%=====================================================================% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% THE SHORT ORDER %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %==================== Volume ONE Number THREE ====================% %=========================== June 1997 ===========================% %===================== A Newsletter From The =====================% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SHORT MYSTERY FICTION SOCIETY %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%=====================================================================%####### Greetings!Welcome to the Summer issue of The Short Order. This very :( lateedition contains some hefty pieces that I hope will exercise the"leetle" grey cells of your inquiring mind. I must apologize tothose of you who have been wondering *where the heck is that ShortOrder newsletter anyway?* I have been working on moving the SMFSwebsite and the Newsletter to it1s new web location with a hopefullymuch improved web design. If you are reading this newsletter on thewebsite, then you have already found The Short Order1s new home.If you have received this via email, I hope you will stop by thewebsite sometime in the future and take a look. Email readerscan find the URLs listed in the KEEPING IN TOUCH, SUBSCRIBING, ETC.section at the end of this Newsletter as well as info on joining theShort Mystery Fiction Society(SMFS).Anyway, Without further ado, The Short Order...}}}}}}} R.K.Foster, Editor rkfoster@ix.netcom.com -=+=-####### TABLE OF CONTENTS SHOOT--I MEAN, ASK AWAY... by Jiro Kimura THAT DARNED PESKY WRITER1S MIND by J. Alec West MARKET REPORT: SHOW ME THE MONEY by Gail ("G. Miki") Hayden PULP STORIES REVISITED by Dan Sontup WHAT MAKES THE STORY A CUT ABOVE THE REST? by Gail ("G. Miki") Hayden SCAM ALERT by Kate Grilley####### ODDS & ENDS CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS SUBMISSION GUIDELINES BACK ISSUES KEEPING IN TOUCH, SUBSCRIBING, ETC. COPYRIGHT INFORMATION%=====================================================================%The opinions expressed by individual authors are their own and do notnecessarily represent the opinions of the Short Mystery Fiction Societyor its members or the Editor or Staff of The Short Order newsletter. -=+=-The Short Order(TSO) is a quarterly email/web newsletter for fans ofmystery fiction in the short form. Those interested in working on somepart of The Short Order can email the Editor, R.K.Foster(Bob) at{rkfoster@ix.netcom.com} with your ideas, background, and suggestions. -=+=-The Editor would like to thank the Contributors to The Short Orderfor their submissions and the readership for supporting this fledglingpublication. My thanks also to Margo Power for her advice and support. -=+=-Please email comments or other letters to the editor to R.K.Foster(Bob)at {rkfoster@ix.netcom.com}%=====================================================================%####### SHOOT--I MEAN, ASK AWAY... by Jiro KimuraQuestion:I have a question -- did Lawrence Block ever write for EQMM orAHMM or any of the pulp magazines? I have read one collection ofhis short stories (Some Days You Get the Bear) and really enjoyedthem but have not been able to find any more. -- Joanne ReidDear Joanne:Yes, Lawrence Block has written for EQMM and AHMM. The March 1997issue of EQMM has Block's Ehrengraf story, Ehrengraf being a cleverlawyer who always makes his clients innocent. He wrote a lot ofstories for AHMM in the 70s, and for EQMM in the 80s. There arethree collections of his stories: SOMETIMES THEY BITE (1983); LIKEA LAMB TO SLAUGHTER (1984); and SOME DAYS YOU GET THE BEAR (1993).They are all in paperback. If out of print, look for them atsecond-hand bookstores. If you read the acknowledgments page ofSOME DAYS YOU GET THE BEAR, you know some of the stories were firstprinted in EQMM and AHMM. -- JiroQuestion:Are there many short stories published about summer sports, likebaseball, golf, swimming, track and field? -- Vicki CameronDear Vicki:There's an anthology entitled THE SPORT OF CRIME (Lynx pb, 1989;maybe out of print) edited by Carol-Lynn Rossel Waugh, Martin HarryGreenberg and Isaac Asimov. These are the stories:"The Man Who Pretended to Like Baseball," by Isaac Asimov (EQMM 6/30/80)"Diamond Dick," by Jon L. Breen (EQMM, 10/71)"A Game of Chess," by Robert Barr"Coffin Corner" by Anthony Boucher (as by H. H. Holmes) (1943)"The Great Rodeo Fix," by Leo R. Ellis (AHMM 10/66)"The Sailing Club," by David Ely (Cosmopolitan, 