Shorts

       Between novels, I really enjoy writing short stories filled with suspense, humor and good old fashion romance with happy endings.

       2025 was an outstanding year for story sales, and 2026 is off to a great start! More submissions  = the possibility of more acceptances. 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 soon: my short story MUSKRAT LOVE is being picked up by Literary Garage, an online publication which describes itself as "A home for writing that’s a little off the beaten path. Think rock-and-roll garage bands from the ’60s and ’70s (plus the turbo-charged ’80s versions) – storytelling with purpose, no fluff, no filler. Picture Jim Thompson scrawling notes at the Whisky a Go Go. Hemingway with three chords and a driving beat. Hunter S. Thompson in a convertible, blasting Warren Zevon on an endless highway. Bukowski. Kerouac. Jack Ketchum. Jim Harrison. Virginia Woolf. And if that doesn’t excite you, picture Quentin Tarantino on stage, doing a monologue, with Red Hot Chili Peppers cranked to 11 behind him – fast, loud, a little off-kilter. Like a pulp novel with a funk beat and just enough blood on the page."

.Here's an excerpt from MUSKRAT LOVE :

"Tonight, her husband had that crazed look on his face as he walked up the grassy slope, away from the boat dock where he parked his big pontoon under that big ole lift. The bright blue canopy kept his boat cleaner. One less complaint from ole sweet Sam. What he didn’t complain about, though, was star gazing. A big moon, all those diamonds in the sky. Sam said nights on that boat, on the lake, were all about slow rides to paradise.

"Mostly, though, the last two weeks his grimaces were about the work it took to keep those damn muskrats off his property. Since his boat keeper’s death, things weren’t going Sam’s way. Not just the muskrats; that big ole boat lift, too, had him in a funk. Sometimes it stayed up, sometimes down.

"Wasn’t that how their life had been going?"

Literary Garage

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COMING in early November 2026: CRIMEUCOPIA: OBJECTION! OVERRULED! anthology from Murderous Ink Press, containing: my short story THREE STRIKES OUT.   More on this anthology, including the final cover and cover copy, when I have them!

About THREE STRIKES OUT: 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.

Murderous Ink Press

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COMING ON 1 SEPTEMBER 2026: Thrill Ride – Capers, featuring my short story A Bad Case of Cheating.

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 – Capers: Sometimes, crime pays after all. And sometimes, things go wrong. When theft goes to the edge, can you survive? Professional crews. Intricate plans. Possibly even comedy and a few Bollywood numbers. What happens when you gather up the crew for a night of adventure?

In my story, A Bad Case of Cheating, the L and J Detective Agency take on a routine surveillance case: "Goal was to flash a photo of Susy Glenwood’s so called cheating husband enter the Montgomery house. Mrs. Glenwood hired us to catch him in the act. She paid in advance for the job; not by the hour. Sooner we got her proof, we could go on to something more interesting." Little did they know that this "rouitine " case would get plenty interesting plenty fast!

Click here to order

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My story Norms and Values has been included in the June 2026 issue of The Writer Monk, a literary magazine in Mumbai. Now that's International!

"The Writer Monk Magazine is a literary magazine created to reach the voice of writers to a larger and wider audience. The emerging talents are showcased along with professional writers, presenting readers with a wide array of voice, theme, concept and style of writing. Each writer brings in exclusive experiences and contributes to the collective efforts of TWM. The writers share their personal experience and insight creating an environment of closely knitted and a dynamic writing community."

"Our latest theme “Belonging” in this edition push the boundaries of contemporary literature by exploring what it truly means to belong. Some deep reflections on identity, roots, culture, and finding your space in the world from a brilliant collective of global contributors."

Norms and Values:

“Fall back,” said a stranger, who was a few yards behind Heather McDonald.

Heather glanced over her shoulder and kept walking. She’d seen the man before. On the corner, crossing State Street Bridge. A few times on Magnificent Mile. Dark hair streaked with gray, matted a little, as though he’d hopped out of bed. Blue jeans, a workman’s blue and green shirt. Long sleeves, heavy for a warm autumn day. Layered, bulky. Shoes that had lost all sign of newness. Mud, street oil in the deep creases. His back bent, a slight shift to the left, a foot drag.

Was he talking to her or the wind? A man existing in a subculture out for a stroll? Unlikely. She’d put her money on a temporarily lost soul. One whose habits portrayed a decaying society. A deep sigh followed. So few options, so little help... .

The Writer Monk Magazine June 2026is available to read online for free, purchase the digital version to download instantly to your favorite device, or order a beautiful, tangible copy via print-on-demand to add to your bookshelf.

