Hilly Lives!

I'm happy to report that my detective story, "Hilly Palmer's Last Case" (which first appeared at the much-missed Plots With Guns last September) has been selected for Ed Gorman's Year's Finest Mystery and Crimes Stories 2004 (Carroll & Graf).

I've known for a few weeks now, but I'm a superstitious bastard, so I didn't want to say anything until the contracts were signed. Now it's official, and I'm just as thrilled. (Never thought I'd see my work in any book with the word "best" in the title.)

Big thanks to Mr. Anthony Neil Smith for accepting the story in the first place, helping me weed the "too cute" moments out of it, and kicking my ass to give it a proper ending.

And of course, thanks to Ed for choosing it.

Philadelphians: You'll probably recognize the bar which serves as the setting for much of this story. (Anonymous City Girl, I know you'll know this place.)