10/62)"The Season Ticket Holder," by Joyce Harrington (EQMM 3/76)"The Last Downhill," by Clark Howard (AHMM 5/82)"The Other Runner," by John Lutz (EQMM 10/78)"Storm," by Ed McBain (1960)"Dead on the Pin," by John D. MacDonald (Mystery Book Magazine, Summer/50)"The Affair of the 'Avalanche Bicycle and Tyre Co., Limited'," by Arthur Morrison (1897)"Tomorrow's Murder," by Stuart Palmer (1940)"Trojan Horse," by Ellery Queen (Blue Book 10/39)"The Return of Cardula," by Jack Ritchie (AHMM 2/3/82)"This Won't Kill You," by Rex Stout (The American Magazine 9/52)"Murder on the Race Course," by Julian Symons (1961)"Hustler," by Walter S. Tevis (Playboy 1/57)"Without the Option," by P. G. Wodehouse (The Saturday Evening Post 6/27/25)Jon L. Breen writes Ed Gorgon stories for Ellery Queen's MysteryMagazine, Gorgon being a baseball umpire. So most of the Gorgonstories are sports-oriented. -- JiroDear everybody, if you have questions about short mystery fiction,please ask me at {jkimura@nsknet.or.jp}. If you don't want yourname used or if you want a cute pseudonym used, please let me know.Otherwise, I will use your "real" name. If your question is tootough for me to answer, I apologize in advance. -=+=-JIRO KIMURA is a mysteriouswriter-translator-critic-researcher-collector-whatever, currentlyholing up in the Far East.}}}}}}} Jiro Kimura, jkimura@nsknet.or.jp, Kanazawa, JAPAN}}}}}}} The Gumshoe Site (http://www.nsknet.or.jp/~jkimura/)%=====================================================================%####### THAT DARNED PESKY WRITER1S MIND by J. Alec WestI can talk about it now, certain the information has either beendeclassified officially or, perhaps, declassified via mediacompromise. Here's the scoop if you don't already know.I was a radioman in the Navy during the Vietnam War. Because ofwhere I was, the things I'd likely see, I was investigated by theseorganizations: Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) National Security Agency (NSA) Office of Naval Investigation (ONI) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)Since I came up clean in their investigations, I was granted a TopSecret security clearance with crypto endorsement. There are highersecurity clearance levels than TS(c) -- levels with names that areclassified themselves. However, as an enlisted man in the Navy,that's about as high as it goes (unless you're designated aCommunications Technician -- that's another story).The ammunition ship to which I was assigned made its port at CamayanPier -- safely out of sight of the main Naval Station in Subic Bay,Philippines. I say 'safely' out of sight because, while our coverwas to transport ammo supplies to the fleet, we transportedsomething else, too.Every time me made port to take on new supplies, and always 'just'prior to our departure, all crew members were ordered below decks... except officers, certain 'special' boatswain's mates, and (youguessed it) people with Top Secret (or better) clearances. Minuteslater (some days it seemed like hours), a call would go out over theshipboard PA -- "Now, all hands, this is the Deck Officer. Standbyfor special weapons detail. I say again, standby for specialweapons detail." And, another minute later, three trucks wouldcross the dock single-file to our pier. The truck in front and theone in back were personnel carriers, the one in the middle, aflatbed semi with its cargo covered entirely by a huge canvas tarp.When they all came to a complete stop, Marines armed with M-16spiled out of the personnel carriers and formed a half-oval cordonaround the vehicles -- and special weapons detail commenced.You may wonder what all this security was about ... and what,exactly, was under that canvas tarp. Well, I'm here to tell youthat while the American public was busy being worried about our'secret' (har de har) bombing of Cambodia and our equally 'secret'(har de har) special-forces incursions into Laos, vessels of theUnited States Navy had tactical nukes pointed at targets insideNorth Vietnam (and quite possibly, targets further North) ... justwaiting for someone to press the right (or wrong) button. But ...The button was never pushed. And, having not pushed the button,that part of history will either be forgotten or ignored. Once pastthe graveyard, whistling is no longer necessary. But ..."Hey, wait a minute," you're probably asking yourselves. "What doesall this have to do with a _darned pesky writer's mind_?" Funny youshould ask that.A boy in the seventh grade contacted me via e-mail a few days ago.He'd been