The Anthony Award Nominations
So my ballot for the Anthony Awards came the other day and I've been mulling over who I wish to nominate. I joke that my nominations are the kiss of death, but I really do put a lot of time into who I want to include on my ballot. This year is oh so very hard.
And then, on the Central Crime Zone blog, Ruth Jordan posted this about the Anthony nominations. So, I thought, maybe we could talk this out together. I definitely have some decisions to make and some holes to fill, so I'll highlight here who I'm remembering to consider for the nominations and then you can tell me in the comments others that you are remembering that would be nomination-worthy - and you don't have to be nominating yourself. Anyone can pipe up. I want to make sure I'm making the best choices...and sometimes my memory isn't so great. The stipulation is that the works must have been published in 2010. So, with that in mind, the categories this year are:
Best Novel
Best First Novel
Best Paperback or Trade Paperback Original
Best Graphic Novel
Best Short Story
Best Critical Work - Non Fiction
Best Website/Blog
So, some of the books I am considering for Best Novel are (if I have a review, I've included the link):
- Gregg Hurwitz - THEY'RE WATCHING
- Robert Crais - THE FIRST RULE
- Craig McDonald - PRINT THE LEGEND
- Gar Anthony Haywood - CEMETERY ROAD
- Tim Hallinan - THE QUEEN OF PATPONG
- Reed Farrel Coleman - INNOCENT MONSTER
- Steve Hamilton - THE LOCK ARTIST
- Alafair Burke - 212
- Craig Johnson - JUNKYARD DOGS
- Tom Franklin - CROOKED LETTER, CROOKED LETTER
- Kelli Stanley - CITY OF DRAGONS
- Louise Penny - BURY YOUR DEAD
- R.J. Ellory - THE ANNIVERSARY MAN
For Best First Novel:
- Hilary Davidson - THE DAMAGE DONE
- John Verdon - THINK OF A NUMBER
- Keith Thomson - ONCE A SPY
- James Thompson - SNOW ANGELS
- Michael Van Rooy - AN ORDINARY DECENT CRIMINAL
- Lou Berney - GUNSHOT STRAIGHT
For Best Paperback or Trade Paperback Original
- Bryan Gruley - THE HANGING TREE
- Karen Olson - PRETTY IN INK
For Best Graphic Novel (I'm a novice here, but I do have):
- Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson - BEASTS OF BURDEN
For Best Short Story (Obviously I didn't read many short story collections in '10)
- Gregg Hurwitz - "The Thief" from FIRST THRILLS
- Kelly Stanley - "Children's Day" from FIRST THRILLS
- Rebecca Cantrell - "On the Train" from FIRST THRILLS
- Chris Grabenstein - "Ring Toss" from June ALFRED HITCHCOCK
For Best Website/Blog (this is hard, this list doesn't begin to scratch the surface)
- Lesa's Book Critiques (Lesa Holstine)
- The Drowning Machine (Naomi Johnson)
- The Rap Sheet (J. Kingston Pierce)
- Murderati (various)
- Seven Criminal Minds (various)
- Spinetingler (Sandra Ruttan)
- Pattinase (Patti Abbott)
- The Outfit (various)
But now it's your turn to remind me of glaring omissions from my brainstorming session. I need all the suggestions you have especially for non-fiction, graphic novels, short stories, paperback originals...I know I'm missing some greats from the other categories, too...who are you remembering that should be considered?
15 comments:
Louise Penny, "Bury Your Dead".
Oh my! That was definitely a glaring omission. Thank you!
Short Story: Dave Zeltserman, "Archie's Been Framed," EQMM Sept/Oct 2010
(And I would have added *Bury Your Dead" too!)
I was going with Louise Penny's "Bury Your Dead," too, Jen, since it was my favorite of the year. I didn't know they were doing a blog website. Thanks for considering me. Hard to top The Rap Sheet, though, in my opinion.
Quite a list, Jen. Some definite hard choices here. Thanks.
O.K., found out about the different country pub dates and have made some updates...BURY YOUR DEAD is now on the list. Doh, what an oversight. I listened to the audio in January of this year, which is why I wasn't thinking of it for 2010. Geez!
I know it wasn't one of your favorites, but Winslow's Savages is on my list. Otherwise, our choices are startlingly similar. 2010 was a darn good year for first novels, some tough choices there.
Jen, Have you gotten around to reading FAITHFUL PLACE by Tana French yet? It was probably my favorite book of 2010.
Faithful Place is very good. Made a lot of top 2010 book lists by reviewers, bloggers, ezines, etc.
Why not "Jen's Book Thoughts" as a top website? I know that you can't nominate your own website, but it ranks up there as excellent!
I have to agree with Holly and Kathy about Faithful Place, along with Laura Lippman's I'd Know You Anywhere. Best First - Diamonds for the Dead by Alan Orloff. Best Paperback - Shane Gericke's Torn Apart, JT Ellison's The Immortals, Gerrie Ferris Finger's The End Game and Ellery Adams' Killer Plot. Best Short Story - Mary Jane Maffini's So Much in Common. Best Critical - Thriller: 100 Must Reads. And three blogs you don't have - mine and yours - along with The Lipstick Chronicles.
Thanks for the Tana French mentions folks. I'm not a fan of her work, so it's good to have some different perspective being added here.
Kathy, bless your heart! Thank you. :-)
I have read a few books on this list. I enjoy Gregg Hurwitz's books, and I've read two as suggested here.
I love Kelli Stanley's City of Dragons, and she is one terrific woman.
However, many books on this list of nominees are calling to me. And, between this blog and Lesa Holstine's round-up of a panel with him on it, I'm sold. The humor alone pulls me in. Where should I start? With the first? Or which?
I never thought I'd be looking for a series about a sheriff, but he is no routine sheriff. Dante's Inferno!
Oops, late night blogging mishap: I meant to say I'm pulled irresistably towards Craig Johnson's books. No one could be more shocked than I that I'd want to read a book starring a sheriff. But I think it's time.
Kathy, you can really pick up the Walt Longmire series at any point and not be lost, but I highly recommend starting at the beginning - COLD DISH - just because it's so much richer to experience the character development and the melding of the relationships in the books.
Dear God! Another horrible omission on my part. Hank Phillippi Ryan is so amazing...and I left off her DRIVE TIME for best paperback original. Just give me a knock upside the head, please.
Post a Comment