Journalist Margaret Bikman wrote a lovely feature on Crimes Against Nature for the Salish Current, an independent local news organization in Bellingham, Washington. She interviewed editor Robert Lopresti, Josh Pachter, Susan Breen, Jon McGoran, and yours truly.
You can read the story by clicking the link below:
“The Roots of Environmental Evil: ‘Crimes Against Nature’” by Margaret Bikman
I have a new short story out! Crimes Against Nature: New Stories of Environmental Villainy was released this week with Down & Out Books and edited by Robert Lopresti.
My story is called “The Gift” and it features influencer culture and its effects on national parks, beaches, etc. I love that half of the proceeds will go to an environmental nonprofit of our choice. I chose the Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles based in San Pedro. They respond to marine mammals in distress and rescue them all up and down the Los Angeles County coastline. They were in danger of closing their doors in 2019 but the community rallied together and saved them. They rely heavily on financial donors. The number of abandoned elephant seal pups and sickened marine mammals sadly increases each year.
Here’s the official description of the anthology:
The way we treat the world is a crime—fifteen of them, in fact. Some of the best and most honored mystery writers today have written new stories for this book dealing with environmental issues including pollution, wildfire, invasive species, climate change, recycling, and many more.
Authors include Michael Bracken, Susan Breen, Sarah M. Chen, Barb Goffman, Karen Harrington, Janice Law, R.T. Lawton, Robert Lopresti, Jon McGoran, Josh Pachter, Gary Phillips, S.J. Rozan, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Mark Stevens, and David Heska Wanbli Weiden.
The stories cover a wide variety of styles including noir, comic, caper, psychological, police procedural, and even a tale inspired by comic books.
Available to buy now!
Thank you to Sisters in Crime for interviewing me about writing and publishing!
I was interviewed by Julie Hennrikus for the Sisters in Crime National podcast.
Have a listen!
In 3 days, I’ll be in the Emerald City to read at my first Noir at the Bar in…well it’s been a while! At least for an in-person one.
I was supposed to fly up to Seattle in April 2020 to read, and well, we all know what happened then.
So I’m really excited to meet up with some of my crime fiction cohorts in person and listen to tales of betrayal and heartbreak. I’m going to read a little something that’s inspired from my YA thriller Girl Code. At least that’s the plan. It’s still a work-in-progress so we’ll see how it goes!
I’m thrilled to be part of the discussion on Kristopher Zgorski’s YouTube vlog “We Are What We Read” in which he invites guests to talk about their favorite books. A big thank you to Kristopher and co-host Shawn R. Simmons for inviting me.
For this episode, he wanted to talk about favorite short stories which is right up my alley! My pick was Faye Snowden’s “One Bullet. One Vote.” It’s available in Low Down Dirty Vote, Volume II, edited by Mysti Berry (which also has one of my stories!) and also was included in Best American Mystery and Suspense Stories 2021, edited by Steph Cha and Alafair Burke.
These are some of the other fabulous suggestions, most of which I’d never heard of so clearly I have some catching up to do. (Thank you to Gabriel Valjan for this awesome graphic!)
To hear why we picked these, check out the episode! And while you’re at it, susbscribe to Kristopher’s channel. There are always some great recs!
I’ll be part of the Three Rooms Press virtual salon on Tuesday, November 7 at 4pm PST which features contributors of Maintenant 17: A Journal of Contemporary Dada Writing and Art. The theme is Peacefire. I’ll read an excerpt from my piece entitled “Now a Word From Our Sponsor.” It should be a fun time!
Here’s more info:
Three Rooms Press and Jefferson Market Library present the 2023 International Virtual Dada Salon a compelling night of DADA performance and poetry by maverick artsts from the Americas.
The event featured contributors to the internationally-renowned MAINTENANT 17: Journal of Contemporary Dada Writing and Art (2023, Three Rooms Press), which features more than 250 visual and literary works by artists and writers from 33 countries on 6 continents. The virtual event takes place Tuesday, November 7, 7pm EST and will be livestreamed to Facebook via the Three Rooms Press group page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/threeroomspress).
