Saturday, December 31, 2022

SMFS Members Published in Mystery Magazine: January 2023


Two SMFS list members are published in the Mystery Magazine: January 2023 issue. The read is available in print and digital formats from Amazon. The members in the issue are:

 

Vinnie Hansen with “Criminal Little Secrets.”

 

J.R. Parsons with “An Artless Theft.” (A You-Solve-It)

 

Amazon Synopsis:

At the cutting edge of crime fiction, Mystery 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;

Our cover feature “A Black Dog For A White Monkey” by T K. Howell presents a classic noir as a bed-bound shamus attempts to solve the disappearance of an heiress.

“Neon City” by Mia Dalia delivers a classic noir with a twist. Movie industry, jealously, lookalikes, and one private detective caught up in it all.

“Leaves In A Forest” by A.E. Pittman: Conrad was ordered to take charge of a homicide on his first shift as a detective, for a crime scene that made no sense. And just when he thought things couldn't get any worse, he met his new partner.

In “The Fear Dreams” by Delee Fromm, a dream interpreter makes his fortune conning clients out of their life savings, that is, until he becomes the victim.

“A Simple Misunderstanding” by Peter Thompson: In this comic mystery, Tate and his friend Fred's night goes from bad to much worse, while searching for Tate's stolen Great Dane, Clarence.

“Accidents Will Happen” by Rima S. Riedel: George has his hands full with his old harridan of an Aunt Georgina her dog, Pookie Poo. He's finally had enough.

“Criminal Little Secrets” by Vinnie Hansen: South Dakota. 1966. When twelve-year-old Virginia is farmed out to work for the Schultzes for the summer, her nasty habit collides with Mr. Schultz's secret.

 

“Rules” by C. Flynt: “Me and Suzy planned out everything, except that no caper follows the plan.”

“An Artless Theft” A You-Solve-It by J.R. Parsons: Detective Sheila Stone is faced with a puzzling art theft and one very important question. Why would the robbers leave the most valuable artwork behind?

Custom Cover Art By Robin Grenville Evans

SMFS Members Published in Guilty Crime Story Magazine: Issue 007 - Winter 2023


SMFS list members are published in the Guilty Crime Story Magazine: Issue 007 – Winter 2023 issue. Published by Full Speed Publishing, the read is available in digital and print formats at Amazon. The SMFS list members in it are: 

 

Editor Brandon Barrows with "It's All An Act.”

 

Jim Guigli with “Not Funny.”

 

Amazon Synopsis:

Guilty is a magazine of crime stories, of criminals, their motivations and their beginnings and ends.

In issue seven:

"Sad Sack" by Colin Brightwell - Big Man and Scooter are celebrating Christmas with a little larceny.

"Not Funny" by Jim Guigli - It's all fun and games 'til the comedian gets hurt.

"Crank Baxter Ain't No God-Damned Christian" by Alec Cizak - Exactly what it says on the tin.

"The Delphi Murders" (true crime) by N. Fraley

"It's All An Act" by Brandon Barrows - Happiness turns tragic when the curtain rises on horror.

"No Trouble" by Wayne McIntire - Ben tried to do a guy a favor and rope him into a murder. Now he's gotta get him out!

"Conviction" by Anderson Barnes - Andy made a mistake, and he paid the price, but will anyone ever let him forget it?

"Two Guys Walk Into a Bar" by Robb T. White - Two guys walk in, murder walks out!

All brand-new material by top writers!


All The Madness In My Soul: Taking stock of 2022 - What's Done & What's Learned by Frank Zafiro

 All The Madness In My Soul: Taking stock of 2022 - What's Done & What's Learned by Frank Zafiro

SleuthSayers: 2022 in Review by John M. Floyd

SleuthSayers: 2022 in Review:   Around this time every year I usually take a look back at what I've written, submitted, published, and so forth, and put that into a  ...

Friday, December 30, 2022

SMFS Member Publishing News: A Woman Called Rage by Bev Vincent


Bev Vincent’s short story, A Woman Called Rage, appears in the charity anthology, The Place Where Everyone's Name is Fear. Independently published, the book is available in print format at Amazon.

 

 

Synopsis:

The Place Where Everyone’s Name is Fear is a charity anthology featuring short stories, essays and poems written by a diverse group of authors. The collection aims to raise awareness and funds for various women’s rights organizations.

