All I ask is a Theme and a Deadline. Guest post by Susan Daly

What moves short story writers to get creative? To get us past staring out the window for inspiration?

After years of writing short crime fiction and finding my way into a surprising—to me—number of anthologies, I like to think I’ve nailed down what gets me kickstarted.

A theme and a deadline.

Fortunately, writer and publisher Judy Penz Sheluk of Superior Shores Press has been feeding this habit now through four anthologies. 

Judy’s good at themes. Moonlight & Misadventure, Heartbreaks & Half Truths, Best Laid Plans... You get the idea. 

Last fall, she tossed out her latest challenge—Larceny & Last Chances—along with a deadline, mid-February. Tons of time, as viewed from the halcyon days of November.

Larceny? Piece of cake. Someone steals something. Add a few lost and found chances. The writer’s mind kicks in.

Tick tick tick...

Late January. I’m still staring out the window at bare branches. Not a story in sight. Lots of crumpled ideas lying around. 

What happened to “all I need is a theme and a deadline”?

I’m sorry Judy but—

No. Don’t give up yet. This is about last chances, right? Well, that’s what I need. A Hail Mary pass. A last moment shot on goal.

Time to dip into my stash of old half-done tales. This one? No. This one? Not hardly. 

Okay, what about this one? A story conceived for a really off-beat submission call. Erotic mystery tales involving classical orchestra instruments. Yes, really. 

I may know nothing about classical instruments, but I have other talents from my past. Writing talents, I mean. In the long run, however, I never finished it. Just as well, as it turned out, because the project was eventually cancelled.

The abandoned story, in the face of February’s looming deadline, has it all: fully plotted outline, engaging opening scenes, characters just begging to be resurrected.  Larceny involving a valuable viola. A last chance to recover it. Sex. A beguiling tattoo.

Wait....back up there. Judy had made it clear. No overt sex. (Also, no werewolves.)

With barely a week left to submit, my storyteller’s mind finally shifts into gear. The characters come back to life, the opening scenes flow into the rest of the story, the sex scenes remain unwritten. My Hail Mary pass has worked.

I sit back in astonishment at how months of not writing has eventually turned into a week of pure production.

Perhaps, after all, I need more than the Theme and the Deadline. I need a cache of old stories to dig out, dust off and clean up. And not just a deadline, but a looming deadline staring me down. 

Judy accepted my story, ‘Hail Mary Blues,’ for the anthology. 

I’m pleased with it too. No werewolves. No sex.  

But I left in the beguiling tattoo. 

***

 
About the book: Larceny & Last Chances: Sometimes it’s about doing the right thing. Sometimes it’s about getting even. Sometimes it’s about taking what you think you deserve. And sometimes, it’s your last, best, hope. Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk and featuring stories by Christina Boufis, John Bukowski, Brenda Chapman, Susan Daly, Wil A. Emerson, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes, Molly Wills Fraser, Gina X. Grant, Karen Grose, Wendy Harrison, Julie Hastrup, Larry M. Keeton, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Gregory Meece, Cate Moyle, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Kevin R. Tipple, and Robert Weibezahl.
 
About Susan Daly: Susan Daly writes short crime fiction as her way of crusading for social justice. Her stories have appeared in a surprising number of mystery anthologies, and ‘A Death at the Parsonage’ won the Arthur Ellis Award for best short story from Crime Writers of Canada.  She lives in Toronto and hangs out with Sisters in Crime, Crime Writers of Canada, and other known criminal types. Find Susan at www.susandaly.com.
 
About the editor: Judy Penz Sheluk is a former journalist and magazine editor and the bestselling author of two mystery series, several short stories, and two books on publishing. She is also the publisher and editor of four Superior Shores Anthologies. Find out more at www.judypenzsheluk.com.
 
 

Inspired by actual events… Guest post by Gina X. Grant

It happened to a friend of a friend… 

Ripped from the headlines…

Inspired by actual events…

Back in 2020, my niece excitedly told me, “You’ll never guess what happened to a friend of Justin’s.”

