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Between novels, I
really enjoy writing short stories filled with suspense, humor and good old
fashion romance with happy endings.
2024 is proving
to be an outstanding year for story sales! So far, I've had several published
in anthologies, with at least three more upcoming. I'm still writing, so who
knows what the rest of the year will bring.
Below, you'll find
covers (where I have 'em) and brief descriptions. Of course, ordering/ reading
links are included!
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Coming in December: The
"Ho Ho Ho" edition of Punk Noir magazine will feature
my short-short story Santa's Helpers. The assignment was a
Christmas Crime Story in under two hundred words. Yep, 200 words max. I had fun
with this.
Jingle Bell Rock. Well, Ive got a rock for
you. With that, the fist sized rock went sailing through the air and
landed center back. Howard Jenkins went down as fast as a pin popping a
balloon. Flat, air out of the bastard."
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November 2024: Crimeucopia - Great Googly Moo, a new
anthology from Murderess Ink Press (a UK-based publisher), containing my short
story Cracker Jacks and the Granny Cases! Two grannys, two
missing grand-daughters, two simple missing persons cases. What could possibly
go wrong?
About Crimeucopia - Great Googly
Moo: " I Remember the Dame Well
Mainly as she had a
laugh that reminded me of two cheese graters energetically fornicating in an
iron bathtub. I looked out the open window at the Johnson Memorial, standing
upright and resolute in the persistent rain. The clock on it said it was 3:15
in the a.m. and I figured, what-the-Hell, it was time to review the 14 case
files scattered across my desk. They were from: Daryl Wood Gerber, Don Magin,
James Donzella, J. T. Seate, S. B. Watson, Wil A. Emerson, Michael Bracken,
Glenn Francis Faelnar, Michael Thomét, Jay Andrew Connor, Martin
Zeigler, Michael J. Ciaraldi, Jeff Burt, and L.N. Hunter
"I glanced back out across the skyline and wondered:
Why is it always raining in Noir City? I got up and moved over to the chess
board. I hadnt see the cat in several hours, so I rearranged the pieces a
little to give myself a bit of an advantage
"Just when you thought Private Eye investigations are a
deadly serious business, these 14 skilful and talented writers start shaking
the Funny Tree, and youll be amazed at what falls out. Because, in the
spirit of the Murderous Ink Detective Agency motto:
"You never know what you like until you investigate
it."
Click here to order
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I'm trying my hand at something new: in March 2025, my
short story The Case of Canis Lupis will be featured in a podcast
by Mysteries to Die For: M2D4! This podcast by TJ Wolff
"combines storytelling with music to put [the listener] at the heart of
murder, mystery, and mayhem. ... This is a podcast for people who love
storytelling, puzzles, and the thrill of solving the mystery."
It's a totally different format for me, and I am looking
forward to doing more of these stories.
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Coming 1 December 2024: The Writer's Journal: Live &
Learn, a brand-new online journal collection containing my short
story Carolina Blue Sky Eyes. "Oh, how I loved
Gary Boots blue eyes. Bright and so full of energy. They sparkled like
crystal spheres and reflected like light beams. Vibrant, welcoming, those were
the Carolina Blue Sky eyes that I wanted to shine only on me. But they
didnt. Not then."
About The Writer's Journal: Live & Learn:
Learning is a lifelong endeavor, where each passing year brings us new lessons
and insights in which we continually evolve and grow. How often have you said,
If I only knew then what I know now. The Writer's Journal:
Live & Learn is about that story, that learning experience, and
contains work by new and experienced writers. The stories are sometimes
whimsical, sometimes practical, but always creative. This volume contains works
by 129 poets and authors from 21 countries and across the US, from a Christmas
tree farm in Pennsylvania to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State.
Order The Writer's Journal: Live &
Learn
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Black Cat Weekly #146, July 2024, features my short
story "Under Cover," which is Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken's pick
of the week! The story: "A break in, Jonathan Lopez goes into action. But
it's not Afghanistan and he's not undercover, with back up close behind. Are
his senses playing tricks on him or has the intruder been hiding
undercover?"
Black Cat Weekly showcases the best short
mysteries and is published by Wildside Press LLC and its sister publication
Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine. Submissions to Black Cat is by
invitation only. I am pleased to be on the Black Cat
authors list.