The Writer Monk Magazine, June 2026 issue

Direct link to Norms and Values (begins on page 99)

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COMING ??? Another of my stories has been accepted for inclusion in an upcoming Crimeucopia anthology from Murderous Ink Press. More on this anthology when I have the details!

About Coming Home (Formerly Betty Ellen and Her Poker): "Didn’t matter stupid laws said she shouldn’t be doing what she was doing. The laws in Tennessee had been dreamed up by thin-skinned people in the capital who didn’t know anything about freedom or how to live as you please. Betty Ellen cussed them every day and kept on doing whatever she wanted to do.

"Besides the pail, she carried a forked poker with her. Served two purposes. Could smack someone solid that snuck up on her, or trap what she wanted to snare. A long homemade kind of poker, five feet or more, cut from an old shovel handle. It had a forged, wide fishhook on the end, only this hook didn’t have a barb, just a thumb and index finger contraption made from hot iron and hammered in shape by Betty herself. Spread far enough apart the prongs were for stabbing or snaring a natural, if and when."

Murderous Ink Press

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Punk Noir magazine's March 2026 edition is; "Find What You Love and Let It Kill You," and I think you'll enjoy my short-short story Score Zero/ Once again, I had a lot of fun with this.

“Truth be told, though, I’m a loner with a boner. My history: I’ve scored zero on the relationship gig. That said, Wednesday, I officially declared I would change my ways. So, I posted a note on a message board at Ho-Jo’s a coffee shop...." .

Read Score Zero

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My story Huey and Madelyn, Dead Heat was featured on the Mysteries To Die For podcast on 2/20/26 (cover on the left), and is now available in a printed anthology, Stuff That Can Kill You (snthology cover on the right.)

Mysteries To Die For is a podcast combining storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. They are performed live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes. Periodically, they also compile great stories into print anthologies.

This is Season 9, Stuff That Can Kill You. In the world’s most dangerous working environments it can seem like everything is out to kill you. The equipment you use. The materials you work with. The very air you breathe. Stored energy is a coiled viper waiting for the right moment to lash out. Owners, manufacturers, contractors, and beyond have developed safety protocols to combat STCKY, that is, Stuff That Can Kill You. Gravity, Motion, Mechanical, Electrical, Pressure, Sound, Radiation, Biological, Chemical, Temperature. This season is all about the means of murder as authors put our STCKY detective skills to the test.

"Huey and Madelyn don’t have a perfect marriage, they don’t have the perfect jobs, and they definitely don’t have perfect lives. So when they are found dead in their home, long after their expiration date, Detective Farrell has a strange case on his desk. He needs our help if he’s going to move the case of Huey and Madelyn to the closed pile. Here are the people involved in the case in the order we met them:

• Huey McPherson, accountant, dead guy
• Madelyn McPherson, insurance clerk, dead gal
• Alexia Finkbeiner, Huey’s boss and mistress
• Tula Cunningham, Madelyn’s boss
• Walter Duggan, hardware store owner Mrs. Doyle, put out neighbor
• Mickey, unhappy lawn boy

Order the Stuff That Can Kill You Anthology    *   Listen to Huey and Madelyn, Dead Heat here

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Crimeucopia: The Not- So- Frail Detective Agency, a new anthology from Murderous Ink Press (a UK-based publisher), containing my short story Right As Rain.  "Yesterday, Laura Holms had been on the verge of cashing in her savings and buying a little cabin near a lake for a get-away. Now, she felt like shooting herself. Anger drove her hand to her cell phone. One call, a call a Private Investigator or any officer of the law, should never make, would settle this unnerving situation."

More about Crimeucopia: The Not- So- Frail Detective Agency: Historically, it would be tricky to define exactly when the concept of the Female Private Investigator first appeared in fiction. But The Female Detective and Revelations of a Lady Detective -- both published in 1864 independent of each other -- proves that it was a genre whose time had come. And while Miss Gladden may be the first by all of five months, it is Mrs. Paschel who is the not-so-frail groundbreaker -- and it should be noted that Conan Dolye was only five when these ladies hit the streets.

Featuring authors Debra H. Goldstein, John B. Elliott, Steve Liskow, Sandra Cady, Debra Bliss Saenger, Kathleen Marple Kalb, Wil A. Emerson, Karen Odden, John W. Salvage, Michael J. Ciaraldi, Shannon Lawrence, Elle Higgins, Bonnar Spring, N.M. Cedeño and Adam Meyer.

