Believing stories help us learn from the past, embrace the complexities of the present, and prepare for the future, I write lots of stories. Believing myths, legends, folklore, and fairy tales are important in understanding people and their fears, familiar network, societal structure, and core values, I use them as inspiration. This is the beginning place for all of my fiction.

Beneath Raven's Wing is my third collection of short stories. As I reviewed my stories, both published and unpublished, I noticed ravens appearing in many tales as either an intrical part of the narrative or as a watchful presence. After deciding to build my collection around ravens, I thought back to my poem, "Raven," include in my Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award-winning collection, River of Stars. I begin Beneath Raven's Wing with an excerpt from "Raven," and draw my title from its lines:
"Raven holds the secrets of night
   beneath her wings,
   guards that knowledge
   with claws and blood."

Once the stories I wanted to use were selected, I revised each one in an attempt to eliminate any repetative phrases, similes, or metaphors. As I edited, I realized I have a few similes I favor! I was surprised, and did some rewriting to vary the imagery. I also wrote an extra story to help with the ordering. Ordering in a story collection is important. You need to think of the book as one narrative made up of a series of smaller narratives. I tried to start with a strong story, then build to a satisfying concluding tale. The first story and the last act as "bookends" supporting the rest of the collection. They are, in some ways, reflections of each other.

Upon hearing of a publisher looking for a story collection from an author they'd published in one of their previous anthologies, I queried them, and when invited to do so, sent Fae Corps Publishing the manuscript for Beneath Raven's Wing. They offered me a contract, and we began the journey to publication.

While the editors at Fae Corps Publishing reviewed and edited the manuscript and designed a cover, I sent the manuscript to several writers I respect for cover comments. Awaiting the cover comments, I wrote the back cover blurb, acknowledgements, and author biography for Beneath Raven's Wing. My blurb was not used, but I'm using it for publicity.

It's been an exciting journey, and I'm delighted the book will release in late January 2021 -- just after Edgar Allan Poe's birthday and the January date of the first appearance of his poem, "The Raven." But the Poe connection is more than release date. The stories included in Beneath Raven's Wing are dark with a pinch of horror, though still maintaining a Young Adult friendly vibe. Also, one of the stories, "An Unkindness," is rich with Poe references, set in old Baltimore, and takes place in several of Baltimore's long-standing cemeteries, warehouses, and Victorian homes. I used Edgar Allan Poe and his work as beginning places for other stories in the collection as well.

Here are the original back cover blurb and cover comments:
In Beneath Raven's Wing, mystery, magic, and miracles weave through 16 reaven-filled stories. Whether set in Edgar Allan Poe's Baltimore, the forests of Scandinavia, a long ago battlefield, the mountains of Appalachia, or a suburban neighborhood, these tales take readers on a dark-winged journey. But be warned, more than an unkindness of ravens haunts these stories.

"top-notch story telling" -- Richard Chizmar, New York Times Bestselling Author

"spooky and fantastic" -- Claire Davon, USA Today Bestselling Author

"an epic journey spanning time and tide" -- H. R. Boldwood, author of the Corpse Whisperer series and 2019 Imadjinn Award Finalist

"dark, intelligent, and sinister" -- Gustavo Bondoni, author of Off the Beaten Path, Ice Station Death, Siege, Outside, Love & Death, and other books.

Many of the stories in Beneath Raven's Wing have been previously published. I've include the covers of some of these anthologies so readers can see the wide array of venues where my short fiction can be found.

Believing stories help us to learn from the past, embrace the complexities of the present, and prepare for future, I write lots of stories. Believing myths, legends, folklore, and fairy tales are important in understanding people and their fears, familiar networks, societal structure, and core values. I use them as inspiration. This is the beginning place for all my fiction and most of my poems.

