Calling All Short Story Writers: Check Out Bouchercon’s New Bill Crider Prize!
by Paula Gail Benson
I’m incredibly proud that Carol Puckett and Kendel
Lynn of the Bouchercon Dallas committee asked me to help with the inaugural Bill
Crider Prize for Short Fiction that will be awarded by Hank Phillippi Ryan at
Bouchercon in Dallas this October. This contest will recognize excellence for
short story writing with significant monetary and scholarship prizes. And, the
final round will be judged by Janet Hutchings (editor of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine) and Linda Landrigan (editor of Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine)!
Lynn of the Bouchercon Dallas committee asked me to help with the inaugural Bill
Crider Prize for Short Fiction that will be awarded by Hank Phillippi Ryan at
Bouchercon in Dallas this October. This contest will recognize excellence for
short story writing with significant monetary and scholarship prizes. And, the
final round will be judged by Janet Hutchings (editor of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine) and Linda Landrigan (editor of Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine)!
Please see the information below and considerentering. It’s a great way to remember a respected member of the mystery
community while giving a marvelous opportunity to talented short story writers.
Bill Crider Prize for Short
Fiction
Fiction
Debuting at the 50th Anniversary of Bouchercon, Carol Puckett and
the 2019 Bouchercon Dallas committee launched the Bill Crider Prize for Short
Fiction to celebrate this treasured literary form, both the short story and the
widely-admired mystery author and reviewer, Bill Crider. Designed to encourage
writers from all over the world, these distinguished prizes award stories with
fascinating characters and twisty plots, all in the mystery genre.
the 2019 Bouchercon Dallas committee launched the Bill Crider Prize for Short
Fiction to celebrate this treasured literary form, both the short story and the
widely-admired mystery author and reviewer, Bill Crider. Designed to encourage
writers from all over the world, these distinguished prizes award stories with
fascinating characters and twisty plots, all in the mystery genre.
Prizes
- First Prize:
$1000 - Second Prize:
$750 - Third Prize:
$500 - Bill Crider
Memorial Scholarship: Registration to Bouchercon 2020
Judging
- Longlist
Finalists - An
anonymous judging panel of published authors will select an initial round
of finalists (no public announcements will be made). - Shortlist
Finalists - A
second anonymous judging panel of published authors will select the
shortlist finalists (no public announcements will be made). - Winners
- Janet
Hutchings, editor of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, and Linda
Landrigan, editor of Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, will
choose the winners from the shortlisted writers. - Please
note that no automatic publication in either EQMM or AHMM is attached to
winning or being a finalist in this contest. All contestants (whether
they make judges cuts or not) are welcome to submit to either
magazine—but not both at the same time. - Once
the final four writers have been chosen, all shortlisted authors will be
notified on or near October 1. - Bouchercon
Dallas Guest of Honor, Hank Phillippi Ryan,
will recognize the shortlisted authors and award the top prizes during
Bouchercon 2019 in Dallas, Texas.
All decisions are final and
may not be contested.
may not be contested.
Submissions
- Deadline: Mar 1,
2019 - Open to all
writers regardless of Bouchercon registration or residency - Stories must be
an original work, not previously published, submitted anonymously (as
provided in these rules), and without identifiable series characters - Theme: Deep in
the Heart (relating to Texas, whether locale, characters, history, etc.)
with an element of mystery or crime - One submission
per person - Manuscript
Guidelines: - Word
count: 3,500 – 5000 words - Format:
Standard font Times New Roman at 12 pt size; no fancy fonts - Denote
scene breaks with asterisks: *** - Double-space
with one-inch margins on all sides - Email as an
attached Word doc to: subs.deepintheheart@gmail.com - Subject
line: CRIDER CONTEST SUBMISSION - Contact
info (body of email only, not in Word doc): - Name:
Actual - Pen
Name: If applicable - Mailing
address - Phone
number - Email
address - Story
Name - Word
Count - No identifying
information anywhere in the story or document - Entrants retain
full copyright of her/his work with the stipulation it cannot be published
until Bouchercon Dallas ends on Nov 3, 2019. - No automatic
publication in either EQMM or AHMM is attached to winning or being a
finalist in this contest. All contestants (whether they make judges cuts
or not) are welcome to submit to either magazine—but not both at the same
time. - There is no
entry fee, nor will any monies be paid for stories other than the four
prizes stated.
Questions
- Direct all
questions to: subs.deepintheheart@gmail.com - Question subject
line: QUESTION on Crider Contest
Staff
- Bouchercon
Dallas LOC Chair: Carol Puckett - Contest
Coordinator: Paula Gail Benson - Submissions
Coordinator: James M. Jackson - Prize
Ceremony Host: Hank Phillippi Ryan
