Award News: Derringer Award Video

The Derringer Awards were supposed to be formally presented at Bouchercon.  Since that event was cancelled the organizers asked Society president Robert Lopresti to make a video announcing the awards.  It is now available here. 

SMFS Official Announcement: 2021 Derringer Award Winners

 

Since 1998, the Short Mystery Fiction Society has awarded the annual Derringers—named for  the popular pocket pistol—to outstanding published stories. The current awards recognize outstanding stories published during 2020. 

These are the official 2021 Derringer Award Winners:

FLASH (ranges up to 1,000 words)

 

TIE:

Blackwell, C.W. “Memories of Fire.” Pulp Modern Flash. August 3, 2020.

 

Richardson, Travis. “War Words.” Punk Noir Magazine. December 3, 2020.

SHORT (ranges from 1,001 to 4,000 words) 

 

TIE:  

 

Jones, Eleanor Cawood. “The Great Bedbug Incident and the Invitation of Doom." Chesapeake Crimes: Invitation to Murder.    

 

Woodson, Stacy. “River.” The Beat of Black Wings: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Joni Mitchell.

LONG (ranges from 4,001 to 8,000 words)

Chen, Sarah M. “Hotelin’.” Shotgun Honey: Volume #4: Recoil.

NOVELETTE (ranges from 8,001 to 20,000 words)

Taylor, Art. “The Boy Detective and the Summer of ’74.” Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. January/February 2020.

The Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement is annually awarded to an outstanding living writer of short mysteries, selected by a five-member panel. This year's recipient:

Brendan DuBois.

 

The full list of the finalists for this year can be found here. 

 
Due to the pandemic we can't predict yet whether there will be a Derringer ceremony at Bouchercon in New Orleans in August.  If not the winners will receive their medals through the mail. Congratulations to all!

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