Writing a first crime novel at 75 – Judith Lees

“So why do you think that you can write a novel at your age?” my friends asked me. The simple answer is, I didn’t. I would like to say that I’ve been passionately writing since I could hold a pen but that simply is not true. Admittedly I’ve scribbled way through life with poems for …

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Mirandi Riwoe wins the ARA Historical Novel prize of $50,000

Congratulations to Queensland Sisters in Crime member, Mirandi Riwoe, for winning the ARA Historical Novel prize of $50,000 for her novel, Stone Sky Gold Mountain (UQP). The  award ceremony on 10 November, was hosted by Brooke Boney, and held by both video broadcast and live stream video. It included illustrated readings by Mirandi (pictured here …

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Astrid Scholte: crime writer and artist

This week’s Murder Mondays interview by Sisters in Crime’s national co-convenor, Karina Kilmore is with Astrid Scholte, the winner of the 2020 Davitt (Best Young Adult Crime Novel) for her debut novel, Four Dead Queens, (Allen & Unwin). (Click on the image below to go to the YouTube recording.)             …

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2020 Danger Prize goes to Tanya Bretherton

Congratulations to Sydney Sisters in Crime member, Tanya Bretherton, for winning the BAD Sydney Crime Writers’ Festival’s 2020 Danger Prize for The Killing Streets (Hachette). Walkley Award–winning investigative journalist Kate McClymont is the winner of the 2020 Danger Lifetime Achievement Award. Tanya was interviewed by Stephen Romei, the literary editor for The Australian. Click HERE …

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Nadine Garner to present the 27th Scarlet Stiletto Awards

Nadine Garner, star of City Homicide, The Doctor Blake Mysteries, and, most recently, The Forgotten Mysteries podcasts, will present Sisters in Crime’s 27th Scarlet Stiletto Awards in collaboration with crime author and performer, Jane Clifton. This year, a record 241 short stories written by Australian women compete for a record $10,460 in prize money in …

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What I like about Why Women Kill: Natalie Conyer

Why Women Kill (SBS On Demand) has had some damning reviews. For example: “can’t settle on a tone” (Roger Ebert); “clichéd characterisations” (Hollywood Reporter), and “lack of a solid voice” (vulture.com). I enjoyed Why Women Kill (WWK) very much, and wondered why my experience differed so much from the critics. I’ve come to think they …

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Rose Carlyle headshot

Never too late: Rose Carlyle

A few years ago I met Chris Cleave at a writers’ forum in Auckland. He had just published Everyone Brave is Forgiven and had opened the forum with a beautiful speech about the power of fiction in the age of hate. Sitting in the auditorium beside novelists Catherine Robertson and Vanda Symon, I felt like …

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