The Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award: Call for Submissions

The Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award is an annual grant of $2,000 for an emerging writer of color. 

This grant is intended to support the recipient in crime fiction writing and career development activities. The grantee may choose to use the grant for activities that include workshops, seminars, conferences, retreats, online courses, and research activities required for completion of the work. 

Submissions for the 2025 award are open February 1 through March 31. 

About the Award

The Eleanor Taylor Bland grant is administered by Sisters in Crime, a 4000+ member international organization of mystery authors, readers, publishers, agents, booksellers and librarians. Sisters in Crime was founded by Sara Paretsky and a group of women at the 1986 Bouchercon in Baltimore. In 2014 the group declared its mission to members to “promote the ongoing advancement, recognition and professional development of women crime writers.” 

After contacting the grant recipient, Sisters in Crime will make an official announcement of the winner in the summer of 2024. 

A report about how the award was spent must be submitted to the Sisters in Crime president one year after receipt of the award. The 2024 recipient of the award also will be expected to serve the following year as a member of the 2025 Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award selection committee. 

Here’s a checklist to help you prepare to submit year: 

Have you published two novels OR ten or more short stories? We're sorry, that means you aren't eligible to apply. 

You do not have to be a member of Sisters in Crime to apply for this grant. 

Do you want to use a different name for your submission? 

Are there any trigger warnings about potentially distressing material in your work? If so, please list them on the form. Some examples include rape, torture, pedophilia, child abuse, assault, suicide, drug abuse. Please note work dealing with these subjects will not impact whether you're selected. It's just to let our judges know before they read. If no, please write N/A. 

AI-generated works are not eligible. 

You may upload PDFs or Word docs. Please make sure that you name the documents including your name. For example, JONES_BIO.doc, JONES_WORK.doc, JONES_STATEMENT.doc. Please make sure your materials are named appropriately.

Here are the three components of your submission:

• An unpublished work of crime fiction, aimed at readers, from children’s chapter books through adults. This may be a short story or first chapter(s) of a manuscript in-progress of 2,500 to 5,000 words.
• A resume or biographical statement.
• A cover letter that gives a sense of the applicant as an emerging writer in the genre and briefly states how the award money would be used. (How the money might be used is not a deciding factor in the judges’ decision.)

If you aren't a member of Sisters in Crime, please register for a guest membership before you submit your materials. Members, please sign in. 

SUBMIT MATERIALS HERE. 

READ MORE HERE.

Sisters in Crime Names P.M. Raymond as 2024 Eleanor Taylor Bland Award Winner

Sisters in Crime (SinC), an inclusive international community for all who write and love crime fiction, has announced the winner of the annual Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color. The award supports the advancement, recognition and professional development of emerging crime writers of color.

This year’s winner is P.M. Raymond of Apex, North Carolina. Raymond’s winning submission, "A Nasty Business,” is set on a Louisiana farm where a family tradition forces the heirs to compete in a series of grueling tasks. Pops, the patriarch, oversees the competition between his sons, Galen and Jeff, as they vie for control of the estate, and discover the farm's dark history — and the heavy burden of their inheritance.

As a New Orleans native, mystical undertones are, says Raymond, the roux in her crime noir and horror writing. She was named to the 160 Black Women in Horror and is a 2024 Finalist in the Killer Shorts Screenplay Competition. Her work has appeared in publications such as Flash Fiction Magazine, Kings River Life Magazine, Dark Fire Fiction, Pyre Magazine and The Furious Gazelle and Dark Yonder. 

Established in 2014, the Eleanor Taylor Bland Award supports the advancement, recognition and professional development of emerging crime writers of color. It is aligned with Sisters in Crime’s mission to promote diversity in crime fiction. The grantee may use the award to attend workshops, seminars, conferences, retreats, online courses and research activities that help them complete their work.

This year's runners up are:

Aftermath by Carleasa A. Coates of Catlett, Virginia

And Then It Clicked by Renee P. Stone of Las Vegas, Nevada

The Code by Grace Wynter of Decatur, Georgia

Gifted Grifter by Fritz Mason of Columbia, South Carolina

Man Eater by Elena Scialtiel of Gibraltar

 

2023 Eleanor Taylor Bland Award Winners

Sisters in Crime (SinC), an inclusive international community for all who write and love crime fiction, has announced the winner of the annual Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color.

