PAST EVENTS
PAST EVENTS
December 2021
Thanks to Jane Cleland at the Wolfe Pack—that’s the Official Nero Wolfe Literary Society—and Linda Landrigan at Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine for their help and support. Congratulations to other winners that night -- Tom Larsen, David Baldacci, and Stephen Spotswood. It was such a blast to go to New York to receive the award.
April 2022
Thank you to the Toronto Star and the Yorkville Toronto Public Library for hosting this competition. And congratulations to Nina Dunic (first place) and Sara Mang (second place). My story, “The Unfinished Book,” placed third. It was great to see my work in print.
July 2022
So exciting to see my novella in print. A big thank you to Linda Landrigan and Jackie Sherbow at Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine for their help editing support. What an honour to have “The Man Who Went Down Under” published in one of the most prestigious and established mystery magazines.
September 2022
Many thanks to Mechelle, Deepa and Anna, and the whole team at Emerging Writers Reading Series. I was so grateful for their support in my first public reading. I read “Close to Home,” the flash fiction story of a drunk driver falling asleep at a red light with home in sight.
January 2023
Thank you to Janet Kuypers at cc&d magazine/scars tv for choosing to publish my ghost story, “What Marcy Thought.”
March 2023
So honoured for "The Man Who Went Down Under" to be included in the Crime Writers of Canada list of finalists in their Best Novella Category.
March 2023
Very happy to have my flash fiction, "His Own Blood", published in Toasted Cheese Literary Journal. Thank you to Theryn and the editorial team at Toasted Cheese.
April 2023
Some big news in my life. I signed a contract with Dundurn Press to publish my novel, The Road to Heaven, a maple-noir mystery set in Toronto in 1965.
Thanks so much to acquiring editor Megan Beadle at Dundurn for reading my manuscript, giving me a chance, and signing me up—for all her help and support.
May 2023
The Crime Writers of Canada Judges Comments:
Duckworth Detective Agency is on the case. The novella pulls the reader in with a dramatic statement: Dalton Duckworth, a young Private Investigator, might have to travel to Australia to find a massive yellow diamond. It has been stolen right off the head of Joy, a wealthy philanthropist. As he dreams of Down Under, Detective Duckworth takes us from the chatter and safety of his mother’s kitchen to the leathery faces and curling mustaches in the world of crime. His mother charms us with her sassy opinions: “…girls like that don’t have brothers. They shed them somewhere just west of Wichita,” and “No one comes back from Australia… it’s a destination, not a starting point.” It becomes clear that she is the brains behind the operation.
Winner of the 2023 Crime Writers of Canada Novella Award for "The Man Who Went Down Under"
Thank you so much to the Crime Writers of Canada and to Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine for publishing the story.
January 2023
Had a great time at the Ontario Library Association Super Conference on January 26th at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Had the chance to meet many librarians and sign and share advance reading copies of The Road to Heaven. Even had a chance to speak on the “Canadians Can be Villains, Too, Eh” at the IdeaHub. Thanks to the publicity team at Dundurn for making this happen.
November 2023
GoodReads
I’m on Goodreads! I have an author page and The Road to Heaven is getting reviews! Thanks to all the readers who have rated and reviewed The Road to Heaven. Look forward to seeing you there.
April 2024
Really excited to have my short story "Let There Be Light" included in the first volume The Familiars Magazine. Thank you to Parker, Rachel and Madison for making this happen, for hosting such a great launch in Sauga City and for starting this new and exciting journal.
June 25, 2024
Book Launch
Thanks so much to everyone who came out to support me for the launch of The Road to Heaven. It was a great welcome for The Road to Heaven. Special thanks to host Emily Kellogg, Dundurn Press and Another Story Bookshop for their support in making the day everything it could be. And one last thanks to my daughter Ava for all her support with logistics, set-up, and coaching!
July 11, 2024
Signing Next Contract
So excited to share that I have just signed the contract with Dundurn Press for the publication of the second instalment in the Patrick Bird Mystery Series. Called Opposite Sully’s Gym, this follow up to The Road to Heaven, features a missing tenant, an irate mother-in-law, a suspicious death, and an international assassin hiding out in a Toronto rooming house, and, of course, the artless Patrick Bird.
July 18, 2024
Check out my interview about The Road to Heaven at Open Book. “As the winner of the 2023 Crime Writers of Canada Best Crime Novella Award, author Alexis Stefanovich-Thomson knows how to grip a reader and draw them into a mystery with a deft literary hand. He moves from strength to strength in his latest novel, a work of noir set against the backdrop of 1960's Toronto, in the famed Parkdale neighbourhood.”
July 24, 2024
See my blog post at Dundurn Press for a teaser about what might be coming next for Patrick Bird: “The Road to Heaven ends, the sun is setting on Queen Street, and the bright light reflects from a plate-glass window opposite; it’s the summer of 1965, and Patrick Bird is twenty-four years old. The world still has a lot in store for the city and its young detective.
July 30 2024
I’m very excited to share that I have signed on with agent Julia Kim at The Rights Factory, and am looking forward to working with her on my future projects.
September 12, 2024
Brews and Clues
I read from The Road to Heaven and answered questions at @desmondpryan Brews and Clues on Thursday, September 12th at Stout Irish Pub. Such a fun time with so many mystery readers.
September 29, 2024
I was at Word on the Street on Sunday September 29 promoting The Road to Heaven. It was great to meet so many readers at the Dundurn tent. Thanks to Erin and Maria for all their help.
Check back here for information about new happenings or contact me to stay in touch.