New Short Story Anthology of Combines Familiar New Hampshire Locales with the Devious Plots of Pulp Detective Fiction
A new publishing venture will use familiar New Hampshire locations and landmarks as the setting for twisted tales of hardboiled detectives, femme fatales and two-bit thugs in a style inspired by the classic pulp fiction of the early 20th century. “Live Free or Die, Die, Die!: Granite State Murder, Mystery and Mayhem,” will be released by Plaidswede Publishing in the fall of 2011, but editor Rick Broussard wants to get the investigation started now. He’s seeking submissions for his anthology, and he’s offering local writers a chilling challenge.
“All the best detective fiction is endowed with a sense of place,” says Broussard, “Think about Robert B. Parker’s “Spencer” books, based in Boston, or Raymond Chandler’s tales of Los Angeles crime. I want writers to use New Hampshire like that.” As encouragement, he’s offering the book’s title, “Live Free or Die, Die, Die!” to be affixed to the one mystery tale that creates the most immortal characters, either criminal mastermind or plucky private eye. “I think New Hampshire deserves its own Philip Marlowe,” says Broussard.
Writers need to get busy. The deadline for submissions is March 31, 2011. Anyone, whether a seasoned author or a new talent, is invited to submit a story of less than 8,000 words, but with three requirements: “It’s got to be set in New Hampshire and it’s got to be have that special atmosphere you find only here,” says Broussard, “Oh, and it ought to have a mystery.”
All entries will be considered but the editor and publisher reserve the right to select the one that will appear in print. Other efforts may be posted on the NHPulpFiction.com Web site with the authors’ permission.
The mystery anthology is the second is a series of collections of short stories to known as the New Hampshire Pulp Fiction series. The first anthology, “Live Free or Undead: Dark Tales from the Granite State,” was published by Plaidswede Publishing last fall and is available at most N.H. book sellers and from nhbooksellers.com. Volumes featuring science fiction and historical romance are planned as well. Stories featured in the series will be written mostly by New Hampshire authors but they will always be embedded firmly in the Granite State.
“The state is rich with fascinating lore and compelling locales,” says Broussard. “With our combination of deep, rugged nature and fast-growing urban complexes, any writer seeking a setting for fiction can find ample inspiration here.”
Submissions should be sent to Rick Broussard at nhpulpfiction@gmail.com.
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