given the assignment of writing a mystery story for one ofhis classes and, apparently, someone referred the boy to me foradvice. I did not mention the story you just read to him as anexample, but I did respond to him ... trying my best to explain the"what if" scenario -- taking a commonplace occurrence (like anewspaper article) and adding a suspicious element to it. If anyonewants to see what I told the boy, let me know and I'll forward thereply to you. But ... something happened after that. Whileexplaining 'mystery' to the boy, I discovered something about myself(and perhaps something about other writers as well).During the Vietnam period, I was privy to certain knowledge makingme _very_ aware of the government's ability to create diversions(public outcry over our military activity in Cambodia and Laos)while, at the same time, doing something else that (if made public)might have created an even greater outcry. Really, imagine Johnsonor Nixon coming on TV ... telling the American public that tacticalnukes were deployed in the Western Pacific ... and that tacticalnukes were part of a _real_ military defense scenario. In short, Ibecame very aware that the government can easily do something behindthe backs of the public ... that not all conspiracy theories arenecessarily theories.I'm a loyal U. S. citizen. But, I've never completely trusted whatthe government has told me since then. The media? I trust themeven less since celebrity/sensationalism sells ... and politicalturmoil tends to bore people. That's why we watched and rewatchedO.J.'s Bronco chase scene ... instead of keeping our eyes peeled onNorth Korea which, the same week, threatened peninsular Armageddon.Suspicion, suspicion, suspicion.[ Brief intermission note. I was suspicious of the media even beforebecoming suspicious of the government. During the Vietnam War, andbeing a radioman with access to HF receivers, I tended to listen toRadio Nederland or NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai, aka Radio Japan) when Iwanted to hear the _real_ truth. ]Point is, that period of my life made me a very suspicious person.The "what if" scenario became easier for me to come up with than atany time before. And, therein lies the 'key' (and the curse) ofthat _darned pesky writer's mind_ ... a handy thing to have if youwrite mystery/suspense (or science fiction for that matter). Takethe following story as an example.Let's assume a secret government agency (ala X-Files) became awareof an approaching alien spacecraft. Let's also assume this sameagency became aware of a startling fact ... that coded radiotransmissions from the craft were being directed to a specificterrestrial location. The agency could not decipher the codedtransmissions. But, the agency could determine the point ofreception ... right down to the square centimeter. Of course, theagency couldn't let this knowledge become public. Think of thepanic ... think of the societal disruption, the religiousconfusions/contradictions. Something had to be done, though. Who(or what) were these aliens? Who (or what) was receiving theirtransmissions and what _were_ those transmissions all about? Anagent is assigned to investigate.The agent discovers the transmissions are directed toward a largehouse and begins a stake out. He watches the comings and goings ofseveral people ... follows a few of them ... and comes to theconclusion that the people living in the house are part of some kindof commune. Strangely, they all look pretty much alike and dresspretty much alike. One day, he decides to do a 'makeover' so heappears similar to their appearance ... and bravely approaches oneof them to ask about the group living in the house. Surprisingly,he's told the commune is open to all and he's invited to join. So,he joins the commune ... undercover.Over the course of the next few weeks, he comes to the conclusionthat these people, if not aliens themselves, are at the very least'possessed' by aliens. He also learns that, shortly, the aliens onthe approaching spacecraft will make physical contact with them.This, of course, the government couldn't allow.The agent informs his superior of the developments in the communeand his superior agrees with him ... that the commune members mustbe 'neutralized' before physical contact takes place. A Delta-Forceteam is assembled to carry out the assassinations of communemembers. But ... horror of horrors ...At the very moment the Delta-Force operation is about to begin, thecommune members are nowhere to be found. This is