John M. Floyd

No matter how hard he tries, Tom regularly screws things up. But today, returning late to the bank after lunch might actually work in his favor. Just as Tom approaches the building, a robber is leaving. Finally, Tom could be a hero—if, of course, he doesn’t screw things up.

Thursday's Child

Stephen Marlowe

James O. Born

John Shepphird

Arthur Klepchukov

Walter Satterthwait

Josh Pachter

Jeff Vorzimmer

Don Stoll

Kyle Stout

Ken Luer

Steven Nester

There are a number of noteworthy articles in this issue of The Magazine. We are fortunate to feature some of the correspondence between two legends of crime fiction, Walter Satterthwait and Bill Crider, both of whom recently passed away. For those who knew Walter and Bill, or were just fans of their work, there is a touch of their personalities that comes through in these exchanges and, at least for a moment, gives us an opportunity to experience their unique voices just a little bit, just one more time. Jeff Vorzimmer, editor of last year’s The Best of Manhunt collection, tells us about Stephen Marlowe’s career in the piece leading into his story The Blonde at the Wheel. Jeff also contributed a story of his own and we’re happy to have this opportunity to showcase his many skills. We also have a couple of repeat appearances by writers who have appeared in previous issues. Arthur Klepchukov is back, as is John M. Floyd and John Shepphird. And with original stories by veterans like Josh Pachter and James O. Born, and newer offerings by Michael Cahlin, Steven Nester and Ken Luer, we’re showing the art of the crime fiction short story is still going strong. May it ever be so.

Down & Out: The Magazine Volume 2 Issue 2

Lester del Rey

Hope Mirrlees

Nisi Shawl

Otis Adelbert Kline

Laird Long

Hal Charles

W.C. Tuttle

John W. Campbell, Jr.

Michael Ehart

Saul Golubcow

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #38. This issue, we have some real gems—starting with our featured story, Hope Mirrlees’s Lud-in-the-Mist. It’s a true classic of fantasy, acclaimed by critics for generations. Plus we have a Hashknife Hartley historical adventure novel (okay, you can call it a Western!) from W.C. Tuttle. Our acquiring editors have been busy, too. Michael Bracken snagged an original private eye tale from Laird Long, Barb Goffman found a terrific John M. Floyd story, and Cynthia Ward picked up a great science fiction story by Nisi Shawl and Michael Ehart. And I’ve been busy picking out stories, too—just so you don’t think I’m resting on the magazine’s laurels. This issue has a classic-style detective yarn from new author Saul Golubcow (the first of of three stories we’ll be running in this series), plus classic science fiction from Lester del Rey, John W. Campbell Jr., and Otis Adelbert Kline. Here’s the lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Toy Ploy” by Laird Long [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “A Robber’s Craft” by Hal Charles [solve-it-yourself mystery] “The Cost of Living”by Saul Golubcow [novelet] “The Barlow Boys” by John M. Floyd [Barb Goffman Presents short story] The Buckaroo of Blue Wells, by W. C. Tuttle [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “In Blood and Song” by Nisi Shawl and Michael Ehart [Cynthia Ward Presents short story] “Shadows of Empire” by Lester del Rey [short story] “The Immortality Seekers” by John W. Campbell, Jr. [novelet] “Meteor Men of Mars” by Harry Cord and Otis Adelbert Kline [short story] Lud-in-the-Mist, by Hope Mirrlees [novel]

