SleuthSayers Blog: What's a Plot? by O'Neil De Noux

SleuthSayers: What's a Plot?: I was asked about plot often when I taught creative writing classes and put together a lecture from information obtained from too many sour...

SMFS Member Publishing News: Frank Zafiro

SMFS list member Frank Zafiro’s new book, In The Cut: A SpoCompton Crime Novel is now out from Down & Out Books. The read is available in both print and eBook formats from Amazon and other vendors.

Synopsis:

Boone has been prospecting with the Iron Brotherhood outlaw motorcycle gang for almost a year, trying to earn his patch with the club. When a simple muscle job goes terribly wrong, his world changes forever.

He is quickly plunged deeper into a world of drug and intimidation, and the lines between right and wrong blur. The bonds of brotherhood that he forges with other members clash with the dark actions they take. His girlfriend, Faith, represents a danger of another kind, but Boone can’t stop himself where she is concerned, either.

When someone close to him dies, and rampant rumors of a rat in the clubhouse puts everyone in danger, Boone comes to learn what it really means to live his life in the cut.

Criminal Minds: Where Else? by Frank Zafiro

Criminal Minds: Where Else?: The crime and mystery fiction we tend to read can be very US and Europe centric. Where else in the world would you like to see a crime fi...

Something Is Going To Happen Blog: “A Book to Remember” (by Merrilee Robson)

Something Is Going To Happen Blog: “A Book to Remember” (by Merrilee Robson)

SleuthSayers: You've Tried The Rest; Now Read The Best by Robert Lopresti

SleuthSayers: You've Tried The Rest; Now Read The Best: This is my eleventh annual list of the best mystery stories of the year as chosen by me. They are selected from my weekly best-story-re...

SMFS Member Podcast: Alan Orloff

SMFS list member Alan Orloff’s short story, “Bark Simpson and the Scent of Death”  is currently the subject of Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast. Actor Sean Hopper reads the tale.

Podcast Synopsis:

This episode features the mystery short story, “Bark Simpson and the Scent of Death” by Alan Orloff, read by local actor Sean Hopper. This story was published in Chesapeake Crimes: Fur, Feathers, and Felonies in March or 2018. You can learn more about Alan Orloff and his writing on his website alanorloff.com. In each episode, we share with you mystery short stories and mystery novel first chapters read by actors from the San Joaquin Valley. 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. You can find more mystery fun on our websites Kings River Life Magazine and KRL News and Reviews.

Little Big Crimes Review: Head Over Heels by Craig Faustus Buck

Little Big Crimes: Head Over Heels, by Craig Faustus Buck: "Head Over Heels," by Craig Faustus Buck, in Murder-a-Go-Go's, edited by Holly West,  Down and Out Books, 2019. This is th...

A Short Walk Down A Dark Street: Issue 88

As posted by SMFS list member Peter DiChellis to our list….

This week’s blog lauds short mystery and crime fiction with links to a wicked mix of reviews, releases, free reads, and more.

Includes, Four free-to-read stories in the new issue of Flash Bang Mysteries.

Plus, Tricks of the Trade: the many different ways for characters to show anger and fear.

A short walk down a dark street (#88). Celebrating short mystery and crime fiction.

https://shortwalkdarkstreet.wordpress.com/2020/01/26/short-walk-88/

Best wishes,

Peter

SleuthSayers Blog: Record Keeping by R. T. Lawton

SleuthSayers: Record Keeping: Two weeks ago, Travis posted his spreadsheet method for keeping track of his writing and his submissions. I can see how his method works fo...

SMFS Members Published in Flash Bang Mysteries: Winter 2020

SMFS list members are published in the just released Flash Bang Mysteries: Winter 2020  issue. The members in this 18^th issue are:

Herschel Cozine with “Generation Gap.” This tale is the Cover Story as well as the “Editor’s Choice” selection.

Robert Petyo with “Time’s Up.”

Little Big Crimes Review: The Righter Side by Reed Farrel Coleman

Little Big Crimes: The Righter Side, by Reed Farrel Coleman,: "The Righter Side," by Reed Farrel Coleman, in Down to the River,  edited by Tim O'Mara, Down and Out Books, 2019. This is...

SleuthSayers Blog: Lessons Learned as a Freelancer by Michael Bracken

SleuthSayers: Lessons Learned as a Freelancer: I have been freelancing most of my life, but until April 2003 I did it as a side gig while gainfully employed. My initial attempts to freela...

A Short Walk Down A Dark Street: Issue 87

As posted by Peter DiChellis to our SMFS list,

With my Wordpress access back on track, this week’s blog keeps on rolling for short mystery and crime fiction with links to reviews, releases, free reads, and more.

