Mystery Writers of America 73rd Annual Edgar Awards Dinner Focus on “True Crime and the Writers It Inspires” My Author Essay Inclusion for the Annual Program
May 15, 2019
Los Angeles, California
A few months back I was contacted by MWA’s Kris Montee (Edgar Banquet Chair and Annual Editor) and asked if I would be willing to contribute a short essay for the 73rd Anniversary Annual Program for the upcoming 2019 Edgar Awards Ceremonies. to be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on April 25, 2019.
As a former Edgar nominee, in the Best Fact Crime category, I was honored by the request. My essay, “Following The Equator: A Journey Around the World” printed in the 73rd Anniversary Annual is reproduced below.
Click for PDF Hodel Essay, “Following The Equator: A Journey Around the Word”
Steve’s Essay PDF mwa anniversary annual skh essay
Below link shows 2019 Nominees and winners in red.
2019 Edgar Award Nominees and Winners
Great essay, Steve.
Yes, I agree, the old saw (Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction – TISTF) is both believable and frightening.
I can personally attest to the TISTF dichotomy as both a fiction writer and true-crime author. Yet I find it hard to believe that your years of meticulous investigation, research, and interviews (all provided in your book regarding the life and murders of Dr. George Hill Hodel) did not guarantee your Edgar win.
It seems that sometimes ‘we’ can only take so much ‘true strangeness’ in a true-crime book until that ‘strangeness’ overwhelms the ability to accept reality. Ironically in such cases disbelief grows gruesome fact by more gruesome fact until it is safer for the mind to think truth is fantasy (i.e., fiction). Faced with such horrific details it is perhaps reasonable to assume that some will take comfort in celebrating the telling of a true-crime story just a little less ‘strange’ than the paradigm-shifting serial murders of GHH.
RJS: Thanks for the very kind words, my friend. Means a lot especially since you are such a talented mystery and true crime author. Grateful for your continued support. steve
Well done bro!
Kelvin H: Thanks Kelly.
Steve that’s a awesome essay and it goes to show ” you can’t make this up & and the” truth is stranger than fiction “. Keep up the great work.
Steve R: Thanks Steve, much appreciated. I ain’t stopping now. Best, steve
Steve: The crazy thing is, your pitch leaves out most of the really wild stuff — “Murder as a Fine Art,” the Three Amigos, cracking the two biggest cold cases of the twentieth century, perhaps one of the most tragic miscarriages of justice in US history (Heirens), the LAPD cover-up, your role in figuring this out, and on and on it goes… -LW
LW: Yep. Well “JB” stopped him cold before “AA” could get to the second reel. He’d heard enough to be certain AA was “certifiable.” Ah Well.
Good answer back in return of this issue with real arguments and explaining everything on the topic of that.
Awesome article it is definitely. My father has been looking for this update.