Chapin Wright has a long short story titled
Wolf
At The Door. The 55 page read is available at Amazon in digital
format only. Mr. Wright is new to our SMFS list and writes from New Jersey where
he is a semi-retired journalist who also teaches part time.
Amazon Synopsis:
Something really bad happened to Harvey Nash. He wound up a human
briquet, handcuffed to the steering wheel inside the burnt shell of a Hummer on
the lot of his dealership, which was covered with eco-terrorist graffiti.
Buckminster Green, former ATF investigator from New Jersey, now small-town
detective in Northern California, catches the case. But first he has to find
out if his estranged, activist daughter was involved and track down a missing
kid before he becomes the next victim
Thursday, November 22, 2018
Little Big Crimes Review: Keep Walking by Geoffrey Household
Little Big Crimes: Keep Walking, by Geoffrey Household: "Keep Walking," by Geoffrey Household, in The Days of Your Fathers, 1987. (Originally published 1968) Sorry this is late; I ...
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
SMFS Member Publication News: John M. Floyd
SMFS list member John M. Floyd has another
mystery story appearing in the Woman’s World Magazine. Not only did “Cracking
the Code” appear in last week’s issue, he is in the current issue (November
26, 2018) of Woman’s World
Magazine with his tale, “Disorganized Crime.” John also
helpfully supplied the cover image for this one. The publication is available
on some newsstands and by subscription.
Members are reminded that Mr. Floyd
shared in his piece at SleuthSayers
Blog how he goes about writing short stories for this
market. Well worth reading, especially if you are looking to break into this
market.
Monday, November 19, 2018
SMFS Member Publishing News: Michael Bracken
SMFS list member Michael Bracken has a new short story on Story And Grit: Southern Fried Crime website.
His short story is “Dollface.”
SMFS Member Publication News: Earl Staggs
SMFS list member Earl
Staggs’ short story, “Justice For
Elijah: A Thanksgiving Mystery Short Story”
appears online today at Kings
River Life Magazine.
SMFS Member Publishing News: John M. Floyd
After appearing in The Strand Magazine: Unpublished Ernest Hemmingway Short Story with
his short story titled, “The Foreverglow Case” (Issue 55), SMFS List Member John M. Floyd has a short
story in the new issue. Billed as The Strand Magazine Twentieth Anniversary
Collector’s Issue (October 2018-January 2019) the read includes Mr.
Floyd’s short story, “Lucian’s Cadillac.” The issue is available at the publisher
and elsewhere.
Sunday, November 18, 2018
A Short Walk Down A Dark Street: Issue 27
As posted by Peter
DiChellis to our list…
This week’s blog gulps too much wine
at Thanksgiving dinner and pounds the table for short mystery and crime
fiction: links to reviews, releases, free stories, and more.
Includes
a research list that brainstorms 34 detailed motives for murder (“too slow
passing me the sweet potatoes” not among them).
A
short walk down a dark street (#27)
Best
wishes,
Peter
Saturday, November 17, 2018
SMFS Members Published in LANDFALL: BEST NEW ENGLAND CRIME STORIES 2018
Eight members of the SMFS list are in
the new book, LANDFALL: BEST NEW ENGLAND
CRIME STORIES 2018.
Published by Level Best
Books, the anthology is available in both print
and digital
formats from Amazon and other vendors. The members included in this book are:
Michael
Bracken with “Remission.”
Patricia
Dusenbury with “Off the Beaten Path.”
Gerald
Elias with “In Bocca Al Lupo.”
John Floyd
with “Getting Out Alive.”
Jason Half
with “The Last Ferry.”
Alan Orloff with “The Quarry.”
Alan Orloff with “The Quarry.”
Harriet Sackler
with “Baby Blues.”
Shawn Reilly Simmons with ‘Downcity Detective.”
Amazon Synopsis:
LANDFALL,
the sixteenth Best New England Crime Stories anthology, continues the tradition
of presenting the best mystery and crime fiction from both acclaimed seasoned
authors and exciting new voices. We've gathered thirty-one original tales by
New England authors or with a New England setting, ranging from the historical
to contemporary, to noir, and everything in between.
