IT NEVER GETS OLD

It never gets old to see my name under the "Best New England Crime Stories" banner. This year, my short story "Wooden Spirits" appears beside other award-winning authors.

Wolfsbane: Best New England Crime Stories 2023 once again brings together many of the best writers in the genre in our region. These 21 stories cover the full range of crime fiction, from the traditional amateur sleuth to the cop in the world of self-driving cars and AI bots running your home. The award-winning authors take us to the streets of Boston where drug dealers congregate and yet show us the true character of some of those on the mean streets. A decent man goes undercover and learns a few lessons the hard way, and a lawyer faces his own hard reality. Every story brings new insight and fresh perspective to the world of crime, the criminals, and the victims caught among them.

Read the work of these award-winning writers: Jason Allison, Christine Bagley, Brenda Buchanan, Christine H. Chen, Bruce Robert Coffin, Michael Ditchfield, Judith Green, Connie Johnson Hambley, Sean Harding, Eleanor Ingbretson, Zakariah Johnson, Paula Messina, Susan Oleksiw, Robin Hazard Ray, Ray Salemi, Lauren Sheridan, Bonnie Spring, Gabriela Stiteler, Frances Stratford, Leslie Wheeler, Carolyn Marie Wilkins

AN AWARD NOMINATION AND A KILLER REVIEW!

It's time to share some good news!

The anthology, CRIME HITS HOME, has been nominated for an Anthony Award! This award recognizes excellence in all things crime-writing-related. From novels to short stories, to collections like anthologies, even a nomination is something to rejoice in.

So, color me rejoicing! 

I've written about the launch and my excitement of my short story, CURRENTS, being included with crime-writing greats like Walter Mosely, Sara Paretsky, Naomi Hirahara, Gabino Iglesias, and more, but I learned something else that has me stunned.

Michael J. McCann, award-winning novelist and reviewer for the New York Journal of Books wrote a terrific review and gave me an amazing shoutout!

Check it out:

Our survey of editor Rozan’s spread wouldn’t be complete without mentioning “Currents” by Connie Johnson Hambley. The atmospheric and entertaining story of two assassins facing off against each other on a desert island in the Pacific, it’s an example of how an anthology like this one can bring our attention to an author whose fiction will bear closer examination in the future.

A columnist for Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Hambley has also independently published three thrillers in her Jessica Trilogy, including The Charity (2012), The Troubles (2015), and The Wake (2017). Her contribution to this anthology casts light on her current work, as it were, and encourages us to keep an eye out for what might be coming next.

So, Yeah! I'm kinda chuffed today! 💞💞💞💞

A REVIEW OF 2022 AND A 2023 WISH

I've decided that 2022 wasn't so bad after all.

Many opinions this time of year revolve around how exhausting the past year was for them. Adjusting to new normals nudged folks out of their comfort zones, or some might say cocoons. Working remotely had been pretty terrific for many of us. We didn't have to know if the pandemic was over or if we could simply exist maskless in a place of benign neglect.

I've been on the slow-to-adapt side of the New Normal Bell Curve. Yes, I'm fully vaxxed and boosted, but being a writer has its benefits, and not having to wear hard pants or heeled shoes are two of them. Zoom has been another great tool, but life is more than seeing other humans sixteen to a screen.

In April I hit two amazing goals. The best was the release of my short story, Currents, in the Mystery Writers of America's anthology, Crime Hits Home. The thrill of seeing my name alongside crime-writing greats like Walter Mosely, Sara Paretsky, Naomi Hirahara, and more as crime fiction's top authors hasn't faded. Nope. Not one bit.

The second April goal? Fitting into said hard pants for the book launch at the iconic Mysterious Bookshop. Yep. April was a banner month.

I watched my fellow writers inch back into in-person events over the summer. Masks became optional. Heartfelt hugs returned. As wonderful as these things were, I found my writer's brain had taken a vacation to points unknown. My productivity for new work tanked but I found I was able to focus on revisions of a WIP and submissions. 

The lead-up to November brought all things Crime Bake to priority status. This three-day conference for writers of crime and mystery has been an anchor of the New England writing community for over twenty years. From dreamers with an idea or unpublished manuscript to seasoned pros with dozens of titles and awards to their names, it's truly a must-go event and I'm proud of being its co-chair even if I whine a bit about the time commitment involved. (Truth be said: running a conference during that pesky COVID uncertainty is not easy.) My interview of NYT best-selling author William Martin with co-chair Paula Munier was an absolute highlight. Yes. I wore heels and lived to tell the tale.

