The SCBA Mystery Awards

Last weekend the Southern California Booksellers Association handed out prizes for Best in Fiction and Best in Mystery in 2004–although really, the eligibility goes from summer 2003 to summer 2004. Terrill Lankford was one of the nominees, and his take on the ceremony appears at Ed Gorman’s blog:

In the most stunning upset since last Tuesday, Edward Wright ran off

with the Southern California Booksellers Association prize for Best

Mystery of 2004 for his novel WHILE I DISAPPEAR at the gala awards

event thrown down in Long Beach Saturday Night. Paula Woods, Denise

Hamilton, Jacqueline Winspear and I had to console ourselves with good

company and lots of drinks. I had my speech all prepared – and I got to

use it. It went like this: “It was an honor just to be nominated.” I’ve

been practicing that speech since I found out my book had been selected

as a nominee back in August. It was rolling off the tongue very easily

after three months of practice.

Read on for a rather harrowing highway trip, and how packing in a bunch of crime writers into one car produces amusing results.