MAIN NEWS HEADLINES
June 1-15, 2004 Edition
Sara Ann Freed Memorial
Award to offer winner
$10,000 publishing Advance
NEW YORK, NY/05/24/04Mysterious Press/Warner Books has announced the first Sara Ann Freed Memorial Award for a first mystery novel. Mysterious Press plans to award a publishing contract to one unpublished writer in the mystery genre.
The award will honor the beloved Mysterious Press editor Sara Ann Freed, who passed away in June 2003. Submissions can be straight mysteries, noir, police procedurals, or historicals. They should have a male or female protagonist who is an amateur or professional detective. The publisher is not looking for international thrillers, horror, supernatural, true crime, or mysteries with science fiction elements.
Mysterious Press will present the award to a previously unpublished mystery writer who submits his or her original work using the guidelines found on the Warner site at http://www.twbookmark.com/mystery/saraannfreed.html, with or without an agent. The award includes a contract with a $10,000 advance for hard/soft publication through Mysterious Press. The contract will follow the standard Mysterious Press boilerplate and will include world rights, audio, book club, first serial, and standard industry royalties.
Eligibility Requirements:
Writers must not have published a book, short story, or dramatic work in the mystery field, either in print, electronic, or audio form. Submissions may be made with or without an agent.
Submission Requirements and Deadline:
Candidates must submit each of the following items to the address given below:
a letter detailing authors work history and a two sentence description of the plot a plot synopsis of no more than 300 words and two CONSECUTIVE chapters of the manuscript. We will request the entire manuscript for further consideration if we feel the plot synopsis and chapters fit what were looking for. Please do not send original material. Any material you send will not be returned. an official entry form completely filled out and signed a self addressed stamped envelope for our response. Any submission that comes without an SASE will be discarded without acknowledgment.
Deadline for the receipt of materials is July 1st, 2004. Materials will be accepted only between April 1st July 1st 2004. Submissions with postmarks before April 1st or later than July 1st will not be accepted or returned. Candidates for the award must send their completed submission to:
Sara Ann Freed Memorial Award
Mysterious Press
1271 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
The complete manuscripts requested by the publisher will be based on the initial applications will be reviewed and a winner will be chosen by Mysterious Press or its designated representatives. Mysterious Press reserves the right to reject any incomplete, inappropriate, or late applications. In the event that there are no qualified candidates, Mysterious Press reserves the right to make no award at all. The decision of Mysterious Press is final.
The winner of the Sara Ann Freed Memorial Award will be notified in September 2004 and will be announced in a press release by Mysterious Press. We plan to publish the winning manuscript in hardcover in September 2005 with paperback publication the following year.
