Emerging Author Dagger
Emerging Author Dagger The Emerging Author Dagger (formerly the Debut Dagger) is an international competition, open to anyone in the world writing in English, for a crime novel opening (max. 3,000 words) and synopsis (max. 1,500 words). The crime no...
Celebrate National Crime Reading Month on 8 May with Rachel Abbott and Sharon Bolton
Celebrate National Crime Reading Month with Bolton Central Library and Museum as Bestselling, Award winning crime writers Rachel Abbott and Sharon Bolton will be talking about their exciting new books. Rachel's new book "Come a Little Closer" has be...
Police Procedurals Panel with Bryan J. Mason and Barry Faulkner
Join Bryan J. Mason and Barry Faulkner for a panel on police procedurals at the Celebration of the Book in Clevedon! Other events include a crime writing masterclass with Heather J. Reed, readings, and more! Book this event here, or buy a day pass fo...
Submitting for CWA Competitions: In at the Kill
The deadline’s getting close! So here’s some last-minute advice for you on the practicalities of submitting. Please remember the rule: if you have any problems with your Debut Dagger submission, you must let us know on comps@thecwa.co.uk befor...
2021 winning story
Heartbridge Homicides - Camilla Macpherson ‘Haven’t seen you before,’ said Janet, as she approached the thin, nervy-looking man waiting at the red and white parking barrier. Beyond the barrier (so near, but yet so far) lay the studio where H...
Chilterns Heritage Festival. Author Talk – Dave Sivers: ‘Chiltern Thrills – Making Crime Pay’.
Dave Sivers, crime fiction author, will take you on his journey from lifelong scribbler to minor bestseller, the seismic changes in the publishing industry in the past ten years and the challenges of setting gritty crime fiction in a pleasant rural a...
Debut Dagger Writing Tips
Here are tips from recent newsletters compiled for you by Dea Parkin, the CWA’s Competitions Coordinator (and professional editor). If you’re at the stage where your entry is finished and you’re into the all-important revision and editing pr...
2020 winning story
A Time to Confess - Della Millward “In my experience, those who beg for mercy seldom deserve it.” Alex Mason’s clear voice carried across the dry air of the cavern and Peter was glad there weren’t many people around to hear her. Sometim...
2020 highly commended story
Sting in the Tail - Laila Murphy Did you know that insects are among the most successful species on Earth? They outlived dinosaurs. They’ll outlive us. My speciality is wasps. Vespology. Wasps get a bad deal. People are afraid of them but the...
2020 highly commended story
Voices - Lauren Everdell “Someone do the handoff?” “Jane Doe, Patient Foxtrot Alpha One One, found semi-conscious in an alley. Multiple stab wounds to the torso and apparent blunt force trauma to the back of the skull. Query traumatic brai...
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