A couple of years ago, my short story Queen of Junkyard Dogs appeared in an anthology called Hardboiled: Dames & Sin by Dead Guns Press. (I have since self-published this one in my own latest collection, Fresh Blood Orange.)

Shortly after, DGP went on hiatus, its future uncertain.

I’m pleased to say in 2018 DGP has returned, bigger and better, and is putting together a new Hardboiled anthology.

I’m even more pleased to say a short story of mine – Sherry Sherry (teaser below) – has been accepted for the book and will appear alongside some wonderful, grim, pulpy crime tales later this year.

DGP is based n New Mexico, USA, and is edited by John L Thompson and M Leon Smith. Their bag is noir, both classic-style and modern.

Sherry Sherry

There are days when I want to hammer nails into the wall with my head. On these days, Sherry makes me drink peppermint tea, and if that doesn’t work, she makes me drink a beer. She’s even, on occasion, gone out to the shops just get one specially.

“Sit down, hon, before you wear tram lines in the carpet,” she’d say.

“I can’t,” I’d say.

“Have a tea,” she’d say, and I’d shake my head.

“I’ll go and get you a beer, then. Please, have a beer. Please.”

She’d pull me down on the couch and rub my back while I sip at a cold bottle.

There are days when I want to pull my own teeth out. Days when I want to bite my knuckles until my fingers come off.

“It’s stress,” she’d say. “Have this.”

I’ve given myself black eyes in the past. I once gave myself a tattoo with a ball-point pen. Walls have needed replastered, furniture replaced. But I’ve never, ever hurt anyone else. I’d never hurt Sherry. I’d never hurt Sherry.

 

Read more soon!