Sunday, June 30, 2019

A Short Walk Down A Dark Street: Issue 59

As posted to our list by Peter DiChellis…
This week’s blog delivers a sinister selection of links to reviews, releases, free reads, and more. Includes two free stories from talent-loaded but now defunct The Big Click.
Plus: For the research folder -- an NCIS intelligence analyst reveals how criminals use diversion safes and secret compartments to hide contraband (published in the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin).
A short walk down a dark street (#59). Celebrating short mystery and crime fiction.
Best wishes,
Peter

SMFS Members Published in Mystery Weekly Magazine: July 2019 Issue


Several SMFS list members are published in the Mystery Weekly Magazine: July 2019 issue.  The read is available in print and digital formats from the publisher as well as Amazon. The members in this issue are:


Shannon Hollinger with “Bad Moon Rising.”

Robert C. Madison with “A Bit Of Nasty Business.”

Stacy Woodson, with the featured cover story, “The Hail Mary Play.”





Amazon Synopsis:

At the cutting edge of crime fiction, Mystery Weekly Magazine presents original short stories by the world’s best-known and emerging mystery writers. 

The stories we feature in our monthly issues span every imaginable subgenre, including cozy, police procedural, noir, whodunit, supernatural, hardboiled, humor, and historical mysteries. Evocative writing and a compelling story are the only certainty.

Get ready to be surprised, challenged, and entertained--whether you enjoy the style of the Golden Age of mystery (e.g., Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle), the glorious pulp digests of the early twentieth century (e.g., Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler), or contemporary masters of mystery.

In this issue:

In our cover feature, “The Hail Mary Play” by Stacy Woodson, a last-ditch effort to avoid getting expelled from military school forces a cadet to come up with a plan—something that’s guaranteed to impress the school’s superintendent. 

At the dawn of mankind, one resourceful human sets out to solve a mystery after his chief, Ice-eyes, is killed by a vicious predator. Is Long-spear, the only witness, deceiving the tribe? Can you solve the mystery of “The Shrewdness Of Apes” by Chris Wheatley.

In “A Nasty Bit Of Business” by Robert C. Madison, a private detective working for a very powerful man needs all his wits and quick reflexes when things go sideways, as they tend to do.

An aging hitman agrees to one last job arranged by his young protege. But only if he takes the shot. The older man knows his gun; the younger man the tech. The hit was crowdsourced. What could possibly go wrong? Find out by reading “Going South” by Jay O’Connell.

In “Visitors” by Don Mclellan, a housekeeper, grown accustomed to handling the whims and oddities of her wealthy employers, faces a threat no amount of experience can prepare her for.

In “Willard” by Bill Connor, a much-loved homeless man is murdered, and the killer must be named before a mob renders its own blind justice.

A Silver Alert, an ex-con, and a snowstorm create a deadly combination in “Bad Moon Rising” by Shannon Hollinger.

SleuthSayers: My Writing World as I See It by R. T. Lawton

SleuthSayers: My Writing World as I See It: by R.T. Lawton A few weeks ago, Michael Bracken wrote a blog piece, " With Malice Aforethought ," which discussed writer motivat...

SMFS Member Publication News: John M. Floyd


SMFS list member John Floyd shares the news, that for the second time this year, a short story of his appears in The Saturday Evening Post.  Earlier this year, “Calculus 1” appeared in the March/April 2019 issue. Now his tale, “The A Team” appears in the print edition of The Saturday Evening Post: July/August 2019 issue. Mr. Floyd reassures folks it has nothing to do with the 80s television show.

Mr. Floyd informed the list today (7/15/19) that the story is now also available to read online for free at their website.



Saturday, June 29, 2019

SMFS Short Story Saturdays: Earl Staggs


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.  

For SMFS Short Story Saturdays today, list member Earl Staggs shares the 2001 published short story, “All the Fine Actors” archived at his site. As noted, the story won the 2002 Derringer Award for Best Short Story.

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.

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

SMFS Member Publishing News: Gary Phillips



Back in April, SMFS list member Gary Phillips’ novella titled, The Movie Makers, was released by Down & Out Books. This is the fourth installment of the five book series, A Grifter’s Song. As noted in news announcement then, the read was only available in eBook format. As Gary announces below, the read is now available in print format.

Publishing News From Gary Phillips

I’m quite pleased with my 13,000-word story in the second volume of A Grifter’s Song series. “The Movie Makers” is Jim Thompson meets Harold Robbins.

