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 the Scarlet Stiletto Awards short story competition. Twenty-seven stories by 25 authors are shortlisted. Every shortlisted author receives a framed certificate. The first-prize winner will also be awarded a spectacular scarlet stiletto trophy.
In a special online ceremony, Nadine will announce the winners of these prestigious awards after talking to Jane Clifton about her life in crime. On screen, at different stages, will be all the available shortlisted authors, Professor Christina Lee who will present the judges’ report and Dr Carolyn Beasley from Swinburne University, the first prize sponsor.
Nadine Garner has been one of Australia’s most respected actors since she starred as a teenager in The Henderson Kids in 1985. Her crime credits include minor and guest roles in Prisoner, Good Guys, Bad Guys, Water Rats, Stringers and My Life is Murder and leading roles in City Homicide, The Doctor Blake Mysteries and The Blake Mysteries: Ghost Stories. She has won a number of awards and written and directed screenplays.
Since the pandemic, Nadine has narrated The Forgotten Mysteries , a series of crowdfunded audio murder and mystery stories. She found a sweet spot in her wardrobe to record.
Nadine and producer George Adams are already working on a second volume of murder mystery tales and are also excited to offer the chance to unpublished female authors to join them on their podcast. They plan to uncover new voices and stories and record them for inclusion in the Library, to sit alongside those forgotten mysteries of the past, with the direct income from these new stories going back to the authors.
“In this way we hope to help and encourage a new generation of female authors who will, all being well, never be forgotten,” Nadine said.
Jane Clifton, author, actress, singer and registered marriage celebrant, is still most famous for her 1980s’ role as bank robber Margo Gaffney in Prisoner, the show upon which Wentworth is based. In the late 1970s, Jane was a member of New Wave band Stiletto, and she has sung and acted in stage shows including Menopause: The Musical and Rock Venus: The Songs of Linda Ronstadt. Her three crime novels are Half Past Dead; A Hand in the Bush; and Flush (Clan Destine Press, 2002, 2005 and 2013 respectively).
The ceremony will be available for free viewing worldwide via the Sisters in Crime YouTube channel from 8pm Saturday 28 November. A video link will be posted on the Sisters in Crime website and Facebook page, and sent to members and supporters via the e-newsletter, A Stab in the Dark.
Sisters in Crime is also inviting crime fans to a Watch Party on Facebook, Saturday 28 November at 8pm, where you can join others for an interactive experience.
Crime fans are also being invited to support Sisters in Crime and the work it does for Australian women crime writers by making a $10 donation beforeWednesday 25 November, 4pm HERE . Three lucky donors will win a $300 pack of crime books, kindly donated by publishers. (Unfortunately, this bonus is restricted to Australian residents – international postage is just too expensive!)
Additional information: Carmel Shute, 0412 569 356; admin@sistersincrime.org.au