The crime writing genre’s oldest and most famous award has had an injection of new blood thanks to a new sponsor.
The ghostwriters and editing firm Kevin Anderson & Associates are the new sponsors of the coveted Crime Writers’ Association’s (CWA) Gold Dagger.
The Gold Dagger recognises the best crime novel of the year, and has been given annually since 1960; between 1955 and 1959, it was called the Crossed Red Herring Award.
Since its inception it’s been
awarded to iconic authors, including John le Carré, P.D. James, Colin Dexter,
and Ruth Rendell, who won it a record four times.
More recent awardees include
Mick Herron, Ann Cleeves, Ian Rankin, and Chris Whitaker.
Kevin Anderson & Associates is a premier editorial services firm specialising in ghostwriting, editing, and publishing consultation for ambitious authors. Staffed by Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling publishing professionals, it operates in the UK and USA, empowering authors on their publishing journey with ghost-writing services, book editing, book coaching and writer retreats.
Kevin Anderson, CEO and Editor-in-Chief, said: “We’re very proud to sponsor the CWA Gold Dagger, one of the most esteemed awards in crime fiction. Celebrating outstanding storytelling and literary excellence, the values of the prize align perfectly with our mission to empower authors through our top-tier book coaching, ghostwriting, and editorial services, along with our deep commitment to helping authors to achieve their publishing dreams.”
One of the UK’s most prominent writers’ societies, the CWA was founded by the prolific author John Creasey in 1953.
In 1956, it hosted its first
awards ceremony for the best crime book of the year, which went to Winston
Graham, best known for Poldark.
Agatha Christie was the principal guest.
Heather Fitt, General Co-ordinator at the CWA, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Kevin Anderson & Associates for supporting the Gold Dagger. As a membership organisation, the support of authors and organisations who work in the genre is crucial. It helps us deliver these prestigious annual awards, which in turn puts new and emerging authors on the map, as well as celebrating established talent.”
The prestigious Dagger awards celebrate the best in crime writing and has 13 Dagger Awards in total.
It recognises established authors with the Diamond Dagger for careers marked by sustained excellence to new talent, with the Emerging Author Dagger, open to unpublished authors. To date, agents and editors have signed over two dozen of these emerging authors.
Other sponsors of the awards include the family-owned company that looks after the James Bond literary brand, Ian Fleming Publications, who sponsor the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for best thriller, the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS), a not-for profit organisation that supports authors to receive fair payment, sponsor the ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction.
Sponsors of the John Creasey First Novel Dagger is the intellectual property specialists, International Literary Properties (ILP). Other sponsors include the author Maxim Jakubowski in honour of his wife Dolores, the editorial consultancy Fiction Feedback, and Morgan Witzel in memory of his wife, the writer Dr Marilyn Livingstone.
The CWA’s founding aims were to
provide a social network, as well as help crime writers with business matters.
Today, the CWA’s determination to promote the genre remains central to its
mission.
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