“Dames, Derringers and Detectives: Moggie Noir” is Available Featuring my Short Story: “Last Wish of a Dead Man”

moggie noir 3

Cover art for “Dames, Derringers and Detectives: Moggie Noir”

My hardboiled detective story “Last Wish of a Dead Man” is now available in the Raconteur Press anthology Dames, Derringers and Detectives: Moggie Noir in paperback and Kindle formats.

The blurb at Amazon says:

In this iteration, Moggie Noir is more than a framework, it’s a mewed.

I feel it is safe to say that we are most inspired by the creative expressions of authors who view genre notes for story calls as a guideline, and who then proceed to stretch the idea like Coney Island saltwater taffy. In this way, we have not been disappointed. The trick is to tug at the theme but still have the recognizable touches that tell the reader this is a noir story rather than a slapstick comedy or big fish story.

So, in this taffy-pulling spirit, we bring you our third Moggie Noir salvo, “Dames, Derringers, and Detectives.” This gritty set of tails will have you rooting for the good guys, hissing at some bad cats, and maybe—just maybe—you’ll see how true love can win in the end.

The publisher said guest editor Rita Beeman adored my story, which is very nice to hear.

In late 1940s San Francisco, private detective Margie Potter has developed a unique reputation in the afterlife. She solves the murders of ghost, sometimes without realizing it. In her first story “The Haunted Detective” featured in The Trench Coat Chronicles, Margie goes up against hardened gangsters to solve the murder of her best friend which occurred years ago and almost ends up as a ghost herself.

Continue reading →

The Long Winter is Coming

volcano

PHOTO PROMPT © Ken Arnopole

“Daddy, do you think Mommy’s okay?”

My six-year-old daughter asked me the question I didn’t want to answer.

“I don’t know, sweetheart,” I said. We were watching the news on my phone. “Boise was outside the Yellowstone super volcano’s blast radius…”

“So, she’s alright?”

“Maybe. But the volcano will get everyone else.”

“What?”

“You know how the sky is always gray and we have to stay inside so we don’t breathe the ashes? That’s spreading around the world blocking the sun. Pretty soon, it’s going to be winter everywhere.

“Can we go home soon, Daddy? I’m don’t like Boston anymore.”

Continue reading →

“Haunted Places” Anthology is Here!

haunted places

Promotional cover art for “Haunted Places” volume 2

It’s here!

The Haunted Places (universal link) anthology featuring my short story “Haunting Chloe” is now available!

Here’s a sample of my story:

Continue reading →

Review of “Cosmic Convocation” A Space Opera Anthology” (2022)

cosmic

© James Pyles

I expected Cosmic Convocation: A Space Opera Anthology published by Starry Eyed Press, to contain an uneven collection of stories and that’s exactly what I found. I won’t mention all of them (although I took notes for every single story), but here are some of the more mentionable works.

Continue reading →

Coming Soon in “Haunted Places”

haunted places

Promotional cover art for “Haunted Places” volume 2

My short story “Haunting Chloe” will be featured in the upcoming anthology “Haunted Places,” edited by Jamie Ferguson.

Jamie’s probably one of the best fiction publishers and editors I’ve worked with. She is very keen on details and proverbially holds my feet to the fire to make sure I turn in the best story possible. She also provides exceptionally helpful feedback on my writing including how (thankfully) it has improved over the past few years.

Here’s the promotional blurb:

Continue reading →

Book Review of “White Night” (2008), Book Nine in the Dresden Files Series

white night

© James Pyles

I was going to review another book before this one, but when I was halfway through that other book, my request for this one came through at my local public library. Library books have to be returned at a certain date, so this one got priority.

Jim Butcher’s White Night is the ninth novel in his Dresden Files series. Harry Dresden is a functioning and advertised wizard working in Chicago. It’s urban fantasy like Sam Spade meets Lord of the Rings, only sort of.

We last left Harry as a newly promoted Warden of the White Council, basically a police officer/enforcer for a conglomerate of good wizards who defend their laws and protect the world of mortals from the supernatural.

They are currently engaged in a war with the Red Court vampires (there are several courts, all with different characteristics). It’s a war that Harry inadvertently started and so far, things have been going badly for the White Council.

Add to that Harry’s new apprentice Molly. Molly is a late teen girl and daughter of devout Christians (her father Michael is literally a Holy Warrior, magic sword and all) but she, having inherited some magic ability from her mother (long story), used her powers badly and was nearly executed by the White Council. Harry went to bat for her and now either Molly plays the straight-and-narrow as his student, or the Council executes them both.

All caught up?

Good. Spoiler Alert!

Continue reading →

Every 30th of May

brooklyn bridge

PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot

She always manifested first for her life was the cause. Mist rose under the Brooklyn Bridge that May 30th as the twelve appeared. The people who were present either were unable to perceive them through a lack of faith or chose to ignore what they considered the impossible.

After all this time, those few who could see them but didn’t know what they were thought them to be performers in some macabre cosplay. When they tried to approach any of them, they wavered and vanished. The ghosts of the bridge’s tragic past were sentinels and did not speak cautionary tales.

Continue reading →

Time Lord Pranks

telephone box

PHOTO PROMPT © Sandra Crook

The Time Lord approached the disguised TARDIS from around the corner and stopped suddenly. He was accustomed to the inexplicable, but this sight rendered his mouth agape.

“I clearly recall you being in pristine condition when I left here to pursue that elusive rogue.”

He looked about, but a crimson telephone box containing multiple trays of flora punctuated by a pigeon cooing on the top layer hadn’t yet attracted attention. This was somewhat peculiar for London.

“Very well, then,” he said reaching into his inner jacket pocket. “One sonic screwdriver to the rescue. Then we’ll deal with this pesky Doctor.”

Continue reading →

I Just Came Back For The Garden

plants

PHOTO PROMPT © Nancy Richy

It was a unique but familiar waiting room. The windows overlooked a small atrium that seemed more like a backyard. The flora extended indoors and plants that I remembered as sprouts were fairly dominant vines encroaching upon plush, gray chairs.

“Mr. Müller will see you now.” The receptionist was new, young, and I couldn’t help thinking she resembled a brunette Barbie doll.

I walked into the ridiculously large office. “Vance, it’s been a long time.”

He gave me his CEO smile. “I’m glad you came. I know you’re retired, but…”

“Sure. Kids today don’t know how to tend a garden.”

Continue reading →

Review of “Proven Guilty” (2007), Book Eight in Jim Butcher’s “Dresden Files” Series

proven guilty

© James Pyles

This morning, I finished Proven Guilty (2007), Book 8 in Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files novel series.

Warning! Spoiler Alert! Stop here if you don’t want to know more.

As you may recall if you’ve read my other reviews of this series, Harry Dresden is Chicago’s only advertising wizard. This is sort of like crime noir meets urban fantasy. Harry’s not quite the “hard-boiled” type of detective he wants to be, but he’s a good guy. He also gets in trouble a lot.

In the previous book, he was made a Warden by the White Council. The White Council is a group of wizards who enforce the laws of magic and are charged with keeping the “normal” world safe from the supernatural. A Warden is an enforcer of those laws, and they are brutal in their duties, the laws being pretty inflexible.

Harry is treated to just how inflexible, when, at the beginning of the book, he’s present at the execution by beheading of a young Korean guy. He was found guilty of using his magic to take control over other people’s thoughts, up to and including getting them to commit suicide.

Outside of the heinousness of these acts, Harry still feels compassion. The “Warlock” was young, inexperienced, and had no one to guide him.

Too bad.

Continue reading →