My current interest is in writing fiction. My first
published
story, "Fish in the Trees," came out in Shots Crime and Mystery
Magazine in the summer of 2004.
If you go to the Shots site, you'll need to click on short
stories.
Shots published another of my stories, "Slow Burn," in 2005.
Mysterical-E published one of my stories, "Murder By Committee"
in 2005. This story is the first I've had published featuring
Kevin Markinson, the main character in my novels. Mysterical-E
A Cruel World published another of my Kevin Markinson
stories "From a Distance" in their July/August 2005 issue. A Cruel World
A Cruel World also published another of my short stories : "Let
Me Call You Sweetheart." This one is set in Nashua, NH.
In November 2005 my short story "Life's a Beach" was released
in
an anthology of crime fiction by New England writers -
"Windchill." This is another Kevin Markinson story, set at
Hampton Beach, NH. To order a copy of "Windchill" go to the
publisher - Level
Best Books
I got to see this book at a signing in October. I did my
first ever book signing! It's beautiful and it smells good.
"Windchill" is also available at Water Street Books in Exeter,
NH. We did another signing there in January of 2006.
Great
fun.
Another Kevin Markinson story - "Blackbird" - was in Shred of Evidence in February 2006. Shred of Evidence
"Blackbird" was reprinted in "Thriller UK" in July 2006.
"Blackbird" was voted one of the top twenty mainstream stories of 2006 in the Preditors and Editors readers poll.
"Fade Away," also featuring Kevin Markinson, was up at Mouth Full of Bullets in
March of 2007, and should still be there in the archives.
"Coming Home," an early Kevin Markinson story, is up at A Twist of Noir. I've heard from an amateur film maker, and have given him permission to turn this short story into a film. He expects to be finished in 2011.
"Exile," another Kevin story, is up at Crooked.
"The Wrong Place," a sequel to "Blackbird," is up at Darkest Before the Dawn.
I have short stories coming this fall in the Level Best Books antholgy "Quarry," and in the ezines Thrilling Detective and Mysterical E.
I'm currently querying agents on a crime novel (Lead Poisoning) and sending out more short stories. I've found a great writers' group to work with, something I find important for my writing. My writers' group helps me find the little things I sometimes miss.
In January of 2008, my writers group was featured in a newspaper article:
http://www.wickedlocal.com/salem/homepage/x142936397
I am seeking agency representation for my novels.
Want to know more about what I'm working on? Go
here:
I was selected to attend the 2002
Breadloaf Writers' Conference. Breadloaf is one of the most
prestigious writers' conferences in the US. They select only 20%
of applicants, based on a writing sample. I sent them a portion
of my third novel, "Lead Poisoning." While I was there, I worked
with Susan Straight.
I wrote briefly for the Exeter Newsletter of
Seacoast Newspapers, covering the town of Brentwood. You can read
my stories online at http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/exeter/index.htm
When I have spare time, I like to play on RAM - here's a link
to the
official website:
http://www.booksnbytes.com/recartsmystery/
Support your local independent bookstore. Here's mine:
I've been writing for thirty years or so, I distinctly remember writing serious "books" when I was in third grade (complete with illustrations.) My degree from Plymouth State College is in writing. I worked with Joe Monninger, an award winning author, while at Plymouth State, and sent out my first short story submission. (Something about a pony, and it was rejected.)
Another big influence on my writing was Sonia Pilcer. Sonia has
had a
number of novels published. I found her teaching a writing
workshop at a community college when we lived out in Berkshire
County. I spent three years working with her as my mentor, and
she found me my first agent. It was Sonia's encouragement that
made me feel as if my fiction was worth something.
Sonia Pilcer
I've had articles published
in horse magazines (Horse Play, USCTA News, The Horsemen's Yankee
Pedlar and The Equine Exchange.)
Here are some of my favorite and most helpful writing links:
Warnings and Cautions for Writers--Main
Association of Authors' Representatives, Inc. HomePage
National Writers Union Home Page
Poets & Writers - Literary Links
Writers Write -- The Write Resource -- Books, Publishing and Writing
Getting Published -- publishing tips and advice from a top literary agent
Strunk, William, Jr. 1918. The Elements of Style
Short
mystery fiction society market page
Links about crime fiction or featuring crime fiction:
Shots Crime and Mystery
Magazine
Here are some other crime fiction writers:
Feel free to let me know if any of these links don't work. Let me know what you find helpful, and if you have any links you'd like to see added to this page, please email me.
updated August 5th, 2009