most odd since theagent had just been with them only moments before. The agent andops forces do a once-over of the house, retrieving communedocuments. Reading certain documents (documents they confiscate)they come to the shocking conclusion that commune members have been(for want of better terminology) "beamed up" by the aliens. And then,the _real_ shock.The agent receives an emergency radio communication from hissuperior. Apparently, a non-commune friend of one of the communemembers became worried after not hearing from the member ... andanonymously phoned his concerns in to the local police. Fast actionwas required.Three ops men are dispatched from the house. One goes to a localmannequin manufacturer's warehouse. One goes to a local apparelstore. And, the third one goes to a rendering plant. Upon theirreturn, the ops men quickly dress up the mannequins in the apparel.While this is going on, other ops men take foul-smelling liquid(retrieved from the rendering plant) and, armed with paint brushes,liberally apply the clear liquid to the walls in all rooms of thehouse. Eventually, the dressed mannequins are placed in theserooms. Wisely, the ops man dispatched to the apparel store realizedthat mannequins probably _look_ like mannequins and, besidesapparel, brought back a bolt of dark colored fabric. As a finaltouch, the ops men cut the dark colored fabric into small sections,draping the sections over the faces and upper torso of all themannequins. Just in time, too.The police arrive. So does the media. The agent shows his ID. Thepolice detective in charge is ordered to call the agent's superior.In short order, the police and media are led through the house.And, under order from the secret Federal agency, the policedetective informs the media that commune members 'self-destructed'in a fit of lunacy.As expected, the media buys it ... and the public buys what themedia feeds them ... and the alien contact remains an unsolvedmystery that will baffle the agency (and no one else) for all time.Phew.Darn this pesky writer's mind. Look how my suspicious nature blowsan ordinary news story out of proportion. The next time some kindof "Heaven's Gate" story hits the press, someone send me e-mail toturn my TV off for a few days ... please. A story like the one Ijust proposed couldn't possibly be true.Or could it? What if ... The End? -=+=-}}}}}}} J. Alec West, alecwest@pacifier.com}}}}}}} http://www.pacifier.com/~alecwest%=====================================================================%####### MARKET REPORT: SHOW ME THE MONEY by Gail ("G. Miki") HaydenThe person who writes without an aim will get as far as paragraph five,then lose interest. Writing is hard, sometimes tormenting work. Therehas to be a payoff or we will not do it. Yet some of us spend every freemoment--that is when we aren't answering email--on our craft.Did I say something about money?That was the hook, to get you to read down a sentence or two. Moneywould be a great aim for a short mystery fiction writer--if it were aviable one.On the other hand I received a check in the mail today for $96 for ashort mystery. That's a lot more than I thought I was going to get forthis story when I sat down and wrote it. I was writing it for a specificpublication, the editor of which requested a contribution from me--for$0.00. I spent a couple of weeks writing and polishing it.Now that you've scanned down this far, I've got to confess--I don't have manymarketlistings for this issue, just excuses. My number one excuse then is thatwe've already listed the main mystery markets--those that pay and those thatdon't. Those that pay don't pay a whole heck of a lot, either.{Check the previous issues of The Short Order for the markets info. -- Ed.}There are other markets, too, not exclusively aimed at mystery, and a lot ofthose have to be discovered through trial and error. Most little, mixed-genremagazines will be happy to receive mysteries, although some specificallyrefuse to consider the form.A friend of mine told me that she was planning on writing a short mystery.She wanted to sit down and have me explain the markets to her. I told her ifshe'd write that story, I'd help her try to target an appropriate market. Sofar, we haven't had that talk, but I think at some point I would have toldher the following:Walk into any Barnes & Noble and look through a few books on the market forshort stories. Better yet, examine the magazine rack and look over some ofthe possible markets directly. Hell, stand there/sit there and take notes.Crawl