December brought the publication of a non-fiction piece in Mystery Reader's International's Legal Mysteries compilation of essays and columns edited by Janet Rudolph. I was happy to leverage my doctorate in law, my writing chops, and my passion for giving to the larger community into this piece. 

This past year wasn't all about writing. I'm the parent of three amazing kids who have grown into adults despite my habit of referring to them as kids. Each has set their own course and I try really hard not to over-parent but to be as supportive as possible. This support has come with the following conversation:

Middle Son approached me one day last summer. "Mom, can you watch my dog when I travel?" 

"Of course!" I said with too much enthusiasm and commitment thinking this would be at most a two-week stint. "How long will you be gone?"

"About a year."

<Gulp>

It appears that two weeks was not enough time to pedal a bike from Boston to Key West to California with a planned hike on the PCT. Silly me for being so naive.

So, my husband and I are the proud keepers of a very adorable Beagle named Pop. Our two cats are not as pleased, but if 2022 taught me anything, it was to just roll with it.

This is my round-up for 2022 and I'm looking at 2023 with guarded optimism. 

I wish you and yours all the best.

CRIME HITS HOME EVENT: THE MYSTERIOUS BOOKSHOP

 

WHAT: Party

WHY: To celebrate CRIME HITS HOME

WHERE: The Mysterious Bookshop, 58 Warren Street, NYC 10007

WHEN: Wednesday, April 27, 6:00-8:00

WHO: You and your guest

The Mysterious Bookshop is proud to host a party to celebrate the publication of the 2022 Mystery Writers of America anthology. Many contributors will be on hand to sign copies. The event is free (the book is not; it is $27.99) and open to members of MWA and customers. Mark your calendar!

Edited by the amazing SJ Rozen, contributors include: Walter Mosley, Connie Johnson Hambley, Naomi Hirahara, Susan Breen, Gabino Iglesias, Stephen Liskow, Sara Paretsky, David Bart, Jonathan Stone, Bonnie Hearn Hill, Neil Plakcy, Ovidia Yu, Gary Phillips, Renee James, Alexandra Jamison, Tori Eldridge, Ellen Hart, G. Miki Hayden, and Jonathan Santlofer.

Many contributors will be on hand to sign copies.

