British Punk Rock Writer Paul Matts takes 6 Sedated STABS from Crime Writer Jesse Rawlins11/13/2019 Photo: British Amazon Author & Punk Rock Enthusiast Paul Matts Center Stage host Mick Rose here, and living the Ages-Old-Adage "No Rest for the Wicked" ... while hoping tonight's performance doesn't turn into a case of "Only the Good Die Young." On that note, I'll turn the spotlight on Paul Matts, who's gotta be counting his blessings right about now. Paul boldly made the voyage from England and agreed to play 6 STABS with psychotic crime writer Jesse Rawlins. But "Heels" tore a shoulder muscle playing this twisted game of hers Sunday night: and she's more heavily sedated than The Ramones at their "highest." Getting this party started before that high wears off "sounds like a plan." Cheers folks! Hi Paul. You live and write in Leicester, England. I first discovered your work at Brit Grit author Paul D. Brazill’s eclectic Punk Noir Magazine (PNM). How and when did you discover PNM—and when did your work first appear there? I first discovered Punk Noir Magazine about a year or so ago, Jesse. A mate had told me about author Paul D. Brazill’s work—and I read his book A Case of Noir, amongst others. Superb. I then investigated him a little further and came across Punk Noir, which is his cultural magazine. I soon realized it was a quite an eclectic mix: short stories, flash fiction, poetry, reviews, and other features related to films and music. I love it. Paul is helpful and encouraging, and I’m in awe how he finds the time to run Punk Noir and yet remain such a prolific, quality writer. My short story “Revenge Can Be Sweet” appeared there in January 2019. I’ve had several pieces appear in PNM since, and I’m proud of that. You write both non-fiction and fiction—and often draw heavily from your love of punk rock music and your experiences both as a night club owner and a band promoter, as well as a musician. In fact your first novel DONNY JACKAL just released. Described as an English coming of age tale, this adventure’s set in 1978 and revolves around mesmerized teenager Donny Jackson: a punk rock star wannabe living in the English suburbs—three long hours south of London—where the punk scene action thrives. Care to share how your love affair with punk rock evolved, Paul? And led you to eventually own and run The Attik night club in Leicester City center for eight years? The seed of my love for punk rock music, and later for the punk scene, came when I was a kid, about eight or nine years old. I remember the headlines in the newspapers and on the television relating to the Sex Pistols. Basically, they were threatening mankind’s very existence, if you believed what some people were saying at the time. Obviously, that was intriguing. I had no solid idea, aged eight or nine, who they really were, but I found the whole thing very exciting. Then I discovered the music of the Pistols. Loud, loud guitars. Words I could sing along to. As I got a couple of years older I started watching Top of the Pops on television and at that time, punk and new wave bands were making regular appearances so I got to see them. I would then track down shows that were playing this new music on Radio One—the UK’s prime radio station at the time. I started recording stuff off the radio and basically, that’s when my love of music generally, and not just punk music, grew. When I got some cash of my own, whether it be through pocket money or cash earnt from delivering newspapers, it went on records. I used to ask for records for birthday and Christmas presents. The first band I really got into were The Clash. I can still remember my Mum getting me their albums from a local superstore, and my Dad ridiculing the song titles. Mum liked their rock n’ roll elements, though! They had a major impact on me and introduced me to a wide range of musical styles and way of thinking. As I searched more I realized Punk had a DIY ‘can-do’ attitude, ranging from the music itself, where anything could indeed go, to the clothes and everything else. I guess this positive approach influenced me in opening ‘The Attik’ club and venue in 2000. Anyone who opens an underground music haunt must have this positive, ‘can-do’ approach to life. Either that or they must have something seriously wrong with them! Everything seems to be against you a lot of the time … councils, licenses, breweries, big corporate competitors. But you just do it and go with the ideal. We based it on the kind of sounds one may hear on the John Peel show. Music from the cupboards, from the bedrooms, from the obscure corners of society. Punk rock and its associated genres ... especially post-punk and hardcore … were popular and had a definite scene at The Attik. Rockabilly, Ska and Reggae. We had them all covered. Various non-commercial forms of dance music were part of our scene. You know, Rave Culture material, Drum n Bass, Hip-hop, Hardcore and Deep house. We also had a healthy electronic music scene, too. Some of our best nights were Electro nights. Being part of the Punk network was something I very much enjoyed. The camaraderie, working together, supporting each other. The Attik was a drop-off for touring bands. Lots of colourful characters, new bands, established bands, local bands. Local DJs. Guest DJs too. We had two floors: one for live sets, the other a bar area. It had a nice, sweaty, tight atmosphere and more than once had CBGBs mentioned by way of comparison. Maybe because of the toilets. It finally closed its doors in 2007. The finances no longer added up and I made the very difficult decision to step away. My short story ‘Revenge Can Be Sweet’ was based on a night at The Attik. It’s a fictitious tale of revenge being obtained in a subtle, underhand, way. With devastating consequences, and mates looking out for each other. A punk rock show featuring English ska/ street punk band The Filaments, provides the backdrop for the story. I played guitar and bass in a few bands prior to opening the Attik. I guess the most notable was The Incurables, who released an album called Fade in the late 1990s. You can track it down on Spotify. I wrote and co-wrote quite a few tracks on it. They weren’t a punk band, more a contemporary pop act in a similar vein to The Sundays. People tend to equate two key topics with rock stars: sex and drugs. DONNY JACKAL launches with the unexpected news that the lead singer for Crack Mass—the most notable punk band in Donny’s hometown Oldtown is dead—presumably from a drug overdose. What influenced you to write a punk rock mystery, Paul? Did you slaughter a bunch of musicians in your youth? And finally conclude the only safe way to “confess” would be to include all the gory details in a novel? Ha Ha. No, I didn’t slaughter a bunch of musicians … none of that was ever proven! Anyway, Crack Mass’s lead singer Tom Coates may not have died of a drugs-overdose you know …. Or maybe he did? No spoilers, Jesse! Seriously, the book’s as much a coming of age and kitchen-sink drama as it is anything else. I’ve written another book, still being edited, called Toy Guitars. The character, Donny Jackal, appears in this book too. It’s set in 1980, so two years on from the first book. Donny isn’t the main character in Toy Guitars but his role is important, and I felt the inspiration to turn the story of his own background and opportunity in life into a book of its own. The story sheds