Louise Penny and Trudy Nan Boyce are the recipients of the Pinckley Prizes for Crime Fiction

(New Orleans, LA—June 1, 2017)— Louise Penny and Trudy Nan Boyce are the recipients of the Pinckley Prizes for Crime Fiction, named to honor the memory of Diana Pinckley, longtime crime fiction columnist for The New Orleans Times-Picayune. The prizes will be presented September 8, 2017 at The Academy of the Sacred Heart/Nims Fine Arts Center, 4301 St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans. This ticketed event is open to the public.
Bestselling author Louise Penny, the first Canadian to receive the award, is the winner of the Pinckley Prize for Distinguished Body of Work; her appearance in New Orleans is part of her national tour for a new novel. The author of 13 novels in the Armand Gamache series (the latest, Glass Houses, will be published August 29th), “Penny has created a world where most of us would like to live,” the jury said. “In the village of Three Pines, Quebec, readers take refuge and delight among its endearing inhabitants.  Crime may occur, but it never triumphs, not when Gamache is on the case. Penny finds her mantra in the words of W.H. Auden – ‘Goodness exists’ – something we need reminding of in these times.”  “What amazing company – all women whose works I admire and enjoy,” Penny said.  “All trailblazers in an industry we love. As was Diana. It also speaks volumes about Diana and her friends that not only was this award created, but that it celebrated both the established and the emerging. This generation and the next. I’m where I am because of other women in the industry, be they authors, editors, publicists, reviewers, booksellers, librarians. And now we all get to help the luminous new voices.”
Atlanta resident Trudy Nan Boyce wins the Pinckley Prize for Debut Novel for her book Out of the Blues, published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons, the beginning of a series featuring Detective Sara Alt, or “Salt.” Boyce’s experiences as a beat cop, Homicide detective, senior hostage negotiator and lieutenant all add authenticity to her writing, in what the judges called, “This gutsy, confident first novel.”  “What a thrill,” Boyce said. “I am honored to be among such company as the past award recipients and to be chosen by your judges. And, man, do I love New Orleans! I last visited two or three years ago for the French Quarter Festival; stayed in a B & B on Esplanade near Treme. It was, as New Orleans often is, magical. I’ve got a story I’ve been working on for years that is inspired by a coming of age experience I had in New Orleans when I was thirteen.”
The Prizes were launched in 2012 by the Women’s National Book Association of New Orleans to honor Diana Pinckley, who was a founding member, as well as a civic activist who gave her time and energy to local and national causes. WNBA-NO, composed of writers, librarians, publishers, and booklovers, was founded in 2011, as a local affiliate of the national group, which began in 1917.  The judges for Debut Novel this year were novelist Jean Redmann, author of the Micky Knight and Nell McGraw series; Mary McCay, author/editor of books about Rachel Carson, Ellen Gilchrist, and Walker Percy; and journalist Susan Larson, host of “The Reading Life” on WWNO-FM. Previous Pinckley Prize winners include Laura Lippman, Nevada Barr, and Sara Paretsky for Distinguished Body of Work, along with Gwen Florio, Adrianne Harun, and Christine Carbo for Debut Novel.
Penny and Boyce will each receive a $2,500 cash award, as well as a beautiful paper rosette fashioned from the pages of their books, created by New Orleans artist Yuka Petz.  For tickets to the event go to: OctaviaBooks.com Tickets are exchanged for a copy of Louise Penny’s newest book Glass Houses. For more information: pinckleyprizes.org.
Submissions for 2018 Debut Novel Prize open June 1, 2017.

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