SHOOTING WITH THE BIG GUNS

Oh, yeah! I'm beyond thrilled that my short story will appear alongside great crime authors. Below is a repost of the announcement by Mystery Writers of America (with permission).

~~~

The Publications Committee of Mystery Writers of America is thrilled to announce the full list of contributors for the next MWA anthology, CRIME HITS HOME, edited by S.J. Rozan and forthcoming from HarperCollins in 2022. Ten MWA members earned a spot in the collection through an anonymous submission process, joining stories by 10 authors originally invited to contribute to the collection.

Congratulations to David Bart, Susan Breen, Tori Eldridge, Connie Johnson Hambley, G. Miki Hayden, Bonnie Hearn Hill, Alexandra Jamison, Steve Liskow, Neil Plakcy, and Jonathan Stone, whose stories will appear alongside those by Rozan and writers she personally chose to participate: Carolyn Hart, Naomi Hirahara, Gabino Iglesias, Renee James, Walter Mosley, Sara Paretsky, Gary Phillips, Jonathan Santlofer, and Ovidia Yu. 

“What was most exciting about the stories we received for the contest — and what made it so difficult for me and the judges to choose — was the variety of different ways the writers interpreted home,” said Rozan. “For some it was a physical place, for others a community, a family... Home is what you make of it, and these writers made wonderful work.” 

Judging for the anthology was done by a distinguished panel of these writers’ peers. Alex Segura of the MWA Publications Committee worked with judges Jonathan Brown, Brendan Dubois, Cheryl Head, Michael Nava, and Laura Joh Rowland, who read and selected stories from the anonymous submissions — difficult decisions given the quality of the writing submitted by so many other MWA members.

MWA adult anthologies are published each spring with a new guest editor. Rozan, Segura, and Laurie R. King, chair of the Publications Committee, are grateful to everyone who submitted a story this year and to everyone who has helped bring the project so far — and excited to present this book to mystery fans next spring! 

From the original call for submissions: “Safe at home — that feeling when you’re in your living room, your team’s stadium, your family’s Sunday dinner. But even here, in this safest of places, sometimes CRIME HITS HOME. What happens then?” 

"What was most exciting about the stories we received for the contest ... was the variety of different ways the writers interpreted home.” -SJ Rozan 

CRIME HITS HOME STORIES:

Naomi Hirahara, “Grand Garden” 

* David Bart, “The World’s Oldest Living Detective” 

Sara Paretsky, “Little House in the Big Woods” 

* Susan Breen, “Banana Island” 

Gary Phillips, “Flip-top” 

* Neil Plakcy, “Oyster Creek” 

Renee James, “Stalking Adolf” 

* Connie Johnson Hambley, “Currents” 

Gabino Iglesias, “What They Knew” 

* Alexandra Jamison, “Haunted Home on the Range” 

Walter Mosley, “Not Exit” 

* Tori Eldridge, “Missing on Kaua’i” 

Carolyn Hart, “Calling Mr. Smith” 

* G. Miki Hayden, “Forever Unconquered” 

Jonathan Santlofer, “Private Dancer” 

* Jonathan Stone, “The Relentless Flow of the Amazon” 

Ovidia Yu, “Live Pawns” 

* Bonnie Hearn Hill, “The Happy Birthday Song” 

* Steve Liskow, “Jack in the Box” 

SJ Rozan, “Playing for Keeps” 

* indicates stories chosen from anonymous submissions

Launched! THE SOUL CHANGER'S CONFESSION Short Story

My short story, The Soul Changer's Confession, is included in a wonderful anthology published in Running Wild Anthology of Stories, Volume 4 Book 1 by Running Wild Press.

This collection is built on inclusion of diverse voices but does so organically and with ease. Culled from submissions from around the world, authors from Kuwait, Ireland, France, Saudi Arabia, and more offer slices of perspective and life in delicious bites. A joyful and provocative mix of genres and styles made this anthology one of my favorites.

The Soul Changer's Confession is a bit out of the norm for me. Swapping souls among the living to create eternal soul mates sounds wonderful, but havoc erupts at a nursing home when the soul changer sees too much. Yes, I put a smidgen of crime in there too!

The Amazon listing describes Book 1 as, "[a] cornucopia of stories that span genres and styles. Our editor spanned the globe to find every style and type of story to keep you engaged and make sure that we never, ever fit neatly in a box." Available in Kindle and paperback, this book is perfectly calibrated to our times and for summer beach reading. 

Running Wild Press is woman owned and lead. They describe themselves like this: "We’re a tameless mix of creatives who find each other through books, workshops, conferences, blogs, and word of mouth. We share a love of reading and a flair for the unusual."

As an added bonus, the editors found so many great writers from around the world, they decided to create TWO anthologies. Running Wild Anthology of Stories Book 2 continues the exploration and fun. Enjoy both! 

BOOK LAUNCH: V.S. Kemanis #MeToo Short Stories

Women’s Voices: Me Too Short Stories  with V.S. Kemanis

by V.S. Kemanis

