Fostering a Richer Range of Writers

Beginning today, the Sisters in Crime organization is accepting submissions to its 2019 competition for the Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award, a prize—now in its sixth year—intended to promote “an emerging female or male writer of color.”

A SinC press release says, “The award honors the late, pioneering African-American crime-fiction author Eleanor Taylor Bland,” creator of the police detective Marti McAllister series (Dead Time, A Cold and Silent Dying, Suddenly a Stranger). Candidates must apply by June 9, 2019, and the winner will be announced by July 1, 2019.” In addition to the commendation itself, the recipient will collect $2,000 in grant money. That SinC announcement goes on to explain:

The Eleanor Taylor Bland Award was created in 2014 with a bequest from Bland’s estate to support Sisters in Crime’s vision statement that the organization should serve as the voice for excellence and diversity in crime writing. The grant is intended for a writer beginning their crime writing career and will support activities related to career development including workshops, seminars, conferences, and retreats; online courses; and research activities required for completion of his or her work. This year, Sisters in Crime raised the grant amount from $1,500 to $2,000.

Past winners of this prize have been Mia Manansala (2018), Jessica Ellis Laine (2017), Stephane Dunn (2016), Vera H-C Chan (2015), and Maria Kelson (2014).

Complete guidelines for entering this year’s Eleanor Taylor Bland Award contest, as well as an official application, can be found here.