light on his relationships with his parents, authority, mates, co-workers and Ali, his girlfriend. Adolescence, really. I enjoy gritty period pieces and having a plot with a few questions in it seemed to be a good idea. I would like to develop his character even further, really. There’s plenty to go at. On a more serious note involving “drugs.” Teenagers who wish to either experiment or escpape their emotional pain and problems—and criminals or opportunists who sell drugs—routinely interact both in and around night clubs. Did drug-related activities present any problems for you Paul as a night club owner? And did you have a staff that included bouncers to deal with potential fights and other problems? Or was your clientele in Leicester wondrously well-behaved and copacetic? Like with most night life, especially that spent down the world’s back streets, drug problems did surface from time to time. With me being both being a licensee and the owner I had really to be vigilant, on behalf of the staff, clientele and myself, really. It’s a responsible position, running a club. The authorities never have to be asked twice to close down a small backstreet venue. Easy target, see. Our staff, including the security staff, were a decent gang. We’d look out for each other and a mixture of excitable, often drunk people and loud music can occasionally lead to bust ups. You just try and diffuse it. Calm people down. The staff and clientele knew each other through the club, and to be honest it had a family feel at times which made dealing with difficult situations a hell of a lot easier. It was scary when gangs turned up looking for an individual or two who they knew were inside. If a gang wants to storm the door of a small club, then it’s difficult to repel. We had to be particularly on guard and to be honest if we thought such an incident was on the cards, we’d close the doors. The cover art for the e-book version of DONNY JACKAL declares, “Opportunities Come at a cost.” We learn in the opening chapter that 19-year-old Donny’s stuck in a dead end job and still living with his parents. But much to Donny’s surprise, opportunity comes a knockin’. The remaining members of Crack Mass invite him to audition as a singer. Hell yeah, hallelujah! What better way to impress his new punk rock girlfriend Ali? But as local punk rock legends, these dudes ain’t novices to the music scene. And we get the stark impression their motives for approaching Donny stem from secret agendas. Besides playing in bands and running the Attik, you also spent years as a “promoter.” Are any of the pressures Donny gets exposed to based on real-life situations you experienced yourself—or perhaps witnessed first-hand, Paul? I used to promote as ‘101 Productions’ in Leicester. Again, punk rock and associated genres. Lots of fun. And tension. There would be financial pressures. Would we get enough through the door to cover the cost of the band and their rider, venue hire? Band riders can stretch to a fair bit of dollar, you know! As a promoter the overall success of the gig rests on your shoulders. You want the band happy and relaxed, the equipment all working, the soundman and venue staff all happy and working efficiently. It needs to run on time. And after all of that, you have your fingers crossed people turn up and all have a blinding night. Sometimes a gig on the face of it would go well but the band weren’t happy for some reason. Other times the band would be happy but the customers would moan beer prices were too high, the toilets were shit or something. One night, Ed Tudor Pole was playing and all was going well—and from nowhere a huge punch up erupted. He’d invited a local band to play ‘Swords of a Thousand Men’ with him. He was a solo performer at the time, see. Turned out someone had spilt beer all over the bass player’s girlfriend. The bass player jumped down from the stage, layed into the protagonist and all hell broke loose. Somehow, I came away thinking all of this was my fault. Obviously it wasn’t--I didn’t throw the beer. As for witnessing pressures, young artists, whether it be new singers, guitar players or whatever, are prone to pressure. They, particularly in punk rock circles, often end up playing in famous bands as a replacement for a legendary band member who has passed away or has moved on. So, they need to step up to the mark. It’s assumed they can play the songs, but they often need to perform a role, someone for the singer to bounce off, for example. The audience has expectations and are often cynical and need to be won over by the new kid. So, the psychological pressure this alone can put on young performers is immense. And this is without considering the external pressures. Lack of sleep on tour, drugs, drink, poor nutrition and the stress this all places on personal relationships. The punk rock dream has obvious appeals, but the less glamorous side is one I became familiar with as I spent time talking with these band members. Well, Paul, your DIY punk rock approach to the Writing Life has definitely served you well in a short amount of time. You’ve certainly been head-banging in the mosh pits so-to-speak. I like the way you’ve enthusiastically supported other writers and magazines by reading their books and stories—while also writing book reviews and the like! The Writing Life ain’t always easy. But guess what? There’s no toilets to clean! Happy Holidays to you-n-yours, Paul. And good luck to you and Donny Jackal. Muchas Gracias Mick Rose for hosting us. Let me pour you a bourbon, buddy. Folks can visit Paul Matts on Facebook and also at his Website:
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009129759787 www.paulmatts.com
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Photo: Amazon Crime Author Jason Beech His work is "Messy Business" Greetings everyone. Center Stage host Mick Rose here. A bit worse for wear. Singed my left arm pulling tonight's pizzas from the oven. Reminded me of those heraldic signs they used to post outside a lotta factories: We have gone 28 days without an Industrial accident. Grabbing a calendar and usin' my fingers, I reckon Center Stage went 75 Days without an ounce of Bloodshed. But we can kiss that streak Goodbye: cuz crime author Jason Beech is about to dance the 6 Stabs two-step with psychotic crime writer Jesse "Heels" Rawlins. Better him than me. Hope y'all enjoy the show! Welcome to 6 STABS, Jason Beech. You know you’re about to bleed in exchange for this interview, right? But as you’ve learned over the past decade, crime writing’s a Messy Business. It’s a bloody business, so what else can it be but a messy business? Pass the mop, Jesse. Your latest book—NEVER GO BACK from Close To The Bone Publishing, releases November 29th—but the Kindle version is already avaible for pre-order from Amazon. What 6 words best describe your book, Jason? Please keep in mind I’m gonna stab ya for each word you dish me. Hot murder. Cold homecoming. Brutal awakening. And watch it, that knife’s a bit pointy. This new crime thriller launches with a murder—committed in Spain by one Mr. Barlow Vine. Two-part question, one stab: Without telling us who he kills or why, what’s this dude’s back story? Lawyer? Doctor? Disreputable-degenerate football coach who likes to throw his weight around? A wannabe crime writer just doin’ a bit of first-hand research? And more importantly from my perspective: Do we meet Mr. Vine