Plots With Guns

It's finally going to happen. The next Plots with Guns is going to have a story of mine. The story is called "Padrino" which means Godfather in Spanish. You may know that Godparents are very important in Latino culture, not just a quaint ceremonial title. In any event, Ray Cruz, professional breaker of legs and collector of souls, has a goddaughter who could use some help. Of course, there's only one kind of help Ray knows how to give.

It turns out that i wrote one of my most successful stories, the first "Stoop the Thief" story some years ago after reading an issue of the first iteration of PWG. I got deep into the story until I figured out there was no gun in it and rewrote in order to fit the criteria and the plot twist worked, I think, quite well. A couple of days of polish, then I prepared to send out the story only to find PWG had gone out of business. Perhaps they had heard of my plans and decided to fold rather than read my stuff.

In any event, the story found a worthy home at CrimeSpree. Years later, I'm in like Flynn.

Short story markets

I've been searching high and low and can't find a home for a short story I wrote. It's 5,700 words and hardboiled. It involves Ray Cruz. He's a nasty piece of work, but there are always nastier people who get on his nerves or get in his way. In this case, it happens to be one of New York's five families.

In any event, the story's name is "The Most Dangerous Man in New York City" and since the Genovese family loses a lot of soldiers to Ray's ministrations, Ray gets to wear that title.

Anyway, if there are any ideas on where I can send the story, let me know. Paying markets preferred because, well, they pay, but any market will do.

And before you say AHMM or EQMM, let me say I've gotten the sweetest personalized rejections from them already.

More about Ray Cruz tomorrow.