If you’re in the New York City area, come to the Me Too launch party at The Mysterious Bookshop, 58 Warren Street, NYC, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 24, 2019. Refreshments will be good, and readings will be brief!

It’s been almost two years since the #MeToo movement dawned in the aftermath of the story about movie mogul Harvey Weinstein’s long history of harassing and abusing women. The phrase “Me Too” was actually coined years earlier by activist Tarana Burke. Since its dawning, the movement has only picked up speed, giving women the courage to come forward with their personal stories, to find strength in their shared experiences, to reflect, act, and heal.

What the movement hasn’t seen until now is an anthology of fiction on the theme of crimes against women, retribution and healing. Me Too ShortStories: An Anthology, released on September 3 by Level Best Books, is the unique, innovative brainchild of author/editor Elizabeth Zelvin.

Fiction, as all art, engages the intellect and emotional core while it entertains and enlightens. We’ve heard it said, brilliantly, many ways: “Fiction reveals truth that reality obscures” (Jessamyn West). “There is no doubt fiction makes a better job of the truth” (Doris May Lessing). “Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth” (Albert Camus). The fictional tales in Me Too Short Stories, far from being autobiographical, nevertheless tap the reality and truth that all women share. Besides the enjoyment that any good tale brings, each story in this collection is a launching point for reflection and discussion about personal experience.

From the blurb:

“What do women want? A voice. To be heard. Respect. To be believed. Justice. To be both safe and free. The women in these stories have daughters, sisters, friends. The minister worries about her parishioners. The banshee worries about the Hippocratic Oath. The microbiologist worries about her obligation to the dead. They will use any means to protect themselves and those they love: a childish jingle, a skillet full of cornbread, a candle, their own quick wits. We cannot ignore their voices.”

Author V.S. Kemanis

The anthology includes fifteen tales that fall within the many subgenres of crime fiction, from psychological suspense to classic mystery to cozy. I am proud to have a story in this wonderful collection. To give you an idea, here are no-spoiler teasers of the stories, in the order in which they appear in the anthology:

“No Outlet” by V.S. Kemanis

When a young single mother moves into the neighborhood, Arlene is called to action on her behalf by the rekindled memory of her secret source of guilt.

“Never Again” by Elizabeth Zelvin

Fourteen-year-old Valerie has been living in hell since she was four. Frances, hiding shame behind obesity, is trapped in an abusive marriage. Valerie and Frances will never meet, but they’re on a collision course.

“Pentecost” by Eve Fisher

It’s hard to be the first female pastor in a small town, but even harder when you know the dark truth no one else wants to admit.

“The Call Is Yours” by Rona Bell

A young woman who wants to be noticed learns that admiration is fleeting, but shame will last until the world changes.

“The Final Recall” by Diana Catt

In the near future, science can retrieve memories from the brains of the dead. Sara finds her job a waste of her hard-earned doctorate—until she realizes that she and a nameless cadaver share a memory that could be fatal.

“A Measured Death” by Julia Pomeroy

Mary’s life has been eroded in service to the massive talent of her pianist husband. Will she ever find a way out?

“Miss Evelyn Nesbit Presents” by Ana Brazil

In 1914 New York City, real-life Evelyn Nesbit—celebrated beauty and well-publicized rape victim—makes a desperate bid to reframe her past and rewrite her future.

“Stepping on Snakes” by Madeline McEwen

Naive or precocious? One girl’s decision. Set in the vanished world of South Africa in the early 1960s.

“Women Who Love Dogs” by Dayle A. Dermatis

Merlin needs exercise, and overworked Vanessa and her wheelchair-bound sister need cash. Rent-A-Pup seems like the perfect solution. But how do you really know who’s walking your dog?

“Jewel's Hell” by Lynn Hesse

Jewel’s “normal” is teenage prostitution. But in a dysfunctional family, when one person does something different, everything starts to change.

“Banshee Scream” by Gin Gannon

Does the banshee scream to warn the victim or the killer?

“A Dog's Life” by Ann Rawson

Liverpool 1980. After moving off campus to escape a stalker, might Liz find herself in a more dangerous place?

“Subterfuge” by Julia Buckley

For young women in Sophia’s small town, all paths lead only to dead ends. Is there anything Sophia won’t do to get away?

“The Taste of Collards” by C.C. Guthrie

With single-minded focus to protect her children, Lizbeth follows the age-old adage, necessity is the mother of invention.

“Chrissie” by Carole Sojka

Chrissie is sure she is all grown up, but how wrong she is!

Me Too Short Stories is available now from Level BestBooks, and from Amazon in e-book and paperback editions.

