HAPPY 250TH BIRTHDAY AMERICA! BY: KIMBERLY R. THORN

Happy 250^th Birthday America!   By: Kimberly R. Thorn

Is it me of does it seem like it should have been more than 250 years since this great county started?  But upon my disbelief, I did do the math and it is indeed exactly 250 years ago today that America began.  Now, some may believe that this is not a great country at this present time.  Do I agree that we have many things that we, as a country need to work on, yes.  But the overall idea of our forefathers of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness does still exist.  Let’s ask ourselves the question, what other country in the world that has these same three principles?

Please don’t get me wrong.  I am well aware of the turmoil that we as American’s face.  I would be dumb not to realize them.    The biggest one is the division between all of us currently.  There are Democrats, Republicans.  Pro-life versus Pro-Choice. Professed Christians and Non-Christians.  Homosexuals and Heterosexuals.  Just to name a few.  If I proceeded to name all of the divisions in this blog, it would take days.  I think you get the gist of what I am saying, though. 

There are two points that I would like to make today, when we are celebrating the 250^th anniversary of this country.  First, where else in the world would you be able to express your differences so openly and freely?  Try it in another country and you would be punished or killed.  Second, let’s remember that even though we are all different people with different beliefs, ideals, preferences, etc. (as I know I am missing tons of specifications), we are all still Americans.  Let us celebrate these divisions and not let them divide and conquer us.  We need to stand united and firm.  We cannot let our differences alienate us from each other. 

Please understand that I do not want to offend anyone.  That is not my intention at all.  I am just so tired and disappointed of the name calling, the finger pointing and the hateful ways that we, as Americans are talking to each other.  We, as a people, will not accomplish anything if we are arguing amongst ourselves.  United we stand, divided we fall.

I thank all who have ever served and still serve our great country along with our forefathers, for giving us the opportunies that we have, even today.  We’ve come a long way and while we still have tons more work to do, I know that we, as Americans can continue to grow and improve.  I remember after 9/11.  We didn’t see each other as different political party members, by sexual orientation, or by religion.  Prior to 9/11, we were divided then as well, but we all came together, as Americans and stood up against those that attacked our people and our Country.  We helped each other.  There were volunteeers from countless communities that all joined together.  That is my America!  One where we pulled together and not let it separate us.  Let’s remember that today as we celebrate our country’s 250^th Anniversary.

Happy 250^th 4^th of July y’all!  Be safe and cool today!  LET FREEDOM RING!

250 Years of American Wit and Wisdom by Yvonne Saxon

It’s our birthday! From sea to shining sea we are celebrating the 250th anniversary of our independence. Picnics, parties, and parades will take place all over the USA and fireworks will turn night skies red, white and blue! As a party favor, I’ve collected a handful of quotes from American writers that spans the last 250 years. From presidents to pundits to activists, their writings have influenced our culture. Enjoy!

 

Hello June by Teresa Inge

As we step into my favorite month, I can’t help but smile. June has always held a special place in my heart. It’s the month I graduated many years ago, the month I got married, and the month when flowers bloom in my yard and my garden comes alive with fresh tomatoes and other homegrown goodness.

For me, June is more than the start of summer. It’s a time of leaving the cold behind, welcoming what’s new, and settling into a season of being outdoors.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy the month is by reading a book by the pool or at the beach. There’s just something about being near the water with a mystery book in hand that I love.

June also carries a sense of celebration. Schools mark the end of the academic year with graduations, weddings fill the month with joy, and for many families, it signals the beginning of summer vacations. My husband and I just took a major RV trip through nine states in eleven days, so we are not planning another big getaway right now. Still, I do plan to take time off at the end of the month to enjoy our beach house in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I also have outdoor book signings scheduled with author friends, including my favorite annual event at a wine and craft festival, which is always fun.

Another reason I love June is the extra sunlight. With the summer solstice arriving around June 20 or 21, the days stretch longer and give us more time to enjoy the season. 

In the end, June is my kind of month, full of sunshine and fresh air, walking cool hiking trails with my husband and dogs, taking my 1955 T-Bird out for a cruise, and spending time with family and friends.

FIVE YEARS IN THE MAKING: THE KING'S COLLAR DEBUTS By Jeff Tanner

 

The King’s Collar (Koehler Books), publishes June 30. The book, set in 1929 Boston, features many real people, including Joseph Kennedy, Jack Haley (Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz), and mobster Charles “King” Solomon. The story is an adventurous mystery featuring disgraced would-be Harvard graduate Charlie “Bones” Bohannon, and centers around his hunt for missing artifacts to clear his name and graduate, all while being threatened by others who desire the wealth those artifacts could bring.