before he wastes this bloke? Or after the criminal deed’s been done? Football coaches are way too loud—he’d be noticed straight away and carted off to the clink. So Barlow Vine’s a real estate agent, or a realtor if you prefer, who’s pulled himself up by his bootstraps from being a council estate tearaway. You meet Barlow as he’s come back to his hometown after the murder. Barlow’s in denial that he’s now a criminal and thinks he can find some form of safety back home. For those who don’t know, you were born and forged in Sheffield, England: roughly 168 miles north of the capital London. But you boldly moved to New Jersey-USA to teach and coach what you call “football”—the game folks in my redneck part of the woods call soccer. And, now having a soccer foot in each country, you routinely set some of your stories on English soil: while others such as your 2018 novel CITY OF FORTS unravel on the mean streets of America. Which spurs me to ask another two-part question. The first half is simple: What motivated you to stage this murder in Spain? The second half is also simple. But I’m going to stab you viciously, Jason. Why? Because I shouldn’t have to ask it, sir. Your book description on Amazon notes that after Mr. Vine’s committed the life-altering act of murder he’s faced with the task of returning to his “hometown.” While the surname Vine suggests he live in England? Please do tell us Mr. Beech the name of his hometown and where it’s located. Spain was an easy choice. I know Spain. My first ever holiday abroad was in Spain, at a hotel later closed because it suffered a bout of Legionnaires disease. The last time we visited was in 2012, for my nephew’s wedding. I thought the town, Nerja, the perfect place for an English expat to miss desperately when he left to go back to the cold, grey streets of Sheffield—his hometown. Sheffield is one of Britain’s five largest cities. It’s northern England, central U.K., and about four hours drive north from London if you get good traffic. It’s post-industrial. It still makes steel, in fact more than it did before the war, but most work gets done by robots. Most employment is now in public services like the National Health Service and the universities. Sheffield University works on many NASA projects. The city got bombed to shit in the Second World War and cheap, nasty-looking buildings replaced the bomb sites. They’re now starting to beef up its appearance, but the first thing many people see as they enter the city is the cold, brutal Park Hill flats which Gargoyle over Sheffield. However, it’s got some lovely parks, and the city’s southwest is the country’s fourth richest area. But it cannot match Nerja’s warmth and vibrant colours. So it’s a hard homecoming for Barlow Vine. Regardless of whether you got wonked in the head with a football or some miscreant spiked your tea, you decided to spice NEVER GO BACK with some strange kids in Sheffield decked in Edwardian garb. I ain’t no fashion maven. So what the hell is Edwardian garb, Mr. Smartypants? And how do we distinguish this clothing from lets say Jacobean threads or Jesse Rawlins garb like faded Wrangler jeans? Faded Wrangler jeans would never have washed in Edwardian Sheffield. The kids wear black trousers, white shirts, they could be second-hand clothes, but they’re not what you’d expect kids to wear in this day and age. They live in some rundown house on a godforsaken hill on the city’s outskirts and live a very strange life with their mother and an accordion. It would only get stranger if they were to wear Jacobean threads, whatever they are. Although I suck at math I’m gonna do my best to frame a 3-part question. So brace yourself for some razzle-dazzle Mr. Fashion Courtier. As happens all-too-often, Barlow’s motivations for murder involve a woman. What’s this gal’s name? Is she from Spain? And does she cause trouble for Barlow—such as going to the cops and accusing him of murder? She’s Maria. She’s Spanish, she’s salty, she’s full of colour and life, and I can’t give much more away than that. But the murder takes place out in the sticks—so it’ll take a while to find the corpse. Okay, now somewhere in this deceitful mess, Barlow finds himself confronted by some “dead-eyed killers who want to use him for their own ends.” Care to share some insights about these killers? I’m thinkin’ they could be ex-wives wanting their latest husbands killed. Or maybe ex-mother-in-laws—jonesing for sexual favors …. Don’t stare at me like my ideas are stupid. You’re the one who wrote about weird Edwardian wannabe kids, Mr. Beech. These dead-eyed killers keep the unemployment numbers low. They’re good at killing. They do what they need to do to keep ahead of the game, though they enjoy it a little too much. The main killer is Kevin Fishwick. Barlow can’t take him seriously with a name like that, but he soon will. I like to stare. Just for the sake of it. Guess that explains why you became a writer. We’re good at staring into space. But before I turn you over to the medics, Jason ... Besides your novels CITY OF FORTS and MOORLANDS, you’ve also published story collections under the name BULLETS, TEETH & FISTS. Some of your stories center on humor—while some I’d call quite violent. Where does NEVER GO BACK fall into this mix in terms of violence? Never Go Back is violent, though I wouldn’t say explicit. It has its moments, but I like it short and sharp, with consequences. It’s not a comedy, but my editor at Close to the Bone called it witty. I’d go with violent crime drama with funny bits in. That’s the poster blurb right there. Well, Jason. You're looking like a poster boy for a Band-Aids campaign, so now's not the time to be "blurbing." Sure hope Barlow Vine appreciates the drubbing you took on his behalf. Meanwhile, it's bourbon time for me. Thanks Mick Rose for hosting us! NEVER GO BACK releases on November 29, 2019 but is available for pre-order on Amazon Anyone who's inclined can visit Jason Beech on Facebook. Congratulations are appropriate. Condolences are NOT. He brought this suffering on himself. Mr. Beech can also be found on his blog Messy Business. His regular features include: "Stuff I Wish I'd Written"—during which he tries to con us into thinking he's "civilized." How? He reaches out to other writers, and duly asks them questions about their favorite books. Never read stories by Mr. Jason Beech? You can get a FREE taste below at Brit Grit author Paul D. Brazill's Punk Noir Magazine. "The Kid with the Sad Face" by Jason Beech
