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 10^th.

 

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 ...

SleuthSayers: Public-Speaking Tips for Authors by Barb Goffman

SleuthSayers: Public-Speaking Tips for Authors: This is an updated version of a column I ran seven years ago with public-speaking tips for authors, though I think the advice could apply to...

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 Member Publishing News: Carving Table by Bobby Mathews

SMFS list member Bobby Mathews’ short story, Carving Table, has been published at Shotgun Honey. The story is online and free to read at the website.

Little Big Crimes: The Other French Detective, by O'Neil De Noux

Little Big Crimes: The Other French Detective, by O'Neil De Noux:  "The Other French Detective," by O'Neil De Noux, in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, November/ December 2022. My fri...

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]

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...

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.

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

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 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]

SMFS Member Publishing News: Hard Case by Glen Bush

SMFS list member Glen Bush’s short story, Hard Case, appears online at The Yard: Crime Blog. You can read it for free here.