Introducing the Stalker Awards

I know there are many awards out there for crime fiction, but most require you to be on a panel or part of a certain group in order to vote. I imagine there are many passionate readers and supporters of the genre who don’t belong to any organization so I decided to create the Stalker Awards. They will be given to books we’re obsessed about and the authors who write them, and the only requirement for you to nominate and vote for recipients is that you read crime fiction.

Here’s how it’ll work: I’ll take nominations until 9 p.m. PST, Sunday, May 29 via the form below. Nominees must have been originally published in 2010. Please nominate THREE in each category, with #1 being your favorite, #2 your second favorite, and so on. This is to reduce the chances of a tie. If 50 respondents place 50 different titles in their #1 slot for favorite novel, for example, I’ll look to see which titles also show up as #2 and #3 on people’s lists to determine the highest vote getters.

You don’t have to fill out all categories but if some are tough for you, perhaps you can discuss ideas with fellow genre fans. I hope the process will help you revisit the outstanding crime fiction you read last year or discover books and authors you overlooked. Any questions, leave them in the comments so I can answer them publicly in case others are wondering the same thing.

I’ll announce the nominees on or around June 1, at which time you can vote on them and winners will be revealed mid-June. Spread the word, get your friends to participate, and let the stalking begin!

*Disclaimer: My lawyer (aka my cousin) says I should note that I mean stalking in a tongue-in-cheek way and do not condone the actual criminal act.

I also wanted to thank Katie at KD Designs, the same talented designer who made my ninja blog header, for doing the graphic for this award. Though I abused her with all my specific demands, she was amazingly patient and deft in getting it just right. If you ever have graphic design needs for your website/blog, I’d highly recommend Katie.

*Polls are now closed. Vote on the nominees here.*