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.

SMFS Member Publishing News: Norwegian Wood by K.L. Abrahamson

SMFS list member K.L. Abrahamson reported that her short story, Norwegian Wood, was published at The Saturday Evening Post. You can read the piece for free online here.

SMFS Member Publishing News: Who’s at the Door? by Abe Margel

SMFS list member Abe Margel reported that his short story, Who’s at the Door?, was published at the Academy of the Heart and Mind. You can read the story online for free here.

SMFS Member Publishing News: So You're Stuck in a Time Loop by Brandon Barrows

SMFS list member Brandon Barrows reported that his short story, So You're Stuck in a Time Loop, was recently published in Ruth and Ann's Guide to Time Travel, Volume II. Published by Celestial Echo Press, the read is available at Amazon and other vendors.

 

Publisher Description:

This anthology follows the same theme as Ruth and Ann's Guide to Time Travel Volume I. In this anthology, 30 authors provide their amazing visions on the theme of time travel, showing their storytelling skills while delighting readers. These stories take readers to the past, alternate present, and the future. 

SMFS Member Publishing News: Skeeter Done Shot Billy Bob by John M. Floyd

SMFS list member John M. Floyd reported that his short story, Skeeter Done Shot Billy Bob, appears in the recently released anthology, Shamus and Anthony Commit Capers: Ten Tales of Criminals, Crooks, and Culprits. Published by Level Best Books - Level Short, the book is available at Amazon.

 

Amazon Description:

Mystery lovers beware because in Shamus and Anthony Commit Capers some of today’s most prestigious award-winning mystery and suspense authors are quicker than the eye—and the law! The sleight of hand, the second-story black bag job, and the high-stakes heist have never been more cunning, clever, and crookedly outrageous. In Shamus and Anthony these wily masters of mystery aren’t just up to their usual baffling bag of artful tricks in this exciting collection of ten original tales—they’re one squirrelly step ahead of the fuzz with bushels of hot new hustles and hi-jinks.


Stories by: Marcia Muller, Lori Armstrong, Libby Cudmore, John M. Floyd, Carolina Garcia-Aguilera, Shawn Reilly Simmons, Verena Rose, John Shepphird, Marcia Talley, and Bill Pronzini

SMFS Member Publishing News: Victims of Habit by Bryce Heckman

SMFS list member Bryce Heckman reported that his short story, Victims of Habit, was published at the Mystery Tribune. You can read the story online for free here.

SMFS Member Publishing News: Twenty Centuries by James D.F. Hannah

SMFS list member James D.F. Hannah reported that his short story, Twenty Centuries, appears in the anthology, Eight Very Bad Nights: A Collection of Hanukkah Noir. Recently published by Soho Crime, the book is available from the publisher, Amazon, and other vendors.

 

Amazon Description:

The perfect holiday gift for the crime fiction lover in your life!

Curated by New York Times bestselling author Tod Goldberg, this collection of eleven delightful and twisted Hanukkah capers will entertain you through all eight nights of the Festival of Lights.

In Stefanie Leder’s “Not a Dinner Party Person,” an unstable pharmaceutical rep tries not to kill anyone at her family dinner on the last night of Hanukkah; in Ivy Pochoda’s “Johnny Christmas,” a taciturn Gulf War vet commissions a tattoo from a man he knew from his prison days, a man not named Christmas but Goldfarb; in David L. Ulin’s “Shamash,” it’s the last night of Hanukkah, and a live-at-home adult son considers doing something drastic to get out of his elderly father’s Upper West Side apartment; in James D.F. Hannah’s “Twenty Centuries,” a pair of detectives solve a curiously unprompted murder during the holiday season.

This captivating collection contains old-school slapstick comedy, hardboiled noir, gritty procedurals, and poignant reminders of the meaning of Hanukkah, offering something for almost every reader willing to take the journey through these twisted tales.

With stories by: Ivy Pochoda, David L. Ulin, James D.F. Hannah, Lee Goldberg, Nikki Dolson, J.R. Angelella, Liska Jacobs, Gabino Iglesias, Stefanie Leder, and Jim Ruland, plus a foreword and story by Tod Goldberg.

SMFS Member Publishing News: Anything For You by Brandon Barrows

SMFS list member Brandon Barrows reported that his short story, Anything For You, was recently published in JOURN-E: The Journal of Imaginative Literature; vol. 3, no. 2. The issue is available for purchase at LuLu.