Black Cat Weekly #38

Jonathan Brown

Gar Anthony Haywood

S.A. Cosby

Debra H. Goldstein

Stacy Woodson

Penny Mickelbury

Trey R. Barker

William Dylan Powell

Kimberly B. Richardson

Whether their cover bands play Willie Dixon or Willie Nelson, juke joints and honky-tonks appeal to hard-working men and women looking for a good time. Offering hot music, cheap food, and generous amounts of liquor, jukes and tonks are often a community’s unofficial gathering spot, where Saturday nights are spent committing the sins church leaders rail against the following morning. The stories in Jukes & Tonks introduce you to many sinners and few saints, love begun and love gone wrong, and all manner of unsavory criminal endeavors. What the stories have in common is that they plop you down in worlds where the music pulsating from the compact stage—if there’s a stage at all—provides the backbeat for tales that are unsparing, heartbreaking, twisty, and a few are as dark as the night, and the blinking sign offering live music is an invitation to the unexpected. Contributors include Trey R. Barker, Michael Bracken, Jonathan Brown, S.A. Cosby, John M. Floyd, Debra H. Goldstein, Gar Anthony Haywood, Penny Mickelbury, Gary Phillips, William Dylan Powell, Kimberly B. Richardson, and Stacy Woodson. Praise for JUKES & TONKS: “The world needs more jukes, more tonks, and more fine crime fiction—and this fast-paced playlist from Michael Bracken and Gary Phillips offers all of the above and then some. It’s a #1 hit…with a bullet!” —Josh Pachter, editor of The Great Filling Station Holdup: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Jimmy Buffett “While twists abound and nothing is predictable, one thing is certain: Jukes & Tonks transports the reader to a world where the drinks are cheap, the dancing is close, and the music reigns supreme.” —Holly West, Anthony Award-nominated editor of Murder-a-Go-Go’s: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of The Go-Go’s

Crime Fiction Inspired by Music in the Dark and Suspect Choices

Jukes & Tonks

Michael Bracken

Elizabeth Zelvin

John Hegenberger

Black Cat Mystery Magazine is a new journal devoted to the best in mystery short fiction. Crime? Noir? Cozy? Private eye? You'll find all genres present and accounted for -- with new tales by the best writers of today! The second issue features contributions by Michael Bracken, John Hegenberger, John M. Floyd, BK Stevens, and Debra H. Goldstein, plus a classic reprint by Melba Marlett. Complete contents: THE CLEANSING SOIL, by Charlie Hughes SKIRTS, by Michael Bracken A DISTURBANCE IN THE HAREM, by Elizabeth Zelvin A WEIGHTY MATTER, by Debra H. Goldstein BURIED SECRETS, by Steve Shrott JACOB’S LADDER, by Cynthia Benjamin THINGS PAST, by BK Stevens THIN BLOOD, by Trey R. Barker TWO IN THE BUSH, by John M. Floyd THE BAD SLEEP, by John Hegenberger THE SECOND MRS. PORTER, by Melba Marlett

Black Cat Mystery Magazine #2

Cynthia Ward

Michael Kurland

Ann Aptaker

James A. Hearn

Barry Fulton

Elliott Capon

Graham Powell

The ninth issue of Black Cat Mystery features a stellar lineup of new stories (and one classic reprint). Here are— LAST RITES, by Stacy Woodson THE JERICHO TRAIN, by John M. Floyd CORAL COVE, by B.A. Paul THE ALLEY, by Ann Aptaker SONNY'S ENCORE, by Michael Bracken SWITCH AND BAIT, by Cynthia Ward BECOMING ZERO, by James A. Hearn THE MURDER OF JONATHAN GREYSTONE, by Barry Fulton YOU GOTTA BE IN IT!, by Elliott Capon THE YOU-DON'T-KNOW-THE-HALF-OF-IT-DEARIE BLUES, by Michael Kurland A FIGHTER BY HIS TRADE, by Graham Powell Classic reprint: SMELLING LIKE A ROSE, by Gil Brewer

Black Cat Mystery Magazine #9

Black Cat Mystery Magazine is a new journal devoted to the best in mystery short fiction. Crime? Noir? Cozy? Private eye? You'll find all genres present and accounted for -- with new tales by the best writers of today! The third issue features the following: Suburbia, by Michael Bracken The Sorority House, by Eve Fisher Tourist Season, by JM Taylor Diversions, by John M. Floyd The List, by Charlie Drees Something Certain, by Peter W. J. Hayes The Moment of Righting, by Robb T. White Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, by Ashley Lynch-Harris The Target, by Charlie Hughes Whale Watch, by Charles Roland

Black Cat Mystery Magazine #3

Isabella Maldonado

Alison McMahan

Robert J. Randisi

Lissa Marie Redmond

Elaine Viets

Bruce Robert Coffin

Rick Ollerman

Jeffery Hess

Don Bruns

Leigh Lundin

Laura Oles

Neil Plakcy

M.E. Browning

Jimmy Buffett is one of the great contemporary singer/songwriters, and it’s hard to imagine a citizen of Planet Earth unfamiliar with such classic hits as “Margaritaville.” Jimmy has also written novels, children’s books, memoirs, and a stage musical based on Herman Wouk’s Don’t Stop the Carnival, and his family-friendly concerts almost always sell out to audiences comprised of a mix of dedicated Parrotheads, casual fans, and newbies. In The Great Filling Station Holdup, editor Josh Pachter presents sixteen short crime stories by sixteen popular and up-and-coming crime writers, each story based on a song from one of the twenty-nine studio albums Jimmy has released over the last half century, from Leigh Lundin’s take on “Truckstop Salvation” (which appeared on Jimmy’s first LP, 1970’s Down to Earth) to M.E. Browning’s interpretation of “Einstein Was a Surfer” (from 2013’s Songs from St. Somewhere). If you love Jimmy’s music or crime fiction or both, you’ll love The Great Filling Station Holdup. Mix yourself a boat drink, ask Alexa to put on a buffet of Buffett tunes, kick back, and enjoy! Table of Contents Introduction by Josh Pachter Down to Earth (1970) “Truckstop Salvation” by Leigh Lundin A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean (1973) “The Great Filling Station Holdup” by Josh Pachter A1A (1974) “A Pirate Looks at Forty” by Rick Ollerman Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes (1977) “Tampico Trauma” by Michael Bracken Son of a Son of a Sailor (1978) “Cheeseburger in Paradise” by Don Bruns Volcano (1979) “Volcano” by Alison McMahan Coconut Telegraph (1981) “Incommunicado” by Bruce Robert Coffin Somewhere Over China (1981) “If I Could Just Get It On Paper” by Lissa Marie Redmond One Particular Harbour (1983) “We Are the People Our Parents Warned Us About” by Elaine Viets Riddles in the Sand (1984) “Who’s the Blonde Stranger?” by Robert J. Randisi Last Mango in Paris (1985) “Everybody’s on the Run” by Laura Oles Hot Water (1988) “Smart Woman (in a Real Short Skirt)” by Isabella Maldonado Off to See the Lizard (1989) “The Pascagoula Run” by Jeffery Hess Don’t Stop the Carnival (1998) “Public Relations” by Neil Plakcy Beach House on the Moon (1999) “Spending Money” by John M. Floyd Songs From St. Somewhere (2013) “Einstein Was a Surfer” by M.E. Browning

Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Jimmy Buffett

The Great Filling Station Holdup

Todhunter Ballard

Janice Law

Eleanor Cawood Jones

Larry Tritten

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #15—enjoy our holiday cat cover! The magazine is coming more sharply into focus, as our acquiring editors spread out through the mystery and science fiction fields and bring new stories to our lineup. This issue, we officially welcome Cynthia M. Ward to the editorial staff. She comes bearing a gift—Nancy Kress’s excellent science fiction story, “The Art of War.” Darrell Schweitzer was supposed to be back with his second acquisition this week (a comical Esther Friesner tale) but there were problems with the text and I’ve made a last-minute executive decision to push it back an issue or two, while it’s being fixed. I’ll slip in a replacement from my own backlist, another entry in my “Slab’s Tavern” series of fantasy bar stories. Barb Goffman and Michael Bracken have acquired a pair of original tales for us. First, Barb presents “The Importance of Being Urnest,” by Eleanor Cawood Jones. Then Michael selects “Romeo and Isabella” by John M. Floyd. Great stories, both. Thanks, everyone! Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Westerns “The Writing Workshop,” by Janice Law [short story] “Romeo and Isabelle,” by John M. Floyd [short story] “Secret Santa,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself mystery] West of Quarantine, by Todhunter Ballard [novel] “The Importance of Being Urnest,” by Eleanor Cawood Jones [short story] “Dr. Kreener’s Last Experiment,” by Sax Rohmer [short story] Science Fiction & Fantasy “Serendipity,” by Larry Tritten [short story] “The Art of War,” by Nancy Kress [short story] “Well Bottled at Slab’s,” by John Gregory Betancourt [short story] Forever We Die! by Stephen Marlowe [short novel]

Black Cat Weekly #15

Darrell Schweitzer

John Gregory Betancourt

Nicholas Carter

Gordon R. Dickson

Vernon Lee

Stephen Gallagher

Robert Camp

Edith Dorian

Frank Lovell Nelson

Black Cat Weekly #8 is now available!<P> Mysteries & Suspense Mystery on Graveyard Head, by Edith Dorian "Kismet and the Baby Orchid," by Frank Lovell Nelson [short story, Carlton Clarke #8] "Awake To Fear," by Robert Camp [short story] "Look It Up," by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] "The Devil's Dooryard," by W.C. Tuttle [historical novella] Straight to the Goal, by Nicholas Carter [mystery novel] "The Moon and Marcie Wade," by John M. Floyd [Barb Goffman Presents Mystery] Science Fiction & Fantasy "Marsyas in Flanders," by Vernon Lee [fantasy story] "Sympathy for Wolves," by John Gregory Betancourt [fantasy story] "The Blackwood Oak," by Stephen Gallagher [science fiction story] "Perfectly Adjusted," by Gordon R. Dickson [science fiction novella] The White Isle, Darrell Schweitzer [fantasy novel]

Black Cat Weekly #8

Carol Anne Davis

Art Taylor

Brendan DuBois

Amber Sparks

Sherry Harris

Donna Andrews

Matthew Iden

Barb Goffman

David Dean

Tara Laskowski

Greg Herren

Abby Bardi

Christine Poulson

Edith Maxwell

Ricki Thomas

Marilyn Todd

Mindy Quigley

Kathryn O'Sullivan

Emily Hockaday

Adam Meyer

Alan S. Orloff

Jackie Sherbow

1/3 of the author royalties will be donated to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation in Joni Mitchell's name. **WINNER** 2021 Derringer Award for Best Short Story: Stacy Woodson for "River" **NOMINATED** 2021 Anthony Award for Best Anthology **NOMINATED** 2021 International Thriller Awards for Best Short Story: Elaine Viets for "Dog Eat Dog" **NOMINATED** 2021 Macavity Award for Best Short Story: Elaine Viets for "Dog Eat Dog" With nine Grammys, multiple lifetime achievement awards, inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and a Top Ten ranking on Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time,” Joni Mitchell has established herself as one of the most important singer/songwriters, not only of her generation, but in the history of popular music. In this collection, 28 crime writers pay tribute to Joni’s musical legacy with short stories inspired by her lyrics, representing each of her seventeen studio albums from 1968’s Song to a Seagull to 2007’s Shine. Many of the classics are represented here, including “Both Sides, Now” (in the first literary collaboration between Art Taylor and Tara Laskowski, who have each won major awards for their fiction), “Big Yellow Taxi” (by Kathryn O’Sullivan, author of the Colleen McCabe series), and “River” (by Stacy Woodson, winner of the 2019 Readers Choice Award from Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine), plus such equally fascinating titles as “Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire” (by Donna Andrews, author of the award-winning Meg Lanslow series), “The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines” (by Amber Sparks), and “Ray’s Dad’s Cadillac” (by Michael Bracken).

Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Joni Mitchell

The Beat of Black Wings

David Green

Abigail Linhardt

C. Marry Hultman

Derek Power

Christine Watts

Louise Pierce

Erin Fanning

Thaddeus Rutkowski

In these nine stories of frost and snow, join a collection of survivors as they fight to overcome nuclear winter, 100 years of ice, elder gods, frozen deities, a town ruled by thugs, and more. This premier anthology from SummerStorm press features the writing of C. Marry Hultman, Christine Watts, Erin Fanning, Thaddeus Rutkowski, John M. Floyd, David Green, Derek Power, Louise Pierce, and Abigail Linhardt. “For I Hear You Calling” by C. Marry Hultman When Told wakes to find herself stranded on the frozen shores of the icy north she must battle the elements and the unknown in order to make it back to her child. “For Humanity” by Christine Watts The humans were all supposed to die by the start of winter, and then be reborn in spring. Except Lynn discovers that that is not true; one person stays behind. And that person is her. “The Snow Warrior” by Erin Fanning As a blizzard rolls across frozen Lake Huron, a boy and girl discover that no one is coming to their rescue and that legends sometimes come to life. Will they find the strength to survive and save their loved ones? “Iced” by Thaddeus Rutkowski The story of a boy who tries to make the best of cold conditions in rural America. He tries ice fishing and ice skating, but he mainly tries to please his artist father. Real warmth lies somewhere else. “The Warden’s Game” by John M. Floyd Whiterock, Alaska, is a lawless town controlled by three evil brothers. The townspeople have only one chance: the ghost of a legendary trapper who is said to come down out of the mountains only when all hope is lost. “The Saviours” by David Green When the world's leading technology company identify an impending threat, a team of scientists and soldiers are frozen with the aim of restarting our way of life should disaster strike. Nothing can prepare The Saviours for the world they discover... “Freezings Greetings” by Derek Power It’s the most magical time of the year. Which, for Filthy Henry, doesn’t mean time off. Rather he has to figure out how to stop a winter spirit bringing about a magically permanent winter. Happy holidays indeed! “Fractured Thinking” by Louise Pierce After witnessing the murders of his uncle and cousin during missionary service work, Sean Ashmore is returning home a troubled man. Plagued by visions of the murders, Sean finds himself lost in the woods during a blizzard. “The Silent Tower” by Abigail Linhardt The icy border of the Frozen Nation has closed. The people of a small village fight desperately for survival, cut off from their supply ships, when a girl steals food from the forest angering a tower inhabited by an ancient, dark god.

