Hello, Dear Readers!
The Mesdames and Messieurs had yet another stellar year in 2025! It was The Year of Hard Work and Fun! Altogether, we published four crime novels, two non-fiction books, six novellas and 17 works of short fiction in leading anthologies and crime fiction magazines.
And we had amazing energy to hold book launches, to attend conferences and writers’ festivals, to participate in Podcasts as well as to give talks and workshops to emerging writers and fans.
Many of us received recognition for our work. And that includes our 6th anthology, The 13th Letter. Mme Therese Greenwood’s story, “Hatcheck Bingo”, WON the CWC Award for Best Short Story and our book was a finalist for the Derringer Best Anthology Award!
Wonderful new books and stories are coming your way in 2026. We’re really looking forward to meeting you in the Real World. And stand by for our upcoming 7th anthology, The Power of 13.
KUDOS FOR THE MESDAMES AND MESSIEURS!
Carrick Publishing released our sixth anthology, The 13th Letter, in October 2024. It received warm reviews from CWC Grand Master Maureen Jennings, Joanne Culley of the Peterborough Examiner and Claire Murray of Kings River Life.
The 13th Letter was a finalist for the 2025 Derringer Award for Best Anthology, the first year of this new award. Even better, Mme Therese Greenwood’s story, “Hatcheck Bingo” WON the 2025 CWC Best Short Story Award.
In September 2025, we announced our seventh anthology to be published in Fall 2026 by Carrick Publishing, Editor Donna Carrick, Story Wrangler, M. H. Callway. Our title is The Power of 13 since thirteen is our “lucky number seven”.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
CWC AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE
The Mesdames and Messieurs were thrilled that three of us were recognized by the Crime Writers of Canada awards. Therese Greenwood’s story, “Hatcheck Bingo” WON for Best Short Story. HUGE CONGRATS!!
Heartfelt congrats are due to Catherine Astolfo, for her story, “Farmer Knudson”, one of the inter-connected tales in her book, Auntie Beers and to Melissa Yi, for “The Longest Night of the Year” in the December 2024 issue of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. Melissa is one of the authors listed on the front cover, too!
Melissa’s critically acclaimed YA mystery, The Red Rock Killer, was also nominated for CWC’s Best YA Mystery Award!
MORE RECOGNITIONS!
Cat Mills worked on the six-part TVO docuseries Unrigged, which explores the challenges that democracies are facing and how they can be strengthened for the future; and how the broken parts can be fixed – one solution at a time.
Unrigged was nominated for a 2025 Canadian Screen Award for Best Political News Program or Series.
The winner of the first Derringer Award for Best Anthology was Murder Neat, all stories by authors who are members of Sleuthsayers. The collection was edited by Michael Bracken and Barb Goffman. Melodie Campbell’s story, “The Mob, The Model and The College Reunion”, was part of this awesome collection!
Roz Place’s psychological suspense story, “Too Close to the Edge”, was part of the noir anthology, Dastardly Damsels. It was voted Best Anthology in the Critters Annual Readers Poll.
Marilyn Kay, Sylvia Warsh and Melissa Yi were all recognized by the Killer Nashville 2025 Awards. Sylvia’s YA Mystery, The Orphan, and Melissa’s, The Red Rock Killer, were listed as the Judges’s Best Picks for the Silver Falchion Award and for the Readers Choice Award.
Marilyn Kay’s police procedural, Love Thy Neighbour, was short-listed for the Claymore Award for Best First 50 Pages in The Best Investigator category.
WONDERFUL EVENTS!
FAB BOOK LAUNCHES
Melodie’s second book in her Merry Widow series, The Silent Film Star Murders, Cormorant Press, launched on May 10th at A Different Drummer Bookshop in Burlington, Ontario. A large and enthusiastic group was on hand to listen to the readings and to buy books!
Lisa launched her new thriller, Mad Dog and the Sea Dragon, Inanna Publications, at the Supermarket Bar, 268 Augusta Avenue, Toronto on October 15th. A packed house celebrated with Lisa and her fellow Inanna authors!
On Monday, November 17th, the Community Book Launch was held for The Many Names of Robert Cree (ECW Press) at the Wood Buffalo Regional Library, Fort McMurray, Alberta. Robert Cree and Therese Greenwood co-wrote Robert’s critically acclaimed memoir. Distinguished actor, Lorne Cardinal, led the onstage Q and A.
Rosemary’s newest Pat Tierney mystery, Riversong, launched at Brews and Clues, Stout Irish Pub, Toronto on December 11th. With cake! The pub was packed with fellow authors, friends and fans and lots of copies sold!
Lorna’s new true crime book, On the Lam, about great – and not-so-great Canadian prison escapes, launched at Mezes Event Space, 456 Danforth Ave., Toronto on October 21st. A large crowd of fans, friends and family were on hand to celebrate.
