 Sisters in Crime
2011 Scarlet Stiletto Awards
Article by: Amanda Wrangles
Friday November 25th was a big one. It was Stiletto time again.
Stiletto time, I hear you ask? Well, yes. Each year, Sisters in Crime Australia hold their short crime story competition. Those of us who enter year after year send off our criminal imaginings months prior to the event, and then try to forget about it while the judging process takes place. Usually by the end of October, those who’ve made the shortlist are notified – generally this is around 15 to 18 stories out of about 130 or so (of course it varies each year…) And then, on the last Friday in November, the big award night takes place. It’s a nail-biting evening full of good food, drinks and the most interesting company. I mean, where else would it be perfectly acceptable to talk murder and mayhem all night with a bunch of like-minded women?
Most years, during dinner and before the actual awards, the audience gets to hear from a special guest – say, an actress from a televised crime show. This year, however, four previous shoe winners were grilled on the art of writing short crime stories by long-time Sisters in Crime National co-convenor, Lindy Cameron. The line-up included Liz Filleul (2004 winner), Evelyn Tsitis (2008), Amanda Wrangles (um, yeah, that would be me for 2009) and Eleanor Marney (2010). Hopefully we kept the crowd entertained with tales of scribbling out words in between wrangling children.
Then it was on to the actual awards, presented by crime novelist PD (Phillipa) Martin. Special Commendations went to: Suzanne Gaskell, Amanda Carmen-Cromer, Robin Story, Marian Cox, Kerry James and Amanda Wrangles.
The Allen & Unwin Young Writers Award: co-winners were Mary Evans and Sarah Robinson-Hatch.
Judges Award (donated by Christine Leppert): Kim Westwood.
Scriptworks Great Film Idea Award: Fiona Drury.
Pulp Fiction Award for Funniest Crime Story: Sarah Evans.
Cate Kennedy Award for Best New Talent: Marguerite Johnson.
Olvar Wood Late Starters Award & also Benn’s Books Best Investigative Award: Anne Cost.
Kerry Greenwood Malice Domestic Award: Vicky Daddo.
Third Prize: Carmela Salomon.
Clandestine Press Award for Cross Genre and Second Prize: Liz Filleul.
and finally, First Prize – Scarlet Stiletto trophy went to the fabulous Angela Savage for her story, ‘The Teardrop Tattoos’.
This was the first time in the award’s 18 year history that it was won by a crime writer with one or more crime novels already to her credit. Angela’s novels include ‘Behind the Night Bazaar’ and ‘The Half Child’, both of which feature PI Jayne Keeney, who made her first appearance in Angela’s 1998 3rd prize winning Scarlet Stiletto story. Angela is a wonderful supporter of SinC, so we were all thrilled to see her take home the shoe. Over the years, a number of winners and category winners have gone on to publish novels. These include: Cate Kennedy, Angela Savage, Josephine Pennicott, Sara Evans, Inga Simpson, Alex Palmer, Liz Filleul, Margaret Bevege, Patricia Bernard, Bronwen Blake, Jo McGahey,Cheryl Jorgensen, Kylie Fox, Amanda Wrangles and Tara Moss. 2011 was also the first year the Judges Award was presented, and was taken home by Kim Westwood, author of novels ‘The Daughters of Moab’ and recently, ‘The Courier’s New Bicycle’ (you can read my review here).
As always, the 18th Scarlet Stiletto Awards was a brilliant night. It was great to see lots of new faces among the ‘usual suspects’ – those whose names turn up year after year in the awards. I’m looking forward to next year’s competition where, as a new National Co-convenor and judge, I get to be on the other side of the judging process and READ all those criminally great stories!
PS – There are two ‘best of’ collections available from the eighteen years of Stiletto stories: ‘The First Cut’ and (surprisingly…) ‘The Second Cut’. Both are available through Clan Destine Press.
*Many thanks to Grant Filleul and Carmel Shute for allowing us to use their pictures.
