Chapter One September 26, 2018 Galveston, Texas As the automatic double doors of the Emergency Department whooshed open, the refrigerated hospital air collided with the terrarium-like atmosphere of an autumn Galveston evening. Louise Finnerty braced herself for a twelve-hour, overnight shift. She wished she had reached Marnie earlier. I hate the way she screens my […]
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In “Death of a Car Salesman,” a daughter discovers her semi-famous father’s death could be a homicide
From Chapter II Alice Washington It was a strange feeling, going back home. For most people, home is their primary identifier, the answer to the single most-asked question when you first meet someone: “So, where are you from?” My working theory is that people ask that question so they can put you into a box […]
“Heartbreak Kennel” tells a grim tale of abuse, but also the complex story of a breeder who fooled everyone
I Chapter 1: Heartbreak She heard human voices for the first time in more than two days. Her rail-thin body crowded nine infant chocolate puppies, all soaking wet from a sea of excrement inside an airline crate positioned within a horse trailer. Other dogs barked nearby. The unfamiliar voices drew closer to the Labrador mother. […]
In “Sweet Twisted Pine,” a man on a quest to find his missing sister struggles to adapt to the Old West
Lori Hodges is a professional emergency manager and freelance writer. She was born and raised in Colorado and currently lives and works in Fort Collins. She graduated from the University of Colorado at Denver with a master’s degree in Political Science and Public Policy and from the Naval Postgraduate School with a master’s degree in […]
In “A Perfect Eye,” a bizarre murder scene reveals puzzling artistic touches
Stephanie Kane is a lawyer and award-winning author of six crime novels. Born in Brooklyn, New York, she came to Colorado as a freshman at CU. She owned and ran a karate studio in Boulder and is a second-degree black belt. After graduating from law school, she was a corporate partner at a top Denver […]
“Church of the Graveyard Saints” introduces old flames reunited in southwestern Colorado
C. Joseph Greaves is an honors graduate of both the University of Southern California and Boston College Law School who spent 25 years as an L.A. trial lawyer before becoming a writer. He has been a finalist for most of the major awards in crime fiction including the Shamus, Macavity, Lefty, and Audie, as well […]
Kin or hostage? In “Wanted,” a chase across the American West, a woman realizes she’s both
Paula L. Silici is proud to have been born and raised in the American West. A traveler who has been to scores of remarkable places throughout the world, she wouldn’t make her home anywhere else but close to the Continental Divide. Tales of the Old West have fascinated her since childhood, and her writing reflects […]
Scenes from the past and present, linked by shadows and light, death and violence
Linda Lafferty and Andy Stone had their first date on the ski slopes of Aspen, Colorado. They were married in 1986 and still live in the Roaring Fork Valley. Linda is the author of five previous novels that have been translated into several languages. Linda won the Colorado Book Award in 2014 and 2016 for […]
In the novel “The Cryptid Catcher,” the main character wonders if he’ll find evil
Lija Fisher was raised in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. She received her BFA in Performance Studies from the University of Colorado Boulder and has performed in theatres across the country, including Alaska, where she was chased by a bear. Her debut novel, “The Cryptid Catcher,” was published in 2018. It received a starred review […]
Flown into the heart of the Amazon rain forest, a party of travelers has second thoughts
Laura Resau is the award-winning author of nine highly acclaimed young adult and children’s novels, including “The Lightning Queen” (Scholastic), “What the Moon Saw,” “Red Glass,” and the Notebooks series (Delacorte/Random House). Her new novel, “Tree of Dreams,” was praised as “a moving exploration of friendship, activism, and how chocolate makes everything better” in a […]