Multi-genre author and former professional photographer, Elizabeth Crowens, pitched the idea of this book to the City Artist Corps grant committee as a New York-themed photo-illustrated anthology using her own photography, inspired by her popular posts on Facebook, Caption Contest: Give Me Your Best or Your Worst. Every day, she’d find a humorous or provocative vintage photo, and authors, readers, librarians, and publishing professionals worldwide would react by posting their witty commentaries which were often hilarious. This came as a welcome reprieve throughout the pandemic when all of us needed to have a good dose of laughter on a daily basis.
When she unexpectedly received this grant, she reached out to ten other authors in the Greater New York City area from diverse backgrounds, who all contributed to the literary legacy of New York. In a race against time with a stiff deadline, she wore many hats from editorial to book design to produce this anthology which launched on October 25th. Signed copies will be available at The Mysterious Bookshop. The bookstore will also host a Facebook Live event along with an in-store event taking into consideration Covid restrictions on that date.
RJ Koreto
Micaela, Whose Apartment Never Changes: For 90 years, women named Micaela have started their lives in a special Manhattan apartment, and at last they will all meet.
Tom Straw
The Great Scutini: A down-on-his-luck Bronx landlord tries out his new mentalism act with a tenant’s daughter and stumbles into revealing some inconvenient surprises.
Charles Salzberg
Give Me Land, Lots of Land and Forget the Starry Sky Above: A New York Story: In New York City, it’s all about: Location. Location. Location.
Reed Farrel Coleman
Slider: Hybrid short story prose poem in the key of New York
Randee Dawn
Polhemus and Fiske and Maude (and the Mayor): Two poodles decide their pet human could use an elevating experience — and so they elect her Mayor of New York City.
Triss Stein
Luncheonette in the Rain: A forgotten photo of an ordinary street brings back a lifetime of memories.
Steven Van Patten
Stupid Skeletons: A woman’s casual racism leaves her vulnerable for an attack.
Marco Corelli and Elizabeth Crowens
Fulton Street Farewell: Since when did Manhattan become the next Roswell?
Barbara Krasnoff
The Fishmonger: Sam always talked to his fish. The regular customers in his store were used to hearing him discuss the latest baseball scores with a catfish just before he took off its head with a single fall of his cleaver.
Richie Narvaez tells us stories of the borough’s souls he knows so well.
Elizabeth Crowens
The Protest Painting: Life imitates art when it comes to using a painting as a secret psychological weapon.
Meet the editor
Elizabeth Crowens, over 25 years in the entertainment industry, member of the International Cinematographers Guild as a Still Photographer (Imdb.com credited: Sheri Lane), award-winning writer of novels in the Hollywood mystery and alternate history genres. Recipient of the Leo B. Burstein Scholarship by the NY Chapter of Mystery Writers of America. Editor and photographer for New York: Give Me Your Best or Your Worst based on her Facebook Caption Contests. @Ecrowens on Twitter and Facebook at thereel.elizabeth.crowens.
All comments are welcomed.
Thanks Elizabeth for visiting the blog
Will this ever be in print? My SIL would love it but he does not do digital books.
I believe it will be in print. I will check with the author.
Judy, do you mean print version of the stories and photos? Certainly! (I’m one of the authors) Mysterious Bookshop in Manhattan has it – signed by most of the authors! – and can be ordered. a nifty gift. (We signed a big stack of copies last night) It may be available already from other usual sources, too, but if not, will be soon.