Clayton Cranmer

I've been thinking about my dad a lot this week with Father's Day coming up, and when the spring issue of Needle arrived in my mailbox today, I was oddly surprised to see his name show up on the back cover. Thank you, Mel, for having the last name Clayton!

Bon Temps

Shovel deaths make for bon temps! Such good times, in fact, I’ve written shovel upside the noggin into two of my crime stories. The newest, "Bon Temps," is my first foray into dark comedy, featured in the latest issue of Needle: A Magazine of Noir. The plot concerns a small time crook named Luther breaking into a home to swipe some traveling money. He comes across the lady of the house standing over the corpse of her husband--a husband she has just murdered. She asks the burglar to help dispose of the body and she is willing to pay him handsomely. Does he accept? Who gets hit with the shovel? Have I written what I think is a clever little piece of short prose? There's only one way to find out and the answer is here.

Needle Spring Cover

Mr. John Hornor Jacobs has outdone himself with this sharp cover for the Spring issue. I'm fortunate to have a story titled "Bon Temps" included. Other contributors are:

Ray Banks
Tom Piccirilli
Amy Grech
Cam Ashley
Daniel O’Shea
Don Lafferty
Jason Duke
Matthew C. Funk
Mel Clayton
Patti Abbott
Scott Morse
Steve De Jarnatt
Todd Robinson

Needle: A Magazine of Noir

I'm Addicted

To the new issue of Needle. I've already finished top stories from Michael Gonzales, Matthew P. Mayo, Sophie Littlefield and Neil Smith.

Get your fix here, folks.

Needle - Magazine of Noir (Winter Issue)

I will be ordering my copy today.

New fiction by Graham Powell, Matthew C. Funk, Sophie Littlefield, Graham Bowlin, Michael Gonzales, Kieran Shea, Richard Godwin, Anthony Neil Smith, Matthew Mayo, Matthew McBride, and Libby Cudmore. And featuring PART ONE of the new novel by Ray Banks -- WOLF TICKETS.

Photo-Finish Friday -- NEEDLE

Going to the mailbox was damn special today. My contributor's copy of NEEDLE arrived.

Have you gotten a copy for yourself yet? All the cool kids are reading it.

PFF is the creation of Leah J. Utas.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Needle Magazine, Summer Issue, 2010

Needle Magazine is hardboiled, lean and mean. No silly reviews. No poetry. No advertising. Nothing but hard hitting stories. In your face and busting up your kiss-maker. Kapow. Fiction from Ray Banks,Nolan Knight, John Stickney, Frank Bill, Julie Summerell, Nigel Bird, Sarah Weinman, Allan Leverone, Chris F. Holm, David Cranmer, Stephen Blackmoore, and Mike Sheeter.

Order here.