There have been seven Jack Daniels novels so far (Whiskey Sour, Bloody Mary, Rusty Nail, Drity Martini, Fuzzy Navel, Cherry Bomb, and Shaken.)

The continuing cast of characters in the Jack Daniels books are one of the reasons I enjoy writing them so much. Having established early on that the series is a mixture of humor, scares, mystery, and thrills, I have complete freedom to write short stories in any and all of these sub-genres.

I use shorts to take my characters in places they wouldn’t normally go in the novels. Jack can function as a traditional sleuth, solving crimes like Sherlock Holmes or Miss Marple. But she can also star in nail-biting thrillers without any element of mystery. She can even be delegated to sidekick role, letting someone else take center stage.

Harry McGlade can be even goofier in short stories than he is in the books. When I write a McGlade short, I play it for laughs and cross over into parody, which would never work in the novels.

Phineas Troutt is ideal for hardboiled tales. Because he’s a criminal, I can walk on the dark side with him, and have him do things that Jack, with her moral compass, would never do.

Plus, I can get away with things in short stories that I can’t in my books. I don’t have to worry about having lines cut, or having my characters’ motivations questioned. For a writer, it’s the ultimate indulgence, and the ultimate freedom.

It also allows me to do some pretty fun shit.