AHMM, AHMM

That throat clearing is not just the start of an announcement, it is part of it as well. Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine has taken one of my stories. I can't say how much this pleases me. For some reason, I have thought of the two biggest mystery publications as a sort of holy grail of short story writing. Not because they carry the best story -- CrimeSpree Magazine is just as good as far as I can see. AHMM pays however. The money's not that important. (Though quite nice.) But it insures competition.

Intersting to me, I think I've written better stories. CrimeSpree published one of them in January -- "Stoop, The Thief." Still, there is a very real sense in which I cannot be the best judge of my own writing.

Another point of interest -- the story is based on a true story that occurred in Puerto Rico about fifteen years ago. Can't say more until it comes out.