Photo: Amazon Crime & Western Author Bruce Harris Welcome to another spurious edition of Center Stage with your increasingly apprehensive host Mick Rose. Sidling under the Spotlight today—as we resume parsing the gritty pages of the HARDBOILED crime collection from Dead Guns Press, I'm pleased to present Amazon Author Bruce Harris—who not only writes across several genres: he also blends and bends them. Knowing full well the night will turn cacophonous once psychotic interrogator Jesse Rawlins takes the stage, I asked the cool-n-collected Mr. Harris to swing by early for a couple of drinks. And to discuss some "business matters." The cash bar's officially open—and the pizza's free as always, just like the Admission Tickets. MR: Welcome, Bruce. The mics are “hot.” You grew up in Plainview, NY out on Long Island, but later attended North Carolina State University—which is only about 9 hours and 540 miles south. If you don’t mind us asking, what did you study there? And when did you first get the hankerin’ to start penning your own stories? BH: That 540-mile one-way commute nearly killed me freshman year, Mick. Thank goodness for my Ford Pinto. It might have been infamous for its exploding gas tanks, but it got good gas mileage. I studied psychology, eventually earning a Ph.D. in Social Psychology. Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories hooked me on reading. My early writings are “serious” Holmes articles that appear in The Baker Street Journal, The Sherlock Holmes Journal, Canadian Holmes, and others. My first book is Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson: About Type, published by The Battered Silicon Dispatch Box in 2006. It’s still available online! It’s a look at Holmes and Watson, comparing Type A and Type B personality types. To this day I continue writing Holmes-related articles. Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer hooked me on crime and detective fiction. I’m still blown away by the Ellery Queen mysteries. Murder mysteries—especially locked-room mysteries—interest me more than straight crime. I’m also a big fan of the old pulps and hold the writers from the 1930’s – 1950’s in high esteem. That’s not to say there aren’t incredibly talented crime and mystery writers today—there are! But, I don’t want to forget about those who came first. MR: Gotta love Fords, Bruce. The later technology in their “run-away” Explorers might’ve gotten you back and forth quicker—but your gas mileage wouldn’t have been as good. Glad you survived the Pinto and the commutes. How many years of study before you got to clutch that Ph.D. parchment in your hands? Did you plow straight through starting with that freshman year? BH: Yup, straight through. I never intended to get a Ph.D. when I started out. But after my senior year, I had no job prospects. Instead, I applied to the graduate program and got in. I became the epitome of a professional student. It took almost 10 years from my freshman year to the end. That’s a long time. A couple of those years are still a little fuzzy. MR: Quite an accomplishment, Bruce. Most of my conscious daily moments are fuzzy. And I didn’t study for a decade. But I've read some Mickey Spillane. And a slew of John D. McDonald: though largely his Travis McGee series that launched in 1964, rather than his early works, which first saw print in the 50s. Good reading. But trying to wrap my head around some of the generational mindsets held by some of the characters had a tendency to tax my bourbon-addled brain. Though on second thought what doesn't? When you say that locked-room mysteries interest you, does that mean you also write these puzzles, Bruce? I couldn’t write one of those buggers if my life depended on it. BH: The closest thing I’ve written to a locked-room mystery is “Death Trail,” a western short story from September 2016 that appeared online at Frontier Tales. In this twister, Polk City’s Sheriff Stock finds himself under pressure to fill a vacant jail cell—and gets his chance to put a killer behind bars when the stagecoach pulls into town—and its only passenger is a dead man. But how can a man stab himself in the back? The sheriff quickly discovers this is no ordinary murder. I’d direct readers interested in these types of stories to Otto Penzler’s massive 2014 anthology, The Black Lizard Big Book of Locked-Room Mysteries. MR: Besides writing mysteries and seeing your crime tale “Last Meal” published in the gritty HARDBOILED fiction collection alongside 13 other writers, you’ve also had your crime stories published in a number of online magazines including the Flash Fiction Offensive and Shotgun Honey. Yet you just mentioned Westerns—you’ve authored 7 such books so far, and you’ve also had various Western stories published in collections. So, Bruce, how did a kid from Long Island fall in love with the west and decide to put pen-to-paper and write Westerns? BH: “Write what you know?” Nah. “Write what you like.” That’s what I did. I grew up watching TV shows like Bonanza, Gunsmoke and The Rifleman. Who can resist a saloon brawl, or a card game in a smoky saloon? Admit it, Mick. You’ve wanted to swing open batwing doors at some point in your life! I admire the cowboy’s code of honor—the downtown settings—as well as the wide-open trails. The western pulps captured the characters of the old west: rifles, stagecoaches, robberies, and the like. Authors like Louis L’Amour and William W. Johnstone bring these things to life. My two favorite westerns I’ve written are actually mixed genre western-mysteries. In addition to “Death Trail,” my 2018 book, Murder at Bullet Pass is also a mystery. This one features a Rabbi who helps a sheriff solve the murders. MR: I’ve actually swung through batwing doors, Bruce. But that’s cuz I needed to use the loo in a dive bar. My quiet life idea of high drama at midnight! Speaking of drama, that rat-tat-tat we’re hearing tells me Jesse “Heels” Rawlins is approaching stage right. Don’t know who they are … but she’s got a couple of scary brutes with her. My cue to vamoose and grab my balcony seat. “Hi, Jess. Bye, Jess.” JHR: Later, Mick. Well, well, well. If it ain’t Bruce Harris. Sounds like we both suffer from “arrested development,” Dr. Harris. But I’ve always been a Dr. Seuss fan. So I call these thugs Thing 1 & Thing 2. For a couple a bottles of Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill wine they do anything I tell ’em. “Lucky for me. Not so lucky for you. Since you love the old west so much, but I’m far less nostalgic, my Things here are gonna strap you to this mechanical bull, which I’ve set for a sloooow ride. And while we have our little chat, I’m gonna stab ya with this custom Buck Frontiersman Wild Bill Cody knife. After the show, I’ll mail this baby to you in New York for a souvenir. The price was absolutely criminal: $425 on eBay. But for now you can enjoy the quality of the blade firsthand—by my hand, of course. Did you know that I’m a Leftie, pardner? The only Westerns I’ve read are by mystery writer Robert P. Parker. And to the best of my recollection, Parker’s tales aren’t set in “the old west.” Sounds like this genre’s pretty wide open. What kind of characteristics do writers like Louis L’Amour and William W. Johnstone tend to use in their novels? And how are yours both “similar to” and “different” from theirs? BH: Fortunately for me, Things 1 and 2 aren’t as sharp as the $425 knife with which the sinistral Jesse seems so enamored. In fact, I’m not sure these two made it out of grade school. I think I can loosen my hands …. Yup, her dynamic duo don’t know how to tie a proper knot. Without oversimplifying things, Jesse, Louis L’Amour and William W. Johnstone each give the reader good guys and bad guys and the good guys always win. I guess you can say their stories are anti-noir. Johnstone is probably more adept at character development, but both know how to keep the action going, forcing the reader to turn pages. The other important thing the two have in common is that their stories are well researched and historically accurate. Their various heroes share common traits, including love of family, honesty, and loyalty. William W. Johnstone is now a cottage industry, run out of the family’s Tennessee farm. William W. Johnstone passed away in 2004, yet the Johnstone name continues stronger than ever. This year, 23 books will be published, and 29 are planned for release in 2020. I wouldn’t mention my westerns in the same breath as L’Amour or Johnstone. That’s like comparing the 1927 Yankees with a lousy little league team. There … got my hands loose. Jesse, your two friends make me nervous. A Pair of Polished Peacemakers happens to be the title of one of my westerns, available at Amazon. And whaddya know—I also happen to have a pair of polished peacemakers aimed at their roid-filled bodies. So tell ’em to back off, Rawlins. JHR: Hey, Mick! How much did Bruce pay you to keep his heaters? MR: Hundred bucks and a bottle of Four Roses bourbon. Man’s gotta right to defend himself if the price is right. JHR: Okay Thing 1 and Thing 2. Here’s four more bottles of Boone’s and bus tickets back to Cleveland. Now go play in traffic. Meanwhile, since I live life in The Gutter, I don’t trust any of you varmints. If you look carefully at your chest Bruce, you’ll see 3 red circles dancing across your dubious heart—cuz I placed snipers in the balcony. So set your Peacemakers on that table by the bourbon—and plant your ass on that bull. Very good, sir. Now that we’re all pretending to be civilized, you recently retired. And I imagine that’s given you a lot more time to write. And watch old westerns, of course. Do you have a routine writing schedule nowadays? How much time do you typically set aside for writing? BH: I typically write between 1 and 4 hours a day. It breaks down to one or two hours in the morning and the same in the afternoon. I work in a coffee shop or the library. I don’t like writing at home. If things go really well in the morning, I’ll skip the afternoon. The rest of the day is spent reading, cooking, and walking for exercise—I refuse to run or jog. JHR: I’ve got few professional sports teams I irrationally hate more than your Yankees, Bruce. I won’t stab you for that. But I will say I once visited an Irish bar that had three shamrocks mounted on the wall. They read: A-Rod sucks. Jeter Sucks. And Clemens is FAT. My kinda bar! Meanwhile, if The Gutter whisper-stream is true, I hear you’ve got a baseball story due for publication. Care ta talk about that? BH: In what part of Boston is that dive located? I wouldn’t step foot in a dump like that even if they were doling out free vodka. Well… maybe if it was Grey Goose. Okay, if it was Grey Goose I’d go in … but I’d sit with my back facing those odious signs. Jeez, word gets around in The Gutter. I’m a SABR: Society of American Baseball Research member. One of the society’s many committees is the Baseball BioProject. SABR’s website says, “The Baseball Biography Project is an ongoing effort to research and write comprehensive biographical articles on people who played or managed in the major leagues, or otherwise made a significant contribution to the sport.” I’ve finished one biography, that of Bob Tufts. Bob pitched for the 1981 San Francisco Giants. Are you listening Bill Baber? And also for the Kansas City Royals in 1982 and1983. Bob is a bright guy, with degrees from both Princeton and Columbia Universities. I’m also working on a bio of Pete Craig. Pete pitched for the Washington Senators between 1964-1966. Neither are household names, but both have fascinating stories to tell. There are currently 4,985 completed bios on SABR’s website. By the way, Rory Costello is co-chairman and chief editor of the BioProject. He’s completed around 100 biographies. Rory is also no stranger to crime fiction or The Gutter! JHR: You also recently saw a slice-of-life essay involving one of your childhood experiences published. I was amused and stunned when the corporation involved responded on the magazine’s web site in a matter of mere days. What was your reaction when you saw the company’s response? BH: You’re referring to my piece on Charles Atlas that appeared in Mr. Beller’s Neighborhood. It’s a fantastic website, chronicling stories about New York City past and present. Initially, I was surprised that the “Charles Atlas folks” responded, but after thinking about it, it makes sense. The product is still available, and there is nothing more important to a company than its brand. My piece was intended to be humorous and hopefully it was taken as such. I think the company’s response was professional and appropriate. JHR: Since you mentioned “cooking,” Bruce, and your contribution to the HARDBOILED crime fiction collection from Dead Guns Press chances to carry the title “Last Meal”—are you one of these guys who tosses spaghetti at the wall to see if it sticks in order ta tell if it’s cooked “just right?” And what are some of your Specialty Dishes? Fenway Franks and popcorn? By the way, that bar with the awesome shamrocks? Not even in the state of Massachusetts, let alone Boston. This may come as a shock to you: but peeps from all across the country hate the Yankees, Bruce. BH: Some people don’t like the Yankees? Surely that’s fake news. Don’t get me wrong; I love Boston and Fenway Park. As for the Red Sox … let’s talk about cooking. My specialty is roast chicken. I make it at least once a week. The following day I turn the leftover chicken into chicken salad. I make pretty good codfish cakes—very labor intensive, and a mean egg salad: naturally very easy. I also love grilling—burgers, steaks, hotdogs, chicken, ribs, fish, etc. JHR: Stories I’ve read by you have involved characters ranging from crooked cops to stunt pilots, hardened criminals, and sleazy amateur con-men. Some involve surprising twists. Some are comical. Others violent. But “Last Meal” proves “sad.” And that fact surprised me. Have you written other sad stories, Bruce? And what motivated you to pen “Last Meal?” BH: The only other sad story that comes to mind is a flash piece, “Tommy and the Jerk,” which appeared in the obscure and defunct Twisted Tongue magazine back in April 2010. I have a 14-word untitled story online at Nanoism published July 19, 2019. It’s sad. And a sad 10-word untitled story that appeared online in Dime Show Review in May 2018. “Last Meal” was inspired by Cornell Woolrich’s, “Cigarette.” That story originally appeared in the January 11, 1936 issue of Detective Fiction Weekly. “Cigarette” also appeared in the 2005 Woolrich anthology, Night & Fear. It’s a race against time story. The protagonist, Eddie, tries to locate someone named Adams before Adams lights up a poisoned cigarette. Woolrich is a master at creating tension. I wrote “Last Meal” while vacationing in Singer Island, Florida. I sat outside on a 6th floor balcony, overlooking the pool and ocean, distracted by the poolside sights and smells coming from the grill. It took several days to write but somehow I finished it. JHR: On the subjects of “finished” and “cooking, you’re starting to look like an over-filleted mignon, Bruce. So the Angels of Mercy—otherwise known as the Story and Grit medical team are gonna stitch you back together—then dump you in The Gutter so you can go about your miscreant business. Oh! And since you didn’t answer my question about throwing spaghetti against the wall? Take that! A delightful 7th stab. Thanks y’all for joining the show. And thanks Mick Rose for hosting us. Photo: Crime Fiction Writer & Editor Jesse Rawlins Addicted to tawdry tales that sometimes make her blush, Jesse typically writes crime, mysteries, and humor. You’ll usually find her stories on the wrong side of the