Crimeucopia: The Not- So- Frail Detective Agency was selected as a finalist for the Short Mystery Fiction Society's 2026 Best Anthology Derringer Award!

Click here to order

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Crimeucopia: Can You Dig It, a dance- themed anthology from Murderous Ink Press (a UK-based publisher), containing my short story Making Music One Last Time. My story is a little bawdy, a little cheeky and a lot of fun.

More about Crimeucopia: Can You Dig It :Let's Dance On Until the Music's All Gone! We'd like to welcome you to/ Tthe Crimeucopia Palias de Danse/ Where we hope you'll find somethin'/ Given half a chance.... (Hmmmm, looks like our doggerel has a pretty snappy soundbyte to it when we let it off the lead...)

And cutting the literary rugs while hopefully flipping your wigs with tales of murder, mayhem, and music are 15 authors who have musical tales to tell, while proving they can adeptly play between the keys, run rings around any 5/12 time signatures, and show you that a 7" 45 revolver is always a smash hit: Harris Coverley, Dave Dempster, Robert Petyo, Wil A. Emerson, Diana Parrilla, Ed Teja, Geoff Boswell, Jon Matthew Farber, S.B. Watson, Wendy Harrison, Avram Lavinsky, John B. Elliott, Martin Zeigler, Victor Kreuiter, and Jay Andrew Connor.

Because in this Disco Inferno of platinum double A-sides, you never know what you might like until you start the next track.

Click here to order

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Under Cover was Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken's pick of the week in Black Cat Weekly #146, July 2024. I was excited to learn that Black Cat has published this short story individually.

"Jonathan Lopez, an ex-intelligence officer with deteriorating eyesight, wakes to unsettling noises in his isolated cabin. With his gun ready, he prepares to confront an intruder, fearing for the safety of his partner Beth and their dog Homer. As he stealthily investigates, he discovers not a threat but a terrified, malnourished teenage girl, who has escaped human traffickers. Determined to bring her captors to justice, Jonathan finds a new purpose in tracking down these criminals."

Click here to order   *   Info on Black Cat Weekly #146

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Now available: A Romance in an Unromantic Place. I was excited to have one of my stories chosen for "Jacqui Just Chatters" podcast -- something new for me. Jacqui Lents is a former hight school teacher- turned - storyteller and her podcast features heartwarming, uplifting, inspiring, funny, silly, charming tales. These are mostly stories of ordinary people, and the beauty that can be found in regular life. She believes that joy comes from many places.

A Romance in an Unromantic Place is part of Jacqui's Sept. 30 Story Share: Journey Through Humor, Heart, and Humanity, and tells the story of a mother and daughter who struggle to create good lives for themselves in a Southern holler -- then a snow storm comes sweeping in. "It's all right, Mama; we've got friends."

Listen to A Romance in an Unromantic Place.

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The Writers' Journal Volume 2: DOORS, containing my short story Sisters and Cousins.

The Writers' Jouirnal is proud to share this carefully curated collection of poems and short stories inspired by the imaginative and reflective theme of DOORS. In this second volume, works by writers from over 16 countries share tales of hope, candid memories and humorous adventures while others invite readers across thresholds into imaginary lands—all opening doors to an exceptional reading experience.

The foreword of the anthology has been written by Mallory Lewis & Lamb Chop, daughter of Shari Lewis, the beloved ventriloquist and creator of Lamb Chop. This unique contribution brings a heartfelt connection to entertainment history and lends to the project a special distinction. Mallory has actively continued her mother’s legacy with her own performances and online presence. She is also an Emmy Award winning writer.

About Sisters and Cousins: "Sally, our oldest sister and the only one with hair the color of tangerines and cinnamon, let curiosity get the better of her when she clutched Cousin Maggie’s blue and black diary to her chest and retreated to her bedroom. Little did she know that opening the door to Maggie’s heart would change the blissful view of her life." (Yes, I did have a sister Sally with red hair...and a cousin Maggie.)

Click here to order

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Crimeucopia: A Load of Balls, a sports- themed anthology from Murderous Ink Press (a UK-based publisher), contains my short story Par None! Marty had worked hard, planned, plotted and set the stage for victory. This year, he was going to win the Hope Valley Country Club golf tournament trophy!

More about Crimeucopia: A Load of Balls: Play Ball!

Or, in this case, Balls. When we put the call out we didn’t expect so many to step up to the plate. And while none (that we know of, that is) have previously appeared in any swimsuit edition of a particular Sports magazine, the 19 players here all have tales designed to serve you a slurve of a plotline, with clues as devious as a full-on wormburner from a regular swinging pin-seeker.

