Three Strikes–You’re Dead! with Guest Barb Goffman #giveaway
Sherry — I’m enjoying the sunny, summer days!
I’m delighted to welcome back Barb Goffman, my independent editor and dear friend. Look for a giveaway at the end of the post!
Barb: Thanks to the Wickeds for inviting me today to talk about Three Strikes—You’re Dead! This sports/crime anthology came out at the end of April from Wildside Press. Anyone who knows me might be surprised to hear I co-edited an anthology mixing crime and sports. The crime part, that they’ll believe. But sports …
Nonetheless, it’s true. But have no fear, dear reader. I don’t have to be a jock to have helped our authors make their sports-oriented stories as good as they could be. If there was something I didn’t know, I had aficionados I could (and did) consult.
But one thing I like to think I have expertise on is identifying what makes a story special. And each of the stories in Three Strikes—You’re Dead! does indeed have a special quality. Just like every team has its stars, every story in this book has its stand-out elements. Here is what I think makes each story particularly worth reading. I’ll address the stories in the order they appear in the book.
“Murder at Home” by Alan Orloff—Alan’s writing style and choice of words put the reader right in the stands at a Major League baseball game while the pennant is on the line. You can practically hear the crowd roar, smell the players’ sweat, and feel their muscles pumping.
“Run For Your Life” by Smita Harish Jain—Smita alternates between scenes set during the Boston Marathon and scenes leading up to the race. A murderous plan has been hatched, and with every new scene, the suspense is ratcheted up even more.
“The Ultimate Bounty Hunter” by Sherry Harris—Sherry’s humor shines through in a story involving ultimate Frisbee and a bounty hunter who learned the tools of her trade by reading Stephanie Plum novels.
“Punch-Drunk” by William Ade—In this 1960s boxing tale, Bill’s spot-on voice for the New York City police detective looking into the death of the world heavyweight champ will lure readers in for the count.
“Running Interference” by Kathryn Prater Bomey—Kathryn’s behind-the-scenes look at a high school marching band expertly brings that world to life, showing that competition at a football game isn’t limited to when the ball is in play.
“Double Fault” by Adam Meyer—Tennis is a game with a lot of back-and-forth, but the subtextual sparring between the players is where Adam’s story shines.
“Of Mice and (Murdered) Men” by Rosalie Spielman—Rosalie’s story involving high school baseball and a shapeshifting student is straight out fun with a great voice.
“Eight Seconds to Live” by Robin Templeton—Robin vividly portrays the world of bull riding. Even if you’ve never been to the rodeo, you’ll feel like you have a seat in the stands.
“Off the Beaten Trail” by Maddi Davidson—In this thriller story about a kidnapped biathlon competitor, Maddi excels at bringing the action to life.
“Race to the Bottom” by Shannon Taft—Shannon’s story about zorbing has fun and amusing dialogue. “Your uncle’s re-election is in danger […] and your plan is for people to pay us to treat them like rodents?”
“Cui Bono” by F. J. Talley—F. J.’s story involving doping in minor-league baseball features an intelligent and dogged PI. Watching him figure things out is satisfying indeed.
“The Last Lap Goodbye” by Lynne Ewing—Lynne’s twisty story involving collegiate swimmers is full of drama and reads like a homage to the movies Lifetime is famous for.
“A Matter of Trust” by Barb Goffman—This is my own story, so talking about its best part feels awkward, but here goes. This is a tale about a man who becomes addicted to jelly donuts while he is supposed to be cycling for his health. I’m especially pleased by how the character comes alive on the page though his dialogue and thoughts.
“And Now, an Inspiring Story of Tragedy Overcome” by Joseph S. Walker—The writing in Joe’s figure-skating story sings with wit and humanity, and the detail will make you believe he knows firsthand about the problems of being a modern-day mobster, as well as the costs of raising an Olympian.
I hope I’ve enticed you to want to read these stories mixing crime and sports. This anthology, edited by Donna Andrews, Marcia Talley, and me, is available in ebook and trade paperback formats. Three Strikes—You’re Dead! would make a great gift for the sports lover—and short story lover—in your life, and if you need a Father’s Day gift, this book could be a slam dunk.
**Giveaway!**
Readers, do you have a favorite sport? Do you like reading short stories? If you’ve read Three Strikes—You’re Dead!, did you have a favorite story? Leave a comment and be entered to win an ebook version of this anthology.
Barb Goffman has been nominated for major crime-fiction short story awards forty-three times and has won the Agatha Award three times, the Macavity Award twice, and the Anthony Award and Ellery Queen Readers Award once each. She is this year’s recipient of the Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer Award, which is the Short Mystery Fiction Society’s lifetime achievement award. Barb makes her living as a freelance editor, especially enjoying working on traditional and cozy mysteries. She’s an associate editor of Black Cat Weekly and has edited or co-edited fourteen published anthologies with two more forthcoming. Barb blogs every third Tuesday at www.SleuthSayers.org. Learn more at www.barbgoffman.com