 

Publisher Description:

JOURN-E: The Journal of Imaginative Literature is a semi-annual compendium of fiction, poetry, and illustration across the several genres of the High Imagination: Adventure, Detection & Mystery, Fantasy, Horror & the Supernatural, and Science Fiction. It is published on the Vernal and Autumnal Equinoxes each year.

SMFS Member Publishing News: A Necessary, Dangerous Thing by Gabriela Stiteler

 

SMFS list member Gabriela Stiteler reported that her short story, A Necessary, Dangerous Thing, appears in the anthology, Shotgun Honey Presents: At The Edge of Darkness. Today is publication day for this sixth anthology from Shotgun Honey Books. The book is available from the publisher, Amazon, and other vendors. 

 

Amazon Description:

Shotgun Honey Presents volume 6 brings together a spooky group of authors for this special Halloween crime/horror anthology. Including contributions by Libby Cudmore, Andy Davidson, KC Grifant, Elizabeth Guilt, Mackenzie Hurlbert, Caden Kalfin, James Kinslingbury, Nick Kolakowski, Ethan K. Lee, Andrew Majors, Luciano Marano, Joey R. Poole, William Steffen, Casey Stegman, Gabriela Stiteler, Thomas Trang, Wendy N. Wagner, Benjamin B. White, Gordon B. White, Grant Wamack, and Paul Tremblay.

Guest editor is best selling author Keith Rosson (Fever House, The Devil By Name). All profits from this edition will go to a local Portland, OR charity to benefit foster children.

SMFS Member Publishing News: The Mystery of the Mirror by Shari Held

SMFS list member Shari Held reported that her short story, The Mystery of the Mirror, was published at Kings River Life Magazine. You can read it for free online here.

SMFS Member Publishing News: A Season with No Regrets! by Pamela Ebel

SMFS list member Pamela Ebel reported that her short story, A Season with No Regrets!, was published at Yellow Mama Webzine: Issue 106. You can read it for free online here.

SMFS Member Publishing News: My Balance by Abe Margel

 

SMFS list member Abe Margel reported that his short story, My Balance, was published in Midnight Garden: Where Dark Tales Grow: A WordCrafter Midnight Anthology. Published by WordCrafter Press, the anthology is available at Amazon and other vendors.

 

Amazon Description:

17 authors bring you 21 magnificent dark tales. Stories of magic, monsters and mayhem. Tales of murder and madness which will make your skin crawl. These are the tales that explore your darkest fears. Read them in the Midnight Garden... if you dare. 

Contributing authors include Paul Kane, Ell Rodman, DL Mullan, Joseph Carrabis, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, Denise Aparo, Jon Shannon, Zack Ellafy, Danaeka Scrimshaw, Robb T. White, Abe Margel, Julie Jones, Molly Ertel, Peter McKay, Kaye Lynne Booth, Paul Martz, and M.J. Mallon.

SMFS Member Publishing News: Clown-O-Phobia by Bobbi Chukran

 

SMFS list member Bobbi Chukran reported that her short story, Clown-O-Phobia, was published at Kings River Life Magazine. You can read it for free online here.

SMFS Member Publishing News: Unmasked by Edith Maxwell

 

SMFS list member Edith Maxwell reported that her short story, Unmasked, was published at Kings River Life Magazine. You can read it for free online here.

SMFS Member Publishing News: Pull Over by Abe Margel

SMFS list member Abe Margel reports that his short story, Pull Over, was published at Spadina Literary Review. You can read the story online for free here.

SMFS Member Publishing News: Welcome to Armadillo by John Floyd

SMFS list member John Floyd’s short story, Welcome to Armadillo, appears in the just released Strand Magazine: Fall 2024 issue. The #73 issue is available at the website and from other vendors.

 

Description

Unpublished G.K Chesterton PLUS an exclusive with James Patterson

For fans of classic detective fiction, The Strand Magazine presents an exceptional issue featuring what appears to be a never-before-published essay by the legendary G.K. Chesterton. Known for his brilliant Father Brown mysteries, Chesterton’s influence on detective fiction is undeniable. In this issue, readers are treated to “The Historical Detective Story,” a rare essay recently found in the Rare Books and Special Collections of the Hesburgh Library at the University of Notre Dame.

Written with Chesterton’s trademark wit and insight, this essay reflects his sharp understanding of the crime genre. In it, he critiques the predictable formulas of detective fiction and advocates for fresh, innovative storytelling—advice that remains as relevant now as when it was first written. Although this piece was intended for the first issue of a magazine by the Detection Club—founded by Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers—it was never published, to the best of our knowledge, making this discovery a true treasure for mystery lovers. This essay is introduced by Dale Ahlquist, president of the American Chesterton Society, who offers expert context and insight into Chesterton’s thought process and literary impact.

