Since 1998, the Short Mystery Fiction Society has awarded the annual Derringers—named after the popular pocket pistol—to outstanding published stories and people who've greatly advanced or supported the form. Nominees and winners are selected by members of the Short Mystery Fiction Society. The 2018 winners will be announced on May 15, so if you are an SMFS member, read these stories and vote!
Last year I published my first two short stories ever, and both of them have been nominated for Derringer awards! This is a huge, huge, honor for me!
I've listed the 2018 finalists below, along with links to their stories when available. Gerald So is posting interviews with each author online. I include links to those as they become available. Happy reading!
2018 Derringer Award Finalists
As judged by Shortmystery member volunteer panels and announced on Shortmystery by Derringer Awards Coordinator Jay Hartman:
For Best Flash (Up to 1,000 words)
- "Cold Turkey" by Patricia Dusenbury, Flash Bang Mysteries ed. Brandon Bourg (Summer 2017)
- Gerald So Interviews Patricia Dusenbury
- "Happy Birthday" by Alan Orloff, Shotgun Honey ed. Jen Conley, Angel Luis Colón, and Nick Kolakowski (June 15, 2017)
- Gerald So Interviews Alan Orloff
- "Final Testimony" by Travis Richardson, Flash Fiction Offensiveed, Hector Duarte Jr. and Rob Pierce (July 10, 2017)
- "Fishing for an Alibi" by Earl Staggs, Flash Bang Mysteries ed. Brandon Bourg (Fall 2017)
- Gerald So interviews Earl Staggs
- "Flash Point" by Elizabeth Zelvin, A Twist of Noir ed. Christopher Grant (March 20, 2017)
- Gerald So interviews Elizabeth Zelvin
For Best Short Story (1,001-4,000 words)
- "The Kids Keep Coming" by David H. Hendrickson, Fiction River: Tavern Tales ed. Kerrie L. Hughes, WMG Publishing Inc. (January 2017)
- "The Cop Who Liked Gilbert and Sullivan" by Robert Lopresti, Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine #23, ed. Marvin Kaye, Wildside Press (October 2017)
- Gerald So Interviews Robert Lopresti
- "The New Score" by Alison McMahan, Fish Out of Water: A Guppy Anthology ed. Ramona DeFelice Long, Wildside Press (March 2017)
- Gerald So interviews Alison McMahan
- "The Bank Job" by Stephen D. Rogers, Trigger Warning Short Fiction with Pictures ed. Eric Lindbom and John Skewes (March 16, 2017)
- Gerald So Interviews Stephen D. Rogers
- "Every Picture Tells a Story" by Cathi Stoler, Where Crime Never Sleeps: Murder New York Style 4 ed. Elizabeth Zelvin, Level Best Books (September 2017)
- Gerald So Interviews Cathi Stoler
For Best Long Story (4,001-8,000 words)
- "El Asesino" by Rusty Barnes, BULL ed. Ben Drevlow (May 22, 2017)
- Gerald So Interviews Rusty Barnes
- "The #2 Pencil" by Matt Coyle, Coast to Coast: Private Eyes from Sea to Shining Sea ed. Andrew McAleer and Paul D. Marks, Down & Out Books (January 2017)
- "Death in the Serengeti" by David H. Hendrickson, Fiction River: Pulse Pounders: Andrenaline ed. Kevin J. Anderson, WMG Publishing, Inc. (July 2017)
- Gerald So interviews David H. Hendrickson
- "Matricide and Ice Cream" by William Burton McCormick, The CWA Anthology of Short Stories: Mystery Tour ed. Martin Edwards, Orenda Books (November 2017)
- Gerald So Interviews William Burton McCormick
- "The Drive-by" by Alison McMahan, Busted: Arresting Stories from the Beat ed. Verena Rose, Harriette Sackler, and Shawn Reilly Simmons, Level Best Books (April 2017)
For Best Novelette (8,001-20,000 words)
- "Flowing Waters" by Brendan DuBois, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine ed. Janet Hutchings, January/February 2017
- "Windward" by Paul D. Marks, Coast to Coast: Private Eyes from Sea to Shining Sea ed. Andrew McAleer and Paul D. Marks, Down & Out Books (January 2017)
- "King's Quarter" by Andrew McAleer, Coast to Coast: Private Eyes from Sea to Shining Sea ed. Andrew McAleer and Paul D. Marks, Down & Out Books (January 2017)
- "Kill My Wife, Please" by Robert J. Randisi, Coast to Coast: Private Eyes from Sea to Shining Sea ed. Andrew McAleer and Paul D. Marks, Down & Out Books (January 2017)
- "Trouble Like a Freight Train Coming" by Tina Whittle, Lowcountry Crime: Four Novellas ed. James M. Jackson and Jan Rubens, Wolf's Echo Press (February 2017)
- Gerald So Interviews Tina Whittle
Congratulations and good luck to the 2018 Derringer Award finalists! Watch this space for an announcement of the winners!