How the Dead Die

How the Dead Die is now available at Hogglepot. The story is set during World War 1 at the height of the stalemate, when neither side was gaining ground yet many men were dying for what looked like no reason at all. This story has a slight Twilight Zone feel to it, mixed with the old stories from the Weird War Tales comic which is one of my favorite comics.

The Peasant who annoyed Death

The Peasant who annoyed Death is now available at Shortbread Stories. A slightly humorous fable in which Death is kind of like the good guy, giving advice to a peasant too lazy to keep Death away.

What the Fisherman did not see

What the Fisherman did not see is now available and Shortbread Stories. This story originally appeared several years ago in the last issue of Writer's Hood. This version has been revised and shortened.

The Edgar Nominees for 2011



Next week the winner of the 2012 Edgar award will be announced so now is the time -- beforehand -- to add my two cents as to which book, in my humble opinion, should win the prestigious award.

It didn't take long to read them all. This is my reading order, if that means anything: Field Gray, The Devotion of Suspect X, 1222, Gone and The Ranger. They are all great books but in my mind the winner is obvious.

To begin with, after reading Field Gray by Philip Kerr, it was my opinion that this would win. It is a great book. The setting, spanning a couple decades after World War Two, in which a German police officer is caught up in the intrigues and chaos after the war, is my cup of tea. The film noir feel to it and the funny imagery, metaphors and similes were original. There are plenty of twists and turns to leave the reader wondering over several things before they all weave into a satisfying conclusion. Definitely looking forward to more from this series.

However, nothing could prepare me for The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino. As a mystery story, it is unusual, in that we know at the beginning who committed the crime and why. The reader begins by observing the police investigate and yet the closer they come to solving the crime, the more confused the reader gets, being left to puzzle over suspect X's methods and motivation for covering up the crime.

1222 is by Anne Holt, a Norwegian writer. Scandinavian mysteries have a special place in my heart. It probably has something to do with the setting. And this one does not disappoint. The murderer, suspects, victims and detective are isolated in a hotel in the mountains, snowed in with no way to escape during a storm. There is an element of the locked room mystery, however, strictly as a locked room puzzle it disappoints, if you were expecting something not unlike John Dickson Carr. The weird thing about this one is that it is part of a series but this, which is not the first book, is the only one currently available in English. Nevertheless the main character of Hanne Wilhelmsen captivates.

Gone by Mo Hayder reads like a thriller. It is fast paced, as the detectives race against the clock to find a kidnapped girl before she is murdered. It is an intense read, paced well and hard to put down and it wouldn't be surprising if this book won. Having a little girl abducted right in the first chapter is a hook most readers can't resist and you find yourself rooting for her as if she's someone you know.

The Ranger by Ace Atkins establishes a sense of place and character, quickly and effectively. Maybe that has something to do with the fact this is a series as are all the books nominated except for The Devotion of Suspect X. The ranger from which the title comes, is filled with all the usual angst and troubled past that makes for lots of conflict. Atkins's style is crisp and to the point, which makes for a fast paced mystery.

In the end, my vote goes to The Devotion of Suspect X. It is a fast paced story, with mystery and emotion, and with an ending that will leave you stunned and spellbound.

Here is a shorter version of Old Muds that was entered into a contest at Shortbread last month for Valentin's Day. In order to qualify the story had to be cut down to 500 words or less, which was a fun exercise in brevity and didn't take long; only one or two tough decisions needed to be made in regards to what could stay and what had to go. It came fourth out of about 25 stories, which is respectable.

It is now possible to read Metal, Bark and Whispers Soup at Bewildering Stories. This story was originally published at the Rose and Thorn and was nominated for the Pushcart prize that year (2003).

Mrs. Mud’s brush with Death by Troy Morash is now available at Cabinet des Fées. This story continues the adventures of Mrs. Mud and her husband. The character first appeared in the story The Old Muds in Fables back in Spring 2002. The second story: Mrs. Mud and her Basket of Apples can be read in The Summerset Review and was published in winter 2003.

Mrs. Mud’s brush with Death was first titled Mrs. Mud's First Death. The reason being that there are other times that she dies and has experiences of the afterlife. The character is the epitome of exaggeration not unlike Lewis Carrol's Queen of Hearts. Mrs. Mud lives in an extreme state and experiences extreme emotions which are not to her advantage.

The Two Cats and a River was written a few years ago. It has now been posted at Hazard Cat. This story is dedicated to Sabrina: 2001-2008, one weird and cool cat.

The Peasant who annoyed Death















Another story of mine has been published at Moon Drenched Fables called The Peasant who annoyed Death. This is a slightly humorous fable in which Death is kind of like the good guy.

Daily Flash 2011
Cover Price $24.99
Published by Daily Flash Publications, an Imprint of Pill Hill Press
ISBN-13: 978-1617060106

DAILY FLASH 2011: 365 DAYS OF FLASH FICTION is a 2011 flash fiction calendar anthology, with a 500 word or less short story featured for every day of the calendar year. Filled with 365 short stories, this is a fun and practical anthology designed for busy readers.

One of my story's has been published in this neat anthology. It is called "The Danger of Not being Oneself"