The winner of the 2023 Award is Nicole Prewitt of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her winning submission, Harts Divided, follows Neema Hart, a black, bisexual thief-turned-P.I., who owns a detective agency and therapy office with her estranged wife, Genie Hart. When what should be a bread-and-butter infidelity case results in unsuspecting women getting burned, in more ways than one. The Harts are pushed to prove their commitment to their clients, their community, and each other.

“I’m honestly so excited that opportunities like this exist and feel incredibly honored to have received the 2023 Eleanor Taylor Bland Award,” says Prewitt. “Writing a novel can be such a long process, and this has provided me with encouragement to see it through to the end.”

Established in 2014, The Eleanor Taylor Bland Award is strongly aligned with SinC’s mission to promote the ongoing advancement, recognition and professional development of current and prospective members and intends to support a recipient at the beginning of their crime writing career. The grantee may choose to apply the grant toward workshops, seminars, conferences, retreats, online courses, and research activities to assist in completion of their work. Prewitt’s story was selected from over 60 submissions by 2023 judges Shizuka Otake — winner of the award in 2022 — plus novelists R. Franklin James and Andrea J. Johnson

“We couldn’t have asked for a more talented group of participants,” says Johnson. “It was an absolute pleasure to experience the captivating ways these writers have chosen to broaden and reinvent the crime genre.

Judge Shizuka Otake agrees. “Reading the entries reminded me that there are so many different voices and stories. And they can all be compelling.”

In addition to Prewitt’s 2023 achievement, SinC has also awarded five runners-up a year-long membership to the organization. Recipients were Josette Covington (Wilmington, Delaware), Ann Harris (Atlanta, Georgia), Kathryn Harrison (Bingham Farms, Michigan), Karabi Mitra (Toronto, Ontario), and Deena Short (Stonecrest, Georgia).

*****

About Eleanor Taylor Bland:

Eleanor Taylor Bland (1944-2010) paved the way for fresh voices in crime fiction by showcasing complex characters that had previously been peripheral to or simply missing from the genre. Dead Time (1992), the first in her series of novels, introduced African-American police detective Marti MacAlister, an enduring and beloved heroine who overturned stereotypes that had been perpetuated in much of American popular culture. Bland also published more than 50 works of short crime fiction and edited the 2004 collection, Shades of Black: Crime and Mystery Stories by African-American Authors.

About Sisters in Crime:

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 4,000 members and 59 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.

SISTERS IN CRIME OPENS SUBMISSIONS FOR THE 2023 ELEANOR TAYLOR BLAND CRIME FICTION WRITERS OF COLOR AWARD

Sisters in Crime is accepting applications for its tenth annual Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award, a $2,000 grant awarded to an emerging writer of color. Candidates must apply by March 31, and the winner will be announced later this spring.

“The Eleanor Taylor Bland Award is a fabulous opportunity to both honor one of crime fiction’s accomplished authors and spotlight emerging writers of color, who deserve our support and often encounter publishing obstacles,” Jennifer J. Chow, Sisters in Crime Board President noted.

Named for the late, pioneering African American crime fiction author Eleanor Taylor Bland, the award is intended to support the recipient in crime fiction writing and career development activities. The winner may choose to use the grant for activities that include workshops, seminars, conferences, retreats, online courses, and research activities required for completion of their work. 

The no-fee submissions are open to any crime writer of color who has not published more than ten short works or two novels. More information is available at www.sistersincrime.org/EleanorTaylorBland

***

Eleanor Taylor Bland was the author of fourteen book-length works of crime fiction  between 1992 and 2007. The books featured Marti MacAlister, a female police detective and an enduring and beloved heroine who went against the grain of stereotypes related to African American women in much of U.S. popular culture. Bland also published several works of short crime fiction and edited a collection titled Shades of Black: Crime and Mystery Stories by African American Authors (2004).

Complete guidelines and the application can be found at www.sistersincrime.org/page/EleanorTaylorBland

ELEANOR TAYLOR BLAND EMERGING CRIME FICTION WRITER OF COLOR AWARD: Sisters in Crime

Sisters in Crime (SinC) announced today that the 2022 winner of the annual Eleanor Taylor Bland Emerging Crime Fiction Writer of Color Award is Shizuka Otake of Jackson Heights, NY. Her submission, Murder in Tokyo, is a story of a Japanese American teen’s life which is shattered when her boyfriend is arrested as the prime suspect in a classmate’s murder. “I lived in Tokyo as an adult and found it painful to be viewed as different,” said Otake. “I expected to fit in and wondered how much harder that experience would have been if I was a vulnerable teen.” 

