Ruth and Jon Jordan aren’t mystery writers, but they are mystery writers’ — particularly debut authors — dream. And the Mystery Writers of America has recognized that by presenting the Jordans with its Raven Award for “outstanding achievement in the mystery field outside the realm of creative writing.”
Yesterday’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story quoted detective fiction writer Laura Lippman as saying, “They have created and run conferences, opened their home to writers traveling on thin budgets. Their enthusiasm for crime-writing is like some magical force that leaks into the water supply and creates other enthusiasts.”
Said novelist Hilary Davidson who nominated the Jordans for the Raven Award, in the same article: “I really think of them as the heart and soul of the crime fiction community.”
Included in the criteria MWA said in its announcement in considering the Jordans for the award was Crimespree Magazine, a bimonthly publication about mystery writing. “The magazine is devoted to promoting writers who are not (yet) household names.”
“If I have a choice between a debut author, or somebody with their second book out, or the latest Michael Connelly, the truth is Michael doesn’t need our help,” Jon Jordan said in the JS story.
Among the awards the Council for Wisconsin Writers will present at its Awards Banquet in May is the Christopher Latham Sholes Award, which recognizes a Wisconsin resident for outstanding encouragement and support of Wisconsin writers. More information about that and CWW is at www.wiswriters.org.