Performers include renowned contempoarary DADA artists Liz Axelrod (Albuquerque, NM), C. Mehrl Bennett (Columbus, OH), Sarah M. Chen (Los Angeles, CA), Kathleen Florence (Almonte, Canada), Annaliese Jakimides (Bangor, ME), Gary Lawless (Nobleboro, ME), Mercedes Lawry (Seattle, WA), Marc Olmsted (Portland, OR), Suzi Kaplan Olmsted (Portland, OR), John Olson (Seattle, WA), Mado Reznik (Mexico City, Mexico), Travis Richardson (Culver City, CA), Beatriz Seelaender (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Sheree Shatsky (Melbourne, FL), W.K. Stratton (Round Rock, TX), Daina Surrealism (Chicago, IL), Ingrid Wendt (Eugene, OR), Gerald Yelle (Amherst, MA), and Maggs Vibo (Ewa Beach, HI). Three Rooms Press co-founders and MAINTENANT editors Peter Carlaftes and Kat Georges host.
MAINTENANT 17: A Journal of Contemporary Dada Writing and Art is the latest of the ongoing annual MAINTENANT DADA journal series, established in 2008. This year’s issue features 250 contributors from 34 countries and 6 continents, offering work on the theme of PEACEFIRE. With searing cover art by renowned Georgian artist, Uta Kaxniashvili, MAINTENANT 17 elaborates on dada’s original premise as an antiwar movement.
It’s release day for the latest issue of the Maintenant DADA Journal that Three Rooms Press puts out every year. This year the theme is Peacefire. I’m thrilled to have my story “Now a Word From Our Sponsor” included. It’s a satirical take on conflict resolution or what not to do.
Here’s the book info:
When a war ends provisionally, the agreement is called a ceasefire. But when peace ends, there is only war. War and peace are co-dependent. What might be best would be a “Peacefire.”
In Maintenant 17: A Journal of Contemporary Dada Writing and Art, 254 artists from 34 countries on 6 continents explore the concept of the end of both war and peace, providing provocative outsider ideas as dada has done since its inception.
With searing cover art by Georgian artist Uta Kaxniashvili (“Child Under Bombs”), this issue of the renowned journal elaborates on Dada’s original premise as an antiwar movement.
The Maintenant series, established in 2008, explores themes of politics, humanity, philosophy, and current concerns from an antiwar, anarchic (and often eye-opening) perspective. Past issues include work by artists Mark Kostabi, Raymond Pettibon, Joel Hubaut, Heide Hatry, Avelino de Araujo, Pawel Kuczynski, Inas Al-Soqi, Giovanni Fontana, Nicole Eisenmann, Syporca Whandal, and Kazunori Murakami; past writers have included Gerard Malanga, Charles Plymell, Andrei Codrescu, Harry E. Northup, Malik Crumpler, Maw Shein Win, and more, with a strong contingent of artist-writers from the world of punk rock, including Thurston Moore, Mike Watt, Bibbe Hansen, and more.
My story “Now a Word from our Sponsor” is included in the upcoming Maintenant 17 Dada Journal: Peacefire from Three Rooms Press. Out July 2023!
Here’s the summary of the theme:
When a war ends provisionally, the agreement is called a ceasefire. But when peace ends, there is only war. War and peace are co-dependent. What might be best would be a “Peacefire.” Stand up against the War that never ends and the Peace that never comes. Provocation is simply a media mogul selling fear as clickbait. Peace would make them poorer.
My story is a commercial advertising Peacefire Ambassadors, special-trained operatives who “keep the peace” so you don’t have to. It was a lot of fun to write.
Check out this cool book trailer!
Today I’m featured on one of my favorite segments: the Composite Sketch at BOLO Books! I was so thrilled when Kristopher asked me to participate. I always enjoy reading these little known facts about people in the crime fiction community. I had a lot of fun answering the questions. Thank you, BOLO Books!
I’m featured on author Amy Nielsen’s website today! Amy is a very gracious host and interviewed me about my publishing journey.
I know Amy through our awesome YA Twitter support group #WantYANeedYA. I love how we cheer each other on and offer advice. There are also great author chats and webinars. It’s such an incredible group and I’m so grateful for finding them!
Amy is a former librarian and has written books on autism. She also is a freelance writer for various magazines and online publications. Her debut YA novel Worth It is coming out in 2024 with Wild Ink Publishing! Woot! I’m so thrilled for her and can’t wait to read it! Hopefully one day soon, I’ll have my YA debut out too!
