M.E. Proctor (@meproctor.bsky.social) graciously dedicated her most recent installment of The Roll Top Desk to my cover for KANSAS CITY BREAKDOWN, giving readers a cool behind-the-scenes look at the design process. It was a great conversation. Here’s the link: meproctor.substack.com/p/frank-vate...

Want to know how @frankvatel312.bsky.social came up with that great cover for Kansas City Breakdown? Head over to the stack... meproctor.substack.com/p/frank-vate...

Dunno what kind of weather April & May will bring but we can tell you right now that CJ's bringin the heat 🔥🔥🔥 4/7: COYOTE GIRL by @sabrinahicks.bsky.social 4/14: KANSAS CITY BREAKDOWN by @meproctor.bsky.social & @russellthayer10.bsky.social 5/5: THE OLD INVISIBLE by Sheldon Lee Compton

Hey, look what arrived ... beautiful stuff @cowboyjamboree.bsky.social / @frankvatel312.bsky.social ! And my buddy @russellthayer10.bsky.social ... you can get yours: amazon.com/dp/B0GRWPBNXN

Publication day ... A fun PI story in this edition of Crimeucopia, edited by the great John Connor ... www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...

At Kevin's Corner today with an article on Kansas City Breakdown - preorders are on - What it means to do a #2 in a series, with @russellthayer10.bsky.social, publisher @cowboyjamboree.bsky.social. @frankvatel312.bsky.social designed a stunning cover : kevintipplescorner.blogspot.com/2026/03/gues...

Talking about shifting perspectives today over there at the Stack...

Bring together a talented graphic artist @frankvatel312.bsky.social, a cool publisher, @cowboyjamboree.bsky.social, a writer with more ideas than you can sling a typewriter at, @russellthayer10.bsky.social and you get a ring toss game and ice cream. Out April 14. Have we got a surprise for you !

Oh, Daddy! Look what's droppin next month from Cowboy Jamboree. The latest noir collab between @meproctor.bsky.social & @russellthayer10.bsky.social. Beautiful pulpy cover by @frankvatel312.bsky.social.

Good Heavens, what a cover. Thank you @frankvatel312.bsky.social. This latest collaboration between me and @meproctor.bsky.social bursts out of the stables @cowboyjamboree.bsky.social on April 17th. It's a sometimes brutal road trip for our two heroes.

I fell head over heels for that cover! Amazing work @frankvatel312.bsky.social ... thinking that I saw it in November and had to sit on it for 5 months .... Aargh! Hey, the book is out April 14!

I have a cool retro-noir at The Yard Crime Blog today: "Whack a Moll" ... it isn't always easy to investigate the murder of a gangster's girlfriend... have a read: theyardcrimeblog.com/2026/02/27/w...

Listen, Can You Hear It? I'm sure you want to know why that dish is used as an illustration ....

The first issue of DNDP magazine is out. With stories from Stanton McCaffery, Paul Hostovsky, Susan B. Nolan, Keith David Parsons, Joshua Murray, Frank Finney, Stephanie Valente, Raymond J. Brash, Rob D. Smith, Ayaan Fahad, and more. I have a retro noir in it www.amazon.com/dp/B0GN2885P4

You know I have a short story collection out there, right? And I’m pretty sure you haven’t read these, maybe one, by accident … but 24 stories published in 19 different mags, no, I’m sure you haven’t seen them, and spanning 12 years??? I think you need to go have a look: books2read.com/u/mVEQk2

Today on Substack, I have an exciting conversation with Kevin Burton Smith, the brain behind the brilliant Thrilling Detective Web site... of course we talk about all things related to Private Investigators. Have a read! meproctor.substack.com/p/a-conversa...

@edridgley.bsky.social posted the first review of one of the stories in the new collection: "Icebound" - in "A Book to Live By" - books2read.com/u/mVEQk2

First story of the year up at "Pistol Jim": it's called "The Emporium", at the crossroads of crime and fantastic ... pistoljimpress.substack.com/p/the-empori...

This is for those among you who can't stand buying from Amazon. My publisher offers a bunch of options: books2read.com/u/mVEQk2

BOOK DAY!!!! Hello Friends! My second short story collection is out! Paperback and eBook on Amazon, for now, more links to other formats and booksellers will be available soon! www.amazon.com/Book-Live-St...

Behind the Curtain Eleven days to book release.... Head over to Substack to learn what it's all about.....https://meproctor.substack.com/p/behind-the-curtain

Look what the mail just brought ... I think @rhppress.bsky.social is in good company ...

Blink and You Go Back, Blink again and ... I know, I know it's the 1st of the year, but I said I would post on Thursday, so here you go! Happy New Year.

