Michael Bracken
@crimefictionwriter.bsky.social
📤 328
📥 231
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Edgar- and Shamus-nominated, Derringer-winning short story writer. Anthony Award-nominated editor.
Spend July 6-31 at the Newberry Crime Writing Workshop in Newberry, SC, learning to write crime fiction from some of today’s masters: Joe R. Lansdale, Cheryl Head, Michael Bracken, and Warren S. Moore. Learn more and apply here:
www.newberry.edu/academics/ac...
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about 15 hours ago
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I feel this first reader's pain. Red Flags in Short Story Submissions
open.substack.com/pub/devonhal...
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Red Flags in Short Story Submissions
Avoid these common mistakes in your cover letter and opening pages
https://open.substack.com/pub/devonhalliday/p/red-flags-in-short-story-submissions?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
2 days ago
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I'm interviewed today in Cold Caller:
coldcallermag.substack.com/p/an-intervi...
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An interview with Michael Bracken
Author of "Store-Crossed Lovers"
https://coldcallermag.substack.com/p/an-interview-with-michael-bracken
8 days ago
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My short romance, "Takes the Cake," appeared in yesterday's Micromance.
open.substack.com/pub/microman...
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Takes the Cake
By Michael Bracken
https://open.substack.com/pub/micromancemagazine/p/takes-the-cake?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
13 days ago
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reposted by
Michael Bracken
Meagan Lucas
14 days ago
I needed a treat, so I registered for this. Hoping to see some short crime fiction and DC area buddies. Also hoping Art Taylor's session on novel-in-stories helps me fix my current WIP mess.
www.eastcoastcrime.com
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My story "Store-Crossed Lovers" appears today at Cold Caller. Store-Crossed Lovers
open.substack.com/pub/coldcall...
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Store-Crossed Lovers
Fiction by Michael Bracken
https://open.substack.com/pub/coldcallermag/p/store-crossed-lovers?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
15 days ago
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The application window for the Newberry Crime Writing Workshop is now open. Spend four weeks this summer with instructors Joe R. Lansdale, Cheryl Head, Warren S. Moore, and me, learning how to write crime fiction. Learn more and apply at
www.newberry.edu/academics/ac...
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Newberry Crime Writing Workshop
Newberry Crime Writing Workshop (NCWW), an intensive 4-week writers’ workshop for developing crime and mystery authors, taught by major figures in the field.
https://www.newberry.edu/academics/academic-experience/crime-writing-workshop
17 days ago
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My story "Collateral Damage" appears in today's issue of Black Cat Weekly.
18 days ago
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reposted by
Michael Bracken
SinC Desert Sleuths
about 1 month ago
At our first member meeting of the year, this Wed, Jan 21, Michael Bracken & Stacy Woodson present "Writing for Anthologies: How to Slip Between the Covers." All welcome! Register at
DesertSleuths.com
#SinC
#SMFS
#MysteryWriters
#CrimeWriters
#ShortStories
@crimefictionwriter.bsky.social
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The Best Private Eye Stories of the Year 2025 picked up a 5-star review on Amazon. Do you have your copy yet?
www.amazon.com/Best-Private...
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The Best Private Eye Stories of the Year 2025
The Best Private Eye Stories of the Year 2025 [Coyle, Matt, Bracken, Michael] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Best Private Eye Stories of the Year 2025
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Private-Stories-Year-2025/dp/B0G48GYN2G/ref=sr_1_1
about 1 month ago
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My short romance, "Drawn to Love," appears today at Micromance.
open.substack.com/pub/microman...
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Drawn to Love
By Michael Bracken
https://open.substack.com/pub/micromancemagazine/p/drawn-to-love?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
about 1 month ago
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reposted by
Michael Bracken
Kevin R. Tipple
about 2 months ago
Please welcome back author Tom Milani to the
#Blog
as he shares the backstory of his
#shortstory
, Amanda Ross, that appears today in the latest issue of Black Cat Weekly. Kevin's Corner: Guest Post: Bringing “Amanda Ross” to the Page by Tom Milani
kevintipplescorner.blogspot.com/2025/12/gues...
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Guest Post: Bringing “Amanda Ross” to the Page by Tom Milani
https://kevintipplescorner.blogspot.com/2025/12/guest-post-bringing-amanda-ross-to-page.html
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My story "Field of Bodies" appears in Black Cat Weekly #224.
