Mark Best
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Profile Information

Hometown:
Knoxville, TN
About Me:
I wrote a play about a crooked boxing match while I was in grade school. Unfortunately, it was never performed because, after the first read through, I could never get the rest of the kids in my fifth grade class to come back to my house for rehearsal. It was probably for the best...I can't remember most of it, but what little I do recall was pretty bad. But, hey, I was 11. That should count for something.

My first published story came after college. "Comeback" was published in Hardboiled. Its about an ex-con, on his first day out, and a crooked cop who doesn't want him to go straight. I got paid five dollars for that story, and I bought 100 copies of the magazine, so my career was off to a financially poor start..

I've had several stories published over the years, but for awhile I was afraid I might be a jinx. Several magazines that published my work have folded, including Blue Murder, Somniloquy, Naked Kiss, Murderous Intent Mystery Magazine, The White Fedora, and Vampire's Crypt.

My two biggest successes as a writer were placing second in the International Imitation Raymond Chandler Writing Competition, and winning the 2005 Derringer Award for "The Safest Place on Earth."
I Am A:
Writer
Books And Authors I Like:
Michael Connelly, Robert Parker, Loren Estleman, Jeremiah Healy, Thomas Lipinski, Lawrence Block
Movies And TV Shows I Like:
24, Remington Steele, The Rockford Files, Magnum PI, James Bond, The Usual Suspects

Mark Best's Blog

Comment Wall (21 comments)

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At 3:04am on September 2, 2009, Robert S. Levinson said…
Hey, Mark...

lol
Couldn't agree me.

Best,
Bob
At 5:31am on August 25, 2009, Preetham Grandhi said…
Hi Mark , I want to introduce you to my debut novel "A Circle of souls" which is a murder, mystery, psychological thriller and a tale of justice and hope. Do visit www.acircleofsouls.com to read more about the book. Make sure you sign up to win an autographed copy of the book. You can also read more reviews by clicking on the More Reviews button at the website. Thanks for your time in advance.

Best regards

Preetham Grandhi

Early Endorsements for “A Circle of Souls”

Linda Fairstein, NYT Bestselling Author: "A fascinating debut - this novel takes the reader to the darkest places in the human soul, from a writer with the authenticity to lead us there. A stunning thriller and an important read."

Judge Judy Sheindlin, star of the Judge Judy Show: "The seminal work of this fine author kept me glued to my chair until the adventure was over and the mystery solved. A great read!"

Book Synopsis:

The sleepy town of Newbury, Connecticut, is shocked when a little girl is found brutally murdered. The town s top detective, perplexed by a complete lack of leads, calls in FBI agent Leia Bines, an expert in cases involving children.

Meanwhile, Dr. Peter Gram, a psychiatrist at Newbury s hospital, searches desperately for the cause of seven-year-old Naya Hastings devastating nightmares. Afraid that she might hurt herself in the midst of a torturous episode, Naya s parents have turned to the bright young doctor as their only hope.

The situations confronting Leia and Peter converge when Naya begins drawing chilling images of murder after being bombarded by the disturbing images in her dreams. Amazingly, her sketches are the only clues to the crime that has panicked Newbury residents. Against her better judgment, Leia explores the clues in Naya s crude drawings, only to set off an alarming chain of events.
In this stunning psychological thriller, innocence gives way to evil, and trust lies forgotten in a web of deceit, fear, and murder.
At 1:34am on July 26, 2009, Kris Neri said…
Thanks for the friend-invite, Mark. Hey, I thought I put a couple of those periodicals out of business! For a while, if a publication published my story, it was sure to fold.
At 6:53pm on February 20, 2009, Art Montague said…
Thanks for the invite, Mark. I recognized your name right away - must have been the Derringer Win. I read that story too and liked it. Only story I've published lately is "Dead Time" at Back Alley Webzine.
At 10:28pm on July 22, 2008, J.R. Lindermuth said…
Hey, Mark. Thanks for the invite. Pleased to meet you.
At 8:38am on April 12, 2008, Annette Dashofy said…
Hi, Mark. Thanks for the invite. I notice that you are a fan of Jeremiah Healy. I attended a conference with him a couple of years ago and spend a very funny evening observing while he had a dirty joke duel with a friend of mine. He is the KING of dirty jokes.
At 9:32am on January 13, 2008, Sky Jensen said…
Hey Mark! Thanks for the welcome. . .
I am enjoying myself so far. I wish I had more to add, but I am benefitting from being in here. hit me up anytime. . .

-sky-
At 12:25am on January 8, 2008, Batya Deene said…
pick away....not sure what you'll find in my brain that might be of help....and: Enter at your own Risk. seriously. I'd be happy to be of any assistance I can regarding Nashville.
At 4:06pm on January 7, 2008, Mark Best said…
I'm the one on the left...
At 1:34am on December 30, 2007, Dave Zeltserman said…
Mark, thanks for the invite. I was also published early on in Hardboiled. --Dave
 
 
 

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