Upcoming Meetings
September 10 Meeting
The next RMMWA monthly meeting will be held Thursday, Sept. 10 at the University Club (1673 Sherman St.) in downtown Denver.
The gathering will start at 6 p.m. (MDT) and the program will begin at 7 p.m.
Program: Independent Publishers Panel
If you are planning to attend in person, send an RSVP to: rmmwacateringrep@gmail.com by Monday, Sept. 7,.
This will help us know how many to expect and also give the University Club an idea of how many might be ordering food.
Meeting Agenda:
6:00 pm
Doors Open for drinks and conversation.
NOTE: Dinner orders taken at 6 PM.
6:30 – 7:00 pm
Virtual Happy Hour hosted by Fleur Bradley! Bring your creative cocktail to share (virtually) at the Zoom!
7:00 pm:
Welcome, open remarks, and program
Note: Zoom attendance is free. Members will receive the meeting link via email. For non-member access, please write to chapterpres (at) rmmwa.org. Please Note: THIS IS A RECURRING ZOOM LINK. Donât let the date throw you off đ
Program:
Independent Publishers Panel
All are Colorado authorsâhow they got started as publishers, challenges of the business, changing landscape of indie publishing, and how you can become and independently published authors.
Our panelists are:
Susan Brooks, Literary Wanderlust
Founded in 2014, Literary Wanderlust was created with a simple belief: powerful stories deserve careful stewardship. We are an independent, royalty-paying traditional publisher dedicated to championing compelling, human-authored fiction.
Andre Gonzalez, M4L Publishing
M4L Publishing is an independent publishing house with a passion for entertainment. Through our stories we want to capture the reader and take them into a different world. We strive for our readers to build relationships with our characters to experience fright love, suspense, and leave them wanting more. Visit M4L https://m4lpublishing.com/about/
Bernadette Soehner, 5 Prince Publishing
5 Prince Publishing is a mid-sized independent / traditional publishing house dedicated to introducing fresh voices across popular fiction genres. Specializing in digital and print formats, we partner with Ingram to ensure our books are widely accessible on major online platforms and available for purchase in brick-and-mortar stores. Our authors collaborate closely with skilled editors and our management team, working together to create the highest quality books. More: https://www.5princebooks.com/
Special Announcements
2026 RMMWA Six-Word Mystery Contest Is Now Open!
RMMWA’s world-renowned Six-Word Mystery Contest is open for entries!
10th Annual RMMWA Six-Word Mystery Contest
Using only six words, write a mystery that fits one of five categories:
- Cozy
- Hard-Boiled/Noir
- Police Procedural
- Romance/Lust
- Thriller
$6.00 to enter one category, or submit to all five for $10.
Entering ONLY one category?
Follow this link.
Entering ALL FIVE categories?
Follow this link.
An esteemed panel of judges will select five finalists in each category, and the RMMWA membership will vote for the winners.
Judges
Anne Hillerman, NYT Bestselling Author, producer of Dark Skies streaming in Netflix
Linda Landrigan, Editor at Alfred Hitchcockâs Mystery Magazine
CJ Box, best-selling writer, author of seventeen novels and best known for his âJoe Pickettâ mystery series now on Paramount TV
Terrie Wolf, AKA Literary Management
John Charles of the Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Scottsdale, AZ
Prizes
Winners of each category will earn a $25 gift certificate.
The overall winner will be awarded $100 in cold, hard cash.
Winners and finalists will be published in Alfred Hitchcockâs Mystery Magazine.
Last Yearâs Winners
Grand Prize: He fell for her. Ten stories. -John Roberts II
Cozy: Knitter avoided jail. Spun a yarn. -Chuck Brownman
Hard-Boiled/Noir: Single action, double indemnity, triple homicide. -Sue Hinkin
Romance/Lust: He fell for her. Ten stories. -John Roberts II
Police Procedural: Dirty cop found in washing machine. -Sarah Holmes
Thriller (tie): Dark woods, lost but not alone. -Lexie Price
Phone rings. Callerâs voice: “Run. Now.” â-Dita Dow
Dates for Submission
September 1, 2026 to October 5, 2026 at midnight (of course!).
One mystery. Six words. Good luck!
RMMWA Member
News and Notes
“Why I Joined RMMWA”
By Twist Phelan
Writers are often thought of as solitary creatures, hunched over keyboards in dimly lit garrets, muttering dialogue to themselves. There’s some truth to that image (my garret actually has pretty good lighting); the craft can become isolating. That’s one of the reasons I joined RMMWAâand it’s turned out to be one of the better decisions I’ve made in my writing life.
First, there’s the camaraderie. Finding your tribe matters, and RMMWA is full of people who understand the particular joys and frustrations of writing crime fiction. The support system is genuine, the conversations are endlessly entertaining, and the collective knowledge is invaluable.
Second, there are the speakers. RMMWA consistently delivers opportunities to sharpen craft and meet sources integral to crime fiction, from cops to weapons experts to forensic specialists to legal gurusâresources that would cost a fortune (and a lot of hassle) to access elsewhere.
Finally, thereâs the six-word mystery contest. How could I resist a group that celebrates the art of cramming an entire whodunit into six words? It’s the perfect outlet for my questionable pun habit. (For the record, there’s something deeply satisfying about crafting a tiny mystery that makes people groan and laugh simultaneously.)
RMMWA offers craft, community, and a place where my love of bad wordplay is encouraged rather than merely tolerated. What more could this crime writer ask for?
Read more about award-winning writer Twist Phelan at her website.