2 months ago
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The Best Private Eye Stories of the Year 2025, featuring the 20 best PI stories of 2025 and an essay on the state of the genre by Kevin Burton Smith, is now available.
www.amazon.com/Best-Private...
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The Best Private Eye Stories of the Year 2025
The Best Private Eye Stories of the Year 2025 [Coyle, Matt, Bracken, Michael] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Best Private Eye Stories of the Year 2025
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Private-Stories-Year-2025/dp/B0G48GYN2G/ref=sr_1_2
3 months ago
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3 months ago
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Coming to ShortCon 2026? Need a room? Hotel registration information is now available! Scroll down to the bottom of the home page for the link:
www.eastcoastcrime.com#/
3 months ago
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Looking for a good Christmas read? Consider Murder, Neat—winner of the Derringer Award for Best Anthology AND an Anthony Award nominee for Best Anthology. Edited by Barb Goffman and me, it features stories by the writers who blog together at SleuthSayers.
bookshop.org/p/books/murd...
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Murder, Neat: A SleuthSayers Anthology
A SleuthSayers Anthology
https://bookshop.org/p/books/murder-neat-a-sleuthsayers-anthology-michael-bracken/f332488f3cf6a108?ean=9781685125660&next=t
3 months ago
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Today is National Adoption Day, and today my romance story "Forever Family" was published by Micromance.
micromancemagazine.substack.com/p/forever-fa...
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Forever Family
By Michael Bracken
https://micromancemagazine.substack.com/p/forever-family
3 months ago
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Coming Soon from Level Best Books: The Best Private Eye Stories of the Year 2025.
3 months ago
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If you had (or will have) a PI story published this year and you want it considered for The Best Private Eye Stories of the Year 2026, follow the submission instructions here:
www.crimefictionwriter.com/submissions....
Remember: If I don't see your story, I can't consider your story.
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Submissions
https://www.crimefictionwriter.com/submissions.html
3 months ago
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“Janie’s Got a Gun”—the third single from Aerosmith’s album Pump—was released this week in 1989, and it’s the title of an anthology of crime stories inspired by the music of Aerosmith. Order here:
www.mistimedia.com/product/janie/
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Janie’s Got a Gun edited by Michael Bracken – Misti Media, LLC
https://www.mistimedia.com/product/janie/
4 months ago
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KissMet Quarterly: The Greatest Holiday Romance Stories Ever Written releases tomorrow and it includes my story "Home for the Holidays." The ebook is available now; the paperback will be available soon.
www.amazon.com/KissMet-Quar...
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KissMet Quarterly: The Greatest Holiday Romance Stories Ever Written
Amazon.com: KissMet Quarterly: The Greatest Holiday Romance Stories Ever Written eBook : KissMet Quarterly, Cahill, Danielle, Landry, Denise, Turner , Laura, Langevin, Suzy, DeMoney, Barbara , Thompson , Penny, Black, Mickey, Whalen, Jennifer, Belfield , Jo: Kindle Store
https://www.amazon.com/KissMet-Quarterly-Greatest-Holiday-Romance-ebook/dp/B0FY3XWKBB/ref=sr_1_1
4 months ago
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A week or so ago, I was interviewed by Rich Ehisen for The Open Mic: Writers in Their Own Words, and the interview was posted today at YouTub and all the major Podcast outlets.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLP7...
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The Open Mic: Writers in Their Own Words with Michael Bracken
YouTube video by The Open Mic: Writers in Their Own Words
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLP7HubFx0I
4 months ago
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It's been a tough few weeks for crime fiction short-story writers. Hell, it's been a tough year. Anthology publishers have closed and periodical publishers have closed, gone on indefinite hiatus, or announced closure in the near future. What's a writer to do?
www.sleuthsayers.org/2025/10/its-...
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It’s the End of the World as We Know It
A criminally compelling web site featuring professional crime writers and crime fighters.
https://www.sleuthsayers.org/2025/10/its-end-of-world-as-we-know-it.html?spref=tw
4 months ago
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reposted by
Michael Bracken
Kevin R. Tipple
8 months ago
#ICYMI
#ShortStory
#Review
Kevin's Corner: Short Story Wednesday Review: Renovated to Death by Michael Bracken and Sandra Murphy
kevintipplescorner.blogspot.com/2025/06/shor...
