Maintenant 17: A DADA Journal of Contemporary Writing & Art is Out Now!

July 19, 2023 / Sarah M. Chen / Leave a comment

It’s release day for the latest issue of the Maintenant DADA Journal that Three Rooms Press puts out every year. This year the theme is Peacefire. I’m thrilled to have my story “Now a Word From Our Sponsor” included. It’s a satirical take on conflict resolution or what not to do.

Here’s the book info:

When a war ends provisionally, the agreement is called a ceasefire. But when peace ends, there is only war. War and peace are co-dependent. What might be best would be a “Peacefire.”

In Maintenant 17: A Journal of Contemporary Dada Writing and Art, 254 artists from 34 countries on 6 continents explore the concept of the end of both war and peace, providing provocative outsider ideas as dada has done since its inception.

With searing cover art by Georgian artist Uta Kaxniashvili (“Child Under Bombs”), this issue of the renowned journal elaborates on Dada’s original premise as an antiwar movement.

The Maintenant series, established in 2008, explores themes of politics, humanity, philosophy, and current concerns from an antiwar, anarchic (and often eye-opening) perspective. Past issues include work by artists Mark Kostabi, Raymond Pettibon, Joel Hubaut, Heide Hatry, Avelino de Araujo, Pawel Kuczynski, Inas Al-Soqi, Giovanni Fontana, Nicole Eisenmann, Syporca Whandal, and Kazunori Murakami; past writers have included Gerard Malanga, Charles Plymell, Andrei Codrescu, Harry E. Northup, Malik Crumpler, Maw Shein Win, and more, with a strong contingent of artist-writers from the world of punk rock, including Thurston Moore, Mike Watt, Bibbe Hansen, and more.

MAINTENANT 17: A Journal of Contemporary Dada Writing and Art,edited by Peter Carlaftes and Kat Georges

Witnesses for the Dead: Stories

November 9, 2022November 9, 2022 / Sarah M. Chen / Leave a comment

Today is release day for Witnesses for the Dead from Soho Press, edited by Gary Phillips and Gar Anthony Haywood. I’m so excited to be a part of this stellar line-up of authors. All proceeds go to The Alliance for Safe Traffic Stops.

The premise is inspired by people who witness crimes and do something about it, most notably Darnella Frazier, the seventeen-year-old girl who recorded George Floyd’s murder at the hands of Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin.

My story “A Family Matter” takes a look at the complicated politics in Taiwan when Vanessa Chu witnesses a stranger’s murder while staying at her father’s home in Taichung. Just before I wrote this story, I had been reading about a bookstore owner who fled Hong Kong during the mass protests in 2019 and opened his store in Taipei. Four days before he was to open his store, unknown assailants threw red paint on him while he sat outside at a cafe. Three men were later arrested. They were upset by the bookstore’s commitment to disseminating democratic ideals and free speech. I was struck by how the bookstore owner wasn’t concerned for his own safety but for the safety of those who helped him open the store.

Here’s the full description of the book:

How does witnessing a crime change a person? This powerful collection of stories by a star-studded roster of contributors examines this very question, with proceeds benefitting the Alliance for Safe Traffic Stops.

Inspired by recent true events, the all-original stories in Witnesses for the Dead are set in motion by the act of witnessing. The characters who populate these pages are not themselves the perpetrators of the crimes they see, but as they grapple with what to do—take action or retreat into the shadows—their lives are indelibly changed.

In “Envy” by Christopher Chambers, a sweet, shy wallflower looks on as something horrific happens in his neighborhood—revealing something horrific about himself. Agatha Award–winner Richie Narvaez’s “The Gardener of Roses” sees a Puertorriqueña college student on the run from the FBI for her accidental involvement in a “terrorist” plot. Anthony Award–winner Gary Phillips confronts police corruption in “Spiders and Fly.” And the protagonist of “A Family Matter” by IPPY Award–winner Sarah M. Chen investigates the murder of a stranger, leading her to question the political structure of Taiwan entirely. Other stories feature a brothel, the film industry, immigrant detention centers at the Mexico-US border, World War II–torn France, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The stories are incisive, unflinching, wry, dark, and, in some cases, terrifying. You’ll ask yourself: If I saw what they saw, what would I do?

