Sisters in Crime will accept applications starting June 1 for the 2022 Pride Award for Emerging LGBTQIA+ Crime Writers, a $2,000 grant awarded to one up-and-coming writer who identifies as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Submissions will be accepted through July 31 and this year’s winner will be announced in Fall 2022.
“It was incredibly meaningful to receive this award,” said the award’s first recipient C.J. Prince. “It was the first time I had ever let anyone outside of my friend circle read my fiction, and it was really life-changing. At times during this journey, I have been told that publishers would not know how to market a mystery that featured a queer protagonist. This award gave me the confidence to stick with my project [and] tell the story I want to tell.”
Established in 2021 as part of the legacy project by former Sisters in Crime president Sherry Harris, the grant aims to raise visibility of diverse voices in the genre and is intended for a crime writer beginning their career and will support activities related to career development including workshops, seminars, conferences, retreats, online courses, and research activities required for completion of his, her or their work. One winner and five runners-up will also be awarded a one-year Sisters in Crime membership, as well as a critique from an established Sisters in Crime member.
This year’s judges include Dean James, Brenda Buchanan and Leslie Karst. “The PRIDE Award is a much-needed and terrific way for authors to get the recognition and support they deserve from the crime fiction community,” said Karst.
“I am so proud of Sisters in Crime and thankful to Sherry Harris for making it a reality, “ said Buchanan. “Especially at a time when our community is being vilified.”
Sisters in Crime recognizes that not all LGBTQIA+ community members can be out, and each individual’s privacy is valued. Winners and any runners-up who wish to maintain their anonymity may do so, or they may choose to select a pen name for announcement.
Sisters in Crime (SinC) was founded in 1986 to promote the ongoing advancement, recognition, and professional development of women crime writers. Today, the organization boasts 4,200 members and more than 60 chapters worldwide and its initiatives also include other scholarships; grants for academic research into the roles of women and underserved voices in crime fiction; cash awards to libraries and bookstores; and surveys and monitoring projects which determine visibility and representation of women and diverse voices in the genre and across the marketplace. For more information on its programs and author members, visit the organization’s website at www.sistersincrime.org.
Complete guidelines and the application can be found at https://www.sistersincrime.org/page/Pride
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