Click here to order
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Coming in
July: The "Limbo" edition of Punk Noir magazine will
feature my short-short story Fair Share. The essence of Limbo
had to be used in the story make of it what we would, in 200 words or
less. And when you read it, the quotes should be shouted.
"This wasnt the first time Alvin got caught with
his pants down. But this time he had a wad of money in his pocket."
Read Fair Share
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"Hell in a High Rise" edition of Punk Noir
magazine features my story Got a Job in Hellton Tower.
Ironic that my story is so different from where/how I live! But did send the
story out on a day a neighbor had her complaint list out. (The neighbor likes
to find a person who will agree with her and then go to bat for her with
management. Not me.)
To quote my main character in Got a Job in Hellton
Tower, "Dont need to make a fuss bout right and wrong. When
you know what goes around, comes around. No matter church, gender, politics,
tomato or tomatoes."
About "Hell in a High-Rise:" Welcome to Hellton
towers. A fourteen story tower block long forgotten by the local authorities.
Enjoy views of the surrounding crime infested estates. Colourfully decorated
with damp, mould and ancient nicotine stains. The rent's cheap if you can
afford it. Presenting stories of the tenants who inhabit these cozy
self-contained apartments or those who dwell in the flooded basement, the guano
peppered rooftop or the ancient, redundant lift. No genre is off the cards as
the landlords desperately search for unwitting tenants.
Read Got a Job in Hellton Tower
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Coming June 18, 2024 from Superior Shores Press:
Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense,
which includes my short story Incidents and Intentions.
When almost-sixteen-year-old Lily let herself into Matthews' Thrift shop using
a pilfered key, her late-night visit did not go exactly as planned. And why on
earth would she be breaking into the shop to begin with?
Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery
& Suspense: Sometimes its about doing the right thing.
Sometimes its about getting even. Sometimes its about taking what
you think you deserve. And sometimes, its your last, best, hope. Edited
by Judy Penz Sheluk and featuring stories by Christina Boufis, John Bukowski,
Brenda Chapman, Susan Daly, Wil A. Emerson, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes,
Molly Wills Fraser, Gina X. Grant, Karen Grose, Wendy Harrison, Julie Hastrup,
Larry M. Keeton, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Gregory Meece,
Cate Moyle, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Kevin R. Tipple, and Robert
Weibezahl.
Click here to order
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Coming 21 June 2024:
Thrill Ride Gadgets, a new magazine edited by M.L.
Matt Buchman, featuring my short story Temporarily
Detained.
Thrill Ride the Magazine (BTRM)
Quarterly gathers together the best and newest voices in original thriller and
high-tension action-adventure short fiction. Each issue is themed. Each
high-stakes story is: character-driven, crisis-driven (personal, regional, or
global), and a wild-fun ride.
Thrill Ride Gadgets postulates that if
only you had the right gizmo at the right moment, maybe you could save the day
before the day nails you. We love our toys. Modern-day worker bee or undercover
criminal, every aspect of our lives teems with gadgets. Office, home,
automobile, bicycle even while doing the shopping or going for a walk.
An autonomous-driving car or the fastest one on any road. A phone, smart
glasses, or a dog clicker. An airboat or a bit of tomorrows tech. They
all become a part of our daily lives. But what happens when they also put our
lives on the line. Fourteen stories to make you wonder.
My story, Temporarily Detained asks: What if
you invented a device that could stop an individual in his tracks? Detained a
convicted criminal or save a patient with Alzheimers from wandering away from
home? What would you do if the wrong people got their hands on it? On a journey
to the unknown, a scientist is fearful his invention, if confiscated by the
wrong people, will wreak havoc on the nation. Or can will offer protection?
Click here to order
Meet the 2024 Authors
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Appearing now in the online
magazine Mystery Tribune is my humorous short story The Big
Turkey. It all started with the installation of a new water cooler in
the office.
Click here to read The Big Turkey
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Now available: Dark Yonder: Issue 4,
containing my short story A Strange Request at a Piano Bar. Moments
before he died, their father made one request. His passing anticipated, the
sisters promised they would do their best to abide by his wishes. They
didnt expect him to say, Its about your mother, and
then he added, Dont share our story.
