Like any good ideas, the Scarlet Stiletto Award for women’s crime writing was over a few glasses of wine and amidst much laughter. It's purpose, of course, was much more serious — to encourage women’s crime writing in Australia. Back then in 1994, you could count the number of published women crime writers on one hand. Now, you need to be a multi-limbed Indian goddess to approach the real number.

What’s been remarkable is that three writers — Cate Kennedy, Christina Lee and Janis Spehr — have all won a pair of Scarlet Stilettos though only Cate Kennedy notched up a matching pair. Even more remarkable is the encouragement it’s given to so many aspiring women crime writers.

The winner of the youth award one year was a woman in her twenties suffering from agoraphobia. The award ceremony was her only time out of the house for two years. Last year, the husband of one short-listed writer confided that, for his wife, it was better than winning the lottery. She was just about to abandon her literary efforts.
Carmel Shute — Co-convenor, Sisters in Crime