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. The SMFS's 2020 Derringer Awards voting ends April 29 and winners will be announced in May. In the meantime, I've invited the finalists for interviews.
Chris Chan's "The Six-Year-Old Killer", the December 16, 2019 entry in Akashic Books' website's Mondays are Murder series, is up for Best Flash.
Describe your story in up to 20 words.
A children's rights advocate at a school is stunned when a first-grader fears he has homicidal tendencies.
What were the most difficult and most enjoyable parts of writing the story?
The hardest part was telling the entire story in under 750 words. The most enjoyable part was trying to mix a light, humorous tone with darker undercurrents and themes.
Do you have a juicy story about how your story came to be published?
It's not really a juicy story, but this is my third story in three years that Akashic Books has published on their "Mondays Are Murder" blog.
How does it feel to be a Derringer finalist?
It's really exciting, and I'm very grateful for this honor. Thank you!
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| Chris Chan |
Describe your story in up to 20 words.
A children's rights advocate at a school is stunned when a first-grader fears he has homicidal tendencies.
What were the most difficult and most enjoyable parts of writing the story?
The hardest part was telling the entire story in under 750 words. The most enjoyable part was trying to mix a light, humorous tone with darker undercurrents and themes.
Do you have a juicy story about how your story came to be published?
It's not really a juicy story, but this is my third story in three years that Akashic Books has published on their "Mondays Are Murder" blog.
How does it feel to be a Derringer finalist?
It's really exciting, and I'm very grateful for this honor. Thank you!
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