Wednesday, November 30, 2022

SMFS Member Publishing News: Egg on Her Face: Stories of Crime, Horror, and the Space in Between by Zakariah Johnson


SMFS list member Zakariah Johnson's short story collection, Egg on Her Face: Stories of Crime, Horror, and the Space in Between, has been published by Alien Buddha Press. The read is available in print from Amazon. 

 

Amazon Description:

Zakariah Johnson’s Egg on Her Face displays the heart of a poet and the brutality of an executioner. This is a special book.

—J.B. Stevens, award-winning author and critic.

 

Zakariah writes with a keen eye for the strange and melancholic aspects of our human experience. With a steady, practiced hand, his stories transport us somewhere we’ve always known existed but could never find on our own—liminal spaces just beyond our collective imagination. Ingenious and original, Johnson is a literary force to be reckoned with.

—C.W. Blackwell, author of Song of the Red Squire and Hard Mountain Clay

 

Whether the plot involves criminal hijinks or horror, cryptids or centenarians, Johnson infuses his stories with heart. You can tell he’s a musician by the wonderful rhythm of his writing and the way all the elements come together to make each story sing.

—Serena Jayne, author of Necessary Evils

 

For those of us who continue the labor of love that is the American short story, Zakariah’s new collection shows us that the art is not lost—it is, in fact, in damned fine hands.

—Bobby Mathews, author of Living the Gimmick

 

With 14 solid mashups of horror, noir, and the surreal, Egg on Her Face delivers a genre-bending punch.

—Marianne Halbert, author of Cold Comforts

SMFS Member Publishing News: The Adventure Rising From the Ashes by Dan Castro

 

SMFS list member Dan Castro’s short story, The Adventure Rising From the Ashes, appears in the recently released anthology, Sherlock Holmes: A Year of Mystery 1884. Published by Belanger Books, the read is available in digital and print formats from Amazon and other vendors.

 

Synopsis:

The ongoing saga of a beautiful friendship!

For all we know, or think we know, about Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, what we don't know is far, far greater. In one of the duo's most exciting cases, The Adventure of the Speckled Band, we know when Helen Stoner arrives "in a considerable state of excitement" at the door of 221B Baker Street, seeking the assistance of Holmes and Watson: "It was early in April in the year '83..." But what happened during the rest of 1883? Or all of 1884?

To help fill the void, we have asked today's top Sherlockian writers to rummage through their Watsonian correspondence and uncover the many mysteries left untold until now.

There's a new story for every month of the year, forewords from noted Holmesians, and a gorgeous cover from Jeffrey McKeever, whose work continues to grace the pages of The Strand Magazine!

The game is afoot!


SMFS Member Publishing News: The Case of the Injured Orator by Martin Hill Ortiz


SMFS list member Martin Hill Ortiz’s short story, The Case of the Injured Orator, appears in the recently released anthology, Sherlock Holmes: A Year of Mystery 1883. Published by Belanger Books, the read is available in digital and print formats from Amazon and other vendors.

 

Synopsis:

The ongoing saga of a beautiful friendship!

For all we know, or think we know, about Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, what we don't know is far, far greater. In one of the duo's most exciting cases, The Adventure of the Speckled Band, we know when Helen Stoner arrives "in a considerable state of excitement" at the door of 221B Baker Street, seeking the assistance of Holmes and Watson: "It was early in April in the year '83..." But what happened during the rest of 1883? Or all of 1884?

To help fill the void, we have asked today's top Sherlockian writers to rummage through their Watsonian correspondence and uncover the many mysteries left untold until now.

There's a new story for every month of the year, forewords from noted Holmesians, and a gorgeous cover from Jeffrey McKeever, whose work continues to grace the pages of The Strand Magazine!


SMFS Member Publishing News: Mrs. Robinson by Veronica Leigh

 

SMFS list member Veronica Leigh’s short story, Mrs. Robinson, is published in the After Dinner Conversation: December 2022 issue. Published by After Dinner Conversation, the read is available in print format at Amazon with the digital version coming out on December 10th.