tracks, including flash-zine Shotgun Honey, The Rye Whiskey Review, and Punk Noir Magazine. She dazedly accepted the online publishing torch for 10-year-old Crime, Pulp & Humor mag the Flash Fiction Offensive in February 2019. And her murderous band of writing cohorts keep Jesse on her “heels.” Wanna say “Hello?” You can visit Jess on Facebook: www.facebook.com/jesse.rawlins.583 Photo: Crime Writer Chris McGinley Please, step right up, folks. Unlike Vegas, what happens at Center Stage with your host Mick Rose doesn't stay here at Center Stage. Nope, we share these performances all over Social Media. And today we're casting our eyes once again on the grit-filled crime fiction collection HARDBOILED from Dead Guns Press, co-edited by M. Leon Smith and John L. Thompson. The challenges backwoods law enforcement officer Curley Knott faces in "River of Nine Dragons" prove difficult. And for author Chris McGinley, answering questions from crime writer Jesse "Heels" Rawlins while knowing full well she'll be stabbing him with an Italian-made stiletto's no simple feat either. So rather than postpone the inevitable, time for me to scoot upstairs to my balcony seat and pour myself some good Kentucky bourbon. Anyone interested in grabbing their own copy of HARDBOILED can find this gem by clicking the Magic Box below the tantalizing cover. JHR: Hi Chris. Welcome to 6 Stabs. You live and do your writing in Eastern Kentucky, USA. The city of Lexington to be exact. Roughly 320,000 people—just like Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Cincinnati, Ohio. Mention Lexington to most people and immediately they think of horses and the festive Kentucky Derby. But you typically set your fictional crime tales in backwoods Kentucky places: dark Appalachian mountains, where nearly everyone owns guns. Places where “outsiders” are sometimes not welcome. Men are often violent. Illegal drug use common. Some criminal characters live in single-wide mobile trailers “that should have been abandoned.” Beach towels hanging from the windows instead of drapes or curtains. I’ve heard tales such as yours dubbed Kentucky noir—or Appalachian noir. How do you view your writing? Do you see yourself as adding to this tradition? CM: Hi, Jesse. Nice to be here. “Noir” is such a slippery term nowadays. In recent years, it seems to have broadened to include all sorts of elements I would never have considered “noir” in the 30's and 40s sense. And yet, I'm not averse to its use, nor do I reject it as a means to describe my writing specifically. Yes, there are dark elements in all of my stories, absolutely. But as for the people in my stories, I write about crime, so disreputable types appear all over the place—hardly the typical folk of the region—who are genuine, warm, and intelligent. That must be borne in mind: The elements in my work are those of genre fiction, not real life. Eeriness is also a big goal in what I try to achieve. If I can create a strange mood, something mysterious or unnerving, then I feel I’m on my way to writing a piece that could be successful. Though the term “noir” might be limiting for a writer who seeks to publish “literary” fiction, I feel it suits my work pretty well. I also like to think that extant in the writing are other genre elements, like those of the thriller or even the horror story. If these sensibilities dovetail with what’s considered “noir,” and I think they do, than yes, the writing’s “noir.” JHR: You drew attention to the “real-life” folks who dwell in regions where some of your backwoods stories are set. Some fiction writers set their tales in actual cities and places. Others create “imaginary” cities and towns. While lots of writers—myself included—use a mix of both. Without doing a bit of research, fiction readers can’t discern what’s “fact” and what’s “fiction” in terms of geography and setting. Your stories “Hellbenders”; “With Hair Blacker than Coal”; and “River of Nine Dragons”—which appears in HARDBOILED—strike me as good examples. “Hellbenders” launches with a gruesome murder investigation in the heights of Black Owl Mountain. In the other two tales, we follow the investigations of Burley County sheriff Curley Knott—a Vietnam war veteran, whose combat experiences in the Mekong Delta linger. One of Curley’s manhunts takes him to Red Loon Mountain. Far as I can tell, Burley County, Black Owl Mountain and Red Loon Mountain don’t exist. But in the mid-1990’s I did a fair amount of traveling through the Appalachian Mountain range: including parts of Georgia, Tennessee, West Virginia and Virginia—where I witnessed living conditions that mirror some descriptions in your stories. One of my Kentucky excursions included a canoe trip at Richmond’s historic Kentucky River Lock and Dam, roughly sixteen miles southeast of Lexington, near Fort Boonesborough State Park. Most of the decrepit mobile trailers were adjoined by mountains of trash—that towered over their homes. Led me to wonder if some of these poor folks had electricity or running water. I made this five-mile river trek the week of Thanksgiving: all the trees bare of leaves. But the trees proved far from bare—black, green, and white garbage bags … and trash like fast food wrappers—all clinging to and fluttering from their otherwise naked branches. And I’ve never seen more spent shotgun shell casings, which littered those river banks, in my entire life. So three-part question, Chris. Have you spent time in Appalachian regions similar to where your stories are sometimes set? Do you get the sense that living conditions have improved in the past twenty or thirty years? And do you use fictional names for your settings as a conscious attempt to avoid creating the appearance of “stereotypes?” CM: I’ve traveled all around central Appalachia over the years, especially eastern Kentucky, West Virginia and eastern Tennessee. In fact, there are also rural areas just outside of Lexington that are similar in many ways to Appalachia proper. But as for conditions in the mountains, Jesse, some areas have suffered while others have remained economically constant, or even improved—just like many other regions in the USA. It’s true that the decline of coal over the last several decades has affected the economic heath of the eastern Kentucky region that I write about. But the whole story is so much bigger than coal alone, and far too daunting to discuss here. Sadly, in popular depictions of Appalachia—in Hollywood and TV productions, for example—people are first and foremost portrayed as poor and unintelligent. There are, of course, many reasons for this: not the least of which is a romantic mythos about the region itself, and simple ignorance as well. Yet it’s important to remember that such representation are skewed in several respects. For anyone seeking to learn about the Appalachian economy, and about Appalachia generally, the Appalachian Regional Commission’s easy-to-access publications, and Elizabeth Catte’s fine book, What You are Getting Wrong About Appalachia, are good starting points. As for place names, all of mine are fictional. Fictional places give authors a freedom to invent material without worrying about accuracy: Is that mountain really east of the house? How long would it take to drive from point X to point Y in that particular county? Is that old convenience store still on that same road? So, in my stories place names reflect the kinds of names one will