I was first drawn to Georgia Ruth's story, “Dead Man Hanging”, by the location. My father's family has deep roots in western North Carolina, especially Asheville (which gets a mention). As I read it, though, I also became impressed with her ability to create a sense of the era and the people who lived then and there. I could really picture Main Street in Marion, NC, in 1916. Why did you choose a historical genre for a mystery that could be put into any setting? I now live in the foothills of North Carolina where my neighbors describe location based on the history of a building. As some of these folks trace their roots back to Wales in 1100 AD, the glimpses of past lives have given my life a new perspective. I am comfortable hanging out with ghosts. How did you come up with the idea for “Dead Man Hanging?” First I was overwhelmed by the devastation of the flood of 1916. Then I researched oral accounts of its effect on local lives in Marion of McDowell County, and I saw photographs of sections of railroad buried in mudslides. During that time I attended a neighborhood gathering where ghost stories were told, and I learned that the junior high school was haunted. My curiosity also picked up a rumor of a hanging decades ago in the downtown Eagle Hotel where today the current coffee shop owner often hears strange noises. My reaction was why? What causes so much stress? But it wasn’t until a year later that these experiences came together when I put pen to paper. I am an organic writer and start without an outline. Somehow Daniel Kanipe became part of my story, probably because I weekly pass by and admire his beautiful historic home. He was a survivor of the Little Big Horn, but I put words in his mouth and gave him another life as a detective in this story. Did you encounter any obstacles in researching the setting? The haunted junior high was built on the site of a real orphanage, where I imagined a private graveyard. In all probability, everyone was buried in the city cemetery on the next hill. After I wrote the story, I drove through town to test my possibility of “what if?” I drove the streets now surrounding the school, and there on a knoll overlooking the junior high I glimpsed a few broken tombstones in a tangle of weeds. I didn’t knock at the door of the old house nearby because the grave was part of my mystery not the history. To myself I proved it could have happened. Are you working on other historical stories? My blog at http://www.georgiaruthwrites.us is almost always about the fascinating history of my neighbors. On other projects, I am looking for a home for my fiction story “A Simple Life” about descendants of a survivor of a legendary Indian attack on Fort Pleasant Gardens. In March, I have a speculative story “The Mountain Top” coming out in a Sisters in Crime anthology Fish or Cut Bait. History that hasn’t happened yet! I predict that stories in History and Mystery, Oh My! will be enjoyed by readers of all genres. I am pleased to be included in this anthology. Read "Dead Man Hanging" and see Georgia's work for yourself in History and Mystery, Oh My!, now available in print, ebook, and Kindle formats from online retailers. You can also see more of Georgia Ruth's work now in That Mysterious Woman, the fourth mystery anthology in the Shaker of Margaritas series.
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Joe Mogel, a born and raised New Englander, inherited his dry sense of humor from his equally dry family. Being home schooled, he had the time and opportunity to develop many hobbies, including painting, martial arts and writing. Going to college for engineering (“I'm not sure what I was thinking at the time. I like seeing the light of day on a regular basis,” he says), he rediscovered his interest in writing. Now, having published ten stories though seven different publishing houses and having had his work included on several websites, Joe is considering turning to writing as a full time career. When did you know you wanted to become a writer? ~When I was a child I imagined that authors were the, often globe trotting, intellectual bad-asses I had seen all my life in BBC murder mysteries. Needless to say, I wanted to be one. How did you pick the genre/setting/era you (usually) write in? ~I don't have a 'usual' genre/setting/era. I write as my imagination takes me, and it seldom takes me to the exact same place twice. You write mysteries. Does your inspiration begin with the crime, the detective, the setting, or some other place? ~That depends on the story. Sometimes I start with the villain, because who's cooler than the villain? Unless it's the ice cold, man of iron detective. The crime is usually derived from either of those two characters, since all crime comes from a character's mind, I need the character first. How did you come up with the idea