Edited by Anthony Award–winner Gary Phillips and Shamus Award–winner Gar Anthony Haywood, the collection includes contributions from NAACP Image Award–winner Pamela Samuels Young, New York Times bestsellers Cara Black and Tod Goldberg, Edgar Award–winner SJ Rozan, Agatha Award–winner Richie Narvaez, and more.

Pick up a copy at the following links!

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Bookshop

A Bag of Dick’s (a 509 Crime Anthology)

November 22, 2021 / Sarah M. Chen / Leave a comment

Today is release day for A Bag of Dick’s: a 509 Crime Anthology, edited by Colin Conway. Yes, that’s the title and no, it’s not what you think. Apparently, there’s an old school burger joint in Spokane, WA that’s called Dick’s Hamburgers where you can buy burgers by the bag. Hence the title. So when I was asked to contribute a short story to this, I had to say yes. I mean who wouldn’t, right?

The stories all feature the desperate, the criminal, and the opportunists as they scramble to find a Dick’s bag to earn a Get out of Jail Free card. My story is called “Her Father’s Daughter” and it’s a dual POV with a young woman whose boyfriend isn’t the brightest criminal. She should know because her father used to be one too, but he’s left all that behind him. Or so he tells her.

Link to buy is here: A Bag of Dick’s and here’s the anthology description:

With scorching tales from Jonathan Brown, Sarah M. Chen, Bill Fitzhugh, Scott Kikkawa, Nick Kolakowski, Debbi Mack, Kat Richardson, Brian Thornton, Sam Wiebe, Jim Winter, and Frank Zafiro.

Detective Jim Morgan just gave Roy Utt the opportunity of a lifetime. What happens next is the stuff of legend.

In an instant, Roy Utt’s life changed, and it happened at Dick’s Hamburgers.

A guy ran from the parking lot with a bag of burgers clutched to his chest. To Roy, it was life on the street—weird things happen, and wondering why is wasted time.

But today is no ordinary day because Detective James Morgan was also there. Unlike Roy, Morgan isn’t in the habit of dismissing bizarre events. Instead, he wants to know what was in the bag, and he’s giving Roy the incentive to find it—a Get Out of Jail Free card.

If Roy knows one thing, it’s that Morgan’s word is better than the dry sandwiches and mushy apples in lock-up.

With the clock ticking on the deal, Roy is already sharing too much information. The allure of a Get Out of Jail Free card attracts the smart, the cunning, and the stupid. An all-out scavenger hunt is underway in the criminal underworld.

Will Roy earn his Get Out of Jail Free card, or will he become a footnote in the legacy of the streets?

A Bag of Dick’s is a collection of twelve short stories from crime fiction’s liveliest voices. Get your copy today and experience the 509 in a way you never expected.

Maintenant 15: A Journal of Contemporary Dada Art & Writing

September 15, 2021 / Sarah M. Chen / Leave a comment

Out now from Three Rooms Press and edited by Peter Carlaftes and Kat Georges is Maintenant 15: A Journal of Contemporary Dada Art & Writing.

I have my first dada piece of writing included in this journal which is really exciting. The theme was “Humanity: The Reboot.” My piece is called “Safe Mode” and it imagines a world in which words go on strike due to human abuse.

Here’s the description of the journal from the Three Rooms Press website:

“A smorgasbord for those who are sick and tired of it.” —Seattle Book Review

The 2021 edition of the world’s premiere journal of contemporary dada writing and art considers humankind past and present with a collection of contemporary dada art and writing driven by the theme “HUMANITY: THE REBOOT.” More than 250 creators from 33 countries establish that social protest can be creatively acheived via risk-taking art. The premier journal gathering the work of internationally-renowned contemporary Dada artists and writers, Maintenant 15 offers compelling proof that Dada continue to serve as a catalyst to creators more than a century later.

The annual MAINTENANT series, established in 2008, gathers work of contemporary Dada artists and writers from around the world. The new issue features cover art by renowned Cuban American artist Edel Rodriguez, whose work has been featured on the covers of TIME, The New Yorker, Der Spiegel, and more.

Learn more here: Maintenant 15

Stay tuned for info on an upcoming Dada event! And in person too! (outdoors and also available on Zoom)

Release Day for Avenging Angelenos

June 11, 2021June 11, 2021 / Sarah M. Chen / Leave a comment

Today is the publication day for the digital version of the Sisters in Crime / Los Angeles anthology Avenging Angelenos! The print version will be available in the coming days.

