Killing Malmon: A Charity Anthology

Here’s Dan and Kate Malmon to talk briefly about a charity anthology you can buy right now (print, e-book) — get some stories and support the fight against Multiple Sclerosis.

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Sometimes – often times – life is weird.

In 2014, Crimespree Magazine held an online flash fiction contest. The theme? Somewhere in the story, “Dan Malmon” had to die. Funny, sad, serious, or scary, Malmon had to meet his maker. Flash forward to 2016, when Jon Jordan of Crimespree Magazine is talking to Eric Campbell of Down and Out Books (UGH, namedrop much?) and Jon says, “I think the stories should be collected.” Eric says, “Yeah, cool. Let’s do it.”

Kate and I say, “WhaHUH?”

The whole concept was always equal parts flattering and equal parts oogie to us. But, bind the stories up into a for-real book? That for-real people could buy? With for-real money? Call it old fashioned Midwestern values, but we weren’t down with that.

But, how about if we could sell it for charity? I’ll always put myself out on a limb for a laugh, er, good cause. Down and Out was down for it (Oh, come on). We have always been deeply invested in the fight against Multiple Sclerosis. Kate has had her own Bike MS team, Saint Kate’s Cycling Saints, which has been raising money for the MS Society for years now. We figured we could use KILLIING MALMON as another way to keep the spotlight on this horrible disease, and keep throwing cash at a good cause. But the collection needed more words than the initial online contest provided. So, we turned on the Bat Signal. Or Facebook Messenger. You get the idea.

Anyway, we put out the call. Friends, old and new, sent us story after bloodthirsty story. 360 pages of gleeful gunshots, disgusting decapitations, and pitiful poisonings. Eric Beetner created the eye-catching cover. Now the rest is up to you, the reader. KILLIING MALMON is a great experiment: How would 30 different crime writers, both amateur and professional, off the same, poor schlub? While everyone is getting their bloodthirsty kicks, the MS Society is getting 100% of the proceeds.

Now everyone can feel good about getting their bloodthirsty kicks.

KILLING MALMON is available now from all the usual suspects (click here).