 

Synopsis:

"After Dinner Conversation" Magazine - December 2022

Mrs. Robinson: Set in Elizabethan England, a young woman marries a too-good-to-be-true heir to an estate, only to find out he has a secret.

Male Privilege: The narrator is picked by the retiring Mayor to be his successor, but his questionable past catches up to him before election day.

The Bargain: Alien real estate developers visit earth to let us know our planet is in a prime development location and set to add 40 billion inhabitants.

The Kill Registry: In a world where everyone in society gets "one free kill," the narrator finds out his attractive coworker got a promotion.

Lev's Pawn Shop: A dying pawn shop own looks to return all the items in his shop to settle his account with God.

Sacrificing Mercy: A devout Christian refuses a heart transplant based on her religious convictions.

Everyone's Gay In Space: Douglas Junior goes to lunch with his successful, gay, astronaut clone.

After Dinner Conversation believes humanity is improved by ethics and morals grounded in philosophical truth. Philosophical truth is discovered through intentional reflection and respectful debate. In order to facilitate that process, we have created a growing series of short stories across genres, a monthly magazine, and two podcasts. These accessible examples of abstract ethical and philosophical ideas are intended to draw out deeper discussions with friends, family, and students.


SMFS Members Published in Mystery Magazine: December 2022

 

SMFS list members are published in the recently released, Mystery Magazine: December 2022 issue.  The read is available at Amazon. The members in the issue are:

 

Brandon Barrows with "Five Finger Christmas."

 

Elizabeth Elwood with "The Last Noel."

 

John M. Floyd with "The Magnolia Thief."  This is A You-Solve-It mystery.

 

Martin Hill Ortiz with "The Adventure Of The Black Barnacle."

 

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:

In our cover feature, "It's Always Midnight" by Carl Tait, a peculiar man is observed at the scene of several seemingly unrelated deaths forcing a jaded New York City police detective to uncover the dark connection between the stranger and the fatalities.

"The Dust Thief" by Ryan Uytdewilligen: Set in the early 1950s, a bitter travelling vacuum salesman is attempting to try and sell the device to homes around central California. Though he fails at selling any, he discovers that his demonstrations are inadvertently sucking up a thin layer of gold dust.

In "Suddenly, Everything Went Black" by Chris Bullard, a detective investigating the missing Von Radium tiara gets smacked on the head a few too many times to make any sense of things.

"The Last Noel" by Elizabeth Elwood: When Grannie Forbes falls face first into the Christmas pudding, no one in the family is particularly sorry, but soon the questions begin. Did someone take a hand to ensure that this was her last Noel?

In "Gut Instinct" by James A. Mallory, private investigator Alonzo Probe is feeling pretty good on the eve of 1975. Driving home from his latest job, he spots a former lover manhandled into a car and takes chase.

"Five Finger Christmas" by Brandon Barrows: The holiday season is a wonderful time, but there's always someone who has to go and ruin everyone else's fun ...

"The Adventure Of The Black Barnacle" by Martin Hill Ortiz: Professor Moriarty convinces detective and next door neighbor to Sherlock Holmes to steal a precious jewel. Moriarty has an even more sinister goal in mind.

"The Magnolia Thief" A You-Solve-It by John M. Floyd: Fran Valentine is at it again, meddling in her daughter Sheriff Lucy's case.


SleuthSayers: All Things in Moderation by Robert Lopresti

SleuthSayers: All Things in Moderation: LCC 2022. Courtesy of Kelly Garrett Back in the spring I attended Left Coast Crime in Albuquerque.  I have already blogged about that twice ...

Monday, November 28, 2022

SMFS Member Publishing News: Wedding Bell Blues by Robert Petyo

 

SMFS list member Robert Petyo’s short story, Wedding Bell Blues, appears in the recently released anthology, Gypsum Sound Trails 2. The book is published in digital and print formats and available at Amazon.

 

 

Synopsis:

The first Gypsum Sound Trails is my favourite thing that we have ever put out. There was something about all the stories that just worked, and each of them helped bring the fictional town of West Moreton, Arizona and its inhabitants to life.

