More Sizzling Summer Reads from the Short Mystery Fiction Society!

It's time for another roundup of recent publications from the outstanding writers of the Short Mystery Fiction Society. Human stories from human writers for human readers--your surefire cure to the barrage of AI slop. For the best in mystery and crime fiction today, look no further!

• It won't be hitting the shelves for a few months yet, but the big news in the world of the Short Mystery Fiction Society in recent weeks is undoubtedly the launch of SMFS Mystery Magazine! Coming from Murderous Ink Press and editor John Connor, SMFSMM will feature fiction, essays, reviews and interviews, all centered on the world of short crime fiction and offering only the best to discriminating readers. The first issue will be out in October, so stand by for more details soon!
  
  
  
• Meanwhile, among existing periodicals, Black Cat Weekly continues to be the best value on the virtual shelves, with hundreds of pages every week of mystery, sci-fi, and pulp adventure to get your pulse pounding! The last few issues have included SMFS stalwarts James Patrick Focarile ("Last Kiss"), Paula Messina ("A Little Help"), Tom Milani ("Andrea Gutierrez"), Kevin R. Tipple ("A Plan Comes Together") and Terena Elizabeth Bell ("Preliminary Investigation"). Every story a winner!
  
  
  
• And speaking of Terena Elizabeth Bell, don't miss the essay "Terena Elizabeth Bell on Writing Her First Novel" over at the Ellery Queen blog. Her novel Recursion will be making its way to your shelves next year, so this is a great way to whet your appetite!
• Be sure to check out issue #8 of Starlite Pulp Review, another great publication covering a range of genre fiction from exciting new writers--including SMFS's Mark Coggins, with "Liverjack"!
  
  
  
• Remember the days before cell phones? Abe Margel will give you a reminder in his thriller "Pay Phone" at Literary Garage!
• Of course, the scribes of SMFS are too talented to confine themselves to fiction alone! The prolific donalee Moulton has advice for writers at Killer Nashville Magazine with "The Infamous Info Dump--and How to Avoid the Scrap Heap" and advice for everyone dealing with our fast-paced world in her book Shift Happens: Lead The Change Your People Need.
  
  
  
• The pages of the venerable Saturday Evening Post are graced by James Patrick Focarile in his masterful crime yarn "What Whiskey Won't Cure."
  
  
  
• Sticking with the drinking theme, Gregory Meece enlivens the latest edition of The Genre Society with "Last Call"!
• A legendary periodical returns to the stands in a new issue of Von Stray's Crimestalker Casebook, with contributions from many of today's top writers, including SMFS's John Floyd ("Unthinkable"), Stephen D. Rogers ("Sins of the Family") and O'Neil De Noux ("Buttonholed")--three writers who always deliver the best!
  
  
  
• The North Dallas chapter of Sisters in Crime has been putting out top-notch anthologies for years, and they deliver again with Boots, BBQ, and Bloodshed, edited by Michael Bracken and including contributions from, among many other talented writers, Shannon Taft ("Consequences"), M. E. Proctor ("Five-Pointed Stars") and Karen Harrington ("We Have Lost the Plot"). Collect them all!
  
  
  
• The recent trend of music-based anthologies gets a worthy new addition in Bad Intentions: A Crime Fiction Anthology Based on the Music of Warren Zevon, himself a writer who knew more than a little about lawyers, guns, and money. Among those paying homage is Zakariah Johnson with "Bad Road, Wretched Road." The road may be bad, but the fiction is superb!
  
  
  
• Finally, on the novel front, look for hardboiled action of the highest caliber from Gary Phillips in The Haul, a heist novel on the cutting edge, about a professional thief targeting a tech billionaire's secret bunker. This one will have you up all night!
  
  
  

And there you have it--all the quality reads a crime fan could hope for! Or is it? Stay tuned for our next pulse-pounding update!

SMFS Spotlight: John M. Floyd

Elena Smith is back again to shine the spotlight on a member of SMFS. This time out, it's the incredibly prolific John M. Floyd, a Golden Derringer winner who turns out more high-quality stories than any other writer I know of. Getting to rub elbows with and learn from writers of John's caliber is one of the great benefits of membership in SMFS. Take it away, Elena!

John M. Floyd is a prolific writer, the author of more than 1,000 short stories plus 9 books. A list of his work can be found on his website,  http://www.johnmfloyd.com/  It is not a “complete list,” because - as John says - “A complete list would be so long it would either bore readers to death or send them screaming into the streets.” This interview will focus on some questions not covered on his website.

