For an anthology published back in 2006, Damn Near Dead is still plugging along...Internationally best-selling, award-winning thriller writer Jeff Abbott (Panic, Fear, Collision) has just sold a film option on his hitman short story, "Tender Mercies," from Damn Near Dead: An Anthology of Geezer Noir (edited by Duane Swierczynski; Busted Flush Press; 2006; trade paperback original; $18). Jeff has this to say on his blog:
"'Tender Mercies' is about a 70-year-old retired CIA hit man who hires himself out under a false name and gets hired to kill a dangerous target: himself. I remember when I wrote the story I really liked the main character, Lionel, and kept thinking I should bring him back in a novel -- he felt too big for the constraints of a short story. My wife said Lionel was one of her very favorite characters of mine and kept urging me to write another story with him. (I don't think, though, I can say Lionel is 'mine' -- he seems to belong to himself.) I'm glad that Lionel will have a chance now to star in his own, expanded story. (Obviously, the story has to be expanded to feature length.) For those who think suspense is all about plot, think again: the character of Lionel is what's driving the project. I'm thrilled to be working with Adam Wilkins (a very smart young producer)."
That's just the latest in good news for Damn Near Near Dead contributors... here's more:
* Bill Crider ("Cranked") earned a Derringer Award, and Edgar & Anthony nominations.
* Stuart MacBride ("Daphne McAndrews & the Smackhead Junkies") was nominated for a Derringer.
* Megan Abbott's "Policy" earned an Anthony nomination and became the basis for her Edgar Award-winning novel, Queenpin (Simon & Schuster).
* Maxim Jakubowski chose four stories -- John Harvey's "Just Friends," Allan Guthrie's "The Killer Beside Me," Mark Billingham's "Stepping Up," and Donna Moore's "Pros and Cons" -- for his anthology, The Mammoth Book of Best British Mysteries (Running Press; April 2008).
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4 comments:
I enjoyed Bill's reading of "Cranked" on Crimewav. It's nice to hear someone pronounce CocaCola properly, i.e. ko-kola. This story alone is enough to sell me on Damn Near Dead.
That's brilliant news! It's a great anthology and I was pleased as punch and very proud to be a part of it. When's the next anthology coming out? :o)
Funny you should ask that, Donna... ;-)
Mack, all the story's are wonderful! Especially the aforementioned Donna Moore's "Pros & Cons".
Thanks David. Having achieved geezer status myself I definitely need this anthology. Not to mention who you got to edit and write the intro.
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