"The Follow-Through"
The first short story I ever wrote was a creepy little horror tale called "The Toll Collectors," way back in '05. It took a long and circuitous route to publication, thanks to a sleazy editor who accepted it and then vanished from the internet without a trace, leaving me unsure as to my rights. But eventually, in '09, it saw the light of day, appearing in a then-new webzine called Beat to a Pulp. I didn't realize it at the time, but that credit would lead to a great friendship and rewarding creative collaboration with Beat to a Pulp's crack editor, David Cranmer. David's one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, and his keen eye for talent has developed Beat to a Pulp into a force to be reckoned with. Today marks my sixth story to be published by Beat to a Pulp. "The Follow-Through" is a nasty little slug of Maine noir. It wrote fast, and surprised me just a little come the end. With luck, it'll read the same. And David, as ever, i...