BOSTON – “Murder Ink,” a collection of hard-bitten newsroom crime fiction based in New England, will launch Saturday, Feb. 20 at the winter conference of the New England Newspaper and Press Association in Boston.
The anthology, edited by long-time reporter and journalist Dan Szczesny, premieres during a luncheon noon to 2 p.m. at M.J. O’Connor’s, 27 Columbus St., next to the conference site, the Boston Park Plaza Hotel.
Murder Ink is the first book in a series of short stories that take place in or are based in a newsroom in the six states. From the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont to the snows of Maine to the back alleys of Boston, this collection – written by a talented group of scribes from around the region – is the first of its kind.
Murder Ink features the stories of Oreste D’Arconte, retired publisher of The Sun Chronicle in Attleboro, Mass., writing as O. Lucio d’Arc; Brendan DuBois, award-winning author of 17 novels and 150 short stories; Karen and Roxanne Dent, sisters who write in various genre and occasionally combine talents; Dan Rothman, currently writing a novel of medieval adventure for young adults; Amy Ray, author of mystery/thrillers; S. J. Cahill, Pushcart Prize and a Dzanc Book award nominee from Vermont; Tom Sheehan, who has published 22 books and has been nominated for the National Book Award and 28 Pushcart Prizes; Mark Arsenault, metro reporter for the Boston Globe, whose first book, “Spiked,” was a finalist for the Shamus Award for Best First Novel, presented by the Private Eye Writers of America; Ron DesJarlais, copy editor at The Patriot Ledger in Quincy, Mass.; Gregory L. Norris, author of several novel who also writes for national magazines and fiction anthologies, both TV and film; Victor D. Infante, entertainment editor for the Worcester Telegram & Gazette; Susan Shultz, editor of The Darien Times; and Judi Calhoun, whose fiction has appeared in several popular anthologies.
“This region is so rich in newsroom lore, and who better to tell those stories than writers from the front lines of the news,” said Szczesny. “And who knows, some of these stories might be true!”
The book is published by Plaidswede Publishing Co. of Concord, N.H., which has published four books in its New Hampshire Pulp Fiction series – “Live Free or Undead” (horror), “Live Free or Die! Die! Die!” (mystery/detective), “Live Free or Sci-Fi” (science fiction), and “Love Free or Die,” (romance). The titles play off the state’s motto, “Live Free or Die.” Books in the western genre about the famed Concord (N.H.) stagecoach, Live Free and Ride, and a fantasy collection, tentatively titled Live Free and Dragons, will be released later this year.
With “Murder Ink,” publisher George Geers has set his sights on telling tales from all across New England.
“We’re pleased with the success of the original series. We’re proud to have presented the works of established and recognized authors as well as giving first-time authors an opportunity for publication,” said Geers. “Many journalists dream about writing the great American novel, and we hope to offer our New England journalists a foot in the door with a crime short story.”
To attend the book launch which includes lunch, register through the New England Newspaper and Press Association site. Several of the short story contributors will read and will be available for signing after.
Szczesny is the associate publisher of The Hippo, New Hampshire’s largest weekly newspaper. He’s written extensively about travel and the outdoors, including the books, “The Adventures of Buffalo and Tough Cookie,” “The Nepal Chronicles” and “Mosquito Rain: Alaskan Travel Essays.” A new collection of short fiction,
“Sing,” was published last summer.
Geers is a former daily newspaper editor in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut who remains active in the New England newspaper industry. He established his book publishing company in 2000 and to date has published more than 60 books.
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