No, I didn’t win first prize, but I placed 16 out of 25, so my short story, “Mama,” will be published in the 17th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition Collection.
Each year, Writer’s Digest sponsors a variety of writing competitions, the winners of which win cash prizes and/or have their work published in the magazine or one of the books it publishes. Since this was only the second short story I’ve ever written, I’m very pleased with the win.
Once I have details about how you can obtain your copy of the short story collection, I’ll post it here. I’ll be entering WD’s Annual Writing Competition next, so stay tuned for another announcement in October!
Michael J. Malone’s Beyond the Rage is one of those novels that keeps you thinking long after you turn the last page. Its hero, Kenny O’Neill, made appearances in Malone’s previous books in the DI Ray McBain series (Blood Tears and A Taste for Malice).
Kenny, a successful criminal with friends in many places, is an unlikely hero. He’s a good bad guy, one who struggles to make sense out of senseless violence while avoiding the memories of a troubled childhood.
Kenny’s father abandoned him shortly after his mother committed suicide when he was 12-years-old, at which time his mother’s sister and her husband took him in. Now, however, family secrets have surfaced and Kenny is determined to find out the truth about his father … and what really happened to his mother.
But Kenny get gets sidetracked from his mission when his girlfriend Alexis, a high-class escort, is attacked. Kenny’s attempt to hunt down her assailant is thwarted repeatedly because Alexis refuses to provide details about the man who brutalized her. As Kenny copes with his frustration and mounting anger, he begins to wonder who he can believe, who he can trust, and why no one wants to tell him what really happened–both in the recent past and all those years ago.
Malone paints his characters with vivid strokes of genius and slashes of colorful dialogue. He also mixes reality with dashes of fantasy and encourages us to believe Kenny probably isn’t going to find his happily-ever-after while at the same time persuading us to have hope. Malone’s plotting is brilliant and the story’s ending is sure to be a surprise.
Michael J. Malone is a novelist, poet, blogger, and reviewer. He can be found on Facebook, his blog May Contain Nuts, and on Goodreads. His books are available in the U.S. via the Book Depository, which provides free shipping.
I’ve been reading Iris Johansen’s books since the 1980s and enjoyed every single one of them. Sight Unseen is my first introduction to her collaborations with Roy Johansen and it’s no surprise it hit the New York Time’s bestseller list right out of the gate.
Kendra Michaels is a recurring character in a number of previous novels (written by Iris solo and in collaboration with Roy). One of the traits that makes her a unique and appealing character is the fact that after the once-blind Kendra underwent surgery that restored her sight, her heightened senses made her acutely observant–a quality much appreciated by law enforcement. What I really like about Kendra and her superpowers is that they aren’t outside the realm of possibility. They make me wonder…
When watching a news clip on television, Kendra realizes the tragic traffic accident isn’t really an accident–it’s a murder. She rushes to the scene and reports her suspicions to the police. Kendra winds up being drawn into the investigation, which grows to include a number of other murders that initially masquerade as accidents, because they all contain copycat qualities of cases she’s worked on in the past. While the killer taunts Kendra, she attempts to protect her loved ones from the killer’s gruesome game as she and the authorities track him down.
Sight Unseen blends the authors’ writing styles seamlessly and the pacing and suspense won’t let you put the book down. I read Sight Unseen straight through, unable to tear myself away from the action and the questions about what was going to happen next … and who was going to do it. As a mystery/thriller addict and author, I seldom read a book where I can’t figure out whodunnit. I’m very pleased to report this book stumped me.
Run right out and buy Sight Unseen – I can’t recommend it highly enough! (P.S. I just purchased two previous Iris/Roy collaborations.)
Lisa Scottoline’s Keep Quiet is one of those novels that keeps you wondering how you’d behave if you were able to change the outcome of a single, regrettable decision.
What would you do if you were responsible for the tragic car accident your son caused? Just how far would you go to protect him? And how long could you shield your wife from all the lies and secrets, especially when keeping quiet might not only quash her hopes for federal judgeship but kill her career, as well?
These are just some of the heart-wrenching struggles Jake and Ryan Whitmore face as they cope–together and separately–with the consequences of their split-second decision that fateful night.
I found this novel to be a departure from Scottoline’s other work in some ways; however, it packs the same type of emotional punches. If it’s not on your summer reading list, it should be.
Although the Book Depository’s blurb for The Guillotine Choice appears below, it doesn’t touch on the powerful and emotional impact of this novel. Malone, who is best known for his award-winning poetry and crime novels featuring DI Ray McBain, has proven himself to be a versatile and truly gifted writer.
I have a habit of reading really good books straight through regardless of the hour the alarm clock is set to ring the next morning. However, I had to limit myself to a few chapters at a time because this story, its characters, and the consequences of every action had me by the throat. If you want to read a book that grabs your emotions and takes you on a roller coaster ride, this is it.
In 1920s Algeria, an innocent man faces a terrible choice: 25 years hard labour in Devil’s Island, or condemn his cousin to the guillotine. The Guillotine Choice is a novel based on the true story of one man’s time in a notorious prison. A real-life Shawshank Redemption, it is an inspirational story of the triumph of dignity over despair.
Me!