Sam and Rachel are working a con in La La Land where the gold is for the asking as long as you can spin a captivating fable. Rachel’s character is an indie producer with Silicone Valley roots and Sam a life coach as they work their magic on the mark. 
All is going according to plan until the smiling gangster shows up and suddenly the scenario they created from fairy dust starts to evaporate as things go sideways…and they just might not
 get out by the skin of their teeth.

Plus only if you subscribe, there’s a bonus story by series creator and editor Frank Zafiro. Go to: https://downandoutbooks.com/bookstore/grifters-song-s1-subscription/



SleuthSayers: If I Should Die Before I Wake by Michael Bracken

SleuthSayers: If I Should Die Before I Wake: by Michael Bracken The recent passing of Sandra Seamans , whose blog “ My Little Corner ” was a must-visit for every mystery short story...

SMFS Member Publishing News: Edith Maxwell


Today is publication day for SMFS list member Edith Maxwell’s new book, Strangled Eggs and Ham: A Country Store Mystery. Writing as Maddie Day, the book is published by Kensington Books. The book is available in print, audio, and digital formats, from Amazon and other vendors. This is the sixth book in the series that began with Flipped For Murder.

Synopsis:

Robbie Jordan’s rustic country store is growing in popularity. But when a dead body appears, it turns out that Robbie’s home-style cooking attracts hungry customers—and murder!
 
While Robbie scrambles through breakfast orders for her expanding clientele at Pans ‘N Pancakes, tempers run as high as the sticky August heat in South Lick, Indiana. Real-estate developer Fiona Closs plans to build a towering luxury resort at one of the most scenic hilltops in Brown County, and not everyone can see the sunny side of the imposing proposition—including Robbie’s furious Aunt Adele, who doesn’t waste a minute concocting protests and road blockades. When tensions boil over and a vocal protester is silenced forever at the resort site, Robbie ditches the griddle to catch the killer. But if slashed tires are any indication, she’ll need to crack this case before her own aunt gets served something deadly next . . .  
 
Includes Recipes for You to Try!

Monday, June 24, 2019

Sunday, June 23, 2019

A Short Walk Down A Dark Street: Issue 58

As posted by Peter DiChellis to our SMFS list…

Wanna little fun? This week’s blog provides plenty, with links to deviously delightful reviews, releases, free reads, and more.
Includes: almost everything you ever wanted to know about impossible crime mysteries, including an analysis of seven vs. twenty known locked-room solutions and how often writers have used them; trends in locked-room solutions through the 20th century; and summaries of dozens of impossible crime stories.
A short walk down a dark street (#58). Celebrating short mystery and crime fiction.
Best wishes,
Peter

Jacqueline Seewald: How to Negotiate Writing Contracts

Jacqueline Seewald: How to Negotiate Writing Contracts: This past week I signed contracts with two different publishers for two separate novels, one a mystery novel in the continuing Kim Reynolds...

Saturday, June 22, 2019

SMFS Member Publishing News: Mike Penncavage


SMFS member Mike Penncavage has informed the list that his book, Dark Horizons: The Collected Short Fiction of Michael Penncavage has been released. This short story collection was published last month by Aphonia Press and is available in both print and digital formats at Amazon.

Amazon Synopsis:

A Boating Expedition Where the Fisherman Become the Prey A Bicycling Trip Takes a Wrong TurnA Turn of the Century Expedition to Locate a Missing ColleagueA Trucker Becomes the Unlikeliest HeroMutiny Aboard a Luxury Starship LinerA Book That Should Not Be Read Between the PagesA Hitman With His Own Code of Justice35 Tales of Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction and FantasyFrom Derringer Award Winning Author Michael Penncavage


SMFS Short Story Saturdays: Peter DiChellis


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.  

For SMFS Short Story Saturdays today, list member Peter DiChellis shares the 2014 short story, “The Owl Clock Murder” 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.

Thursday, June 20, 2019

SMFS Member Publication News: Sylvia Warsh


SMFS list member Sylvia Warsh reports that her short story, “The Comeback” appears in the premier issue of Vautrin. Edited and published by Todd Robins, the issue is only available in print at Watermark Books.

