Category: News Blog

Member News – October 2026

Lynn Slaughter

Lynn’s new novel, DEATH IN THE END ZONE, has been named the winner of the NYC Big Book Award in the mystery category.

Lynn’s middle grade debut novel, THE BIG SWITCH: VARNEY AND CEDRIC, published in May by Nightingale Books, has been named a 2026 Readers’ Favorite finalist in the children’s 4th-6th grade category.

Jenise Hale

Jenise volunteered at a local literacy event for children called Read, Write, Imagine held at the Douglas Community Center, on September 19.

Jenise participated in the Bullitt County Authors Fair on September 12, in Shepherdsville, along with 20 other local Authors.

Jeanette Pope

On September 15th, Jeanette met with students, counselor Dr. Nicole Fields Grace, and librarian Sade Graves at Grace James Academy to plan a book study event for her new novel, Throwaway Kids.
“The girls started reading the books as they came out of the box. I’m so glad to see hungry readers. They quickly found something that linked them to the story. Good old self-to-text.”

Congratulations!

Member News – September 2026

Eileen Trauth

Eileen Trauth and Blanche Kabengele just signed a contract with Kelsay Books to publish their joint poetry collection: We Came & Gullah, which is expected to appear in 2027. Eileen’s first poetry collection, Ordinary Time, was also published by Kelsay Books.

Jenise Hale

It is a silent book club but the South Louisville Silent Book Club asked Jenise Hale ( a member of the club) to give a short talk about her book, Gossamer Key, before the silent reading began.

Lynn Slaughter

Lynn is excited to share that her novel, It Should Have Been You, has found a new publishing home with White City Press.

Check out Lynn’s blog, in which she shares the origins of her novel and the issues it addresses: https://lynnslaughter.com/2026/08/29/a-new-publishing-home-for-it-should-have-been-you/

In other happy news, Lynn’s novel, Missing Mom, was named first runner-up for Killer Nashville’s Silver Falchion Award in the juvenile/young adult category.

Congratulations!

Member News – August 2026

Eileen Trauth

On Saturday, August 1, Eileen Trauth was a featured poet at Peripatetic Poets of Cincinnati at the Muse Cafe

Lynn Slaughter

Lynn’s novel, Missing Mom, was named a Killer Nashville Silver Falchion finalist in the juvenile/young adult category.

Lynn’s newest novel, The Big Switch: Varney and Cedric, received a lovely review in Midwest Book Review: https://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/jul_26.htm#suziehousley

Jenise Hale

Jenise Hale participated in the Buffalo Run Road Festival in Shepherdsville, Kentucky on July 25. This was an author book signing event that included other local vendors. The event organizers included the Main Book Hook and the Cedar Grove Coffee House. The coffee house created a special coffee drink called Kat’s Key to champion her book, Gossamer Key. How cool is that?

LaGrange Book Fair

Elaine Munsch, Lynn Slaughter, Jeanette C. Pope, and Jenise Hale had a delightful time representing the Derby Rotten Scoundrels at the LaGrange Book Fair yesterday!

Congratulations!

Member News – July 2026

Beverle Graves Myers

Beverle Graves Myers’ latest short story, Three Fingers of Fate, appears in Detectives, Sleuths & Nosy Neighbors III from Inkd Publishing.

Set during an elegant gala brimming with ambition and secrets, her story offers a reminder that even the most polished appearances can be dangerously misleading.

Lynn Slaughter

Lynn’s novel, Missing Mom, was named the third place finalist in the National Excellence in Storytelling Contest. Lynn is “Feeling very grateful!”

Lynn’s newest novel for children, The Big Switch, received a great Readers Review (Readers’ Favorite web site):

“a remarkable novel for children”

https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/the-big-switch

Per Lynn: “This has definitely been my lucky day!”

Lynn’s short fiction piece, “Betrayal,” appeared in the Spring 2026 issue of the Louisville Review.

https://louisvillereview.org/tlr-98

Congratulations!

Member News – June 2026

Jeanette Pope

Double Triangles book cover

Jeanette participated at the Romance in Bloom Book Fair in May. The book fair was held at City Place Pavilion in LaGrange.

Lynn Slaughter

Lynn is excited announce the official release of Death in the End Zone, a sequel to Missed Cue featuring the same detective, Caitlin O’Connor, who navigates the investigation of another puzzling case while dealing with continuing changes and challenges in her personal life.

Lynn says “This is the first time I’ve ever written a novel which was not a stand-alone, so it’s been a whole new experience for me!”

Lynn is delighted to share  that her novel, Leisha’s Song, is the 2026 Maxy Award winner in the middle grade and young adult category:

https://www.maxyawards.com/2026

Lynn also had the following articles published in May:

Chapter Anthologies

Derby Rotten Scoundrels has published three anthologies between 2004 and 2020:

  • Derby Rotten Scoundrels a Silver Dagger Mystery (2004)
  • Low Down and Derby a Silver Dagger Anthology (2006)
  • Mystery with a Splash of Borubon (2020)

These anthologies got a shout out by the blog post Mystery Fanfare, a daily blog on mystery authors and stories run by Janet A. Rudolph. Her May 2 blog included the listing of our three anthologies (shown in the image), and we are grateful for the notice!

Send your news items to the following address: news@derbyrottenscoundrels.com

We will post on our Facebook page weekly and do a monthly round-up of news on the website.

Congratulations!