Three Things We Loved This Week: 6/5/25
Punk Noir, Vicki Hendricks, and the golden age of mystery fiction
Hello Callers. Thanks for being here.
We’ve got some big news in these parts: Next week, on June 11, we kick off a new era with the publication of our first piece of crime and mystery fiction. (And hot damn is it a good one.) I can’t wait to share it with you.
We’ll also be closing submissions as of July 1 while we catch up on our queue. If you’ve got something to submit, now’s the time! We want to read what you write.
PUNK NOIR: Seeking Submissions on the Seven Deadly Sins
Nothing like greed, gluttony, and lust to fire up the imagination, no? If you can keep it to 200 words, PUNK NOIR’s just announced July theme might be right up your alley:
Yes, it’s that time again. PUNK NOIR Magazine throwing another flash theme out there to sharpen your writing teeth on!
What’s your sin of choice? Is it Sloth? Perhaps you’re partial to a little Wrath? Or maybe your weakness is that lovely Lust? Whatever it may be, choose one of the seven deadly sins and write a crime caper about it in under 200 words.
I’m going to choose 14 of the best and publish them in Punk Noir during the seventh month. So get to it, folks.
Remember though, 200 words MAX!
Tom Andes Interviews Vicki Hendricks
The legendary Vicki Hendricks has a new novel out from Fahrenheit Press, which is doubly exciting because it means a) there’s a new Vicki Hendricks novel, and b) she’s doing publicity.
Hence, this wonderful interview with Tom Andes that touches on Vicki’s definition of noir, Edgar Alan Poe’s sense of humor, and the advice she received from Anthony Neil Smith:
Noir, by definition, should include murder. I’ve stretched mine into manslaughter, suicide, killing animals (not really a stretch), and now possible supernatural homicide. But to me, noir is mostly in character, a person, psychologically impaired in some way, who has made poor choices, and makes worse choices trying to regroup, finally spiraling into a more or less degree of personal hell. Murder is a good ride to propel someone downward, and obsession of any kind can set that up. To me, sexual obsession and resulting passion make the only believable motive for murder. I have used greed as a motive in order to get things moving quickly, if there’s a word count. It’s a fast way to supply motive for most people, but I don’t believe it myself.
DMF: Detective & Mystery Fiction
Want to immerse yourself in the golden age of detective and mystery fiction? This channel is a great way to do it. They’re sharing audio versions of classic work by writers like John D. MacDonald, Dashiell Hammett, and others.
Here’s a great one by Raymond Chandler to give you a taste: