Writer of noir fiction, designer of book covers. Derringer Award finalist. Published by Punk Noir, Reckon Review, ADR, Bristol Noir, RevJohn, and Anxiety Press.
Chicago
Joined March 2018
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Just learned this morning that I’m a Derringer Award finalist for “Chains,” a story published last September by All Due Respect.
Big thanks to @ADRCrimeFiction, @AlecCizak, the SMFS judges, and all my friends who read the piece. I’m honored by your support.
As a boy, my uncle Louie was allowed to loaf while his sisters peeled veggies, quietly fuming. Once, when he reached for a potato at supper, my grandma stabbed him with a fork and told him the girls would eat first.
Italian culture is patriarchy tempered by violent karma.
Frank Vatel retweeted
WHERE THE BONES LIE scored a Shamus Award for Best First PI Novel at Bouchercon last night! Thanks to @DaturaBooks, Private Eye Writers of America (PWA), and, of course, all the readers who've picked up the book this year! #amwriting
“One of my students just turned in her paper two days early. What is wrong with these kids?”
—A woman staring dumbfounded at her laptop. (Who is also married to me.)
Frank Vatel retweeted
I had no idea my story THE DEVIL’S CUT was included in the honorable mentions in BEST MYSTERY STORIES OF THE YEAR 2026 until Zakariah Johnson emailed me this yesterday. Man this is cool.
This is a great flash piece by @VictorDeAnda. The ending scalded my face.
Published by @MythicPicnic.
FORTUNE FAVORS THE FOOLISH: Right? Like this preview? Check out the full story at @MythicPicnic here: bit.ly/4AKHpxB Big thanks to @KennethMGRAY2 for including my story. #flashfiction #darkfiction #short #twitterary
Frank Vatel retweeted
Some really talented writers here. And, uh, me.
Give it a read!
I got to speak to a dream team of crime writers about what they preferred writing, novels or short stories. Seriously, take a gander at these BOLDFACE NAMES and their opinions in my new @CrimeReads piece.
crimereads.com/7-crime-write…
TCM has a fun marathon scheduled tonight: Hitchcock Blondes. Hitch would make deeper and more influential films in Hollywood, but I’ve always judged THE 39 STEPS (1935), with Madeleine Carroll, his most perfect, no-fat thriller. Airing at 10:45 ET, it’s worth a look. #TCMParty
Frank Vatel retweeted
Yesterday I was on the Person of Interest podcast with @ronclyburnbooks ... we had a long conversation about lots of books - here's a clip and the link: substack.com/@ronclyburn/not…
Frank Vatel retweeted
Reposting because I heard once that if you ignore a @BulbRegion post it’s an automatic seven years bad luck.
Before tomorrow's new edition, make sure to read our recent contributor Jennifer Ostopovich's (@jrostopovich) haunting short story, "Moths," in @APCON_MAG. 🔗👇
Frank Vatel retweeted
Novels or short stories? For my latest @CrimeReads article, I spoke with Casey Stegman @carlottadale38 Claire Booth, Emily Edwards @WriteLarryWrite Meghan Leigh Paulk and @juliadahl
crimereads.com/7-crime-write…
Frank Vatel retweeted
My essay about the proletariat writer Jack Conroy was published today by @merionwest. This has been a labor of love for me. Check out this piece about the leader of the worker-writer movement of the 1930s. L I N K below 👇🏼
Lawrence Block’s earliest noirs, likable as they are, feel rushed and implausible at times. Happily, his work matured at a rapid pace. THE GIRL WITH THE LONG GREEN HEART (1965) is a pleasure to read—confident, unhurried, and supremely knowledgable about the art of the grift.
Frank Vatel retweeted
Read an excerpt from my Heathers inspired dark comedy about disaffected 90s teen culture.
Huge thanks to the awesome @sarpsozdinler, who is both a talented and prolific writer and somehow still finds time to publish tons of cool stuff over at @BulbRegion!
"The media was filled with stories of the rise of counterculture, but I could never seem to figure out how it was actually counter—everyone was into it."
Stoked to welcome the wonderful @jrostopovich to The Bulb Region with a powerful era piece from her novel-in-progress.
🔗👇
Delighted to have contributed one of the sinister tales in this year’s GRITMAS noir anthology from Anxiety Press. Some drunken, disorderly elves informed me we’re looking at an early November release date. Stay tuned...
Published by @slicesofanxiety. Edited by @jdclappwrites.
