One of my favorite parts about going on a book tour is visiting WSCH 6 television and talking about the new novel with Rob Caldwell on 207. Rob always asks such great questions. With a setting as offbeat as the one in HATCHET ISLAND, it made for an especially freewheeling conversation.
About My Short Stories....
For the past half dozen years or so I have written a Mike Bowditch short story for Minotaur Books timed to come out in advance of each new novel.
I really enjoy the chance to play with different styles (“The Caretaker” is my twist on a Sherlock Homes story, for instance) and fill in the backstory of some of the characters. It was a great moment in my life when one of these stories, "Rabid," was a finalist for the 2019 Edgar Award.
Unfortunately, my stories have also caused surprising trouble for me. Some readers, misguided by inaccurate websites (including a few sites that know better, cough, Macmillan), jump to the conclusion that the stories are actual full-length novels. And these readers are upset that they can't locate “The Imposter” or “Backtrack” in bookstores and libraries.
More frequently, I get complaints about the format. The only way to publish a single short story is digitally (although mine are also recorded for audio), and I hear from many fans who won't (or admittedly can't) read on a screen. To be clear: you don't need a dedicated device, such as a Kindle or iPad, to do so. Amazon offers that option to purchase and read a book or story on your computer (as does Apple). So if you are reading this post now on Facebook or elsewhere, you can read "Rabid." You have the technology! Until such time as I have enough stories for Macmillan Publishing to bring out a printed collection (no guarantees it will happen but fingers crossed), this is the only way for me to offer short stories to my fans.
This blog post is all prefatory to my announcing that I have a long short story (or a short novella) titled “Skin and Bones” coming out digitally on May 5. It will be available as an audio in June. I sincerely hope you enjoy it!
DEAD BY DAWN is a Barry Award Nominee for Best Thriller
I’m truly honored that DEAD BY DAWN is a nominee in the Best Thriller category for this year’s Barry Awards. It’s a great list of books in all four categories. Thank you to the nominating committee!
Wall Street Journal Raves about DEAD BY DAWN
“Tired of your stay-at-home psychological thriller, where all the suspense plays out in the mind of a suburban voyeur? Hungry for action, adventure and physical danger? Take a Jeep ride with 31-year-old Maine game warden Mike Bowditch, the narrator of Paul Doiron’s “DEAD BY DAWN” (Minotaur, 294 pages, $27.99).”
WHAT TO READ THIS WEEK from the Wall Street Journal
So begins Tom Nolan’s wonderful review of my new novel in the Wall Street Journal. It’s always such a pleasure when a reviewer appreciates the genre-bending, structural risks I took with DEAD BY DAWN.
Nolan sums it up: “DEAD BY DAWN” mixes Jack London-style peril with the DIY inventiveness of TV’s “MacGyver” and the thrill of Richard Connell’s classic pursuit story “The Most Dangerous Game.”
Influences all.
"Frostbite Aside, This Book Sizzles," says PEOPLE Magazine
Check this one off my list of dreams fulfilled as a novelist — a rave review in PEOPLE Magazine.
DEAD BY DAWN by Paul Doiron featured as a “Best New Book” by PEOPLE Magazine