DEAR READERS,
April is always an exciting time for the Mesdames and Messieurs: the beginning of awards season, writer conferences such as Bony Blithe and the Toronto Indie Author Conference, more events and new books launched.
CONGRATULATIONS
The Short Mystery Fiction Society was founded in 1996. To celebrate its 30th anniversary, the Board put together Hot Shots, an anthology of stories, one Derringer-winning tale from each year the awards have been presented. The Derringers are awarded in four categories each year: Flash, Short, Long and Novelette. Editor Josh Pachter did the selecting; publisher, Level Best Books.
Huge congratulations are due to our very own Mme Melissa Yi, whom Josh Pachter calls a master of the genre!! Her story, “My Two Legs”, which won the Derringer, is one of the 28 pearls!
Hot Shots will be released on April 7th. Here is the link: Hot Shots: Celebrating Thirty Years of the Short Mystery Fiction Society eBook: Pachter, Josh: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store
On April 1st, the Short Mystery Fiction Society will announce the finalists for the 2025 Derringer Awards, including the runners-up for Best Anthology. Fingers crossed for the Mesdames and Messieurs who submitted their stories for consideration. The winners are decided by members of SMFS by popular vote, with the winners announced on May 1st.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mme Madeleine Harris Callway will be joining Hope Thompson and Jeffrey Round on Saturday, April 11th, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Walker House, 235 Harbour Street, Kincardine, for Jazz Noir and Narratives. Hope will be reading from her newly released book, Dark Thoughts and Other Stories; Jeffrey from his thriller, The Sulphur Springs Cure; and Madeleine from Snake Oil and Other Tales.
Dark Thoughts & Other Stories: Thompson, Hope: 9781998441372: Books – Amazon.ca
The Sulphur Springs Cure: Round, Jeffrey: 9781770867284: Books – Amazon.caSnake Oil and Other Tales eBook : Callway, M.H.: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store
Mme Melodie Campbell hosts Australian bestselling author/comedian Benjamin Stevenson for the launch of his 4th book in the series, Everyone in This Bank is a Thief! on April 2nd at 7 p.m.
Centennial Hall, 2331 New Street, Burlington
Registration required.
Mme Lorna Poplak has three events coming up in April.
On Tuesday evening, April 7, she will present her true-crime book, Drop Dead: A Horrible History of Hanging in Canada, to members of the Humanist Canada Monthly Book Club.
On Thursday, April 16, she will speak about her author’s journey and the development of her latest book, On the Lam: Great (and Not So Great) Escapes from Prison, at the monthly Zoom meeting of Sisters in Crime Toronto.
And on Tuesday evening, April 28, she will deliver an in-person presentation about the grim history of the death penalty in Canada to the Riverdale Historical Society.
DON’T MISS
Launch of The Pharaoh’s Curse Murders! Mme Melodie Campbell is with Vicki Delany at A Different Drummer Bookstore, 513 Locust Street, Burlington, on April 18 at 2 p.m.
On April 24th, the finalists for the 2025 Crime Writers of Canada awards will be announced, as well as this year’s recipient of the Grand Master Award. The names of the winning books and short stories will be released in late May. Once again, fingers crossed for our Mesdames and Messieurs with novels and stories in the running.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The Toronto Indie Author Conference takes place Saturday/Sunday, April 18/19 at the Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge Street, from 9 to 5 p.m. There is a full schedule of panels and workshops on marketing, AI and today’s publishing environment. Even better, there is a discount for members of Toronto Sisters in Crime.
Bony Blithe
Spring has sprung, which means that the Bony Blithe Mini-Con is just around the corner. Whether you’re an author or a reader, there’s something at the BB event for you: panels, a book seller, lunch and nibblies, a chance to meet new friends and schmooze face to face with old ones, and (not to be ignored) a reasonably priced bar.
All this for $85. So save the date: Friday, May 15, at The High Park Club, 100 Indian Road, Toronto, from 9:30 am to 6 pm. Like last year, they’re on the fully accessible first floor of the club.
Scroll down to How to Register on the Bony Blithe website, then attach your completed registration form to an email addressed to info@bonyblithe.ca. They welcome panel ideas from both authors and readers, so include your suggestions in your email.
Special note to authors: They will start working on panel assignments on April 20, so if you haven’t registered yet and want to be on a panel, it’s high time for you to go to the Bony Blithe website, fill out the registration form, and pay. Note that they can’t guarantee you will get a panel assignment, but they do their best.
Book sales table: They now have the book registration form up on the BB website. They will sell your books on consignment and then send you your money by Sunday, May 17. They accept cash, debit, Visa, and MasterCard.
Mesdames of Mayhem 