Featuring Stories, Essays, and Poetry From:

Cody Sexton

Leah Mueller

Sheri White

Jennifer Iran

Mimm Paterson

Austin Davis

John Grey

Tiffany Storrs

Paula Rudnick

Isra Cheema

Dave Serrette

Sarah Park

Courtenay Schembri Gray

Sebastian Vice

Andy Gehlsen

Bev Vincent

Pedro Iniguez

Loretta S. Pedersen

George Daniel Lea

Stephen Myer

Jack Moody

D.M. Clarke

Jo Clark

Scott Cumming

Tony Garland

Barbara Genova

Brian Bowyer

Jim Towns

Karen Crawford

Joe S. Thomas

Steve Passey

Kelli Scott-Reed

Nathan Pettigrew

and

Francois Bereaud

Saturday, December 24, 2022

SMFS Member Publishing News: Smudges in the Holiday Window by C. A. Rowland


SMFS list member C. A. Rowland reported to the list tonight that her short story, Smudges in the Holiday Window, appears online at Abyss & Apex. You can read it for free here.

SMFS Member Publishing News: The Third Wish by James A. Hearn

 

SMFS list member James A. Hearn’s short story, The Third Wish, is published today in Black Cat Weekly #69. Published by Wildside Press, the issue is available here in digital format.

 

Website Synopsis:

Our 69th issue is being put together in the chaos of the holiday season. It’s hard, but the team always manages to pull things together at the last minute! So I’ll just say best wishes from everyone at Wildside and Black Cat Weekly…Michael Bracken, Barb Goffman, Sam Hogan, Darrell Schweitzer, Cynthia Ward, Karl Wurf, and me. And I will note that we have two original stories this issue, by Phyllis Ann Karr and James A. Hearn, along with our usual mix of classics and modern tales. And some manage to fit neatly into both mystery and the fantastic categories (see the contents list below.)

 

Here’s this issue’s lineup:

Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure:

“The Third Wish,” by James A. Hearn [Michael Bracken Presents short story]

“Where There’s Fire,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery]

“Bertie and the Christmas Tree,” by Peter Lovesey [Barb Goffman Presents short story]

“The 1961 Twelve,” by James Holding [short story]

“For Safe Deposit,” by Hal Meredith [short story]

The Rider of the Mohave, by James Fellom [novel]

“The Hammering Man,” by Edwin Balmer and William B. MacHarg [short story]

 

Science Fiction & Fantasy:

“The Third Wish,” by James A. Hearn [Michael Bracken Presents short story]

“The Hammering Man,” by Edwin Balmer and William B. MacHarg [short story]

“Not-Quite-Living Treasure,” by Phyllis Ann Karr [short story]

“Come Home from Earth,” by Edmond Hamilton [short story]

“Piety,” by Margaret St. Clair [short story]

Planet Explorer, by Murray Leinster [novel]

SMFS Member Publishing News: Kissing Cousins by Michael Bracken

 

SMFS list member Michael Bracken’s short story, Kissing Cousins, appears in Starlite Pulp Review #1. Published by Starlite Pulp, the read is available in print format from Amazon and other vendors.

 

Synopsis:

First Pulp Review, featuring 12 crime, horror, Sci Fi and western short stories, new from Starlite Pulp. First issue put out in Winter 2022. Featuring Michael Bracken, Jim Towns, James Whelpley, Brian Townsley, and others.

Thursday, December 22, 2022

SMFS Member Publishing News: Two by C. B. Peterson


SMFS list member C. B. Peterson reported today that her thriller, I Want Him Dead, was published last month just before Thanksgiving. The read is available in digital format only at Amazon.

 

Additionally, the short story, Home for Christmas, appeared last week at Kings River Life Magazine. You can read it for free here.

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

SMFS Member Publishing News: The Day She was Gone by Christine Eskilson


SMFS list member Christine Eskilson’s short story, The Day She was Gone, was published earlier this week at Guilty Crime Story Magazine: Flash!  You can read her flash fiction story online for free here.

Tuesday, December 20, 2022

SMFS Member Publishing News: Closed for Christmas by Heather Ormsby

 

SMFS list member Heather Ormsby’s short story, Closed for Christmas, appears in the Magick and Mistletoe: A Dragon Soul Press Anthology. Published by Dragon Soul Press, the read is available in digital format at Amazon.

 

Synopsis:

A sprinkle of Christmas magic.

It’s that magical time of the year when everything peppermint and pumpkin spice makes an appearance. People feel more generous, but there always seems to be a Scrooge lurking in their midst. This collection features a mixture of stories ranging from heartwarming to horror. All of them have a dose of magic, whether figuratively or literally.