Synopsis:

Vautrin - Volume 1, Issue 1, Spring 2019
SKU: 94224022

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief: Todd Robins
It’s widely believed that Balzac’s literary activities wound down when he died in the 19thcentury, but his ghost visited Todd Robins’s College Hill lair one morning in the fall of 2018.  Balzac's message was clear: (A) found a literary magazine, and (B) name it after his criminal mastermind character, Vautrin.  The great Frenchman then prevailed upon an intriguing mix of writers to contribute to the inaugural issue.  Robins typed the submissions on his Smith Corona Silent from the 50s, resulting in Volume 1, Issue 1 of Wichita’s new print-only literary magazine.  Le voila !
Among the highlights:
·         Fiction from native Wichitan Scott Phillips, titled Labio-Dental Fricative and featuring the return of the wily rogue Bill Ogden of Cottonwood and Hop Alley fame.
·         Poetry from the great Albert Goldbarth, sublimely cast in the Vautrin-esque trickster sweet spot.
·         Mystery fiction from award-winning Canadian writer Sylvia Maultash Warsh.
·         Raucous mafioso crime fiction from New Jersey writer Thomas Pluck, author of the forthcoming novel Riff Raff.
·         An essay about Juan Gabriel Vasquez’s novel The Shape of the Ruins, by former Watermarker, Susan Gusho.
·         An essay about literary movements by former Watermarker Jason Quinn Malott, author of The Evolution of Shadows.
·         Fictional intrigue from the pseudonymous Kerry Page.
·         Debut poetry from the extraordinary Suzannah Guthrie.
·         An astrology-infused crime story from a 1920 issue of The Black Mask (released to the public domain).
·         Essayist Paul Dee Fecteau ponders the Tarot as applicable to the Coen brother’s film The Big Lebowski.
·         An essay about Karl Ove Knausgaard's My Struggle: Book Six, by Chicagoan Andrew Larson.
·         Poetry from Marysville's Scott Richard that sneaks up on us, a la Ezra Pound.   
·         Trump Tower: The First Omen, by Carlos Herrera, in which the political consultant Nigel Strode ponders the reelection run of the GOP's finest.
·         Cover art by former Watermarker, Beth Golay


Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Something Is Going To Happen: “The Man With The Action-Packed Expense Account” (by Richard Helms)

Something Is Going To Happen: “The Man With The Action-Packed Expense Account” (by Richard Helms)

SMFS Members Published In Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine: July/August 2019


Several SMFS members are published in the Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine:July/August 2019 issue. The issue is available from Dell Magazines as well as at Amazon and other vendors. The SMFS members published in this issue are:

Dayle A. Dermatis with “Pirate Pete’s.”

R. T. Lawton with “The Horse.”

Paul D. Marks with “Past Is Prologue.”

William Burton McCormick with “The Three Camillas.”

B.K. Stevens with “The Tourist.”

Dave Zeltserman with “Lulu and Heartbreaker.”



Tuesday, June 18, 2019

SMFS Members Published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine: July/August 2019


Several SMFS members are published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine: July/August 2019 issue. The issue is available from Dell Magazines as well as at Amazon and other vendors. The SMFS members published in this issue are:

Michael Bracken with “Oystermen.”

Trey Dowell with "Heat."

Rick Helms with “The Cripplegate Apprehension.”

Chris Holm with “Murderers’ Row.”

V.S. Kemanis with “”Dzintra’s Tale.”

Tara Laskowski with “The Long-Term Tenant. “ (Black Mask)

Twist Phelan with “Rude Awakening.”

Victoria Weisfeld with “New Energy.”


TABLE OF CONTENTS
July/August 2019
FICTION
New Energy BY VICKI WEISFELD
The Cripplegate Apprehension BY RICHARD HELMS
Left for Dead BY S.J. ROZAN
Heat BY TREY DOWELL
Oystermen BY MICHAEL BRACKEN
The Day of the Jackal BY MARILYN TODD
Dzintra’s Tale BY V.S. KEMANIS
Crossing Bridges BY AOIFE CLIFFORD
There Are Just Some Things a Rat Won’t Do BY PETER TURNBULL
Murderers’ Row BY CHRIS HOLM
Her Sister’s Secrets BY BRENDAN DUBOIS
Rude Awakening BY TWIST PHELAN
Do Not Disturb BY STEVE HOCKENSMITH
The Mysterious Affair at Osiris House BY R.T. RAICHEV
PASSPORT TO CRIME
A Smart Dummy in the Tent BY TAKEMARU ABIKO
BLACK MASK
The Long-Term Tenant BY TARA LASKOWSKI
DEPARTMENT OF FIRST STORIES
Tingo BY TONY FISHER
Rionach, My Queen BY JAMES HADLEY GRIFFIN
REVIEWS
Blog Bytes BY KRISTOPHER ZGORSKI
The Jury Box BY JON L. BREEN
Stranger Than Fiction BY DEAN JOBB: PREVIEW


Little Big Crimes Review: Ladies Day at the Olympia Car Wash by Andrew Nett...

