The Black Orchid Novella Contest: Deadline May 31

The Black Orchid Novella Contest

Celebrating the novella format, this contest encourages original, unpublished works that conform to the mystery genre’s traditional forms, specifically inspired by the Nero Wolfe series. The contest is designed to highlight the novella, requiring submissions that are tight and engaging, devoid of explicit content.

Deadline: May 31
Categories: The mystery should be “traditional” in flavor; the crime must be solved using the deductive abilities of the sleuths (no coincidences); and the killer must be known to the victim.
Prizes: First Prize: $1,000 and publication in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine
For More Info: The Black Orchid Novella Contest

Novellas are an important part of Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe opus. To celebrate this format, the Wolfe Pack and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine have partnered to sponsor the Black Orchid Novella Award.

Jane K. Cleland, a long-term Wolfe Pack member, is the chair of the event. “At every mystery conference and event I attend, people are excited about the opportunity to write a novella—and they’re excited about the great prize—$1,000 from Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine—plus, of course, publication in the magazine!”

Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine editor, Linda Landrigan, explains, “We’re delighted to be associated with the Wolfe Pack. And we’re thrilled to participate in this award.”

Heed the words of Linda Landrigan, editor-in-chief of AHMM. She says, “We need to stress that a novella is not a padded short story. A novella needs to be as tight and fast-paced as a short story or a novel. Authors need to ensure that the story they want to tell is properly sized for whatever format they choose.”

Good luck!

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