Boston seemed the perfect setting. As a port, it was almost as important as New York. The city, already known for banning books, was also the home of 4000 speakeasies, quadruple the number at the start of Prohibition. Nowhere else in America was there such a surface divide between the pious elite and the powerful mob.

The idea for The King's Collar came not in Boston but in Newport News, Virginia. I was touring backstage of that city’s Mariners’ Museum, primarily built to keep Huntington Shipyard workers employed during the Depression. The founders, therefore, had no idea about acquiring and curating artifacts, so the museum now has an abundance of some items and a dearth of others.

Immediately, the idea of an Indiana Jones-type adventurer searching the globe for maritime artifacts came to mind.

Gratifying, then, are early readers’ comments, such as “Indiana Jones meets The Maltese Falcon” by Margit Weisgal of the Baltimore Sun and others, “…Jones meets The Sting” by award-nominated author (and regular blogger here) Michael Rigg, and similar comparisons.

Here’s a synopsis:

Boston, May 1929. Expelled from Harvard and disowned by his father, Charlie Bohannon is down to his last nickel when he stumbles across a chance at salvation: a priceless Egyptian statuette hiding in the smoky recesses of a speakeasy. Learning it was stolen from a long ago-expedition led by his college dean, he sees returning it as his only shot a redemption – but the plan shatters when the artifact is stolen and the thief is murdered.

From the corrupt halls of power where Joseph Kennedy pulls the strings to the seedy docks of the Atlantic, Charlie suddenly finds himself in the crosshairs of several dangerous men. They don’t just want the statue; they want its legendary counterpart, the jewel-encrusted King’s Collar. They think Charlie can find it. And they’ll happily kill for it.

Aided in his quest to find the King’s Collar by daring socialite Olivia and salty ex-sailor Punchy, Charlie plunges into a shadow-game where killers hide in plain sight. When his friends are kidnapped, the hunt for the Collar becomes a race against time. In the cut-throat world of the Prohibition era, Charlie must find the treasure – or pay for it with their lives.

Another surprise for me is how much early readers like Punchy, the “salty ex-sailor.” So much so that I now offer readers a free short story with Punchy as the protagonist.  (www.authorjefftanner.com/fiction/punchy)

The King’s Collar publishes June 30, and can be found at The Book Bin on the Eastern Shore, or pre-ordered online (Amazon.com: The King's Collar: 9798897471522: Tanner, Jeff: Books). Or, if you’re likely to run into me soon, you can order it on my website and I’ll bring you a signed copy!

Dolls, second in the series, publishes December 8.  Both books are published by Koehler Books. I’ve already written books three and four; with any luck, we’ll see those hit the market in 2027.

Clair Lamb, editor, said this about Charlie. “I like Charlie; he’s good company.” I hope others agree.

THE ART OF STORYTELLING: PART II: A BRIEF HISTORY OF ORAL STORYTELLING by Penny Hutson

Storytelling is one of the oldest art forms. Historians believe people told stories orally long before the invention of written language or any writing instruments. The earliest stories were likely simple chants and myths created to explain natural occurrences. Over the years, more intricate stories of gods and goddesses, monsters, and people with superhuman qualities emerged, creating the hero tale.

During the Middle Ages, oral storytelling became a favorite pastime. Minstrels, bards, and troubadours roamed the countryside in Eastern Europe. They knew all the popular tales, noteworthy university theses, scandals of the royal court, and the healing power of herbs and simple medicines. Many learned to play whatever instruments were in favor at court and compose verses at a moment's notice. In a way, they acted as modern-day journalists keeping society informed of local and world of affairs; but they were also entertainers, which is likely why they were welcomed at the royal courts, villages, and marketplaces alike.

With the invention of moveable type and the printing press, however, interest in oral storytelling declined as more people learned to read. By the 1800s folktales became popular with the publication of the Grimm’s Fairytales, Hans Christian Anderson folktales, and other collected regional stories.

By the early 1900s, there was a rise in oral storytelling again thanks to Marie Shedlock, a schoolteacher in England, who became the first professional oral storyteller. She toured in Europe and the United States and proposed oral storytelling as a natural way to introduce literature to children. She’s also credited with inspiring the first storytelling organization, The National Story League, created in 1903, which is still in operation today.

Then, with the invention of the television, oral storytelling declined again until the 1970s when other storytelling organizations formed. In 1973 the first National Storytelling Festival was created in Jonesborough, TN, and is still held annually. Similar scenarios began happening in England and other places around the world. Currently, there are dozens of storytelling festivals and hundreds of professional storytellers around the world, including an international celebration on World Storytelling Day every March 20.

Since the early 2000s, the internet has connected storytellers from all over the globe and helped to increase interest in telling stories, both written and oral. Ordinary people’s personal stories, true crime, and the lives of famous people are particularly popular right now.

