What I’ve Got Going On (Summer 2026 edition)

My mind is pinging in about a thousand directions right now. I have a teenager in the house officially. Kid grew four and a half inches this year and is taller than me and now I’m looking at my younger son and realizing I’m counting down the days before I’m the shortest one in the house. I am emotionally preparing.

What I’m Up To

I’ve been traveling a lot for work and for family reasons. Which means I’ve had lots of time for audiobooks and podcasts and, for better or worse, my own thoughts. Had a great conversation with Matt Cost, Travis Kennedy, and Tim Queeney about writing at the Windham Public Library at the end of July and am looking forward to connecting with all three again. Hopefully sometime soon.

I have another story out in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine for the Sept/Oct edition. “We, the Aging” is my third Sloane story (which was actually the first that I wrote, but submission timelines are a funny thing). Her stories are set in and around Portland and feature some of my favorite spots. Sammy Scoops! Payson Park!

Because Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazines have undergone a change in their printer, physical copies have been held up. But the good news is you can access any of the stories I’ve published in both publications this year for free.

“Generous Strike Zone” in the March/April Alfred Hitchcock
“Best and Sweetest Things” in the May/June Ellery Queen
“A Well-Worn Path” in the July/August Ellery Queen
“We, the Aging” in the Sept/Oct Alfred Hitchcock

More information about how to access digital copies for free can be found on HERE for Ellery Queen and HERE for Alfred Hitchcock.

I have a few events I’m looking forward to:

8/11: Talking to Ryan Lowell about his book Freight tomorrow at Longfellow Books in Portland. 6:00. If you are in the area, please come by. It’s a great read and Ryan is a really thoughtful writer. Going to plug this one again because I really enjoyed it.
8/27: attending a library event in Tenant’s Harbor with Margot Anne Kelley and fellow Maine Crime writer Robert Kelley. We are going to talk craft.

What I’m Reading (or just finished)

SMALL MERCIES by Dennis Lehane

Oh man oh man. Mary Pat is a really complicated person. I was thoroughly pulled in from page one. Her voice. *Chef’s kiss* Probably what I ought to expect from a writer like Lehane. He grew up in Dorchester and watched Boston’s integrated bussing play out as a nine year old. When he talks about this story, he says it poured out of him. Some of the scenes are based on his memories. I wouldn’t call it an easy read. But it’s worth it.

THE SLIP by Lucas Schaefer *DEBUT*

A real delight of a debut so far (*Full disclosure* I’m not done yet). The writing is like watching a boxing match which makes sense because the story is set against the backdrop of 1998 boxing clubs in Texas and is about the disappearance of a boy. Schaefer offers up a nuanced take on identity. I usually like writing that is tight and clean and this one meanders more. But the meandering feels necessary to the story Schaefer is telling.

THE SWEET FOREVER by George Pelecanos

I took a trip to DC. Had to read some Pelecanos to go with it. I lived and worked there for about ten years, made some great friends, and taught some great kids. The Sweet Forever is the third book in his DC Quartet published in 1998. The atmosphere of this book stands up. And man oh man can Pelecanos weave POVs and subplots like a tapestry. I just missed him at Politics and Prose for the release of his latest, The Blue Flame. Adding this to my TBR list now.