ABOUT JASON HALF
Welcome to my site! I'm a screenwriter, playwright, and short story writer working and teaching in the Midwestern United States. A few of my interests include Golden Age Detective Fiction -- think Agatha Christie, or better yet, the wonderfully underrated British mystery author Gladys Mitchell, for whom I've created a comprehensive tribute site at www.gladysmitchell.com -- and Dogs of all shapes and sizes. My current canine companion, a Goldendoodle named Motley Otis, enjoys my storytelling when it takes the form of fetch, frisbee, or a treat.
I hope you spend some time learning about my many projects and sampling my original scripts and stories collected here. My blog features several book reviews of classic and contemporary mysteries from authors like John Rhode, Richard Hull, and Nicholas Blake; please check it out if you are a fan of Golden Age Detective fiction.
I welcome correspondence and feedback, and you can contact me at [email protected] .
BIO
Jason Half is a writer and educator. His stage plays have had readings in Chicago and Pittsburgh and performances in Maine, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Minnesota. He is the recipient of the Scott McPherson Playwriting Award and, as writer and director, his film THE BALLAD OF FAITH DIVINE won the Best Feature award at the Colony Film Festival. His one-act play LOCKED ROOM MISERY has received multiple productions throughout the U.S. Two television scripts have been finalists in national screenwriting contests. Jason has taught film, theater, scriptwriting, literature and composition courses at colleges and universities.
NEWS
December 1, 2024: I always love a fun writing prompt, and when submissions opened for a theater-themed mystery anthology called Sherlock Holmes Takes the Stage, I couldn't resist! My story, "The Irregular Understudy", features a Baker Street Irregular named Hawk Denby who finds himself immersed in a backstage puzzle that only Holmes -- with assistance from his young correspondent -- can solve. My story appears in Volume 1 of the anthology published by Belanger Books and can be purchased at online outlets like Amazon.
November 4, 2023: "No Uncertain Terms", my third story to be featured in the hallowed pages of Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, is now available in the November/December 2023 issue. A husband overhears a single ominous statement spoken by his wife in a stream-of-consciousness moment, and soon past and present collide in a tragic and unexpected way. I'm thrilled to be back in AHMM, just before year's end.
July 30, 2023: I am honored to have a story included in a fun new anthology, The Detective and the Clergyman, featuring tales that pair iconic puzzle solvers Sherlock Holmes and Father Brown! 17 adventures are found in this collection from Belanger Books, and my entry, "The Order of the Flood", finds Holmes and Watson investigating the murder of a cult leader who died under very curious circumstances. Available for purchase at Amazon and elsewhere.
June 16, 2023: Mid-Ohio Valley Players are producing the world premiere of my comedy community play Abernathy in Marietta! This ensemble stage story -- about a local theater group whose play celebrating a historical local figure runs into some show-stopping complications -- runs for six performances. I am thrilled to have my story told by such a talented cast and crew!
February 24, 2023: My short play "Extended View" is one of seven pieces featured in a new play festival at West Virginia's Greenbrier Valley Theatre. I am thrilled that my play was chosen to be part of their Voices of Appalachia Play Festival!
January 26, 2022: Another piece of mine exploring a fascinating true crime and its aftermath appears in a great new anthology! The Best New True Crime Stories: Partners in Crime, edited by Mitzi Szereto, features "A Long Way Down: Jeannace Freeman and Gertrude Jackson", a sobering story of two women charged with child murder in 1960s Oregon. The book is now available at Amazon.com and elsewhere.
January 9, 2022: Award-winning mystery writer Barb Goffman has chosen to present my story "The Last Ferry" in Issue #19 of Black Cat Weekly, a wonderful e-zine that collects mystery and science fiction tales to keep readers thrilled and entertained. My experience with Barb and Black Cat Weekly has been great, and I appreciate their enthusiasm for my mournful island story set off the coast of Maine.
August 10, 2021: I am excited to announce the first of two true crime anthologies to which I contribute a story. The Best New True Crime Stories: Crimes of Passion, Obsession & Revenge, edited by Mitzi Szereto, is now available at Amazon.com and other places. My tale looks at the competitive life and violent death of William Whiteley, England's first department store mogul.