 Diary date – 8pm Friday November 25 – Scarlet Stiletto Awards, Rising Sun Hotel, corner Raglan Street & Eastern Road, South Melbourne. Presenter: TV crime actor (TBC)
Don’t forget to have a look at the Sisters in Crime website which is updated regularly and has tons of reviews, news, information and opportunities: www.sistersincrime.org.au
And HUGE congrats to Mandy Wrangles who is the new Sisters in Crime Convenor for the Victorian Chapter. Well done, Mandy!
The SheKilda crime convention now has an active website. Have a look at all the wonderful guests coming. It will be a feast of criminality! Kylie, Mandy, Janette and myself will all be there – so the Sharp Girls will be out in force!
 NEWS FROM SISTERS IN CRIME, AUSTRALIA
Crime lovers, particularly those of us in Melbourne, have some dates to mark on their calendars. Sisters in Crime apologise that there are fewer events throughout the year – but it’s with good reason. SheKilda 2 is coming!!! Featuring the best crime fiction talent from around the country (including, of course, our very own Marianne Delacourt), this is the convention that all lovers of crime MUST attend. October 7 – 9, 2011.
SheKilda Again, marks the 20th Anniversary of Sisters in Crime Australia and will include panels and workshops with all of your favourite Aussie crime authors. And, some very special international guests too: Margie Orford – South Africa, Vanda Symon – New Zealand and, Shamini Flint from Singapore.
The new website for the event which will include all the exciting news of the event will be launched on Friday May 20 at SinC event, Courting Justice (see below).
8pm FRIDAY MAY 20, 2011: COURTING JUSTICE
Three of Victoria’s top female legal eagles bring experience, verve and humour (and many tales) to a debate about where you go for justice when faced with a legal issue, whether it’s a neighbourhood dispute, settling a will or a (nasty or very nasty) accusation? Who does what and what can (and does) happen?
Interrogating the judges is true crime author and novelist, Robin Bowles.
Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth has served on the Supreme Court of Victoria since 2004 and is a former Rhodes Scholar and Senior Counsel. She has sat in a broad range of civil and criminal trials and appeals including the recent trial of serial killer, Peter Dupas, for the murder of Mersina Halvagis.
Judge Liz Gaynor was a defence barrister before becoming a judge in the County Court in 2002. In last year’s ‘Punji hunting’ case, she declared that some boys ”ought to be “put in a dark cupboard at 16 and brought out again at age 25”. She is a different sort of judge (and frequent debater) in the annual Ned Kelly Crime Writing Awards.
Jelena Popovic, Deputy Chief Magistrate, was appointed to Magistrates’ Court of Victoria in 1989 after ten years in practice as a solicitor. She is passionate about the significant role of the Magistrates’ Court in our community, particularly its role in problem-solving and reducing crime. An advocate of “therapeutic jurisprudence”, she’s interested in how factors like disability, drugs, mental health, homelessness and Aboriginality impact on defendants in the criminal justice system. She is the Co-ordinating Magistrate of the Koori Court and has court portfolio responsibility for the Criminal Justice Diversion Program.
NOTE: New venue: The Rising Sun Hotel, corner Raglan Street & Eastern Road, South Melbourne (cnr Coventry). Mel 57, H2.Try 112, 55 or St Kilda Road trams. Free on-street parking after 6pm.
Entry is $5 for SinC members, $10 for non-members. Dinner can be purchased from the venue before the event.
 Tuesday May 24, 2011: Where (and How and Why) Crime Fiction
Gets It Wrong
(Part of the 2011 Bayside Literary Festival)
True crime author & Brighton resident Vikki Petraitis has rounded up some of the usual (often unusual) suspects to spill the beans. She interrogates a judge, a true crime writer and a novelist on where (and how and why) crime on the page and screen contrasts so wildly with what really happens in real life:
Judge Liz Gaynor was a defence barrister before becoming a judge in the County Court in 2002. She is a different sort of judge in the annual Ned Kelly Crime Writing Awards. She’s outspoken, funny, fair and very, very smart.
Liz Porter, a Brighton resident journalist Liz Porter is the author of Written On The Skin: An Australian Forensic Casebook (Pan Macmillan), a joint winner of the 2007 Ned Kelly Award for best true crime book. Her latest work, Cold Case Files: Past crimes solved by new forensic science, published by Pan Macmillan in May, features cases from Australia, the UK and the US. Murder and DNA are recurring themes, but the book also covers mysteries involving art fraud, the mysterious death of an Egyptian mummy and the authorship of Bach’s cello suites. Info: http://www.panmacmillan.com.au/display_title.asp?ISBN=9781742610092&Author=Porter,%20Liz
P D (Phillipa Deanne) Martin has written five novels featuring ex-pat FBI criminal profiler Sophie Anderson, all of which have received glowing reviews in Australia and overseas. To date, the series has been published in thirteen countries. She’s also written an ebook. To date, the series has been published in thirteen countries. She’s contributed to a true crime anthology titled Meaner than Fiction. Info: www.pdmartin.com.au
7.30-9pm, Tuesday May 24 — Brighton Savoy Hotel, 150 The Esplanade, Brighton Cost: $15.Bookings (from early May): www.bayside.vic.gov.au/literaryfestival
PHRYNE FISHER TV SERIES – seeking extras
http://www.everycloudproductions.com.au/news/p/16
Every Cloud Productions:We are excited to announce an opportunity for Phryne fans to get involved in the production.
We are looking for people interested in working as extras on the series, which is set in 1920s Melbourne.
Our casting department is looking for men and women over the age of 18. Of course, the ‘look’ of the 1920s is a world away from 2011, so we would not be able to cast anyone with gel nails, any obvious hair colouring or hair extensions, any visible tattoos or piercings or fake tans. Men would have to be prepared to have their hair cut in the period style.
 If you are interested in working as an extra please email gow.martine@abc.net.auwith your full name, age, contact details, measurements (chest, waist, hips, shoe) and two photos of yourself (a head shot and a full body shot).
Become a Facebook friend of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries or see here for any updates and upcoming Phryne news!
CARMEL BIRD SHORT FICTION COMPETITION
http://shortaustralianstories.com.au/submissions/
Spineless Wonders are calling for short fiction submissions, to 3,000 words, open theme. Closing date is 31 July, 2011.
First Prize – $500
Two runners up – $100 each
 Scarlet Stiletto
Sisters in Crime Short Story Competition
Article by: Mandy Wrangles
< < < Hey, wouldn’t you love one of these?
Oh, no – it’s not just an ordinary, yet fabulous red shoe. It’s a Scarlet Stiletto trophy, one of only seventeen in existence, and it’s mine, all mine <cue evil, possessive laughter>.
Each year, Sisters in Crime Australia runs a short story competition for female crime writers, with the coveted shoe being the first prize, along with nice big cheque. The competition is open to everyone (as long as you’re a woman, of course) and is a fantastic springboard to fame and fortune in the crime-writing world. Ok, maybe just fame, or at least a little cred.
Past winners and category winners who’ve gone on to publication include Cate Kennedy (1st place twice!), Josephine Pennicot, Angela Savage, Alex Palmer and Liz Filluel. Even Tara Moss, Australia’s most popular crime writer, won the Young Writer’s Award in 1998. Our own Kylie Fox, the Tara Sharp Site Manager, won the Dorothy Porter Prize for Innovation last year, with her brilliant story ‘Poppies’ – a crime told in verse.
And yeah, I was lucky enough to win first place back in 2009 for my story ‘Persia Bloom’; and a Special Commendation last year for ‘Annie at the Beach’. Personally, I have to say winning the award changed my life in a huge way. So many doors in the publishing world were suddenly opened, as well as other opportunities like speaking engagements, radio and writing blogs and reviews for particular websites J
This year, submissions for entries are closing a month earlier than usual due to Sisters in Crime’s 20th Anniversary Convention – SheKilda Melbourne 2011. So here’s your warning girls… get writing NOW. Your story needs to be in by July 30th 2011.
