“The Man You Don’t Want To Meet” – HFC’s Krug published in The Strand
HFC Public Relations Writer Kurt Anthony Krug recently sold his first short story called “The Man You Don’t Want To Meet” to The Strand Magazine.
“The Strand has published short stories written by New York Times best-selling authors like John Grisham and Jeffery Deaver – whose work I’ve enjoyed over the years, especially Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme and Kathryn Dance books. It’s also published rare work by Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, F. Scott Fitzgerald – these are authors whose books are required reading in high school and college classes and have awards named after them. The issue I’m published in features a story by Shirley Jackson, who wrote The Haunting of Hill House. It’s not lost on me what an honor it is to be in such company. It’s very humbling. I feel like I’m crashing a really exclusive VIP party,” said Krug.
A graduate of Pinckney High School, Krug earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism and public relations from Michigan State University and his master’s degree in English and film studies from Wayne State University. He completed some graduate coursework at Marygrove College in Detroit.
“Believe it or not, I was originally an engineering major at MSU. Engineering’s a family tradition on my dad’s side, but a tradition I soon parted with after my grade in calculus,” he said. “I was always a better wordsmith than mathematician, so going into journalism was more of a natural fit. When I first set foot in the College of Communication Arts & Sciences at MSU, I felt that was the right place for me.”
Krug has been affiliated with HFC since 2002 when he covered various events as a reporter for The Dearborn Times-Herald. He joined HFC in 2007 as an adjunct English instructor while finishing his master’s degree. He later taught telecommunication before obtaining his current position as a writer in Marketing and Communications in 2011. He started as a contractor before officially becoming a College employee in 2014. Krug also periodically teaches journalism as an adjunct at MSU’s School of Journalism.
“The Man You Don’t Want To Meet”
“The Man You Don’t Want To Meet” is a mystery-thriller set in Detroit. Krug didn’t want to say anything else without spoiling the story and its twist ending.
“I feel like M. Night Shyamalan must have felt when he pulled that twist off with The Sixth Sense. Nobody saw that coming. I’m proud that I was able to pull it off. Authors Steve Hamilton, Karen Dionne, Tessa Wegert, and Alex Finlay read my story and told me they were impressed by it. That’s high praise right there. I’m definitely grateful,” he said.
Krug wrote the story during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic in an effort to entertain himself when everything was closed down. He submitted it to The Strand, a magazine for which he’s written various articles.
“I was certainly channeling my inner Shyamalan when I thought of that twist. That scene between Clint Eastwood and the street gang in Gran Torino (filmed and set in Detroit) also played a part in writing this story," he said. "Deaver, Harlan Coben, Linwood Barclay, Lisa Unger, and Kevin O’Brien have influenced me. David Baldacci too. Whenever any of them have a new book that comes out, I will stop reading whatever it is I’m reading and immediately begin reading their latest.”
Growing up, Krug read science-fiction authors like David Eddings and Terry Brooks, as well as horror maestro Stephen King — particularly King’s 1980s work.
“Misery is my favorite King novel. I remember getting through it in one day,” he recalled. “My mom got me into mysteries. She loved reading and watching mysteries. She was an avid fan of the shows Murder, She Wrote and Magnum, P.I. I remember watching them with her when I was a kid. She really enjoyed PBS’ Mystery! series, too.”
So far, he’s been getting positive feedback on “The Man You Don’t Want To Meet.”
“People have told me they’d like to meet him again,” he said. “I’ll see what I can do to arrange another meeting.”