“Do tell,” I said, no idea who Justin was, but always up for a good story.

“Well, he was working out at the gym, and…”

I knew as soon as I heard the story, I knew it was too good not to share with other mystery lovers. So, first chance I got, I turned it into a story. Of course, I added a love interest and a grumpy cop, taking the standard archetypes and turning them on their anthropomorphized heads. If real life failed to provide these things, then I’d just have to do myself. I am a fiction author; I make sh** up!

The result is the funny and heartwarming ‘The Case of the Pilfered Parka,’ one of the selections of 22 terrific short stories included in the anthology, Larceny and Last Chances. 

I’ve met writers who were loath to change any elements of their stories and rejected suggestions which would have made for better storytelling because they only wanted to report on actual events. There’s definitely a place for truth in writing, but it’s not—by definition—in fiction. 

Me? I don’t feel constrained by actual events, only inspired by them. 

Storytelling isn’t simply about reporting events chronologically. It’s also about delving deeper into human psychology, exploring emotions, expressing worldviews, and making readers think, feel, and question. Now, not every story in Larceny and Last Chancesincludes all of these elements, but taken as a whole, this anthology really delivers.

To read ‘The Case of the Pilfered Parka,’ pre-order your copy of Larceny and Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense.

About Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense

Publication date: June 18, 2024

Sometimes it’s about doing the right thing. Sometimes it’s about getting even. Sometimes it’s about taking what you think you deserve. And sometimes, it’s your last, best, hope. Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk and featuring stories by Christina Boufis, John Bukowski, Brenda Chapman, Susan Daly, Wil A. Emerson, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes, Molly Wills Fraser, Gina X. Grant, Karen Grose, Wendy Harrison, Julie Hastrup, Larry M. Keeton, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Gregory Meece, Cate Moyle, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Kevin R. Tipple, and Robert Weibezahl. 

Find it at: www.books2read.com/larceny

***

About Gina X Grant: Gina X. Grant writes witty fiction both super and natural. Storm Grant writes engaging gay fiction, more light than dark. Gina/Storm lives just north of Toronto, Canada. Find her at www.ginaxgrant.com.


About the editor: Judy Penz Sheluk is a former journalist and magazine editor and the bestselling author of two mystery series, several short stories, and two books on publishing. She is also the publisher and editor of four Superior Shores Anthologies. Judy is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and Crime Writers of Canada, where she served as Chair. Find out more at www.judypenzsheluk.com. 

Out & About: Conferences vs. Conventions: Guest Post by Judy Penz Sheluk

I’m Canadian, born and raised in Toronto, which means most Americans I meet tease me about the way I pronounce “out and about,” insisting I say “oot and a-boot,” which, of course, is completely inaccurate! 
Anyway, it’s not as if I get out or about all that often. I’m a notorious homebody, happiest when tapping away at my computer, reading a book, or binging episodes of Yellowstone, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and so forth, my Golden Retriever Gibbs lying by my feet. But being an author means sometimes having to do, well, author-y things.

One author-y thing might be attending a conference or convention. I’m often asked by other authors (published and hopeful) to recommend “the best one.” Before I answer that, it’s important to note that while we tend to use conference/convention interchangeably, there are subtle differences. The primary purpose of an industry-specific and, in the case of writing, usually genre-specific, conference is the exchange of information with an educational component, a venue where attendees can learn and better themselves professionally. For example, a writing conference might offer master classes, manuscript critiques, and live agent and/or publisher pitch sessions. Conferences are often held in the same city each year. One example would be Killer Nashville.

Most writing conventions, on the other hand, are billed as fan-based, meaning the primary objective is to introduce readers to authors and vice versa. Some conventions will include an educational component, such as a workshop, but these are typically held prior to the start of the convention so as not to interfere with scheduled programming. Some conventions, like Malice Domestic, are held in the same city each year, while others, like Bouchercon, are often held in a different city each year, with discounted or group sightseeing excursions offered to attendees. 

