Tag Archives: short stories

“Books to Die For” (by Jeffrey Marks)

Posted on June 10, 2015 by somethingisgoingtohappen

Jeffrey Marks is one of the best-known contemporary biographers working in the mystery genre. After writing numerous short mystery-author profiles he produced his first book-length biography, Who Was That Lady?, in 2010. It chronicles the life of mystery writer Craig … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthologies, Books, Ellery Queen, Guest, History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

“The Curious Case of the Novel in Stories” (by Art Taylor)

Posted on March 18, 2015 by somethingisgoingtohappen

Art Taylor made his fiction debut nearly twenty years ago, in EQMM’s Department of First Stories, with the December 1995 story “Murder on the Orient Express,” but there was a long hiatus before he appeared again, and most of his … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Editing, Education, Fiction, Genre, Guest | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 29 Comments

“It Don’t Come Easy” (by Greg Herren)

Posted on March 19, 2014 by somethingisgoingtohappen

Greg Herren is not the first award-winning novelist who’s told EQMM that he finds the short story a more difficult literary form than the novel. Yet he has managed to add some short stories to a publication list that includes … Continue reading →

Posted in Editing, Fiction, Guest, Novels, Story, Writers, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

“It’s the Heart that Counts” (by Evan Lewis)

Posted on October 16, 2013 by somethingisgoingtohappen

Evan Lewis won the Robert L. Fish Award for best short story by a new American author for his February 2010 EQMM story “Skyler Hobbs and the Rabbit Man,” a humorous tale about a detective who believes himself to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, Books, Characters, Editing, Fiction, Guest, Writers | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

“The Desert Island Mystery” (by James Powell)

Posted on July 17, 2013 by somethingisgoingtohappen

James Powell is one of very few writers to be found these days writing exclusively at short-story length, and his unique blend of mystery, fantasy, humor, and historical fact sets him apart even within the fraternity of short-story writers. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, Books, Characters, Editing, Fiction, Guest, Novels | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

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 , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , | 3 Comments

“Make Way for Mr. Scaredy Pants” (by Geoffrey Thorne)

Posted on January 16, 2013 by somethingisgoingtohappen

Geoffrey Thorne is multi-talented. He’s an actor who, in the 80s and 90s, appeared in many hit television shows, including Hillstreet Blues, ER, In the Heat of the Night, and Diagnosis Murder. By the early 2000s, he had turned to … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Guest, Writers | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments