Statement from SMFS Presidential Candidate Tim Wohlforth

I believe the Short Mystery Fiction Society has the potential of being more than a email discussion group. We should be able to represent short mystery writers as effectively as MWA represents mystery writers as a whole and the Private Eye Writers of America represents a subgenre. Of course, with the Derringers, we have made progress in this direction. However, I feel we have a considerable distance still to travel.

I have been a member of SMFS since the days when Michael Bracken was president, many of us had books published by Quiet Storm, and Babs Lakey published us in her marvelous Futures magazine. I have had over 75 short stories published. These include stories in MWA's Death Do Us Part, Hardcore Hardboiled published by Kensington, and an anthology of Plots With Guns. I have participated in, and in some cases moderated, short story panels at Bouchercon and Left Coast Crime.

As President I would first and foremost promote SMFS and short mystery stories. I would pursue the suggestion of getting an anthology of Derringer winners published. Another project could be to sponsor an anthology of unpublished stories blind submitted by members along the lines of MWA collections. It might also be possible to arrange with Bouchercon, LCC, and perhaps other regional mystery conferences, to have SMFS sponsor its own short story panel and/or a short story workshop as part of a writers track.

As we speak enormous changes are taking place in publishing with the spectacular growth of e-publishing. There are now over three million Kindles and iPad sales could reach ten million by the end of the year. This could lead to a revival of the short story market. I believe SMFS can play a role in opening up this market for our members. For example we could explore how short stories can be marketed and sold through the Apple Store as well as expand access on Kindles and the new Nook.

I would also like to encourage a discussion in the SMFS group on the art and craft of short story writing.

Tim Wohlforth

Statement from Derringer Coordinator Candidate Larry Chavis

I'm Larry Chavis, and my name is on the ballot for this year's Derringer Coordinator. This isn't as much a 'campaign' post as it is an informative one.

I'm 57 years old, I teach high school physics and mathematics (my degree is in physics), and I am a lover of mystery/crime/thriller fiction in general, and the short story form in particular. I did begin writing three or so years ago, but have little to report thus far. You won't have heard of me ;-) I had two stories published in the now-defunct *Crime and Suspense* ezine (don't think there was a causal relationship), one of which placed second in a reader-judged contest, and was subsequently published in the anthology TEN FOR TEN, edited by Tony Burton and published by Wolfmont Press. Other than those, and some encouraging letters from editors, I am just one of many plugging away at it, trying to learn from my mistakes.

I have served once as a Derringer judge, and was the at-large member of this year's Golden Derringer committee. If elected, I will do my dead-level best to see that the process runs as smoothly and fairly as humanly possible. If not elected, I stand ready to help in any way I can.

Thanks for your patience.

Larry Chavis
Mississippi

Early Statement from SMFS Presidential Candidate Sandra Seamans

The Derringers are an important part of this group but they're not everything. I'm happy that they're getting the recognition they deserve but not because they're an award but because it makes people sit up and take notice of short stories. What bothers me about the submission process is that there a great many editors who don't bother to submit stories because the Derringers lean toward the more cozy friendly stories. This isn't a bad thing but we've got a
whole group of writers and editors and zines that feel they're not good enough to be included in the process. I'd like to see that change. I'd like to see every short story writer feel welcome at the SMFS, no matter if they write cozy or dark. Only the strength of the story should count.

I'd also like to see if we could get editors to post more often on the list - get them to give us insights into their selection process or maybe just do a Q & A interview that we could post. Right now, Duotrope is posting this sort of interview on their site and I've run across several other blogs that do the same thing. No reason we couldn't do that here with mystery related magazines and zines. It might also be nice if we could have one day a week where everyone
could post their BSP's with links to their stories so we can find new markets to explore and stories to read. As for stories, I'd like the members to feel free to post links to shorts they find online that they think are great, not their own, but someone else's.

Shorts are starting to come into their own via the online markets, there are more and more people talking about them and I know of several sites that actually review individual stories and collections. As a short fiction society we should be a part of this.

Well, I know I'm not supposed to be posting this before I'm asked, but the membership deserves to know where I stand so they can nominate someone to run against me if they don't agree with what I believe the SMFS should be about. And I'd really prefer that this be an election not just a put her in office because nobody else wants the job situation.