GUESTS ON THE CWC PODCAST
Intrepid host Erik D’Souza interviewed many of us on CWC’s popular podcast.
In April, Erik and Melodie Campbell discussed the history of women’s rights, which she highlights in her cozy Merry Widow series. Do readers know that in the 1920s, a married woman in the UK was not allowed to own property? It automatically transferred to her husband upon marriage!
In May, Erik spoke with Catherine Astolfo, Therese Greenwood and Melissa Yi about their Best Short Story recognitions. And Melissa’s second nomination for Best Young Adult Mystery.
Melissa was also interviewed by best-selling author Debbi Mack on Episode 21 of Debbi’s podcast, Crime Cafe.
And on September 16th, Melissa gave the CWC Webinar, Medical Errors 101, or how to get the medicine right in your murder mystery.
CONFERENCES AND WRITERS’ FESTIVALS
ONTARIO LIBRARY ASSOCIATION SUPERCONFERENCE, JANUARY 2025
The OLA Super-conference once again invited the Crime Writers of Canada to present at the 2025 Idea Hub. Blair Keetch and Mme M. H. Callway presented The 13th Letter (Carrick Publishing) on January 31, 2025. And it is now in the TPL! Sylvia Warsh introduced her YA mystery, The Orphan. It, too, is available in the TPL.
Many thanks to Jass Ajula of CWC for organizing this event!
YORK REGIONAL WRITERS CONFERENCE, APRIL 26, 2025
McCracken
Jane Burfield, M. H. Callway, Rosemary McCracken, Madona Skaff and Sylvia Warsh travelled north to Newmarket to meet, learn and mingle with writers from the GTA. Big hugs to Madona for travelling all the way from Ottawa and to Rosemary for leading the way to do outreach in the GTA.
BONY BLITHE, MAY 9TH
The Bony Blithe Minicon took place on May 9th. Once again, a grand day out for crime writers and their fans, thanks to the hard work of chief organizer Mme Cheryl Freedman.
The Mesdames participated on several panels. Mme Sylvia Warsh moderated the panel, When Reality Strikes, Social Issues in Crime Fiction.
M. H. Callway led the discussion on noir fiction, The Dark is Rising: How Much is Too Much Noir? In other words, when does noir segue into darker genres like horror?
And Melodie Campbell lightened the mood with fellow cozy author, Vicky Delany, in Cozying up to Cozies.
The day’s closing panel, Writing the Other, Characters and Events Outside Your Realm of Experience, was moderated by Marilyn Kay.
Bony Blithe will be back on Friday, May 15, 2026. Save the date!
APPLEBY COLLEGE FESTIVAL OF AUTHORS
On May 24th, Appleby College held its inaugural Festival of Authors in Oakville with more than 60 participating authors.
Lisa De Nikolits participated on the Dark Ambitions panel representing crime fiction!
MOTIVE: TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF AUTHORS, JUNE 27 to 29, 2025
In 2025, the Toronto International Festival of Authors was back in Toronto with MOTIVE, celebrating international crime writers from June 27 to 29th.
Melodie Campbell was a featured author, joining CWC Grand Master, Maureen Jennings, in a discussion of Murder, Mystery and Mistaken Identities. And Lisa De Nikolits moderated the panel on Tea, Cake and Murder: Fatal Friendships.
Crime Writers of Canada hosted a booth for book sales, attended by several CWC members, including Rosemary McCracken, Lorna Poplak and Madona Skaff. Rosemary read from her new Pat Tierney mystery, Riversong, on June 29th.
WORD ON THE STREET, SEPTEMBER 27 and 28, 2025
Toronto’s annual book festival, Word on the Street, changed venues in September 2025 and relocated to David Pecault Square.
Melodie Campbell was on hand at the Cormorant Press booth to sign copies of her historical mystery, The Silent Film Star Murders, and she was on the panel, The Grounding Power of Escapist Fiction, on Saturday, September 27th.
BURLINGTON LITERARY FESTIVAL
The Burlington Literary Festival took place on November 2nd at the Burlington Public Library. Melodie Campbell was featured in conversation with historical mystery writer, Iona Wishaw.
TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF AUTHORS
TIFA took place in Toronto between October 29 and November 2, 2025. Lisa De Nikolits moderated two panels both on November 2nd.
The first panel was a salute to romance writers. Lisa led the discussion on Young Adult Romance. And next, she moderated the panel of two literary writers: Adam Haslett, Pulitzer Prize finalist and Shari Mootoo, four-time Giller Prize nominee.
GREAT READING VENUES!