Little Big Crimes: Ladies Day at the Olympia Car Wash, by Andrew Nett...: "Ladies Day at the Olympia Car Wash," by Andrew Nette, in A Time For Violence, edited by Andy Rausch and Chris Roy, Close to th...

SMFS Members Published in The Best Laid Plans: 21 Stories of Mystery and Suspense


A number of SMFS list members have stories the anthology, The Best Laid Plans: 21 Stories Of Mystery & Suspense published today by Superior Shores Press. Edited by SMFS list member Judy Penz Sheluk, the anthology is available in print and digital formats from Amazon and ither vendors. The SMFS list members in this anthology are:

Tom Barlow with “Heirloom.”

Peter DiChellis with “Callingdon Mountain.”

Lesley A. Diehl with “Lunch Break.”

C.C. Guthrie with “A Sure Thing.”

V. S. Kemanis with “Sucker Punch.”

Lisa Lieberman with ““Better Dead Then Redhead.”

LD Masterson with “Deadly Dinner.”

Edith Maxwell with “The Stonecutter.”

Rosemary McCracken with in “The Sweetheart Scamster.”

Lisa De Nikolits with “Fire Drill.”

KM Rockwood with “Frozen Daiquiris.”  

Peggy Rothschild with “The Cookie Crumbles.”

Judy Penz Sheluk  with “Plan D.”

Vicki Weisfeld with “Who They Are Now.”

Amazon Synopsis:

Whether it's a subway station in Norway, ski resort in Vermont, McMansion in the suburbs, or trendy art gallery in Toronto, the 21 authors represented in this superb collection of mystery and suspense interpret the overarching theme of the best-laid plans in their own inimitable style. And like many best-laid plans, they come with no guarantees.
Stories by Tom Barlow, Susan Daly, Lisa de Nikolits, P.A. De Voe, Peter DiChellis, Lesley A. Diehl, Mary Dutta, C.C. Guthrie, William Kamowski, V.S. Kemanis, Lisa 

Sunday, June 16, 2019

A Short Walk Down A Dark Street: Issue 57

As posted to Peter DiChellis to our list…
This week’s blog fires it up for short mystery and crime fiction: links to a wicked mix of reviews, releases, free reads, and more.
Plus, from the Department of Weird Clues: Earprints.
A short walk down a dark street (#57). What’s fresh, what’s famous, and what’s fiendish in short mystery and crime fiction.
Best wishes,
Peter

SMFS Member Publication News: John M. Floyd


SMFS list member John M. Floyd has a short story in the recently published anthology, What Would Elvis Think? Mississippi Stories. Published by Ink-Slingers, the book is available in both print and digital formats from Amazon. Mr. Floyd’s short story, “The Garden Club” is one of 23 tales in the 240 page book. Mr. Floyd also contributed the foreword to the book which is referenced below in the synopsis published at Amazon.

Amazon Synopsis:

From the Foreword: 
[A]ny discussion of southern writing will eventually lead to Mississippi—the state that has more published authors per capita than any other. . . . Why not, then, create an anthology of stories specifically about Mississippi? Such is the book you now hold in your hand—a collection of tales that are all set here in Elvis Country. . . . Some of these Mississippians might remind you of folks you know—and others are people you might never want to meet face to face. What they have in common is that they're all interesting—and unforgettable.
          – John Floyd, author of The Barrens
The authors: 
Jim R. Angelo, Marion Barnwell, Lottie Brent Boggan, Janet Brown, John M. Floyd, Chuck Galey, Sally P. Green, Sherye Simmons Green, Wendy Harms, Brent Hearn, Charlotte Hudson, Daney Kepple, JP Luby, Chuck McIntosh, Frederick Charles Melancon, Melanie Noto, Linda Raiteri, Nicolas Smith, Kyle Summerall, Stephanie Swindle Thomas, Janet Taylor-Perry, Diane Thomas-Plunk, and Judy H. Tucker

SleuthSayers: Anthology Psychology by John M. Floyd

SleuthSayers: Anthology Psychology: by John M. Floyd I've often told my writing students that there are three markets for short fiction: magazines, anthologies, and co...

