Murder and malaise…and the criminal minds who revel in it!

Carrick Publishing has announced the names of the 35 authors whose stories will appear in its upcoming crime fiction collection, A Grave Diagnosis:

• Catherine Astolfo: “The Backpack”    
• Rosemary Aubert: “Mercy”
• Jayne Barnard: “Christmas Rose”
• Thom Bennett: “The Empty Grave”
• Susan Bowman: “The Bridge Case”
• Jane Petersen Burfield: “Unmasked”
• Linda Cahill: “The Referral”
• M.H. (Madeleine) Callway: “The Eternal Bakery of the Fractal Mind”
• Melodie Campbell: “Two Crooks Walk into a Store”
• Donna Carrick: “A Grave Diagnosis”
• Rosalind Croucher: “The Drowning”
• Lisa de Nikolits: “Love Thy Neighbour”
• John Floyd: “The Rocking R”
• Mary Fraser Hamilton: “Aura”
• Delee Fromm: “The Neighbourhood Watch”
• Therese Greenwood: “Boom Town Shakedown”
• Elizabeth Hosang: “A Pill a Day Keeps the Blues Away”
• Blair Keetch: “Sleep, Perchance to Die”
• Laura Kulmann: “Change of Heart”
• Hayley Liversidge: “The Crimson Grave”
• Sylvia Maultash Warsh: “Days Without Name”
• Rob McCartney: “The Red Cord”
• Rosemary McCracken: “Hooked”
• Lynne Murphy: “Woman Aglow”
• Joan O’Callaghan: “Napoleon’s Nose”
• Ed Piwowarczyk: “Danny and Me”
• Rosalind Place: “Criminals Like Us”
• Merrilee Robson: “In His Element”
• C.A. (Carolyn) Rowland: “The House of Elizabeth Dandridge”
• Steve Shrott: “Sometimes Miracles Happen”
• Madona Skaff: “Cross Match”
• Caro Soles: “Waiting in the Wings”
• Blake Stirling: “The Poison Pill Cure”
• Kevin Thornton: “Hypochrondriacs Don’t Get This”
• Vanessa Westermann: “Medicine”

All the stories in the anthology revolve around an illness/disease and, of course, a crime. Publisher Donna Carrick says she was “blown away” by the quality of the submissions. “And I’m not easily impressed anymore,” she adds.

A Grave Diagnosis will be released in October.

 

Murder and malaise coming your way!

Publisher Donna Carrick says she is overwhelmed by the outstanding quality of stories that have been submitted for consideration for her 2020 crime fiction collection, A Grave Diagnosis. “Without a doubt, it is the highest level to date for our Carrick anthologies,” the publisher of Toronto-based Carrick Publishing says.

The crime stories in A Grave Diagnosis all centre around an illness or a disease. The collection will be released this fall.

Ed and I are both thrilled to have stories accepted for this collection. Stories by several Mesdames of Mayhem will also appear, as well as tales by our writer friends, Linda Cahill, Joan O’Callaghan, and Thom Bennett. And we’re looking forward to reading stories by a number of writers we’ve never been introduced to before.

I’m especially pleased that Rob McCartney, a former student of mine at George Brown College, will make his fiction debut in A Grave Diagnosis with his story, “The Red Cord.” Rob’s interest in crime fiction stems from his days covering the police beat at the Sun Times daily newspaper in Owen Sound, Ont. Rob has also worked in public affairs, communications and marketing. He is currently working on his first crime novel, Bury the Lede.

Rob McCartney will make his fiction debut in A Grave Diagnosis.

‘Mystery Most Edible’ an Anthony finalist!

Bouchercon announced the finalists for the 2020 Anthony Awards yesterday, and I was thrilled to learn that Malice Domestic 14: Mystery Most Edible (Wildside Press) is one of the five contenders in the Best Anthology/Collection category!

“Dining Out,” my tale of a bent restaurant reviewer, is one of the 36 crime stories in the collection. As the title, Mystery Most Edible, suggests, each story revolves around food in some way. And there aren’t any recipes!

The prestigious Anthony Awards are named after Anthony Boucher (1911-1968), an American critic, editor, and one of the founders of the Mystery Writers of America. The awards are presented every year at the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention. This year, voting for the Anthonys will take place at the 2020 Virtual Bouchercon, Oct. 16-17. The awards will be presented as part of an online ceremony on Oct. 17.

Mystery Most Edible is available on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca.

‘Farewell to the King’ in spoken words!

Carrick Publishing’s Donna Carrick gears up for another dramatic reading.

Yesterday Donna Carrick read my short story, “Farewell to the King,” on Carrick Publishing’s new weekly reading series, Story Stocking.

I’m beyond thrilled to have had my story selected for a reading–and by Carrick’s publisher, no less. My tale of four young women who to travel to Memphis for their idol’s funeral is dear to my heart. It was inspired by my 1977 trip to Memphis to cover Elvis Presley’s funereal for the Montreal Star.

Listen to Donna’s reading by clicking here.

You can also purchase a copy of In the Key of 13 on Amazon, and read all 19 stories in the 2019 crime fiction collection.