MYSTERY WRITING CONTESTS: SHORT STORY AND THE HILLERMAN PRIZE FOR FIRST NOVEL

The New Mexico Book Awards is the temporary home for the Hillerman Prize for First Mystery Novel. WORDHARVEST co-sponsors two major writing contests, one for mystery short stories and one for mystery novels. We welcome your entries. 

The Hillerman Prize for First Novel
Co-sponsored by St. Martin’s Press

  • Seeking unpublished mystery novels in the Hillerman tradition.
  • The book-length manuscript must include a murder or another serious crime or crimes at the heart of the story, and place emphasis on the solution rather than the details of the crime.
  • The story’s primary setting must be the Southwestern United States.
  • Deadline: June 1, 2009
  • Prize: $10,000 and publication by the Thomas Dunne imprint of St. Martin’s Press
  • Announcement: The winner of the 2009 Hillerman Prize for the Best First Mystery Novel will be announced at the New Mexico Book Awards on November 20 at the MCM Elegante Hotel in Albuquerque, NM.
For 2009 Hillerman Prize rules click here 
Additional information about WordHarvest and the Hillerman Contests can be obtained
HERE.

The 2008 winner is Roy Chaney's "The Ragged End of Nowhere."


The 2008 winner of the Tony Hillerman Mystery Short Story Contest is June Marie Avery for her story "My Brother's Keeper."

In addition Wordharvest 2008 Awards of Merit went to: Rob Kresge, “Ground Truth;” Mark Cohen, “Bum Steer;” and Michael Herrick, “Only Trying to Help”