2009 Hillerman Competition

GUIDELINES FOR THE 2009 HILLERMAN MYSTERY COMPETITON POSTED

From The Desk of Hector De Jean – PR Manager at Minotaur Books -

4/17/09 -- WORDHARVEST Writers Workshops and Thomas Dunne Books/ Minotaur Books announced today that updated guidelines for the Hillerman Mystery Competition are available online. The Tony Hillerman Prize is awarded annually to the best unpublished mystery set in the Southwest written by a first-time author.

Among the changes of note, the contest is now accepting stories set in Southern California, and the deadline is now June 1st, 2009 (it was previously announced at July 1st). Complete guidelines can be found here

Previous winners of the competition include Roy Chaney’s The Ragged End of Nowhere, coming out in the fall of 2009, and Christine Barber’s The Replacement Child, available in stores now.

Anne Hillerman, Tony Hillerman’s daughter, launched the first Tony Hillerman Writers Conference: Focus on Mystery in 2003 through the business which she co-founded (with Jean Schaumberg), WORDHARVEST Writers Workshops. The conference highlights writing by Southwestern authors.

Tony Hillerman’s Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee mysteries, set on the Navajo reservation, were the first “regional” mysteries to become national bestsellers. His work has been praised by reviewers and the Navajo Nation for its ability to combine Navajo traditions and beliefs with a well-told mystery story. Hillerman’s writing reflects his appreciation for the natural wonders and stark beauty of the American Southwest and its people, particularly the Navajo. His books have been translated into many languages and frequently make the New York Times bestseller list. At age 83, Hillerman passed away on October 26, 2008.

Thomas Dunne Books and Minotaur Books are imprints of St. Martin’s Press, which is a subsidiary of Macmillan.