Stories by Heather Ormsby, Jodie Francis, Patricia Duffy Novak, David W. Landrum, Charles Kyffhausen, Faedra Rose, Julie Day, and Tara Tyler.

Please note that this is an ebook only anthology.

Sunday, December 18, 2022

SMFS Member Publishing News: Merry Library Murder by N. M. Cedeño


SMFS list member N. M. Cedeño’s short story, Merry Library Murder, is published today in Black Cat Weekly #68. Published by Wildside Press, the issue is available here in digital format.

 

Website Synopsis:

Our 68th weekly issue has several holiday tales to spice up the season, including an original (“Merry Library Murder,” by N.M. Cedeño, courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and some modern classics by Heather Critchlow (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman) and one of my own favorite authors, Nina Kiriki Hoffman (she’s amazing!) Cynthia Ward has selected an exciting fantasy from Milton J. Davis, plus we have great tales by Ray Bradbury, Lester del Rey, and James Holding, a Sexton Blake tale by Hal Meredith, and of course a solve-it-yourself puzzler from Hal Charles. It’s a fun issue.

 

Here’s this issue’s lineup:

Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure:

“Merry Library Murder,” by N.M. Cedeño [Michael Bracken Presents short story]

“Where There’s a Will,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery]

“Heavenly Peace,” by Heather Critchlow [short story]

“The Inquisitive Butcher of Nice,” by James Holding [short story]

“The Barton Tunnel Mystery,” by Hal Meredith [short story]

 

Science Fiction & Fantasy:

“Wishmas,” by Nina Kiriki Hoffman [short story]

“The Gate,” by Milton J. Davis [Cynthia Ward Presents short story]

“The Irritated People,” by Ray Bradbury [short story]

“Solstice Cakes,” by Nina Kiriki Hoffman [short story]

“Unto Him that Hath,” by Lester del Rey [short story]

Something Is Going To Happen: Travel Ban (by David Dean)

 Something Is Going To Happen: Travel Ban (by David Dean)

Saturday, December 17, 2022

SMFS Members Published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine: January /February 2023


SMFS list members are published in the Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine: January /February 2023 issue. The issue is available at the publisher, Amazon, and other vendors. The SMFS members in the issue are:

 

Jacqueline Freimor with “The Picardy Third.”

 

Josh Pachter translates from Dutch the short story, A Normal Life, by Marion Pauw.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

January/February 2023

FICTION

The Murder of Sir Henry Baskerville by Elizabeth Elwood

Dissonance by Lou Manfredo

The Picardy Third by Jacqueline Freimor

The Killing of Henry Davenport by John Shen Yen Nee and S.J. Rozan

Vengeance by Michael Mcguire

The Bowser Boys are Back in Town by Hal Charles

American Lovers by E.A. Aymar

Goodbye, Ms. Damico by Bill Pronzini

There Will Be No Encore by John H. Dirckx

American Night by Zandra Renwick

The Reigate Squires by Terence Faherty

It’s a Small World (After All) by Twist Phelan

Can The Cat Catch The Rat? by Steve Hockensmith

BLACK MASK

The Butcherbirds of Twelfth Street by Matt Coleman

 

DEPARTMENT OF FIRST STORIES

The Soiled Dove of Shallow Hollow by Sean Mccluskey

Errand for a Neighbor by Bill Bassman

 

PASSPORT TO CRIME

A Normal Life by Marion Pauw

 

NONFICTION AND REVIEWS

Blog Bytes by Kristopher Zgorski

The Jury Box by Steve Steinbock

Stranger Than Fiction by Dean Jobb

SMFS Members Published in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine: January/February 2023


Several SMFS list members are published in the Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine: January/February 2023 issue released earlier this week. The issue is available at the publisher, Amazon, and other vendors. Those members are:

 

Marcelle Dubé with "The Mittens."

 

John Floyd with "Going the Distance."

 

Andrew Welsh-Huggins with "Ignatius Rum-and-Cola."

 

Additionally, Lida Bushloper reports that she is “… listed as an honorable mention for my response to the "Mysterious Photograph" contest.”

