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  • Fifth Monday Guest Author Judy Penz Sheluk

    Anthologies & Lemon Meringue Pie As the editor and publisher of four (soon to be five) multi-author anthologies of mystery and suspense, I’m often asked how I select the stories that appear in the collections. It’s a fair question. Over the course of those five anthologies, I’ve read close to 400 submissions. Of those, I’ve […]

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Let's Talk with Debra H. Goldstein

“Short vs long"

Some people think that a short story is merely an abbreviated novel or that a book is an extended short story. Both are true, but only in a limited sense in terms of their elements. As an author who writes both long and short, I’ve come to realize that although there is overlap, the two are vastly different. Short stories tend, because of word count, to need to be written more tightly. There are usually less characters and narrative. Although a book can have several high and low spots or accentuated beats, a short story usually narrows the high beats to two or three. Because of space limitations, short stories tend to ….

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Win Two Free Books – April 2025

Contest Run: April 1-22, 2025
Win Two Free Books - April 2025

  • Enter our April contest to win these books from our authors:

    Cheryl Hollon: Draw and Order – print (US only) or ebook
    Diane A.S. Stuckart: Who’s Behind the Door – Kindle ebook

Enter Here!

On The Bench

Breaking Bad (Habits): Our Characters Share Their Struggles and Wins

Characters on the Bench - March 2025

Everyone’s got a bad habit—or two—that they’re working on. Even your favorite mystery characters aren’t immune! From impulsive decisions to overthinking, they’re sharing their hilarious and heartwarming struggles. Curious to see if you can relate? Click through and join the fun (and commiseration)!

Read the complete "On The Bench"!

Latest News

  • Terry Ambrose:

    is excited to announce the release of THE CASE OF THE AMOROUS ASSAILANT in audiobook format. Terry is also busy working on the ninth Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery, as well as working with his narrator for the second audiobook in the Beachtown Detective Agency Mystery series.

  • Nancy J. Cohen:

    has finished MURDER PAYS A CALL, her next mystery and a new series starter. She’s started the production phase and will post news of a release date when available.

  • Debra H. Goldstein

    is excited that on April 14, her short story, Who Shot J.R.? will be published in SLEUTHS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN: PRIVATE EYES IN THE MATERIALISTIC EIGHTIES. Her short story Opera Dinner Club will be released in print in the ANYTHING BUT MURDER; LARCENY AND LIES anthology on April 15 and as a MYSTERIES TO DIE FOR podcast on April 18. On Friday afternoon, April 25, at Malice Domestic, Debra will moderate the Influencers in the Cozy Community panel. That morning, she will be a featured author during the Malice-Go-Round.

  • Cheryl Hollon:

    is fully immersed in the excitement of co-chairing SleuthFest 2025, the premier mystery conference happening May 15-18 in St. Petersburg, FL (www.sleuthfest.com). When she’s not busy planning an unforgettable event for mystery lovers, she’s diving into the art of short story writing and crafting a brand-new manuscript.

  • Diane A.S. Stuckart:

    continues work on Tarot Cats #2.

  • Lois Winston:

    recently presented a Zoom program on “The Myth of the Five Senses” to Southwest Florida Fiction Writers. Her article “Whose Head Are You In?” recently appeared in Killer Nashville Magazine. She’ll be spending the month of April hopefully making progress on the next Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery. The audiobook version of SORRY, KNOT SORRY, the 13th Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery, is now available through Audible, Amazon, and iTunes.