Wednesday, December 11, 2024

SMFS Members Published in Santa Rage: A Killer Claus Compendium


SMFS list members are published in the new anthology, Santa Rage: A Killer Claus Compendium. Edited by fellow SMFS list member Jay Hartman, the book is currently available from the publisher, White City Press, and will be available at other vendors soon. The SMFS list members that reported being in the read are:

 

KM Rockwood with “Burn, Baby, Burn.”

 

Kevin R. Tipple with “First Contact.”

 

Publisher Description:

Inspired by a suggestion from legendary book reviewer, author and multi-term Short Mystery Fiction Society President Kevin R. Tipple, here’s the holiday anthology that’s definitely not filled with Christmas cheer. It will, however, be sure to entertain the darker side of your imagination.

Christmastime is a season full of stress. Cooking, decorations, trying to find the perfect gift for people you barely know. It’s enough to make anyone snap. Now, imagine you’re Santa Claus and you’ve got the entire world to take care of.

Yeah, cookies and milk isn’t going to make that kind of pressure go down any easier. Add in flippant reindeer, elves who slack and Mrs. Claus nagging that you never spend enough time with her during the holidays and it’s enough to make your Kris wanna Kringle, if you know what we mean.

Welcome to Santa Rage: A Killer Claus Compendium in which Mr. North Pole himself finally snaps and gets his just desserts…and we’re not talking gingerbread. Within these ten stories Claus dishes out his own brand of justice to nonbelievers, kidnappers, meth and other drug dealers while protecting strippers and doling out some of the best doses of karma Santa ever dealt that did not involve coal.

These ten stories of grindhouse-level revenge, horror, and action come courtesy of Kevin R. Tipple, Alexander Bayliss, KM Rockwood, Dante Bilec, Kurtis Rupé, MJ McClymont, E. Catherine Tobler, Erica Barnes, Justin Hunter and Leon Peter Blanda.

 

Tuesday, December 10, 2024

SMFS Members Published in Lost and Loaded: a Gun's Tale (the 509 Crime Anthologies)


Today is publication day for the new book, Lost and Loaded: a Gun's Tale (the 509 Crime Anthologies). The anthology from High Speed Creative, LLC, includes short stories by SMFS list members. The read is available from Amazon and other vendors. The SMFS list members that reported being in the read are: 

 

James D.F. Hannah with “Do You See the Light?”

 

Curtis Ippolito with “8-Hour Detour.”

 

Robert Lopresti with “The Book Deal.”

 

Amazon Description:

Taking the revolver was their first mistake. Using it was their second.

Marlin Hattenburg has no idea of the mayhem he’s about to unleash when he discovers an ugly gun while at work. Holding the snub-nose revolver fills him with hope that his marital problems will soon melt away.

He’s dead wrong.

The same pistol soon winds up in the hands of a junkie, followed by a mother, a spy, and even a failed clown. Each of them believes a found revolver to be good fortune or a solution to their problems. They, too, are wrong.

How does one discarded revolver lead to so much trouble? Follow the gun through one Pacific Northwest summer and find out.

Lost and Loaded: a Gun’s Tale is a collection of fourteen stories from crime fiction’s freshest voices. Get your copy today and experience a summer of broken dreams and murder.

Monday, December 9, 2024

SMFS Members Published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine: January/February 2025


SMFS list members are published in the Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine: January/February 2025 issue. The issue is available at the publisher and other vendors. The SMFS members that reported being in the issue are:

 

David Bart with “Going the Distance.”

 

Marcelle Dubé with “No Title, No Clout.”

 

Paul Ryan O'Connor with “As You See The World.”

 

Josh Pachter with a translation of François Bloemhof’s “The Wages of Sin.”

 

Manon Wogahn with “Kanab Noon.”

SMFS Members Published in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine: January/February 2025


SMFS list members are published in the Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine: January/February 2025 issue. The issue is available at the publisher and other vendors. Those list members that reported being published in the issue are:

 

Joslyn Chase with “Santa's Eyes.”

 

Marcelle Dubé with “King of the Visigoths.”

 

Kevin Egan with “The Guardianship of Willie Musslburgh.”

 

John M. Floyd with “The Cado Devil.”

 

James A. Hearn with “The Nine Lives of Dr. Impossible.”

 

Jillian Grant Shoichet with “The Toll.”

SMFS Member Publishing News: Scorched Earth by Elizabeth Zelvin


SMFS list member Elizabeth Zelvin reported that her short story, Scorched Earth, was published in Black Cat Weekly #171. Published by Wildside Press, the issue is available here in digital format.

 

Publisher Description:

This time, we have holiday-themed stories from Ron Miller (a great new tale featuring burlesque-queen-turned-private detective Velda), Nina Kiriki Hoffman (who remains one of my favorite fantasists active today), and Lillian M. Roberts (thanks to Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman).

   Plus, we have great originals by Elizabeth Zelvin (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken), Hala Dika, Joshua David Bellin, and Edmund Glasby (concluding his two-part novel serial from last issue). Our classic reprints are by John S. Glasby and Philip E. High.

   Here’s the complete lineup—

 

Cover Art: Ron Miller

 

SERIAL NOVEL

The Battle of Mageddo, by Edmund Glasby [Part 2 of 2]

   The Third Apocalypse of Brother Santiago concludes!

 

NOVELET

“Ho, Ho, Ho, Velda!” by Ron Miller [Velda series]

   Velda’s holiday turns chaotic when a cryptic clue leads to a baffling mystery. Can she solve it before Christmas is ruined?

 

SOLVE-IT-YOURSELF MYSTERY

“An Uncharitable Tournament,” by Hal Charles

   Can you solve the mystery before the detective? All the clues are there!

 

SHORT STORIES

“Scorched Earth,” by Elizabeth Zelvin [Michael Bracken Presents short story]

   Family tensions simmer as ambition and secrets collide. A gripping tale of loyalty and betrayal!

 

“The Reunion,” by Lillian M. Roberts [Barb Goffman Presents short story]

   A stray dog leads Andi to a mystery that shakes up her holiday.

 

“The Best Farnsworth,” by Hala Dika

   Detective Margot Cabot infiltrates a glittering world of wealth to uncover a deadly secret. Can she outwit the powerful Farnsworth family?

 

“Company for the Holidays,” by Nina Kiriki Hoffman

   Aunt Phyllida’s Christmas guest is a boy with a mysterious past—and her house is hosting a party of shadows….

 

“The Troop,” by Joshua David Bellin

   A girl raised among apes warns of a threat to their sanctuary. As two worlds collide, survival means navigating trust, betrayal, and primal instincts.

 

“The Method,” by Philip E. High

   In a galaxy where ancient instincts clash with advanced technologies, can Marsin ignite a rebellion and restore humanity’s place among the stars?

 

“Where Dead Men Dream,” by John S. Glasby

   In Haiti, a reporter uncovers a sinister ritual. The drums call, the dead rise—and terror awaits!

Saturday, December 7, 2024

SMFS Members Published in Dark Yonder: Issue 8


SMFS list members reported being published in Dark Yonder: Issue 8. Billed as the Holiday Issue 2024, the print version came out back on November 13th with the digital version released on December 1st. Published by Thalia Press, the read is available at Amazon. The SMFS list members that reported being in the read are:

 

Recita Clemons with “Have Turkey, Will Travel.”

 

Zakariah Johnson with “Residents and Renters.”

 

Ed Teja for “Toys for Thugs.”

 

Amazon Description:

Bah, Humbug!

Yeah, yeah, we know. Peace on earth and all that. We’re fans. But we also recognize that all the eggnog in the world can’t stop reality from eventually crashing down on us amidst the revelry. Check out ten great stories of holiday mayhem and mystery by these outstanding neo noir authors:

Starter Home by Jedidiah Ayres

Have Turkey, Will Travel by Recita Clemons

Isaiah by Bradley Harper

Residents and Renters by Zakariah Johnson

Merry Christmas, You Son of a Bitch by Charlie Kondek

All I Want for Christmas by Meagan Lucas

A Lot in Common by Stanton McCaffery

Silver Cord by Sarah Smith

Go Elf Yourself by Casey Stegman

Toys for Thugs by Ed Teja

Issue 8 also features the Drunk Uncle, a special holiday cocktail recipe that honors everyone’s favorite holiday dinner guest, along with commentary by editors Katy Munger and Eryk Pruitt.

