Welcome to the Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles Chapter short story anthology, Avenging Angelenos. It has been my honor to serve as president of the chapter these past few years, and I am so proud of the people and the work that went into making this specific anthology happen. The biennial anthology is one of my favorite benefits that we offer to our chapter members. Only chapter members can submit. For our new writers, it’s an opportunity to get that all-important first credit. For many of our established writers, it’s a chance to shake the stuffing out and try something different. For others, writing the short story is what they do and it’s a chance to celebrate that.

Our stories are chosen blind, so that even the newest writer will not get lost. It’s a complicated process and a lot of work for our committee to make sure that the stories get to our editors in a timely fashion. Our committee also must find those editors, which this year was no simple feat. Let’s be real, the pandemic had so many of us freaking out that the thought of taking something on like this was just too much.

Pandemic or not, people need to meet, to connect, to find some measure of peace in the middle of chaos, and that’s what a good short story can do. That’s also what we try to do as Sisters in Crime. Our national organization is about inclusion and we do our best, in our own stumbling, faulty way, to comply. Our job is to offer support for our members and make sure that all voices are heard.

Which is another reason why this anthology is so important to me. It’s another platform, another opportunity to let our members’ voices be heard. Come hear what we have to say, then come join us and let us hear your story.

Anne Louise Bannon
President, Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles

Marie Stein
Henry Forman
Julia Bricklin
Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles Anthology Committee

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