Success for young crime writer in national competition

A 16-year-old writer from London has been named as the winner of this year’s Crime Writers' Association short story competition for young people age 18 and under.

Claudia Hyde won the Young Crime Writers’ Competition with 'A Cushion Out of Place'. She wins the chance to meet authors at the annual Crimefest event, which sponsored the competition, as well as an engraved pen and selection of signed novels from various members of the CWA. She was presented with her prize at the National Portrait Gallery in London over afternoon tea with authors Diane Janes and Meg Gardiner, representing the CWA.

The final stage of the competition was judged by Tom Harper, the 2010-11 Chair of the CWA, and multi-award winning crime writer Martin Edwards, and the competition’s conclusion coincides with National Crime Writing Week, which is organised by the CWA and runs this week (June 13-19).

Current CWA Chair Peter James said: “Yet again this country’s young writers have illustrated that the future of the genre is in safe hands.”

The shortlisted regional winners were:

• ‘The Photograph’ by George Neame age 15 of Bognor Regis
• ‘Reasons’ by Caroline Angus age 14 of Carlisle
• ‘A Girl I Once Knew’ by Beth Tucker age 15 of Newton Abbot
• ‘Reaction’ by Laura Aldworth-Beswick age 16 of Manchester
• ‘She’s a Rebel, She’s a Saint’ by Laura Waters age 14 of Isle of Man
• ‘Severing Ties’ by Jessica Cooper age 17 of Nantwich
• ‘The End’ by Lily Scanlan age 17 of Invergordon
• ‘The Witness’ by Emily Lumbard age 11 of Bristol
• ‘Button’ by Aileigh MacGregor age 13 of Buckie
• ‘Anarchy’ by Connor Sterling age 13 of Darlington
• ‘A Dreamer’s Nightmare’ by Rachael Wallis age 17 of Frome

The competition is sponsored by CRIMEFEST, Britain’s international crime fiction convention. For more information visit www.crimefest.com.

More information on National Crime Writing Week is available at http://www.nationalcrimewritingweek.co.uk/.

For press enquiries or more information on the CWA, please visit the website, http://www.thecwa.co.uk/.

CWA Young Crime Writers' Competition 2011 National Shortlist Revealed

The Crime Writers' Association has released the names of the 13 regional winners of its short story competition for young people age 18 and under. The young authors will now have to wait until National Crime Writing Week (13 - 19 June) when the name of the winner will be revealed.

The winning entrant will receive an exciting package of prizes, including the opportunity to meet and mingle with best selling crime writers at Crimefest 2012, an annual celebration of crime writing which takes place in Bristol. The final stage of the competition will be judged by Tom Harper, the 2010-11 Chair of the CWA, and multi-award winning crime writer Martin Edwards.

Those remaining in contention are:

• ‘A Cordial Encounter’ by Charlotte Gordon age 15 of Thurso


• ‘A Cushion Out Of Place’ by Claudia Hyde age 15 of London


• ‘The Photograph’ by George Neame age 15 of Bognor Regis


• ‘Reasons’ by Caroline Angus age 14 of Carlisle


• ‘A Girl I Once Knew’ by Beth Tucker age 15 of Newton Abbot


• ‘Reaction’ by Laura Aldworth-Beswick age 16 of Manchester


• ‘She’s a Rebel, She’s a Saint’ by Laura Waters age 14 of Isle of Man


• ‘Severing Ties’ by Jessica Cooper age 17 of Nantwich


• ‘The End’ by Lily Scanlan age 17 of Invergordon


• ‘The Witness’ by Emily Lumbard age 11 of Bristol


• ‘Button’ by Aileigh MacGregor age 13 of Buckie


• ‘Anarchy’ by Connor Sterling age 13 of Darlington


• ‘A Dreamer’s Nightmare’ by Rachael Wallis age 17 of Frome

The competition is sponsored by CRIMEFEST, Britain’s international crime fiction convention.

For more information visit www.crimefest.com.

If writers have a Crime Writing Week event in mind, they will be able to log the details on a national map of events at nationalcrimewritingweek.co.uk

National Crime Writing Week will be coordinated by CWA press officer John Dean at media.enquiries@thecwa.co.uk

For press enquiries or more information on the CWA, please visit the website, www.thecwa.co.uk

UK National Crime Writing Week to be a true celebration

The Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) is continuing with preparations for its successful week of events celebrating crime writing.

National Crime Writing Week, formerly National Crime Fiction Week, will run between June 13 and 19, 2011. The name change is designed to increase the emphasis on non-fiction as well as fiction.

During the week, members of the CWA will take part in readings, discussions, readers’ group events and workshops in bookshops, libraries, arts centres and other venues all over the country.

CWA Chair Tom Harper said: “Our aim is always to raise the profile of crime writing and it worked during the inaugural event last year. The signs are that it will do so again with lots of writers already planning events.

“Crime Writing Week is an opportunity for writers to arrange events under the umbrella of a week dedicated to celebrating crime books in all their forms. It is an excellent showcase for writers.”

If writers have a Crime Writing Week event in mind, they will be able to log the details on a national map of events here.

Stars of the Future
A key part of the build up to National Crime Writing Week is the Young Crime Writers' Competition, again organised by the CWA in partnership with library authorities nationwide. Entries closed on 18 February and the first stage of judging is now in progress. Early indications are that the competition has generated even more interest than it did last year, suggesting that crime writing is alive and well among the younger generation. CWA members will select the regional winners, with the national winner being announced during National Crime Writing Week.

The winner of the 2010 competition was Nicole Hendry, age 15, of Sutton Coldfield, with The Demolition of Lives (pictured). The judges praised her story as ‘daring and effective - a convincing emotional journey with a sympathetic protagonist, good motivation and a clever plot.’

Read The Demolition of Lives on this web site.

National Crime Writing Week will be coordinated by CWA press officer John Dean at media.enquiries@thecwa.co.uk. For press enquiries or more information on the CWA, please visit the website, http://www.thecwa.co.uk/, or contact media.enquiries@thecwa.co.uk