The
Fish Award is given annually for the best first mystery story
by a previously unpublished American author.
In
another first, Ammons was named an Edgar Nominee for Best Short
Story of 2007, a category traditionally dominated by well-known
writers. This is the first time since the Fish Award was established
in 1984 that the Fish Award winner has also been an Edgar nominee.
The Edgar Awards, the mystery world's equivalent of the Academy
Awards, will be presented at a gala in New York City on May 1st.
Mark
Ammons is a stage director, producer and script doctor. Ammons
has taught acting, directing, dramatic literature, and executive
image management at numerous area institutions including Tufts,
Northeastern, and MIT's Sloan School of Management. He is currently
guest professor of contemporary drama at the Boston Conservatory.
Ammons recently finished an action screenplay, a comic self-help
"business" book with co-author J.R. Rivera, and is finishing
a full-length mystery novel. "The Catch" is his first
published fiction.
Ammons'
quintessential Boston story is one of twenty-three originals published
in Still Waters: Crime Stories by New England Writers,
the fifth crime story collection by New England writers from Prides
Crossing-based publisher Level Best Books. Level Best is the cooperative
venture of New England writers Kate Flora, Ruth McCarty, and Susan
Oleksiw.
"We
are delighted with Mark's success. All three of us knew his story
was special when we first read it, and it richly deserves the
recognition it has received," Oleksiw said when hearing of
the award and nomination. “We feel a little bit like David
and Goliath, having one of our writers included in the top five
crime stories in the country for 2007. But being a small press
lets us give close attention to the selection of our writers.
We take a special pleasure discovering new voices.”
Still
Waters: Crime Stories by New England Writers
Level Best Books
ISBN: 0-97809700984-4-3 Trade Paper $15.00
Trade Paperback $15.00
www.LevelBestBooks.com
