Local authors publish new book of short stories

By Nancy Malcom

Nevada Daily Mail

Two Vernon County natives have had their stories published in an anthology titled "Mysteries of the Ozarks Vol.II" with Skyward Publishing Company.

Well-known local author and columnist Carolyn Gray Thornton has her second mystery story in this compilation as well. Her first, "The College Dorm Secret‚" was featured in "Mysteries of the Ozarks Vol.1."

"I haven't usually written fiction, but to get a story in this book it had to be fiction. I was surprised at how easily the characters took over and made the story theirs. I started out to have a romance and ended up with a murder," Thornton said.

In "Mysteries of the Ozarks Vol. II," her story, "Sweetville Church," offers mystery and suspense as a new pastor finds it can be difficult fitting in --particularly when the pastor is stubbornly inquisitive and the congregation seems determined to keep her out of the church basement.

Another Vernon County native, Ellen Gray Massey, compiled 20 short mystery stories during her second stint as editor of this series. A retired teacher, Massey has written many books with settings in the Ozark area.

The anthologies were created by Ozark Writers, Inc. and feature writers from the area commonly referred to as "The Ozarks."

Massey said, "I enjoy compiling material for book publication. I know a lot of good writers in the area, or ones with strong ties to the area. I invited people to send in stories, and I let it be known in writers groups that I was looking for stories. For Vol. I, I was able to use all the stories I received, but on this new volume I received more submissions than I could use. One thing I don't like about editing is having to tell writers we can't use their stories.

"I enjoy writing and reading mysteries as the reader becomes a participant in the story instead of just letting the writer tell it. All the way through the story the reader tries to solve the mystery. If correct, he is pleased with his detective skills. If wrong, the ending is a pleasant surprise. To give all the facts and yet surprise the reader at the end takes a different skill from other types of storytelling."

Her own story, "The Tree From Hell," reminds us to plant and prune with care, remembering that it's not nice to argue with mother nature.

The other stories range from "who-done-its" to ghostly tales and alien encounters.

The first story is "Spook" by often-published writer Larry Wood of Joplin. It is the tale of skeptical teenagers and the famous "Spook Light" of that area.

The second story is "Point of Origin," by novelist Jory Sherman. The prose flows like a smooth jazz rap lyric in this urban-feel story of murder and mayhem.

Jane Hale, journalist, writer and entrepreneur, of Buffalo offers a delightful tongue-in-cheek story, "Beg, Borrow or Steal," featuring a bungling hero who triumphs through a comedy of errors more than through heroic effort.

Barri L. Bumgarner, school teacher, poet and novelist from Columbia, Missouri offers a poignant tale of a troubled youth in "Retribution."

In "A Yankee Attitude," Velda Brotherton, a historian and novelist from Arkansas, points out errors in judgment concerning both small town feuds and living in glass houses.

In "The Case of the Hostile Elder, A Position to Die For," Missouri residents Clyde Faries and Sylvia Duncan walk us through a murderous weekend at a "murder weekend" resort. Both writers have many writing credits.

Fran Massey, an Ozark native who lives in Florida, wrote about an unusual sighting at a family reunion on rural Missouri in her haunting "Frankie's Fourth of July."

"A Cold Day in Winslow," penned by Arkansas awardwinning author Dusty Richards, takes us back to 1885, where a U.S. Marshall battles bitter cold and bank robbers while seeking justice, love and a hot meal.

In "The Hanging," well known Ozark mystery writer Radine Trees Nehring reminds us to keep our eyes peeled and our wits about us even when on a seemingly routine trolley tour.

"The Ghost of Burrows," by Carole Douglas of Pleasant Hill, tells of a veteran who returns to the Ozarks searching for ghosts of a different type.

"Herman's Last Bottle," by Kay Hively of Neosho, tells of an Ozark wine grower who saved the wine fields of France but disappeared when he couldn't save his own.

"Ghost Writer," by J. Masterson of Ste. Genevieve, tells a ghost story where a man is haunted by more than the ghosts of the famous Crescent Hotel.

Ozark writer Shirleen Sando reminds us that new technology can't prevent human errors in judgment leading to murder that is in her "Got Mail."

Southwest Missouri resident Vicki Cox's "The Picture Frame" is a quirky tale of the place where past and present meet.

In "Spring Fever," by Colleen Tucker, Missouri resident, a woman finds strength to overcome adversity while searching for help and solving an ancient mystery in the Ozark woods.

Arkansas mystery writer Edward Downie tells of Ozark justice in "Crossing the Line."

Ozark writer Betty Craker Henderson, is convincing in "Place Your Bets," proving that even the best laid plans sometimes go awry.

In "The Yellow" C. J. Winters proves that even otherworldly folk have trouble dealing with cagey Ozarkians.

The book is available from Amazon.com and also from the Web sites of both Carolyn Gray Thornton carolyngraythornton.com -- and Ellen Gray Massey www.ellengraymassey.com.