The End of an Era

At its general meeting on Thursday, September 8, the members of Mystery Writers Ink Society voted to dissolve the Society, as we do not have enough volunteers for a new board.

The bylaws call for the distribution of net assets, after obligations are met, to other groups in Alberta with similar objectives.

Members decided to divide the net assets between the Alexandra Writers Centre Society and the When Words Collide Writers Conference.

The Alexandra Writers Centre offers courses and other resources on writing, including courses on writing mystery fiction. Several writers who are, or have been, members of Mystery Writers Ink have taught courses at AWCS.

We will offer the Ink library to the Alexandra Writers Centre Society.

The first annual When Words Collide conference was held in Calgary in August, 2011. Mystery Writers Ink sponsored the panel “Dead Men Do Talk” with Ink board member Ann Cooney and Det. Dave Sweet of the Homicide Unit, Calgary Police Service. This event was an outstanding success, with an SRO crowd. WWC has already invited Det. Sweet back for the 2012 conference. In addition, mystery writer Anthony Bidulka will be a featured speaker at WWC 2012.

As your outgoing board, we encourage all members of Mystery Writers Ink to consider taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the Alexandra Writers Centre and When Words Collide.

We want to thank all of our members over the years who have contributed to Mystery Writers Ink in every volunteer capacity.

Thanks to everyone who has come to speak to our group, sharing professional expertise and insights that have supported us as crime writers in creating our best work.

Thanks to the authors on the Mystery Writers Ink panel at Bloody Words in Victoria in June 2011: Susan Calder, Joan Donaldson-Yarmey, Garry Ryan,  Sharon Wildwind, and moderator Anthony Bidulka,

Thanks to Owl’s Nest Books for providing the venue for our meetings for the last few years. Owl’s Nest offered a warm, friendly, and bookish environment for our meetings.

It has been an honour to serve on the Board and to work and meet so many interesting writers and resource people. We look forward to seeing you at writing workshops and conferences.

Anne Jayne, Jayne Barnard, Ann Cooney
Board of Directors

April Speaker and Announcements

Hi, Inksters and Friends


Apologies if you're getting multiple copies of this announcement over the past week. Some mail servers are currently rejecting mail from our mail host due to spammers (not us) abusing the system.

April Speaker: Susan Calder on the post-sale editing process. Susan's first mystery novel Deadly Fall was accepted for publication last spring. She was immediately assigned an editor and plunged into the process of whipping the novel into publishable shape. Susan will share the joys and challenges of working with your editor after the novel's acceptance. 7 p.m. on April 14 at Owl's Nest books.


This month's guest blogger is Alberta playwright, personality and YA mystery author Marty Chan, encapsulating for those of us who missed his AWCS workshop the rationale behind his low-key promotional style.

Meeting Marty Chan



Arthur Ellis Awards Shortlist Event 2011


Join us for the announcement of the shortlist for Canada’s national award for crime writing. Hear author readings by local mystery writers Jayne Barnard, Susan Calder, Linda Kupecek and Garry Ryan. Come and join the conversation.

Presented by Calgary Public Library and the Crime Writers of Canada.
Thursday April 28
6.30-7.30pm
Calgary Public Library
Central Library
Main Floor
New and Notable Area
No registration required


In other news:

The Alexandra Writers' Centre Society Spring Session begins April 20th with a wide array of courses, workshops and weekend intensives. Included this session are 8 week courses in Creative Writing, Novel, Short Story, Humour, and Writing for Young Markets with Shirlee-Smith Matheson. Last year's INK speaker Caroline Russell-King offers a weekend intensive in playwriting; INK member Susan Calder will teach a Dynamic Dialogue workshop on Saturday, April 23.

For a full course list and more information visit: www.alexandrawriters.org or phone 403-264-4730.


The Shuswap Writers' Festival takes place May 27-29 in Salmon Arm, BC. This year's presenters and workshop leaders include mystery authors William Deverell and Michael Slade.



And TWO short story contests upcoming:


The Wolfe Island "Scene of the Crime"

SHORT MYSTERY STORY CONTEST, 2011
• Contest open to Canadian citizens or those resident in
Canada and not previously published in the mystery or crime
fiction genre.

First Prize: $100 Second Prize: $50 Third Prize: $35
Contest Guidelines

Robin Herrington Memorial Short Story Contest

• Adult category: 5000 word limit, prizes: $125, $100 and $75, plus two honourable mentions $25 each
• Student category (author is under 18 years old): 3000 word limit, prizes: $75, $50 and $35 plus two honourable mentions $20 each

Prize winners announced at When Words Collide a festival for readers, writers, artists, and publishers of imaginative fiction — Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller, Romance and other genres.

August 12-14, 2011 in Calgary, AB.


REMINDER: If you have news or upcoming events of general interest to Inksters and other Calgary-area mystery writers and readers, send them to info@mysterywritersink.com for inclusion in the next e-nnoucements.


Jayne Barnard
Secretary-Treasurer
Mystery Writers Ink