That’s right. I’ve taken a deep, delicious dive into the dark side, thanks to a terrific invitation last year from editors James Grady and Keir Graff to contribute a short story to MONTANA NOIR, part of Akashic Books’ noir series.
I hadn’t written a short story in years, mainly because they scare the crap out of me. So little space. So much precision required. So many masters of the form. (Alice Munro, anyone?)
Plus, I wasn’t really sure what noir was, beyond “I know it when I see it” – not really helpful when confronting the blank screen. But James and Keir are wonderfully supportive editors, and with their guidance, I had a blast getting in touch with my inner creep.
The book comes out in August. I remain gobsmacked to be in the company of my fellow contributors. Just look at this list: David Abrams, Janet Skeslien Charles, Debra Magpie Earling, Jamie Ford, James Grady, Keir Graff, Eric Heidle, Walter Kirn, Sidner Larson, Carrie La Seur, Thomas McGuane, Caroline Patterson, Yvonne Seng. Holy hell, right?
If you’re in Montana this fall, check out our book tour. The darkness. It’s coming.
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