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Who Died in Here?

edited June 2004 in Short Stories
From the old board:



I don't usually write and submit this fast, but I was inspired by last week's power outage to write a short story which I've submitted to an antholgy called Who Died in Here?, where all the stories have to have a crime or murder set in a bathroom. The deadline is the day after tomorrow, so I didn't have my usual time to let it sit a while and percolate before sending it off. We'll see what happens.



The story is called What David Was Doing When the Lights Went Out and it has to do with a guy who decides to kill his wife by dropping her hair dryer in the bath with her. The instant he does so, the Blackout of 2003 happens and he thinks it's his fault.



I'll let you know if anything comes of the story. If Penury doesn't want it, I'll try some of the more usual mystery venues, of which there are very few for short stories.



I originally was going to do something inspired by a story I read about this South African woman who got a potion made from human body parts that she kept mixing with her husband's bath water on the belief that it would ultimately make him disappear, but I didn't know enough about the culture to pull it off.








My short story What David Was Doing When the Lights Went Out will appear in the anthology Who Died in Here?, a collection of stories about death in the bathroom. The anthology, fromPenury Press will be out in mid-December 2003.








I got my contributor copy and pay yesterday. Pay includes a can of air freshener!



The editor reported that she'd already received over fifty orders from my fans. Imagine that -- I've got fans! #)








Our editor just sent out this e-mail message:



[QUOTE]If you are promoting Who Died In Here? you might want to use the quote I just received in the mail about Who Died In Here? from, my personal hero, Phyllis Diller .








Who Died In Here? got a nice review in the Midwest Book Review Small Press Bookwatch



Compiled and edited by Pat Dennis, Who Died In Here? is a bizarre but thoroughly fun anthology of 25 short stories of mystery, murder, and crime by a wide variety of skilled storytellers... and every whodunit is connected somehow to bathrooms. An eyebrow-raising, tongue in cheek collection for mystery lovers who don't mind a little (or a lot) of bodily humor/irony to round out their leisure reading shelf. The tales are brief yet engaging enough that Who Died In Here? is in fact perfect for reading when one is personally parked upon the "porcelain throne" and in need of light entertainment.


Comments

  • Another review, this one by Ginger Johnson in DETECTIVE MYSTERY STORIES


    To pick one of these delightful stories out of the others for a review proved impossible for me. I loved them all! This book is a collection of short stories that deal with crimes that mostly take place in the bathroom. Whether you like that premise or not, you will love the stories. There is a variety of writing syles and I enjoyed each and every one. This is a must read for the short story readers who like fast paced mysteries. (I also liked the comedy involved)
  • Bev :), I just finished reading "What David Was Doing When the Lights Went Out" last night. Congratulations, that is an excellent story! It flows so smoothly and I'd like to mention a few things that might be spoilers (not for you of course :))... so I have listed them separately below. Now that I am done your story, I will read each story from the beginning. I still have to read the CD magazine as well.







    SPOILER WARNINGS AHEAD...



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    I actually love the subtlety of David's thoughts, very nicely done... especially right at the beginning and again at the end.



    The fact that you used an event that people can actually relate to is a stroke of genious - I was in Freehold, NJ when "the lights went out", getting ready to attend a play in Manhattan the next day, so I really identified.



    Oh, and you actually used Ontario as a reference in your story. Of course I would LOVE that! :)



    I'm so glad I have this book and my thanks again for taking the time to sign it (that was so sweet of sybs). :)



    Lin
  • Thanks, Lin. I was a little stumped with this story until the blackout came and then everything fell together for me. It was one of those moments of seemingly divine inspiration. I hear other writers talking about it, how sometimes it takes the confluence of several intriguing ideas in concert to make a story come to life.



    The entire anthology came out really well and I'm happy I had a chance to be a part of it.
  • Indeed. I would say that my favourite part of the story so to speak is that the timing was such that David felt "empowered" by it, no pun intended. Brilliant.



    Lin
  • Not to spook all of you out, but there was a real life case almost like it over here. Minus the character motivation, of course.  :o



    Talk about fact imitating fiction or vice versa. Spooky thing  
  • From Penury Press:



    We just received an incredible review by Beth Fedyn in the latest issue (Summer Fall #42) of Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine - a premiere mystery fan magazine.



    The books are graded from an A to an F. Who Died In Here? received a B+.



    We were pleased to do a second print run in early July. Our print runs are 2,000 copies and it looks like we will do a third print run by the end of the year.



    As always, any of your fans can order the book for $10 by sending their shipping info plus ten dollars to
    penury@penurypress.com
  • The books are graded from an A to an F.  Who Died In Here? received a B+.


    Well-deserved Bev, I loved this book.  I would have graded your story higher, but I'm biased. :)



    Lin  
  • A B+ is a very good grade.



    Well done, Bev :)
  • Who Died In Here? is a finalist for the 2004 Book of the Year from Foreward Magazine in the short story catergory.



    ForeWord's mission is to provide booksellers and librarians and publishing professionals with a source of reviews of independent and university press titles. ForeWord is dedicated to providing those who make trade book purchasing decisions with the news, company profiles, rights updates and sales information they need to succeed. ForeWord is a gathering place, in print, for the industry's leaders, grandest thinkers, most literate reviewers and young authors to watch.



    ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Award was established to bring increased attention from librarians and booksellers to the literary achievements of independent publishers and their authors. A jury of librarians, booksellers and reviewers are selected to judge the categories for entry, and they select winners and finalists based on editorial excellence and professional production as well as the originality of the narrative and the value the book adds to its genre. Past Editors Choice Prize winners include, The Road Home by Jim Harrison (Atlantic Monthly), and Taking the Wall by Jonis Agee (Coffee House Press) for fiction; Mercators Atlas (Walking Tree Press), and, And the Crowd Goes Wild by Joe Garner (Sourcebooks) for non-fiction.
  • Yay! :) Another good accolade Bev. That's great news even if it's an editorial award.



    Lin :)
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