Articles
We are interested in articles on a variety of topics within the crime & mystery genre. These include: essays on various writers, articles on book collecting, appreciations of particular books or subgenres of mystery fiction, biographical sketches of interesting people in the mystery world, historical pieces, articles on film/television/radio, etc., opinion pieces, and the occasional rant. Payment is negotiated with the editor in advance; payment is upon publication. Length: 800 to 2,000 words.
Interviews
Mystery Scene offers a wide variety of interviews. In addition to novelists, people we would particularly like to chat with: film/tv writers; film/tv directors and producers; book collectors; biographers; playwrights; librarians and museum curators of mystery-oriented collections.
Interviews may range from 800 to 1,000 words; shorter lengths are preferred. The subject should be introduced in a biographical preface. For interviews with writers, please include a booklist with publication years noted. The format may be in "Q&A" style or in article style with quotes. Query the editor in advance for approval, payment details and possible help with contacting interview subjects. [PLEASE NOTE that we receive more interview queries than any other type of correspondence. If you're trying to break into Mystery Scene, then an article would have a better chance.]
Book Reviews
The length of the reviews should range from 100-250 words. By publishing short, but sharp, reviews we hope to cover as many as possible of the 800+ mystery titles published annually. We supply the books and a small payment. When making inquiries, please include two sample reviews (with publication details) and mention what types of mysteries you prefer.
Please query Teri Duer This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
New Books Pieces
Authors of upcoming books are encouraged to send in short essays about their new titles. These essays are meant to entertain and intrigue potential readers, so be creative. Some examples: real-life inspirations for plot and characters; unusual research; issues raised in the book and why they were of interest to you; the story's locale or time period.
Humor is good, detailed plot summaries are not. Please include publication details (publisher, price, month of publication). These essays should be submitted via e-mail. Please provide author photo, book jacket, and any other photo that could accompany the essay by email. Any photo taken with a digital camera should be fine. If you are scanning a photo, use 300 dpi resolution.
There is no payment for these pieces. The length should range from 400 to 500 words. Please query This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Letters To The Editor and Miscellaneous Items
If you'd like to send correspondence for our "Letters" section, please clearly mark your submission as intended for that section. We'd love to hear from you! Miscellaneous trivia, poems, jokes, quotes & anecdotes are always welcome and will be credited if you remember to identify yourself. (Full names, please.) We also appreciate receiving news items and pertinent press releases.
As a service to our readers we will print information on Book Club Guides in our "Letters" section. Authors should This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. information to the editor—including the contact information you want printed.
"For me, the books I read were the call—the call to adventure, to thinking, to acknowledging other points of view. But to complete the ritual, I needed to respond."
I am surrounded by books. Every room, every space in my large, sprawling 1750s house is full of books...
Our history and experiences can define us, inspire our actions, and as writers impact our words and stories. Mine most definitely has: my father was a small-time gangster. Really.
"My ah-ha moment came when I read The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald.... That was it for me – I was off to the races."
Nietzsche once wrote, “There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness.”
"Mystery books were daring and exciting, firing up my imagination and making me yearn to become a girl detective or even a secret agent. They also empowered me to make up impromptu ghost stories around the campfire for my Girl Scout troop and sneak into the cemetery at night on a dare."
Fire and Ashes, the latest Angela Richman Death Investigator mystery, is an exploration of a fatal fire. To research this novel, Viets delved into the devastating consequences of junk science and arson investigations.
