Three Things We Loved This Week: 3/13/25

Megan Abbott, a brilliant new author directory, and a sharp piece of neo-noir filmmaking

Whenever a call for submissions goes up, there’s always that little admonishment: “Be sure to read some back issues to get a sense of what we publish.” So what do you do when there are no back issues to read?

To help give a sense of our sensibilities (and just to share stuff we love), we’re publishing quick weekly roundups. If you like what we post, we’ll probably like what you write. So send us your stuff, okay?

Megan Abbott on Denis Johnson

Megan Abbott isn’t just a brilliant writer of noir, she’s also a brilliant noir scholar. So I was delighted to read her examination of Denis Johnson’s Angels on CrimeReads. I especially liked her definition of noir, which articulates very well the elements that made me fall in love with the genre:

When I do these interviews, I’ve noticed that some people are happy to talk about labels and subgenres, and some people really resist it. I’m not sure which kind you are, but would you mind giving us your definitions of the crime novel and noir in particular?

Well, I can only say what it is for me. I guess to start, I’d say that only some crime novels are noir, but all noir seems to involve a crime, even if it’s incidental. To me, noir really has to do with the tone and the mood. It’s a kind of fatalism, which we certainly see in Angels—the characters feel like they’re trapped, and the reader does too. Their end is clear from the beginning, and you can see them heading right toward the abyss. But there’s also a kind of romance and glamor to it—a kind of seedy glamor that moderates the bleakness and gives it a kind of beauty. There’s also the fact that the characters tend to be the forgotten of the world. Socioeconomics may be against them, but they also have vices that are taking them down a dark path.

The Thriller and Mystery Author Directory

Substack has introduced me to so much great writing, and I love this platform like no other social media. But the big, fat caveat that comes with that statement is that it has never felt particularly well organized. I’ve found plenty of new writers to love just by stumbling around, but it sure would be nice if they were easier to find.

That’s why I love, love, love the work David Bruns is doing right now with the Thriller and Mystery Author Directory. If you’re a Cold Caller subscriber, chances are you’ll love it to. Go check it out and subscribe (and if you’re an author yourself? Send them your details!)

Curfew (2013)

Speaking of noir, Curfew is a great, short piece of neo-noir filmmaking that nails so much of what I love about the genre. If you’ve got a short story that vibes on this frequency, please send it our way.