Candidacy Statement from Jim Doherty

I've been asked by several members off-line if I'm willing to run for either president or vice-president. ...[L]ike Gerald, I think it would be better for the organization if new blood were injected. If there are others willing to run for either position, I'd prefer to step back and let others take up the flag.

Also, as at least one other person has pointed out, as long as I'm an officer, I'm ineligible to compete for a Derringer myself.

If others are willing to take up the officer's positions, I am certainly more than willing (and I'm sure I speak for Gerald here, too) to make myself available to help and provide assistance to the incoming administration. Certainly I'm willing, if the new officers wish, to finish up any uncompleted tasks that are still hanging fire if and when the new officers assume their
positions.

For example, I'm in contact with folks at Bouchercon about making the Derringer presentations a part of the convention as it was in 2009. I'd be happy to follow through with that if it's still unresolved by the time my term of office ends.

I'm also more than willing to get the actual physical trophies made, as I did last year.

But as for actually serving, put me down as willing but not particularly enthusiastic.

Candidacy Statement from Gerald So

With the opening of SMFS officer nominations this past Saturday, I'd like to inform the group of my own status. I've enjoyed my time as president. I believe we've clarified much of the Derringer Award process and raised the SMFS's profile as a whole. I also believe it's important to allow for new voices and leadership styles.

I remember that several of you initially wondered how I would moderate discussion here. I hope the vast majority of members has found the atmosphere open and informative, including feeling informed and heard during every policy decision the past two years.

I prefer to give others a chance to represent the SMFS for the next two, so I invite any member up to the task to step forward.

My preference does not speak for Vice President Jim Doherty, who may choose to run on his own.

POLL RESULTS: Should author's name and publication title appear on Derringer submissions sent to judges?

By a margin of 53 AGAINST, 31 FOR, the membership has voted that author's name and publication title should not appear on stories submitted to the Derringer judges.

Upcoming SMFS Elections

Hello, all.

It was an honor to represent the SMFS personally sending the 2010 Derringer certificates to the winners. My public congratulations and thanks to all who were part of the process.

Presentations made, my two-year term as SMFS president is drawing to a close. As part of the transition to the new officers, I have outlined the duties of president, vice president, and Derringer Coordinator below, and call for nominations from the group.

May 15-30, nominations will be accepted for SMFS President and Vice President 2010-12 and for Derringer Coordinator 2011.

May 31-June 4, each nominee will be allowed to post a single message announcing him/herself to the group and supporting his/her candidacy.

June 5-15, SMFS members will vote to select the new officers.

June 16-30, Jim Doherty, Suzanne Rorhus, and I will coordinate with the Officers-Elect to ensure a smooth transition.

July 1, the new SMFS officers take office.


SMFS Officers' Duties

PRESIDENT (2-year term) - SMFS President moderates the group's discussion forum and membership roll at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shortmystery. They must ensure the free flow of ideas while maintaining a cordial atmosphere and quelling any flame wars that threaten to erupt.

The president must confer with the vice president regularly, so that, should the president be unavailable, the vice president can continue day-to-day operations.

As the SMFS's main representative with the public, the president must also maintain the SMFS blog at http://shortmystery.blogspot.com, where the public goes for information about the SMFS.

The president organizes the selection committee deciding who should receive the Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement.

As for the regular Derringer process, the president and the Derringer Awards Coordinator may confer about the spirit of the rules, but the president may neither collect Derringer submissions, nor judge the regular Derringer Awards, nor win a Derringer Award while in office.


VICE PRESIDENT (2-year term) - SMFS Vice President is co-moderator of the discussion forum and consultant on any group business. The vice president assumes all of the president's duties, including representing the SMFS in person, when the president is unavailable (sickness, vacation, etc.).

The vice president serves with the president on the Edward D. Hoch Golden Derringer selection committee, and is subject to the same restrictions as the president regarding the regular Derringer process.


DERRINGER AWARDS COORDINATOR (1-year term) - The Coordinator runs the annual Derringer Award process, including collecting Derringer submissions, coordinating the judging, and announcing the winners.

The coordinator has the authority to resolve issues that arise throughout the submission, judging, and voting periods, conferring with the president to clarify the spirit of Derringer procedure.

The coordinator moderates the Derringers Voting Group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Derringers), posting the Derringer finalist stories for the voters to read, and verifying members' voting eligibility as they join the group.

The coordinator serves with the president and vice president on the Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer selection committee, and like them, may neither judge the regular Derringers nor win a Derringer Award while in office.