30 Years of Short Crime Fiction Excellence

The recently announced Derringer Award finalists from the Short Mystery Fiction Society marks the 30th year of the organization and the 28th anniversary of the awards. The honors currently include the categories of Best Flash Story (up to 1000 words), Best Short Story (1001-4000 words), Best Long Story (4001-8000 words), Best Novelette (8001-20,000 words). (Best Anthology was added last year.) I've been fortunate to have been a four-time finalist and also a winner in the Short Story category.

On Art Taylor's "The First Two Pages" blog feature this week, I was featured as part of the new anthology, Hot Shots: Celebrating Thirty Years of the Short Mystery Fiction Society, which was just released. Editor Josh Pachter chose one story from each of the 28 years the SMFS has handed out Derringers for the anthology. I was thrilled to have my 2012 winning story, "The Touch of Death," chosen for inclusion, especially to be slotted alongside such luminaries as Doug Allyn, Michael Bracken, Bill Crider, John Floyd, Slesar, Cathi Stoler, Art Taylor, Melissa Yi, and many more.

For some of the best short crime fiction, from hardboiled to cozy, check out this celebratory anthology and enjoy some fun, thrilling quick reads. And if you're a writer in this genre, consider joining the SMFS. Membership is free and is open to writers, editors, publishers, and anyone with an interest in the subject.