the Web and look for postings on markets. Send for guidelines and seeif those markets are still extant.Markets? There's always someplace else that you can send a story.But not usually for money. And there's the rub. Show Me the Money? I don'tthink that I can.That's why you have to have an aim as a writer. And that's something no oneelse can whisper in your ear or send you an email explaining. Why is it youwant to sit down and write? What is your dream? If you have a particular goaland an image of what it is you're striving after, then you must pursue it. Ifyou don't allow yourself to be sidetracked by the million obstacles thatarise, you may just arrive at your destination.Maybe not, but the trip will generally be a worthwhile one.Finding markets for your work is really a process. First you write a story,scrub it up so it shines, and send it out to the very best magazine around.What reaction do you receive? Indifference? Send the story out again. A fewcritical comments? If you agree with the remarks, make changes. If not, sendit out again. Keep a list of places you have sent the story to, and dates.Write another story, so that you have something else to send. Soon enough,you know what magazines are out there and even what you want to write. Youknow people in the publishing business and you know yourself as a writer justa little bit better, too.Follow your star--and if you hear of any markets out there, let us know!Two markets found online:Musing MagazineDawn McCallumPO Box 28442Bellingham, WA 98228-0442E-mail: LRPro@aol.comPublished twice a yearPays contributor's copyLooking for short stories, essays, reviews, poetry, artwork, etc.to fit theme issues: Edge of Identity (multicultural--deadline Aug 31, 1997);and Flights of Fancy (love/romance--deadline Jan. 31, 1998).The First Saffron Short Story CollectionSaffron EditionsP.O. Box 31Saffron WaldenEssexCB11 3UUEngland, UKsaffeds@dial.pipex.comhttp://www.u-net.com/saffeds/Ten times annually.Pays the authors of each book 15% of Total Net Sales (there are on average 30authors per book: 0.5% of Total Net Sales to each author)No specific deadline.All genres. -=+=-Gail Hayden edits two healthcare newsletters. Her short stories havebeen published in Murderous Intent, Kracked Mirror Mysteries, KeenScience Fiction, The Tale Spinner, The Fifth Di..., and The Sixth Sense.}}}}}}} Gail ("G. Miki") Hayden, MaraWayne@aol.com%=====================================================================%####### PULP STORIES REVISITED by Dan SontupI've searched through some of the old pulp magazines that had mystories in them and have selected three early stories of now-famouswriters. These "Golden Oldies" of crime/mystery short fiction shouldgive some historical sense to the genre and the part played by thepulp magazines."The Way to Power," by Lawrence Block. TRAPPED DETECTIVESTORY MAGAZINE, June 1958, W.W. Scott, Editor.Short story; first-person narration. Joe, part of the mob thatcontrols Central City, is called in by the Chief, the head of themob, who tells Joe that Lucci, a bookmaker who won'tpay off the mob, has to be taken care of. Joe, whose woman,Ruthie, has been taken from him by the Chief, is given thetask of disposing of Lucci. Without the Chief's knowledge,Joe has Lucci show up at the Chief's house, ready to make adeal that Joe has told him could be arranged. When Lucciand the Chief confront each other, Joe shoots the Chief withan untraceable gun, then shoots Lucci with his (Joe's) owngun as Lucci tries to run away. When the police arrive, Joetells them that Lucci shot the Chief and that Joe shot Lucci-- with the gun he was required to carry at all times as apolice lieutenant."I Killed Jeannie," by Evan Hunter. PURSUIT, Nov. 1953,L. B. Cole, editor.Short-short story; first-person narration. The innerthoughts of an obviously demented man, who beats and stompshis girlfriend Jeannie to death because, to him, her facelooks like "pink chalk" and her eyes like "mud puddles," andhe wants her to stop screaming when he hits her. He wandersthe city, ends up punching himself in the face because hefinds himself screaming just like Jeannie did. The nextmorning, he awakens and wonders why his face hurts and whythere's blood all over him, and hurries to go to Jeanniebecause "she can clear this up for me.""Finders Killers!" by John D. MacDonald. DETECTIVE STORYMAGAZINE, July 1953 (no editor listed).Listed on contents page as "crime novelette," about10-12,000 words; first-person narration. Russ Gandy, FBIagent, slips up and allows