So, let’s get back to the original question. Which one is “best?” The answer is, it depends on you. What may be the perfect venue for an unpublished author looking for agent representation might not be the best fit for an author with multiple books under their belt. If you’re a debut author, you’ll want something that recognizes that accomplishment. My debut year, for example, was 2015, and I marked that milestone at Bouchercon Raleigh, where they had a lovely Debut Authors Breakfast.

There are other considerations as well:

Location: Do you want something close to home? Or would you prefer to combine business with pleasure and visit a place on your travel wish list, perhaps combining it with a family or solo vacation? 

Total Cost: Think registration fee, travel, travel insurance, hotel, meals. Registration fees are usually tiered, with early-bird pricing that escalates as you get closer to the event. 

Networking: Both conferences and conventions offer networking opportunities, though a smaller venue is generally more conducive to making one-on-one personal connections.

Your #1 Why: Pitching to an agent or publisher? Honing your craft? Mix and mingling with other authors, both published and aspiring? 

Type of Event: Are you interested in writing in general, or would you prefer an event that has a genre-specific focus (e.g., romance, mystery, sci-fi)? In my experience, there are far more that are focused. 

Additionally, genre-specific events will introduce you to like-minded individuals, providing an opportunity to network with readers and other authors, aspiring and published.

Virtual or Live: Many conventions now offer virtual options. The good news is the cost will be minimal (no travel-associated costs). The bad news is networking opportunities are minimal or non-existent. That said, virtual offerings are a way to dip your toe in the water to get a feel for the experience without diving into the deep end.

I’ve addressed each of these points, as well as other important considerations (like what to wear!), in my latest book, Finding YOUR Path to Publication: A Step-by-Step Guide. It’s the sort of book I wish I’d had when I was starting out, filled with easy-to-digest information on everything from publishing paths (and what to do to get there) to business basics, understanding royalties, contracts, and more. And the good news is, you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home to read it. 

About the book: The road to publishing is paved with good intentions…and horror stories of authors who had to learn the hard way. 

For the emerging author, the publishing world can be overwhelming. You’ve written the book, and you’re ready to share it with the world, but don’t know where to start. Traditional, independent press, hybrid, self-publishing, and online social platforms—all are valid publishing paths. The question is, which one is right for you? 

Finding Your Path to Publication is an introduction to an industry that remains a mystery to those on the outside. Learn how each publishing option works, what to expect from the process start to finish, how to identify red flags, and avoid common pitfalls. With statistics, examples, and helpful resources compiled by an industry insider who’s been down a few of these paths, this is your roadmap to decide which path you’d like to explore, and where to begin your author journey. 
 
Available in trade paperback, large print, hardcover, and e-book. Universal buy link: https://books2read.com/FindingYourPathtoPublication

***

A former journalist and magazine editor, Judy Penz Sheluk is the bestselling author of two mystery series: The Glass Dolphin Mysteries and Marketville Mysteries, both of which have been published in multiple languages. Her short crime fiction appears in several collections, including the Superior Shores Anthologies, which she also edited. Judy is a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association, Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and Crime Writers of Canada, where she served on the Board of Directors for five years, the final two as Chair. She lives in Northern Ontario. Find her at www.judypenzsheluk.com.

 

The Marketville Mysteries, Three Years Later: Guest Post by Judy Penz Sheluk

Judy Penz Sheluk: The Marketville Mysteries, Three Years Later

The Winter 2021 edition of Mystery Readers Journal (Volume 37, No. 4) featured Cold Case Mysteries, and I was honored to have my article on writing cold case cozies included. At the time, I had published three books in my Marketville Mystery series: Skeletons in the Attic (#1), Past & Present (#2) and A Fool’s Journey (#3), the latter released in August 2019. As much as the series was well received, and as much as I loved my kickass amateur sleuth turned professional investigator Calamity (Callie) Barnstable—and her partners in solving cold cases at Past & Present Investigations (Chantelle Marchand, genealogist, Shirley Harrington, reference librarian and Misty Rivers, self-proclaimed psychic)—I’ll admit I didn’t have much in the way of an idea for book #4 beyond a title: Before There Were Skeletons.

I blame part of my lack of inspiration on Covid lockdowns in 2020—no one was more surprised than me to discover I needed the stimulation of the world outside of my office—and a fall on the ice and subsequent concussion in 2021. 

Fast forward to January 2022. I’m back to doing New York Times crosswords and getting restless. And then I remembered Callie and Before There Were Skeletons. 

The realization that it would be three-plus years since the last book in the series was the first thing I needed to address. In Skeletons in the Attic, first published August 2016, Callie was thirty-six, birthday May 1, 1980. Before There Were Skeletons would be set in February 2022. Aging her in place would bring her to forty-two, on the cusp of forty-three. I also had to accept that her former partners may have moved on in three years, and in truth, I wanted them to. 

I sent Chantelle back to her ex (formerly known as Lance the Loser), the couple now living in Ottawa, had Shirley retire to spend winters in Florida (a true Canadian snowbird) and Misty Rivers married and setting down roots in British Columbia. The latter was especially fun because toward the end of book #3, A Fool’s Journey, Misty had just been set up on a blind date.

Of course, Callie can’t go about solving cases without someone to do some of the more tedious tasks, like digging through library newspaper archives, and so I invented Denim Hopkins, a twenty-four-year-old tech savvy waitress. Denim doesn’t have any formal sleuthing experience, but she’s keen to learn and she’s on a mission to find a missing person of her own—a deadbeat ex-boyfriend that drained their joint bank account, let the rent check bounce, and left her like a thief in the night. With her former best girlfriend, no less.

Early readers have told me that Denim adds a fresh new dimension to the series, and as an author, it gives me the added benefit of explaining an investigative process that might otherwise seem contrived. I’ve also enjoyed writing her character enough to consider expanding her role in book #5, whenever that might be. 

 

About the Book

The last time anyone saw Veronica Goodman was the night of February 14, 1995, the only clue to her disappearance a silver heart-shaped pendant, found in the parking lot behind the bar where she worked. Twenty-seven years later, Veronica’s daughter, Kate, just a year old when her mother vanished, hires Past & Present Investigations to find out what happened that fateful night. 

Calamity (Callie) Barnstable is drawn to the case, the similarities to her own mother’s disappearance on Valentine’s Day 1986 hauntingly familiar. A disappearance she thought she’d come to terms with. Until Veronica’s case, and five high school yearbooks, take her back in time…a time before there were skeletons.

 

Before There Were Skeletons will release on October 21 and is currently available for pre-order at all the usual suspects. Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/u/mqXVze.

The e-book version is promotionally priced at $2.99 until October, when the price will increase to $4.99 US/$5.99 CAD. Trade paperback and large print versions will also be available for pre-order by October 1.

 

***

A former journalist and magazine editor, Judy Penz Sheluk is the bestselling author of two mystery series: The Glass Dolphin Mysteries and the Marketville Mysteries. Her short crime fiction appears in several collections, including the Superior Shores Anthologies, which she also edited. 

Judy is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and Crime Writers of Canada, where she served as Chair on the Board of Directors. She lives in Northern Ontario on the shores of Lake Superior. Find her at judypenzsheluk.com.

 

 

WRITING HISTORICAL FICTION: Guest Post by Jeanne DuBois

JEANNE DuBOIS:

Writing Historical Fiction

Reading historical fiction should be like stepping into a time machine. So writing it usually requires some research. The more the better, seems to be my mantra. I tend to get a little carried away. I love going back in time.

