I'm a member of the Short Mystery Fiction Society, an informal association of writers, publishers, and fans that has kept mystery & crime short stories in the public eye since 1996. On April 4, the Society announced the finalists for its 2019 Derringer Awards. A vote of the membership will determine the winners, to be announced in May.
In the meantime, I'm inviting the finalists for interviews. If you'd like to participate, email me your answers to the same following questions.
Alan Orloff is a Derringer finalist for the second year in a row. His story, "Dying in Dokesville", is one of four from Malice Domestic 13: Mystery Most Geographical contending this year for the Best Short Story Derringer (stories ranging from 1,001 to 4,000 words). Good luck to all.
Describe your story in up to 20 words.
A total eclipse means different things to different people. A sign from above? A spiritual communion? Opportunity for grand larceny?
What were the most difficult and most enjoyable parts of writing the story?
I wanted my main character to be likeable with a good heart, but I also wanted him to be able to commit a crime. So it was something of a challenge to walk that line between good and bad. I hope I pulled it off!
Do you have a (juicy) story about how your story came to be published?
Of course I have a story, I’m a writer! The call for Mystery Most Geographical had come out many months before the June 30 deadline, and I’d been toying with a story idea taking place in Hawaii, but it wasn’t coming together. So, blah. In the meantime, my family (at my incessant urging) took a road trip to see the total solar eclipse in Greenville, SC on June 21. On the drive home, I decided to write a story based on the awesomely cool, once-in-a-lifetime event my family experienced. Knowing that I was under a time crunch, I managed to bang it out in just a few days, and I was lucky it came together pretty well! (Maybe I should wait until the last minute for all my stories.)
How does it feel to be a Derringer finalist?
Terrific! It’s such an honor to have my story selected as one of the top stories from a pool containing so many excellent submissions. A heartfelt thanks to the judges who have such a difficult job to do!
In the meantime, I'm inviting the finalists for interviews. If you'd like to participate, email me your answers to the same following questions.
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| Alan Orloff |
Describe your story in up to 20 words.
A total eclipse means different things to different people. A sign from above? A spiritual communion? Opportunity for grand larceny?
What were the most difficult and most enjoyable parts of writing the story?
I wanted my main character to be likeable with a good heart, but I also wanted him to be able to commit a crime. So it was something of a challenge to walk that line between good and bad. I hope I pulled it off!
Do you have a (juicy) story about how your story came to be published?
Of course I have a story, I’m a writer! The call for Mystery Most Geographical had come out many months before the June 30 deadline, and I’d been toying with a story idea taking place in Hawaii, but it wasn’t coming together. So, blah. In the meantime, my family (at my incessant urging) took a road trip to see the total solar eclipse in Greenville, SC on June 21. On the drive home, I decided to write a story based on the awesomely cool, once-in-a-lifetime event my family experienced. Knowing that I was under a time crunch, I managed to bang it out in just a few days, and I was lucky it came together pretty well! (Maybe I should wait until the last minute for all my stories.)
How does it feel to be a Derringer finalist?
Terrific! It’s such an honor to have my story selected as one of the top stories from a pool containing so many excellent submissions. A heartfelt thanks to the judges who have such a difficult job to do!
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