by Paula Gail Benson
While I’ll remember the 2019 Dallas Bouchercon for many reasons (particularly for having the chance to see a number of my Writers Who Kill partners up close and in person!), I’ll be especially grateful to Kendel Lynn and Carol Puckett, two of the local organizers for asking me to serve as the contest coordinator for the Bill Crider Prize for Short Fiction. I’ve learned so much from the experience and had such a great opportunity to work with and meet some wonderful short mystery fiction authors.
While I’ll remember the 2019 Dallas Bouchercon for many reasons (particularly for having the chance to see a number of my Writers Who Kill partners up close and in person!), I’ll be especially grateful to Kendel Lynn and Carol Puckett, two of the local organizers for asking me to serve as the contest coordinator for the Bill Crider Prize for Short Fiction. I’ve learned so much from the experience and had such a great opportunity to work with and meet some wonderful short mystery fiction authors.
In
the beginning, no one knew what to expect. The contest honored the memory of
revered Texas writer and reviewer Bill Crider. Open to any writer in
the world, stories had to be between 3,500 and 5,000 words and deal with the theme “Deep in the
Heart.”
Jim
Jackson, who was experienced working on anthologies, agreed to be the submissions coordinator, without knowing what that
task might entail. Sixty-three stories were blindly submitted. Thirty-seven advanced
to the second round and eleven were selected as finalists for the following
prizes:
·
First
Place: $1000
·
Second
Place: $750
·
Third
Place: $500
·
Bill
Crider Memorial Scholarship: Registration
to Bouchercon 2020
We
were so fortunate to have excellent short story writers and editors to agree to
judge the preliminary rounds. They were: Carla Coupe, Kaye George, Barb
Goffman, Debra H. Goldstein, Tara Laskowski, Robert Mangeot, Karen McCullough, Warren
Moore, Terrie Moran, and Beth Terrell. I cannot thank these folks enough for
taking on the difficult task of determining which stories would go forward.
Janet
Hutchings, editor of Ellery Queen Mystery
Magazine, and Linda Landrigan, editor of Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, graciously agreed to serve as
judges for the final round.
The
eleven finalists were:
“Long Overdue” by Jaap Boekestein
“Trust Me” by Douglas Dorow
“Mi Corazón, Sin Cartero, Sin Timbre de las Puerta (My
Heart, Sans Postman, Sans Doorbell)” by Dixon Hill
“Resuscitation” by Ann Kellett
“Cahoots” by C.C. Guthrie
“The Texas Justice Project” by James L’Etoile
“Lambs and Wolves” by Robert Lopresti
“Death and Texas” by Lissa Marie Redmond
“Dead Armadillos Don’t Dance” by Kari Wainwright
“The Last Man in Lafarge” by Joseph S. Walker
“Armadillo by Morning” by Stacy Woodson
And,
the top four prizes were awarded to:
·
First
Place: Joseph S. Walker
·
Second
Place: Jaap Boekestein
·
Third
Place: Douglas Dorow
·
Bill
Crider Memorial Scholarship: Dixon Hill
 |
| Crider Judges, Winners, and Entrants with Hank Phillippi Ryan |
Although
publication was not part of the prize for this contest, I firmly believe you’ll
be seeing these stories and their authors’ names in print. So, be watching for
them.
Following
Bouchercon, Joseph S. Walker attended New England Crime Bake, where he was
honored with the Al Blanchard award. Way to go, Joe!
Many
thanks to all who participated as entrants, judges, and planners of this
contest. I hope it might be a tradition that continues to other Bouchercons.
 |
| Another group from the Crider Presentation: Kaye George, C.C. Guthrie, Alan Orloff (Derringer Award Winner), Warren Moore, and Amy Denton |