Dark Yonder: Issue 4 -- Truth in the Shadow --
Betrayal, compassion, dark humor, friendship, love gone wrong, and the enduring
devotion of family: Issue 4 of Dark Yonder highlights the range of human
emotion in ten original, unforgettable neo noir short stories.
In addition to A Strange Request at a Piano Bar.,
you'll also find "Good People" by Simon Berry, " Quiz Bowl"
by Scott Blackburn, "Will I See the Birds When I Am Gone" by Stanton
McCaffery, "Sweet Chin Music" by Joshua Murray, "Twenty-One
Turquoise Beads" by Estelle Phillips, "No Voices in the Sky" by
Emilee Prado, "Blunt Multiple Karma" by Andrew Riconda,
"Burglary Down East 'by Austin Treat, and "The Least Interesting Man
in the World" by Mike Zimmerman. Issue 4 also features a special cocktail
recipe for the Fall of 2023 The Black Widow along with commentary
by editors Eryk Pruitt and Katy Munger.
Click here to Order
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Available on 14 November 2023: CRIMEUCOPIA:
CRANK IT UP! anthology from Murderess Ink Press (a UK-based publisher),
featuring my short story The Road to Reconciliation (The Drivers
New Assignment). Limo driver Michael Lafferty, whom I first introduced
in The Driver, a short story in the anthology
CRIMEUCOPIA: CARELESS LOVE, is back --
and so is the crooked congresswoman he describes as pure evil. The worst woman
he'd ever encountered. The one who had him in a vise . . .
CRIMEUCOPIA: CRANK IT UP!: In July 1886 the
newspapers reported on the first public outing of the three-wheeled Benz Patent
Motor Car, model no. 1 a mere 6 months after filing the patent in
January of that year. Since then the race has been on for the
Bigger-Faster-Better-More product that has become a variety of symbols over the
decades, with the C3 Corvette Stingray repeatedly stated as being purchased
almost exclusively as a middle-age crisis mobile. So, to honour motor
transportation in some of its many roles in the crime fiction genre, we have
gathered together a fine collection of short pieces that we hope, in one way or
another, will crank up your adrenaline and get your emotions racing without
making you blow a gasket or strip a gear.
As with all of these anthologies, we hope youll find
something that you immediately like, as well as something that takes you out of
your regular racing line comfort zone and puts you into a completely new
one. In other words, in the spirit of the Murderous Ink Press motto: You
never know what you like until you read it.
Click here to Order
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Available 13 November 2023:
Malice, Matrimony, & Murder, a new anthology edited by Marla
Bradeen, featuring my short story Marriage, Neighbors and Best
Friends.
The bride wore an orange jumpsuit...
Everyone loves a good wedding--and a good mystery. Combine
the two and what do you get? Malice, Matrimony, and Murder!
Over two dozen authors have teamed up to offer you this
wedding-themed collection of brand-new cozy mystery and cozy crime fiction
stories that will keep you wondering whodunit and what's next from the first
page to the last. Between bad bridesmaids, conniving caterers, greedy guests,
ill-mannered in-laws, savvy sleuths, and vengeful villains, this anthology has
it all! All of the stories are clean and fun, with a general feel-good tone. If
you read to be entertained, surprised, and uplifted, then this collection is
for you!
Plus, the anthology as a whole contains an overarching
wedding whodunit woven throughout. As you're reading, collect the clues,
identify whodunit, and access a special ebook filled with bonuses and extras.
Inside you'll find recipes, character interviews, bonus stories, and more!
If you're drawn to shorter mysteries that are light on gore
and language, and high on humor, entertainment, and happy endings, then you
don't want to miss out on Malice, Matrimony, and Murder. But this
collection is only available for a limited-time, so grab it now before it's
gone forever!
Authors included: Joslyn Chase, Charlotte Morganti, P.M.
