For those of you who have not experienced the thrill of an Edgar A. Poe banquet and awards ceremony, don’t think Oscars. But, don’t think Elks Club meeting or dentist convention either. The banquets I attended are from 1995 through perhaps 2000 or 2001. To be clear, I haven’t been to one for over a decade, and although from what I hear from friends and authors, generally speaking, the dinners and presentations are much the same, I don’t want to presume, so I will speak strictly of my murderous past.
The first time I heard about the Edgar Awards, I was unimpressed. Or maybe a better way of saying it, I wasn’t over the moon with excitement. But, then, I was pretty much a novice in the ‘professional’ world of crime fiction, my experience of managing Foul Play in The Village in NYC hadn’t touched upon this side of bookselling. I was quickly clued in, however, to the prestige and importance of the award itself, and the banquet where the statues were handed out. The first taste of anticipation began with the announcement of the nominees in all categories. I’d begun by that time to really concentrate on the collectible side of selling books, and therefore was eager to learn what new name was nominated for Best First Mystery-because new authors drew the most interest, the most collectibility. Some first time nominees came from the smaller presses, like Walker Publishing. Many were from a larger publisher, but with very small print runs such as St. Martin’s Press. Small publishers with smaller print runs and a nominated author created a boon for booksellers-–if you had said books signed and ready for the customers. And it was my job to make sure we did.
I won’t go into that process, I’ll save the Edgar signings for another time, but this gives you a taste of how the Edgar Awards impacted upon the marketing of nominated books.
I’d not a clue as to what the awards were about. I only understood my boss at the time was very much involved with the world of MWA and the Edgars, and this was his big night, and so that translated it into being my and the other employees big night, because he was gracious enough to invite us to attend. No inexpensive proposition. One pays for the privilege of attending, naturally. You were served dinner and dessert and there was dancing after the last award was bestowed. I dressed appropriately. Everyone was beautifully turned out. Some ladies in evening gowns, the men in black tie. All of a sudden I got it–the Edgar exhilaration. And it didn’t disappoint. All these renowned writers sitting at various publisher’s tables; agents, editors, TV script writers, legendary names. The first Edgar experience was delightful, magical.
As with any repetitive affair, the subsequent banquets were not as sparkly–but only because I now understood I needed to ‘work’ the room–meaning, talk with potential drop in authors for signings. Or for the latest publishing news. A new aspect was added to my experiences, a real stake in who would win. Not in terms of money, but who I thought was the best writer in each category, which book I believed should win. Because it was all about each of our favorites. For me, it was the author I loved selling the most–whose book really hit me, touched me. Who I had met, had a signing with, liked very much as a person. One of the best examples of this was my encounter with Lisa Scottoline–who was MC at Thursday’s banquet. I enjoyed her first original paperback very much. The owner of the crime fiction store did not like original paperbacks. I’ve no idea his stand on them now, but when I was in charge of signings, they were only permitted to be drop-ins, not formals (except for Edgar week,) Lisa was in town for her first paperback, but not scheduled. I had her come up to the huge desk anyway, and sign the stock on hand. She was gracious, kind, and hilarious. When told my grandmother still lived in Philly and I couldn’t remember which part, she had me call my mom and they chatted about the wonders of the city. She was nominated for Best Original Paperback the next year.
Needless to say, come the Awards ceremony, I was silently rooting for her to win! And, she did. So did Laura Lippman, another author I loved selling and met when she was an original paperback writer .
At the banquet, everyone is assigned tables. If you are say, from Law and Order, you had a nice up front spot. If you were a large publisher with one or more nominees, you were closer. If however you are a struggling new author paying for your own spot, you used binoculars from the kitchen.
The evenings festivities reminded me of a wedding: First the cocktails with overlapping and crowded conversation in the open bar; then a sit down dinner (wine was ordered extra) and dessert-many of which were sublime. And instead of a garter being removed, or a bouquet thrown, acclaimed authors presented a bust of Poe to a happy and deserving writer.
After dessert, nominees in a category were read by a terrific writer, the winner’s name announced, the exchanging of Poe, and a lovely short genuine speech delivered. And unless you knew how to dance and weren’t working the next day chock full of hourly Edgar nominee and award winner signings and you weren’t already dead tired, you went home!
Oh, but it was darn exciting waiting for a favorite author’s name to be announced, or not, to congratulate the finest crime fiction writers in the world, and to be in a large electric room full of people you read!
My article is a general one–describing the Edgar banquet. My very personal author encounters and experiences, once again, I’ll leave to the next article.