Includes: A collection of previously uncollected stories by Patricia Highsmith (best known, of course, for The Talented Mr. Ripley and Strangers on a Train).

Plus: The acquisitions editor at Pulp Literature (paying market, open for submission in all genres) gives quick tips on Developing Strong Characters, Forcing Impossible Choices in Act II, and Two Exercises for Sparking Original Ideas.

A short walk down a dark street (#87). Celebrating short mystery and crime fiction.

https://shortwalkdarkstreet.wordpress.com/2020/01/19/short-walk-87/

Best wishes,

Peter

SMFS Members Published in Mystery Readers Journal Private Eyes II

Several SMFS members have published works in The Mystery Readers Journal: Private Eyes II (Volume 35, No. 4) now out from Mystery Readers International. The read is in print and pdf  formats on their website. The SMFS members in the issue are:

Jim Doherty with “Hard-Boiled Halley” as well as “The Private Dicks Decalaogue.”

Paul D. Marks with “Knights in Tarnished Armor.”

M. A. Monnin with “A 30 Minute Dose of Gumshoe.”

Andrew Welsh-Huggins with “Discovering A Columbus Private Eye.”


Website Synopsis: 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS II

§  Mr. Daly, Mr. Hammett and a Paternity Test by Kevin Burton Smith

§  Solving Life Itself: Why We Still Love Robert B. Parker’s PIs by Jodi Compton

§  A 30-Minute Dose of Gumshoe by M.A. Monnin

§  Pushing the Private Eye Envelope by Jonathan Woods

§  San Francisco’s Finest—Candy Matson, Yukon 2-8209 by Jack French

§  Hard-Boiled Halley by Jim Doherty

§  The Private Eye as Cold-Warrior: Hammer vs. the Hammer and Sickle by J. L. Abramo

AUTHOR! AUTHOR!

§  Best Places to Buy Burner Phones by Rona Bell

§  Natalie McMasters: A PI for the New Millennium by Thomas A. Burns, Jr.

§  Private Eyes: Past and Present by Grant Bywaters

§  My PIs, Me by Reed Farrel Coleman

§  The Danger of Mixing Truth and Fiction by Robin Donovan

§  The Scariest Detective by Alison Gaylin

§  The Accidental Crime Novelist by Howard Michael Gould

§  Obsessed with Writing by Joe Ide

§  How Weird Is My Private Eye? by Susan Kuchinskas

§  Today or Yesterday’s Private Eye? by Jerry Kennealy

§  Why Go Down Those Mean Streets? by Dana King

§  Why I Love PI Novels by D.P. Lyle

§  Knights in Tarnished Armor by Paul D. Marks

§  TV PIs Aren’t Real—You Know That, Right? by Steve Pease

§  I’m Baaaack! A Return to My First Love by Robert J. Randisi

§  Magic Eye by Janet Roger

§  Discovering A Columbus Private Eye by Andrew Welsh-Huggins

§  iPrivateEye by John Shepphird

COLUMNS

§  Mystery in Retrospect: Reviews by Lesa Holstine, John Dwaine McKenna, L.J. Roberts

§  The Private Dicks’ Decalogue by Jim Doherty

§  The Children’s Hour: Private Eyes by Gay Toltl Kinman

§  Real Private Eyes by Cathy Pickens

§  From the Editor’s Desk by Janet A. Rudolph

SMFS Member Publishing News: Ang Pompano

SMFS list member Ang Pompano’s short story, “The Bucket List: A Mystery Short Story” appears online today at King’s River Life Magazine. It was originally published in 2015 in the anthology, New England Crime Stories: Red Dawn. You can read the story here.

Criminal Minds: House of Plots by Paul D. Marks

Criminal Minds: House of Plots: When it comes to your writing, what is the most important element to you: plot, theme or something else? by Paul D. Marks Pease, porridg...

Something Is Going To Happen Blog: “How Local Can You Go?” (by Andrew Welsh-Huggins)

Something Is Going To Happen Blog:  “How Local Can You Go?” (by Andrew Welsh-Huggins)

The First Two Pages: The Glass Forest by Lisa Lieberman

The First Two Pages: The Glass Forest by Lisa Lieberman

SleuthSayers Blog: Copyediting tips by Barb Goffman

SleuthSayers: Copyediting tips: A lot of editors wear one hat or another. They do developmental editing or copyediting. Not both. But not me. While I prefer developmental...

Little Big Crimes Review: Catch and Release by Chris Knopf

Little Big Crimes: Catch and Release, by Chris Knopf: "Catch and Release," by Chris Knopf, in Down by the River,  edited by Tim O'Mara, Down and Out Books, 2019. When I started...