Friday, December 6, 2024

SMFS Member Publishing News: Lies in the Place of Truth: A Sitehuti and Nefer-Djenou-Bastet Novel by T. Lee Harris


SMFS list member T. Lee Harris reported today that her new book, Lies in the Place of Truth: A Sitehuti and Nefer-Djenou-Bastet Novel was published earlier this month. Published by Per Bastet Publications LLC, the read is available at Amazon.

 

Publisher Description:

At the end of the events surrounding the Heb Sed, all young scribe Sitehuti wanted to do was grab his cat and retreat to his family home in the Place of Truth, the workers’ village for the Great Place, the Royal necropolis. That didn’t happen. Now, with the funeral and burial of Prince Amunhotep looming, he gets his wish — sort of.

The Prince’s murder brings many changes. Among those is Sitehuti’s temporary appointment as Royal Scribe in charge of the burial. However, all is not peaceful in the necropolis. Tombs are being robbed. People are disappearing — among the vanished is one of Captain Djedmose’s Royal Medjay Guards.

Things are also amiss at Mansion of Millions of Years, Ramesses II’s sprawling funerary complex and administrative center on the west bank of the river. To the Pharaoh and Crown Prince, the solution is simple: send Sitehuti and Nefer-Djenou-Bastet to solve the mysteries.

Captain Djedmose disagrees. Magic Cat or no, he wants Sitehuti as far away from danger as possible.

But IS it possible?

Available in print and Kindle editions.


Wednesday, December 4, 2024

SMFS Member Podcast News: Gnomes For the Holidays by Margaret S. Hamilton


SMFS list member Margaret S. Hamilton reported that her short story, Gnomes For the Holidays, is featured this week at Mysteryrat's Maze podcast. Produced by Kings River Life Magazine, the podcast can be heard here.

 

Website Description:

This episode features the Christmas mystery short story Gnomes For the Holidays by Margaret S. Hamilton. It is read by local actor Donna Beavers. 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!

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.

 

Monday, December 2, 2024

SMFS Members Published in Mickey Finn Volume 5: 21st Century Noir


This is publication day for the new book, Mickey Finn Volume 5: 21st Century Noir. Edited by SMFS list member Michael Bracken, who also wrote the introduction, the anthology from Down & Out books features short stories from a number of SMFS list members. The read is available from the publisher, Amazon, and other vendors.  The SMFS list members that reported being in the read are:

 

 

K.L. Abrahamson with “Red Dust Express.”

 

Eddie Generous with “Sister.”

 

James A. Hearn with “Gone Fishin'.”

 

Hugh Lessig with “Burned.”

 

Tom Milani with “Barstow.”

 

Alan Orloff with “Solid Six.”

 

Travis Richardson with “No Requests Denied.”

 

Joseph S. Walker with “Ronnie Mercer is Back in Town.”

 

Andrew Welsh-Huggins with “All Apples.”

 

Description

Mickey Finn: 21st Century Noir, Volume 5, the fifth entry of the hard-hitting anthology series, is another crime-fiction cocktail that will again knock readers into a literary stupor.

Contributors push hard against the boundaries of crime fiction, driving their work into places short crime fiction doesn’t often go, into a world where the mean streets seem gentrified by comparison and happy endings are the exception rather than the rule. And they do all this in contemporary settings, bringing noir into the 21st century.

Like any good cocktail, Mickey Finn is a heady mix of ingredients that packs a punch, and when you’ve finished reading every story, you’ll know that you’ve been “slipped a Mickey.”

The eighteen contributors, including some of today’s most respected short-story writers and new writers making their mark on the genre, include: K.L. Abrahamson, Alan Barker, Michael Chandos, Caleb Coy, Eddie Generous, Nils Gilbertson, James A. Hearn, Hugh Lessig, Sean McCluskey, Tom Milani, Bill W. Morgan, Alan Orloff, Travis Richardson, Andrew Welsh-Huggins, Robb T. White, Sam Wiebe, Joseph S. Walker, and Stacy Woodson.

