Darrell James is a mystery writer, dividing his time between Pasadena, California, and Tucson, Arizona. But if you ask him where home is he’ll likely tell you he’s from Cincinnati.
“I was born in Cincinnati, but grew up in Crescent Springs, Kentucky, a small string-town along the Southern Railroad, some eight miles or so south of the city. Career opportunities sent me to Dayton, Ohio for fifieen years. Though I’ve lived out west for more than twenty years, Kentucky still feels like my home.”
Darrell has served time in the armed forces, sailed the islands of the Caribbean, and ridden motorcycles cross-country. His engineering and technical sales background has taken him to nearly every city in the country and many cities around the world, delving into applications in manufacturing, mining, aerospace, and more.
He began working at a writing career in 1995, to have his first short story, titled Lydia, published in 2004 by Futures Mysterious Anthology Magazine. In the years that have followed, close to thirty of the author’s stories have been published in numerous mystery magazines and book Anthologies, and have garnered a number of awards. His personal odyssey to publication appears in the Writers Digest book, How I Got Published, along with David Morrell, Clive Cussler, J.A. Jance and other notable authors. Body Count, a collection of 15 of his stories has garnered both a Reviewers Choice Award and Eric Hoffer Award for best new writing.
“They say you never forget your first time. Futures Magazine doesn’t exist anymore, at least not in its original form. But I will forever be grateful to Babs Lackey, the founder and then editor, for being the first to recognize value in my work.”
In 2010, Darrell James signed a contract for the first three novels in a mystery/thriller series with Midnight Ink/Llewellyn Worldwide Publishing. The series features the determined, young female, missing persons investigator, Del Shannon.
NAZARETH CHILD launched the series in September 2011, winning the Left Coast Crime "Eureka Award for Best First Novel." And nominated for both the Anthony and Macavity Awards.
SONORA CROSSING, released September 2012, continues the legacy being nominated for the Left Coast Crime "Rocky Award for Best Novel Set In The Western Region." Final Awards to be presented at Left Coast Crime Conference on March 20, 2013.
PURGATORY KEY, book three in the series is scheduled for release in August 2013.
“James has a way of taking you right into the story. I haven’t seen this with many other storytellers.”
-Paige Lovett, Reader Views
Look for much more from the author in the future.
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