Dragon Rain is the title of my fourth story collection. Dragons and their kin are present in almost all mythologies. Whether they're portrayed as good, evil, or an ambiguous symbol for nature, dragons usually represent power, wisdom, and strength. Among the cultures celebrated in Dragon Rain are: Japanese, Chinese, Norse, Appalachian, Southern USA Bayou, Alternate Middle Eastern History, Ancient Greek, Medieval European, contemporary USA, British, and Native American. (My 7th great-grandmother was Shinnecock). I hope the collection demonstrates though people are different, we share common challenges, emotions, aspirations, and desires. "A delightful set of dragon tales" says Debbie Mumford, bestselling author. "Sure to please every dracophile" writes awardiwinning author G. Scott Huggins. "Author Steven R. Southard says "Immerse yourself in Dragon Rain, eighteen fantasy stories penned by a master weaver of magical tales." And author james Dorr writes, "Dragon Rain is a rich mix of stories."

Owl Light​ is my second collection of short stories and poems where early stars flicker, owls wake from slumber, and shadows appear where shadows ought not be. In the prose and poems, Owl Light​ ​dims to darkness, dreams change to nightmares, and dawn in more distant than you know.  Again, while written for adults, these stories are Young Adult friendly.  Guardian Liberty Voice ​says of ​Owl Light: "a spellbinding collection," and January Gray Reviews says: "This book will keep you thinking long after you have read it." Other comments ​include: "a wonderful collection of short stories and poems that transport the reader from the past and into the future...Highly recommended" - speculative author, David Lee Summers; "Fairy tales new and re-imagined, modern myth and ancient ritual. Her stories span galaxies and eons. There is something to resonate with all readers within its pages" - author, Rie Sheridan Rose; "A quiet darkness pervades Crist's stories and poems...If you let the tales lull you to sleep, expect shining eyes to peer into the forest of your dreams"- author Anne E. Johnson; and "...a rich tapestry of magic and ritual. What delights the reader...is the way Crist can apply fresh eyes to a familiar situation and conversely, can present the unfamiliar as if it were an old friend" - award-winning writer, Jonathan Shipley.

The Greener Forest is my first collection of short stories and poems. The title refers to that magical place where Faerie and the everyday world collide. There is dark and light, evil and good, and uncertain dusky gray lurking in the stories and poems that inhabit the book's pages. Readers will discover all is not what it seems at first glance, and wondrous things still happen in The Greener Forest. ​While written for adults, the collection is Young Adult friendly.  ​The Greener Forest​ has been called:
"A wonderful, imaginative, multifaceted collection" by author EJ Stevens. "Magikal, enchanting, and so enticing" by young adult novelist, TJ Perkins. Speculative author Robert E. Waters wrote: "Read this collection. You won't be disappointed." Award-winning Maryland author, Laura Shovan, says of The Greener Forest:  "For Grimm lovers, a darkly imaginative book of modern fairy tales."

​I began editing science fiction and dark fantasy anthologies for Pole to Pole Publishing, a Maryland-based publisher of speculative fiction in 2015. The initial anthology in the Dark Stories Series, Hides the Dark Tower, ​required me to not only read hundreds of stories, but to select and edit the fiction, then piece together a cohesive book. Thankfully, I co-edit with another Marylander, Kelly A. Harmon, whose editorial skills complement my own.

Since then, we have edited (and Pole to Pole Publishing has published) three more Dark Stories Series anthologies, In a Cat's Eye, ​Dark Luminous Wings, and Not Far From Roswell.​  In addition, Pole to Pole Publishing establised a new reprint anthology series, the Re-Imagine Series. The reprint nature of the Re-Imagine Series means most of the submitted pieces of short fiction are solid stories. This abundant good quality pool presents a new challenge -- to select the best of a well-written group of stories which will piece together to form a collection of work that adheres to the theme, but also expands that theme in unexpected ways. To date, I've edited (with Kelly Harmon) 5 Re-Imagine anthologyies: Re-Launch, Re-Enchant, Re-Quest, Re-Terrify, ​and Re-Haunt.

