Elizabeth Sims (born September 30, 1957) is an American writer, journalist, and contributing editor at Writer's Digest magazine. She is a former correspondent for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and author of two series of crime novels, including her Rita Farmer Mystery Series, originally published by St. Martin's Press Minotaur and Lillian Byrd Crime Series, originally published by Alyson Books.
In 1992, Sims began serving a two-year term on the editorial board of Moving Out literary journal, in which she also submitted the short story "Beautiful" in 1987, and "Cleva" in 1989. In 2006, she began writing features for Writer's Digest magazine.[1] She became a contributing editor in 2009, specializing in the art and craft of fiction.[3] She worked as a freelance correspondent for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune in 2011.[4] Also, Sims taught creative writing at Sarasota’s Ringling College of Art and Design in 2017 and 2018.[5]
Rita Farmer Mystery Series
In May 2008, she launched the Rita Farmer Mystery Series with The Actress. The main character, Rita Farmer, is a single mother and struggling Hollywood actress who is recruited to secretly coach the unsympathetic defendant in a high-profile murder trial.
The Extra, second in the Rita Farmer Mystery Series was published by St. Martin's Press Minotaur in June 2009. Rita, dressed in a police uniform as an extra on a movie shoot, is pulled into a real crime scene. When Rita and her boyfriend, George Rowe, try to help Amaryllis B. Cubitt, the director of an urban mission, they move deeper into mystery and danger.
Sims moves the action from Los Angeles to Washington's Olympic Peninsula in On Location, published by Minotaur in August 2010. Rita's sister Gina, working as a film location scout in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, goes missing, and Rita has no choice but to follow. Foul weather meets foul play as Rita and her stalwart friends risk their lives for the sake of truth—and love.[3]
Lillian Byrd Crime Series
The Lillian Byrd Crime Series is a six-novel series, originally published by Alyson Books (New York), beginning with Holy Hell in 2002. The series focuses on lesbian culture, mystery, and love. The second book in the series, Damn Straight, won a 2003 Lambda Literary Award.[2]Lucky Stiff and Easy Street followed in 2004 and 2005. The main character, Lillian Byrd, is a reporter turned sleuth whose quest for true love takes her into dangerous places. The series, set mostly in the Detroit, Michigan area, is noted for its off-kilter characters and wry humor. The fifth novel in the series, Left Field, was published in 2014 by Spruce Park Press. It received a Golden Crown Literary Society award in 2015. The sixth in the series, Tight Race, was published in 2022 by Spruce Park Press.
Crimes in a Second Language
In 2017, Sims published Crimes in a Second Language, a departure from her series work.
The novel, set in contemporary Los Angeles, features a white retired schoolteacher who befriends a young Mexican-American housecleaner. Their story line intersects with the film business and industrial espionage, and explores questions of friendship and literacy. In April 2018 Crimes in a Second Language was awarded the silver medal in the Florida Book Award general fiction category.
Public speaking
In addition to her writing, Sims serves as a keynote speaker and presents workshops at writer's conferences and retreats around North America.[3]
Published works
Fiction
Rita Farmer Mystery Series
Sims, Elizabeth (2008). The Actress, St. Martin's Minotaur, 336 pages. ISBN978-0312377281
Sims, Elizabeth (2009). The Extra, St. Martin's Minotaur, 400 pages. ISBN978-1429987134
Sims, Elizabeth (2010). On Location, St. Martin's Minotaur, 384 pages. ISBN978-1429951272
Lillian Byrd Crime Series
Sims, Elizabeth (2002). Holy Hell, Alyson Books, 270 pages. ISBN978-1555836535
Sims, Elizabeth (2003). Damn Straight, Alyson Books, 272 pages. ISBN978-1555837860
Sims, Elizabeth (2004). Lucky Stiff, Alyson Books, 243 pages. ISBN978-1555838584
Sims, Elizabeth (2005). Easy Street, Alyson Books, 229 pages. ISBN978-1555839260
Sims, Elizabeth (2014), Left Field, Spruce Park Press, 269 pages. ISBN978-0692351772
Sims, Elizabeth (2022), Tight Race, Spruce Park Press, 298 pages. ISBN978-1733996747
Other Novels
Sims, Elizabeth (2017), Crimes in a Second Language, Spruce Park Press, 266 pages. ISBN978-1520300443
Short Story Collections
Sims, Elizabeth (2015). I am Calico Jones: Four Short Stories, Spruce Park Press, 76 pages.
