THE SHORT MYSTERY FICTION SOCIETY
As of July 1, 2024, I am honored to be serving as the President of the Short Mystery Fiction Society. The SMFS is a FREE organization for writers and readers of short stories in the crime/mystery genre. It offers a great place for discussion and information about craft, markets, and trends in the field. To join, click on the logo to the left. We'd love to have you!
LINKS
Collecting my monthly posts on the SluthSayers blog
Guest Post: The Short and the Long of It
A guest post on the SleuthSayers blog, about writing longer stories
Five Compelling Questions with Shawn
A podcast interview about the release of Crime Scenes
Author Interview--Joseph S. Walker
An interview about my contribution to the anthology Extraordinary Visions
A Thrilling Detective page about my series character
A guest post on the Alfred Hitchcock blog, about the question I'm asked most often
A guest post on Judy Penz Sheluk's blog, about trying to create moments for my readers
The First Two Pages: "Etta at the End of the World"
A guest post on Art Taylor's blog, about the opening of my Edgar-nominated story
The First Two Pages: "And Now, An Inspiring Story of Tragedy Overcome"
A guest post on Art Taylor's blog, about the opening of this story
A guest post on Art Taylor's blog, about the opening of this story in Crime Scenes
A guest post on the Ellery Queen blog, about evoking the real through fiction
My (entirely too long) Zoom presentation to Malice In Memphis
Short Story Panel January 20, 2024
Recording of a SinC panel, including me, on writing the short story
Desideratum podcast, episode 11: "Mercy"
A reading of my story "Mercy"
Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine podcast "Etta at the End of the World"
The Edgar-nominated story, read by the author
Mysteryrat's Maze podcast: "Nobody Home"
A dramatization of my short story "Nobody Home"
An Interview with Joseph S. Walker
A brief interview about my story in the tribute volume A Hint of Hitchcock
Writer and editor Michael Bracken discusses two baseball-themed stories, one by me
In which Agatha nominee Kaye George says nice things about me
In which Robert Lopresti includes one of my stories among his favorites of 2021
In which Robert Lopresti includes one of my stories among his favorites of 2022
In which Robert Lopresti includes one of my stories among his favorites of 2023
In which Robert Lorpesti includes TWO of my stories among his favorites or 2024
In which Robert Lopresti includes one of my stories among his favorites of 2025
The State of the Crime Novel in 2021
Roundtable discussion with 2021 Edgar nominees (part two here)
Roundtable interview with authors from this collection
A Post-Apocalyptic Interview with Joseph S. Walker
A brief interview about my story in Tales From The Ruins
My list of academic publications at Google Scholar
Selected by Robert Lopresti as "Best Mystery Story I read This Week":
- "Golden Lives" (September 6. 2020)
- "Crown Jewel" (June 6, 2021)
- "A Day at the Races" (October 10, 2021)
- "One Tossed Match" (January 17, 2022)
- "Crime Scene" (March 28, 2022)
- "More Than Suspicion" (November 28, 2022)
- "Brick Fiend" (April 30, 2023)
- "We Are The Stonewall Girls" (May 21, 2023)
- "Wrong Road to Nashville" (June 19, 2023)
- "Making the Bad Guys Nervous" (August 14, 2023)
- "A Right Jolly Old Elf" (December 24, 2023)
- "Come On Eileen" (March 3, 2024)
- "And Now, an Inspiring Story of Tragedy Overcome" (June 16, 2024)
- "The Right Size of Favor" (May 25, 2025)
AWARDS AND HONORS
Winner, 2019 Bill Crider Prize for Short Fiction: "The Last Man in Lafarge"
Winner, 2019 Al Blanchard Award: "Haven"
Winner, 2021 Al Blanchard Award: "Herb Ecks Goes Underground"
Finalist, 2021 Edgar Award for Best Short Story: "Etta at the End of the World"
Finalist, 2021 Derringer Award for Best Long Story: "Etta at the End of the World"
Finalist, 2021 Derringer Award for Best Long Story: "Chasing Diamonds"
Finalist, 2024 Shamus Award for Best Short Story: "Making the Bad Guys Nervous"
Finalist, 2025 ITW Thriller Award: "And Now, An Inspiring Story of Tragedy Overcome"
Main Selection, The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year, 2021: "Etta at the End of the World"
Main Selection, The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year, 2022: "Give or Take a Quarter Inch"
Main Selection, The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year, 2023: "Crime Scene"
Main Selection, The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year, 2025: "Run and Gun"
Main Selection, The Best American Mystery and Suspense, 2023: "Crime Scene"
Main Selection, The Best Private Eye Stories of the Year, 2026: "The Right Size of Favor"
Named a Distinguished Story, Best American Mystery Stories, 2017: "Pill Bug"
Named a Distinguished Story, Best American Mystery Stories, 2018: "Awaiting the Hour"
Named a Distinguished Story, Best American Mystery Stories, 2020: "Bonus Round"
Named a Distinguished Story, Best American Mystery and Suspense, 2024: "Off The Shelf"
Second Place, Uncharted Magazine Crime/Mystery Contest: "A Thousand Miles Away"
Sixth Place, 2021 Ellery Queen Reader Awards: "The Last Man in Lafarge"