Gypsum Sound Trails 2 (or A Return to West Moreton as it was originally known) is the first sequel that we have done to any of our collections, and I feel that the stories within are just as impressive as those in the original. Thank you to all the authors who have returned to continue their tales of the Markwell Gang, Smooth Kisses, and the township of West Moreton.

SleuthSayers: In the Beginning by R. T. Lawton

SleuthSayers: In the Beginning: Mike with OH-58 I did a lot of flying with Huey Mike. Nape of the earth, aerial assaults, sometimes parking hundreds of feet up on top of b...

SMFS Members Published in Trees: An Anthology

 

SMFS listed members are published in the recently released book, Trees: An Anthology. Published by Jersey Pines Ink, the read is available in print format at Amazon. The SMFS members in the book are:

 

James Blakey with "Red Oak's Revenge."

 

Shari Held with "The Magical Forest.”

 

 

Synopsis:

An Anthology of 37 short stories by 36 authors

Forests! Swamps! Stumpy trees!

Throw in some moss, mushrooms

and a ghost or two.

Join us for a walk in the woods,

if you dare.

Thursday, November 24, 2022

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

SMFS Member Podcast News: Tired of Bath by Merrilee Robson


The current AHMM podcast features SMFS list member Merrilee Robson's short story, Tired of Bath.  The story originally appeared in the March/April 2022 issue of AHMM. The podcast is available here for free.

 

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

This episode features Merrilee Robson's tale "Tired of Bath" from the March/April 2022 issue, which imagines what Jane Austen would experience when transported to the current day and tracks two friends—an English teacher and a filmmaker—as they handle the situation. Canadian writer Merrilee Robson is the author of Murder is Uncooperative, and her short fiction has appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, The People’s Friend, Mystery Weekly, Over My Dead Body, Mysteryrat’s Maze podcast, and a number of anthologies.

The story is read by our managing editor, Jackie Sherbow.

SMFS Member Publishing News: Wormhole by Keith Brooke


Today is publication day for Keith Brooke’s new book, Wormhole, cowritten with Eric Brown. Published by Angry Robot, the read is available in print and digital formats at the publisher, Amazon, and other vendors.

 

Synopsis:

An eighty year old cold case murder investigation that stretches across light years and risks the future of mankind’s new home. A hard SF/crime crossover from two respected and well-likednames in SF.

---

2110. Earth is suffering major resource shortages, and the impact of climate change is peaking, with much of the planet’s equatorial regions turned to lifeless desert and populations displaced. Colonies have been established on Mars and the Moon, but these cannot hope to sustain any more than a scant population of hundreds of citizens.

Attention has turned to the need to discover an extra-solar colony world.

European scientists, using discoveries made at CERN, have identified the means of creating a wormhole in the space-time continuum, which would allow interstellar travel. However, to do so they must first physically transport one end of the wormhole to where they want it to be, so settingup a wormhole will always rely on physical travel first of all.

A ship is sent to Mu Arae, earth-like planet discovered 10 years before. It is a journey that will take 80 years, the crew, who will eventually set up the wormhole on the planet, kept in suspended animation. But only a few years into the trip, catastrophe strikes and the ship blows up en route, killing all aboard.

2190, eighty years after the starship set out.

Gordon Kemp is a detective working in the cold case department in London. Usually he works on cases closed ten, twenty-five years earlier. Now, however, he has been assigned a murder investigation closed, unsolved, over eighty years ago. What he unearths will change history and threatens everything we know about what the powers that be have planned for Earth. The tragedy that befell the ship 80 years before is not what it seems and the past and the present are radically different to what everyone on Earth believes. We made the journey. Why has it been kept a secret?

Sunday, November 20, 2022

SMFS Members Published in Black Cat Weekly #64

 

SMFS list members are featured this week in Black Cat Weekly #64. Published by Wildside Press, the issue is available here in digital format. The SMFS list members in the issue are:

 

John M. Floyd with “Button’s and Bo’s.”