 

Website Synopsis:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

January/February 2023

FICTION

Dead Man’s Shoe • Floyd Sullivan

Ignatius Rum-and-Cola • Andrew Welsh-Huggins

The Grown-Ups’ Table • Steve Hockensmith

Elvis Duty • Matthew Wilson

The Tooth Fairy • Tara Laskowski

Going the Distance • John M. Floyd

The Mittens • Marcelle Dubé

For All His Worth  Gigi Vernon

Imperfect Data • Bob Tippee

The Price • Eric Rutter

El Comandante y el Artista • Tom Larsen

Murder, with Resignation • Ken Linn

 

DEPARTMENTS

The Lineup

Booked & Printed • Laurel Flores Fantauzzo

Mysterious Photograph

Scrambled Dalgliesh Anagram Puzzle • Mark Lagasse

Dying Words Acrostic Puzzle • Arlene Fisher

Case Files • Lee Lofland

The Story That Won

Solution to Dying Words

SMFS Members Published in Pulphouse Fiction Magazine: Issue 21

 

Several SMFS members are published in the recently released, Pulphouse Fiction Magazine: Issue 21. Published by WMG Publishing, the read is available in print and digital formats from the publisher, Amazon, and other vendors. The members in the issue are:

 

David H. Hendrickson with "Santa's Shrinkage."

 

Annie Reed with "A Crafty Christmas."

 

Lisa Silverthorne with “Christmas at Lake Mead.”

 

J. Steven York with "The Ghost of Christmas Beta." 

 

Website Synopsis:

The Cutting Edge of Modern Short Fiction

A three-time Hugo Award nominated magazine, this issue of Pulphouse Fiction Magazine offers up twenty fantastic stories by some of the best writers working in modern short fiction.

No genre limitations, no topic limitations, just great stories. Attitude, feel, and high-quality fiction equals Pulphouse.

 

Includes:

“Santa’s Shrinkage” by David H. Hendrickson

“A Crafty Christmas” by Annie Reed

“The Ghost of Christmas Beta” by J. Steven York

“Emergency Elf” by Stefon Mears

“A Grave Kind of Love” by Robert J. McCarter

“The Asshole of Christmas Present” by Ezekiel James Boston

“Christmas at Lake Mead” by Lisa Silverthorne

“The Ghost of Christmas Present” by David Stier

“Christmas Weather” by O’Neil De Noux

“Max, Marilyn, Murder, and Me” by Ray Vukcevich

“Scurvy and Forgiveness” by Rob Vagle

“The Friendly Beasts” by Nina Kiriki Hoffman

“Christmas at Glosser’s” by Robert Jeschonek

“A Corner of the Mind” by Ron Collins

“Other People’s Stupidity” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

SMFS Members Published in Mystery Readers Journal: Legal Mysteries Volume 38, No. 4, Winter 2022


Two SMFS list members have published works in Mystery Readers Journal: Legal Mysteries Volume 38, No. 4, Winter 2022. Published by Mystery Readers International, the read is available in print and pdf formats on the website. The SMFS list members published in the issue are:

 

Elizabeth Elwood’s article, "A Legal Mystery? Call for Miss Marple.”

 

Judith Mathison’s essay, "Killing Lawyers (On Paper): A New Type of Therapy.” 

 

Website Synopsis: 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

AUTHOR! AUTHOR!

  • Killing Lawyers (On Paper): A New Type of Therapy by Judith Ayn
  • The Curious Career of Martin H. Ehrengraf by Lawrence Block
  • Every Story Has a Beginning by James Barretto
  • “Don’t Tell Me What You Did” by Mark Bruce
  • Keeping it Legal by Diane Capri
  • Grief, Loss and a Con Man Changed My Life by Steve Cavanagh
  • Is the Legal Thriller Dead? by Lori Huff Dillman
  • Writing What You Know—Sort of… by Martin Edwards
  • Let Justice Be Done, Though the Heavens Fall by Anne Emery
  • A Legal Mystery? Call for Miss Marple by Elizabeth Elwood
  • True Lies by Chuck Greaves
  • An Unwilling Witness by Connie Johnson Hambley
  • Advice to Would-be Lawyer/Author by James Grippando
  • Legally Blocked by Joyce Holms
  • Jo Peters : ADA, City Attorney and P.I. by Gay Toltl Kinman
  • House Witness by Mike Lawson
  • Character Is Destiny… in Court and Out by Paul Levine
  • “You Don’t Need a Lawyer!” (Yes, You Do) by Terrence McCauley
  • My Brushes with a Serial Killer by Jodé Millman
  • The Lawyer as Storyteller by Robert Rotstein
  • Keeping It Real by C.L. Tolbert
  • Writing the First Legal Thriller by Bentley Turner
  • The Best Defense by Bev Vincent
  • Case # 421946: Crime & Punishment in Renaissance Florence by Alana White
  • The Last Lie Told by Debra Webb
  • Did the Barrister Do It? by Elizabeth Woodcraft

