Carmel Shute
An astonishing 169books are competing in Sisters in Crime’s 22nd Davitt Awards for the best crime and mystery books. Voting for the Readers’ Award Choice opens on Friday 10 June, closing Friday 24 July. Only financial members of Sisters in Crime are eligible to vote.
I’ve learned to keep going and get the words down, even when I feel under the pump, knowing I can always come back and edit later. And I’ve learned that research can be a rabbit hole! I spent days reading about witness protection in the UK, first-hand accounts of it, legislation, and how it works. It was fascinating though.
One of the silver linings of two terrible years of lockdowns has been Zoom which has allowed Sisters in Crime to feature authors from all over Australia and parts beyond. It has enabled us to reach a national and indeed global audience, and to hold AGMs such as this where all members can participate, irrespective of geographical location. Temporarily, at least, we have overcome the tyranny of distance.
We are taught to fear the monster out there. What I find compelling and possibly more chilling is the monster hiding in plain sight in our homes, in our trusted institutions, and in our social circles. He/ They seemed like such a nice/ quiet man/ family.
Brisbane author, Kylie Kaden, started off writing romantic suspense but has increasingly turned to the dark side with two domestic noir thrillers, The Day the Lies Began, which came out in August 2019, and now One of Us, out with Pantera Press this month. She talked about the transition with author Karina Kilmore for Sisters in Crime’s May Murder Monday.
I’ve researched just about every plausible way to murder someone– and how to get away with it. At least, that’s what I tell my husband from time to time. Generally, when he’s annoying me.
Sisters in Crime celebrated its 30th birthday at the magnificent new Victorian Pride Centre in Fitzroy Street, St Kilda on Saturday (23 April). The building resounded with the voices of nearly a hundred Sisters in Crime and Brothers-in-Law belting out the chorus of “Sisters are writin’ it for themselves”.
Being back on Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, for Sisters in Crime’s 30th birthday party on 23 April, was a step back in time for the host, Sue Turnbull, Sisters in Crime’s Ambassador-at-Large. The story of her first event at Leo’s Spaghetti Bar induced much laughter.
Lynda La Plante made television history in 1991 when she created Prime Suspect, starring Helen Mirren as DCI Jane Tennison. She is now the author of over forty novels, all of which have been bestsellers. Lynda will be talking about her stellar career and her latest book, Vanished, with Sisters in Crime’s Jacqui Horwood. The …
The latest Murder Monday features Aoife Clifford who now has three crime novels under her belt but cut her teeth on short stories. Aoife’s very first crime short story won Sisters in Crime’s Scarlet Stiletto Award in 2007. She then became a serial offender, taking out another six category awards in the next six years.