Editing is a wonderful way to improve my writing! When I read the work of other writers, it is much easier to spot both strengths and weaknesses in other people's fiction, which I might not recognize in my own prose. I find by working with writers (and my co-editor) to make a book as well-written as possible, I improve my own writing skills.
​Collaboration has proven, in my case, to be a wonderful thing, and I hope to continue editing for Pole to Pole Publishing in the years to come.

Believing stories help us learn from the past, embrace the complexities of the present, and prepare us for the future, I write lots of stories. Believing myths, legends, folklore, and fairy tales are important to understanding people and their fears, fmailiar networks, societal structures, and core values, I use them for inspiration. This is the beginning place for all of my fiction.

The world-building to create Lifthrasir, the setting of The Enchanted Dagger, Beyond the Sheercliffs, and any future books in The chronicles of Lifthrasir, ​was both fun and daunting. Lifthrasir is the name of the woman who survives Ragnarok, and means one who clings to and celebrates life - so it is an apt name for a work where characters must make the right choices or face dire consequences. I've tried to not only incorporate pieces of known mythology, but invent my own to give the book and its universe a rich tapestry of  legends, myths, and lore.

The Enchanted Dagger​ is an epic fantasy novel, that while written for adults, is Young Adult friendly. It is the first book in The Chronicles of Lifthrasir. The protagonist, Beck Conleth, begins the book living a quiet life in a seaside town with his grandmother. She sends him to retrieve his father's bones and a family dagger, and the adventure ensues. In addressing this genre, I've tried to bring my own style and creativity to not only the setting, characters, and conflicts, but to the overall battle between good and evil--which is at the core of every epic fantasy.
​
​The novel was a Compton Crook Award Finalist and Maryland Writers Association Book Award Winner. It has been called:
"a strong tale set in a world intricately woven through with magic" by award-winning author, Jody Lynn Nye
An absorbing tale...finely crafted" by novelist, Roxanne Bland
"capably-written, energetic, and entertaining" by prolific short story writer, Jim Lee.

A sample of the positive reviews:
"Adventure, magical creatures, enchantment, and evil lurking around every corner...a very enjoyable read" from Getting Your Read On​ (Aimee Brown, reviewer)
"A thrilling story...recommended to all readers of fantasy adventure. Five stars and a thumbs-up to an excellent book" from Books 4 Tomorrow (Ellen Fritz, reviewer).
​
Beyond the Sheercliffs is the next book in ​The Chronicles of Lifthrasir​, of which The Enchanted Skean​ is the first in the series. Rather than a traditionally told novel, ​Beyond the Sheercliffs ​is told via novellas which meet at the end of the narrative. Each of the cast of characters and protagonists in the tales has a role to play in the next novel in the series. While the storytelling technique is new to me, I've found it both challenging and rewarding to write the tale from multiple points of view.
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​The novellas did not originally begin as parts of a book-length manuscript, but as episodes I wanted to expand into four separate books. Once I began the writing process, I realized these narratives added together gave a more complete look at the same time in the larger story of Lifthrasir. Once again, while written for adults, ​Beyond the Sheercliffs​ is Young Adult friendly.

Scheduled for publication by Pole to Pole Publishing, ​Beyond the Sheercliffs ​is under contract, and has a cover already available from the publisher. 

Believing stories help us learn from the past, embrace the complexities of the present, and prepare for the future, I write lots of stories. Believing myths, legends, folklore, and fairy tales are important in understanding pepole and their fears, familiar networks, societal structures, and core values, I use them for inspiration. This is the beginning place for all of my fiction.

Murder on Marawa Prime ​is a science fiction murder mystery. Murder, romance, and flawed science experiments make for a life and death race across Marawa Prime. Two people end up dead by the end of the journey. But just who are the assassins and who are the victims? 

