Francelia Belton

Francelia Belton’s love of short stories came from watching old Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents television shows in her youth. She published a collection titled, Crime & Passion: Three Short Stories, and her story, "Lewenda Gets Married" appears on the Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast.

Her short story, "Dreaming of Ella," appears in Denver Noir and was listed as Other Distinguished Mystery and Suspense of 2022 in The Best American Mystery Stories 2023. The story was also a Second Rounder in the 7th Annual Launch Pad Prose Competition and a Quarterfinalist in the 2023 Outstanding Screenplays Shorts Competition. In April of 2023, "Dreaming of Ella" was one of the selected stories for Stories on Stage's performance of Denver Noir at the Su Teatro Cultural and Performing Arts Center.

Her other short stories have also done well. “Knife Girl,” was a finalist in the 2020-2021 ScreenCraft Cinematic Short Story Competition and a semi-finalist in the 2021 Outstanding Screenplays Shorts Competition. "The Brotherhood of Tricks and Tricks" was a quarterfinalist in the 2022 ScreenCraft Cinematic Short Story Competition.

She is an active member of the Colorado chapter of Sisters in Crime and in the past has served as Vice President and President. She is also a member of Mystery Writers of America, Crime Writers of Color and Short Mystery Fiction Society. You can read more of her stories at https://FranceliaBelton.com/.