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June 2026 Newsletter
In Florida, spring means love bugs! I saw this sign at a local restaurant.
A New Anthology —- Call For Submissions
Calling All Mystery Writers — This One’s for You
Our Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of Sisters in Crime has officially opened submissions for our second anthology, Passion, Palm Trees, and Payback. We’re seeking gripping crime stories set right here in Florida—1,500 to 5,000 words that capture the intrigue, atmosphere, and unmistakable edge of the Sunshine State.
To submit, authors must be members in good standing of Sisters in Crime Worldwide and a Florida Sisters in Crime chapter. The deadline is September 30th.
As Chairperson of the Anthology Committee, I’ll be managing our fully anonymous review process. Every story receives a Submission ID before heading to reviewers and judges, and until the final selections are announced, I’ll be the only one who knows which story belongs to which author. If you have questions along the way, I’m always happy to help.
Ready to write short, write sharp, and maybe see your work in print? Full guidelines and details are available at our website flgcsinc.com.
If you’re unsure if your story is a good fit, we recommend reading
our previous anthology , Paradise is Deadly - Gripping Tales from Florida’s Gulf Coast. It provides a clear sense of the tone, themes, and range of stories we’re looking for.
Fun News: On Mother’s Day Weekend, we went fishing near Ormond Beach, Florida, with Larry’s daughter, Heidi, and son-in-law, Jim. We had a nice boat ride and caught a few fish. This pretty boat sailed by us.
At the May 2nd Florida Gulf Coast Sisters in Crime meeting, I moderated a panel discussion titled “Let’s Write Short: A Panel Discussion on Writing Short Stories,” featuring Julieanna Blackwell, Mark Mathes, Michael L. Joy, and Jenny Ramaley. The panelists brought a wealth of experience. We had a lively discussion about the benefits of writing short, effective stories, the importance of story structure and character development, and practical tips for submitting work. The meeting was at the Gulf Gate Library in Sarasota.
Works in Progress
Book #3 (yes, I’m still calling it Book 3) in the Harrington House B&B mystery series passed the 70,000-word mark. It’s nearing the end, and I’m having a great time writing it.
Here’s a little excerpt: Molly’s grandmother and her two friends have come to the police station to bail Vanessa, Molly’s aunt, out of jail - so they think. They called a rideshare to pick them up from their assisted living facility. Vanessa was at the police station to give a statement about her husband's unexpected death.
Detective Tony Shannon walked toward the women, his arms wide, as if he were shooing chickens. “Ladies, please take a seat. Vanessa should be out in a few minutes, and then Molly can take you all home.”
Nana looked up at Tony, all eager and bright-eyed. “Your granddaddy wanted to come, but we didn’t order an Uber car big enough for his wheelchair.”
Tony scowled. “He what?”
“But he was really helpful, distracting the attendant so we could make our getaway,” added Miss Ruth Ann.
“He’s getting real good at maneuvering that chair,” said Miss Cordelia. “Hmm...Hmm…Hmm. That Carl Shannon, he’s a good man.”
Tony turned toward Molly with an expression that looked like he was ready to barf or run as far away as possible, maybe both.
I bet he’s thrilled to death that he got reassigned off of this case, she thought.
“Mother, why are you here?” Vanessa and Detective Beck stood at the office door.
All three women’s heads turned as if they were on a senior chorus line. “We came to post your bail,” Nana said.
“I don’t need your money.” Vanessa closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “How did you get here? Please don’t tell me one of you actually drove.”
Miss Ruth Ann puffed out her chest. “We called an Uber car.”
“Oh my Lord,” Vanessa said, her eyes shooting daggers at Molly.
Molly threw up her hands. “I regret ever teaching them how to call a ride-share.”
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I don’t have a working title yet, so if you have any ideas, let me know!
I’m also working on a story for the Malice Domestic anthology. The theme is Mystery Most Musical. I hope to meet the deadline for the Pittsburgh Sisters and Crime chapter anthology. Its title is Dark Rivers, Gold Bridges.
What I’m Watching and Reading
I watched the latest Steve Carell show, Rooster, and thought it was funny. I started the 2nd season of The Four Seasons with Tina Fey, and I’m enjoying that. I finished the final season of Outlander and was sad to see it end. I’ve been with them from season 1, and I’ve read all the Outlander Jamie and Claire books, but not the Lord John series. My daughter and I saw The Devil Wears Prada 2. We also went to the Asolo and saw an amazing performance of Fiddler on the Roof. There was no orchestra; the actors played all the instruments.
Since my last newsletter, I finished Ironwood, Michael Connelly’s latest Catalina novel featuring Detective Sergeant Stillwell. I really like this new character and location within the Bosch Universe. This story involves a case with Renee Ballard. Harry and Maddie Bosch make cameo appearances. I listened to Judge Stone by James Patterson and Viola Davis, narrated by Viola Davis, who did an excellent job. I think she should be nominated for a Grammy – that would make her an EGOT! This legal thriller is appropriate for today. Our latest book club selection was The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau; I enjoyed that one! I finished two Acton and Doyle novels, Murder in Mercy and Murder in All Patience, by Anne Cleeland. They are one of my favorite mystery duos. I thoroughly enjoyed Adriana Trigiani’s The Shoemaker’s Wife, an epic immigrant story.
Another Florida Sunset
If you have a moment and liked my books, please leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. Authors depend on reviews to get the word out about their books. It doesn’t have to be long—just a sentence or two, which is greatly appreciated.
Until next time – take care. Thank you for reading my books