The Short and Long of It

Via Gerald So comes a list of the finalists for the 2007 Derringer Awards, dispensed annually by the Short Mystery Fiction Society “to honor excellence in the field of short mystery fiction.” There are four categories of nominees:

Flash Fiction (up to 500 words):
• “Matched Set,” by Jan Christensen (Long Story Short, Winter 2006)
• “Vigilante,” by Barry Ergang (Mysterical-E, Summer 2006)
• “Snowflake Therapy,” by Michelle Mach (Thereby Hangs a Tale, June 2006)
• “Flight School,” by Jill Maser (Flashshot, August 28, 2006)
• “Home Entertainment,” by Sandra Seamans (A Cruel World, July/August 2006)

Short-Short Stories (501 - 2,000 words):
• “Even Steven,” by Gail Farrelly (Mouth Full of Bullets, Winter 2006)
• “Four for Dinner,” by John M. Floyd (Seven by Seven)
• “Interview,” by Justin Gustainis (Cape Fear Crime Festival, October, 2006)
• “Elena Speaks of the City, Under Siege,” by Steven Torres (Crimespree Magazine, September/October 2006)
• “The Worst Door,” by Frank Zafiro (Dispatch, January 2006)

Mid-Length Stories (2,001 - 6,000 words):
• “Eden’s Bodyguard,” by David Bareford (ThugLit, September 2006)
• “Shadow People,” by Rex Burns (Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine [AHMM], June 2006)
• “Cranked,” by Bill Crider (from Damn Near Dead, edited by Duane Swierczynski; Busted Flush Press)
• “Uncle Blinky’s Corner of the World,” by Robert S. Levinson (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine [EQMM], March/April 2006)
• “Shanks on the Prowl,” by Robert Lopresti (AHMM, May 2006)

Longer Stories (6,001 - 15,000 words):
• “Signature in Blood,” by Annette Dashofy (Mysterical-E, Winter 2006)
• “Strictly Business,” by Julie Hyzy (from These Guns for Hire, edited by J.A. Konrath; Bleak House Books)
• “Daphne MacAndrews and the Smack-Head Junkies,” by Stuart MacBride (from Damn Near Dead)
• “See Also Murder,” by Larry Sweazy (Amazon Shorts, December 11, 2006)
• “The Valley of Angustias,” by Steven Torres (AHMM, October 2006)

Winners are scheduled to be announced on May 15.