So, how does it all work? Well, first and foremost, you need to come up with a crime story that’s 5000 words or less. It has to have a female protagonist (main character). And… that’s about it.
Apart from the HarperCollins Publishers 1st Prize, the Kill City 2nd Prize and the Readings 3rd Prize, (valid for all entries), there are a number of categories you can write for, such as:
- The Allen & Unwin Young Writer’s Award, for writers 18 and under (proof of age is required with entry).
- The Kerry Greenwood Malice Domestic Award.
- The Cate Kennedy Award or for Best New Talent (for writers who are unpublished, or have not won a category prize in the past).
- The Dorothy Porter Award for Innovation.
- Benn’s Books Best Investigative Award.
- Pulp Fiction Funniest Crime Award.
- Scriptworks Great Film Idea Award.
- The Olvar Wood Late Starter’s Award, for writers 50+ (proof of age is required with entry).
… and announcing a brand new one for this year…
- The Clan Destine Press Award for Cross-Genre.
You can download the entry form and terms and conditions here – www.sistersincrime.org.au
My advice?
- Get started now. A good story isn’t generally born overnight or in one or two drafts.
- Always, always get someone else to read your work. No, not your mum. Someone who isn’t scared to point out flaws in the plot, or typos. Read your story aloud – it’s easier to find mistakes that way.
- Never written crime before? Not to worry, neither had I before ‘Persia Bloom’.
 Write what you do know, and weave a crime into it.
- Protagonist does not mean victim – as in a woman is murdered and a male cop solves the crime. Protagonist means main character / hero(ine) / anti-hero of the story. So yes, you can have a female victim – but the cop/whoever who solves the crime should be a woman or women; and of course you can have a female criminal – if she’s the main character.
- Be original. The judging panel are intelligent and are very widely read in the area of crime fiction. They don’t take lightly to plagiarism, even if it’s an episode of CSI.
- Always remember, it’s easier to divorce him than stab him with kitchen scissors. Make your story believable. That being said, Clan Destine Press have their new Cross-Genre Award this year. Think vampires and zombies and time travel with a twist.
- You can enter two stories per year and those stories can be ‘entered’ in as many categories as you think your story is eligible for. The chance of winning one of them gets better!
The award night itself is a blast, and each year SinC-Oz have a special guest presenter, last year it was Nadine Garner from City Homicide, and the year before it was Catherine McClements from Rush.
Finally, what are you waiting for? Get writing and good luck! (but not too much good luck, because, you know – I’d like to win a second shoe!)
 Hands-on inspiration for crime writers
On 26 February, Queensland Writers Centre’s brand new workshop, Research for Crime Fiction with Meg Vann, will give participants unprecedented access to the State Library of Queensland’s hidden holdings.
In Australia, crime fiction is more popular than any other genre. The latest Nielsen Book Scan data shows that of the top 10 fiction book sales this week, eight were crime fiction or thrillers.
And Queensland is a state of crime writing, with Katherine Howell, J.J. Cooper, Marianne Delacourt, and Hélène Young all well-established on the Australian crime fiction scene. A new wave of crime writing from or about Queensland is gathering momentum, and this workshop is all about getting this new generation of writers mobilised and inspired to write!
Guided by experienced teacher, crime writer and researcher Meg Vann, participants will do their own real-life sleuthing in the Fox Family White Gloves Room, and get intimate with documents from real crimes in Queensland’s history, finding new stories and handling real pieces of history.
“This is an opportunity for participants to explore actual evidence used in real crimes in Queensland, and bring that realism to their work, says Meg Vann.
“These pieces are not in collections that are open to the public, so this is a one-off opportunity to touch these documents and discover their ties to real people. It’s a truly transporting experience, students will really get inside the minds of victims and perpetrators of crime.”
Great ideas are one thing, pulling them together into a great story is another. The workshop also focuses on creative writing and research techniques, and participants will develop their own research action plan to take away with them.
