Early Writings
“In Shock” - Writers often get asked, "When did you know you wanted to write?" In interviews, on panels, I often cite a story I wrote in my 8th grade English class called "In Shock." When I turned it in to Ms. Bumgarner, she did two things. First, she called my mother to make sure that everything was okay at home, but then she made me stand up and read it out loud to the class—a horrifying, exhilarating experience. While cleaning out a drawer, I came across the old, wrinkled pages of "In Shock." It was kind of surreal to look at that story and know that it was a watershed event in my formation as a writer, giving me the first inkling that maybe I wanted to write crime fiction. Be warned: it's violent and not very good, probably what you'd expect from a deranged 8th grader.
“Ginsu Tony” - I'm often asked where the idea for DESERT PLACES came from, and one of the things I mention is a short story I wrote in the spring of 1999, as a student in the creative writing program at UNC-Chapel Hill. The amazing writer, Marianne Gingher, was the professor of this intro to fiction writing class, and I turned in a story called "Ginsu Tony" for my final project. Please don't email me to say how awful it is...I know. But for those of you who've read DESERT PLACES, I think you'll enjoy reading its earliest incarnation.