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Short Story Wednesday Review: Renovated to Death by Michael Bracken and Sandra Murphy
https://kevintipplescorner.blogspot.com/2025/06/short-story-wednesday-review-renovated.html
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reposted by
Michael Bracken
Alan Orloff
6 months ago
EXCITED that “Won’t You Be Vine?” appears in this week’s edition of Black Cat Weekly (
@wildsidepress.bsky.social
). Everybody loves nature, and sometimes nature loves you back! Thanks to editor extraordinaire Michael Bracken for accepting this story—I guess it grew on him!
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reposted by
Michael Bracken
MysteryMarple
10 months ago
A little something from "Diana and the Princess," in SLEUTHS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN, edited by the amazing Michael Bracken -- out today from Down & Out Books! Where you get your books!
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Lunatic Fringe, which contains my story "Black Velvet," is now available for preorder.
whitecitypress.com/product/luna...
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Lunatic Fringe edited by J. Alan Hartman – White City Press
https://whitecitypress.com/product/lunaticfringe/
4 months ago
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Now available for preorder: The Vigilante Crime Pulp Fiction Anthology, which includes my story "4:13 a.m."
amzn.to/48ZXrrS
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The Vigilante Crime Pulp Fiction Anthology: A High Quality Mix of Straight Shots and Genre Cocktails
Amazon.com: The Vigilante Crime Pulp Fiction Anthology: A High Quality Mix of Straight Shots and Genre Cocktails eBook : Lansdale, Joe, Scott Bell, James, Bracken, Michael, Hoag, Christina, Altman, Steven-Elliot, Arturo, Michael, Sorondo, Marc, Cizak, Alec, Smith, Philip, Louis, Matthew: Kindle Store
https://amzn.to/48ZXrrS
4 months ago
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Coming Saturday, October 18: Mystery in the Midlands: Writing Short Mystery Fiction, a free, one-day online conference. Register at
us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
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Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Mystery in the Midlands: Writing Short Mystery Fiction 2025. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.
A One-Day Program with Experts to Instruct about Plotting Short Stories, the Experiences of New Authors, and Making Sure Editors Remember You
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__0zytBidTqO55Bz9UJIJ6Q?_gl=1*c6kfj3*_gcl_au*MTc2NDAyMzMyNy4xNzU5MTgwMjg0*_ga*ODg3MDkxMDg5LjE3NTkxODE0NTg.*_ga_L8TBF28DDX*czE3NTkxODE0NTckbzEkZzEkdDE3NTkxODIzNTYkajU4JGwwJGgw#/registration
4 months ago
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Coming tomorrow:
www.sincchicago.com/chapter-meet...
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Chapter Meetings — SISTERS IN CRIME CHICAGOLAND
https://www.sincchicago.com/chapter-meetings
4 months ago
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Submit to The Best Private Eye Stories of the Year 2026. SJ Rozan will be the guest editor. If you had or will have a PI story published this year, ensure that I get a copy. If I don't see your story, I can't consider it.
www.crimefictionwriter.com/submissions....
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Submissions
https://www.crimefictionwriter.com/submissions.html
6 months ago
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6 months ago
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6 months ago
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My short romance, "Banking on Love," appears today at Micromance Magazine.
open.substack.com/pub/microman...
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Banking on Love
By Michael Bracken
https://open.substack.com/pub/micromancemagazine/p/banking-on-love?r=sll3g&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
6 months ago
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Attempting to predict anything in publishing is a mug’s game, especially trying to predict how long it will take for a short story to find a home. In today's post, I examine my 10 most recent acceptances. (Hint: one took 22 years to place.)
www.sleuthsayers.org/2025/08/hot-...
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Hot Streak
A criminally compelling web site featuring professional crime writers and crime fighters.
https://www.sleuthsayers.org/2025/08/hot-streak.html
6 months ago
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My story "Curves" appears today as a Guilty Flash on Guilty Crime Story Magazine's website:
www.guiltycrimemag.com/flash/curves...