Don’t miss out on this one-off opportunity to develop and enhance your crime writing.
10:30am-4:30pm, Saturday 26 February
QWC, Level 2, State library of Queensland
Members $110, Concession $100, Non-members $160
Bookings online at www.qwc.asn.au or call (07) 3842 9922
 Meg Vann is manager of The Australian Writer’s Marketplace and her first novel is
under consideration with an Australian Publisher.
Queensland Writers Centre is the premier literature organisation in Queensland, supporting the development of Australian authors and promoting books, reading and literature. We are a non-profit association with more than 2,400 members across the state. Queensland Writers Centre (QWC) supports the development and opportunities of writers and celebrates Queensland’s vibrant literary culture. QWC is located at new, custom built premises on Level 2 of the State Library of Queensland (SLQ), as a strategic partner of SLQ and allied writing organisations: Queensland Poetry Festival, Book Links, the Children’s Book Council of Australia (Qld Branch) and if:book Australia.
www.qwc.asn.au.
Enquiries
Imogen Smith
Marketing and Communications Manager
e. ismith@qwc.asn.au
p. 07 3842 9956 | f. 07 3842 9920 | m. 0430 744 129
Imogen Smith
Marketing and Communications Manager
Queensland Writers Centre
e. ismith@qwc.asn.au
w. www.qwc.asn.au
p. 07 3842 9956 | f. 07 3842 9920 | m. 0430 744 129
Level 2, State Library of Queensland, Cultural Centre, Stanley Place, South Brisbane
PO Box 3488 South Brisbane QLD 4101
QWC: media | programs & projects | shop | blog | twitter | facebook |
Publishers of The Australian Writer’s Marketplace:AWMOnline | blog |
Friday 11th February
Article by: Mandy Wrangles
Sisters in Crime Australia kicked off the year with a bang on Friday night. As usual, Kylie and I attended the event along with a packed room of keen crime readers and writers at Bell’s Hotel in South Melbourne.
After a scrummy dinner and catch up with crime-loving friends, it was down to the important stuff; Ann Byrne, national co-convenor of SinC interviewing two of Australia’s top female crime authors – Kathryn Fox and Katherine Howell.
These authors have a lot of similarities: both have been involved in the medical field in their ‘past lives’ – Kathryn Fox as a doctor, and Katherine Howell as a paramedic, their fictional characters reflecting their time spent and knowledge in these fields. Both have on-going series, with Kathryn Fox recently releasing ‘Death Mask’ and Katherine Howell ‘Violent Exposure’ and both are widely published internationally.
It’s always fascinating to hear authors speak about the process they go through to write a novel, and Friday night was no exception (hooray for the whiteboard!). Although the subject matters Kathryn and Katherine write about are serious and often violent, they were both very entertaining and funny when it came to describing how they go about their craft. It seems the frantic meeting of deadlines, editing the edits on time, translations from Australian English to US English (think footpath to pavement, thongs to flip-flops), lack of sleep, sleep swearing(!!) and balancing ‘real’ life with a fictional one (thank goodness for calm, patient partners and families) is a universal link for writers. Kathryn Fox had some sage advice for all of us… never underestimate ‘thinking’ time – it’s not *really* procrastination – even if that thinking does go on for months and months before the words start to flow!
 After Ann finished up grilling our guests, it was time for the traditional raffle of stacks of crime novels (dammit, missed out again), questions from the audience and book signing time. Everyone gets a chance to speak to the authors at this time and Katherine
and Kathryn were extremely gracious with photo ops!
Thanks to Sisters in Crime for what is always a great evening, and to Katherine and Kathryn for travelling cross-country to join us. We can’t wait to catch up with them again in October for SinC’s 20th anniversary convention – SheKilda – where they will be joined by an incredible list of female crime writers from around the world, including of course, our very own Marianne Delacourt. In the meantime, watch this space for Kylie’s interviews with Katherine and Kathryn and more reviews of their books.