You live in Mississippi. Have you always lived there?

Yes. Except for my four years in the Air Force. 

 

Do you feel there are elements of Southern living that influence your stories in some way?

 

Probably so. For one thing, I grew up with some really wild and interesting characters, and many of them—or at least composites of them—have found their way into my writing. Also, I think life here is a bit more relaxed and slower-paced than in many other places, and to me that’s conducive to dreaming up these stories. It’s also conducive to long naps, though, so I might need to rethink that.

 

If you could live someplace else - anywhere in the world, without any financial constraints - where would it be?

Nowhere. I’ve seen a lot of the rest of the country, and of the rest of the world, and I’m perfectly pleased to live right here.

 

At what point in your life did you know that you wanted to become a full time writer? 

I probably first realized it in early 1994, when I first started writing for publication. I was working at that time—I spent 30 years with IBM—but I knew then that I wanted to eventually write full-time. And now that I’m retired and happily worthless, I do. Well, most of the time, anyway. I did stop and mow the yard yesterday. 

 

How long did you have to try before you sold your first story?

Not long. Four of the first five stories I submitted were—somehow, amazingly—sold and published. That was, of course, a fluke, and the next dozen or so submissions were rejected—but I was incredibly lucky to have those early successes, because it showed me that at least it COULD be done.

What published authors, and/or short story writers, were your first influences, and why were you so attracted to their work?

The big ones, for me, were Robert B. Parker, Larry McMurtry, Elmore Leonard, and Nelson DeMille. Parker because of his dialogue and fast-moving plots, McMurtry because of his characters, Leonard because of his dialogue, and DeMille because of his use of humor in otherwise serious fiction. As for short-story writers, it was Jack Ritchie, mainly because of his fantastic plots and tight writing. Ritchie was a masterful and under-appreciated storyteller. 

 

There are many types of mystery stories - locked room, noir, scams, murders, other felonies, misdemeanors. Have you written about every kind of mystery/ crime scenario you can think of?

Yes, I probably have. Except for pastiches. I don’t much care for pastiches.

 
Do your story notions usually emerge from a character or a plot idea?

A plot idea. I have occasionally started a story because I pictured a character, or a setting, or a title, or a theme—but very rarely. I almost always think first of a plot, and proceed from there.

 

What was the most satisfying experience you’ve had with publication of a story, and why?

That’s a hard question. It would probably be “Molly’s Plan,” a bank-heist story I sold to Strand Magazine that was later selected by Otto Penzler and James Patterson for inclusion in Best American Mystery Stories and was considered for film adaptation. It was a satisfying story for me because of its many plot reversals—I still remember how much fun it was to write. 

 

Did you begin your writing journey by joining a writers’ group? Are you in one now? What are some of the benefits you’ve experienced from this?

No, I didn’t, and no, I’m not currently in a group. I have been, though, in the past, and I did enjoy the fellowship with others who love fiction writing.

 

Is there a writer you would like to recommend that I interview in the future?  

I would suggest Doug Allyn, a good friend and one of the most talented short-story writers I know.

Ain't That Good News? Hot New Reads from the Short Mystery Fiction Society!

As spring turns the corner into summer, 2026 continues to heat up with a wealth of exciting offerings from the writers of the Short Mystery Fiction Society. SMFS means quality! And remember, if you read something you enjoy--from this list or anywhere else--support the writers with ratings and reviews at your favorite websites. Help other readers find the stories you love--stories like these!

• The Derringer Awards, given annually by the members of SMFS, have been recognizing excellence in short mystery stories for almost three decades. Now, Level Best Books has released a volume destined to be a milestone! HOT SHOTS: CELEBRATING THIRTY YEARS OF THE SHORT MYSTERY FICTION SOCIETY, edited by Golden Derringer recipient Josh Pachter, gathers one Derringer-winning story for every year from 1998, when the Derringers were first given, through 2025. You'll find many of the top writers in the field today represented in these pages, including a number of masters who are no longer with us, but who are richly deserving of continued admiration. HOT SHOTS isn't just a collection; it's proof that short crime fiction is as vibrant, entertaining and accomplished as it's ever been, and a compelling snapshot of what the field looks like today. Don't miss this one!
  
  
  
• Speaking of the Derringers, don't miss the thrilling announcement of this year's winners. Congratulations to the winners, and to the readers who will find great new reads by seeking them out!
  
