May is Short Story Month!
by Paula Gail Benson
Thanks
to my friend, phenomenal author Art Taylor (Agatha, Anthony, Derringer, and
Macavity award winner for short fiction and winner of
the Agatha Award for Best First Novel for On the Road with Del &
Louise: A Novel in Stories—check out his website at: http://www.arttaylorwriter.com/), I learned that
May is Short Story Month. It’s a tradition that started in 2013. You can read
about it at http://shortstorymonth.com/ and participate
with your own contributions at http://storyaday.org/, which encourages
people to complete a story each day during the months of May and September and
provides writing prompts and featured guests (like Neil Gaiman) as inspiration.
to my friend, phenomenal author Art Taylor (Agatha, Anthony, Derringer, and
Macavity award winner for short fiction and winner of
the Agatha Award for Best First Novel for On the Road with Del &
Louise: A Novel in Stories—check out his website at: http://www.arttaylorwriter.com/), I learned that
May is Short Story Month. It’s a tradition that started in 2013. You can read
about it at http://shortstorymonth.com/ and participate
with your own contributions at http://storyaday.org/, which encourages
people to complete a story each day during the months of May and September and
provides writing prompts and featured guests (like Neil Gaiman) as inspiration.
Art
has been celebrating this year by featuring a different story each day on his
Facebook page, including one by his very talented wife Tara Laskowski (read
about her terrific short story collection Bystanders
at http://taralaskowski.com/). Tara is the editor
of http://www.smokelong.com/, the online
literary magazine devoted to flash fiction.
has been celebrating this year by featuring a different story each day on his
Facebook page, including one by his very talented wife Tara Laskowski (read
about her terrific short story collection Bystanders
at http://taralaskowski.com/). Tara is the editor
of http://www.smokelong.com/, the online
literary magazine devoted to flash fiction.
I
began thinking about the mystery short story writers who have inspired me. I
credit Arthur Conan Doyle and Edgar Alan Poe for luring me into the genre, but
a number of current authors keep me reading and teach me the true artistry of
the short story craft. Here’s a list (beginning with Art and Tara and in
alphabetical order below) of a few that you may want to add to your TBR stack,
if you haven’t already discovered them.
began thinking about the mystery short story writers who have inspired me. I
credit Arthur Conan Doyle and Edgar Alan Poe for luring me into the genre, but
a number of current authors keep me reading and teach me the true artistry of
the short story craft. Here’s a list (beginning with Art and Tara and in
alphabetical order below) of a few that you may want to add to your TBR stack,
if you haven’t already discovered them.
John
Floyd (http://www.johnmfloyd.com/), a former Air
Force captain and IBM engineer, has written more than 1,000 stories that have
appeared in the Strand Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, Woman’s World, The Saturday Evening Post, Mississippi Noir, and The Best American Mystery Stories 2015. In addition to
receiving three Derringer awards, he has been
nominated for an Edgar and three times nominated for the Pushcart Prize. He blogs
at http://www.sleuthsayers.org/. His books are: Rainbow’s End (2006), Midnight
(2008), Clockwork (2010), Deception (2013), Fifty
Mysteries (2014), and Dreamland (2016). Kaye George (http://kayegeorge.wixsite.com/kaye-george), while writing
four series of mystery novels, continues to produce quality short fiction.
Recently, she took on the job as editor for Day
of the Dark, an anthology to be
published by Wildside Press on July 21 that contains 24 stories about eclipse,
to commemorate the one that will take place in August. I met Kaye as a
member of the Guppy Chapter of Sisters in Crime. She served as treasurer, then
President of the online chapter, and throughout her membership has been a
consistent contributor and commenter to the short story critique group. Her
insightful advice has helped many of us to improve our work.
Floyd (http://www.johnmfloyd.com/), a former Air
Force captain and IBM engineer, has written more than 1,000 stories that have
appeared in the Strand Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, Woman’s World, The Saturday Evening Post, Mississippi Noir, and The Best American Mystery Stories 2015. In addition to
receiving three Derringer awards, he has been
nominated for an Edgar and three times nominated for the Pushcart Prize. He blogs
at http://www.sleuthsayers.org/. His books are: Rainbow’s End (2006), Midnight
(2008), Clockwork (2010), Deception (2013), Fifty
Mysteries (2014), and Dreamland (2016). Kaye George (http://kayegeorge.wixsite.com/kaye-george), while writing
four series of mystery novels, continues to produce quality short fiction.
Recently, she took on the job as editor for Day
of the Dark, an anthology to be
published by Wildside Press on July 21 that contains 24 stories about eclipse,
to commemorate the one that will take place in August. I met Kaye as a
member of the Guppy Chapter of Sisters in Crime. She served as treasurer, then
President of the online chapter, and throughout her membership has been a
consistent contributor and commenter to the short story critique group. Her
insightful advice has helped many of us to improve our work.
Barb
Goffman (http://barbgoffman.com/) has been
nominated numerous times for the Agatha, Anthony, Derriger, and Macavity
awards. She has won the Agatha and Macavity and her Don’t
Get Mad, Get Even won the Silver Falchion
for best single-author mystery-short-story collection published in 2013. She
blogs at http://www.sleuthsayers.org/ and
is an accomplished editor.
