Sisters in Crime Winner of the 2022 Pride Award

Sisters in Crime announced the winner of their 2022 Pride Award for emerging LGBTQIA+ writers is Sarah St. Asaph (she/hers) of London, England. Her winning novel-in-progress is a contemporary medical-legal crime mystery where a young lawyer is given the chance to re-examine the evidence against a former hospital doctor that has been convicted as Britain’s worst ever female serial killer. The novel explores how women are treated within the criminal justice system and plays with the prejudices and preconceptions they face as perpetrators of crimes.

 

Selected from 58 entries by judges (and SinC members) Dean James, Brenda Buchanan and Leslie Karst, Asaph will receive a $2,000 grant intended for a beginning crime writer to support activities related to career development, including workshops, seminars, conferences, retreats, online courses, and research activities required for completion of their work. Asaph has also been awarded a manuscript critique from Crooked Lane Books editor Terri Bischoff and a membership to Sisters in Crime and its online chapter for beginning writers. The Pride Award is a legacy project of Sisters in Crime past president Sherry Harris. 

 

“I’m a huge admirer of the ethos of Sisters in Crime,” said Asaph. “As a lifelong lover of crime and mystery literature, I believe anything that encourages diversity of voices in our genre is something to be celebrated. Our genre is not just thrilling to read, but the perfect vehicle to explore the most fascinating questions about human nature and contemporary society. What happens when we are pushed to our limits? How does justice interweave with everyday morality? For me, these questions are particularly pertinent for women and members of the queer community, and I aim to explore these within my work.”

 

Five runners-up will also be paired with an established Sisters in Crime member author to receive a manuscript critique. They are: C. Jean Downer of White Rock, British Columbia (paired with Cheryl Head), Diane Carmony of La Quinta, CA (Jeffrey Marks), Roy Udeh-Ubaka of Gainesville, FL (Anne Laughlin), Marle Redfern of New England (John Copenhaver) and Elaine Westnott-O’Brien of Tramore, Co. Waterford, Ireland (Catherine Maiorisi).

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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 4,500 members and more than 60 chapters worldwide and its initiatives also include the annual Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award and 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.

 

SISTERS IN CRIME PRIDE AWARD SUBMISSIONS

SISTERS IN CRIME OPENS SUBMISSIONS FOR THE  PRIDE AWARD Emerging LGBTQIA+ Crime Writer Will Receive $2,000 Grant to Support Career Development 

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