find in the region, but they’re all 100% imaginary. Much of my interest in setting stories in Appalachia has to do with geography. Because I try to create an eerie atmosphere in my work, the wooded hills of the region nicely suit my aims. Appalachia is a place of intense natural beauty. But in any atmosphere where locations are remote and sparsely populated, a writer can create a sense of foreboding or fear—even within a place of great natural beauty. Obviously, there’s a long history of American writers and their engagement with the woods, or with what was once known as “primeval nature” in university literature courses. So, my approach is nothing new, though I hope that I add a new twist to the tradition in some way. JHR: You also teach middle school children. And I often see on Facebook you keep these kids engaged with vital projects, including growing vegetables. Given the violence in your stories, do you tend to keep your “Writing Life” segregated? Any of the school administrators—or parents of your students—ever express concerns? CM: The sixth graders I teach are pretty oblivious to the fact that I write stories at all. If it does come up, I always say that the stories I write are geared to adults, and they seem to understand that. On the other hand, a colleague recently taught a unit in creative writing for eighth graders during which the students read one of my flash stories, “The Haint.” I came into her classes and did a tutorial on story arcs, characters, endings, and on the elements of short fiction generally. We talked about my story and how it operated. There’s violence and profane language in that one, and yet the session reminded me of some of the more successful talks I conducted when I taught English and film at the University of Kentucky—completely professional and serious. Happily, parents and administrators are incredibly supportive of my writing, Jesse. They’re forever asking about my forthcoming book of stories, and about when they can purchase it. Not too long ago I attended a writers conference in Milwaukee for which the school supported me. The principal noted, “You're writing informs your teaching,” and indeed it does. JHR: In stories like “The Haint”—which appears in online flash-zine Shotgun Honey, and is free for folks to read—we certainly feel that eerie quality you alluded to. Some mention “local folklore” … creepy tales first murmured in the days of yore—even before Kentucky became the fifteenth American state in 1792. Your approach reminds me of early American writer Washington Irving, and his well known stories “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” These tales were published in 1819 and 1820, less than thirty years after Kentucky’s statehood. Irving drew from Dutch and German folklore—even though Van Winkle’s set in New York’s Catskill mountains, and Ichabod Crane’s Sleepy Hollow takes place in rural colonial Connecticut. Do you turn to “actual” Kentucky folklore when you pen your stories, Chris? Or do you rather use the traditional idea of “folklore” to give your tales a spooky feel? CM: The folklorish elements in my stories are really a synthesis of components found in old American writers like Irving, Hawthorne, Cooper and Charles Brockden Brown. I mix these in with what I know of rural folklore the world over, including Appalachia. Indeed, it’s hard to separate the origins for many of these myths and stories. Even old Gothic tales like those of Poe and Irving can be traced back to earlier, European traditions, as you noted, Jesse. Though my style is obviously modern, I get a good deal of inspiration from stories like Irving’s “The Adventures of the German Student,” Hawthorne's “Rappacini's Daughter,” and Poe's “Imp of the Perverse,” among others. Sometimes there’s a real-life mountain-type character, like a granny woman or an archetypal midwife, who gets tied into a story with a folklore element. Or I might use an animal, like a hawk or a snake, to create an eerie mood or a scary moment. JHR: You have strong passions for film, food, books, and architecture to name a few. So what lured you into the writing life, Chris? And when did the desire to see your work published first hit you? CM: I came to fiction writing late in life, at about age 50, so I’ve only been at it a few years. I produced some scholarly publications way back in graduate school, and I wrote some movie reviews for a local newspaper as well. Though none of it was noteworthy, really. But a few years ago, I read a piece of flash fiction on a friend’s advice, and I said to myself, “Wow, I could do that.” I did, and online magazine the Flash Fiction Offensive accepted the piece. I felt a little thrill and produced a few more. From there I moved to longer fiction and into forums like Tough, Switchblade, Mystery Weekly, Pulp Modern, and a forthcoming story in Mystery Tribune. I’ve written a 70,000 word police procedural about cops in the late 70s—a case involving a nun’s convent and a killer who’s taking out pimps. If anyone is interested in this piece, please contact me. The 70s are suddenly topical again! This whole writing thing just snowballed. A book of my Appalachian stories was accepted for publication, and I'm presently working on a novel that features Sheriff Curley Knott. JHR: You’ve withstood this stabbing impressively well. But before you get dizzy from too much blood loss, what can you share with readers about your forthcoming debut book. I imagine we may bump into Sheriff Curley Knott out in the mountains. But I’ve also read your story, “Anka” at Story and Grit: an adventurous tale featuring an Inupiak eskimeaux woman the locals in her village call Anna Reed. So will we find more stories like hers that aren’t set in Appalachia? CM: Shotgun Honey, an imprint and partner of Down & Out Books, is set to publish a collection of my stories called COAL BLACK in December. The book contains about ten pieces, all set in Appalachia—but across different time periods. Two stories include Vietnam Veteran and expert tracker Sheriff Curley Knott. The rest involve a host of miscreants and losers, flawed lawmen and forlorn types generally—along with noble types, too, though they have a tough time. Several feature female characters, both law enforcement types and criminals. Others showcase animals and spirits based on the region’s topography and folklore. Which of these creatures are real might be tough to tell, however. JHR: I gotta tell ya, Chris. The way your tattered skin's flapping like dying fish gasping for oxygen—while spewing blood like a leaky lawn sprinkler—I can't tell if you're still human or a creature-feature either. So time to turn you over to our Story and Grit Good Hands medical staff, who flew in from Oklahoma to join us once again. Meanwhile, I'll raise a glass and three cheers to Mick Rose for hosting us! Stay safe, y'all. Addicted to tawdry tales that sometimes make her blush, Jesse typically writes crime, mysteries, and humor. You’ll usually find her stories on the wrong side of the tracks, including flash-zine Shotgun Honey, The Rye Whiskey Review, and Punk Noir Magazine. She dazedly accepted the online publishing torch for 10-year-old Crime, Pulp & Humor mag the Flash Fiction Offensive in February 2019. And her murderous band of writing cohorts keep Jesse on her “heels.” Wanna say “Hello?” You can visit Jess on Facebook: www.facebook.com/jesse.rawlins.583 Photo: Crime Fiction