Raymond, Paige Sleuth, Teresa Inge, Sally Milliken, Rebecca Olmstead, Nikki
Knight, Shari Held, Barbara Howard, Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier, KD Sherrinford,
Stephen D. Rogers, Elaine Togneri, Lynn Hesse, Margaret S. Hamilton, Stella
Oni, Robert Petyo, Pamela Kyel, Karen McCullough, Wil A. Emerson, Jack Bates,
J. Aquino, Sharyn Kolberg, and Becky Clark
Click here to Order
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Appearing in
the 25 October 2023 issue of Kings River Life, a Seattle publisher: Scot
Free, a short story featuring twin sisters, a rogue husband, and a
combination high-school reunion and Halloween party. Willy's under the table.
What will Lizzie and Betsy do?
You can read it here
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NOW AVAILABLE:
Thrill Ride Unlikely Partners, a new magazine edited by
M.L. Matt Buchman, featuring my short story Huey and Madelyn:
Dead Heat.
Thrill Ride Unlikely Partners contains
ten Tales of Unlikely Partners. Thrown together by chance, assignment, or
circumstance. Driven apart by skills, personality, or they just dont
trust each other. Until their lives are on the line and their only options are
to cooperateor die.
My story, Huey and Madelyn: Dead Heat, was
created after a harrowing week with a couple who were decidedly ill-matched.
From the get-go, one or the other shared ways to fix their problem. From a
homeowners viewpoint, theres nothing better for fixing
than the good old Ace Hardware man. Thus this writer, on a whimsical fictional
jaunt, created a challenge for the couple. Who would outsmart the other? Human
interest stories are full of intrigue, thrills, mystery. Huey and Madelyn
proved to be full to the brim on all counts.
Huey and Madelyn: Dead Heat
Excerpt: "The problem is Huey you are a brown nose. Ripe to
please. Isnt it time to change course? Branch out on your own?
Huey McPherson looked at his wife and sighed. Madelyns
anger flared again. No doubt because of his pending out-of-town trip. Again.
What more could he do? He didnt like the meeting date either. Game
weekend, Browns and the Panthers. Fist-a-cuffs. They fought even in practice.
God only knows why he put money on the Panthers. Down and out team, just the
way he felt too often.
Thrill Ride the Magazine (BTRM)
Quarterly gathers together the best and newest voices in original thriller and
high-tension action-adventure short fiction. Each issue is themed. Each
high-stakes story is: character-driven, crisis-driven (personal, regional, or
global), and a wild-fun ride. .
Click here to order!
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Be on the lookout for Blue Suede Shoes,"
the story of two private eyes who face off against a wily blond and a mob of
egotistical gangsters will be appearing in MORE GROOVY GUMSHOES: PRIVATE
EYES IN THE PSYCHEDELIC SIXTIES, from Down and Out Books.
MORE GROOVY GUMSHOES: PRIVATE EYES IN THE PSYCHEDELIC
SIXTIES -- The Sixties were a time of great cultural upheaval, when
long-established social norms were challenged and everything changed: from
music to fashion to social mores. And the Leave It to Beaver households
in Middle America didnt know what to make of it all.
In the midst of this, private eyes tried to understand and
bridge the generational divide while providing their clients with legal and
extra-legal detecting services.
From old-school private eyes with their flat-tops,
off-the-rack suits, and well-worn brogues to the new breed of private eyes with
their shoulder-length hair, bell-bottoms, and hemp sandals, the shamuses in
More Groovy Gumshoesa follow-up to the far-out original Groovy
Gumshoestake readers on another rollicking romp through the Sixties.
Contributors include: Michael Chandos, Wil A. Emerson, Jeff
Esterholm, John M. Floyd, Nils Gilbertson, Wendy Harrison, Dave H. Hendrickson,
gay toltl kinman, Lynn Maples, Jarrett Mazza, John McFetridge, Robert Petyo,
Graham Powell, Bev Vincent, Joseph S. Walker, and Stacy Woodson.
Please click here to read an excerpt of Blue Suede Shoes
Please click here to order from Amazon
Please click here to order from Down & Out Books --
Order the trade paperback, and get the ebook versions free!
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New in April 2023:
CRIMEUCOPIA: STRICTLY OFF THE RECORDanthology from Murderess Ink
Press (a UK-based publisher), featuring my short story Unsolved
Mystery.
Unsolved Mystery: Are there people who are
entirely deceptive? Duplicitous lives for good or evil? Your neighbor, the
grocery--one may never know. When you believe you are on the right
side, youll do anything to set the record, wont you?
