Crime Writers of the Canadian Plains

Crime Writers from Alberta surf the Coastal Crime Wave at Bloody Words 2011.
With support from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Anne and Jayne profile the authors, the books, the panels and the people at Canada's only national crime writers convention.

The Panelists


Moderator Anthony Bidulka

Would you cross this man?

The Russell Quant series is a multi award nominee including for the Crime Writers of Canada Arthur Ellis Award and Saskatchewan Book Award. The second book in the series, Flight of Aquavit, was awarded the Lambda Literary Award for Best Men’s Mystery.








Tony rides herd Friday, June 3 over the

'Writing the Open Range' panel at Bloody Words:





Panelist Sharon Wildwind



Sharon, a nurse, lives in Calgary and writes the Elizabeth Pepperhawk - Avivah Rosen series,  a Vietnam-War era set of mysteries about a nurse, a military policewoman and their combat-hardened pal Benny. A fascinating look at attitudes and anguish of a time almost forgotten only 40 years later. Sharon is a long-time member of Mystery Writers Ink in Calgary.


Panelist Garry Ryan 


Garry lives in Calgary and writes the Detective Lane series set in that city. A veteran of 30 years teaching teenagers to properly punctuate, he is more laid-back than his previous career would indicate. The fifth book in his series, Malabarista, is coming out this September.




Panelist Joan Donaldson-Yarmey

Joan, a travel writer with seven titles to her credit, used to live in Edmonton. She takes readers off the main roads into rural regions of Alberta with her mystery series starring travel writer Elizabeth Oliver.








Panelist Susan Calder

Susan's debut mystery, Deadly Fall, features insurance adjuster Paula Savard, and has recently been released from TouchWood Editions.