 

Sunday, December 1, 2024

SMFS Members Published in Black Cat Weekly #170


SMFS list members are published in Black Cat Weekly #170. Published by Wildside Press, the issue is available here in digital format. The list members that reported being in the issue are:

 

 

John M. Floyd with “Christmas Gifts.”

 

Paula Messina with "O Tannanbaum.” 

 

Publisher Description:

We kick off December with several holiday-themed stories. First up is John M. Floyd’s tale of a Christmas scam artist (with thanks to Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman). Then we have Paula Messina’s tale of a stray Christmas tree found on a beach. Finally, blasting off to outer space, we have an AI reindeer full of mischief in a story by Theresa Duck.

   Of course, we have our usual assortment of mystery, fantasy, and science fiction stories, including originals by Dave Zeltserman (thanks to Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken), R.M. Linning, and Steve Rasnic Tem. Plus we have classic reprints from E.C. Tubb and Manly Bannister, plus we begin the serial of Edmund Glasby’s The Battle of Mageddo, final volume of the Apocalypses of Brother Santiago trilogy. (See our previous four issues for volumes 1 and 2 of this great fantasy series.)

   We also have Mary Roberts Rhinehart’s mystery novel Two Flights Up. And no issue would be complete without a solve-it-yourself mystery from Hal Charles. All told, another great issue.

   Here’s the complete lineup—

 

Cover Art: Stephen Hickman

 

NOVEL

Two Flights Up, by Mary Roberts Rhinehart

   In 1920s America, a mysterious lodger becomes entangled in scandal, stolen bonds, and forbidden love in an aristocratic household fallen from grace.

 

SERIAL NOVEL

The Battle of Mageddo, by Edmund Glasby [Part 1 of 2]

   The Third Apocalypse of Brother Santiago begins!

 

NOVELET

“A Song in the Thicket,” by Manly Bannister

   When the Drakes move into a new suburban development, impossible, persistent, and always returning puddles appear on their property.

 

SOLVE-IT-YOURSELF MYSTERY

“Book Smart,” by Hal Charles

   Can you solve the mystery before the detective? All the clues are there!

 

SHORT STORIES

“The Roommate,” by Dave Zeltserman [Michael Bracken Presents short story]

   A new boyfriend with strange habits, a mysterious past, and a deadly curfew—is Lisa dating a liar or something worse?

 

“Christmas Gifts,” by John M. Floyd [Barb Goffman Presents short story]

   Meeting a troubled woman in an elevator, a suave businessman is reminded that Christmas is a time for helping those in need—especially if he benefits, too.

 

“Legacies,” by R.M. Linning

   In a powerful Chicago dynasty, secrets, ambition, and ruthless manipulation bind generations of the Nyland family together.

 

“O Tannenbaum,” by Paula Messina

   On a stormy Revere Beach, Margaret stumbles upon a forlorn Christmas tree that stirs memories of love and loss.

 

“Silent Night in System Nine,” by Theresa Duck

   A space captain and exuberant mechanic race to deliver holiday trees, but chaos erupts when an AI reindeer joins the crew.

 

“Catch and Release,” by Steve Rasnic Tem

   A man recalls his eerie foster mother, whose strange abilities and secrets haunt him as he searches for her—and himself—years later.



“Honour Bright,” by E.C. Tubb

   A spaceship’s engine malfunctions mid-journey, threatening the lives of its crew.

SMFS Member Publishing News: Waterproofing by Abe Margel

 

SMFS list member Abe Margel reported that his short story, Waterproofing, was published at Freedom Fiction Journal.  You can read the story online for free here.

Saturday, November 30, 2024

Join the Short Mystery Fiction Society

 

Want to help honor excellence in short crime and mystery fiction? Join the Short Mystery Fiction Society to participate in our annual Derringer Award process. The award was established in 1998 and named after the palm-sized handgun to emphasize the short but deadly nature of the fiction honored.

Join before the end of the year to get involved.  Enter your email below.



Friday, November 29, 2024