~~~~~~~~

V.S. Kemanis, attorney, dancer, choreographer, and mother, has squeezed fiction writing into her life for thirty-five years. Her stories are collected in five volumes and have appeared in many publications and anthologies, including most recently Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, The Best Laid Plans, and Me Too Short Stories. Her latest book, Your Pick: Selected Stories, won the 2019 Eric Hoffer Award for best story collection. Kemanis draws on her years of experience in criminal law for her legal suspense novels featuring prosecutor Dana Hargrove. The fifth Dana Hargrove novel, Seven Shadows, will be released in January 2020. She currently serves on the board of the New York chapter of Mystery Writers of America.

BOOK LAUNCH: TAKEN TO DIE by Ann Simas

I’m so glad to have Ann Simas join me again on my blog! Ann is an accomplished and prolific author who knows how to spin a tale of out-of-this-world romance and intrigue. Read on!

The Grace Gabbiano Mysteries: How They Began and Where They Are Now

I was taking a Forensics class at the local community college a few years back when the idea for the Grace Gabbiano Mysteries hit me. The class was being taught by the director of the Oregon State Patrol Forensics Laboratory, located in nearby Springfield. I subsequently took a Criminal Investigation class, taught over the 12-week course by different law enforcement officials, one of whom was a former detective with the Lane County Sheriff’s Office, and (at that time) the police chief of Coburg Police Department.

Both Lt. Mike Hurley and Chief Denny Ross were kind enough to let me pick their brains outside of class. These two intelligent men had spent their lives in law enforcement and had a wealth of information to share with me. As it turned out, how I was going to create the series turned out differently than I had originally planned, but I retained part of the original premise and it crops up periodically in the series.

