Mystery Writers of America is an organization of professional mystery writers.

The MWA NorCal Chapter, which covers the territory above the 36th parallel of California and Nevada, meets approximately 8-9 times per year.

Saturday, August 9, 11:30 AM
Lunch at John’s Grill, Home of the Maltese Falcon
63 Ellis Street (between Stockton and Powell), San Francisco
Guest speaker: San Francisco PI Sandra Sutherland

Sandra Sutherland began her career working for legendary San Francisco P.I. Hal Lipset and later formed, along with her husband Jack Palladino, one of the nation's premier investigative firms. Over the years, she has been involved in high-profile cases such as the Patty Hearst kidnapping, the Jonestown masssacres and the first Michael Jackson child abuse case. Originally from Australia, she and her husband work out of an imposing late Victorian home in Haight-Ashbury.

RSVP by Aug. 7 to scsauthor (at) mac.com and indicate your preference: vegetarian pasta, club sandwich or chicken caesar salad. $22 members/$25 guests; checks preferred (please make them to NorCal MWA).

Congratulations to Patricia Morin, whose short story, "In the Rough," won third place at the Deadly Ink short story contest.

Congratulations to NorCal members David Corbett, Rhys Bowen and Steve Hockensmith, who all received Anthony Award nominations! Corbett was nominated for his novel Blood of Paradise (Best Paperback Original), while Bowen and Hockensmith received Best Short Story nominations for "Please Watch Your Step" (The Strand Magazine, Spring '07) and "Dear Dr. Watson" (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine), respectively. Kudos also go to Louise Ure and Simon Wood, bloggers at Murderati, which was nominated for Best Mystery Website. The Anthonys will be presented at Bouchercon in Baltimore, Md., in October.

David Corbett and Rhys Bowen also received Macavity Award nominations for Blood of Paradise (Best Mystery Novel) and Her Royal Spyness (Sue Feder Memorial Historical Mystery Award), and Bowen's "Please Watch Your Step" was nominated for the Best Short Story Macavity. Other NorCal members nominated for the Macavity Award, which is voted on by members of Mystery Readers International: Tim Maleeny, whose Stealing the Dragon was nominated for Best First Novel, and Clare Langley-Hawthorne, who received a Sue Feder Memorial Historical Mystery Award nomination for Consequences of Sin.

Congratulations to Gillian Roberts, whose short story "The Old Wife's Tale" (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, March-April 2007) was nominated for a Barry Award. The Barrys are presented by Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine and Mystery News. The story has also been nominated for a Best Short Story Macavity Award.

Congratulations to our members with new books out! To share your news on the web site, please e-mail the Web Coordinator, Susan C. Shea, at scsauthor (at) mac.com.

Judgment Day Sheldon Siegel

We All Fall Down Simon Wood

Nox Dormienda Kelli Stanley