2009 Derringer Finalists

The finalists for the 2009 Derringer Awards are:

BEST FLASH STORY (Up to 1,000 Words)

Black Pearls by James C. Clar (CRIME AND SUSPENSE)
Incident in Itawamba by Gary Hoffman (TEACAKES AND AFTERNOON TALES)
No Flowers for Stacey by Ruth McCarty (DEADFALL: CRIME STORIES BY NEW ENGLAND WRITERS)
No Place Like Home by Dee Stuart (MYSTERICAL-E)
This Bird has Flown by BV Lawson (ARMCHAIRINTERVIEWS.COM)
A Killing Season by J.F. Benedetto (WOMAN'S WORLD)
Rainy Day Fund by J.K. Cummins (WOMAN'S WORLD)*

*Correcting an oversight discovered late, "A Killing Season" and "Rainy Day Fund", tied for sixth place in the judging, were added as finalists.

BEST SHORT STORY (1,001-4,000 Words)

Independence Day by Allan Leverone (CRIME AND SUSPENSE)
Regrets, I’ve Had a Few by Allan Leverone (TREI LITERARY MAGAZINE)
Stalkers** by Lew Stowe (CRIME AND SUSPENSE)
Taste for It by Sophie Littlefield (DARKEST BEFORE DAWN)
The Cost of Doing Business by Michael Penncavage (THUGLIT)
Wishing on Whores** by John Weagly (THIEVES JARGON)

**tie score in the judging

BEST LONG STORY (4,001-8,000 Words)

Bonnie and Clyde Caper by O’Neil De Noux (EQMM)
Dead Even by Frank Zafiro (MEDIUM OF MURDER)
The Art of Avarice by Darrell James (POLITICS NOIR)
The Big Score by Chris Holm (BACK ALLEY)
The Quick Brown Fox by Robert S. Levinson (AHMM)


BEST NOVELETTE (8,001-17,500 Words)

Haven’t Seen You Since the Funeral by Ernest B & Alice A. Brown (AHMM)
Jack Best and the Line in the Sand by Steve Olley (MYSTERICAL-E)
Panic on Portage Path by Dick Stodghill (AHMM)
Too Wise by O’Neil De Noux (EQMM)
Vegetable Matters by Terry W. Ervin II (MINDFLIGHTS)


Congratulations to the finalists! And a HUGE THANK YOU to the judges without whom this never would have happened. But now folks it's your turn. The stories are in FILES section of our group page. Head there to read our finalists stories then head over to the polls to place your vote. The polls be up shortly.

Remember to be eligible to vote you need to have joined SMFS before Feb. 1st.