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Curves by Michael Bracken
“I want you to kill my husband.” My gaze traveled the long way around her curves and returned to her eyes. “What’s in it for me?” “Ten thousand. Small bills. Non-sequential.” Ten...
https://www.guiltycrimemag.com/flash/curves-by-michael-bracken
6 months ago
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In "Crafting an Interconnected World, One Short Story at a Time" (Writer's Digest, S/O 2025). P.M. Raymond discusses how the Chop Shop stories all tie together. She also interviewed Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier about her interconnected stories set in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
6 months ago
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PW reviewed The Best American Mystery & Suspense 2025 and gave a shout out to Gary Phillips’s “The Darklight Gizmo Matter,” which offers "tantalizing twists on the classic PI story." The original publication: Private Dicks and Disco Balls (Down & Out Books).
www.publishersweekly.com/9780063422292
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The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2025 by Don Winslow, Steph Cha
City in Ruins author Winslow selects 20 splendid shorts for the latest volume of this long-running anthology series. Many of the...
https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780063422292
6 months ago
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I have stories in the September/October issues of AHMM & EQMM.: "The Girl in the Shop" in AHMM and "Blind Pig" in EQMM.
6 months ago
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ShortCon 2026, The Premiere Conference for Writers of Short Crime Fiction, will be held at Elaine's Literary Salon, Alexandria, Virginia, on June 6, 2026 and feature: Gary Phillips, Michele Slung, Art Taylor & Stacy Woodson Registration limited to 50.
www.eastcoastcrime.com#/
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ShortCon
EAST COAST CRIME
https://www.eastcoastcrime.com/#/
7 months ago
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In advance of our appearance at Vintage Bookstore & Wine Bar in Austin this Saturday to discuss Sleuths Just Wanna Have Fun, Laura Oles Author, Mark Thielman, William Dylan Powell, Andrew Hearn, & I were interviewed by Scott Montgomery at The Hard Word:
www.thehardword.org/single-post/...
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SLEUTHS JUST WANNA' HAVE FUN'S MICHAEL BRACKEN, MARK THIELMAN, LAURA OLES, ANDREW HEARN, & WILLIAM DYLAN POWELL
A few months back Michael Bracken released his collection Sleuths Just Wanna' Have with original private eye tales set in the eighties, linked to a moment in the culture. I will be moderating a panel ...
https://www.thehardword.org/single-post/sleuths-just-wanna-have-fun-s-michael-bracken-mark-thielman-laura-oles-andrew-hearn-william-d
7 months ago
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In "Schrödinger's Blonde," PI Morris Ronald Boyette is hired to find a potential witness to a decades-old unsolved murder, and all he has to work with is a faded Polaroid of a blonde with Farah Fawcett hair.
7 months ago
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7 months ago
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Like to listen to a playlist while reading a music-themed anthology? Check out this playlist for Janie's Got a Gun: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Aerosmith (White City Press):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJDt...
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Aerosmith - Dream On (Official HD Video)
YouTube video by HQVideoClassics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJDtukGW79Y&list=PLagf92tUEByHIK619Elm-3RB8EpgrCZ_w
7 months ago
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My short romance "Cowboy Up" was published today in KissMet Quarterly: A Serendipitous Summer.
www.amazon.com/dp/B0FH79WTF2
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A Serendipitous Summer
Amazon.com: A Serendipitous Summer: 9798291814871: Quarterly, KissMet, Spellman, Laurie B., Liles, Adele, Shaffer, Tamara, Langevin, Suzy, Gracyn, Desirae, Landish, Daisy, Bracken, Michael, Fitzgerald, Katie, Gilmore, Elise: Books
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FH79WTF2
7 months ago
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reposted by
Michael Bracken
Olivia Hill
8 months ago
I wish more people wanted to impress Jodie Foster.
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reposted by
Michael Bracken
judypenzsheluk
8 months ago
Some
#editing
tips:
www.missdemeanors.com/the-long-and...
Today on Miss Demeanors.
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The Long and the Short of It by Judy Penz Sheluk (And 3 Quick Tips to Get You There) - Miss Demeanors
Some authors will tell you it’s easier to write short fiction than it is to write a full-length novel. Best-selling author Judy Penz Sheluk isn't one of them. Today Judy shares her number one tip for ...
https://www.missdemeanors.com/the-long-and-the-short-of-it-by-judy-penz-sheluk-and-3-quick-tips-to-get-you-there/
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Gag Me With a Spoon, which includes my story “The Safety Dance,” releases July 8 but is now available for preorder from the publisher.
whitecitypress.com/product/gagm...
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Gag Me With a Spoon edited by J. Alan Hartman – White City Press
https://whitecitypress.com/product/gagme/MM/30
8 months ago
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Congratulations to Art Taylor, whose Murder, Neat story "Two for One" has been nominated for a Macavity Award.
8 months ago
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