And here is a pair to draw to. @meproctor.bsky.social and @russellthayer10.bsky.social sounds like a prestigious law firm but they're writers and they will sneak up on you and gut you. www.amazon.com/Bop-City-Swi...

Child's Play? Not so fast ... I'm giving you a short story on the Stack. Go have a read (and subscribe, it's free).

In anticipation to my new collection coming out end January, go catch “Family and Other Ailments” (crime stories close to home) - it’s on sale on Smashwords! www.smashwords.com/books/view/1...

A great review of the LAXtras anthology (edited by Margot Kinberg), with a special mention for my story: Poolside ... have a look! fictionfanblog.wordpress.com/2025/12/10/r...

April brought a first for CJ: a double-authored piece of detective noir brilliance. @meproctor.bsky.social & @russellthayer10.bsky.social brought the goods with BOP CITY SWING. (Psst! BCS's Tom and Vivian will be back in 2026 in KANSAS CITY BREAKDOWN.) www.cowboyjamboreemagazine.com/bop-city-swi...

One line, this guy there, in the picture, says in the last episode of the TV series, got me thinking. Have a read, it's on Substack. And subscribe, friends, it's free. meproctor.substack.com/p/what-happe...

Ta-dah!!!! Cat's out of the bag ... It's OK when it's your publisher who makes the announcement 😂 .... Yep, @russellthayer10.bsky.social and I are back at it, and @cowboyjamboree.bsky.social rebooked us!

One in a Million by Wilson Koewing. This is the last entry in our Tightrope series at Punk Noir Magazine - a fitting ending!

We may be the new kids on the block, but we still get to do some cool stuff, like nominate stories for Pushcart Prizes. Congrats to @jdclappwrites.bsky.social and @mikemchone.bsky.social for their outstanding stories. #fiction #pushcartprize

Redemption Gorge by @kennethmgray.bsky.social Things go bump in the night at Punk Noir Magazine ...

Could not be more proud and grateful to have a piece at Literary Garage, a publication I have much admired. Hope you'll give this one a read and tell me what you think!

Mark Yost at Take Two Noir (on Substack) reviewed Bop City Swing ... go have a read: substack.com/@taketwonoir...

On the Ropes by Robb T. White - in on the Punk Noir Substack today, in our Tightrope series ... punch it!

Monday Night on BART by @patrickwhitehurst.bsky.social in the Tightrope series at Punk Noir Magazine - head over to the stack for the story!

New at Literary Garage: Tom Keegan is back. Fresh off the pages of BOP CITY SWING, sharp, elegant noir from @meproctor.bsky.social that blends romance, grit, & classic detective work Sun, sea breeze, champagne & mystery. “Ramona” is live now at Lit Garage. literarygarage.com/ramona 🎸📚

For the Friday night crowd- Roll into the weekend with this great story from @meproctor.bsky.social - retro noir in an stylish voice that blends Chandler, John D. MacDonald, & Ross Macdonald. The pacing in this one is superb with sharp dialogue, sensory richness, and emotional subtlety

A sizzling review of my "Poolside" story published in the LAXtras charity anthology (edited by Margot Kinberg) - fun read folks!

A piece of retro-noir at @literarygarage.bsky.social ... with "Ramona" (go check the song... a lot sweeter than this story): literarygarage.com/ramona

Guess what, the man is on his honeymoon ... not everything is sunny ... hey, what do you expect? Thank you @literarygarage.bsky.social for having me over there. Tip of the fedora to you!

Stories from a Different World ... What I write when I don't write crime, and a bit of news.

My copy has arrived "Poolside" is all about a search... "Before starting on this elusive quest for the perfect swimming pool, I only had a vague notion of how many houses clung to the hills like suicides having second thoughts." www.amazon.com/LAXtras-Los-...

Skating on Thick Ice by @rriekki.bsky.social Don't miss this haunting story in our Tightrope series at Punk Noir Magazine

The Last One by Cory Flick in the Tightrope series at Punk Noir Magazine ... thrilling read...

I have a short story out today from #PunkNoir! The first time I've ever had a short published by someone else (thoug my first acceptance goes live next week on a different site) [CW] assault punknoirmagazine.wordpress.com/2025/11/09/n...

"Never Wear Heels on a Date" by Emily J. Edwards ... today at Punk Noir Magazine. Have a read.

Soulless Bug by Eric Richer in our Punk Noir Magazine "Tightrope" series ... have a chill read!

Level Best Books is releasing this soon ... I have a story in it (thank you for editing @crimefictionwriter.bsky.social ). Classic cover!