New York: Give Me Your Best or Your Worst

Multi-genre author and former professional photographer, Elizabeth Crowens, pitched the idea of this book to the City Artist Corps grant committee as a New York-themed photo-illustrated anthology using her own photography, inspired by her popular posts on Facebook, Caption Contest: Give Me Your Best or Your Worst. Every day, she'd nd a humorous or provocative vintage photo, and authors, readers, librarians, and publishing professionals worldwide would react by posting their witty commentaries which were often hilarious. This came as a welcome reprieve throughout the pandemic when all of us needed to have a good dose of laughter on a daily basis.

When she unexpectedly received this grant, she reached out to ten other authors in the Greater New York City area from diverse backgrounds, who all contributed to the literary legacy of New York. In a race against time with a stiff deadline, she wore many hats from editorial to book design to produce this anthology.

New York, NY – Writer and photographer, Elizabeth Crowens is one of 500 New York City-based artists to receive funding through the City Artist Corps Grants program, presented by The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), with support from the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) as well as Queens Theatre.

City Artist Corps Grants was launched in June 2021 by NYFA and DCLA with support from the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) as well as Queens Theatre. The program is funded by the $25 million New York City Artist Corps recovery initiative announced by Mayor de Blasio and DCLA earlier this year. The grants are intended to support NYC-based working artists who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

New York, NY – Writer and photographer, Elizabeth Crowens is one of 500 New York City-based artists to receive funding through the City Artist Corps Grants program, presented by The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), with support from the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) as well as Queens Theatre. She was recognized for New York: Give Me Your Best or Your Worst, her photo-illustrated anthology, which she edited, provided her own photography invited ten other authors to contribute.

Elizabeth Crowens spent over over 25 years in the entertainment industry, member of the International Cinematographers Guild as a Still Photographer. She's an award-winning writer of novels in the Hollywood mystery and alternate history genres. Recipient of the Leo B. Burstein Scholarship by the NY Chapter of Mystery Writers of America. Editor and photographer for New York: Give Me Your Best or Your Worst based on her Facebook Caption Contests. www.elizabethcrowens.com @Ecrowens on Twitter. https://www.facebook.com/thereel.elizabeth.crowens •Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times bestselling author of over 31 award-winning mystery and thriller novels, including the Jesse Stone series for the estate of Robert B. Parker. Called a hard-boiled poet by NPR's Maureen Corrigan. Wrote the foreword, a sonnet, and contributed the short story Slider, a hybrid short story prose poem in the key of New York •Charles Salzberg, former magazine journalist, crime novelist of the Shamus Award-nominated Henry Swann series, founding member of the New York Writers Workshop. He contributed the short story Give Me Land, Lots of Land and Forget the Starry Sky Above: A New York Story: In New York City, it's all about: Location. Location. Location. •Tom Straw, Emmy and WGA-nominated writer-producer, credits include Nurse Jackie, Night Court, Grace Under Fire, Whoopie, and the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Crime novelist under the pen name of Richard Castle. He contributed the story The Great Scutini: A down-on-his-luck Bronx landlord tries out his new mentalism act with a tenant's daughter and stumbles into revealing some inconvenient surprises. •Randee Dawn, Entertainment journalist for Today.com, Variety, and the Los Angeles Times. Co-editor of Across the Universe: Tales of Alternative Beatles and The Law & Order: SUV Companion, and speculative fiction writer of the upcoming Tune in Tomorrow. She contributed Polhemus and Fiske and Maude (and the Mayor): Two poodles decide their pet human could use an elevating experience — and so they elect her Mayor of New York City. •Barbara Krasnoff, Reviews Editor at The Verge, over 45 published short stories, Nebula Award finalist, and author of the "mosaic" novel The History of Soul 2065. She contributed The Fishmonger: Sam always talked to his ?sh. The regular customers in his store were used to hearing him discuss the latest baseball scores with a cat?sh just before he took o? its head with a single fall of his cleaver. •Steven Van Patten, TV stage manager by day, horror writer by night. Co-host of the Beef, Wine and Shenanigans podcast, winner of several African American Literary Awards. He contributed Stupid Skeletons: A woman's casual racism leaves her vulnerable for an attack. •Triss Stein writes mysteries that all take place in Brooklyn. She contributed Luncheonette in the Rain: A forgotten photo of an ordinary street brings back a lifetime of memories. •Marco Conelli, former NYPD detective, consultant to Mary Higgins Clark, and Silver Falchion award-winner for young adult mysteries and the police procedural Cry For Help, taking place in The Bronx. He co-wrote Fulton Street Farewell with Elizabeth Crowens. Fulton Street Farewell: Since when did Manhattan become the next Roswell? •R.J. Koreto, historical mystery writer focusing on New York during the Gilded Age. He wrote Micaela, Whose Apartment Never Changes: For 90 years, women named Micaela have started their lives in a special Manhattan apartment, and at last they will all meet. •Richie Narvaez, award-winning mystery author of Hipster Death Rattle, Holly Hernandez and the Death of Disco, and Noiryorican. He wrote a series of vignettes, telling us stories of the borough's souls he knows so well.