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Monday, March 1, 2021

Paul D. Marks: R.I.P.

Such sad news. Paul D. Marks, award winning author, dog rescuer, walker, historian, lover of music, photographer, friend, and all around good guy, passed away. I just saw the news on Josh Pachter's Facebook page, so I don't have any details. I knew Paul had cancer, but we all thought he'd beat it and continue his long walks with the dogs, writing great stories and novels, illuminating the history and culture of Los Angeles, writing witty comments, and sharing his life with Amy and the dogs and cats. I will miss chatting with Paul at mystery conventions, through email, and online. He was always so supportive of everything mystery, thriller, and suspense--writers and events. My heart and sympathy go out to Amy and the family. He was way too young.

Paul D. Marks was the author of the Shamus Award-Winning mystery-thriller White Heat. His short story “Ghosts of Bunker Hill” was voted #1 in the 2016 Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Readers Award. And “Fade-Out on Bunker Hill” came in second in the 2020 Ellery Queen Readers Poll. “Windward” was selected for the Best American Mystery Stories of 2018, and won the 2018 Macavity Award for Best Short Story. Paul's latest book, The Blues Don't Care, was published in June 2020.

Paul wrote four novels, co-edited two anthologies and written countless short stories, including many award winners and nominees. His short fiction has been published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Akashic’s Noir series (St. Louis), Alfred Hitchcock Mystery MagazineHardboiled, Switchblade, Mystery Weekly and many others. He served on the boards of the Los Angeles chapters of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. 

Though Paul wrote about other places, he considered himself an L.A. writer. He lived in the Los Angeles area with his wife, dogs, and cats.

He will be sorely missed.

Listen to the Music: Paul D. Marks guest Post on Mystery Fanfare (2016)

Q&A with Paul D. Marks: Mystery Playground, August 3, 2020

13 comments:

  1. This is the worst news. Paul was a fabulous person. We will all miss him so much.

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  2. We exchanged emails often, and Paul was always kind, positive, and so supportive of writers. He was a wealth of information, offering comments and suggestions, and gave so much of himself. He loved his wife Amy, his dogs and, of course, Los Angeles. He will be missed by many.

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  3. A tender and humorous man with a voice so enriching and a heart so huge.

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  4. I am so sad to hear this. Paul and I emailed a lot since I left the LA area. He was an interesting and generous with his knowledge of the writing field. I will miss him so much.

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  5. Paul and I were in contact in the last weeks of his life, and for this I am grateful. He spoke of Amy so lovingly. Did a man ever love his wife more purely? I don't know of one. Paul was a devoted husband, a fine writer and a good friend. There is a hole in my heart now that he's gone.

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  6. Janet, would you consider a Macavity Paul D. Marks Short Story or Noir award to keep his memory alive?

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  7. Rochelle, that's a wonderful idea.. Maybe renaming the Short Story award..He will be missed. Such a wonderful guy.

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  8. I will miss him terribly.

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  9. I was so sad to hear this. Paul was one of the good guys.

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