First stop, TimesMachine, the New York Times digital archive of its newspaper covering over one hundred fifty years. Next, Chronicling America, a searchable collection of historic digitized American newspapers organized by the Library of Congress. Then, interminable online searches for railroad route maps, women’s fashion, WWI binoculars, children’s toys, etc. For the story that would become ‘Moonset,’ I go one step further. I drive from Florida to Atlantic City so I can read the local newspapers from July, 1921, archived at the Atlantic City Free Public Library. My sister lives less than an hour away, so I’m not as crazy as I sound.

While waiting for my turn on the microfiche reader, I discover Atlantic City, The World’s Play-Ground, by James Bewkes, “dedicated to the millions who visit Atlantic City at all times of the year to find rest, recreation, and enjoyment.” The 1922 travel book, illustrated with beautiful colored sketches, is both a font of information—“More than 100,000 bathers disport in the ocean daily during the summer season. There are 1,000 hotels.”—and a delight.

Scrolling through the newspaper archive, advertisements for the imposing Chalfonte-Haddon Hall hotels, which I remember from the second page of Bewkes’ book, catch my eye. The “two most delightful of Atlantic City’s famous hotels,” offer “sunny rooms, single or en suite. Hot and cold salt sea water in every room; salt sea air at every window.” My main character, Loretta Bremer, a widow with two children, is definitely going to stay at Haddon Hall, ready to take dictation at a law conference being held there, until death intervenes.

I drive straight from the public library to the Boardwalk. Haddon Hall is now Resorts Casino. The Chalfonte is a parking lot.

The Boardwalk is populated this gray afternoon by a few lackluster panhandlers. I give them each a couple dollars and they soon fade away. The beach is deserted. I close my eyes and try to conjure up the noise of a crowd. I hear only the relentless roar of the surf and some strident laughing gulls.

I huddle inside my jacket as I walk on the beach. The bathhouses are long gone, as are the first aid tents, and the pony rides. Dune grasses wave in their place, planted this century to protect the beach from erosion. I collect some shells and quartz pebbles on my way back to the car. It will be dark soon. Before leaving, I snap some photos of the casino’s grand edifice. Details of the old Haddon Hall, hiding behind blue and white paint, call out to me. Is that a face I see pressed against the glass there? No, I tell myself, it’s only a reflection of the moon, and quickly turn away. My sister is waiting.

***

Jeanne DuBois lives in Florida with two retired greyhounds and writes short mystery fiction. ‘Moonset,’ set in 1921 Atlantic City, is her second published historical mystery and appears in Moonlight & Misadventure: 20 Stories of Mystery & Suspense. Her first, ‘Murder at the Alcazar,’ set in 1906 St. Augustine, is available at Mysterical-e. Find her at jeanne-dubois.com

***

About Moonlight & Misadventure: Whether it’s vintage Hollywood, the Florida everglades, the Atlantic City boardwalk, or a farmhouse in Western Canada, the twenty authors represented in this collection of mystery and suspense interpret the overarching theme of “moonlight and misadventure” in their own inimitable style where only one thing is assured: Waxing, waning, gibbous, or full, the moon is always there, illuminating things better left in the dark. Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk, available everywhere.

 

 

Selecting Stories for an Anthology: An Editor’s Point of View: Guest Post by Judy Penz Sheluk

Judy Penz Sheluk:
Selecting Stories for an Anthology: An Editor’s Point of View 

I’ve been on all sides of the anthology fence, as a story submitter, a publisher, editor and judge. I’ve felt the thrill of acceptance and the disappointment of rejection (as the intake coordinator for Passport to Murder, the Bouchercon Toronto anthology, I had the dubious distinction of sending a rejection letter to myself). I’m also an avid reader of short mystery fiction. Love it. And so, in October 2018, I sent out my very first callout under my recently formed Superior Shores Press imprint for The Best Laid Plans: 21 Stories of Mystery & Suspense, published June 18, 2019. Buoyed by the critical acclaim and commercial success of Plans, and convinced that this time around I’d be able to streamline the process somewhat, I sent another callout in October 2019, this time for Heartbreaks & Half-truths: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense, which releases on June 18, 2020. Now, with Plans, I’d received a total of 71 submissions, and I was expecting about the same number this go-round. Not so. In all, 105 submissions were received for Heartbreaks, representing authors from Argentina, Australia, France, Germany, Scotland, the UK, US, and Canada.