for your story in History and Horror, Oh My? ~I was watching the Claude Rains version of 'The Invisible Man' and thought to myself that a blind person wouldn't be fooled by an invisible fellow. Once I made the blind man a detective, I had my story. Did you encounter any obstacles in researching the setting? ~Not really, I'm already quite familiar with late Victorian/early Edwardian England and knew what needed to be present to make the piece feel real. Do you have a favorite historical period you enjoy reading or writing about? ~With regard to reading, no. With regard to writing, no. I'm quite open to any form of antique awesomeness. Do you have some special education that helps you write historical fiction, or do you deal with history in your profession? ~Just a great deal of non-fiction reading. The more you read about history, the easier it becomes to understand what the feel/emotion/culture would be and the easier it becomes to think and write about an era. What are you working on now? ~A novel. Admittedly, it's a modern setting, but the structure and theme are based on ancient Greek tragedies. So it's a bit of a challenge. Okay, so you're an author. What do you enjoy reading? ~The classics are my favorite. Greek, Roman, Medieval, anything before the turn of the 20th century. They're a mix of Literature, history, anthropology, and art all rolled into one. I learn so much from the classics every time I read them. Learn more about Joe on his website at: JoeMogelAuthor.yolasite.com . And read "Death in the Library" for yourself in History and Mystery, Oh My! now available in print, ebook, and Kindle formats from online retailers. Greg McWhorter is a teacher and pop-culture historian that resides in Southern California. Since the 1980s, he has worked for newspapers, radio, television, and film. He has been a guest speaker at several universities and at the San Diego Comic-Con. Today, McWhorter owns a highly acclaimed record label that specializes in vintage punk rock and hosts a music show for cable TV. Since 1985, McWhorter has been writing nonfiction music-related articles for print and recently turned to writing crime and horror fiction. He is a member of the Horror Writer’s Association. You can follow him at: http://gregmcwhorter.blogspot.com. --Thanks for your time!!! History and Mystery, Oh My! is now available in print, ebook, and Kindle formats from online retailers. History and Mystery, Oh My! is now available in print!!! We have at least one cover reveal coming up. I think you’ll like the artwork. We have two single-author collections in the pipeline. Plus… we have a surprise anthology coming out. The cover is still with the artist and it’s being formatted. Busy times for us… and, I hope, fun times ahead for you.
You write mysteries. Does your inspiration begin with the crime, the detective, the setting, or some other place? I enjoy thinking about financial transactions and how someone would try to pervert the system. With short stories, I usually start with the general characteristics of the crime. Then I create the characters and setting to make the story work. How did you come up with the idea for your story in History and Mystery, Oh My? I have a deep interest in the American Civil War, including the build up to it. Because I write mostly contemporary mystery novels, I didn’t have a lot of time to do research. However, I have a rich family history that ties to antebellum Dansville, NY. That allowed me to combine historical characters I knew well based on family records and a time period that I knew from my general interest. The major issue of the time was slavery. I had recently taken a trip in upstate New York that included John Brown’s farm in the Adirondacks. His raid on Harper’s Ferry divided the nation in a way that only war would repair, so I decided to build a story seemingly triggered by that event. From there, the pieces fell into place and I decided to incorporate a puzzle-type mystery that readers could solve (or not). Did you encounter any obstacles in researching the setting? Because I don’t live near that area, I had to do my research by phone and email. In the time I had available, I couldn’t find anyone at the local historical societies who could tell me the structure of law enforcement in Dansville, NY in the late 1850s. So, I made up a sheriff. What are you working on now? My alter ego (James M. Jackson) has a novel, Ant Farm, that is up for nomination in the Kindle Scout program. I’d love your vote. Here’s the link: https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/3IATL9SA04ZS2 It is a prequel to my Seamus McCree mystery series. I am also working on the next in that series, titled Doubtful Relations. Okay, so you're an author. What do you enjoy reading? I love medium-boiled, suspenseful mysteries, which is why I enjoy writing them.
