ROSEMARY:
Today we're visiting with Stefanie Pintoff, whose extraordinary debut novel In The Shadow of Gotham won the Edgar for Best First Novel 2010. Stefanie shares some thoughts on how things have changed - and how they've stayed the same - since winning the mystery community's most prestigious award.
STEFANIE: It was a year ago this month that Mystery Writers of America awarded my debut mystery
In the Shadow of Gotham an Edgar® Award for Best First Novel. I never expected Edgar himself – a ceramic painted bust of Edgar Allan Poe – to come home with me. But today Edgar sits on the third shelf of my living room bookcase with my name emblazoned on his gold plate. My subsequent books describe me as an
“Edgar® award-winning author.” And Edgars night remains the most thrilling moment of my still-in-its-early-stages career. Now that it’s a year later? Sometimes it still doesn’t feel real – but yes, it’s affected my career in ways that are significant. Some call the Edgar the
“Oscar” of the mystery awards field. And it began to affect my career the moment my name was announced as a nominee. You see, many bookstores, libraries, and websites feature each year’s nominee books. Avid mystery readers will make a point of trying each and every book nominated. So
the nomination alone was a huge attention-getter for my book. My sales went up, as people – both ordinary readers and reviewers – decided to give my writing a chance. The win itself attracted similar attention that otherwise would never have come my way – not to mention establishing additional credibility for me as a writer as I move into future projects. But in other ways, nothing has changed.
I like the way I’ve heard fellow Edgar®-winner S.J. Rozan talk in Zen-like terms about the experience of winning an Edgar. Before Edgar: chop wood, carry water. After Edgar: chop wood, carry water. She’s right. The work is the same. The standards are the same. The frame of mind should be the same. Award or no award.
Edgar stares at me every day as I write. 
He reminds me of those who have encouraged my writing efforts in the past – and those who continue to do so. Keep improving. Make each scene, each page, each book better than the last. I’m well aware that some of my favorite authors also launched their careers with a best first Edgar® and went on to have amazing success – Michael Connelly, Steve Hamilton, Laurie King, David Liss, and Jonathan Kellerman among them. But if these past first-novel winners impress us today, it’s not because of that award. It’s because of the
way they continued to write, to improve, to get better with each effort. After all, you're only as good as your last book – Edgar or not.
Best of luck to all 2011 nominees! Stefanie's new book is Secret of the White Rose and it is just as compelling as her Edgar-winning debut novel. Visit her at http://www.stefaniepintoff.com/author.php
STEFANIE: It was a year ago this month that Mystery Writers of America awarded my debut mystery In the Shadow of Gotham an Edgar® Award for Best First Novel. I never expected Edgar himself – a ceramic painted bust of Edgar Allan Poe – to come home with me. But today Edgar sits on the third shelf of my living room bookcase with my name emblazoned on his gold plate. My subsequent books describe me as an “Edgar® award-winning author.” And Edgars night remains the most thrilling moment of my still-in-its-early-stages career. Now that it’s a year later? Sometimes it still doesn’t feel real – but yes, it’s affected my career in ways that are significant. Some call the Edgar the “Oscar” of the mystery awards field. And it began to affect my career the moment my name was announced as a nominee. You see, many bookstores, libraries, and websites feature each year’s nominee books. Avid mystery readers will make a point of trying each and every book nominated. So the nomination alone was a huge attention-getter for my book. My sales went up, as people – both ordinary readers and reviewers – decided to give my writing a chance. The win itself attracted similar attention that otherwise would never have come my way – not to mention establishing additional credibility for me as a writer as I move into future projects. But in other ways, nothing has changed. I like the way I’ve heard fellow Edgar®-winner S.J. Rozan talk in Zen-like terms about the experience of winning an Edgar. Before Edgar: chop wood, carry water. After Edgar: chop wood, carry water. She’s right. The work is the same. The standards are the same. The frame of mind should be the same. Award or no award. Edgar stares at me every day as I write. 
He reminds me of those who have encouraged my writing efforts in the past – and those who continue to do so. Keep improving. Make each scene, each page, each book better than the last. I’m well aware that some of my favorite authors also launched their careers with a best first Edgar® and went on to have amazing success – Michael Connelly, Steve Hamilton, Laurie King, David Liss, and Jonathan Kellerman among them. But if these past first-novel winners impress us today, it’s not because of that award. It’s because of the 
way they continued to write, to improve, to get better with each effort. After all, you're only as good as your last book – Edgar or not. Best of luck to all 2011 nominees! Stefanie's new book is Secret of the White Rose and it is just as compelling as her Edgar-winning debut novel. Visit her at http://www.stefaniepintoff.com/author.php