SMFS Member Publication News: Sarah M. Chen
SMFS list member Sarah M Chen's short story, “Influencers” appears in the special issue, Switchblade: Stiletto-Heeled. Edited by Lisa Douglass, the “Women of Noir Special Issue” features stories thirteen tales where the primary protagonist is female as are the authors. Available at Amazon in digital format.
Amazon Synopsis:
SMFS Members Publication News: Bern Sy Moss
SMFS list member Bern Sy Moss' short story, “The Witness”
appears in Mystery Tribune: Fall 2018. It can also now be read online
at their site.
Jacqueline Seewald: Interview with Publisher Tanya Eby
Jacqueline Seewald: Interview with Publisher Tanya Eby: Tanya Eby is the owner of Blunder Woman Productions. She is also a USA Today bestselling author and an award-winning narrator of 700 audio ...
SMFS Members Published in Kings River Life Magazine for 11/17/18
Two SMFS
members are published in the November 17th edition of Kings River Life Magazine. Those members
are:
Gail
Farrelly with “Ya Never Know: A Thanksgiving Tale.”
In “Thanksgiving
Treats and Threats, Merrilee Robson shares some Thanksgiving stories and a
recipe
SMFS Short Story Saturdays: Ruth M. McCarty
SMFS Short Story Saturdays
was born out of the very successful International Short Story Month this year.
Each Saturday we feature a SMFS list member whose work can be read online for
free. These short stories are at least a year old and were not previously
linked to during the May 2018 Short Story Month event.
Today for SMFS Short
Story Saturdays, Ruth M. McCarty shares her 2016 short story, “First
Dates” archived at Flash Bang Mysteries.
If you would like to be included and are a member of the SMFS
list at yahoo groups, email the link to your story to KevinRTipple at Verizon
dot net. If you are not a member, this would be a good time to check us out at Yahoo Groups.
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
SMFS Member Publishing News: Josh Pachter
Several SMFS members were published in Ellery
Queen Mystery Magazine: November/December 2018
issue. Those members included Josh Pachter with his short story “50.”
That tale marked the 50 year anniversary
of his appearance in EQMM with his first published short story, “E.
Q. Griffen Earns His Name.” Now, E. Q. Griffen is back in “50.”
Today on the “Something Is Going To
Happen” blog of EQMM, Josh Pachter is interviewed by Janet Hutchings regarding reading,
writing, and life.
Also, over at “The First Two Pages”
hosted by Art Taylor, Josh Pachter explains how he approached writing “50.”
The
First Two Pages: “50” by Josh Pachter
SMFS Member Publishing News: Nik Morton
SMFS list member Nik Morton has a short story out in the recently
published book, The Untamed West. Published by the Western Fictioneers and home
of the “Peacemaker Awards” which are awarded annually, the book is available from
Amazon
in print and digital formats as well as from other vendors. Mr. Morton’s short story is “Preacher.”
Amazon Synopsis:
A collection of twenty-nine tales of the Old West featuring
previously unpublished stories by such classic Western writers as James
Reasoner, Douglas Hirt, McKendree Long, and Michael R. Ritt. Edited by award
winning author, L. J. Washburn. Western Fictioneers is the only writers’
organization devoted solely to traditional Western fiction, and this huge
collection will take readers from the dusty plains of Texas to the sweeping
vistas of Montana and beyond.
Western
Fictioneers was founded in 2010 to promote the oldest genuine American art
form, the Western story. Its worldwide membership includes best-selling,
award-winning authors of Western fiction, as well as the brightest
up-and-coming new stars in the Western field. The organization*s third
anthology features original stories by Big Jim Williams, Easy Jackson, Jeffrey
J. Mariotte, McKendree Long, Michael R. Ritt, S. D. Parker, James Reasoner, J.
L. Guin, J.E.S. Hays, James J. Griffin, Jesse J Elliot, Ben Goheen, Barbara
Shepherd, Nik Morton, S. L. Matthews, James Clay, Keith Souter, Tom Rizzo,
Matthew P. Mayo, Dorothy A. Bell, L.J. Washburn, Angela Raines, Gordon L.
Rottman, Charlie Steel, Douglas Hirt, Dennis Doty, and Cheryl Pierson.