I had fun writing a murder mystery set on a distant planet. The location may be different than earth, but people are people with motives aplenty to commit murder. The challenge with this book was for the reader to identify with the locale and characters even though they are on a different world. The animal side-kick was especially fun - no cat or dog - instead I chose a singing opossum! Again, though written for adults, ​Murder on Marawa Prime ​is Young Adult friendly.

Reviewed in Analog - Science Fiction And Fact magazine, Don Sakers had this to say: "​Murder on Marawa Prime is a SF story and a noir mystery, set on a fascinating and well-drawn planet, all packed into a novelette that will leave you wanting more...The story's tightly plotted, and author Crist does an excellent job of keeping multiple balls in the air while revealing the unique and deadly secrets that have brought murder to Marawa Prime."

Award-winning Science Fiction author, Charles E. Gannon wrote: "Vonnie Crist serves up some deliciously dangerous interstellar noir in Murder on Marawa Prime. ​One part Raymond Chandler, one part Agatha Christie, and a huge dose of her own exceptionally clean prose and understated worldbuilding, this is a fast-moving nail-biter on a planet at once iconic and alien."
Science Fiction author Gail Z. Martin says about the book: "Inventive and entertaining--a real thrill-ride!"
And award-winning writer, Deborah Walker writes, "A fast-paced story of assassins, genetic engineering, singing opossums and betrayal, Vonnie Winslow Crist writes the future fantastic."

The response to this book has been so positive, I think I will be writing a series of linked stories set on Marawa Prime. I'm just not certain they will ALL involve murder and intrigue.

Believing stories help us learn from the past, embrace the complexities of the present, and prepare for the future, I write lots of stories. Believing myths, legends, folklore, and fairy tales are important to understanding people and their fears, familiar networks, societal structures, and core values, I use them as inspiration. This is the beginning place for all of my fiction.

Even though I have four story collections at various stages of publication, I continue to write stories. Many of these pieces of writing are science fiction. Science fiction is a summary term for lots of various sub-genres. Many of the stories I have had published fall into the far-future, away from earth category. Even though the narratives take place far from our home planet, the characters face similar choices and consequences to those they would face should the stories be played out on today's Earth. The challenges (and dangers) are just as real as the ones faced by you and me.

Title to be determined later, I've begun to collect and order these tales which occur beneath skies very different from our skies. 
​I have attached a few of the covers of the publications in which the science fiction stories I'm putting in a science fiction story collection and offering to a publisher have already been published.

Believing stories help us learn from the past, embrace the complexities of the present, and prepare for the future, I write lots of stories. Believing myths, legends, folklore, and fairy tales are important to understanding people and their fears, familiar networks, societal structures, and core values, I use them for inspiration. This is the beginning place for all of my fiction.

I have been writing additional dark fantasy stories. Many of them have been published or are scheduled for publication. Again, I've noticed common themes and images weaving through these pieces of fiction. I have begun the process of ordering the stories and discovering where there are gaps in the over-arching narrative -- which a short story collection must have in order for the reader to feel a sense of cohesiveness.

But I've dicovered I have TWO dark fantasy story collections developing! One is for young adult readers (middle school and up), and the other for older readers. When considering which stories would be appropriate for younger readers, I've had to recall what my kids enjoyed reading as well as what students I taught in that age-bracket read. It's proving to be a challenge, but one I feel up to.
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​I cannot be certain when I will have tow completed, publishable manuscripts, because of exclusivity clauses with many of the anthologies and magazines. I have a publisher interested in the adult book once it is completed and free from contractual issues. The young adult collection hasn't been submitted to publishers yet. I've attached covers of some of the places where these stories have been published.

Again, I've found a group of my stories has a theme--magical horses. The horses in my fiction are fleet-footed, winged, horned, web-footed, mechanical, and more. Each equine is wondrous and its connection to a human is at the core of the narrative. While some of the stories are still being written, several have been published.
A publisher has already been found for this collection, though the contract isn't signed yet. I look forward to sharing more information as it becomes available. At this time, the book is scheduled for a summer 2022 publication.