Mystery Magazine congratulates Nicole Fratrich for winning our 2018 Emerging Mystery Writer Scholarship! Nicole is an English major at Saint Vincent College in Pennsylvania. You can read her winning short story, "The Key" in our November 2018 issue.

The Emerging Mystery Writer Scholarship aims to support talented young mystery writers by awarding $300 CAD ($250 USD) to one writer on the basis of an unpublished short story. We invite applications from students planning to attend or currently attending a post-secondary institution. The winner will have their story published in Mystery Magazine, and a cash award payable to their registrar for the 2018/19 school term. Please use the contact link at the top of the website if you have any questions.

• There is no cost to enter.
• Applicant must be commencing or continuing their studies at a recognized post-secondary institution in Canada or the United States in 2018/19.
• Applicant must be a Canadian or US citizen.
• Limited to one entry per person.
• Applicant must be 23 years of age or younger as of Jan 1, 2019.
• The Emerging Mystery Writer Scholarship winner will receive the equivalent of $300 CAD ($250 USD) payable to their school's registrar. In the event that the post-secondary institution will not accept it, payment will be made directly to the winner.
• The application period begins January 1, 2018 and ends May 30, 2018. No late applications will be accepted.
• The winner will be notified on August 15, 2018. Honourable mentions may be awarded at the judge's discretion.
• All entries will be pre-screened on originality, structure, and overall writing quality by the editor of Mystery Magazine. A panel of independent judges respected in the crime writing community will vote for the winning story.
• Mystery Magazine reserves the right to publish the winning story and the author's name in our magazine, and to publicize it through all media channels.
• Proof of enrollment must be supplied before the award is paid out. This can consist of a) an enrolment letter or certificate from the institution's registrar, b) an official tuition bill, or c) a schedule of classes.
• The Emerging Mystery Writer Scholarship is a one-time award. Past winners are not eligible to apply again.

• Your story must be a previously unpublished 1000-6000 word mystery written in the English language.
• Avoid excessive profanity, violence and sexual content.
• Any mystery sub-genre is acceptable, including but not limited to: cozy, police procedural, noir, whodunit, supernatural, hardboiled, humour, or historical.
• Back issues of Mystery Magazine can be read for free at your local library through Flipster. Contact your librarian for details.