Excerpt: "Murder comes easy for me. Either
I see an opportunity to advance an agenda, strike an agreement and follow
orders or I go the traditional route and kill to right a wrong. A snake in the
grass or a soldier? Doesn't a farmer strike with a shovel to chop off the head
of a venomous beast?"
CRIMEUCOPIA: STRICTLY OFF THE RECORD: With 16
vibrant authors, a wraparound paperback cover, and pages full of crime fiction
in some of its many guises, what's not to like? Authors include: Anthony
Diesso, Brandon Barrows, E. James Wilson, James Roth, Jesse Aaron, James
Guigli, John M. Floyd, Kevin R. Tipple, Maddi Davidson, Michael Grimala, Robert
Petyo, Shannon Hollinger, Tom Shehan, Wil A. Emerson, Peter Trelay, and Phillip
Pak.
Click here to order!
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Yellow Rose of Texas is featured the
February 2023 issue of Texas Gardener's Seeds. Gardening news is slow at the
beginning of the year, with many gardeners unable to work outside in their
gardens during the winter. The editor thought his readers might enjoy a change
of pace during this slow season, and chose my gardening-themed short story to
present for their enjoyment.
"I was a little more than anxious about the
visitor coming to meet me at the end of the week. A special visitor, at that.
My husband called to tell me his father was on his way home after a yearlong
commission in the South Pacific. Stopping in Dallas before heading north. I was
excited for Danny. He hadnt seen his father in more than a year. Knowing
the two were bonded like a cowboy to his saddle, I wasnt about to say,
Hey, what about me?
. . ."But this unexpected visit wasnt a good
time. Danny didnt understand his fathers visit was right smack in
the middle of prime time to take care of my roses. New in-laws mixing with the
fear of unpredictable weather coming our way? What were the odds of it going
well?"
Please
click here to read in its entirety.
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Unfurled is featured in
Volume 1 of the the anthology . UNSPEAKABLE -- a two-volume
collection of short stories by various authors writing in multiple genres, all
centred on or featuring a character who has committed some unspeakable crime.
In my story, Unfurled, a dead man, who used to be a pilot,
recounts his sobriety success and the hardships faced by his wife to mirror his
sober, unsocial lifestyle. This anthology is published in India, so I am now an
internationally- published author!
Please click here to order.
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Alley, featured in Punk
Noir, an online magazine. "Punk Noir Magazine is purportedly an online
arts and entertainment magazine that looks at the world at its most askew,
casting a bloodshot eye over films, music, television and more. There are
interviews, reviews, news, poetry, fiction, micro fiction, and flash fiction.
And some other stuff too, Im sure. Indeed, a veritable cornucopia of
carryings on."
The challenge: write a story about the assigned picture
(left). The catch? It can only be 300 words long. The result: Alley, a fun,
fast read. Love gone wrong, redemption or revenge? The surprise: it was
accepted for publication. You can read it here:
Click here to read "Alley"
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Black Cat Weekly #32 features my short
story "Insieme" in the April 2022 issue. "Insieme" is a
story about Detectives Chadwick Hamilton and Denzel Lewindowski who are not
pleased with working together. However, the ritualistic death of a young woman
brings them closer to resolving their dislikes as they match intuitive skills
against brutal facts. "Insieme" reveals working together has
its advantages.
Black Cat Weekly showcases the best short
mysteries and is published by Wildside Press LLC and its sister publication
Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine. Submissions to Black Cat is by
invitation only. I am pleased to be on the Black Cat
authors list.
Click here to
read an excerpt.
Please click here to order.
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ASININE ASSASSINS, published by SmartRino Publications, includes
my short story "Just Call Wally, " which has been nominated for a
Derringer Award.
Click
here to read an excerpt.
ASININE ASSASSINS was released in digital format and trade
paperback on 14 September!
Please
click here to order.
About the anthology:
Simpletons & Suspense - Welcome to
ASININE ASSASSINS. Inept, brainless, daft, harebrained, loony,
witless, lunkheaded, just plain stupid. Not exactly attributes you seek when
employing a hired gun, right?
We asked our authors to write stories with an
"asinine" element critical to the plotwe preferred dark humor,
but we also considered anything comedic, zany, or surreal. The stories could be
any genre, but they had to fit the anthologys theme. We were
intentionally broad here and asked the writers to stretch their imaginations.
