Scarlet Stiletto

Scarlet Stiletto: short stories 2013

Submitted by Karen on December 4, 2013 - 12:25pm
Author's Home Country: 
Australia
Category: 
Crime Fiction

In 1994 Sisters in Crime Australia realised that one of the best ways to uncover, encourage and foster a new generation of women crime writers was to host a writing competition.

The Scarlet Stiletto Awards for women's crime and mystery writing was born.

Little did we - the Convenors of Sisters in Crime, aka the Stiletto judges - know what we were in for or just how successful the competition's primary mission would be.

Sub Genre: 
Anthology
Short Stories
ISBN: 
978-0-9923296-0-0
Series: 
Scarlet Stiletto
Publisher: 
Clan Destine Press
Year of Publication: 
2013

THE SECOND CUT - Scarlet Stiletto Award Winners, edited by Phyllis King

Author Information
Book Title: 
Scarlet Stiletto - The Second Cut
Author Name: 
Aoiffe Clifford
Lois Murphy
Kristin McEvoy
Sarah Evans
Kirstin Watson
Kylie Fox
Amanda Wrangles
Ronda Bird
Jane Blechyden
Liz Filleul
Corinna Hente
Vikki Petraitis
Kerry James
Evelyn Tsitas
Linda Tubnor
Louise Bolland
Rowena Helston
Lesley Truffle
Eleanor Marney
Author's Home Country: 
Australia
ISBN: 
9780987160379
Series: 
Scarlet Stiletto
Categorisation
Category: 
Crime Fiction
Sub Genre: 
Short Stories
Publisher: 
Clan Destine Press
Year of Publication: 
2011

The Second Cut features a thrilling selection of stories culled from the Scarlet Stiletto Awards held annually by Sisters in Crime Australia.

This sequel to the bestselling First Cut features the 1st Prize winners from 2007 – 2010, and a selection of category winners from the 17-year history of the Scarlet Stiletto Awards.

Book Review: 

Another excellent selection of award winning short stories from the Sisters in Crime Australia's annual Scarlet Stiletto Awards.  For the past 18 years the Australian Sisters in Crime have been awarding a range of prizes for short stories (the categories have shifted around over the years), and THE SECOND CUT is the (not all that surprisingly!) the second time that many of the prize winners have been compiled into a single volume and published.

Again, you'll find an interesting combination of known and published authors, and new and upcoming (hopefully to be published) authors.  One of the things that's particularly interesting about this collection is the authors have stepped outside what they are normally known for writing, heading into different territory completely.  The other thing that's particularly interesting is that this time there are multiple entries in the Verse category.  This particularly category was setup and is still sponsored by the estate of the wonderful Dorothy Porter, much missed Sister in Crime, and as anyone who ever came near me when her book EL DORADO was published, would know a huge writing hero of mine.  Because of the effect of that book I was particularly keen to read these entries in this collection - and there were no disappointments.

There are some fantastic entries in this book, and it was personally heartening to come across some with a decidedly rural bent, and whilst I can't really single out any stories, let's just say I've been a bit leery of handmade candle stalls at the local markets since reading TALLOW, and I have to confess to absolutely crying with laughter over COLD COMFORT (okay, so I grew up on a farm with a little grey Fergie and a rather "unpredictable" grandfather myself...).

As with the first collection, THE SECOND CUT covers a huge range of subject matters, contexts and styles.  The Scarlet Stiletto Awards are such a fantastic initiative and these publications are not just a logical extension, but a perfect adjunct.  They encourage our female writers (including up and coming junior writers), and they consistently unearth some incredibly clever story telling.

THE SECOND CUT is available in paperback, ebook and Amazon format via Clan Destine Press - http://www.clandestinepress.com.au

THE FIRST CUT - Scarlet Stiletto Award Winners, edited by Lindy Cameron

Author Information
Book Title: 
Scarlet Stiletto - The First Cut
Author Name: 
Lindy Cameron
Liz Filleul
Tara Moss
Roxxy Bent
Julie Waight
Kerry Munnery
Cate Kennedy
Jacqui Horwood
Margaret Pollock
Christina Lee
Josephine Pennicott
Liz Cameron
Sarah Evans
Inga Simpson
Ann Penhallurick
Margaret Bevege
Bronwyn Blake
Author's Home Country: 
Australia
ISBN: 
9780987160362
Series: 
Scarlet Stiletto
Categorisation
Category: 
Crime Fiction
Sub Genre: 
Short Stories
Publisher: 
Clan Destine Press
Year of Publication: 
2011

Scarlet Stiletto The First Cut presents a superb collection of spine-chilling crime fiction stories culled from the annual Scarlet Stiletto Awards hosted by Sisters in Crime Australia.

You’ll find the whole gamut from murder and mayhem to police procedurals and crime in verse. Some will have your blood running cold, some will raise gooseflesh, and others will make you laugh – but all will have you on the edge of your seat, and wanting more.

Book Review: 

Getting to generate the ebooks for Clan Destine Press has its advantages.  Not the least of which is the "checking" phase which basically is code for a good read.  And, despite this being my second reading of THE FIRST CUT, it was a very good read.

For the past 18 years the Australian Sisters in Crime have been awarding a range of prizes for short stories (the categories have shifted around over the years), and THE FIRST CUT was the first time that many of the prize winners were compiled into a single volume and published.  (The current Clan Destine version is new edition).

It's a worthwhile collection to read for the sake of the stories included, as well as to discover some "name" authors who have since gone on to get books published, or have felt that they got a real kickstart from the Scarlet Stiletto Awards.  You'll find stories here from some authors you may recognise (Tara Moss and Cate Kennedy for example), and some authors who have gone on to have books published (Liz Filleul and Josephine Pennicott come to mind immediately).  This is a great way to find upcoming authors who are writing at the same standard!

One of the interesting things about THE FIRST CUT is the diversity of subject matters, and the sorts of categories that the stories fall into.  Submission rules call for an active woman protagonist, a crime/mystery theme and that the story must be an original, unpublished work - from there there are a range of categories, including Verse, Malice Domestic, Possible Film Treatments and so on. 

Every year there are submissions from a range of authors, previous winners, previous participants and brand new writers who give the competition a go.  The judging is blind (I was lucky enough to be involved in this year's judging weekend), we have no idea who has written what, and can't find out until all stories have been read, and all deliberations completed and winners finalised.

THE FIRST CUT takes the reader through a wide gambit of styles, subject matters and contexts.  There's humorous, twisting, scarey, odd and quite surprising.  Given that these are all short stories, the variety is outstanding.  As is the writing.  Although sometimes it could make you wonder about who you're sharing dinner and a drink with before a Sisters in Crime Monthly event!

THE FIRST CUT is available in paperback, ebook and Amazon format via Clan Destine Press - http://www.clandestinepress.com.au