by Paula Gail Benson It’s that time of year when nominations are announced. Mystery short stories have categories in the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgars (for best short story and the Robert L. Fish award for best first short story), the Agathas given at Malice Domestic, and the Thrillers presented at Thrillerfest. Following are the […]
by Paula Gail Benson This week, I received a report from a sinus CT. It contained the line: “The skull is unremarkable.” I had to think about that, rather like Hamlet contemplating Yorick’s skull in the graveyard scene in Shakespeare’s play. To put in context, in Hamlet, Act V, Scene 1, Hamlet and Horatio come […]
by Paula Gail Benson On Valentine’s Day, I learned something. I was reading Cynthia Ruchti’s message in the Guideposts devotional book Mornings with Jesus 2025. Ruchti wrote about caring for her husband when he was debilitated during an illness. She found that some of the more difficult tasks required all her strength. At times, she […]
by Paula Gail Benson Happy new year to all! I hope your reading and writing is bringing you much joy. I’ve written before about belonging to the Lowcountry Romance Writers (LRWA, a chapter of the Romance Writers of America). I’ve continued to be a member, even though it is based in Charleston, S.C. and I […]
by Paula Gail Benson As I reach the end of this year, I take stock of the many changes that have taken place in my life. I’ve mourned the loss of family and friends. I thanked our Pastor for including an extra candle at our All Saints’ Day commemoration to recognize those who were not […]
by Paula Gail Benson For today’s short story post, I want to tell you about two new short story anthologies and an annual “Drabble” (100-word story) tradition that celebrates the “haunted” aspect of the holidays! Two new short story anthologies have been recently released. The Capitol Crimes chapter of Sisters in Crime featured fifteen authors […]
I met Raegan Teller through our local Sisters in Crime Palmetto Chapter. In fact, Raegan and I were two of the founding members of the chapter. Since that time, she has independently published seven Enid Blackwell mysteries, marketing them herself through personal appearances at unique festivals and events, most of which are not focused on […]
by Paula Gail Benson Authors are amazingly kind in sharing their time and knowledge. When I asked Michael Bracken about collaborating on a virtual short story conference (Mystery in the Midlands: Writing the Short Story, sponsored by the Palmetto Chapter of Sisters in Crime and the Southeastern Chapter of Mystery Writers of America), he immediately […]
by Paula Gail Benson This past weekend, I thoroughly enjoyed Desert Sleuths’ WriteNow virtual conference. One panel had short mystery fiction experts Barb Goffman (whose short stories have been nominated for 43 awards, winning 3 Agathas, 2 Macavities, 1 Anthony, and 1 Silver Falchion, and who received this year’s Golden Derringer Lifetime Achievement Award from […]
by Paula Gail Benson Robin Hillyer-Miles and I, two blogging partners here at The Stiletto Gang, also are members of the Lowcountry Romance Writers (LRWA), a chapter of Romance Writers of America based in Charleston, South Carolina. Since 2019, LRWA has organized and published two anthologies, titled Love in the Lowcountry: A Winter Holiday Collection […]