THE UNTAMED WEST is more than 150,000
words of action packed classic Western fiction.
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Little Big Crimes Review: Strangers on the Run by Sarah M. Chen
Little Big Crimes: Strangers on the Run, by Sarah M. Chen: "Strangers on the Run," by Sarah M. Chen, in Deadlines: A Tribute to William E. Wallace, edited by Chris Rhatigan and Ron Earl...
SMFS Member Publication News: James Blake
SMFS list
member James Blakey’s short story, “The Last Case” has just
been published by Over My Dead Body!
SMFS Members Published in Mysterical-E: Fall 2018 Issue
Mysterical-E Fall 2018 issue has been released and features
the work of two SMFS members.
Cathi Stoler with her short story, “Where to Now?”
Gerald So once again considers aspects of the world of
television with “Mysterical-Eye.”
SMFS Member Publication News: John M. Floyd
SMFS list member John M. Floyd has another
mystery short story appearing in the Woman’s World Magazine. His latest mystery short
story, “Cracking the Code” is in the current issue (November 19, 2018) of Woman’s World Magazine.
The publication is available on some newsstands and by subscription.
Members are reminded that Mr. Floyd
shared in his piece at SleuthSayers
Blog how he goes about writing short stories for this
market. Well worth reading, especially if you are looking to break into this
market. One could say he cracked the code.
Sunday, November 11, 2018
A Short Walk Down A Dark Street: Issue 26
As posted by Peter
DiChellis to our list…
This week’s blog sharpens a shiv and
walks the yard for short mystery and crime fiction: links to reviews, releases,
and free stories.
Links
include a review of anthology stories written by prison inmates and edited by
Joyce Carol Oates.
A
short walk down a dark street (#26).
Best
wishes,
Peter
Saturday, November 10, 2018
SMFS Short Story Saturdays: Barbara Eliasson
SMFS Short Story Saturdays
was born out of the very successful International Short Story Month this year.
Each Saturday we feature a SMFS list member whose work can be read online for
free. These short stories are at least a year old and were not previously
linked to during the May 2018 Short Story Month event.
Today for SMFS Short
Story Saturdays, Barbara Eliasson shares “Mean
Girl” from the archives of Flash Bang Mysteries.
If you would like to be included and are a member of the SMFS
list at yahoo groups, email the link to your story to KevinRTipple at Verizon
dot net. If you are not a member, this would be a good time to check us out at Yahoo Groups.
Friday, November 9, 2018
SMFS Member Publication News: John M. Floyd
SMFS list member John M. Floyd, in addition to his new book out now, The Barrens, has a short story in the current issue of “Deep South Magazine.” The story is titled "Annabelle" and is available to read, for free, online.
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
SleuthSayers: Everybody Hurts by Michael Bracken
SleuthSayers: Everybody Hurts: by Michael Bracken There have been times in my life when all I wanted to do was turn off the lights and put R.E.M.’s “Everybody Hurts” on ...
Little Big Crimes Review: Top Ten Vacation Selfies of Youtube Stars by Preston Lang
Little Big Crimes: Top Ten Vacation Selfies of Youtube Stars, by Pres...: "Top Ten Vacation Selfies of Youtube Stars," by Preston Lang, in Deadlines: A Tribute to William E. Wallace, edited by Chris Rh...
Sunday, November 4, 2018
A Short Walk Down A Dark Street: Issue 25
As posted by Peter DiChellis to our list....
Wanna go find some trouble? This week’s blog dishes out plenty, including links to a sinister selection of reviews, releases, and free stories. Plus, an annotated list of 123 personality imperfections you can sort through to humanize your fictional characters.
A short walk down a dark street (#25).
Best wishes,
Peter
SMFS Member Publication News: Gary Phillips
SMFS list member Gary Phillips’ short story, “I,Truck”
appears in the just released anthology, 18 Wheels of Science Fiction: A
Long Haul into the Fantastic. Published by Big Time Books, the read is available
in print and digital formats from Amazon
and other vendors including the publisher.
Amazon Synopsis:
Take a trip through the
imaginations of 18 visionary writers as they explore the future of trucking in
this new science fiction anthology! There's something for every genre fiction
fan in this follow-up to the hit "18 wheels of Horror - a Trailer Full of
Trucking Terrors."