Saturday, June 15, 2019

SMFS Short Story Saturdays: Robert Petyo


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.  

For SMFS Short Story Saturdays today, list member Robert Petyo shares the 2008 short story, “The Truth About Lang Tri” archived at The Thrilling Detective.

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, June 14, 2019

What Editors Want You To Know: Barb Goffman: A Success Story

What Editors Want You To Know: Barb Goffman: A Success Story

SleuthSayers: Suspense Fiction by O'Neil De Noux

SleuthSayers: Suspense Fiction: by O'Neil De Noux These are not rules, not guidelines, not anything etched in stone. These are observations about suspense novels fro...

Criminal Minds: Criminal Minds Think Alike by Paul D. Marks

Criminal Minds: Criminal Minds Think Alike: Do you read different stuff when you're writing from when you're not? Why? by Paul D. Marks Another Two-fer today. I’ll respond ...

SMFS Member Publication News: Leslie Budewitz


SMFS list member Leslie Budewitz’s latest book, Chai Another Day: A Spice Shop Mystery, is now out. Published by Seventh Street Books, the book is available in print, digital and audio formats from the publisher, Amazon, and other vendors.  


Synopsis:

Seattle Spice Shop owner Pepper Reece probes murder while juggling a troubled employee, her mother’s house hunt, and a fisherman who’s set his hook for her.

As owner of the Spice Shop in Seattle's famed Pike Place Market, Pepper Reece is always on the go. Between conjuring up new spice blends and serving iced spice tea to customers looking to beat the summer heat, she finally takes a break for a massage. But the Zen moment is shattered when she overhears an argument in her friend Aimee's vintage home decor shop that ends in murder.

Wracked by guilt over her failure to intervene, Pepper investigates, only to discover a web of deadly connections that could ensnare a friend - and Pepper herself.


Tuesday, June 11, 2019

The First Two Pages: “Fire Drill” by Lisa de Nikolits

The First Two Pages: “Fire Drill” by Lisa de Nikolits

Writers Who Kill: Readers, Writers and Offensive Language by KM Rcokwood,

Writers Who Kill: Readers, Writers and Offensive Language: What language will your readers find offensive? It varies. Offense is in the eyes of the beholder, not the producer, of the language. O...

SleuthSayers Blog: A California Crime Weekend by Paul D. Marks

SleuthSayers: A California Crime Weekend: by Paul D. Marks A double header today. First up are some thoughts on the California Crime Writers Conference that happened this past week...

Victoria Weisfeld: Seasoning Dinner with Crime: First Course

Victoria Weisfeld: Seasoning Dinner with Crime: First Course

Monday, June 10, 2019

Little Big Crimes Review: 'Mocking Season by Christi Clancy

Little Big Crimes: 'Mocking Season, by Christi Clancy: "'Mocking Season," by Christi Clancy, in Milwaukee Noir,  edited by Tim Hennessy, Akashic Press, 2019. The publisher sent ...

SMFS Member Publishing News: Frank Zafiro


SMFS list member Frank Zafiro’s new book, Charlie-316, co-written with Colin Conway, is released today. Published by Down & Out Books, the read is now available in both print and eBook formats from Amazon and other vendors.


Synopsis:

Tyler Garrett is a model SWAT officer whose good looks, education and familial status add to that image. The fact that he is a black man in the predominately white Spokane Police Department only adds to the city administration’s pride in one of their own. He’s often pointed to as an example of the department’s best and brightest—a young man on the rise. 

One summer evening, Garrett stops a reckless driver. It’s something he’s done a thousand times except this time, gunfire erupts from a nearby house. As Garrett dives for cover, the driver turns and begins shooting as well. Garrett survives the ambush by killing the driver and chasing off the additional shooter. 

The legend of Tyler Garrett grows and the community rallies around him. 

Until the initial investigation determines the driver was shot in the back and his gun has somehow disappeared. Suddenly, the police department, city hall, and even the national news media are wondering just what happened that night? In a nation where police brutality dominates the headlines, Garrett’s case has suddenly become a flashpoint. 

Now, Officer Tyler Garrett must take matters into his own hands. Time is quickly running out for him to find the second shooter and to clear his name.