There are many online sites, as well as television programs dedicated to storytelling, such as the Public Broadcasting Service’s (PBS) “On Story” and Music Television’s (MTV) “Storytellers.” Currently, people’s personal stories – funny, sad, scary, and just plain interesting ones are very popular.

I don’t know what storytelling will look like in the future, but I am certain it will still be around in some form or another. Storytelling has stood the test of time and appears to be endemic to the very fabric of humanity itself.

So, when’s the last time someone told you a good story? If it’s been a while, tune into a radio station like the Moth Radio Hour, find a storytelling program on TV, listen to a podcast or Utube channel, or check out an audio book from your local library. Experience the magic and power of the spoken word. It may surprise you.

AND THEN THERE WERE TWO: SHADOWS OF FRENCHMEN by Michael Rigg

 

It’s been quite a year.

My debut novel, Voices of the Elysian Fields, released in May 2025. I participated in new author programs at Malice Domestic, Thriller Fest, Killer Nashville, and Bouchercon 2025. And the novel received nominations for an Agatha at Malice Domestic 2026 and an Anthony at Bouchercon 2026.

Wow—and Whew! Time to take a breath? Not a chance.

Cinco de Mayo is my new favorite holiday. Shadows of Frenchmen, my second novel, released as an eBook on May 5^th (2026) and in paperback about two weeks later. Both versions are available on Amazon.com (Shadows of Frenchmen: A Jonathan Gray, M.D. Mystery: Rigg, Michael: 9798898202354: Amazon.com: Books) and other online retailers. Here’s a synopsis:

On a frosty Sunday morning in February, Dr. Jonathan Gray, Coroner of Orleans Parish, faces a gruesome sight. A dead man splayed against the circular steel and cut-glass blocks of the city's AIDS memorial in Washington Square Park has strange symbols carved into his forehead and chest. A coded note-a cipher-has been placed under one hand. The body mutilation and note are hallmarks of a serial killer dubbed by the news media as the "Mardi Gras Sweeper," because he strikes during Carnival season and leaves coded manifestos taunting police and giving hints about his next victim.

Hoping to avoid a panic during the city's most profitable season, Mayor Max Jamerson asks Gray to investigate the murder "on the sly," without formal assistance from the New Orleans Police Department. Time is of the essence as Gray races to figure out the cipher and track down the Sweeper in order to prevent additional killings-and save Mardi Gras.

Here are a few snippets from endorsements for Shadows of Frenchmen:

“…A chilling, razor-sharp mystery set against the explosive energy of Mardi Gras…  Dr. Jonathan Gray is a hero you won’t forget—and the Mardi Gras Sweeper is a nightmare you won’t escape.”

—Kathleen Antrim, Bestselling Author, President-Outliers Writing University 

“Michael Rigg does it again, with another thrilling mystery that you won’t be able to put down … Shadows of Frenchmen takes readers into the darkest corners of New Orleans’ lush settings and spooky cemeteries as Gray and his colleagues hunt for a possible serial killer, all against the backdrop of raucous Mardi Gras celebrations…”  

—Ellen Byron, USA Today Bestselling & Agatha Award Winning Author

“… Dr. Jonathan Gray is the new Kay Scarpetta…”  

—John DeDakis, Former CNN editor, writing coach, and author of the Lark Chadwick mystery-suspense-thriller series, at johndedakis.com.

 “Great action from the get-go! Atmosphere, characters, and all the right ingredients. A great read by Michael Rigg!”

—Heather Graham, New York Times Bestselling Author

“Featuring smart and complex characters, Shadows of Frenchmen pulses with energy, taking the reader on a breathless chase for a serial killer terrorizing the city in the days leading up to a city-wide Mardi Gras celebration...”  

—K.L. Murphy, Author of the Detective Callie Forde Mysteries, The Great Forgotten, and the award-nominated Her Sister's Death

“…Shadows of Frenchmen has it all—taunting coded notes from a serial killer, seemingly resurrected from the dead, bodies with mysterious carvings stacking up all over New Orleans, and a race-against-time urgency as pulse-pounding as an episode of 24...”  

—Christi Keating Sumich, author of the Old New Orleans Bookshop Mysteries

“…A propulsive thriller set against the backdrop of Mardi Gras season, Shadows of Frenchmen takes the reader on an unrelentingly tense exploration of the sinister underbelly of the Crescent City’s carefree façade...”

—Norman Woolworth, Author of The Lafitte Affair and The Bolden Cylinder, Books 1 and 2 in the Bruneau Abellard Novel series

And you can check out the book trailer at: SHADOWS OF FRENCHMEN | Book Trailer | New Orleans Mardi Gras Mystery.

Please spread the news about Shadows of Frenchmen far and wide. Check out the book trailer and, if you like the description, download an eBook or purchase the paperback today. I hope I’ll earn a five-star review!