The Grace Books, as I call them, feature Sgt. Grace Gabbiano, Police Chief Aidan Cruz, Grace’s entire Italian family, and a full contingent of CPD staff, officers, and reservists. Other characters make appearances throughout the books, but each story also has a new “cast,” so to speak. In Dressed to Die, Grace is faced with two murders, both men who are dressed in formal evening wear, wigs, and high-heeled sandals. Not your conventional deaths. In Sliced to Die, Chief Cruz signs Grace up to go undercover as a prostitute to help track down a serial kidney thief. Buried to Die introduces the reader to the body farm located in the middle of a large hazelnut orchard in Coburg. Grace discovers more than research is going on there when her former teacher turns up amid the corpses being studied. In Quilted to Die, the first body found is rolled up in the fund-raising quilt at the annual quilt show (which actually does occur in Coburg). In that book, I introduced the crop circles.

That takes me to Taken to Die, a July 31 release. I’m an avid stargazer and I’ve seen things in the night skies that are inexplicable. I watch Ancient Aliens and numerous other programs about UFOs and alien sightings. I’ve read The Day After Roswell and watched the Project Blue Book series. I’m not sure why I put those crop circles in Quilted to Die, but I knew I’d have fun with them in Taken. And, boy, did I!

I love research, and there is no shortage of information to be had about UFOs, crop circles, alien abductions, animal mutilations, Areas 51 and 52…I could go on. Typically, with the Internet, I research as I go and I never use anything that can’t be verified from at least three different sources. However, this time I reversed order and read Roswell first. I was constantly astounded by the facts presented by Major Phillip Corso, who was actually involved in the 1947 incident and the subsequent events connected to it.

When I contacted MUFON (Mutual UFO Network), I was told that some of what Corso wrote has been challenged. Regardless, I’m keeping an open mind. Our government is known to have withheld information on UFOs, as is the military. Only recently have armed forces’ pilots, commercial pilots, astronauts, and law enforcement officers been vocal about what they’ve witnessed from a vantage point most of us will never have. In essence, since they’ve spoken up, many with actual video footage, it’s forced the government and the military to be more open about what’s going on, not only in space, but on (and around) Earth.

I know there are people who pooh-pooh the idea of UFOs and aliens, and that’s fine, but for me, they exist. I’ve included some of the unusual things I’ve seen in the night skies in Taken. I knew when I wrote the last word in the book that the story couldn’t end there. I grew up in Colorado at a time when animal mutilations were rampant. Neither those nor the crop circles have ever been resolved, and I maybe they never will be. But there’s more to Taken to Die than crop circles and mutilations, and since I’m not giving any spoilers, you’ll have to read it to find out more.

What do I learn when dig into all this research I love to do? Two things: (1) You’re never too old to learn and (2) you never know what you’re going to learn that’s going to amaze the heck out of you!

Here’s a short blurb:

Mysterious crop circles, unexplained bright lights in the sky, UFOs, animal mutilations—what in the galaxy is going on in Coburg? Grace Gabbiano is determined to find out. Is it an alien invasion, or something more sinister and closer to home?

US       https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TWB8KNX/

UK      https://amzn.to/2Y9YyB6

CA      https://amzn.to/30vxaeo

AU      https://amzn.to/2JBDPy0

Available worldwide on Amazon

Free read on Kindle Unlimited

  

Ann Simas Bio

Ann Simas lives in Eugene, Oregon, but she is a Colorado girl at heart, having grown up in the Rocky Mountains. An avid word-lover since childhood, she penned her first fiction “book” in high school. The author of 27 novels, one novella, and seven short stories, she particularly likes to write a mix of mystery/thriller/suspense, with a love story and paranormal or supernatural elements.

In addition to being a three-time Romance Writers of Amer­ica Golden Heart Finalist, Ann is also an award-winning watercolorist and budding photographer who enjoys needlework and gardening in her spare time. She is her family’s “genealogist” and has been blessed with the opportunity to conduct first-hand research in Italy for both her writing and her family tree. The genealogy research from century’s-old documents, written in Italian, has been a supreme but gratifying and exciting challenge for her.

