Phyllis Smallman - Marguerita Nights

rain, wind, cool, temps 8

We need the rain here, so this is great. Canadiens lost last night - so they're out of the play-offs. The great thing about sports is that there's always next year.

Will write this morning then head, about noon, down to Colchester, Vermont, for my 2pm event at the Burnham library. Thanks so much to Phil for pointing out that my original plan, of going to Burnham, Vermont, was flawed.

We now have 2 ducks in the pond! have named them Rosa and Flora, of course - though we suspect that is also flawed. More like Rosa and Phil probably. We'll see.

As I mentioned in last night's post, I have the very great pleasure of being a friend of Phyllis Smallman - friend and fan (though we've never met, I've read her book). She won the inaugural ARTHUR ELLIS AWARD FOR BEST UNPUBLISHED NOVEL (aka The Unhanged Arthur) last year for her terrific book MARGUERITA NIGHTS.

Since the new Authur Ellis nominations were just announced I asked Phyllis to blog today, and tell us what winning last year has meant to her. Here she is:

Hello Louise,

You were asking what it meant to me to win the Unhanged Arthur from the Crime Writers of Canada. Well, it's the difference between nothing and everything - the difference from having a mystery on my computer and a published book in my hand. A year ago being published was still a dream and yesterday I went into a bookstore on Salt Spring Island and saw my books on display on the table closest to the door. Can you imagine my excitement?

Last April I went to a Mystery Writer's of America conference and listened to a panel of editors and agents. After talking about the difficulty of dealing with all the query letters and manuscripts they receive, one of the editors said, "The problem is there are just too many people writing books." Not what I wanted to hear. No editor will look at an unagented manuscript so the slush pile has moved from the publisher's office to the agent's office and now the average agent gets 75 to 100 query letters a week. That's just a letter to say, "May I please send you my manuscript?" How many of those letters do you think actually get read? The Arthur Ellis contest for unpublished manuscripts is a real chance to be seen and maybe published.

I'm very grateful to you, not only for getting the idea, but for carrying through with your vision. Most of us don't follow through with our good ideas. Without you there wouldn't be an Unhanged Arthur award and I'd still be sending out query letters to add to the slush pile.

Last Wednesday I was on a panel at the Vancouver library. We were there for the announcement of this year's Arthur Ellis finalists. Every person on the panel opened an envelope to read out the short list for each category. When William Deverell read out your name I nearly stood up and cheered. My emotions were a strange mix of pride, delight and completion, although why I should feel pride in an accomplishment that is yours alone I'm not sure. So what does it all mean to me? The earth and the moon and the stars and a dream come true. Not much.

Phyllis

Oh, Phyllis - thank you. You talked about 'completion'. I know that feeling. it's how I felt when you not only won, but were picked up to be published my McArthur. I felt my obligation to the Gods of Mercy was done. I'm so happy for you, and I'm happy for me. And for Michael, who is the co-founder of this award, lovely man - and the CWC - GREAT organization!

I almost took the paragraphs out where Phyllis thanks me. I didn't want any of you thinking that was the purpose. I really debated, and had my fingers on the delete buttons...but then I realized this was Phyllis's voice, and not mine. It wouldn't be appropriate to decide for her.

So, thank you Phyllis - and congratulations once again to this year's nominated books in the Best Unpublished Catagory....

Best Unpublished First Crime Novel: the Unhanged Arthur (cash award from McArthur & Company)

Patricia Flewwelling, Mummer’s the Word
D.J. McIntosh, The Witch of Babylon
Amy Tector, The Paris Letters
Kevin Thornton, Condemned

Good luck to all!!!

Phyllis Smallman - remember that name!

Brilliant sun, high 6 celcius

Amazing day. Light crust on the pond, as though spiders spun ice. It's breathtaking.

I have wonderful news. Phyllis Smallman, who won last year's Arthur Ellis award for Best Unpublished Mystery - given out by the Crime Writers of Canada - is going to be published! As a direct result of winning this award. It's stunning news and I couldn't be happier for Phyllis. I was one of the judges for the award, along with Marian Misters, who runs Sleuth of Baker Street books in Toronto and the remarkable Maureen Jennings - perhaps the foremost mystery writer in the country.

We had 96 entries and really struggled over the shortlist. So we came up with both a shortlist and a list of 'Honourable Mentions'. It was agonizing. Especially since we knew how important it was for all the writers. How many hopes were riding on this contest.

Our shortlist then went to another set of judges - all professional editors - and they chose Phyllis. The award was 250 dollars. But the biggest award was that McArthur and Company - my publishers in Canada - would read the winning manuscript and have the right of first refusal.

No guarantees.

Well, Phyllis blew them all away!

I happen to know that - like me - Phyllis had sent this fantastic manuscript to editors and agents for years, without success. No reflection on them - they're busy and stressed - and certainly no reflection on her fantastic book. It's just another example of how frustrating (!!!!) it is and how heartbreaking it is, to be a writer these days trying to break in.

Phyllis needed what I needed - to win a contest. And she did.

Michael and I are beyond thrilled for her. For Kim McArthur and the others at McArthur and Company - a fantastic Canadian publisher - and certainly for the Crime Writers of Canada.

Now there's a great group of people. Amazing, creative writers, who also reach out and help other writers. Like me. Like Phyllis.

The information and guidelines on the 2008 Arthur Ellis Awards, including Best Unpublished - have just gone up on the CWC website.

If you're an unpublished crime writer with a finished manuscript, I beg you, go to their site.

Also check out Crime Writers Association in Britain and their Debut Dagger (the one that launched my career) - as well as Malice Domestic in the US. St Martin's Minotaur (my US publisher) has a Best Unpublished Award there - as well as the Mystery Writers of America.

I count my blessings everyday - and it takes a while. But one thing I'm always grateful for is to be a mystery writer, and to find myself in such an inclusive, supportive, enthusiastic community. Lucky us.

And congratulations Phyllis Smallman!!!! Her book is called Marguerita Nights and I'll tell you more as the date gets closer. Might even ask Phyllis to say something on this blog.

Well, I've gone on and on. By the way - I had a wonderful time on the live on-line chat yesterday. What a tool (the internet - not me - though...)

Speak tomorrow.