Back in January I was invited to write a story for an anthology which will be called Noir Fatale, edited by Kacey Ezell and Larry Correia and published by Baen Books. I've held off posting about the anthology, since when Larry announced it I had not yet turned in my story. But, I sent the story in, which is near future science fiction, and the editor loved it, so I feel okay posting about it!

People who know me even just a little bit know of my love for film noir, and hardboiled and noir fiction from the '30s on up: from James M. Cain (Double Indemnity, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Mildred Pierce) to Dorothy B. Hughes (Ride The Pink Horse, In A Lonely Place) to James Ellroy (The Black Dahlia, LA Confidential). I was thrilled to be invited to write a story and have it alongside stories contributed by a great lineup of writers. I haven't seen any cover art as of yet, and I don't know the release date, but I can't wait to see a cover!

I won't say much about my story, but it's near future science fiction set mostly in New Orleans and tentatively titled: A String Of Pearls.

Here is a description of the anthology from Larry's announcement:

The silky note of a saxophone.  The echoes of a woman’s high heels down a deserted asphalt street.  Steam rising from city vents to cloud the street-lit air.  A man with a gun.  A dame with a problem…

Noir. 

We humans are collectively fascinated by the seamy underside of society as represented in stories and films.  Names such as Raymond Chandler, Dashiel Hammett, The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep, Sam Spade… these have inhabited our collective consciousness for decades.  Humanity, it seems, loves the dark.  And within the dark, one figure stands out: that of the femme fatale.

Kacey Ezell and Larry Correia are editing an anthology of all new, noir themed sci-fi and fantasy short stories titled Noir Fatale, and we’ve got a great line up of authors who will be contributing:

David Weber
Laurell K. Hamilton
Sarah Hoyt
Larry Correia
Kacey Ezell
Robert Buettner
Alistair Kimble
Griffin Barber
Michael Massa
Hinkley Correia
Christopher L. Smith
Patrick Tracy
Steve Diamond
Michael Ferguson