Books by Ann Simas

Afterstories

Chloe’s Spirit^H

Chloe’s Spirit Afterstories

First Star^H

First Star Afterstories

Stand-Alones

Blessed Are the Eagles^H

Loose Ends

Heaven Sent

Black Moon Rising

Here and Gone

Grace Gabbiano Mysteries

Dressed to Die

Sliced to Die

Buried to Die

Quilted to Die

Taken to Die

Praying to Die (coming July 2020)

Andi Comstock Supernatural Mysteries

Holy Smoke

Penitence

Angel Babies

Hellfire

The Wrong Wicca (coming Fall 2020)

Christmas Valley Romances

Santa’s Helper

Candy Cane Lane

Let It Snow

Fruitycakes

Sleigh Bride

Angels on the Rooftop

Deck the Gnomes

Back-Door Santa

Jingle Bell Clock (coming November 2019)

Reindeer Blitz (coming November 2019)

Short Story Collection

All’s Well

RWA Golden Heart Finalists

Contact Info for Ann Simas: Writing books people love to read. Learn more!

https://annsimas.com

Facebook: Ann Simas, Author

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ann-simas

email: ann@annsimas.com

================

Do you have a new book coming out? Contact me via the form on my website (www.conniejohnsonhambley.com) to be featured on this blog!

SHORT STORY PUBLISHED IN MYSTERY WEEKLY MAGAZINE!

December 2018 Mystery Weekly Magazine featuring

"The Brew" by Connie Johnson Hambley

Christmas came early for me this year! I'm thrilled my short story, "The Brew," was published in December's Mystery Weekly Magazine!

Here's a writer's truth. "The Brew" is one of my favorite short stories that I've written. It was inspired by a local brew pub in nearby Ipswich, Massachusetts and named after a rock band my sons' 

friends started in high school that gained a decent following. I know local folk will recognize both the place and the band. Sitting at the brew pub's bar made from a single plank of a historic local tree* and sipping a pint of amazing oatmeal stout, I wondered about a boy who never left his small hometown and another who fled after high school to follow his dreams. What if they were best friends? What if one did the other wrong? What if they loved the same girl?

So, I wrote the story and submitted it to an anthology I have been published in before**. I waited and waited for news, then...it was rejected! I've received other rejections for other works--what writer hasn't? But this rejection smarted. Instead of shrinking back into the dark and writing (which is actually a very healthy response for a writer!) I did something I have never done before...I submitted the story to a magazine.

And viola! The cover says it all! A touch of sweetness is added that circulation/readership of Mystery Weekly is larger than that of the anthology! Anger has its upsides. Maybe there's a story there, too?

So, at a hand-hewn wooden bar surrounded by hipsters and familiar faces, my story sparked to life.

In “The Brew," a rock star visits his home town, while his best friend teeters on the edges of sobriety and murder.

In this issue, I share the pages with:

Tom Mead’s “Invisible Death” is a gothic mystery in the golden-age tradition, inspired by the work of John Dickson Carr. It features a seemingly impossible locked-room murder in a snowbound country house.

In “Mrs. Bott’s Finest Christmas” by Michael Thomas Smith, a bar patron recounts a chance meeting with a notorious criminal who performed an act of kindness that didn't go as he expected.

“Outrace The Snowfall” by Dave Creek provides a hated billionaire, a snowed-in mountaintop mansion, and a fresh supply of poison—what could go wrong?

In “Nice Grammar, That Guy” by Andrew Welsh-Huggins, Susan and Allen Horton seem the perfect couple, which makes Susan’s bludgeoning death at the hands of a homeless man outside a Providence restaurant after a 10th anniversary dinner all the more shocking.

“Rolls Upon Prank” by Jeff Somers—even in sleepy backyards, guarded by the timid and the well-fed, murders can be committed ... and upset the balance of nature.

Try out your own sleuthing skills with “New Year’s Thieve”—a You-Solve-It By Laird Long.

The magazine is also available on digital newsstands and Kindle Newsstands subscriptions: https://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Weekly-Magazine/dp/B01N4NJL91

Give yourself or a friend a gift of a one year subscription. Click through for more information. http://www.mysteryweekly.com/subscribe.asp

NEW! Enjoy Mystery Weekly FREE at over 30,000+ libraries and schools worldwide through their online system called Flipster. Ask your librarian for details!

Want to read "The Brew"? Click on one of the URLs above! 

Snow, Snow, Snow, Murder! Mystery Weekly Magazine Dec 2018 in Print @ Amazon—Digital and NEW Mobile @ http://mysteryweekly.com/ & Kindle Newsstand (free 30 day trials) #MYSTERY

http://MysteryWeekly.com

https://twitter.com/MysteryWeekly.com

http://facebook.com/mysteryweekly

* For you tree lovers out there, the tree had become diseased and was at risk for falling on the neighboring houses. The good news is that much of it lives on as furniture...and bar tops.