June 20, 2021: Another original story published in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. This one is "Nicky and the Darkness", a mystery tale told from an autistic boy's perspective. Available in the July/August 2021 issue. After some full-length script projects, I am very happy to return to the world of short fiction writing!
December 1, 2018: A new short story in a new anthology! Check out my coastal Maine mystery "The Last Ferry" in LANDFALL: the Best New England Crime Stories. Print and eBook editions are available at Amazon.com. Lots of entertaining tales in this collection from Level Best Books.
November 3, 2018: My short story "The Widow Cleans House", first published in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, is now available in an anthology from Eris Press. TERROR AT THE CROSSROADS: Tales of Horror, Delusion, and the Unknown can be found at Amazon.com and other eBook sites.
May 18, 2018: Happy to attend the 2018 PlayFest at the Pocahontas County Opera House in Marlinton, West Virginia, where my 10-minute play PETTING ZOO STORY receives its premiere, along with other great pieces by Eric Fritzius, Brett Hursey, and Jonathan Joy. Congrats to the actors, designers, and crew for presenting a great weekend of new plays!
May 2, 2018: I am very excited to announce the release of my LGBTQ romantic comedy short novel KNIGHTS ERRING, arriving in May from Less Than Three Press. During a medieval-themed trivia contest, three friends bet each other that they can uphold vows of chivalry for two weeks. Easier said than done, especially when those vows are poverty, obedience and chastity...
April 21, 2018: A staged reading of my brand-new play FALSTAFF, DISCONNECTED occurred recently. The contemporary comedy-drama was inspired by King Henry IV, Part One, and was written for the American Shakespeare Theatre's New Contemporaries contest.
March 1, 2018: My one-act play LOCKED ROOM MISERY returns to the stage, where it is one of four featured play for a student-directed 2018 ONE-ACT FESTIVAL. Congrats to actors, directors, and crew on an enjoyable set of productions.
September 9, 2017: Level Best Books has released the anthology NOIR AT THE SALAD BAR, a collection of culinary-themed mystery and suspense stories. I am very pleased that my short story "Bases Looted", a sort of locked room comic mystery that takes place in the skybox of a baseball stadium, is included! Print and eBook editions are available through this link at Amazon.
June 17, 2017: The current issue of Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine (May/June 2017) features as its Mystery Classic Gladys Mitchell's short story "Daisy Bell". I was thrilled to be asked to write an introduction for my favorite mystery author, and greatly enjoyed working with the editor to choose an entertaining Mrs. Bradley tale to share with readers.
May 20, 2017: Three short plays of mine will be read at MT Pockets Theatre in Morgantown, West Virginia. IN THEIR VOICES, an evening celebrating Appalachian playwrights, will also feature work by talented writers A.J. DeLauder, Jeremy F. Richter, Eric Fritzius, and Steven McElroy.
June 11, 2016: I am honored to discover that my one-act play LOCKED ROOM MISERY has won third place at the 2016 West Virginia Writers Annual Writing Contest. Congratulations to Jon Joy and A.J. DeLauder, who also received honors and recognition in this year's playwriting category. This was the first time I was able to attend the WVW conference in Ripley, West Virginia, and it was fantastic to hear from authors and publishers and to meet many, many talented people.
April 1, 2016: I am pleased to announce that my short story THE WIDOW CLEANS HOUSE will appear in the July/August 2016 issue of Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. It's a strange little tale that I wrote more for myself than with any thoughts of capturing a publisher's interest, but I'm thrilled that AHMM chose it for their excellent magazine!
June 13, 2015: My short film script MY ADVICE won first place in the screenplay category of the 2015 West Virginia Writers Annual Writing Contest. This script was previously optioned by a New York City-based production company, but was not produced. You can view this script by clicking the Screenplays tab on this site.
December 4, 2014: My play SUNDIAL, which explores the effects of mountain-top removal coal mining on an Appalachian community, received a reading at Ohio University sponsored by the regional chapter of The Dramatists Guild. This play is available for readings or productions; please contact me for more information.