Writer & Editor Jesse Rawlins Photo: Crime Writer Donald Glass Greetings, ladies and gents. Your delinquent crime writing host Mick Rose here. Pleased once again to pull back the stage curtains and fire up the spotlight—which blazes tonight on Pennsylvania writer Donald "Don" Glass. Mr. Glass is one 14 writers featured in the HARDBOILED crime collection, published by Dead Guns Press, and co-edited by M. Leon Smith and John L. Thompson. I snagged a copy of this collection for several reasons: I'd read stories by some of the featured writers; and I've enjoyed illustrations by John L. Thompson at illustrious Yellow Mama Webzine. Though I'm still delving HARDBOILED, I haven't found a bad apple in the bunch. Sure a lot of the characters are bad apples—but that's why we read hard-boiled crime fiction, yeah? One of the tastiest apples in this bunch ain't a Red Delicious or a Granny Smith. It's Don's kidnapping tale, "Sibling Rivalry." The suspense in this hard-edged thriller kicks all kinds of ass. While crime writer Jesse "Heels" Rawlins normally writes interviews for Southern Crime mag Story and Grit, that butt-kicking trailer trash noir saloon is on a well-deserved Holiday. So once again heavy-duty plastic sheathing's now carpeting my hardwood floors. And soon as I grab a balcony seat—far from the pending blood splatter—Ms. Rawlins will skewer Mr. Glass ... presumably for your entertainment pleasure. But more likely cuz she gets off on torturing writers. You may wanna grab some pizza quick. Or you could wind up with extra sauce. Interested in grabbing your own copy of HARDBOILED? That's easier than pizza pie: just click the magic button below the rockin' book cover. JHR: Welcome to 6 Stabs, Don. You live and write in Altoona, Pennsylvania—and you’ve seen your crime stories published in online mags like Shotgun Honey, Flash Fiction Offensive and England’s hard-hitting Close To The Bone. When did you first start writing? What drew you to penning crime tales? And when and where did your first story get published? DG: I first started sometime in the 90’s. I can’t type for shit and still only use 2 fingers. But along came the computer and modern word processor, making it a lot easier. I’ve mostly read horror. But horror stories are harder to find online. Crime fiction was exploding and easily available online. I started reading more of it. I discovered I loved the genre, the down to earth feel and realness of it. So when I decided to put some words on paper it became an obvious choice. My first published piece was “Sucker for a Redhead” in the Flash Fiction Offensive over at Out of the Gutter Online. JHR: Some of your stories like “Sucker for a Redhead,” “Salvation” (Shotgun Honey), and “Crossed” (Yellow Mama Webzine) involve people with troubled pasts suddenly making radical choices in hopes of “trying to make things right.” What spurs you to write these types of stories, Don? DG: I’ve never set out to write to write that type of story it just happens. I rarely plot anything. When I get an idea I just fly with it. At times that’s left me with gaping holes that can’t be filled and I have to scrap it. I have an entire folder filled with files like that. I’ve always been a fan of the underdog and believe that every person, no matter how bad they may be, is capable of doing at least one decent thing. Although in my stories usually it’s done for self preservation, as a means to and end, or they are forced into it. JHR: Some crime writers weave humor into their stories. The stories I’ve read by you tend to focus on the darker side of life. Have you written any humorous stories, Don—and if not why? DG: It’s easier to write about the dark things in life than the humorous for me. I don’t know why. Maybe it's a personality defect. Don’t get me wrong I’m a fucking funny guy and see humor all around me but I can’t seem to blend it into crime fiction. JHR: The Author’s Bio you’ve used throughout the years when your stories get published at Shotgun Honey always notes that you’re working “on a lot of stuff.” What kinds of stuff are you usually working on? Or is this a case of if you told us you’d have to kill us? DG: I always have three or four things started at different stages. I’m also a procrastinator and that doesn’t help. Currently I’m working on one about two stoners that time travel to make some easy cash to finance their demo tape. In time travel there's always something that gets messed up. It’s completely outside the genre I usually write in, and will probably never see the light of day. But it was fun doing something completely different. JHR: Have you ventured into writing novellas or novels, Don? Or do you stick to shorter tales? If you stick to shorts what keeps you writing them—even if some aren’t likely to get published? DG: I’ve always liked short stories and flash fiction, both reading and writing them. I have a short attention span and that format suits me better. I have a few ideas for some longer pieces, but haven’t gotten around to them. Working ten and twelve hour days leaves little time for anything else. As far as getting published that’s just a byproduct. When I get something in my head that I think is interesting I just run with it. JHR: Like your hard-edged tale, “Crossed" your HARDBOILED anthology story, “Sibling Rivalry” tosses us some curve balls and keeps us in suspense. We can never get “comfortable” about where these tales will take us. As the name suggests “Sibling Rivalry” involves a brother and a sister: both with dreams and ambitious … but in dramatically different ways. The brother you created also happens to be a “writer.” What led you to make this character a “writer?” And did this story take shape fairly easy for you? Or present a bit of a struggle? DG: That one was interesting to write. It started out as a straight forward kidnapping tale with a twist at the end. I shelved it for about a year because I thought it was too short. Then I got the idea to write a story about someone who journals their crimes. That story evolved into one about a writer who uses his own crimes in his stories. I know that’s been done but I gave it a shot anyway. I didn’t work out so I decided to combine the two and it led to the additional twist at the end. Of course it also left me with multiple endings that took a while to work out. JHR: Well, Don, I love how the story turned out. But since you're bleeding copiously from multiple wounds and I'd hate to see you suffer a gruesome ending, now's a good time to turn you over to the Story and Grit medics who flew in from Oklahoma just to stitch you up. And I wanna grab some pizza while it's still hot. Anybody wanna help me clean up this mess after I'm done gorging? Sigh. Guess not. Cheers ya'll. And thanks for hosting us Mick Rose! Addicted to tawdry tales that sometimes make her blush, Jesse typically writes crime, mysteries, and humor. You’ll usually find her stories on the wrong side of the tracks, including flash-zine Shotgun Honey, The Rye Whiskey Review, and Punk Noir Magazine. She dazedly accepted the online publishing torch for 10-year-old Crime, Pulp & Humor mag the Flash Fiction Offensive in February 2019. And her murderous band of writing cohorts keep Jesse on her “heels.” Wanna say “Hello?” You can visit Jess on Facebook: www.facebook.com/jesse.rawlins.583 Photo: Crime Writer & Editor Jesse Rawlins |
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