** Serendipitously, Andrew Welsh-Higgins and I share the pages in Best Crime Stories of New England: Snowbound.

NEW BOOK: TORY ROOF by Jill C. Baker

Technology Can Be an Author’s Best Friend           

Jill C. Baker

Welcome to Jill Baker to the author community! Bringing a new book into the world has twists and turns that puts many plots to shame. Jill shares a few of her experiences here and an introduction to her new book below. Read on!

~~~

As a long-time writer, but first-time author, getting a book out of my head and into someone’s shopping cart seemed a daunting task. I talked with numerous authors in various genres, including the accomplished thriller author, Connie Johnson Hambley*.

I did know something about publishing, have been a media marketer for years, but the book world was different.  I realized that habits for book consumption were changing and that competition for self-publishers was brutal. I did learn, however, that technology can be an author’s best friend.

(1)    Several people pointed out that there’s no need to work exclusively with Amazon in offering a Kindle format. Nor is there reason to distribute alone.  Publish Drive, which drew attention at the Frankfurt Book Fair a couple years back, offers an online distribution platform, strictly digital, that disseminates your ePub file to dozens of online bookstores, per your selection, in one fell swoop. No money up front. 10% of royalties which vary by outlet. Customer support, real-time and archived analytics, monthly sales report with disbursement options, best practices, direct links for social sharing, webcasts, newsletter – let’s just say, I’m a fan.

(2)    There are also new ways to sample books without going through a bookstore. (Full disclosure: I used to work for the person who created this platform.) Text Café offers an HTML solution that can be found in Search, embedded in an email, used in social media or on a website. The benefit is that it can attract casual prospects and convert them – with one click, from within the sample—to buyers. Ditto for sharing. In my case, the entirety of Chapter 1 is included, but that’s up to the author. Readers may also customize brightness, font size, and color scheme for optimal viewing. https://textcafe.co/books/vYRGVM/?1541456417023#/

Of course, there are many more tech avenues to try:  podcasts, webcasts, online chats. I ran into someone who was doing ‘book signings’ on Twitter. “How does that work?” I asked the author who goes by the handle, “Tea Pain.” He replied:

“Tea will take dedications by Direct Message (he follows you now) and he'll email you a copy of the first page of his book with your signed dedication you can print out and slip into your paperback. Tea Pain digitally signed almost a 1000 of his first book last year.”

Clearly, sky’s the limit.

For another post by Jill, click here.

About Jill's first book, TORY ROOF:

Sarah Sutherland didn’t go looking for the adventure that engulfed her. She was a modern woman -- a mom and real estate agent, who accepted her routine life -- until she encountered a fiery Revolutionary War agitator in a vintage home she was selling.

Rather than fear him, she was drawn to him physically and emotionally. Soon she found herself embroiled in the fight for independence with a passion she had long forgotten. Parallel story lines unfold, autumn to autumn, interweaving 1765 with the present day.

As Sarah struggles to co-exist in both realms, she learns that the people around her are not as they seem and that her life is in danger. In time, she discovers why she was chosen for an escape most women could only imagine.

Bio:

Jill C. Baker grew up in a small town in New York state where, as a teenager, she wrote a weekly newspaper column and reviewed summer stock theater. She pursued her interest in media and writing at Boston University’s College of Communication. Upon graduation, she moved to Southern California to work in the film industry. With a relocation to San Francisco and eventually back to Boston, she returned to her newspaper roots, serving as a copywriter and promotion manager for leading publishers such as Hearst and Harte-Hanks. Following a detour into the non-profit sector, she became Director of Marketing for a digital publishing provider in the magazine sector. Constantly facing deadlines and rigorous commutes, she often wondered what it would be like to simply disappear and do something else -- thus the motivation for the Sutherland Series. She and her husband live in New England where they’ve raised two sons and several cats. The rich historic setting provides valuable inspiration.

Author Website   jillcbakerauthor.com shows how Jill is "an author and purveyor of guilt-free escape."

Facebook: Sutherland Series   https://www.facebook.com/jill.baker.7393

Twitter:  SarahSutherlandBookSeries @SeriesSarah

*Connie's note: Thank you, Jill, for being my guest today. I'm so glad our chats in person and online have been helpful. 

Dear Readers: Are you an aspiring author? Are you an author looking to leverage your books into a larger audience? DM me on Facebook or Twitter and I'll help however I can!

Light Shines on GOING DARK by Jolene Grace

I'm always excited to read a new author. I met Jolene at a Sisters in Crime event and was immediately drawn to her intense and clear manner. Learning she was a foreign correspondent before penning her new book didn't surprise me. The more I learned about her, the more interested I became in her book, GOING DARK. Read on. Get to know Jolene. I'll just bet if sacrificing all in a geopolitical thriller sparks your interest, you'll soon be lost between the covers of this terrific new book. -cjh

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The idea of 'Going Dark' started to form in my mind as I spent nights working on the foreign desk at CBS. Those nights, I was alone in the entire studio, watching in coming video feed from our military forces stationed in Iraq. In 2006-07, the war was in full swing and we received daily updates on the progress and struggle people were facing during the war. The war zone wasn't too far off from our foreign correspondent team stationed in Iraq, reporting from there.

As I was sitting in my desk, I envisioned Amelia Sinclair (a foreign liaison in Going Dark) how hard and challenging must be to be separated from your family when your job takes you away from them, especially if you have young children. Sinclair ultimately sacrifices a stellar career when she finds out that she's unexpectedly pregnant and chooses to stay close to home by taking a desk job at the United Nations. In her mind, she can still do it all. However, her adventurous heart can't change and she's drawn into a cover op to send four U.S. journalists to Damascus, Syria, a country in the midst of a civil war, to interview the president.

Murphy Law's tips the scale and things quickly escalate when the four are kidnapped from their hotel room shorting after they arrive in the county. Amelia receives a suspicious e-mail with a video showing their kidnapping. Her boss, Harold Frost and her, don't have a plan in place to save them. Frost makes the decision to call Gabriel Jets, CIA's top officer, who's back in the States on a well-deserved break from the Middle-East.

When the White House learns four U.S. journalists have gone missing, they panic. President Delay's administration is a hundred days in and the country is divided by his election. Kidnapped Americans would spell trouble they can't afford at the moment. A Pakistani report links Sinclair to a terrorist cell suspected of the kidnapping. Sinclair's name is quickly escalated up the chain of command and her life is turned upside down on a dime.

When Jets and Amelia meet, Frost has been killed by an assassin and a sniper takes aim at Amelia. What is he supposed to do? He can't let her get killed, Sinclair holds answers to pressing questions, even she doesn't know it yet. Together they have to run to clear her name and find who's really behind the kidnapping plot if they want to bring the four alive.

In my debut novel 'Going Dark' I wanted to showcase the female strength, the love a mother posse to protect her child and empower women to pursue their dreams despite the obstacles presented to them in today's world.

'Going Dark' is now available in ebook and paperback on Amazon.

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Jolene Grace was born in Eastern Europe in the 90s while the region

was undergoing a geopolitical makeover. She witnessed first hand the poverty and struggles of people around her that deeply affected her and left a life lasting impression. Those childhood memories find their way today in her written works.

During college, Jolene began writing professionally while pursuing a degree in journalism. Her interest in politics deepened and led her into a fulfilling career where she had the opportunity to cover state and national politics.

Jolene interned for CBS evening news, working on the foreign desk at night time. It was during that time the idea of ‘Going Dark’ took shape in her mind as she watched the unfiltered tapes trickled in from the front lines of the American/Iraq war.

Upon leaving the network, Jolene went on having a successful career as a digital manager for radio stations across the country. Later on, she settled down with her husband and kids and began to write full time.

For updates and previews of upcoming works by the author visit www.jolenegracebooks.com; find and follow her on Twitter:@theauthorjolene; subscribe to her newsletter for exclusives. 

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GOING DARK: 

Gabriel Jets is the CIA’s top agent, a man with a reputation of getting the job done, no matter the price. On a rare visit back to the States, Jets is dispatched to collect a video depicting the kidnapping of four U.S. journalists working undercover in Damascus, Syria.

Meanwhile, the U.S. president and his chief of staff, Robert McKaine, are called to the Situation Room to receive a briefing. Damascus is rocked by a terrorist plot that killed twenty-five innocent people.

A link between the two events is quickly discovered, with evidence pointing to the involvement of another U.S. journalist, Amelia Sinclair, a prominent foreign correspondent, with direct ties to the missing.

While Jets hunts for the video, he crosses paths with Amelia. In a blink of an eye, his mission is compromised as he believes she is been set up to be the fall guy.

As the U.S. government closes in to arrest Sinclair, Jets alters his assignment to help clear her name and track down the powerful behind the ploy to draw in the country into an international scandal.