WINNER, ARTHUR ELLIS AWARD
Best First Novel of 2008, Buffalo Jump
Awarded by the Crime Writers of Canada
My debut Jonah Geller novel, Buffalo Jump, won Canada’s top crime fiction prize at the Bloody Words gala dinner in Ottawa June 4, 2009: the Arthur Ellis Award, named for Canada’s hangman back when we had one. With me is agent Helen Heller, who drove me like a rented mule for 14 months to make it a much better book.
WINNER, ARTHUR ELLIS AWARD
Best Novel of 2009, High Chicago
Awarded by the Crime Writers of Canada
High Chicago was named Best Novel of 2009 at the Arthur Ellis Awards gala in Toronto May 27th, 2010, which happened to be my first-born son’s 13th birthday — not insignificant for a Jewish family. No other author had ever won Arthurs for best first novel and best novel in consecutive years.* Winning the awards gave me greater profile and opportunities at book fairs and other events.
*My friend Jon Redfern, one of the nicer people you’ll meet in the book world, did it for consecutive books a few years apart.
FINALIST, ARTHUR ELLIS AWARD
Best Novel of 2013, Miss Montreal
Awarded by the Crime Writers of Canada
I was thrilled to be nominated for a third Arthur Ellis best novel award for Miss Montreal in 2013. I didn’t win it this time but I got to present the best first novel award and have dinner with Random House editor Paul Taunton, left. His edits made Boston Cream and Miss Montreal better in every respect.
FINALIST, BONY BLITHE AWARD
Best Light Mystery of 2013, Miss Montreal
Awarded by the Crime Writers of Canada
I was also thrilled to be nominated for the Crime Writers’ Bony Blithe award for “Best Light Mystery” for Miss Montreal in 2013.
And mildly puzzled.
It has its funny moments — I like to think all my books do — but it does open with Jonah finding out an old friend was beaten to death and mutilated in what could be a hate crime. Plus it has ex-hit man Dante in a foul mood after being turfed by his wife.
Darkly funny? Sure. Light? You decide.
WINNER, TORONTO STAR SHORT STORY CONTEST 2021
My new story “Done with Him” won the Toronto Star Short Story Contest, one of the largest such contests in Canada. More than a thousand people entered this year. Faculty at the Humber College School for Writing winnowed them down to three finalists, who were then ranked by a panel of five judges. I was thrilled to hear my name called during a virtual ceremony April 22nd and to have been given the opportunity to do an audio recording. My sincere thanks to everyone at The Star, Humber College and the Toronto Public Library for sponsoring the contest and contributing such a generous prize.