Winter's Vindication

Richie Narvaez

Jeff Cohen

Terrie Farley Moran

James D.F. Hannah

Richard Helms

Robert Lopresti

Jennie Milchman

From Cold Spring Harbor in 1971 to River of Dreams in 1993, Billy Joel released a dozen studio albums that remade the face of American pop music, produced twenty-six Top 10 singles (on Billboard’s Top 100 and Adult Contemporary charts), and earned the Piano Man six Grammys. Although he hasn’t released a recording of new songs in almost thirty years, Joel’s live performances continue to electrify audiences around the globe—and until COVID-19 put things on hold he had sold out New York’s Madison Square Garden for a record-shattering seventy-four consecutive monthly shows! In this collection, twelve award-winning writers of short crime fiction tackle the Joel catalog, and the result—edited by Josh Pachter, whose The Beat of Black Wings: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Joni Mitchell earned rave reviews in 2020—is a journey down life’s mean streets with a soundtrack by one of the great singer-songwriters of our time, and contributors Michael Bracken, Jeff Cohen, David Dean, John M. Floyd, Barb Goffman, James D.F. Hannah, Richard Helms, Robert Lopresti, Jenny Milchman, Terrie Farley Moran, Richie Narvaez, and Pachter himself are donating a third of their royalties to support the work of the Joel Foundation. In the Gospel According to Billy, only the good die young. Within these pages, though, Death is an equal-opportunity exterminator, and the stories you’ll find here don’t just hit the charts: they go all the way to Number One … with a bullet!

Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Billy Joel

Only the Good Die Young

Bobbi A. Chukran

BV Lawson

Judy Penz Sheluk

Earl Staggs

Albert Tucher

Andrew MacRae

JoAnne Lucas

Walter Soethoudt

O'Neil De Noux

Julie Tollefson

Laurie Stevens

Sandra Murphy

Pamela A. De Voe

Suzanne Berube Rorhus

Su Kopil

Tim Wohlforth

Herschel Cozine

Nineteen authors spin yarns of murder, mayhem, clues, and confessions in this anthology of stories culled from the Short Mystery Fiction Society. Sometimes, crime has the sound of poison dripping or the whistle of a knife through the air. And, sometimes, it happens with a “flash and bang.” Collected here are some of the finest short mystery and crime stories to emerge from the Short Mystery Fiction Society, which boasts more than sixteen hundred members around the world. The diverse range of voices represented here takes readers from small-town diners and neighborhood pawn shops to Viking ships, ancient Chinese courts, and beyond. Full of dangerous secrets and violent crimes, seasoned gumshoes and amateur sleuths, Flash and Bang serves as a showcase of the incredible talent in the SMFS ranks. Flash and Bang includes contributions from Herschel Cozine, Bobbi A. Chukran, Su Kopil, P.A. De Voe, Laurie Stevens, Tim Wohlforth, Suzanne Berube Rorhus, Sandra Murphy, Julie Tollefson, O’Neil De Noux, John M. Floyd, JoAnne Lucas, Andrew MacRae, Judy Penz Sheluk, Albert Tucher, Earl Staggs, Barb Goffman, BV Lawson, and Walter Soethoudt.

A Short Mystery Fiction Group Anthology

Flash and Bang

John M. Floyd

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