Goffman (http://barbgoffman.com/) has been
nominated numerous times for the Agatha, Anthony, Derriger, and Macavity
awards. She has won the Agatha and Macavity and her Don’t
Get Mad, Get Even won the Silver Falchion
for best single-author mystery-short-story collection published in 2013. She
blogs at http://www.sleuthsayers.org/ and
is an accomplished editor.
Debra Goldstein (http://www.debrahgoldstein.com/), my
blogging partner here at The Stiletto Gang, is an active member of the Guppy
Chapter short story critique group. Recently, her “The Night They Burned Ms. Dixie’s Place” appeared in the
May/June 2017 edition of Alfred Hitchcock
Mystery Magazine. Check out her mention on the cover at: https://www.themysteryplace.com/ahmm/.
blogging partner here at The Stiletto Gang, is an active member of the Guppy
Chapter short story critique group. Recently, her “The Night They Burned Ms. Dixie’s Place” appeared in the
May/June 2017 edition of Alfred Hitchcock
Mystery Magazine. Check out her mention on the cover at: https://www.themysteryplace.com/ahmm/.
Robert Mangeot (http://robertmangeot.com/)
calls himself a “Turner of Phrase, Counter of Beans, Crafter of Sandwiches” on
his website. His fine stories have been
published in the MWA anthology Ice Cold and
the Bouchercon anthology Murder Under the
Oaks. He is a frequent contributor to Alfred
Hitchcock Mystery Magazine.
calls himself a “Turner of Phrase, Counter of Beans, Crafter of Sandwiches” on
his website. His fine stories have been
published in the MWA anthology Ice Cold and
the Bouchercon anthology Murder Under the
Oaks. He is a frequent contributor to Alfred
Hitchcock Mystery Magazine.
Edith Maxwell (https://edithmaxwell.com/) has
the distinction of having her short story and novel both featuring her Quaker
midwife protagonist nominated for the best short story and best historical
novel at this year’s Malice Domestic Agatha awards. In addition to writing four
mystery series and blogging with the Wicked Cozy Authors, she continues to
produce quality short fiction.
the distinction of having her short story and novel both featuring her Quaker
midwife protagonist nominated for the best short story and best historical
novel at this year’s Malice Domestic Agatha awards. In addition to writing four
mystery series and blogging with the Wicked Cozy Authors, she continues to
produce quality short fiction.
Terrie Farley Moran (http://terriefarleymoran.com/) won the Agatha
Award Best First Novel winner, Well Read, Then Dead, the debut of
her Read ‘Em and Eat series. Currently, her “Inquiry and Assistance,” a
Depression era story published in Alfred
Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, is a nominee for a Derringer award as best
novelette. A copy of the nominated story may be accessed at: http://terriefarleymoran.com/short-stories/.
Award Best First Novel winner, Well Read, Then Dead, the debut of
her Read ‘Em and Eat series. Currently, her “Inquiry and Assistance,” a
Depression era story published in Alfred
Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, is a nominee for a Derringer award as best
novelette. A copy of the nominated story may be accessed at: http://terriefarleymoran.com/short-stories/.
B.K.
“Bonnie” Stevens (http://www.bkstevensmysteries.com/) has
become a beloved friend and confidant. I first met her when I contacted her to
tell her how much I loved reading “Thea’s First Husband” (now included in
Wildside Press’ Her Infinite Variety: Tales of Women and Crime). In
addition to her novel, Interpretation of Murder, a traditional whodunit,
and her YA martial arts mystery Fighting Chance, Bonnie has written over
fifty short stories, most published in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine.
She won a Derringer and has been nominated for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity
awards. In addition to blogging at http://www.sleuthsayers.org/, her
own blog features authors describing the first two pages of their work, both
novels and short stories. Check it out at:
“Bonnie” Stevens (http://www.bkstevensmysteries.com/) has
become a beloved friend and confidant. I first met her when I contacted her to
tell her how much I loved reading “Thea’s First Husband” (now included in
Wildside Press’ Her Infinite Variety: Tales of Women and Crime). In
addition to her novel, Interpretation of Murder, a traditional whodunit,
and her YA martial arts mystery Fighting Chance, Bonnie has written over
fifty short stories, most published in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine.
She won a Derringer and has been nominated for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity
awards. In addition to blogging at http://www.sleuthsayers.org/, her
own blog features authors describing the first two pages of their work, both
novels and short stories. Check it out at:
http://www.bkstevensmysteries.com/category/the-first-two-pages/
Please
indulge and celebrate May as Short Story month by taking time to enjoy these
wonderful authors’ stories. Then, why not write one or two of your own?
indulge and celebrate May as Short Story month by taking time to enjoy these
wonderful authors’ stories. Then, why not write one or two of your own?
What a nice surprise to be included here this morning, Paula! And in such fine company—so many great short story writers and great friends both. Thanks for the shout-out! And hello to all. 🙂
Thanks for the shout-out Paula! I am honored to be in this terrific group of writers!! xoxo
What a wonderful thing to do for us, Paula! Thanks so much. You need to give yourself credit as an excellent short story writer, too!
Thanks, Paula! What a treat to make your list, and in such illustrious company.
Thanks, Paula!! I'm pleased and honored to have been mentioned in this group of writers. Best to you and yours!
What could make the day finer? Thank you so much, Art, Terrie, Kaye, Edith, and John for stopping by The Stiletto Gang. Your work is always on my TBR list. I appreciate so much all I've enjoyed and learned from reading your stories. Thank you for sharing your craft.