2011 Dagger Awards & Poisen Pen Giveaway

The Crime Writer's Association has announced the winners of the Cartier Diamond Dagger Award earlier in the year.

According to the website:

The Diamond Dagger, awarded for sustained excellence in crime writing, was presented to bestselling historical author Lindsey Davis during a glittering champagne reception at the newly-reopened Savoy Hotel, London. Davis is the creator of the well-loved ancient Roman private eye Marcus Didius Falco, and widely recognized as the godmother of the historical crime genre.

At the same ceremony, Arnaud Bamberger of Cartier UK announced that this would be the final presentation of the award that Cartier would sponsor. The decision marks the conclusion of one of the most longstanding literary prize sponsorships.  This will make those that have been awarded even more precious.

More recently The longlist for the 2011 CWA Gold Dagger was announced. The eight authors in contention for this year’s coveted prize are, in alphabetical order:

Tom Franklin - Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter (Macmillan)

Lucretia Grindle - The Villa Triste (Mantle)

Steve Hamilton - The Lock Artist (Orion)

Mo Hayder - Hanging Hill (Bantam Press)

Michael Koryta - The Cypress House (Hodder & Stoughton)

M. J. McGrath - White Heat (Mantle)

A.D. Miller - Snowdrops(Atlantic Books)

Denise Mina - The End of the Wasp Season (Orion)

The longlist for the 2011 CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger was announced. The eight authors in contention for this year’s coveted prize are, in alphabetical order:

Charles Cumming - The Trinity Six (HarperCollins)

Frederick Forsyth - The Cobra (Bantam Press)

Michael Gruber - The Good Son (Atlantic Books)

Steve Hamilton - The Lock Artist (Orion)

Chris Morgan Jones - An Agent of Deceit (Mantle)

Craig Smith - Cold Rain (Myrmidon)

SJ Watson - Before I Go To Sleep (Doubleday)

Don Winslow - Savages (William Heinemann)

The longlist for the 2011 CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger was announce for previously unpublished authors.The eight authors in contention for this year’s coveted prize are, in alphabetical order:

Conor Fitzgerald - The Dogs of Rome (Bloomsbury)

Sam Hawken - The Dead Women of Juarez (Serpent’s Tail)

Elizabeth Haynes - Into the Darkest Corner (Myriad)

Erin Kelly - The Poison Tree (Hodder & Stoughton)

Rosamund Lupton - Sister (Piatkus)

Danny Miller - Kiss Me Quick (Robinson)

SJ Watson - Before I Go To Sleep (Doubleday)

Jason Webster Or the Bull Kills You (Chatto & Windus)

Michele Rowe wins the 2011 CWA Debut Dagger for the opening chapters of her first novel What Hidden Lies. The judges described Michele’s story as “Fluid and descriptive writing with an attractive setting.”

Rory Clements has won the Ellis Peters Historical Award 2010 with Revenger, published by John Murray.

I also wanted to share about something special that Poisoned Pen Press is doing to benefit libraries.  Libraries enrich communities in many ways yet they are facing some very tough financial times as well.  During the American Library Association's Annual Conference Poisoned Pen Press announced the four libraries that would get $500 in books from the publisher. 

Robert Rosenwald, Poisoned Pen Press Publisher and President, commented, "In this age of budget cuts and library staff reductions, Poisoned Pen Press felt compelled to offer a special promotion for libraries. It was an honor to give back to the library community, a community that has supported Poisoned Pen Press, its mission, and its catalogue of titles, for nearly 15 years. We extend our congratulations to each of these winners and our special thanks to the loyal and dedicated librarians for their service to readers and communities across the country."

Let us all keep in mind what our local libraries have done for our communities. 

I want to share this video featuring a cat, two apples and scary music!  Warning, you may cry from laughing.