Category Archives: Books

In Praise of Short Stories: Why Should a Prospective Novelist Start by Writing Short Stories? (by John F. Dobbyn)

Posted on July 3, 2013 by somethingisgoingtohappen

Last week author Twist Phelan talked about some of the different challenges involved in writing short stories and novels. This week, author John F. Dobbyn argues that even writers interested primarily in becoming novelists should begin by writing short stories. … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Characters, Editing, Fiction, Guest, Magazine, Novels, Publishing, Writers | Tagged editing, literature, publishing, short stories, short story, writers, writing, writing_technique | 1 Comment

“Writing Novels Versus Stories: It’s Not About the Word Count (well, just a little)” (by Twist Phelan)

Posted on June 26, 2013 by somethingisgoingtohappen

Twist Phelan is a former plaintiff’s attorney whose novels, but not her short stories, often make use of her legal background. Perhaps that’s because, as you’ll see in this post, her approach to short stories is very different from her … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, Books, Editing, Fiction, Guest, Novels, Setting, Writers | Tagged elleryqueenmm, fiction, literature, mystery, novel, short stories, short story, writers, writing_technique | 1 Comment

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Posted on June 19, 2013 by somethingisgoingtohappen

At the Malice Domestice Convention this year, I met Wildside Press publisher John Betancourt in the book room and received from him a gift of his 1993 anthology Swashbuckling Editor Stories. In John’s introduction, after noting that editors are “underpaid, … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthologies, Books, Business, Editing, Fiction, Publishing, Writers | Tagged authors, editing, editors, elleryqueenmm, fiction, new york city, publisher's row, publishing, writing | 3 Comments

“Collecting Detective Fiction” (by Martin Edwards)

Posted on May 15, 2013 by somethingisgoingtohappen

The Ellery Queen Collection of Mystery and Detective Fiction, housed at the University of Texas’s Harry Ransom Center, derives from the personal libraries of Frederic Dannay and Manfred B. Lee (though primarily from the rare-book collection of the former). It … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthologies, Books, Bookshops, Fiction, Guest, History | Tagged archive, authors, bookshop, collecting, collection, crime, detective, literature, rare_books, secondhand | 2 Comments

“For Love of Gothic: When Home is the Most Mysterious Place of All” (by Laura Benedict)

Posted on April 3, 2013 by somethingisgoingtohappen

Laura Benedict’s first fiction publication was in EQMM in May of 2001. Since then, she has become a successful novelist with two dark suspense novels (Isabella Moon and Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts) to her credit, and, most recently, a modern … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Characters, Fiction, Gothic, Guest, Historicals, Setting, Supernatural, Thrillers | Tagged classic_mystery, fiction, foreign language, genre, gothic, historicals, literature, mystery, novel | 9 Comments

ON FANS

Posted on March 6, 2013 by somethingisgoingtohappen

Since my last post, the nominees for this year’s Agatha Awards have been announced and EQMM wishes to congratulate all of the nominees in the short story category, but especially regular EQMM contributors Dana Cameron and Art Taylor. Dana earned … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Characters, Conventions, Fiction, History | Tagged characters, fandom, fans, literary, literature, Malice Domestic, mystery, noir, publishing | 1 Comment

“Murder, He Giggled” (by Jack Fredrickson)

Posted on February 27, 2013 by somethingisgoingtohappen

Jack Fredrickson, whose fiction-writing career began in EQMM’s Department of First Stories in 2002, has gone on to write a series of award-nominated novels featuring Chicago P.I. Dek Elstrom. He has a distinctive style, creating noir ambiance with wry prose. … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Characters, Editing, Fiction, Guest, Noir, Setting, Writers | Tagged humor, men of mystery, mystery, noir, novel, publishing, short stories, short story, tone, writers, writing_technique | Leave a comment

“A Conversation with Myself” (by Robert S. Levinson)

Posted on February 6, 2013 by somethingisgoingtohappen

This week’s post addresses something we at EQMM often hear about from mystery novelists: their fear of the short story and their belief that they can’t produce a publishable one. Robert S. Levinson had already received critical acclaim for his … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fiction, Guest, Writers | Tagged elleryqueenmm, fiction, literature, short stories, writers, writing_technique | 3 Comments

“On Hoarding” (by John Boland)

Posted on January 30, 2013 by somethingisgoingtohappen

John C. Boland’s short stories have appeared many times in the Dell Mystery Magazines (EQMM and AHMM) and for them he has received nominations for the Edgar, Shamus, and International Thriller Writers awards. His novels, which range from the private … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Guest, Writers | Tagged authors, influences, literature, novels, publishing, style, writers, writing, writing_technique | Leave a comment

“A Lifetime With Ellery Queen” (by Francis M. Nevins)

Posted on January 9, 2013 by somethingisgoingtohappen

On this first day of new postings for 2013, our first order of business has got to be to wish everyone who visits our blog a happy New Year! Our first post, however, is one in which we depart from … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Ellery Queen, Guest, History, Magazine, Writers | Tagged critical work, ellery queen, elleryqueen, elleryqueenmm, francisnevins, frederic dannay, literature, magazines, manfred b lee, writers | 5 Comments