Blogs

Over the past few weeks, my weekly blog includes links to:

A brainstorming list to help writers create angry characters.

An essay on what Sherlock Holmes can teach mystery writers about clues.

Real-world CSI for the research shelf: Bullet Trajectories -- Where Did the Shot Come From?

A review of the superb anthology The Best American Mystery Stories, 2018 at Crime Fiction Lover.

Plus more!

A short walk down a dark street

Wanna little fun?

This week’s blog includes links to free stories from Brendan Dubois and Bill Pronzini (archived at The Strand Magazine). Plus, Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine editor Marvin Kay discusses the nuts and bolts of writing a classic whodunit.

A short walk down a dark street (#39): celebrating short mystery and crime fiction.

My blog this week includes links to a free Jack Reacher story from Lee Child and short story writing advice from Kurt Vonnegut.

Recent weeks included:

advice from the acquisitions editor at magazine Pulp Literature;

an essay covering almost everything you wanted to know about cops’ concealment holsters;

two free stories by Mike Bowditch series author Paul Doiron;

the usual wicked mix of links to reviews, new and old releases, free reads, and more.

A short walk down a dark street -- Celebrating short mystery and crime fiction.

Still blogging every Sunday. Over the past few weeks, posts have included links to:

Free stories by Raymond Chandler and Elmore Leonard.

All of the Anthony Award Short Story finalists, also free-to-read.

A review of anthology stories from Lawrence Block, Donald Westlake, and Robert Randisi.

A new Otto Penzler anthology of stories that inspired great crime movies.

A Joe R. Lansdale Hap and Leonard collection.

An essay dissecting 15 unconventional storytelling methods.

An essay on techniques for describing a protagonist when writing first-person POV.

And lots more!

A short walk down a dark street. Celebrating short mystery and crime fiction.

Been blogging Sundays, like clockwork. Over the past few weeks, posts have included links to:

The inside story on the current status of Occult Detective Quarterly (now Occult Detective Magazine).

In a Halloween essay, EQMM editor Janet Hutchings revealed her views on supernatural mysteries.

Free to read: "Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl. (The classic crime story that became an Alfred Hitchcock Presents TV episode.)

Essays by Flash Fiction Online editor Suzanne Vincent: How Editors Evaluate Short Story Submissions and Navigating Submission Guidelines. (Note: Although FFO is known as a Science Fiction market they also accept mystery and crime stories, as well as other genres.)

Twenty free stories and novella excerpts, courtesy of The Strand Magazine.


A short walk down a dark street. Celebrating short mystery and crime fiction.