Crime Ink: An Anthology of Crime Fiction Inspired by Queer Icons

We are honored to welcome Massachusetts authors Kelly Ford and Stephanie Gayle for an author event featuring their latest work, Crime Ink: Iconic.

With contributions from top LGBTQ+ crime writers, this groundbreaking anthology pushes back against erasure—and arrives at a time when queer visibility is under threat across the US.  Enter Crime Ink: Iconic, a new anthology co-edited by award-winning novelist John Copenhaver and Bywater Books publisher Salem West. A vibrant and unapologetic collection of crime fiction stories inspired by queer icons—James Baldwin, Radclyffe Hall, Candy Darling, Oscar Wilde, Megan Rapinoe, Laverne Cox, and more—Crime Ink offers a necessary course correction for a genre that has historically sidelined queer voices.

Ticketed attendees will receive 15% off of their copy of the book. Attendance is free, but we have also included a ticket option that allows you to prepay for your copy.

Kelly J. Ford is the Anthony-nominated author of Real Bad Things, The Hunt, and Cottonmouths, a Los Angeles Review Best Book of 2017. An Arkansas native, Kelly writes crime fiction set in the Ozarks and Arkansas River Valley.

Stephanie Gayle is the twice Pushcart Prize-nominated author of the Thomas Lynch mystery series starting with Idyll Threats. She's a former National President of Sisters in Crime, an active member of Queer Crime Writers, and a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in her home state of Massachusetts.

In 2023, crime fiction anthologies featured 517 stories across 30 titles--but shockingly, fewer than 1 percent were penned by LGBTQ+ writers. Crime Ink: Iconic (An Anthology of Crime Fiction Inspired by Famous Queer Icons) is a resounding response to this glaring disparity, offering a vibrant collection of stories by and about queer authors and characters.

Drawing inspiration from queer icons--James Baldwin, Oscar Wilde, Candy Darling, Radclyffe Hall, Babadook, Megan Rapinoe, Laverne Cox, Dolly Parton, Vita Sackville-West, and many more--these tales span the rich spectrum of crime fiction, from cozy mysteries and whodunits to noir, psychological thrillers, and police procedurals. Each story is a testament to the depth, ingenuity, and thrilling originality of queer voices in the genre.

This anthology showcases an incredible array of talent, including New York Times Best Crime Novels of 2024 honorees Margot Douaihy, Robyn Gigl, John Copenhaver, and Katrina Carrasco; Lambda Literary winners Ann Aptaker, Greg Herren, Ann McMan, and J.M. Redmann; and other celebrated writers like Cheryl Head, Penny Mickelbury, Christa Faust, Jeffrey Marks, and Kelly J. Ford. But that's not all--this collection also includes many more decorated and emerging voices, ensuring a dynamic reading experience that is as inclusive as it is entertaining.

With a foreword by Ellen Hart and an afterword by Katherine V. Forrest, two luminaries of queer crime fiction, this anthology is more than a collection of stories--it's a movement. Bursting with intrigue, twists, and unforgettable characters, Crime Ink: Iconic is essential reading for fans of crime fiction and anyone who craves representation in the stories they love.

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