BCon Hangovers, Part II: the Awards tally

So you want to know who won all those awards? Well, I stole the lists from Jiro Kimura, but what the hell:

ANTHONY AWARDS

Best Novel: William Kent Krueger, Blood Hollow (Atria/S&S)
Best First Novel: Harley Jane Kozak, Dating Dead Men (Doubleday)
Best PBO: Jason Starr, Twisted City (Vintage/Black Lizard)
Best Non-Fiction: Max Allan Collins et al., Men's Adventure Magazines (Taschen)
Best Short Story: Elaine Viets, "Wedding Knife" (Chesapeake Crimes, Quiet Storm)
Best Cover Art: Brooklyn Noir (Akashic)

SHAMUS AWARDS

Best Novel: Edward Wright, While I Disappear (Putnam)
Best First Novel: Ingrid Black, The Dead (St. Martin's Minotaur)
Best PBO: Max Phillips, Fade to Blonde (Hard Case Crime)
Best Short Story: Pearl Abraham, "Hasidic Noir" (Brooklyn Noir, Akashic Books)
Lifetime Achievement: Sara Paretsky

MACAVITY AWARDS

Best Novel: Ken Bruen, The Killing of the Tinkers (St. Martin's Minotaur)
Best First Novel: Harley Jane Kozak, Dating Dead Men (Doubleday)
Best Nonfiction: D.P. Lyle, Forensics for Dummies (Wiley & Sons)
Best Short Story: Terence Faherty, "Widow of Slane" (EQMM, March/April 2004)

BARRY AWARDS

Best Novel: Lee Child, The Enemy (Delacorte)
Best First Novel: Carlos Ruiz Zafon, The Shadow of the Wind (Penguin Press)
Best British Crime Novel: John Harvey, Flesh and Blood (Heinemann)
Best PBO: Elaine Flinn, Tagged for Murder (Avon)
Best Thriller: Barry Eisler, Rain Storm (Putnam)
Best Short Story: Edward Hoch, "The War in Wonderland" (Criminal Appetites, Silver Dagger Mysteries)

As always, huge congratulations to all the winners. Further thoughts after the jump.

One could easily get into the usual discussion of whether there are too many awards, what effect they have on reader choices and all, but I've always been most interested in the classic question: who benefits. Which is why when I found out that Kent Krueger took the Anthony for Best Novel, I was very much surprised. Not because he's not worthy -- hardly, because his books are well-acclaimed, and deservedly so -- but because I've always had the sense that his publisher has never fully known what to do with him and his work. Will winning the Anthony change Simon & Schuster's perception, perhaps take a greater incentive to break Kent out from the "regional writer" status he has at the moment to something a little broader? Because, albeit on a limited level, the fans have spoken. I know I'm not the only one who hopes this translates into greater attention, further sales and everything else associated with greater success.

To a lesser extent, the same might apply to Edward Wright. Here's an author who's always run a bit behind with his American presence as opposed to that in the UK, where Orion has adored him ever since they signed him following his Debut Dagger win in 2001. And since I haven't been able to find any mention of when his third book, RED SKY LAMENT, will see publication here (it's out in February in Britain) I do wonder if perhaps he's publisher-shopping (but anyone who knows better or can correct me on this, please do.) Will winning the Shamus spur him to more prominence in the country where his books are set? Because again, these are books that certainly deserve a wider audience. A 1940s-era cowboy hero who used to act in the movies? A wonderfully atmospheric noir setting? Then again, maybe it's because I'm a big fan of Megan Abbott, Eddie Muller and Mitchell Bartoy, whose debuts really evoked that mid-20th century dichotomy of success and nasty underbelly, so I think Wright fits right in.

Aside from those two, though, the "who benefits" tag gets a little murkier. Ingrid Black for THE DEAD? My initial reaction is "um, no" but mostly because that book had serious problems that even above-average writing couldn't fix. Jason Starr's Anthony win obviously helps, but it's also a bit of a swan song, what with him moving to hardcover what with him getting a hardcover deal in the UK  and eventually, one soon in the US. It's cool to see Harley Jane Kozak be the only multiple winner, but I think she was already on an upward track -- this will only add to it, but not potentially change it.

I guess what strikes me the most is how all over the map the winners were. But then, the nominees were as well.

Comments

[Jason Starr]

Thank you, Sarah....But, actually, I'm staying in pb original in the U.S. for my next book with Vintage Crime (out in 06)...However, I will now be in hardcover in the U.K.

[David J. Montgomery]

Hmmm.... so maybe you'll need that Gumshoe after all, Mr. Starr! :p

Seriously, though, congrats to Jason and Kent and Harley and Elaine and Barry and everyone else who won. This year had a great group of winners, all well-deserved.

There probably are too damn many awards, but I also think they serve a useful purpose. If an award can help generate attention for and interest in an author and a book, I'm all in favor of it.

[Elaine]

'All over the map'?? I couldn't agree more - just to be on the same list as Jason, Dom, Thomas Cook, Larry & Moria was enough of a shock for this old bag and I'm still reeling. Heavy weights all-and with utmost humility-may I say it was an honor to be among you-and it will most likely never happen again.