I was lucky enough to be co-editor of this short story collection and couldn’t be prouder of the eleven writers we chose to be included in this anthology. The theme if you haven’t guessed is revenge and the stories we selected vary widely from historical to otherworldly. The introduction is by Frankie Y. Bailey, a prolific mystery writer and criminal justice professor.

Editing these stories was very rewarding and I thoroughly enjoyed working with these talented writers. I also owe a lot to my fantastic co-editors, Wrona Gall and Pamela Samuels Young, and of course to Sisters in Crime / Los Angeles for giving me this opportunity.

And what a gorgeous cool cover!

Hope you enjoy!

With an introduction by Frankie Y. Bailey and eleven original stories by: Avril Adams, Paula Bernstein, Hal Bodner, Jenny Carless, LH Dillman, Gay Totl Kinman, Melinda Loomis, Kathy Norris, Peggy Rothschild, Meredith Taylor, and Laurel Wetzork.

Published by Down & Out Books

To purchase, click here: Avenging Angelenos: A Sisters in Crime / Los Angeles anthology

Stop the World: Snapshots From a Pandemic Releases Today

August 4, 2020August 4, 2020 / Sarah M. Chen / Leave a comment

The anthology from Thalia Press is out today! This collection features essays, poems, and short stories from 40 writers from all over the globe and is edited by Lise McClendon with Gary Phillips, Kate Flora, and Taffy Cannon.

My essay “The Five Stages of Coronanxiety” features phone conversations between me and my dad during the early days of the pandemic in February and March.

All proceeds go to charity. I’m honored to be a part of this collection and hopefully it will offer some hope and humor for readers.

Book description:

Once you may have wished for a pause to take a breath, to stop your hectic life, to enjoy a stay-cation with so much time on your hands. Then, it happened, suddenly and terrifyingly. What do you do with these scenarios, this odd time, this creativity that doesn’t stop? How do you handle it?

This collection of fiction, essays, and poetry shines a light on moments in the times we live in during the global pandemic of 2020, when the world stopped. It offers a record of people’s lives and imaginations, a snapshot of enduring creativity— a happy, sad, funny, reflective, deep, shallow, and/or thought-provoking slice of our lives.

Amazon

Bookshop

Low Down Dirty Vote, Volume II is Out Now

July 5, 2020July 5, 2020 / Sarah M. Chen / Leave a comment

I’m excited to be a part of Mysti Berry’s anthology that centers around the theme of voter suppression. My story “Unit 805” is about a misanthropic septuagenarian who blackmails his condo’s board members so they will vote in his favor. All proceeds for the anthology will be donated to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Get your copy now!

Amazon

And here’s the first book review from Booklife / Publishers Weekly!

Shotgun Honey Presents Volume 4: RECOIL

May 8, 2020May 9, 2020 / Sarah M. Chen / Leave a comment

Today it’s out in the wild! I’m in Shotgun Honey’s 4th anthology Recoil, 23 Tales of Crime, edited by Ron Earl Phillips. I’ve never been in one of Shotgun Honey’s anthologies so I’m thrilled to be a part of this one. It has an excellent lineup of crime fiction authors. See for yourself!

My story “Hotelin” is about a teenage girl struggling to take care of her little sister while her single mother works two jobs and moves them from hotel to hotel. It’s a tale of revenge and community.

Available now at these links:

Amazon

B&N

Down & Out Books

The Faking of the President is here!

April 22, 2020April 27, 2020 / Sarah M. Chen / Leave a comment

Today is the release of The Faking of the President anthology with Three Rooms Press. 19 tales of White House Noir that Publishers Weekly calls “highly entertaining.”

My story “In Mother We Trust” is set during the 2024 election with Mike Pence as the Republican candidate. Trump refuses to leave office which sets off all kinds of shenanigans, Calexit being one of them. I tell the story from Karen Pence’s POV which required me to do a lot of research into the Pences. That was interesting to say the least. I had a lot of fun writing this and it was quite the challenge!

And CrimeReads singled my story out in their “10 Books You Should Read this April!”

Three Rooms Press is hosting several virtual launch parties on Facebook Live in the next few weeks beginning with one tonight. I’ll be reading at the virtual L.A. one on May 19 with the other Los Angeleno writers. More on that to come!

In the meantime, check out this cool promo!