Torran, a man wanted for bankrobbing, kidnapping, and murder, to elude capture bydisguising himself as a woman. Gandy is taken off the case,resigns, and determines to bring Torran in himself. Hepicks up the trail and, by thinking as Torran would, startsto track him down. The trail leads from Chicago andenvirons to Acapulco, Mexico. Along the way, Russ uncoversa double-cross aimed at Torran by his alcoholic girlfriend,who helped him escape, and the man she works for, a gambler.Russ, through deduction and persistence, locates all of themin Acapulco. There's a stabbing and a shoot-out, and Russis the only one left standing, and in possession of all themoney Tarran has stolen. Russ's former FBI colleagues closein and grab Russ, thinking he's stealing the loot, but Russhas already wired FBI headquarters and told them he hadrecovered the stolen money and awaits instructions because,to Russ, sometimes lots of money "isn't enough." -=+=-}}}}}}} Dan Sontup, eq251@ix.netcom.com%=====================================================================%####### WHAT MAKES THE STORY A CUT ABOVE THE REST? by Gail ("G. Miki") HaydenI'm talking as a reader here. With magazines arriving in my mailbox everymonth, I read a goodly number of short stories. Some of the pieces areenjoyable, while some of them fail to delight. Only one that I've read in thelast two years was actually outstanding.I think about this fact a lot when, as a writer, I sit down to create.By examining first how a mediocre story is brought to life, I was able torealize how the author can avoid that pitfall. The word "create" may, indeed,be the key to the difference between a good story and an average one.The garden variety, let us even say hackneyed, tale is born in the same waythat a car is made at General Motors--mechanically. Just as a line ofvehicles has very little range within one model, so the middling piece offiction is pretty well recognizable as one of its type. Some expert readermight even be able to tell the year it was produced--or guess the magazine inwhich it appeared. Of course there are differences among these stories--justas there are contrasts between two cars rolling off the assembly line. Onemay be blue, the other beige; the first comes complete with all the frills,the second is stripped down for the less extravagant shopper. But theproduction of these fine cars, while an impressive feat, is not an art. Thatmanufacture results from the exact placing of materials beside eachworkstation.So, too, the average story is cranked out. The human biocomputer seizes on avast set of data about how stories are formed and on that prototypical model,particular variations are stamped. The less reliable the specifics, however,the more "representative" of its type the story might be said to be. Thecharacters are of an imagined kind, rather than replicating the flesh andblood sort, and the settings seem borrowed from a 1950s television show.Nothing about the story, in short, rings true. And yet what it is about thewriting that unsettles us, we often cannot sufficiently conclude. Frequently,in fact, the story is praised. The grammar, after all, is perfect; the plotis clever and the ending, a notable twist.For such reasons, these stories are plucked out eagerly by an editor, who hashad so many disappointments with other material submitted to her. The story,you might say, has been a great success.But what then of the piece of fiction that hints of "literature"? The actionof conception is the same as the other to the superficial eye. The story isplotted, based upon an ideal or an amalgam of elements that, in the author'sview, have born fruit as a perfect story by another hand. The addedingredient here, however, is that the writer is not so seduced by the "easy,"or the overly general. He/she puts a little more elbow grease into thething--watches, listens, sketches in something from real life, shading inmore individuality and a bit more "soul."This is the story that rises a notch above the others, and reputations aremade from such.But these stories are still far from the absolute in excellence. They stilllack the fragrance of originality.The truly artistic work is a rare delight. Here is the story that can causethe blood to chill, the spine to tingle, and the mind to swoon. The readerdwells thereafter on the message, the insight shared, the subtle hint of lifewithin, the uplift into the human realm.How does a story such as this come about? The author must be more than acraftsperson with a mastery of language and of the turns a tale may take. Anartist who wrestles ordinary words into a proper shape to represent the truecondition of life on earth knows first of all his deepest self. And secondly,he understands that what he sees inside is not utterly original to him, butis shared by every other Homo Sapiens who breathes.He writes his story and that story is ours. -=+=-Gail Hayden edits two healthcare newsletters. Her short stories havebeen published in Murderous Intent, Kracked Mirror Mysteries, KeenScience Fiction, The Tale Spinner, The Fifth Di..., and The Sixth Sense.