 Just heard about this really awesome sounding writer’s course that’s coming to Australia and am helping Allen and Unwin get word out about it. I’ve had a look through the course program and it seems very comprehensive and in depth. There will be guest spots from David Malouf, Kate Grenville, Bernard Cohen and Charlotte Wood and individual consultations as well.
After great success in London, Paris, Dublin and Toronto, Faber has partnered with Allen & Unwin in Australia to offer courses in creative writing. The first is ‘Writing a Novel’ which will be taught by Kathryn Heyman and James Bradley and will run from March to August 2011 at Allen & Unwin’s Crows Nest offices. What’s exciting about it is the hands-on nature of the classes, the publishers and agents reading night and the expectation that participants will finish the course with a complete first draft of their novel. There’s more information about the course outline on our website: www.allenandunwin.com/faberacademy
And to celebrate the Academy coming to our fair shores, I have one copy of The Reversal by Michael Connelly to giveaway. All you have to do is email me through this website with the name of the course, using either the contact form or the comments section to reply. Easy Peasy!
 8pm Friday November 26, 2010: Sisters in Crime
Nadine Garner presents the 17th Scarlet Stiletto Awards
& talks to Sue Turnbull about her life in crime
Nadine Garner stars as Detective Senior Constable Jennifer Mapplethorpe in Seven’s drama City Homicide (2007-). Her other crime credits include The Bill, Stingers, Water Rats, Good Guys Bad Guys, Prisoner, and the telemovies, Heroes’ Mountain and The Feds: Deception. Garner first came to public attention in 1985, as Tamara Henderson in the Australian TV series, The Henderson Kids and then in her debut film, The Still Point. She has worked extensively in film, theatre and TV (both in Australia and the UK) and received awards and nominations for performances in each field.
Also interested in writing, Garner wrote and performed in the stage work Birds Eye View in Sydney, 2002. In 2002-3 she played in a national tour of the musical Cabaret and received enthusiastic reviews— as well as two theatre awards— for her performance as Fraulein Kost/Fritzi. She was won the AFI Best Actress award in 1988 for her role in Mull.
This year, 145 short stories compete for the coveted Scarlet Stiletto trophy and $4750 in prize money. Prizes kindly donated by HarperCollins, Kill City, Readings Books & Music, Allen & Unwin, Olvar Wood Writers Retreat, Scriptworks, Benn’s Book Shop, Pulp Fiction Book Shop, Kerry Greenwood, Cate Kennedy, and Andrea Goldsmith. The awards are also supported by Spinifex Press.
Fashionista Sally Brown is the Scarlet Stilettos’ patron, offering an on-going supply of scarlet stilettos in which she’s been photographed in all over the world, including the peak of Mt Kilimanjaro. She will briefly introduce the awards with a story of one of the photos.
Bell’s Hotel, 157 Moray St., South Melbourne (cnr Coventry). Mel 57, G1.
Try 112, 55 or St Kilda Road trams. Free on-street parking after 6pm.
$5/$10 (non-members) 10% discount from BennsBooks stall. ‘Brothers-in-Law’ welcome.
Please book for both dinner (from 6.30pm) and event (8pm) as each table is being decorated by a flower-filled Scarlet Stiletto loaned by Sally Browne.
Bookings: Rose Mercer on 03 8060 2737 or rose@grahammercer.com.au
Info: Carmel Shute on 0412 569 356 or go to http://www.sistersincrime.org.au/
 You can catch me on these dates and times. All these signings are at Angus and Robertson. Many thanks to the store managers for supporting an Australian author.
30/10/10 Brookside 10am -11.30
13/11/10 Victoria Point 11am – 1pm
20/11/10 Redbank Plaza 11.30am – 1pm
25/11/10 Post Office Square 12.00am -2pm
27/11/10 Chermside 10.30am – 12, Stafford 12.30 – 2pm
4/12/10 Carindale 12 – 2pm
11/12/10 Burleigh Heads 11am – 1pm
18/12/10 North Lakes 10 am – 12 pm, Kippa Ring 12.30 – 2pm
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