Sims, Elizabeth (2018). Go-Go Day: Four Literary Tales with a Dash of Dark, Spruce Park Press, 73 pages.
Short Stories
Sims, Elizabeth (1987). "Beautiful", Moving Out, vol. 13
Sims, Elizabeth (1989). "Cleva", Moving Out, vol. 14
Sims, Elizabeth; and Valerie Reed (editor, 2003). "For Faye", A Woman's Touch, Alyson Books
Sims, Elizabeth; and Angela Brown (editor, 2004). "Play Money", Best Lesbian Love Stories 2004, Alyson Books
Sims, Elizabeth; and Lake, Lori L. and Tara Young (editors, 2006). "I am Calico Jones", Romance for Life, Intaglio Publications
Sims, Elizabeth; and Lake, Lori L. and Jessie Chandler (editors, 2014). "Untold Riches", Lesbians on the Loose: Crime Writers on the Lam, Launch Point Press
Sims, Elizabeth; (2015). I am Calico Jones: Four Short Stories, Spruce Park Press
Sims, Elizabeth; (2016), "Go-Go Day", Scene Magazine, August 2016[6]
Nonfiction
Sims, Elizabeth; and Ned Thomas (2007). Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra: Seventy-Five Years of Music on the Strait, Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra[7]
Sims, Elizabeth (contributor, 2010); and Editors of Writer's Digest. The Complete Handbook Of Novel Writing: Everything You Need to Know About Creating & Selling Your Work, Writer's Digest Books, 528 pages. ISBN978-1582979588
Sims, Elizabeth (contributor, 2012); and Editors of Writer's Digest. Crafting Novels & Short Stories: The Complete Guide to Writing Great Fiction, Writer's Digest Books, 368 pages. ISBN978-1599635712
Sims, Elizabeth (contributor); and Chuck Sambuchino, (editor, 2012). 2013 Guide to Literary Agents, Writer's Digest Books, 364 pages. ISBN978-1599635972
Sims, Elizabeth (2013). You've Got a Book in You: A Stress-Free Guide to Writing the Book of Your Dreams, Writer's Digest Books, 282 pages. ISBN978-1599635545
Sims, Elizabeth (contributor); and Rachel Randall, (editor, 2014). 2015 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market , Writer's Digest Books, 580 pages. ISBN978-1599638416
Sims, Elizabeth (contributor); and Chuck Sambuchino, (editor, 2014). 2015 Guide to Literary Agents, Writer's Digest Books, 363 pages. ISBN978-1599638430
Sims, Elizabeth (contributor, 2016); and Editors of Writer's Digest Books. Creating Characters: The Complete Guide to Populating Your Fiction, Writer's Digest Books, 342 pages. ISBN978-1599638768
Sims, Elizabeth (contributor, 2016); and Editors of Writer's Digest Books. Crafting Dynamic Dialogue: The Complete Guide to Speaking, Conversing, Arguing, and Thinking in Fiction (Creative Writing Essentials), Writer's Digest Books, 296 pages. ISBN978-1440345548
Sims, Elizabeth (contributor, 2017); and Editors of Writer's Digest. The Complete Handbook Of Novel Writing: Everything You Need to Know About Creating & Selling Your Work, Writer's Digest Books, 528 pages. ISBN978-1440348396
Sims, Elizabeth (contributor 2019); and Amy Jones, (editor, 2019). 2020 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market , Writer's Digest Books, 512 pages. ISBN978-1440354939
Sims, Elizabeth (contributor 2021); and Lee Child, (editor, 2021) and Laurie R. King (editor 2021). How to Write a Mystery: A Handbook from Mystery Writers of America, Scribner, 336 pages. ISBN978-1982149437
^ ab"elizabeth". Elizabeth Sims. Retrieved 2013-07-18.
^ abcdeMarkowitz, Judith A. (2004). The Gay Detective Novel: Lesbian And Gay Main Characters and Themes In Mystery Fiction, McFarland Press, pages 143–145. ISBN978-0786482771