 

Andrew Welsh-Huggins with “Dumbass Is Dumbass.”

 

Website Synopsis: 

Our 64th issue is a bit of a celebration—our American holiday, Thanksgiving, is nearly upon us, so we have a couple of other seasonally appropriate stories which I hope you will enjoy. (I trust our international readers will enjoy them as much as we do here.)

Our acquiring editors have been busy. Michael Bracken has an original tale by Andrew Welsh-Huggins, and Barb Goffman has a turkey tale from modern master John M. Floyd. Cynthia Ward is off again this week, but she will have more for us shortly.

Not enough? Well, we have gone back to the pulps for stories by Alfred Bester, George O. Smith, and Arthur J. Burks. Plus a novel by mystery superstar Mary Roberts Rinehart. Plus a long-lost fantasy by British author Sydney J. Bounds, which appears here for the first time. And another long-unseen story by the late and much-missed Larry Tritten. 


Here’s this issue’s lineup:

Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure:

“Dumbass Is Dumbass,” by Andrew Welsh-Huggins [Michael Bracken Presents short story]

“The Loser Takes All,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery]

“Button’s and Bo’s,” by John M. Floyd [short story]

“Thubway Tham’s Thanksgiving Dinner,” by Johnston McCulley [short story]

“The Adventure of the Coffee-Pot,” by Hal Meredeth [short story]

The Red Lamp, by Mary Roberts Rinehart [novel]

 

Science Fiction & Fantasy:

“In Video Veritas,” by Larry Tritten [short story]

“The Grey Mage,” by Sydney J. Bounds [short story]

“The Unseen Blushers,” by Alfred Bester [short story]

“The Death Crystal,” by George O. Smith [novella]

“The Vanishers,” by Arthur J. Burks [novella]

Saturday, November 19, 2022

2022 Al Blanchard Award Honorable Mention: Kim Keeline

 

SMFS list member Kim Keeline’s short story, Steer Clear of the Devil, was named an Honorable Mention Winner for the 2022 Al Blanchard Award presented at New England Crime Bake. The Al Blanchard Award, named after Al Blanchard, honors the best crime short story by a New England writer or with a New England setting. For a full list of the honorable mentions and the winner, please go to the website.

SMFS Member Podcast News: They Shoot Pumpkins Don't They? by Margaret S. Hamilton


SMFS list member Margaret S. Hamilton’s mystery short story, They Shoot Pumpkins Don't They?, is featured this week at Mysteryrat's Maze podcast. Produced by Kings River Life Magazine, the podcast can be heard here.

 

Website Synopsis:

They Shoot Pumpkins Don’t They? by Margaret S. Hamilton

November 15, 2022

This episode features the mystery short story They Shoot Pumpkins Don't They? by Margaret S. Hamilton, and it is read by local actor Donna Beavers. They Shoot Pumpkins Don't They? was published on the Writers Who Kill blog You can learn more about the author on her website.

In each episode, we share with you mystery short stories and mystery novel first chapters read by actors from the San Joaquin Valley. Our theme song was written and performed by Kevin Memley. If you enjoyed this episode please review or rate it as that helps more people be able to find us! Also, consider subscribing so you never miss an episode-both to this podcast and to our podcast newsletter.

If you would like to help support this podcast and Kings River Life financially, and get some fun rewards, check out our Patreon Page. You can also make a one time donation through Paypal and you can purchase some fun Mysteryrat's Maze merchandise on Redbubble.

You can find more mystery fun on our websites Kings River Life Magazine and KRL News and Reviews.

SMFS Member Publishing News: Where Palms Sway and the Surf Pounds by Curtis Ippolito

 
SMFS list member Curtis Ippolito’s short story, Where Palms Sway and the Surf Pounds, has been published at Shotgun Honey. The story is online and free to read at the website.

SleuthSayers: Treasures from the Sock Drawer by John Floyd

SleuthSayers: Treasures from the Sock Drawer: Like all writers, I have a lot of ideas for stories. When one of them occurs to me, I try first to figure out whether it's marketable, a...