But, how does one make the cut from 105 to 22? The truth is, reading is subjective. I’ve yet to read an anthology where I’ve liked every story in the collection (my own anthologies excluded). The best you can do is even up your odds. Here are some questions to ask yourself before you submit:

Does it meet the theme? 
Most anthologies have an underlying theme. In this case, the theme was heartbreaks and half-truths. That’s pretty broad, and yet, some stories didn’t have so much of a hint of either. Bottom line: No matter how good a story is, if it doesn’t meet the theme, it won’t be accepted.

Does it meet the word count guidelines?
Some anthologies are very strict about word counts; one word over and you’re out. For Heartbreaks, I requested stories from 1,500 to 5,000 words, though this was “somewhat flexible,” meaning a few less or a few more words wouldn’t mean an automatic rejection. I did, however, draw the line at one submission of 7,800 words, which I didn’t take the time to read. Bottom line: There’s somewhat flexible and then there’s being an Olympic gymnast.

Does it meet the criteria? 
For Heartbreaks, the callout stated: Traditional, locked room, noir, historical and suspense will be considered; however, do not submit stories with overt sex, violence, or excessive bad language. And yup, you guessed it, I received some with all of that and more. Bottom line: Submit to a market that isn’t looking for a PG rating and give yourself a chance.

Did you format according to the publisher’s specifications? 
I requested: Times New Roman 12, double spaced, 1” margins, .5” indent (no tabs), no header or footer. Word .doc or .docx only. About 50% of authors paid attention to this (headers/footers being the one thing no one wanted to give up). Bottom line: Will you be rejected for submitting in Calibri 11, single-spaced, with headers and footers? Probably not, at least not if your story is good. But why not show the editor that you can read as well as write?

Don’t be last minute 
You don’t have to be first out of the gate. In fact, if you submit on day one, I’m pretty sure you’re sending me something out of your slush pile. That doesn’t mean sending it in on the last day, or in some cases, in the last hour. Because (and again, I can’t speak for other publishers/editors/judges), I’ve read each story as it came in, and I’ve already started my long list. Bottom line: No one wants a long list that’s, well, too long.

And now, a bit about Heartbreaks & Half-truths: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense, available in trade paperback and on Kindle (Kobo, Nook, Apple Books to follow at a later date).

Lovers and losers. 
Whether it’s 1950s Hollywood, a scientific experiment, or a yard sale in suburbia, the twenty-two authors represented in this collection of mystery and suspense interpret the overarching theme of “heartbreaks and half-truths” in their own inimitable style, where only one thing is certain: Behind every broken heart lies a half-truth. And behind every half-truth lies a secret.

Featuring stories by Sharon Hart Addy, Paula Gail Benson, James Blakey, Gustavo Bondoni, Susan Daly, Buzz Dixon, Rhonda Eikamp, Christine Eskilson, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Flora, John M. Floyd, J.A. Henderson, Blair Keetch, Steve Liskow, Edward Lodi, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Peggy Rothschild, Joseph S. Walker, James Lincoln Warren, Chris Wheatley and Robb T. White.

Judy Penz Sheluk (editor/author) is the bestselling author of two mystery series: the Glass Dolphin Mysteries and the Marketville Mysteries. Her short stories appear in several collections, including Live Free or Tri and The Best Laid Plans: 21 Stories of Mystery & Suspense, which she also edited. Judy is a member of Sisters in Crime National, Toronto, and Guppy Chapters, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, International Thriller Writers, South Simcoe Arts Council, and Crime Writers of Canada, where she serves as Chair on the Board of Directors. Release Date: June 18, Kindle and trade paperback. 
 