Established in 2014, The Eleanor Taylor Bland Award is strongly aligned with SinC’s mission to promote the ongoing advancement, recognition and professional development of current and prospective members and intends to support a recipient at the beginning of their crime writing career. The grantee may choose to apply the grant toward workshops, seminars, conferences, retreats, online courses and research activities to assist in completion of their work. Otake’s story was selected from several submissions by 2022 judges D.Ann Williams, Sujata Massey and Wanda Morris. 

“I’m thrilled and honored to be recognized by Sisters in Crime,” said Otake. “With this generous grant, I plan to either visit Japan to do more research for my manuscript or attend a mystery writing class at Moniack Mhor in Scotland.” 

In addition to Otake’s 2022 achievement, Sisters in Crime has also awarded five runners-up with a year-long membership to the organization. Recipients include Danielle Arceneaux (Brooklyn, NY), Amber Boothe (Crowthorne, England), Jennifer K. Morita (Sacramento, CA), Valerie Kemp (Ann Arbor, MI), and Kathy A. Norris (Los Angeles, CA). 

Eleanor Taylor Bland (1944-2010) paved the way for fresh voices in crime fiction by showcasing complex characters that had previously been peripheral to or simply missing from the genre. Dead Time (1992), the first in her series of novels, introduced African-American police detective Marti MacAlister, an enduring and beloved heroine who overturned stereotypes that had been perpetuated in much of American popular culture. Bland also published more than 50 works of short crime fiction and edited the 2004 collection, Shades of Black: Crime and Mystery Stories by African-American Authors. 

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 4,000 members and 59 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.

Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award

Sisters In Crime Announces Winner of 2020 Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award. The award benefits an emerging writer of color in the crime fiction genre.

New this year: Five runners-up receive funded Sisters in Crime memberships

Sisters in Crime (SinC) announced the 2020 winner of the annual Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award: Yasmin McClinton of Columbia, SC. The winning novel-in-progress was selected by judges Rachel Howzell-Hall, Alex Segura and the 2019 winner, Jessica Martinez. 

The award, which honors the memory of pioneering African-American crime fiction author Eleanor Taylor Bland with a $2,000 grant to an emerging writer of color, was created in 2014 to support SinC’s vision to serve as the voice for excellence and diversity in crime writing. The grant is intended to help the recipient complete a debut or early-career work of crime fiction. 

The winner may use the grant for any purpose, including developmental opportunities such as workshops, conferences and retreats, online courses, or research activities and travel.

“Authors like Ms. Bland show me that women of color—writers of color—can be authors in any genre they want and really bridge gaps,” said McClinton. “I shared with my daughters that I won this award. My daughters have been with me through the hardest times of my life. And I wanted to show them that their overly protective, annoying mom has dreams from her childhood coming true, even today. And, she can be chosen for prestigious awards like the Sisters in Crime Eleanor Taylor Bland award. So, Girls, no giving up. Ever!”

For 2020, Sisters in Crime expanded the Eleanor Taylor Award to also provide funded memberships to the organization for five runners-up. These are Christina Dotson (Nashville, TN), Tony Hernandez (Phoenix, AZ), Robert Justice (Denver, CO), Raquel V. Reyes (Miami, FL) and Manju Soni (Mystic, CT).

“The Eleanor Taylor Bland Award was expanded to provide assistance to more than the single winner, so that more writers of color could benefit from the community support Sisters in Crime can give a beginning writer,” said national Sisters in Crime president Lori Rader-Day. “Because of our commitment to inclusion, we heard from some of our current members who wanted to help us make a difference.”

Scholarships for SinC membership were funded in part by generous member authors Lisa Regan and Jess Lourey. Additional gifts from Alexia Gordon and Cathy Wiley will be granted later.

Eleanor Taylor Bland (1944-2010) paved the way for fresh voices in crime fiction by showcasing complex characters that had previously been peripheral to or simply missing from the genre. Dead Time (1992), the first in her series of novels, introduced African-American police detective Marti MacAlister, an enduring and beloved heroine who overturned stereotypes that had been perpetuated in much of American popular culture. Bland also published several works of short crime fiction and edited the 2004 collection, Shades of Black: Crime and Mystery Stories by African-American Authors.