Roxanne Dent is a full time writer who lives in Haverhill, Massachusetts. She has sold nine novels, including her most recent, The Janus Demon, an urban, paranormal fantasy which is on Amazon in book and e-book form. Roxanne has also sold a number of short horror. Her latest, “Bug Boy,” sold to Great Old Ones Publishing, and will be out this year. In addition to fiction, Ms. Dent has co-written plays with her sister, Karen, produced at the Firehouse Theater in Newburyport MA. Her screenplay, “The Pied Piper” a thriller, won first prize in Fade in Magazine. Check out her blog tour on www.sistersdent.com When did you know you wanted to be a writer? I was always an avid reader. From ten to thirteen I moved to a section of Florida that was very bleak. When I couldn’t get to the library, I would visit the Food Fair and in the book section, I’d read until the manager caught me and threw me out. The next day, I would return and pick up where I left off. During this time, I used to pretend I wrote novels and was on a talk show discussing my latest. I would hold up a thick, Readers Digest Book and make up characters, setting and plot. When I was in high school, my poem, “The Devil’s Disciple,” was accepted into a state-wide anthology and I consciously made up my mind that was what I wanted to do but it wasn’t until years later, when I wrote my first Regency as a Christmas present for my sister Karen, that I began to believe my dream could come true. How did you pick the genre/setting/era you usually write in? I write in all genres. Regencies, Victorian mysteries, Fantasies, Horror, Sci-Fi, YA, and Middle Grade. I love history, particularly English Regencies, and Victorian times. Writing a story that takes place in the past is challenging and fun. I’ve also written Westerns and stories that take place in other countries. Research is not difficult for me and with the advent of the Internet it’s much less time consuming. Through the years, I have collected a lot of information which I place in binders and acquire books on subjects like poisons, famous murders, clothing and customs. I like to dive into the era I’m writing about and feel what it would be like to be alive then. But I am equally comfortable writing about my own era. You write mysteries. Does your inspiration begin with the crime, the detective, the setting, or some other place? That depends. Usually, it begins with either a crime or the detective. The setting usually falls into place after the other two are set. How did you come up with the idea for your story in History and Mystery, Oh My? I had already developed the character of Sarah Wyndom as an older, independent woman detective in the Victorian era in “The Case of the Missing Wife.” The Victorian era was a time of both restriction and budding freedom for women. For the first time, they left home to work in factories, entered professions like nursing, became doctors and owned their own businesses. Sarah Wyndom comes from a privileged background but rejected her role in society to do something she loved. Do you have a favorite historical period you enjoy reading or writing about? Besides the Regency and Victorian periods, I am an avid fan of English mysteries in general whether they take place in the past or present. But I am especially fond of the Medieval Cadfael series, the Sister Fidelma series set in ancient Ireland, and the Navaho mysteries by Tony Hilerman. Cultures and times that are different than mine fascinate me and add to my enjoyment of the mystery. In addition to mysteries, I love reading paranormal fantasy from such authors as Jim Butcher, Charlaine Harris and Kate Daniels. What are you working on now? I just finished “The Haunting of Jemima Nash,” a short story I was invited to write for the John Greenleaf Whittier Museum based on one of his poems. At the moment, I am finishing up a Steampunk story called, “Re-Inventing the Future.” Grey Gate Media which purchased The Twelve Days of Christmas, a Regency novel I wrote, has sadly closed and my next project is to look it over and put it up on Kindle myself or sell it to another house. I am, however, never without projects, including Beyond the Iberian Sea, Book II of The Janus Demon, and The Boy in the Green High Tops, a YA prequel. I’ve written three chapters on another Regency, The Wager, and plan to edit a Victorian mystery, “The Poisoned Pen Murders.” History and Mystery, Oh My! can be purchased in ebook format at Amazon and Smashwords. The print version will come soon.
You may have already seen posts about this on the Web: History and Mystery, Oh My! is out! Step back in time with us. Find out why Caruso's tailor could never claim the famous tenor as a client. Walk with Caravaggio under the dome of Santa Maria del Popolo. Learn why the filming of Flash Gordon was halted in 1942. Turn a page and lose yourself in Victorian London or tangle with WWII spies. Featuring stories by Edith Maxwell, Jason Andrew, and Harriette Sackler. History and Mystery, Oh My! can be purchased in ebook format at Amazon and Smashwords. The print version will come soon. Authors Featured:
T. Fox Dunham resides outside of Philadelphia PA—author and historian. He’s published in nearly 200 international journals and anthologies. His first novel, The Street Martyr was published by Gutter Books and is being made into a feature film by Throughline Films. He’s a cancer survivor. His friends call him 'Fox', being his totem animal, and his motto is: "Wrecking civilization one story at a time." When did you know you wanted to become a writer? FOX: I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. As a boy, I wrote simple stories and made my own books with construction paper covers, drawing my own basic illustrations. I kept writing, using my dad’s computer, having the luxury of a word processor. It was more than an art. It was my function. How did you pick the genre/setting/era you (usually) write in? FOX: Success. I cast a wide net, writing in all genres, but I focused my energy on the genres where I sold the most stories: horror and crime. I am a member of the HWA now and I continue to receive the most solicitations in both markets. How did you come up with the idea for