Edith here, still north of Boston, pining away for her friends.
This is Sherry butting into Edith’s post to celebrate Edith’s winning the Agatha Award for Best Historical novel for Charity’s Burden! Way to go Edith — I’m so thrilled for you!
Liz: Ditto! Super congrats, Edith – the first of the Wickeds to actually WIN!
Jessie: This is such a bright spot of news! Super congratulations, Edith! I am so pleased for you!
Barb: About effing time! Note to readers: This is a Wickeds inside joke. Oh sure, Edith is gracious and grateful. But we have been bridesmaids at someone else’s wedding 13 times between us! (See below. I counted.) So we’re allowed a little crazy dancing and shouting. Go, Edith, go.
Julie: Edith, I screamed and clapped when your name was mentioned. Huge congratulations, my friend. Can’t wait till we can celebrate in person!
The Agatha Awards were announced virtually on Saturday night by the Malice Domestic committee. The in-person conference in North Bethesda – a favorite of the Wickeds – of course had to be canceled, but the voting took place regardless. Anyone registered for this year’s conference received a digital ballot.
All of the Wickeds have received an Agatha nomination over the years:
2014: Liz for Best First Novel; Barb for Best Contemporary Novel; Barb for Best Short Story
2015: Sherry for Best First Novel; Edith for Best Short Story
2016: Julie (as Julianne Holmes) for for Best First Novel; Edith for Best Short Story
2017: Barb for Best Contemporary Novel; Jessie and Edith for Best Historical Novel; Edith for Best Short Story
2018: Jessie and Edith for Best Historical Novel
2019: Edith for Best Historical Novel
Alas, none of us won. This year my Charity’s Burden was nominated for Best Historical Novel, my seventh nomination and fourth in the Quaker Midwife Mysteries series.
And…I won! I am still so very stunned and delighted and grateful. It was very strange to be home with only one other person (who congratulated me and then returned to his den) instead of at the Malice banquet and at the bar afterward. I’ll get my teapot – and all the hugs – next year, and you can believe that baby’s going to get place of honor in my office.
We want to congratulate all the other winners:
Best Contemporary Novel: The Long Call by Ann Cleeves
Best First Novel: One Night Gone by Tara Laskowski
Best Nonfiction: The Mutual Admiration Society: How Dorothy L. Sayers and her Oxford Circle Remade the World for Women by Mo Moulton
Best Children/Young Adult: The Last Crystal by Frances Schoonmaker
And all the other nominees who wrote such wonderful books and stories.
Best Short Story: “The Last Word” by Shawn Reilly Simmons, Malice Domestic 14: Mystery Most Edible
Readers: How did you feel about not being able to go to Malice this year, if you were registered? Do you have another favorite conference or convention?