Continuing the chronic lag afflicting my updates lately, here’s a little about the Edgar Allan Poe Awards I attended in New York at the end of April (hence the lag). Dust City was up for the Edgar award for best young adult mystery, won by The Interrogation of Gabriel James by Charlie Price. Congrats, Charlie!

I also had the opportunity to meet Jim Krieg, a screenwriter who waded into the children’s book world with Griff Carver, Hallway Patrol, a hilarious 70s/80s cop show take on elementary school, also from Penguin Young Readers. It was nominated in the children’s mystery category.

The winner of the grandmaster award was Sarah Paretsky, creator of the private detective, V.I. Washawski (portrayed in the film by Kathleen Turner).

Paretsky gave a memorable speech on the pleasure and importance of writing fiction, with kernels of pithiness from Sappho and Herman Melville peppered throughout. Here’s a video of the full speech, which starts a little after the 5 minute mark.