So, while Casey works out which end of the bat is which, we let: Arthur Vidro, Dave Dempster, Diana Parrilla, John M. Floyd , Jesse Aaron, John B. Elliott, William Kitcher, J. F. Benedetto, Nikki Knight, Mark James McDonough, Paul R. Paradise, Robert Petyo, S. B. Watson, Wendy Harrison, Kai Lovelace, Diane A. Hadac, Wil A. Emerson, Ed Teja, and Harris Coverley show us just how adept they all are at juggling clues, punting plotlines, and serving up tales that are guaranteed to ace it in one.

So, as with all of these anthologies, we hope you find something that you can immediately roll with, as well as something that takes you over your Mid-Court Line, and slam dunks you into a completely new No Charge Zone. Because, in the home team locker room spirit of our Murderous Ink Press motto: You never know what you like until you make a play for it.

Click here to order

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Punk Noir magazine's February 2025 edition is; "My Bloody Valentine, and each story is limited to one hundred words. I think you'll enjoy my short-short story Valentine Accident. . Once again, I had fun with this.

“You slept with her on Valentines?” Ruthie dabbed at her red nose and then blew it into the Egyptian linen handkerchief Trevor offered moments before. “An accident,” Trevor said with a tremor. . .

Read Valentine Accident

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Now available in the "Season's Greetings" edition of Punk Noir magazine: 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, I’ve 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."

Read Santa's Helpers

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November 2024: Crimeucopia - Great Googly Moo, a new anthology from Murderous 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: "Just when you thought Private Eye investigations are a deadly serious business, these 14 skillful and talented writers start shaking the Funny Tree: 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. You’ll 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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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 Boot’s 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 didn’t. 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 author’s list.

Click here to order

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The July 2024 "Limbo" edition of Punk Noir magazine contains 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 wasn’t 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, "Don’t 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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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 it’s about doing the right thing. Sometimes it’s about getting even. Sometimes it’s about taking what you think you deserve. And sometimes, it’s 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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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.

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

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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 didn’t expect him to say, “It’s about your mother,” and then he added, “Don’t 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.

Click here to Order

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14 November 2023: Crimeucopia: Crank It Up! anthology from Murderous Ink Press (a UK-based publisher), featuring my short story The Road to Reconciliation (The Driver’s 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 you’ll 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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13 November 2023: Malice, Matrimony, & Murder, a new anthology edited by Marla Bradeen, featuring my short story Marriage, Neighbors and Best Friends.

Everyone loves a good wedding--and a good mystery. Combine the two and what do you get? Malice, Matrimony, and Murder!

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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Thrill Ride – Unlikely Partners, a new magazine edited by M.L. “Matt” Buchman, featuring one of my my short stories.

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 don’t trust each other. Until their lives are on the line and their only options are to cooperate—or die.

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. .

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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, in the anthology More Groovy Gumshoes: Private Eyes in the Psychedelic Sixties, from Down and Out Books. Larry and JImmie are private investigators and also brothers who look out for each other. They have been hired to confirm that Izzy, a low-life Detroit punk, is cheating on his wife. They discover more problems than expected.

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 didn’t 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 Gumshoes—a follow-up to the far-out original Groovy Gumshoes—take 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.

Excerpt from Blue Suede Shoes   *    Click here to Order

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New in April 2023: Crimeucopia: Strictly Off the Recordanthology from Murderous 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, you’ll do anything to set the record, won’t 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.

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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 hadn’t seen his father in more than a year. Knowing the two were bonded like a cowboy to his saddle, I wasn’t about to say, “Hey, what about me?”

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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!

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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, I’m 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 author’s list.

Read an excerpt.   *   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.

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?

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.

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AVAILABLE NOW in both e-book format and trade paperback: Crimeucopia: Careless Love, an anthology from Murderous 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 who’s to say that Revenge isn’t, in fact, a dish best served hot from the flames of passion?

"So, while the jury’s always going to be out regarding Love’s guilt or innocence, we hope you’ll 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."

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BOULD* Awards Short Story Anthology (*Bizarre, Outrageous, Unfettered, Limitless, Daring): This is always a fun publication, and I was lucky enough to have several of my stories accepted in three issues:

2019: Oh, Henry and Honor Amongst the Rigid

2020: No Matter, Mama's Boy -- The Tale of Edward and Sophia, and Honor Amongst the Rigid Loyals 2

2021: What Mary Did to Daniel, Come Uppenance, Nano Second, Nano Sorry, Sweet It Is, and An Unexpected Reunion, was a finalist for the 2022 Short Mystery Fiction Society Derringer Award!

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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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