Short Thoughts on Short Fiction Vol.15: the Bouchercon edition AKA the BIG slack off

So it’s that time of year again, gang.

I am, of course, talking about the crime fiction community’s annual hootenanny, Bouchercon. No, I’m not going to be in Indy this year, but I’m so busy this week I might as well be packing up the garbage bag that moonlights as my luggage set and hightail it down to Sky Harbor International airport to catch my flight out to the old Naptown so I can harass a bunch of authors for interviews and free books.

Instead I’m going to kick it here at home and run around like a chicken being chased around by a starving crackhead. But don’t worry; I’ll still be harassing authors for interviews and free books, including this year’s Bouchercon guest of honor and the co-author of one of the most anticipated crime novels of the year.

However, with me being so busy, I’m going to pull a cop out for this week’s Short Thoughts on Short Fiction and instead of reviewing new stories all I’m going to do is write a polite nod of the head column pointing you in the direction of some stories you might have missed that just happen to be written by short story writers who are attending this years B-con. Yeah, I might even throw in a few pieces by guys and gals who already have a book or two out there.

Here we go:

The Tortoise and the Tortoise by Patti Abbott, published by Pulppusher

Throw a dart blindfolded at any of Patti’s stories and you’re bound to hit a surefire good read.

     
Cheer by Megan Abbott, published by Storyglossia

Yup, the apple doesn’t fall that far from the tree. Here’s a great piece from the classic all-Noir issue of Storyglossia edited by Anthony Neil Smith

     
Some Kind of Rugged Genius by Greg Bardsley, published by 3 AM magazine

My favorite Bardsley story outside of “Upper Deck” in Plots with Guns #1, Vol. 2. Irreverent, surreal, utterly original. Bardsley is a genre unto himself.

     
Wolves by Kieran Shea, published by Thrillers, Killers, ‘n’ Chillers

Shea’s debut over at TKnC. Sweet little mood piece; the dude’s got some great atmospheric chops.

     
The Need by Frank Bill, published by Beat to a Pulp

Country Noir the way you like it.

     
Morning After by Jedidiah Ayres, published by Plots with Guns

Jedidiah Ayres lives in St. Louis.

     
Trashcan Special by Derek Nikitas, published by Sub-Lit

Nikitas is turning into one of my favorite writers. Make sure to check this one out from transgressive journal Sub-lit.

     
At Least I Felt Something by Sophie Littlefield, 2nd place winner in the Drowning Machine’s Watery Grave Short Story Invitational.

Sophie totally kicked my ass in this competition with this one. Sophie writes near unrivaled suburban mayhem.

And, last but not least:

     
Psycho Redneck Pick Up Truck Killing Spree by Anthony Neil Smith

The CrimeWav.com version of this piece; because, shit, after all this reading I threw in your path, your eyes are bound to get a little tired and might need a bit of a rest.

All right, chumps, that’s it for this week, and I promise to be back with some honest to God reviews; and to everyone at Bouchercon this week, make sure to drink way too much and make complete asses out of yourselves in front of your peers.

Later.