COLUMNS

  • Mystery in Retrospect: Reviews by Aubrey Hamilton, Lesa Holstine, Joan Ramirez, Kathy Boone Reel, L.J. Roberts, Lucinda Surber, Craig Sisterson
  • Children’s Hour: Legal Mysteries by Gay Toltl Kinman
  • In Short: It’s Legal… and It’s Short by Marv Lachman
  • Crime Seen: In the Courtroom by Kate Derie
  • The D.A.’s Men by Jim Doherty
  • From the Editor’s Desk by Janet A. Rudolph 

SMFS Members Published in Yellow Mama Webzine: Issue 95

  
Three SMFS list members are in Yellow Mama Webzine: Issue 94. The issue is online and a free read here. The SMFS list members in the issue are:

 

Shari Held with "Christmas Shopping Spree."

 

John Taylor with "Et in Arcadia Ego."

 

Lamont A. Turner with "The Last Maneuver." 

SleuthSayers: An Early Christmas by John M. Floyd

SleuthSayers: An Early Christmas:    One thing I've found, as a writer, is that if you get into the habit of writing and submitting short stories to editors regularly, yo...

Friday, December 16, 2022

SMFS Member Publishing News: The Dominion of All the Earth by Joseph S. Walker


SMFS list member Joseph S. Walker’s short story, The Dominion of All the Earth, appears in the new anthology, Extraordinary Visions: Stories Inspired by Jules Verne. Published by BearManor Media, the read is available in print format at the publisher, Amazon, and other vendors.

 

Synopsis:

 BEFORE SCIENCE FICTION, THERE WAS JULES VERNE

In the late 19 Century, during a span of 42 years, Jules Verne wrote over 50 novels in the Voyages Extraordinaires collection. His style and subject matter shaped Science Fiction into the genre we now know. Verne led the way, and his amazing tales still delight us today.

The North American Jules Verne Society is pleased to present its first-ever anthology of short stories, written by a select group of modern authors, inspired by classics like Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Around the World in Eighty Days, as well as Verne’s many other works.

What secrets await a salvage team raising the Nautilus, and who else wants that submarine?

What really happened when Nellie Bly met Jules Verne during her 1889 trip around the world?

On the front lines of World War I, did a steam-powered mechanical elephant join the fray?

The Baltimore Gun Club wouldn’t try to alter Earth’s rotational speed—would they?

What if your son recreated a thrilling chapter of 20,000 Leagues in your house?

What is so odd, very odd, about a particular shop full of Vernian antiques?

Mysterious beings dwell at the center of the Earth, but might they take revenge on the surface?

Verne’s spirit and imagination remain vibrant and relevant today. His voyages continue in Extraordinary Visions.

SMFS Member Publishing News: Secret Santa by Merrilee Robson


SMFS list member Merrilee Robson’s short story, Secret Santa, is published in The People's Friend: December 17, 2022 issue. You can learn more about this issue at the UK website.

SMFS Members Publishing News: The Shamus Winners III: America's Best Private Eye Stories Volume III (2010-2021)


Three SMFS list members are included in the recently published book, The Shamus Winners III: America's Best Private Eye Stories Volume III (2010-2021). Published by Perfect Crime Books, the read is currently available in paperback from Barnes and Noble. The SMFS members in the read are:

 

John Floyd with "Mustang Sally." (Black Cat Mystery Magazine’s special PI issue, #7)

 

Rick Helms with "Sweeps Week." (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine: July-Aug 2021)

 

O'Neil De Noux with "Sac-a-Lait Man." (Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine: Sep-Oct 2019).

 

Publisher Synopsis:

The Shamus Winners Volume III  featuring  the top private eyes in the business. 

Best-story Shamus winners from 2010 to   2021 by Dave Zeltserman, Gar Anthony Haywood, Michael Z. Lewin, Brendan DuBois, Mickey Spillane,  Max Allan Collins, John Shepphird, John M. Floyd, O'Neil De Noux,  SJ Rozan, Robert S. Levinson, Parnell Hall,  and Richard Helms. Edited by Robert J. Randisi, founder of the Private Eye Writers of America. Introduced by Christine Matthews. 

Thursday, December 15, 2022