QUEER NOIR AT THE BAR
Hope Thompson and Jeffrey Round continued hosting Queer Noir at the Bar. On October 22nd at The Black Eagle pub. M. H. Callway was honoured to be one of the featured authors and read her crowd-pleaser scene, Karaoke Strip Night, from her thriller, Windigo Fire.
BREWS AND CLUES
Des Ryan, retired police detective turned crime writer, founded Brews and Clues, a monthly reading series for crime fiction writers at his local, Stout Irish Pub. Readings take place on the second Thursday of every month. Happily, Des has continued the series again for 2025 to 2026 season. Lorna Poplak has been on hand to co-host!
On December 11, 2025, Rosemary McCracken launched the fifth book in her popular Pat Tierney series, Riversong, to a packed crowd – with cake!
OPEN MIKE AT THE WRITERS’ UNION OF CANADA
The literary community continues to show an interest in crime writing. Three of the Mesdames were invited to be part of TWUC’s Open Mike readings on Zoom. Rosemary McCracken led the charge on January 7th, followed by M. H. Callway on February 4th and Sylvia Warsh on April 1st.
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK: DRUNK FICTION
The last Tuesday of every month, the Caledonian Pub, 856 College Street, hosts Drunk Fiction, which features readings by literary and genre authors.
Lisa De Nikolits was a twice-featured guest. On March 26th, she read from her chilling story in the SF anthology, Devouring Tomorrow (Dundurn Press) and on August 26th, she shared her new thriller, Mad Dog and the Sea Dragon (Inanna Publications).
M. H. Callway was a guest on the spooky horror readings on October 28th, reading from her dark thriller story “Snake Oil”.
CWC PUB NIGHTS
Jass Ajula and Lorne Tepperman, CWC’s Toronto reps, continued their popular pub nights at different venues throughout 2025. A terrific way to tell fellow authors about new publications and to share info about the challenges of today’s publishing.
JUNCTION READS
Type Books Junction, 2887 Dundas Street West, is spearheading hybrid book readings where supporters can attend in the real world or via Zoom!
On December 7th, Lisa De Nikolits read from her new novel, Mad Dog and the Sea Dragon, together with humour writer, Rod Carley, author of Ruff.
WORKSHOPS AND READINGS
Huge congrats to our hard-working Mmes who gave many workshops and talks to share their authors’ journeys and their writing expertise.
In three 2025 sessions, Jayne Barnard shared her skills with the Northern Ontario Writers Workshop and Sudbury Writers Guild. All made possible through Zoom!
Our fav session title: “Shaping Sherlock and Making Moriarty”.
In addition to her official book launch and guesting at several conferences and festivals, Melodie was a guest speaker at the Burlington Masons Convention Ladies Program on April 25th. Her subject? Comedy writing, of course!
Lisa De Nikolits was welcomed back to the Writers and Editors Network of Toronto in March, 2025 to discuss her stories in the two anthologies, Devouring Tomorrow (Dundurn Press) and Imagine (Windtree Press).
On April 19th, she gave her intensive workshop, The A to Z of Publishing, at Agincourt Branch, TPL.
Throughout 2025, our true crime author, Mme Lorna Poplak, gave more than a half-dozen talks on Canada’s criminal history, including the Don Jail, both via Zoom and in the Real World.
Lorna’s talks on the grim history of the Don Jail and criminal punishment in Canada were heard at Open Doors Toronto, the Festival of Bizarre Toronto History and several branches of the Toronto Public Library!
TORONTO PUBLIC LIBRARY, MARIA SHCHUKA BRANCH
Mmes Lisa De Nikolits, M. H. Callway and Rosemary McCracken were honoured to give two workshops to emerging writers at the Toronto Public Library, Maria Shchuka Branch, 1745 Eglinton Avenue West. Many thanks to Librarian, Maureen Copping, for her support!
On June 21st, the three Mmes shared their authors’ journeys in How to Get Published. And on November 8th, they ran an intensive workshop entitled Make Your Prose Sing, A First Course in Editing. The workshops were designed to help emerging writers polish their unpublished manuscripts so that publishers take notice.
REACHING BEYOND THE GTA
Mme Rosemary McCracken was back at Bookapalooza in Minden on July 12th. This year’s guest of honour was leading sci-fi author, Robert Sawyer.
HOLD IT – THERE’S MORE !
In May 2025, Lorne Tepperman launched a monthly newsletter for Ontario CWC members. Several of the Mesdames have become steadfast contributors with articles ranging from “Are Writing Groups Worth It?” to “Murder at the Crime Writing Awards”!
Big thanks are due to Melodie Campbell, M. H. Callway, Rosemary McCracken, Lynne Murphy, Madona Skaff and Melissa Yi.
AND AT LONG LAST, A BIG BEAR HUG AND THANK YOU TO:
Marilyn Kay and Roz Place for keeping our newsletter running!
Mesdames of Mayhem 