Nicholas Litchfield

Indies Today Reviews When The Actor Inspired Chaos and Bloodshed

I am delighted to announce that my latest novel, *When The Actor Inspired Chaos and Bloodshed*, has received a wonderful review from Nicky Flowers at Indies Today. For those who may not be familiar with Indies Today, it is an excellent platform that highlights independent authors and their works, offering insightful reviews and nurturing a vibrant literary community.

In her review, Nicky eloquently captures the essence of my story, stating, “Lifelike scenes unfold with such intensity and pulse-pounding momentum that the story feels like it is playing out on a giant movie screen before your eyes. Boasting a plot that is daring and unpredictable, *When The Actor Inspired Chaos and Bloodshed* defies convention, takes bold risks, and entertains from pulpy start to finish.”

Indies Today Reviews When The Actor Inspired Chaos and Bloodshed Read More »

Literary Titan Gold Book Award icon

When The Actor Inspired Chaos and Bloodshed Honored With Literary Titan Gold Book Award

I am pleased to announce that my suspense thriller, **When The Actor Inspired Chaos and Bloodshed**, has been awarded the Literary Titan Gold Book Award in the Fiction category. Literary Titan is known for its impartial evaluations, conducted by a team of professional editors, writers, and educators dedicated to reviewing a wide range of books and engaging with authors through insightful interviews. Receiving the Gold Book Award from such a reputable organization is a meaningful achievement for me.

When The Actor Inspired Chaos and Bloodshed Honored With Literary Titan Gold Book Award Read More »

Interview with Jerry Levy for Lowestoft Chronicle

The latest issue of the Lowestoft Chronicle, published today, includes my interview with Canadian short story writer Jerry Levy. Years ago, Levy contributed an excellent short story to issue #9 of the magazine (“Paris Is A Woman”). Since then, Levy has published three story collections, including his superb The Philosopher Stories. This interview with Levy focuses on his story collections, his literary influences, and the real-life inspiration behind his intelligent, socially awkward philosophy hack protagonist, Karl Pringle, the star of his newest book.

Interview with Jerry Levy for Lowestoft Chronicle Read More »

The Man With My Face & The Grinning Gismo by Samuel W. Taylor (Introduction by Nicholas Litchfield)

Taylor’s Tales of Teeth and Two Faces

Recently, Stark House Press reissued a couple of Samuel W. Taylor’s (1907-1997) excellent novels The Man With My Face and The Grinning Gismo. The first, originally published in 1948, is an outlandish crime tale about a man whose identity is stolen. It’s fast, thrilling, and slickly told, and Taylor examines the crime with such thoughtful care that by the end, you’re convinced that a crime like this could really take place. The subsequent mystery, The Grinning Gismo, from 1951, is a gritty pulp yarn that employs a number of clever techniques to keep the reader deeply invested in the story. It’s very suspenseful, full of neat twists, and with an impressive denouement. These stories are well worth seeking out, and this newly released twofer includes my essay “The Doppelgänger Fiend and the Teeth Worth Dying For.” You can purchase the volume on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

Taylor’s Tales of Teeth and Two Faces Read More »

The Accused / The Snatch by Harold R. Daniels (Introduction by Nicholas Litchfield)

The Harold R. Daniels Twofer: The Accused and The Snatch

Earlier this month, Stark House Press published both novels as a twofer. The collection includes my essay, “The Solidly Considerable Talent of Harold R. Daniels,” in which I speak about the power of these two stories and the author’s relatively short but impactful writing career. There’s a lot more I can say about Daniels. His final two novels certainly ought to be reissued. But for now, I’ll hold off and simply say that these two stories are worth seizing while you still can.

The Harold R. Daniels Twofer: The Accused and The Snatch Read More »

24 Hours to Kill / Blue Mascara Tears by James McKimmey (Introduction by Nicholas Litchfield)

The High-profile Prisoner and the Detective’s Obsession

The newest compilation released this month, 24 Hours to Kill / Blue Mascara Tears, includes a couple of varied, well-written novels from the 1960s. My essay, “Idolatry and Playing God to Cure “The Fix,” which introduces the volume, explores McKimmey’s writing career and these two works in particular. Those who enjoy hardboiled fiction from the golden era will not be disappointed.

The High-profile Prisoner and the Detective’s Obsession Read More »

Lowestoft Chronicle #51

Issue 51 of Lowestoft Chronicle

The autumn edition (#51) of Lowestoft Chronicle features fiction by Barbara Bottner, Anne Dorrian, Andrew Edwards, James Gallant, Sharon Frame Gay, and Mark Jacobs, poetry by Cristina Legarda and Joan Mazza, and creative nonfiction by Craig Dicker, Jesse O’Reilly-Conlin, and Lynette Yetter. Among the entertaining stories is “After the Meltdown, On the Hunt,” a provocative dystopic fiction yarn by Mark Jacobs, author of the critically acclaimed novels Stone Cowboy (Soho Press) and A Handful of Kings (Simon & Schuster), in which bankrolled big-game hunters vie for the ultimate prize. The issue also contains my interview with Mark, which covers, among other things, his writing career, valuable advice from mentors, and the Latin American media attack on his most famous short story. Remarkably prolific for many years, Mark’s excellent stories appear in dozens of prestigious venues. As regards this small literary magazine, here’s his splendid assessment of Lowestoft Chronicle: “For those of us driven to know the world, to read it, to write it, Lowestoft Chronicle is an essential way station on the highway. Good writing on things that matter, a clean presentation that’s easy on the eye, and variety that coheres around taste. Check it out.”

Issue 51 of Lowestoft Chronicle Read More »

The Big Grab & The Savage Breast by John Trinian (Introductions by Brian Greene and Nicholas Litchfield)

A John Trinian Twofer: The Big Grab/The Savage Breast

The John Trinian (aka Zekial Marko) revival continues with this latest twofer from Stark House Press, The Big Grab / The Savage Breast. The author, a very proficient writer of crime novels, found success with numerous works, most notably Scratch a Thief and The Big Grab, each written in the early 1960s. Both of those crime tales became movies—the first filmed as Once a Thief, the latter as Any Number Can Win. Trinian wrote the screenplays.

A John Trinian Twofer: The Big Grab/The Savage Breast Read More »

Grey Face & The Green Eyes of Bast by Sax Rohmer (Introduction by Nicholas Litchfield)

Two Haunting Classics from Sax Rohmer

This month sees the reprint of Grey Face and The Green Eyes of Bâst, two masterful mysteries by the king of eerie occult fiction, Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward (1883 – 1959), known to readers as Sax Rohmer. Although best remembered for his sizable collection of stories featuring the fiendish Dr. Fu Manchu, the author enjoyed great success with many of his other works. His standalone novels and book series containing Parisian criminal investigator Gaston Max attracted a large international fanbase. His tales concerning the female supervillain Sumuru went from radio to book and were eventually adapted to the big screen, spawning a couple of movies (produced in the 1960s and 1980s).

Two Haunting Classics from Sax Rohmer Read More »