  
  
  
• SMFS all-star M.E. Proctor teams with Russell Thayer in KANSAS CITY BREAKDOWN. Thayer's series assassin Gunselle, the mob, and the FBI are on a collision course in 1952, and the stylish cover is just your first hint to the fun ride you'll find in these pages!
  
  
  
• Another SMFS member proves they don't just excel at the short form in Sandra J. Cady's novel A GAME OF LUCK, in which Detroit homicide detective Sam Roma has to deal with the puzzling murder of a popular teacher and a new partner bringing their own baggage to the job.
  
  
  
• Rounding out a trifecta of hard-hitting novels, David H. Hendrickson's PAIN TRAIN is the riveting story of a former football great turned PI whose old teammate's painkiller addiction leads both men down a deadly road. A must for fans of contemporary noir!
  
  
  
• From sprawling novels to the razorblade narratives of flash fiction--SMFS authors cover all the bases! VIRGINIA FANTASTIC is an anthology of speculative flash stories set in the Commonwealth, including a tale of hidden treasure in Jane Limprecht's "The General's Gold."
  
  
  
• As always, SMFS members are well represented in the May/June issue of ELLERY QUEEN'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE. You'll always find the best in contemporary mystery in these pages, with this issue including stellar contributions from DK Snyder, S. B. Watson, Gabriela Giteler, James D.F. Hannah and many more.
  
  
  
• Meanwhile, the new ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE is highlighted by a new entry in the Julius Katz series by SMFS stalwart Dave Zeltserman--who just won an Edgar Award for a 2025 Katz story. Congratulations, Dave!
  
  
  
• BLACK CAT WEEKLY continues to bring you hundreds of pages of mystery, science fiction and rediscovered pulp treasures every week--the most bang for your buck! Recent issues have featured SMFS authors like Rob Lopresti, Tom Milani and N.M. Cedeňo, alongside many others. BCW is truly a weekly gift for passionate readers!
  
  
  
• The MYSTERIES TO DIE FOR podcast delivers fair-play mysteries for your ears, with this episode featuring Larry M. Keeton's "A Cast of Crabs."
• Short fiction can pack a hell of a punch. For proof, look no further than James Patrick Focarile's "The Cold, Hard Weight of It" at LITERARY GARAGE.
• SMFS members make regular appearances across the pond at the UK periodical THE PEOPLE'S FRIEND, most recently Veronica Leigh with "Learn to Forgive" and Liz Filleul with "A Turn Up For The Books."
  
  
  
• YELLOW MAMA has become one of the web's best sites for gritty crime fiction. Don't miss Bern Sy Moss's "Bragging Rights" and Elizabeth Dearborn's "Lived My Life Too Fast" in the latest issue.
• DARK YONDER is another periodical that's rapidly become a must-read for fans of crime fiction on the noir side of the spectrum The newly released issue #12 includes dynamite work by SMFS members Veronica Leigh, Steve Liskow, Mark Coggins and Christina Hoag. All this and a cocktail recipe, too!
  
  
  
• CURATED BY COSTUIC brings readers a monthly dose of only the best in short crime fiction. This month, the endlessly entertaining John M. Floyd brings us a fateful encounter on a plane in "Creativity."
  
  
  
• THE RANGER'S ALMANAC is an annual collection of stories and art inspired by America's national parks--and by golly, here's John M. Floyd again, bringing Boy Scouts and bank robbers together in "Lewis and Clark."
  
  
  
• Another new player quickly making a mark on the crime fiction scene, COLD CALLER, proudly presents Jessica Slee's "Home Sweet." And for another sample of Slee's powerful work, don't miss "Life's a Peach" at FLASH FICTION MAGAZINE.
  
  
  
• HOUSE OF LONG SHADOWS brings you an unusual tale of Sherlock Holmes and vampires in Mark Coggins's "Adventure of the Baker Street Vampires."
  
  
  
• And finally this month, Terena Elizabeth Bell ventures into the unknown in "Gold-Face" at COSMIC HORROR MONTHLY.

And there you have it--another round-up of fantastic new offerings for readers and fans of some of the best fiction being published today. And remember, if you want to support the writers doing this work, leaving ratings and reviews at places like Amazon and Goodreads is the best way to help promote their work and lead more readers their way. Look for more news coming soon!

SMFS Official Announcement: 2025 Derringer Award Winners

  

Since 1998, the Short Mystery Fiction Society has awarded the annual Derringers—named after the popular pocket pistol—to outstanding published stories. The Short Mystery Fiction Society is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Derringer Awards for works published in 2024.

