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Short story “Proof Text” published in Kings River Life
My short story, “Proof Text,” was just published in Kings River Life! “Proof Text” is a short suspense piece about an exhausted farm wife who must finish one essential chore. I thought up the idea when I was doing farm chores on a windy fall day in Flagstaff. Read “Proof Text” free on the Kings River Life site. I wrote “Proof Text” in 2019, when I was still very new to fiction writing. In fact, it’s the first short story I ever wrote as an adult. With much fear and trembling, I shared it with my newly-formed critique group, expecting them to think it average at best. They loved it!…
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“The Fourth Man” won a prize!
My short story, “The Fourth Man,” won second prize in the Arizona Mystery Writers annual short story contest! The Jim Martin Memorial Short Story Contest recognizes short mystery, suspense, and thriller fiction up to 2500 words. “The Fourth Man” was inspired in part by my desire to see more older women in crime stories that aren’t cozy mysteries (not that there’s anything wrong with cozy mysteries). I fiddled with the idea of an elderly main character, and Victoria Patrick–former darling of B-movie Westerns who describes herself as “Annie Oakley with double-Ds”–marched onto the page, struck a pose, and proceeded to embarrass the hell out of her daughter. Here’s the opening:…
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Writing Your Own Destiny (interview on the Mysterious Goings-On podcast)
Want to learn how to start writing fiction and use short stories to further your writing career? In a recent interview I did for the Mysterious Goings-On podcast, I talk with host Alex Greenwood about: Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: You can also hear me utter one of the more bizarre sentences to ever come out of my mouth (and that’s saying something): How can you not like a serial killer who hides disembowled bodies in saguaro cactuses? Mysterious Goings-On is a podcast “about creativity, writing, and mystery” and features “interviews with bestselling authors, indies, and creative people from all walks of life.” Also, host J. Alexander…
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New short story published in Trouble in Tucson
New short story published! My new short story, “Adam Carmona and the Case of the Saguaro Ripper,” has just been published in the Trouble in Tucson anthology. What’s it about? Thanks for asking! When Det. Adam Carmona of the Tucson PD arrives at the scene of the Saguaro Ripper’s latest grisly killing, the details look the same as the last 5 murders–until Carmona recognizes the corpse. Here’s the beginning: On a bright January morning, Detective Adam Carmona of the Tucson PD exited his unmarked SUV and surveyed the latest scene. Another killing, the sixth in as many months. “Detective Carmona,” one of the uniforms inside the cordon of tape called.…
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Holiday horror short story published in Deathlehem anthology!
“The Fine Print,” my newest horror short story, is published in ‘Twas the Fright Before Christmas in Deathlehem, the 2022 holiday horror anthology from Grinning Skull Press! What’s it about? Thanks for asking! In the year since his daughter died on Christmas morning, Josh Fogarty has barely held himself together. As he weeps at her grave on Christmas Eve, a stranger offers him a sympathetic ear–and a tantalizing deal. It’s available in print or Kindle formats from Amazon. Grab a copy and ring in the new year with a good scare (or several). As with previous Deathlehem anthologies, proceeds support the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. And while you’re there,…
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Check out my award-winning mystery story, “Walk Me Home”
I have an award-winning mystery short story! My story, “Walk Me Home,” won the 2022 Jim Martin Memorial Short Story Contest from Arizona Mystery Writers. SQUEEEEEE!!! Hey, I did warn you of incoming SQUEEEEE-laden announcements. What’s the story about? Thanks for asking! Rachel, a nerdy, socially awkward college freshman, wants Robert. And tonight she just might get him.
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My poem won a prize!
Back in September I shared that my poem, “The Future Held in Store,” was a finalist in the Arizona Authors Association annual literary contest. Well… it won third place! I’m excited because I’m pretty inexperienced as a poet. This is the first time I’ve ever let anyone else read one of my poems, let alone submit one, so yay! I’m bummed I had to miss the awards banquet due to COVID exposure), but I didn’t get COVID, so that’s another reason to celebrate. And now I just noticed they put my real name rather than my pen name on the certificate. Oh, well. I have a little more news, a…
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“A Christmas Duet” is published in Harmony Magazine
My short creative nonfiction piece about my mother’s last Christmas, “A Christmas Duet,” was just published in Harmony Magazine! I wrote the first draft right after visiting my mother on Christmas Day 2018. After a little revision and a lot of tears, I’m thrilled that this story has found a home. Harmony Magazine is a visual arts and literary journal published annually by the Medical Humanities department of the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Issues are available free online. You can find my story in the 2022 issue beginning on page 12. Note that it’s written under my real name, so now y’all know my not-so-secret identity. What’s “A…
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My short story, “Woe is Me, Poor Child, for Thee,” is published!
My Christmas horror story, “Woe is me, Poor Child, for Thee,” is published in the 2021 Deathlehem anthology! One foggy Christmas Eve, an ex-con mall Santa seeks camaraderie in a California Delta watering hole—and learns that the spirits of the season don’t always rest easy. Billy Foraker had it all: lovely family, big house in the ‘burbs, good job making good money. Then he lost it all and traded the American dream for a prison cell. Now he’s a free man again, trying to rebuild his life, but his past is still out there, waiting for him in the Delta tule fog. The Colour Out of Deathlehem contains 24 holiday…
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Open House is published on the Storyteller Series podcast!
It’s up! It’s up! It’s up! SQUEE!! Ahem. Let’s try that again. I’m delighted to announce that my short story, “Open House,” is published on Night Shift Radio‘s The Storyteller Series podcast. The Storyteller Series presents original short stories (like mine! SQUEE!) as audio dramas with a full cast of voice actors. Check it out on Spotify (use the player above) or your favorite podcast player (and while you’re there, check out the other great stories on the podcast. I especially liked Tom Witkowski‘s, “The Guardian Devil”). So why am I squeeing all over the place? Because I’m a teenager trapped in a 50-something body (Get me out of this…
Janet Alcorn
Suspense | Horror | Romance