Returning to Marketville: A Fool's Journey - Guest post by Judy Penz Sheluk

Judy Penz Sheluk:
Returning to Marketville: A Fool’s Journey

It was spring 2015. I was sitting in the lobby of my lawyer’s office with my husband, Mike, waiting to update our wills. As the minutes ticked by into an hour—our lawyer had been delayed in court—I got to thinking, “what if I was here to inherit, and what if that inheritance came with strings attached, and what if…” I grabbed my pen and notebook from my purse and began writing the first chapter of Skeletons in the Attic while Mike flipped through back issues of Bicycling magazine. In fact, the opening scenes of the book are directly culled from my experience that afternoon. What I didn’t know then was that it would also be the beginning of my bestselling Marketville Mystery series. All I knew was that I had a 36-year-old protagonist, Calamity (Callie) Barnstable and that she’d inherited a house in Marketville from her late father under the proviso that she move into the house to find out who murdered her mother thirty years before. Because I’m a complete pantser, I let Callie, and her investigation, tell the story. It wasn’t until I got to The End that I knew I had to write book two.

Knowing I had to write book two and actually writing it turned out to be two different things. As I toyed with various plots and premises, my mother, Anneliese Penz, became progressively ill. I found myself mostly staring at a blank screen or driving to see her in Niagara Falls, a two-plus hour drive from my house. And then, on Sept. 21, 2016, a month after the release of Skeletons in the Attic, she passed away peacefully in her sleep. I take comfort in knowing it was the last book she was able to read, but more than that, she’d left behind a train case filled with until-then never seen by me “secrets.” In that case were, among other things, her immigration papers from England into Canada, a copy of her ticket on the TSS Canberra from Southampton, England to Quebec City, Que., in July 1952, and her passport.

Within days I began writing about Callie’s latest adventure: opening Past & Present Investigations to utilize the skills she’d acquired in Skeletons in the Attic. Her first client? A woman who wants to find out everything she can about her grandmother, Anneliese Prei, and how she came to a “bad end” in Toronto in 1956.

The premise for book 3 in the series was inspired by an article in my community newspaper, about a 23-year-old man who had left home fifteen years before to “find himself.” No one had seen or heard from him since. I couldn’t begin to imagine what the family might be going through. I began researching missing persons, including searching the Ontario Missing Adults website, http://www.missingadults.ca. Shocked and saddened by the statistics (in 2017, 78,000+ adults were reported to the RCMP as missing in Canada. And while the majority of cases were solved within a few days, far too many remained unsolved), I knew I had to have Callie search for a missing adult, and while a fictional case, I also know the research had to be spot on so as not to disrespect anyone who had been in a situation such as this. Thankfully, the founder/owner of Ontario’s Missing Adults, Lusia Dion, went above and beyond to help me, even going so far as to be a beta reader for A Fool’s Journey.

Will there be a book 4 Marketville? I’m still waiting for the next “sign,” but if past experience is any indicator, I’ll be ready when it comes. In the meantime, here’s a bit about A Fool’s Journey:

In March 2000, twenty-year old Brandon Colbeck left home to find himself on a self-proclaimed “fool’s journey.” No one—not friends or family—have seen or heard from him since, until a phone call from a man claiming to be Brandon brings everything back to the forefront. Calamity (Callie) Barnstable and her team at Past & Present Investigations have been hired to find out what happened to Brandon, and, if still alive, where he might be. As Callie follows a trail of buried secrets and decades-old deceptions only one thing is certain: whatever the outcome, there is no such thing as closure.  

A Fool’s Journey, book 3 in Judy’s Marketville Mystery series, was released on August 21 in trade paperback at all the usual suspects, and on Kindle. Amazon Barnes & Noble 

Judy Penz Sheluk is the Amazon international bestselling author of the Glass Dolphin Mystery and Marketville Mystery series. Her short stories can be found in several collections, including The Best Laid Plans: 21 Stories of Mystery & Suspense, which she also edited. Judy is also a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and Crime Writers of Canada, where she serves as Vice Chair on the Board of Directors. Find at judypenzsheluk.com.