I am pleased to announce that my short story, "Twenty-One Days," was published in Level Best Books' DEADFALL, their sixth anthology of short crime fiction by New England authors, which came out in November 2008. In the introduction to the collection, the editors say of my story: "Leslie Wheeler's character in 'Twenty-One Days' goes beyond the obvious betrayal to question her own motives in a disturbing assessment of the climax."

This is my fourth story in an LLB anthology. "Neighbors" appears in WINDCHILL, "Skystalker" in SEASMOKE, "Visual Field" in STILL WATERS. In writing short stories, I've been inspired by the many excellent stories I have read as chair of the Al Blanchard Short Crime Fiction contest, which is now in its fifth year and currently open to submissions. For more information about this contest, visit the Crime Bake website: www.crimebake.org.

    

In case you are wondering whatever happened to Miranda Lewis, the heroine of my first two "living history" mysteries, MURDER AT PLIMOTH PLANTATION, and MURDER AT GETTYSBURG, I am happy to report that she is alive and well, and will be making her third appearance in print in MURDER AT SPOUTERS POINT (formerly titled MURDER AT MYSTIC).

MURDER AT SPOUTERS POINT marks the return of Nate Barnes, the hot-tempered former American Indian Movement activist, whom Miranda met in MURDER AT PLIMOTH PLANTATION. In this book, Nate and Miranda visit friends together--hers at the Spouters Point Maritime Museum, and his at a nearby Native-owned gambling casino. Given the fact that Nate and Miranda come from very different worlds, they know it's not going to be smooth sailing. But minor discomfort becomes major conflict when Miranda's friend's yachtsman fiance is brutally murdered, and Nate's casino friend is the leading suspect. Miranda's quest for the truth not only puts her at odds with Nate, but also with her own friends when her friend's brother emerges as a suspect. It also leads her to a life-and-death struggle with a crazed killer.

Check back soon for publication details.

Although my first two books are no longer available at bookstores, they can be ordered from Amazon.com. Or if you would like an authographed copy, contact me directly. For a synopsis of MURDER AT GETTYSBURG, click HERE; for a synopsis of MURDER AT PLIMOTH PLANTATION, click HERE.

Check out my Schedule and learn how you can invite me to speak at your event. I enjoy meeting readers in person, but if you can't make it to an event, I hope you will contact me with your questions, comments, and suggestions. I look forward to hearing from you!