Illuminated books art installation by Korean artist Airan Kang
Congratulations to Ken Follett and Margaret Maron, newly-named as Mystery Writers of America Grand Masters, an award for contributions to the genre that are significant and of consistently high quality. Winners of the 2013 Raven Award (recognizing outstanding achievement in the mystery field other than fiction writing), are the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore and Oline Cogdill, longtime journalist and the mystery columnist for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The MWA also honored Johnny Temple, founder and editor of Akashic Books, as the winner of the 2013 Ellery Queen Award given to editors or publishers who have distinguished themselves in support of the genre.
The Wolfe Pack society handed out its annual Nero Award for best crime fiction novel of the past year to Though Not Dead by Dana Stabenow. The Black Orchid Novella Award, presented jointly by The Wolfe Pack and Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, went to Robert Lopresti for "The Red Envelope."
Goodreads members also voted on their favorite authors and books of 2012, and the winner in the Mystery & Thriller category is Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl.
Suspense Magazine's end-of-the-year issue is out, with the awarding of "The Crimson Scribe," given to the Best Book of 2012, and winners in eleven other suspense/thriller/mystery/horror categories. The issue also includes Richard Belzer, talking about his latest book Dead Wrong, and Simon Tolkien, back with "Order from Berlin."
If you are attending next year's Cape Fear Crime Festival on February 1-2 and have a suspense or mystery novel you'd like to have considered for the Gunny Award, time is running out. Nominations for the award, given to the best mystery or suspense novel published in 2012, will be taken until December 31st. Send the title, ISBN and book cover to joyce@joyceandjimlavene.com after paying festival registration fee.
Omnimystery News has posted its latest "Firsts on the 1st," in which they introduce readers to new series characters who will make their mysterious American debut in print during December.
If you're a short story writer, take note that several 'zines have reopened for submissions, including Bete Noire, The Crime Factory and Suspense Magazine, while CrimeSpree is temporarily closed (but don't worry; they'll be open again in January). Unfortunately, the news isn't as rosy for Sniplits, the audio story website (and one of the few remaining paying markets). According to Sandra Seamans via her blog My Little Corner, Sniplits publisher Anne Stuessy said that SnipLits is closing up shop as of December 15.
This week's interview roundup includes Lawrence Block, who joined the Mystery Fanfare blog talking his series featuring the hitman Keller and how it all started; and Zoë Sharp interviews fellow author Libby Fischer Hellman about her writing and the current state and future of publishing.
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