Friday, November 18, 2022

SMFS Member Publishing News: The Rumor That Refused to Die by C.A. Verstraete


SMFS list member C.A. Verstraete’s short story, The Rumor That Refused to Die, is in new the anthology out today, A to Z of Horror: O is for Outbreak. Published by Red Cape Publishing, the read is available in digital format at Amazon.

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

SMFS Member Publishing News: Two Short Stories by Lamont A. Turner


SMFS list member Lamont A. Turner has two short stories that have been published online and are free to read.

“The Missing Dentures” appears at Half Hour To Kill.

“Heavy Weight” appears at The Piker Press.

SMFS Members Published in GONE: AN ANTHOLOGY OF CRIME STORIES


Today is publication day for the new anthology, GONE: AN ANTHOLOGY OF CRIME STORIES. Several SMFS list members are included in this anthology of thirty authors. Published by Red Dog Press, the read is available in print format from the publisher, Amazon, and other vendors. The SMFS list members in the book are:

 

M. H. Callway with "Must Love Dogs - or You're Gone."

 

Scott Von Doviak with "Mystery Lights."

 

Mike McHone with "Abductor, Abductee.”

 

Jacqueline Seewald with "Lost Lady."

 

Bev Vincent with "Good Neighbors."

 

Synopsis:

Edited by Stephen J. Golds, this anthology of 30 short stories covering every sub-genre of crime from some of the world's finest authors is not to be missed.

A woman running away from the darkness of her past finds it’s followed her to Spain. A man searching for his missing wife ends up lost in translation in Japan. A girl in financial distress moves in with her boss with gruesome results, a guilt-racked musician on tour in Germany slips into delusion and paranoia, a private detective investigating a disappearance finds the mystery solved close to home, an aging mobster tries to teach a young DJ the ways of the world.

Pulp, hard-boiled, transgressive, private eye, science fiction, mystery, cosy, literary and noir.

Thirty international stories of crime.

Thirty stories Gone.

Featuring short stories from:

Charles Ardai, Sharon Bairden, John Bowie, Gordon J. Brown, M.H. Callway, Ailsa Cawley, Richard Chizmar, M. Sean Coleman, Scott VonDoviak, Ted Flanagan, Nils Gilbertson, Stephen J. Golds, Gabriel Hart, Noelle Holten, BF Jones, Steven Kedie, Awais Khan, Chris McDonald, Mike McHone, S.E. Moorhead, Judith O'Reilly, Nathan Pettigrew, M E Proctor, Mark SaFranko, Jacqueline Seewald, Megan Taylor, Ken Teutsch, Sebastian Vice, Bev Vincent, Trevor Wood


Monday, November 14, 2022

SMFS Members Published in Cold Cases: Mystery, Crime, and Mayhem #12


Several SMFS list members are published in Cold Cases: Mystery, Crime, and Mayhem #12. Published by Knotted Road Press, the read is available in digital and print formats at Amazon. The SMFS list members in the issue are: 

 

Joslyn Chase with "Cold Hands, Warm Heart."

Diana Deverell with "Love Child."

David H. Hendrickson with "Buried Braces."

Steve Liskow with "When Lainie Was Late."

Annie Reed with "The Promise."

 

 

Synopsis:

It might be that one case that never closed, that always haunted you.

Or perhaps one that someone dumped in your lap, because new evidence has brought it back to life.

Anything.

The case remains cold. The clues molding, or non-existent.

But you still move forward, trying to find the answer.

Those who are gone deserve no less.

Cold Cases. Issue number 12 of Mystery, Crime, and Mayhem.

So Criminal, It's Good.

SMFS Members Published in Checkpoint 'Charley': Beyond the Iron Curtain

 
Two SMFS list members have short stories in the new anthology, Checkpoint 'Charley': Beyond the Iron Curtain. Published by Pro Se Productions, the read is available in digital and print formats at Amazon. The SMFS list members in the book are:

 

Wendy Harrison with "Look at Little Sister."

 

Ed Teja with “The Last Detail.”