Chesterton, a founding member and the first president of the Detection Club, shaped the detective genre in profound ways. His essay provides a rare glimpse into the mind of one of the genre’s pioneers. Beyond his popular Father Brown stories, Chesterton’s thoughtful approach to the moral and philosophical dilemmas behind human actions continues to resonate, as does his enduring belief in forgiveness and redemption.

In addition to Chesterton’s essay, this issue features a host of exciting new works pushing the boundaries of mystery fiction. Josh Malerman’s “Children Aren’t the Only Ones Who Know Where the Presents Are Hidden” tells a chilling tale of escape from the past, while neo-noir master Joe R. Lansdale’s “Night Trail” follows a boy’s late-night adventure that takes a dark and dangerous turn. Margie Deck’s “The Case of the Pensive Poet” brings Sherlock Holmes and Watson into a locked-room literary mystery, and John M. Floyd’s “Welcome to Armadillo” follows a PI back to his perilous hometown.

Rounding out the issue are interviews with Rupert Holmes and James Patterson, two creators who continue to innovate in their respective fields. Holmes, celebrated for his Broadway plays and writing success, discusses his latest novel, How to Murder Your Employer, while Patterson shares his experience bringing Michael Crichton’s unfinished novel Eruption to life.

This special edition also includes the nominees for the 2024 Strand Critics Awards, recognizing the best in mystery and crime fiction today. Don’t miss out on this unique issue, which features a rare piece of detective fiction history—published for the first time, as far as we know—alongside cutting-edge stories from contemporary masters.

If you’re looking for more previously unpublished short stories by other legends like Rod Serling, be sure to check out these issues with stories by Shirley Jackson, Ernest Hemingway, Truman Capote, Raymond Chandler, H.G. Wells, Agatha Christie, Dashiell Hammett,  Tennessee Williams, Louisa May Alcott, John Steinbeck, and Ray Bradbury.

SMFS Member Publishing News: The Lucky One by Susan Alice Bickford

SMFS list member Susan Alice Bickford reports that her short story, The Lucky One, is published at The Saturday Evening Post. You can read the piece for free online here.

SMFS Member Publishing News: The General, the Mole, and the Perfectly Tailored Monster by C. Dan Castro

SMFS list member C. Dan Castro reports that his short story, The General, the Mole, and the Perfectly Tailored Monster, is published in Black Sheep: Unique Tales of Terror and Wonder No. 15: September 2024. Published by Hobb's End Press, the issue is available at Amazon and other vendors.

 

Amazon Description:

Welcome to Black Sheep: Unique Tales of Terror and Wonder, an extraordinary anthology magazine that transcends the boundaries of science-fiction, fantasy, and horror. Prepare to embark on a thrilling journey through the darkest corners of the human imagination, where the ordinary becomes extraordinary, and the mundane transforms into a realm of unspeakable terror and awe-inspiring wonder.

Within these pages, you'll discover a collection of captivating stories carefully curated to transport you to realms beyond the mundane. Each issue presents an array of unique tales crafted by talented visionaries, both established and emerging, who dare to defy conventions and push the boundaries of speculative fiction.

Whether you're a seasoned lover of the fantastic or just curious to explore new frontiers, Black Sheep: Unique Tales of Terror and Wonder will be your guide through the realms of the extraordinary. Prepare to be enthralled, enchanted, haunted. So put on your dark sunglasses … and unleash your inner Black Sheep.

In this issue:

LABYRINTH
Kelly Hossaini

MARA RUNS
Elizabeth Rosen

THE CRADLE EXPEDITION
Spencer Sekulin

THE FALLEN
NP Cunniffe

NAPOLEON: PART TWO
Wayne Kyle Spitzer

THE GENERAL, THE MOLE, AND THE PERFECTLY TAILORED MONSTER
C. Dan Castro

THE PILLS
Ethan Cordeta

THE PROBLEM WITH TREVOR
Lawrence Dagstine

UPGRADE UNDERGROUND
Mikel J. Wisler

WHAT LAY BELOW
George Hagler

SMFS Member Publishing News: Some Things About Old People by M.A.B. Lee

SMFS list member M.A.B. Lee reports that her short story, Some Things About Old People, was published at Kings River Life Magazine. You can read it for free online here.

SMFS Member Publishing News: Houdini Act by Billie Livingston

 

SMFS list member Billie Livingston’s short story, Houdini Act, was recently published at The Saturday Evening Post. You can read the piece for free online here.