September 2026 Meeting

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Beyond the Book: Making Some Noise
Creative ways to get your writing noticed, build buzz and connect with readers

Writing the story is only part of the journey. How do you get people to notice it—and, better yet, talk about it?

In this practical and engaging session, Alexis St-Cyr will explore creative ways writers can build interest around their work and connect with readers. Using real examples from A Capital Mystery and A Capital Mystery 2, she’ll look at how storytelling, social media, visual content, partnerships and collective promotion can help create engagement and build momentum—without making marketing feel like a second full-time job.

Because it all starts with giving people a reason to care, connect and share.

Alexis St-Cyr is a writer, communications and event strategist, and founder of Kanvas Events by Design, where she brings together storytelling, strategy and creative design to help ideas connect with the people they are meant to reach.

With experience spanning communications, events, social media, visual storytelling and audience engagement, Alexis has a particular interest in finding creative ways to build momentum around stories and the people behind them. She has worked closely with Capital Crime Writers on the promotion of A Capital Mystery and is currently helping shape the promotional campaign for A Capital Mystery 2.

June 2026

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Capital Crime Writers is pleased to announce the winners of the 2026
Audrey Jessup Award.

Thanks to an anonymous donor, this year the Honourable Mentions were
awarded a prize of $50.

First Place: Kathy MacLellan for Maid of Orleans
Second Place: Wynn Quon for The Case of the Violin-Shaped Object
Third Place: Grace Quon for Secrets and Silence
Honourable Mention: Jennifer Jorgensen for A Bad Pairing
Honourable Mention: Suzan Mandla for Lucky Charm

The dinner was held at Biagio’s Kitchen, on Richmond Road in Ottawa. We’d like to
thank them for delicious food and excellent service from Abby. Thank you
also, for Art Pittman for arranging the restaurant.

From left to right: Madona Skaff, President Capital Crime Writers, Wynn Quon, Kathy MacLellan. Grace Quon, Jennifer Jorgensen and Ross Fattori.

Suzan Mandla who could not be present at the dinner.

Short Story Contest – Finalists

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Here are the finalists for the 2026 Audrey Jessup Short Story Contest (in no particular order):

· A Bad Pairing (Jennifer Jorgensen)

· Lucky Charm (Suzan Mandla)

· Maid of Orleans (Kathy MacLellan)

· The Case of the Violin-Shaped Object (Wynn Quon)

· Secrets and Silence (Grace Quon)

The winners will be announced at the June meeting.

May 2026 Meeting

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Forensic Science at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with Vivian Lo on Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at 7 pm. PLEASE NOTE THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE RECORDED.

Vivian Lo is a Forensic Strategist at the Forensic Assessment Centre of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. She has worked at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for the past 11 years. She graduated from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master’s degree in Cellular and Molecular Medicine.  

April 2026 Meeting

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What Authors Want, What Publishers Want with Ron Corbett on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at 7 pm.

Ron Corbett is a writer, journalist, broadcaster and co-founder of Ottawa Press and Publishing. He is the author of seven nonfiction books, including Canadian bestseller The Last Guide. His fiction work includes the Danny Barret crime novels (The Sweet Goodbye; Cape Rage) as well as Edgar®-nominated Ragged Lake, part of the Frank Yakabuski mysteries.

As a publisher, Ron has published some of the most popular local books in Ottawa, including the Ottawa Road Trips series, the Ottawa Rewind series, and the Sgt. Windflower mystery series. He lives in Ottawa, Canada.

Author Ron Corbett
(Photo by Julie Oliver)

March 2026 Meeting

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Craig Johnson’s Journey as a Writer: An Interview with Craig Johnson on Thursday March 26, 2026 at 7 pm.

Craig Johnson is the New York Times bestselling author of the Walt Longmire mystery novels, the basis for Longmire, the hit Netflix original drama. His books have won numerous awards in America and abroad: The Western Writers of America’s Owen Wister and Spur Awards, the Wyoming Historical Association Book of the Year, the Will Rogers Medallion Awards, Publishers Weekly’s Book of the Year, Library Journal’s Best Book of the Year, Le Prix du Polar Nouvel Observateur/Bibliobs, Le Prix 813, and the SNCF Prix de Polar. The Spirit of Steamboat, Johnson’s first novella was selected by the Wyoming State Library as the inaugural One Book Wyoming. Craig Johnson lives in Ucross, Wyoming, population 26.

Craig Johnson’s 22nd novel in the Walt Longmire mystery series, The Brothers McKay, will be available on May 26, 2026.

The format of this meeting will be a structured Q&A session (with Art Pittman interviewing Craig Johnson), followed by an opportunity for other members to ask their own questions.

February 2026 Meeting

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Shaking It Up: How Vicki Delany Kept Her Writing Career Growing By Moving Between Genres by Vicki Delany, Wednesday, February 11, 2026, 7 pm.

Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most prolific crime writers and a national bestseller in the U.S; author of more than fifty books. She is currently writing the Tea by the Sea mysteries, the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series, the Year-Round Christmas mysteries, and the Lighthouse Library series (as Eva Gates).

She is a past chair of the Crime Writers of Canada and co-founder and organizer of the Women Killing It Crime Writing Festival.  She is the recipient of the 2019 Derrick Murdoch Award for contributions to Canadian crime writing and will be the Cozy Guest of Honor at Bouchercon in Calgary in 2026.  Vicki lives in Prince Edward County, Ontario.

January 2026 Meeting

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Writing Crime-Fiction in the First-Person by Alexis Stefanovich-Thomson, Wednesday, January 14, 2026 at 7 pm.

Alexis Stefanovich-Thomson is a writer living in Toronto. His novella “The Man Who Went Down Under” won the Black Orchid Novella Award and the Crime Writers of Canada Best Novella Award. His first novel, The Road to Heaven, was nominated for an Edgar Award and a Shamus Award.

December Meeting

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We had a wonderful time chatting with fellow members at our December in-person meeting. Then after an enjoyable meal, we were treated to an interesting talk, filled with great tips by Bernadette Cox.

An audio recording of Bernadette’s talk will be up on the Members Only section of our website by Saturday.

Thank you to those that came to the dinner, and we missed everyone that would have joined us if not for the snowstorm. A special thanks to the executive who are the reason CCW runs so smoothly. Many thanks as well to the Kallisto Greek & Mediterranean Grill restaurant for hosting us.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Chanuka and the best of the Season!

See you next year – on Zoom!