From the back cover: An alien fuel additive shows just how fast a big rig can go... A disembodied driver wages war on self-driving trucks... A haul through time takes an unexpected turn... Reality shatters for a trucker using an experimental delivery device... Stargazing gives an overweight driver a new lease on life... A young girl risks her life to hitch a ride out of an apocalyptic wasteland...
The highways of the universe will never be the same!
From the back cover: An alien fuel additive shows just how fast a big rig can go... A disembodied driver wages war on self-driving trucks... A haul through time takes an unexpected turn... Reality shatters for a trucker using an experimental delivery device... Stargazing gives an overweight driver a new lease on life... A young girl risks her life to hitch a ride out of an apocalyptic wasteland...
The highways of the universe will never be the same!
SleuthSayers: How B Is Your SP?
SleuthSayers: How B Is Your SP?: by John M. Floyd This past Tuesday night I attended the "launch" of The Barrens , my seventh collection of short mystery fi...
Saturday, November 3, 2018
SMFS Member Publication News: Robert Peyto
SMFS list member Robert Peyto reports that his short story, “Innocent
Victims” appears in the recently released Last Shot Fired: The Midnight Writers’ Anthology
2018. The read is available in
print and digital formats from Amazon.
Amazon Synopsis:
If you had one chance to save the world, would
you take it? Maybe that last bullet could kill a merciless dictator. Maybe that
last vaccine could cure a rampant disease. Maybe that last frame on a roll of
film could bring peace to the world. 20 authors from across the globe consider
a world where one final action could shape the events of the future forever.
SMFS Short Story Saturdays: Merrilee Robson
SMFS Short Story Saturdays
was born out of the very successful International Short Story Month this year.
Each Saturday we feature a SMFS list member whose work can be read online for
free. These short stories are at least a year old and were not previously
linked to during the May 2018 Short Story Month event.
Today for SMFS Short
Story Saturdays, Merrilee Robson shares “The Way To A Man’s Heart”
from the archives at Over My Dead Body!
If you would like to be included and are a member of the SMFS
list at yahoo groups, email the link to your story to KevinRTipple at Verizon
dot net. If you are not a member, this would be a good time to check us out at Yahoo Groups.
Friday, November 2, 2018
SMFS Member Publication News: Kaye George
SMFS
Member Kaye George has announced that her story "The Bible Buckle Killer” appears
in the just released Suspense Magazine:
Fall 2018 issue. Her story, as well as the entire issue, can be read online
for free at their website.
Thursday, November 1, 2018
SMFS Member Publication News: John M. Floyd
SMFS list member John M. Floyd has another
book out. Published by Dogwood Press,
the book is a collection of his short stories titled, The Barrens. Released today, it is available in hardback from Amazon
and other vendors.
Amazon Synopsis:
For the past
twenty years Mississippi author John M. Floyd has been one of the most
widely-published short story writers in America. His work has been nominated
for the Edgar Award, has won the Derringer Award three times, and has been
nominated three times for the Pushcart Prize. In addition, his stories have
been listed among the top fifty mysteries of the year seven times by Best
American Mystery Stories editor Otto Penzler, and twice among the top twenty.
He was even recently awarded the Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer Award
for lifetime achievement in short mystery fiction. The work of John M. Floyd
has been praised by James Patterson, Nevada Barr, Jan Burke, Carolyn Haines,
Steve Hamilton, Marcus Sakey, Tom Franklin, and many others. Douglas Preston
has called him a master of the art of the short story. Never has that talent
been more evident than in this seventh collection of Floyd short fiction. All
thirty stories contained in The Barrens are mystery/suspense, most are set in
the steamy South, and six of them are installments in his popular Law and
Daughter series, featuring Sheriff Lucy Valentine and her crimesolving mother
Fran. Like his previous books (Rainbows End, Midnight, Clockwork, Deception,
Fifty Mysteries, and Dreamland), the adventures here are full of quirky
characters, Hitchcockian tension, and (maybe most important of all) plenty of
plot twists and surprises. Welcome to The Barrens. Proceed with caution . . .