}}}}}}} Gail ("G. Miki") Hayden, MaraWayne@aol.com%=====================================================================%####### SCAM ALERT by Kate Grilley"A fool and his money are soon parted."Keep your wallets/checkbooks firmly shut when these folks come calling.Once again, some of our previously mentioned Alerts are in the news...WOODSIDE LITERARY AGENCYWriters News, a UK publication, draws attention to a group called "WoodsideLiterary Agency." Claim is that it is under investigation by the F.B.I. fora number of matters and has been thrown off a number of Internet serviceproviders, report says 20 Internet accounts, which lasted only a few days.Might be wise to be a little wary if you get a message from this Agency.Details are at { kyewn@demon.co.uk }COMMONWEALTH (or Common Wealth) PUBLISHERSHere's a Commonwealth deal I read about...For a $3500.00 'investment' by the author, Commonwealth agrees to print10,000 pb copies, and pay 40% royalties on the first 2500 copies sold, andthen 15% on the next 7500 copies sold. This includes printing, promo, andadvertising on their web site. Supposedly, they also have ties to motionpicture companies. Is this a deal? You do the math. If you'reconsidering self-publishing, there may be more practical alternatives.READING FEESThe best agents don't charge reading fees. If you have questions, researchbefore you query. Check the latest edition of the Writer's Digest Guide toLiterary Agents for info on who charges and who doesn't.BOOK DOCTORSYou've submitted your manuscript to an agent, you get back a letter saying"I like it BUT it needs work, send it Dr. Book and I'll look at it againafter you've revised it." Before you write a check to Dr. Book, do yourhomework. Talk to friends who've been published, talk to your writer'sgroup, post a message on the internet. There are legitimate free-lanceeditors who can help you improve your manuscript, there are also scamartists who are only out to pick your pocket. Sad to say, some agents whorecommend specific book doctors get a kick-back from the book doctor orediting service. Writer, beware!My spies inform me...Warning: the following agents/agencies have recommended the book doctorsEdit Ink: Aardvark Literary Agents; Authors Literary Agency of Dallas,Texas; Elaine Davie Literary Agency; Feigen Literary Agency/Brenda FeigenLiterary Agency; Literary Bridge; New Scribes Literary Agency; New BrandAgency Group out of Coconut Creek, Fl; and Alison J. Picard. The followingpublishers have recommended Edit Ink: Amherst Press; Baldwin & KnowltonBooks; Crescent Books; and Discus Publishers.We've discussed Edit Ink in previous Scam Alert columns...again, beware! Ihave yet to hear a positive experience with Edit Ink or one that resultedin a manuscript sale.RENAISSANCE LITERARY AGENCY UPDATELast time we reported a possible scam by JOHN HONEA PUBLISHERS a/k/aRENAISSANCE LITERARY AGENCY, based in Alpharetta, Georgia.A pocket for her spy coat to Jane Rafael for the following info:--There is a real literary agency called Renaissance, in LA. They areprimarily movie deal makers, and work with east coast book agents. Headhoncho is Joel Gotler, and the agency is not only legit, they're alsoexcellent.Jane is a freelance editor. If you want info on freelance editingservices, drop Jane a note at: jrafaledit@rockland.net---------------------------------Heard of any scams? You, too, can win a pocket for your spy coat!Send your scam news to me at: Kate_Grilley@compuserve.comWishing you a happy, scam-free, spring!Kate -=+=-Kate Grilley's first short story, "Taking Prisoners", appeared in theSummer, 1996 issue of Murderous Intent.}}}}}}} Kate Grilley, Kate_Grilley@compuserve.com}}}}}}} http:/ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Kate_Grilley%=====================================================================%####### CALL FOR SUBMISSIONSWe are looking for contributors who would be responsible for materialin the following areas:[1] A History of the SMFS listserv. This would involve keeping a brief running description of the main topics discussed on the list, for those who aren't always able to keep up with the main threads of discussion.