 

Synopsis:

1961: Charley McKenna has a dirty job. She works for 'the Company' and she's just been promoted to Head of Station in West Berlin. Dropped into heart of the Cold War, Charley finds herself working on a knives edge as tensions between he East and West reach an all time high. 

Pro Se Productions presents four new tales of Cold War espionage as Charley McKenna and her team of crack operatives fight to stave off universal armageddon. The stories in CHECKPOINT 'CHARLEY' take you beyond the Iron Curtain, back to a time when the great game was for real and the stakes were astronomical. 

From the mind of David J. Foster and the pens of of Wendy Harrison, Ed Teja, E. W. Farnsworth, and James Hopwood explodes intrigue and espionage in CHECKPOINT 'CHARLEY'. From Pro Se Productions.


Little Big Crimes: A Rat Tale, by Mark Thielman

Little Big Crimes: A Rat Tale, by Mark Thielman: "A Rat Tale," by Mark Thielman, in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, November/December 2022.  Mark Thielman, my fellow Sleu...

Sunday, November 13, 2022

SMFS Member Publishing News: Holy Night by Veronica Leigh

 

SMFS list member Veronica Leigh’s 2020 short story, Holy Night, is reprinted in the After Dinner Conversation: November 2022 issue. Published by After Dinner Conversation, the read is now available in both digital and print formats at Amazon.

 

Synopsis:

"After Dinner Conversation" Magazine - November 2022

Water Under The Bridge: Rusty is beat up by the neighborhood bullies trying to steal his bike, and looks to get revenge.

The Stone Piles: A young boy seeks the approval of his father through hunting, but finds he doesn't have the stomach for it.

Cycles: An Associate English Professor goes through a series of unsuccessful relationships, and finds out she's pregnant.

Waiting For The End: Two boys debate "the Sister's" proclamation about the upcoming end of the world.

Notes From The Struggle: Two men discuss baboons over drinks and consider the words of Socrates.

Holy Night: Three Auschwitz prisoners find a contraband bible and have to decide if they are willing to risk their lives to keep it.

Performance: A sheepish brother is forced through an experimental program to take on the overbearing traits of his crime boss twin.

 

After Dinner Conversation believes humanity is improved by ethics and morals grounded in philosophical truth. Philosophical truth is discovered through intentional reflection and respectful debate. In order to facilitate that process, we have created a growing series of short stories across genres, a monthly magazine, and two podcasts. These accessible examples of abstract ethical and philosophical ideas are intended to draw out deeper discussions with friends, family, and students.

SMFS Members Published in Black Cat Weekly #63

 

SMFS list members are featured this week in Black Cat Weekly #63. Published by Wildside Press, the issue is available here in digital format. The SMFS list members in the issue are:

 

Sharyn Kolberg with "Gone by Greyhound."

 

Joseph S. Walker with "The Last Man in Lafarge." 

 

Website Synopsis: 

Here is Black Cat Weekly #63:

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly. It’s our 63rd issue, and we’re just getting into the Thanksgiving holiday spirit. Our cover this time features a cat-and-turkey dance, but we can guarantee no turkeys among the stories! This time, Michael Bracken has an original crime story by Sharyn Kolberg on tap, and Barb Goffman has acquired a great Joseph S. Walker mystery. We also have classics by “Sapper” (British author H.C. McNeile), a Johnny Liddell detective tale by Frank Kane, and as always, a solve-it-yourself mystery by Hal Charles (the writing team of Hal Blythe and Charlie Sweet).

On the science fiction and fantasy side, we have another original story by Sydney J. Bounds featuring his wizard-detective, in “Royal Mage,” plus stories by Frank Belknap Long, Clifford D. Simak, and Joseph Gilbert. Rounding out the issue is a novel by Murray Leinster, Men Into Space, based on the classic television series.

