tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post7350686724031112464..comments2024-03-28T11:30:46.101-04:00Comments on Murder is Everywhere: Having A Stab At ItOvidia Yuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749549092493567689noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-89160984295625266932014-01-05T17:22:49.569-05:002014-01-05T17:22:49.569-05:00LOL, Everett. Erm, is that the voice of experience...LOL, Everett. Erm, is that the voice of experience talking ...? :)))<br /><br />Zoë Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14065427744062846167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-8982813054804979942014-01-05T17:22:02.107-05:002014-01-05T17:22:02.107-05:00There you go, Caro -- far more impressive to be sh...There you go, Caro -- far more impressive to be shortlisted! And Gyles can talk for Britain, but since much of what he says tends to be quite entertaining, I can forgive him for that :)<br /><br />Happy New Year to you, also!Zoë Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14065427744062846167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-79715823759875640962014-01-05T14:30:56.381-05:002014-01-05T14:30:56.381-05:00Are you sure that monophthong isn't a disease ...Are you sure that monophthong isn't a disease that you contract from kissing underwear???Everett Kaserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12371555243187874414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-58103053810342364342014-01-05T08:11:16.246-05:002014-01-05T08:11:16.246-05:00I was short listed for the New Blood Dagger ( Firs...I was short listed for the New Blood Dagger ( First published book ) and did not win- despite my good frock. My agent told me not to swear if I didn't win as the cameras would be on me and folk watching the TV can lip read. ( you are supposed to clap and nod as if you agree with the decision.) The lovely Matt Rees won. He beat Absolution, Die With Me and some book called Child 44 ( that went on to win best novel the same night I think but Gyles Brandreth was talking so much my ears were bleeding!! ).<br />Great fun, but it is what it is and nothing more! <br /> Caro Ramsayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08499318515241879831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-41298791023643295772014-01-05T04:32:21.205-05:002014-01-05T04:32:21.205-05:00Having made Dagger shortlists but not being an act...Having made Dagger shortlists but not being an actual winner myself, I sympathise, Stan. Maybe this accounts for my attitude that making the shortlist can mean more than actually winning. When I was on the CWA committee, I was an observer at several judging lunches where the shortlists and winner was chosen, and frequently the eventual winner was a compromise choice. So, making the shortlist was what counted.<br /><br />Or maybe that's just my version of sour grapes!<br /><br />But in your case it has done you no harm at all. Out of interest, who won that year?<br /><br />Oh, and one day you're going to have to tell me the name of that judge, although I think I may be able to guess ...<br /><br />Happy New Year to you.Zoë Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14065427744062846167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-22429566066567215002014-01-05T04:27:34.551-05:002014-01-05T04:27:34.551-05:00Hi Jeff, and a very Happy New Year to you.
Yeah, ...Hi Jeff, and a very Happy New Year to you.<br /><br />Yeah, you do have to read the small print on some of these contests very carefully, but the CWA is a reputable organisation (albeit filled with reprobates) and many of the previous winners and shortlistees have gone on to considerable success.<br /><br />Not quite a competition, but I was once asked to contribute a short story to an anthology, and asked for sight of the contract before I sent in my bit. When it eventually arrived the terms (from a recognisable small publishing house) asked for 'All rights in perpetuity'. When I queried this the editor threw a bit of a hissy fit and 'withdrew his invitation to submit'.<br /><br />Best thing I can recommend is look to the history of any competition and see what happened to previous winners.<br /><br />Oh, and only you could have spotted the potential in that kind of a typo, my friend. I like that about you :)Zoë Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14065427744062846167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-8856276200441577622014-01-05T02:21:41.647-05:002014-01-05T02:21:41.647-05:00With the attitude of "what's there to los...With the attitude of "what's there to lose", we entered the first 3000 words of A Carrion Death to the Debut Dagger and - guess what - made the final cut. So, what the hell, off to London we went for the award dinner. We didn't win - sigh - but learned something about the world of publishing. After the dinner, one of the judges, probably as inebriated as we were, told us that we shoudn't have set our mystery in Botswana because McCall Smith owned it. Unfortunately our brains were too slow to come back with the obvious retort about whether the UK should have allowed any mystery writers after Conan Doyle. <br /><br />Zoe is absolutely right. Use the Debut Dagger to focus your attention and get over your reluctance to submit. Win or not, the benefits are great.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-30761595769873129502014-01-05T01:14:03.856-05:002014-01-05T01:14:03.856-05:00As a matter of fact, I entered my first Andreas Ka...As a matter of fact, I entered my first Andreas Kaldis book in a contest. The prize was a "guaranteed" publishing contract. I was into the semi-final round and actually wondered what I'd do if I won, because the publishing contract terms struck me as onerous. Luckily, I didn't have to face that decision because I reached a deal with a different publisher during the contest, making the issue moot. I also didn't make the finals:).<br /><br />BUT, the story does not end there. The actual winner, a very talented writer, never got the deal he was promised. The sponsor garnered a boatload of publicity but did not keep its word. And I believe that sponsor still runs those contests drawing in other hopefuls with the lure of a "publishing contract." <br /><br />The sponsor, I should add, is not what we'd consider a true member of the mystery world.<br /><br />As for your word of the week, ZOË, it would have been a real stinker had you hit the key to the right of "v" as in vowel.Jeffrey Sigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00718317707555064653noreply@blogger.com