your story in History and Horror, Oh My? FOX: I love combining my addiction to history with my fiction, and I wanted to write a story set in World War II. I also wanted to do a new take on a zombie story. The rest kind of happened on its own. I created a conflict, a desperate man, and the rest wrote itself Did you encounter any obstacles in researching the setting? FOX: It’s always a battle to write historic fiction, to bring a dead time back to life. History books give us the major details, the dates and places, but the little things are never mentioned: what a voice sounded like or the smell of a uniform. Fortunately, I’ve had a decade to create an erudition for the setting, so I had many of the details I needed. Do you have a favorite historical period you enjoy reading or writing about? FOX: Again, I write often about World War II or generally the 20th century. I love modern history and often focus my work there. Who is your favorite author, and what really strikes you about their work? FOX: I can’t just pick one. You’re killing me here. I love the literary authors of the last century: J.D. Salinger, Hemingway, Truman Capote. Their passion compels me. Literary really is the hardest genre to write in since you don’t have all the material of space ships or vampires. You have to write purely about the human condition, emotion, and these authors explore it. What are you working on now? FOX: I am finishing my book about Andy Kaufman, Destroying the Tangible Illusion or Reality or Searching for Andy Kaufman for Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing. It’s a novel about the lost son of Andy Kaufman who is dying of cancer and goes on a search for his father. It is about my own battle with cancer and how reality becomes an illusion as you are dying. I am also finishing up a number of short stories and doing a horror novella about time. In addition to all this, I am working with the producers at Throughline Films and the scriptwriter for the adaptation of my crime noir novel, The Street Martyr, which will start filming as a major motion picture in 2015. Okay, so you're an author. What do you enjoy reading? FOX: Lately, it’s been Doctor Who novels and Stargate Atlantis, but that’s because I need a break. I love history books and good modern literary novels. I love finding new authors, and I’m always on the search. Reading has become relaxation for me. My novella, Doctor Kevorkian Goes to Heaven, was recently released from PMMP. It’s a mixture of Twain, Vonnegut and Fox, a story of why we need to have death as a species to grow. It’s also my own story of my battle with cancer. Want to learn more about T. Fox Dunham? Visit his website at www.tfoxdunham.com and his blog at http://tfoxdunham.blogspot.com/ . You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter @TFoxDunham. Don't forget to check out his story, "Comfort from Lies about Heaven and Hell",in History and Horror, Oh My! which is now available in ebook formats on Smashwords and in print and Kindle formats on Amazon. With parents who married on Halloween and read her Bradbury stories long before she started kindergarten, Gwendolyn Kiste considers horror, fantasy, and all things strange to be her birthright. Her genre editorials appear regularly on sites such as Horror-Movies.ca and Micro-Shock, and she is the resident “weird wanderer” for the travel-centric Wanderlust and Lipstick. She has written and directed several feature-length and short horror films, and her plays have been produced as part of the Big Read, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts. Her short stories have also appeared in Strangely Funny II and Whispers from the Past: Fright and Fear. How did you come up with the idea for your story in History and Horror, Oh My? I’ve always been a fan of John Steinbeck. The Grapes of Wrath recalibrated my understanding of what fiction could be, so I wanted to pay homage to that major influence on my writing. You don’t find much horror that uses the Dust Bowl as a setting, and with the pervasive gloom from the storms, it seemed like a perfect locale for a vampire. Once I had that outline, I started researching and was able to fill in the rest. Did you encounter any obstacles in researching the setting? Because the Dust Bowl was well-chronicled, I was able to watch documentaries, read books, and view pictorials to get a sense of the time. However, one thing that was a bit more challenging was being sure there were still bars where musicians would have been playing in the Oklahoma panhandle—like my Woody Guthrie-esque vampire does. I wondered if maybe most of the places closed down due to the terrible conditions. But I was able to find evidence that there were at least a few establishments that got through the 1930s, and I felt that was enough to justify the detail. Do you have a favorite historical period you enjoy reading or writing about? I love the twentieth century. It’s fascinating how the world came into the 1900s with horses and carriages and went out with space shuttles and the Internet. Technology progressed so rapidly, and I enjoy exploring how that affects people, both human and otherwise. What are you working on now? Several of my short stories are slated for publication in the coming months, and I’m in the early planning stages of a dark fantasy novel. So much horror, so little time! Read Gwendolyn's story for yourself! History and Horror, Oh My! is now available in ebook formats on Smashwords and in print and Kindle formats on Amazon. MAHLLC proudly presents: History and Horror, Oh My! Learn the real reasons for the trial of Socrates, the curse of Glamis Castle, and the writing of the Book of the Dead. Discover the horrors of both the American Civil War and the English Civil War. Meet a vampire during the Dust Bowl and a Sasquatch traveling among the fur trappers of Canada. History and Horror, Oh My! can be purchased in print and ebooks formats at Amazon and Smashwords. Authors Featured:
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Mystery and Horror, LLC, is an indie press interested in what the name suggests. Contact us at: mysteryandhorrorllc@gmail.com
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