PROMPTS TO INSPIRE YOU, PART SIX, by Max Jason Peterson

Among many favorite memories of my father, one is the writing sessions we had together. These were quiet, companionable times when we’d both sit with paper and pen or pencil (Dad often wrote with a red mechanical pencil I gave him as a child; I knew how important writing was to Dad, and I already wanted to be a writer myself). Sometimes we chose comfortable folding chairs in the back yard on a sunny morning. Others we might sit at the kitchen table with coffee, and maybe music, especially jazz; or at Grandma’s picnic table in the downstairs patio when we visited Colorado. Our shared love of writing meant that even if we didn’t sit in the same room, knowing the other one was writing inspired us. Many times on our family lake reunions (back to my childhood home in upstate New York) Dad might sit sequestered on the sunporch, while I sat outside on the hill: both of us gazing at the lake, writing, feeling the inspiration flow.

Max and Rocco

So perhaps there’s a reason I love Sisters in Crime’s ongoing Zoom write ins (worth the price of membership alone: generally around 13 or so available per week, except during January and November, when there are at least five write ins every day). Or prompt-based inspiration sessions, like the ones hosted by Keuka Writes (the writing group affiliated with my childhood home, and the literary journal of the Finger Lakes, Bluff & Vine, where I’m proud to say both Dad’s and my works have appeared). Or hosting such inspiration sessions myself, for Max’s Writers Café (free, ages 18+, online via Zoom, hosted by Hampton Public Library: I lead five or six sessions each fall and spring, which require individual registration via Eventbrite; here’s the overall collection where you can find all events).

The purpose of my inspiration sessions is simply to help fellow creatives get started on something new. It can be refreshing to let yourself dream up something unexpected from a prompt; and something about writing with a time limit, especially in the company of others, with an idea you didn’t expect, can help overcome that “stuck” feeling. So I wrote these with the intention of inspiring some new rough drafts. Don’t expect them to be perfect!

For each numbered concept below: read the prompt first, then set a timer for ten minutes and start writing. Stop when the timer ends. Though you’re writing on your own, obeying the timer should still help train your brain to take the prompt seriously and get down to business. (For me, this can help circumvent how daunting it can be to get started.) You might be surprised by how much comes to you that you didn’t expect! And I hope that some of these rough drafts will intrigue you enough to polish and/or continue them later.

Ready? Begin.

Stress and Gratitude: Think about a situation that your character finds so stressful or painful that it is causing them deep anguish or worry. Imagine a moment in which gratitude for anything or anyone in their life brings them peace or an ability to carry on (including experiencing a moment of beauty, or a phone call from a loved one). How do they get to this place of appreciation or gratitude? How does it change things for them, even if just internally? Alternative: Explore the point of view of a character such as a supervillain who might feel gratitude for things that cause stress to others.

Long or Sleepless Nights: Long nights might be good or bad, maybe even both. Does your character enjoy sleeping a lot, or do they stay up late or lose sleep at night? Is it a choice they make, something they enjoy, or feel some drive to do? Or do they feel they have no choice but to stay up, or maybe have insomnia, can’t stop worrying, or fear what will happen when they close their eyes? How do they feel about fall and winter’s longer nights? Alternative: Delve into your character’s dark night of the soul.

From Farm to City: Your character might be literally driving produce from the family farm to a city market, or metaphorically “fresh off the farm,” entering a new job or school, or a new city or home. Does this new environment feel overwhelming, or simply different? Have they always “longed for the city,” or do they have regrets in “leaving the farm behind”? What brings them joy or heartache about their circumstances? Alternative: Wax poetic about farm life, gardening, or working the earth; or celebrate city life or community events (including those on a farm).

Seeing beyond the Ordinary. Imagine a person who works in any of the arts or sciences. Write about someone real or imaginary who invents technology or creates/participates in art (of any form). Your character might live in any time, past, present, or future; they might live by their imagination, live in a world of dreams, or experience visions in a spiritual, chemical, or science fiction/fantasy context. What goes into making things that touch other hearts or change lives (for good or ill)? What are the costs of this creative or dedicated life? Alternative: Imagine what your own ideal creative life might look like, and what steps you might take to get there.

If you’d like more prompts, here are some earlier installments in this series:

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

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Max Gardner (he/they) is a fiction writer & award-winning poet published under a variety of bylines, including Max Jason Peterson and Adele Gardner. A poetry collection, Halloween Hearts, is available from Jackanapes Press, while over 500 stories, poems, art, and articles appear in Analog, Clarkesworld, Strange Horizons, PodCastle, Daily Science Fiction, and more. Gardner serves as literary executor for father and mentor Delbert R. Gardner; Muse Mansion, a collection of poems by both father and firstborn, will be released soon by San Francisco Bay Press.