 

Here’s the complete lineup:

Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure:

“Gone By Greyhound,” by Sharyn Kolberg [Michael Bracken Presents short story]

“The Locked Gymnasium Mystery,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery]

“The Last Man in Lafarge,” by Joseph S. Walker [Barb Goffman Presents short story]

“The Green Death,” by “Sapper" [short story]

“The Icepick Artists,” by Frank Kane [novella]

 

Science Fiction & Fantasy:

“Royal Mage,” by Sydney J. Bounds [short story]

“Atomic Station,”by Frank Belknap Long [short story]

“The Call from Beyond,” by Clifford D. Simak [short story]

“The Eternal Quest,” by Joseph Gilbert [short story]

Men Into Space, by Murray Leinster [novel]

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

Jungle Red Writers: The Wonderful Versatility of Crime Short Stories by Leslie Wheeler

Jungle Red Writers: The Wonderful Versatility of Crime Short Stories b...: LUCY BURDETTE: Today I'm happy to welcome one of our longtime JRW writing pals Leslie Wheeler, to introduce an anthology of crime fictio...

SMFS Members Published in Strand Magazine #67


Two SMFS list members are in the recently released Strand Magazine #67. The issue is available at the website. The list members are:

 

David Bart with “Somebody Has To Bleed.”

 

Melissa Yi with “Puttin’ Out The Ritz.”

 

 

Synopsis:

The Strand Magazine: New Steinbeck Article, Plus an Exclusive with Louise Penny, and fiction by Gar Anthony Haywood (Issue 67)

(A new Steinbeck article, fiction by Gar Anthony Haywood, Melissa Yi, and David Bart and an exclusive interview with Louise Penny)

In our 67th issue, we’re proud to present the first American release of John Steinbeck’s “How About McCarthyism”.  Like his works of fiction, which are sure to remain classics for as long as people still read, this article, with its clear-eyed analysis of the relationship between democracies and demagogues, is as relevant today as it was in the McCarthy era.  John Steinbeck penned this article when he and his third wife Elaine moved briefly to Paris. The couple fell in love with the City of Lights, and the great American author was so captivated that he chose to pen a weekly column called One American in Paris for a French literary magazine, chronicling his observations as an American. These were to be light-hearted fare—and yet Steinbeck, a keen social critic, was unable to entirely filter out his concerns about life back home and penned this prescient article. He also wrote a whimsical little tale titled “The Amiable Fleas” which the Strand published in English for the first time in 2019.

For our spotlight interview we caught up with bestselling author Louise Penny, who not only has earned critical and popular acclaim for her mystery novels, but has a reputation as being one of the most friendly mystery writers in the business. Penny shared her experiences as an aspiring author while working for CBC Canada,  spoke about the real-life character who served as the inspiration for Inspector Armand Gamache and told us how she survived during quarantine.

Between Steinbeck and Penny, and of course our reviews of the latest books on the market, we have an interesting and unusual mix of stories for this issue. Gar Anthony Haywood offers us “All That Glitters,” a tale about family loyalty and money in the gritty streets of Los Angeles; David Bart’s “Somebody Has To Bleed,” reminds us that even pathological hitmen need mental health checks; Melissa Yi’s “Puttin’ Out The Ritz,” is a swanky romp with rich characters, gourmet apps, and stylish murder; and last but not least, Mark Mower’s “The Case of the SS Bokhara,” sets the Great Detective adrift in the South Pacific.

We also have the latest book, audiobook, and DVD reviews.

The Strand Magazine continues to bring our readers the best in fiction, interviews with authors, as well as insightful book and audiobook reviews. In addition to the latest work by Steinbeck, we’ve featured unpublished works by other legendary authors including  Shirley Jackson, Raymond Chandler, H.G. WellsAgatha ChristieDashiell Hammett, Tennessee WilliamsLouisa May Alcott and Ray Bradbury. 

For more back issues with works by literary legends, follow this link! 

Note: The Strand has published this work with the kind permission of the John Steinbeck Estate. This story is being published in English for the first time, and was originally published in Le Figaro in French in 1954.  The Steinbeck estate was able to confirm this fact and we’re grateful for their help and cooperation in permitting this work to be shared with a wider audience. Furthermore, this article has been well-known to scholars and the John Steinbeck estate for decades.