[2] A Quarterly WWW link list. Simply a collection of links that our readership might find fun, useful, or interesting. A new set for each issue of the newsletter.[3] A FAQ about writing short mystery fiction. Those who have experience in writing and submitting short mystery fiction might want to pass on support information for other authors. Each issue of The Short Order has some material along these lines. I would like someone to help collate and organize it.%=====================================================================%####### SUBMISSION GUIDELINESIf you would like to submit material for the Short Order newsletter,or have an idea for material to be included, please email the Editorat {rkfoster@ix.netcom.com} with details, or send the actual material.There is currently no monetary compensation for material selected.The Newsletter is currently published on a quarterly basis.We try to include material directly related to mystery stories in theshort form or related to support of both authors and readers of shortmystery fiction. Here are some further guidelines: * Submissions should not be longer than 2000 words unless the piece can be spread over multiple issues. We will consider anything that is short mystery related including poetry, news about the industry, info on writing, etc. Continuing columns are also possible. * Along with the body of the material, please include the following; The Title of the piece, your full name as you would like it to appear on the piece, a short blurb or intro for the material, an email and website address(if available) for yourself, and a closing "author's bio" type entry to be included at the closing of the article. * Please save a copy of the work in ASCII/text format, if possible, and include it as plain text in your email submission. You can UU encode the document if necessary. * Email your Newsletter Submissions to {rkfoster@ix.netcom.com}. The Subject line of the email should begin with something like "TSO: ". * We are currently publishing the newsletter on a quarterly basis. Please have submissions sent via email by the last day of August, November, February, and May in order to be included in the September, December, March and June issues.%=====================================================================%####### BACK ISSUESBack Issues of The Short Order are available on the SMFS website. If youwould like a listing of the Table Of Contents for each issue, or you knowwhich issue you want, we can email the text versions of the Newsletterto you. Simply send a request to {rkfoster@ix.netcom.com} indicating theneeded issues.%=====================================================================%####### KEEPING IN TOUCH, SUBSCRIBING, ETC.To subscribe to the email version of this newsletter, which is currentlypublished on a quarterly basis, send email to {rkfoster@ix.netcom.com}with a brief note asking to be subscribed. The list is not automatedand is used only for distribution of The Short Order newsletter.If you wish to be removed from The Short Order subscriber email list,also send a request via email to {rkfoster@ix.netcom.com}. -=+=-The World Wide Web version of this newsletter can be found at: http://www.thewindjammer.com/smfs/newsletter/The Virtual Offices of the Short Mystery Fiction Society(SMFS) can befound on the World Wide Web at: http://www.thewindjammer.com/smfs/ -=+=-To join the Short Mystery Fiction Society(SMFS), it's free of charge,send email to: majordomo@teleport.comwith a blank subject line and a message body of: subscribe shortmystery-l-digest(That is the letter L, not a #1)You will receive the SMFS listserv digest in email almost every day.%=====================================================================%####### COPYRIGHT INFORMATION Copyright(C)1997 Short Mystery Fiction SocietyPermission is granted for the redistribution of this Newsletter, so longas the Newsletter is not edited and is attributed to the Short MysteryFiction Society(SMFS). All Other Rights Are Fully Reserved.Any other use of this information without the express written consent ofthe Short Mystery Fiction Society is prohibited. The Short Mystery FictionSociety expressly disclaims all liability for any misuse of thisinformation by any third party.%========================== THE BITTER END?! =========================%