They paid off in spades!
This is NOT your typical crime fiction. If you love a
wonderful blend of suspense, humor, and general weirdness, expect to be
surprised and entertained by these 23 great stories.
Please
click here to order.
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AVAILABLE NOW in both e-book format and trade
paperback: CRIMEUCOPIA: CARELESS LOVE, an anthology from
Murderess Ink Press (a UK-based publisher), featuring my short story "The
Driver," which has been nominated for a Derringer Award.
Click here
to read an excerpt.
About the anthology:
"Oh Baby, Baby, How Was I Supposed To
Know
Is Love ever perfect? Or is it an obsession that remains rather than
just a passing phase? And whos to say that Revenge isnt, in fact, a
dish best served hot from the flames of passion?
"Fifteen writers tell us about affairs of the heart
some with humour, some with a darker intent, and others that are never
quite exactly what they seem. Is it all about manipulation? Can there be more
than one agenda? And does Love really conquer all, even when its
supposedly blind? Or maybe Love is just an old Devil, looking for mischief?
"Hitchcock may well have said Dial M for Murder, but we
say Dial C for Crime, extension L for Love.
"Featuring material from: Steve Sneyd, Ange Morrissey,
James Roth, Michael Wiley, Gustavo Bondoni, Matthew Wilson, Peter W. J. Hayes,
Wil A. Emerson, Brandon Barrows, Bern Sy Moss, Michael Anthony Dioguardi,
Russell Richardson, Robert Petyo, Sam Westcott, Bryn Fortey and Vicky LaPerso
all of whom take us on roller coaster rides through a fictional Tunnel
of Love.
"So, while the jurys always going to be out
regarding Loves guilt or innocence, we hope youll find something or
someone that you immediately like, as well as something that takes you out of
your comfort zone and puts you into a new one.
"And in the spirit of the Murderous Ink Press motto:
You never know what you like until you read it."
Order CRIMEUCOPIA: CARELESS LOVE
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BOULD* Awards 2021 Short Story
Anthology (*Bizarre, Outrageous, Unfettered, Limitless, Daring): This
is always a fun publication, and I was lucky enough to have FIVE of my stories
included again this year: "What Mary Did to Daniel ," "Come
Uppenance," "Nano Second, Nano Sorry," "Sweet It Is,"
and "An Unexpected Reunion."
"An Unexpected Reunion" is a finalist for the 2022
Short Mystery Fiction Society Derringer Award!
Please click here for more info!
The 2021 edition was delayed slightly, due to a fire that
destroyed the editor's home. Needless to say, he has had other things on his
mind, but it is availble to order NOW!
Please click here to order.
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BOULD* Awards 2020 Short Story Anthology
(*Bizarre, Outrageous, Unfettered, Limitless, Daring): This is a fun
publication, and I was lucky enough to have three of my my stories included
this year: No Matter, which won third place; "Mama's Boy --
The Tale of Edward and Sophia," and Honor Amongst the Rigid Loyals
2."
About the anthology:
"Are you an adventurous, daring reader?
Like to explore new frontiers? If so, this one's for you.
"In this third edition, you'll find 53 of the weirdest,
most outrageous, wackiest, scariest, puzzlingest (is that really a word?) short
stories submitted for this anthology in 2020. (There were 21 in the 2018
edition, 40 in 2019, all selected by a panel of independent judges.)
"You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be shocked, scared,
and maybe even perflutzed by some of the stories you'll find inside, in many
different genres and styles. But with nearly every story, we know you'll be
surprised.
"We expect the 2021 edition to be BOULDer (no relation
to the city in Colorado), and that'll raise the bar even higher for the 2022
edition. We might wind up changing Limitless to Loopy
if writers can really let their inhibitions go and let their haywire
creativity.
"But now it's time for you to quit reading these promo
bits, brace yourself and dig in. Have fun!"
Order Kindle format * Order Print version
As a sample -- here's a link to No Matter, the
3rd place winner in the Bould Award Anthology. Its not your usual mystery
or romance. Meant to fall into the category of Bizarre, Outrageous, Unfettered,
Limitless, Daring
.
Read "No
Matter" for free (pdf)
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BOULD* Awards 2019 Short Story Anthology
(*Bizarre, Outrageous, Unfettered, Limitless, Daring): This is a fun
publication, and I was lucky enough to have two of my my stories included:
Oh, Henry and Honor Amongst the Rigid." (Just click
on the titles or scroll down for details on those!)
About the anthology:
"Are you an adventurous, daring reader?
Like to explore new frontiers? If so, this one's for you.
: In this second annual edition, you'll find nearly 40 of
the weirdest, most outrageous, wackiest, scariest, puzzlingest (is that really
a word?) short stories submitted for this anthology in 2019. That's nearly
twice the number of stories in the 2018 edition, our first.
" You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be shocked, scared,
and maybe even perflutzed by some of the stories you'll find inside, in many
different genres and styles. But with nearly every story, we know you'll be
surprised.
"These stories have all been anonymously selected by a
panel of independent judges. . . . But now it's time for you to quit reading
these promo bits, brace yourself and dig in. Have fun!"
Order Kindle format * Order Print version
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Honor Amongst the Rigid, approx. 3160
words. From their celestial place, Cornic, the ruler of the Other domain, and
his devoted wife Beguile, share love, honor and duty. Unlike many in their
homeland, they are devoted to one another and believe in eternal love. Life's
force has brought them together to care for each other, bear children and
foster others. But Cornic is nearing the latter stage of strength and vitality
and demands Beguile have more children to insure proper care in longevity. Will
Honor and Duty prevail, if she mates with another? This is a tale of love in an
unearthly place. The mysteries of their universe unveiled, rules and
regulations written by the Masters. Will loyalty prevail?
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Oh
Henry, approx. 5136 words. Independence didn't come easy for twenty-two
year old Henry Weinstein. But now that's he got a job at Metropolitan Hospital
in Detroit, he comes and goes as he pleases. As a night shift orderly, he can
entertain himself while he does his chores. He loves music and his favorite
singer, Sweet Lady Jesus sings to him all night long. And he's a
collector...well let's not talk about his latest treasures. What can be wrong
with a guy who does his job and never complains. Oh Henry, we'd like to know!
Oh Henry and my novel Fatal Mistake were featured
at the 2015
Bouchercon World Mystery Convention! (For more information on the
Bouchercon World Mystery Convention, please see:
http://www.bouchercon.info/)
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Available:
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Chocolate and
Vanilla, approx. 7472 words. April's constant companion is her dog
Tobler. Who would ever think the large brown lab would fall in love with a wisp
of a dog like Cotton? The two are as opposite as their owners. The odd couples
can't help but run into each other and before long, chocolate and vanilla
becomes the best mix in town.
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Dear
Hunting, approx. 3684 words. Love and marriage...Not always made in
heaven. Grace and Ted are working out their differences one snowy night in
Northern Michigan. It's legal to hunt for deer and fill plates with the rich,
warm meat until spring returns. Will Ted be the first hunter out before the sun
breaks over the horizen? Or will the deep snow cause Ted to crawl back in bed
and hope his wife takes a few more shifts at the diner to pay for his next case
of beer? Grace has her mind set on resolving their problems... hunting season
has just begun and this season she's not going to worry about meat on the
table. (NOTE: This book contains content considered unsuitable for young
readers 17 and under.)
Read for free
(pdf)
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Bone
Music, approx. 4904 words. A walk in the park isn't what it used to be.
A madman murderer has a knack for butchering his victims and leaving the parts
in plastic boxes for strollers to find. During a hot, steamy summer, Mike and
Dan have to stop this killer before the city is shut down. But it's the wit and
gile of a clever reporter and her mom who find music is at the heart of the
matter. (NOTE: This book contains content considered unsuitable for young
readers 17 and under.)
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Three Strikes...Out, approx. 8300
words. Danny Parker has been accused of murdering his beloved wife. Theresa
Brown, who works at the Cooney Bar and Grill with Danny and his wife, has been
called as a material witness for the defense. Of course, she'll tell the truth.
Danny was devoted to Sara. But will her testimony set Danny free? She knows who
killed his wife and justice must be served. (NOTE: This book contains content
considered unsuitable for young readers 17 and under.)
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