 As reported by Derringer Coordinator Paula Messina…

FLASH

"Kargin the Necromancer" by Mike McHone
(Mystery Tribune, December 15, 2024)

SHORT STORY

"The Wind Phone" by Josh Pachter
(Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, September/October 2024)

LONG STORY

"Heart of Darkness" by Tammy Euliano
(Scattered, Smothered, Covered & Chunked: Crime Fiction Inspired by Waffle House, Down & Out Books)

NOVELETTE

"The Cadillac Job" by Stacy Woodson
(Chop Shop Episode 1, Down & Out Books, January 1, 2024)

ANTHOLOGY

Murder, Neat: A SleuthSayers Anthology
Edited by Michael Bracken and Barb Goffman, Level Best Books

The complete list of 2025 finalists can be found here.

SMFS Official Announcement: 2025 Derringer Award Finalists

Since 1998, the Short Mystery Fiction Society has awarded the annual Derringers—named after the popular pocket pistol—to outstanding published stories. The awards recognize outstanding stories published during 2024. Results of membership voting are scheduled to be posted on May 1, 2025.

The full listing of our nominees and the markets that published the finalist stories has been compiled and supplied by Derringer Coordinator Paula Messina.

 

FLASH

 

Sweet Red Cherries by C.W. Blackwell

(Punk Noir Magazine, November 28, 2024)

 

Mob Mentality by James Patrick Focarile

(Shotgun Honey, June 20, 2024)

 

La Petite Mort by Susan Hatters Friedman

(Bristol Noir, February 16, 2024)

 

Kargin the Necromancer by Mike McHone

(Mystery Tribune, December 15, 2024)

 

Lockerbie, 1988 by Mary Thorson

(Cotton Xenomorph, October 13, 2024)

 

SHORT STORY 

 

"Skeeter's Bar and Grill" by Julie Hastrup

(Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense, Superior Shores Press)

 

"The Wind Phone" by Josh Pachter

(Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, September/October 2024)

 

"The Heist" by Bill Pronzini

(Shamus and Anthony Commit Capers: Ten Tales of Criminals, Crooks, and Culprits, Level Best Books)

 

"The Last Chance Coalition" by Judy Penz Sheluk

(Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense, Superior Shores Press)

 

"The Kratz Gambit" by Mark Thielman

(Private Dicks and Disco Balls: Private Eyes in the Dyn-O-Mite Seventies, Down & Out Books)

 

LONG STORY

 

"How Mary’s Garden Grew" by Elizabeth Elwood

(Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, January/February 2024)

 

"Heart of Darkness" by Tammy Euliano

(Scattered, Smothered, Covered & Chunked: Crime Fiction Inspired by Waffle House, Down & Out Books)

 

"Putting Things Right" by Peter W. J. Hayes

(Thrill Ride - The Magazine, December 21, 2024)

 

"Motive Factor X" by Joseph Andre Thomas

(Howls from the Scene of the Crime: A Crime Horror Anthology, Howl Society Press)

 

"Cold Comfort" by Andrew Welsh-Huggins

(Private Dicks and Disco Balls: Private Eyes in the Dyn-O-Mite Seventies, Down & Out Books)

  

NOVELETTE

 

"A Band of Scheming Women" by Joslyn Chase

(Thrill Ride - The Magazine, March 21, 2024)

 

"Christmas Dinner" by Robert Lopresti

(Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, November/December 2024)

 

"Barracuda Backfire" by Tom Milani

(Chop Shop Episode 4, Down & Out Books, April 1, 2024)

 

"Her Dangerously Clever Hands" by Karen Odden

(Crimeucopia - Through the Past Darkly, Murderous Ink Press)

 

"The Cadillac Job" by Stacy Woodson

(Chop Shop Episode 1, Down & Out Books, January 1, 2024)

ANTHOLOGY

Devil's Snare: Best New England Crime Stories 2024

Edited by Susan Oleksiw, Ang Pompano, Leslie Wheeler, Crime Spell Books

Friend of the Devil: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of the Grateful Dead

Edited by Josh Pachter, Down & Out Books

Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense

Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk, Superior Shores Press

Murder, Neat: A SleuthSayers Anthology

Edited by Michael Bracken and Barb Goffman, Level Best Books

New York State of Crime: Murder New York Style 6

Edited by D.M. Barr and Joseph R.G. De Marco, Down & Out Books

The 13th Letter

Edited by Donna Carrick, Carrick Publishing

The list of 2025 winners can be found here.

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.

 

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.

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 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 13^th with the digital version released on December 1^st. 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.

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.