Shawn Reilly Simmons is the author of seven novels in the Red Carpet Catering Mystery series, which features Penelope Sutherland, chef-owner of a movie set catering company. She’s also had several short stories published which appear in various anthologies including “Burnt Orange” in Passport to Murder: the 2017 Bouchercon Anthology; “The Prodigy” in Mystery Tour, the Crime Writers’ Association Anthology; and “Now is the Hour” in Writers Crushing Covid-19.
“The Last Word”, which appears in Malice Domestic 14: Mystery Most Edible, won the Agatha Award for Best Short Story of 2019. The anthology is a finalist for the Anthony Award for Best Anthology or Collection of 2019.
Shawn was born in Indiana, grew up in Florida, and began her professional career in New York City as a sales executive for an international airline after graduating from the University of Maryland with a BA in English. She has worked as a line cook in busy kitchens, managed a large bookstore, sold fine wine, written radio commercials, organized an annual mystery convention, and cooked on catering crews, sometimes behind the scenes on movie sets, and sometimes for weddings or intimate dinner parties.
Shawn serves on the Board of Malice Domestic and is a senior editor at Level Best Books. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, the International Thriller Writers, and the Crime Writers’ Association in the U.K. She lives in historic downtown Frederick, Maryland, with her husband and young son.
2020 Events...
January 15th
Beatley Public Library, Alexandria VA
Sisters in Crime Panel: The Story Within You with Donna Andrews, Mark Bergin, John DeDakis, Sherry Harris, Tara Laskowski and Shawn Reilly Simmons.
February 16th
Noir at the Bar: Hearts and Daggers
Busboys and Poets, Arlington VA
I'll be reading with Kathleen Barber, S.A. Cosby, Ellen Clair Lamb, Karen Cantwell, Patrick Hyde, Ken Lawrence, and Art Taylor. Event hosted by Josh Pachter.
March 20th - 21st
Mavens of Mayhem Murderous March Conference, Albany NY ***CANCELED due to Covid-19
I'll be appearing on the "Pathways to Publication" panel on Saturday during the conference.
May 1st - 3rd
Malice Domestic 32 ***CANCELED due to Covid-19
Bethesda MD
May 15th
D.C. Virtual Noir at the Bar in support of East City Books
June 19th - 21st
Alibis in the Archive ***CANCELED due to Covid-19
Gladstone's Library, Hawarden, Flintshire UK
August 7th - 9th
MurderCon (Writers' Police Academy) ***CANCELLED due to Covid-19
Raleigh NC
October 15th - 18th
Bouchercon ***CANCELLED due to Covid-19
Sacramento CA
November 13th - 15th
New England Crime Bake***CANCELLED due to Covid-19
Boston MA
2019 Events...
January 5th
Book Club Tea - Bethesda MD
Januray 16th at 7:00PM
Sisters in Crime Library Panel
Beatley Central Library Alexandria VA
A discussion of culinary mysteries with members of the Chesapeake Chapter of Sisters in Crime.
March 23rd from 3 - 5:00PM
MWA Author Meet and Greet
Novel Books Clarksburg MD
April 12th at 7:00PM
Noir at the Bar
McCormick's Irish Pub - Richmond, VA
May 2nd - 5th
Malice Domestic - Bethesda MD
June 3rd
Writers Retreat - Shepherd University
Capon Springs and Farm Resort, West Virginia
Lecture and discussion about creativity and the craft of writing fiction.
August 1st - 4th
MurderCon in association with the Writers' Police Academy
Raleigh, NC
August 10th
Suffolk Mystery Authors Festival
Suffolk, VA
September 6th - 7th
Manuscript to Marketplace Conference
Shepherd University
Shepherdstown, WV
October 6th
Gum Spring Library Panel
Incorporating Real-Life Law Enforcement Practices into Crime Fiction
Stone Ridge, VA
October 12th
Eat Local, Read Local
I'll be giving a talk on about writing and publishing, and presenting the Write On! Awards
Cascades Library
12:30 - 1:30
October 26th
Mysteries, Monsters & Martinis!
Four Seasons Books
Shepherdstown, WV
I'll be signing books and serving nibbles and cocktails along with Lisa V. Proulx and A.B. Gibson.
November 1st - 3rd
Bouchercon - Dallas TX
Panel: Beast in View (Friday 11:00): Why do crime novels and the solving of mysteries, have such a strong hold on our imaginations? With panelists Carrie Smith (M), Keir Graff, Jess Montgomery, Gary Phillips, S.J. Rozan & Shawn Reilly Simmons
November 8th - 10th
New England Crime Bake - Woburn MA
Panel: The Anatomy of a Short Story: From Idea to Publication (Saturday 1:45) with Panelists Shawn Reilly Simmons, Ruth M. McCarty, Janet Raye Stevens & Gabriel Valjan
2018 Events...
February 7th at 7:00 PM
MWA-NY Chapter Panel
Club Quarters - 40 W 45th Street, New York, NY
Hosted by the New York Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, a discussion of mystery conventions with Jenny Milchman, Edith Maxwell, Jeffrey Siger & Shawn Reilly Simmons. Moderated by Radha Vatsal & Triss Stein.
February 18th at 7:00 PM
Noir at the Bar: My Bloody Valentine
McCormick's Irish Pub - Richmond, VA
Dark and twisted tales of Love Gone Bad will be read by crime writers Marietta Miles, Phillip Thompson, Eryk Pruitt, LynDee Walker, Steve Weddle, Shawn Reilly Simmons & Shawn A Cosby (hosting).
March 11th
Short Story Workshop
Georgetown Neighborhood Library - Washington D.C.
A reading and discussion of short stories with author & librarian Ingid Anders.
April 27th - 29th
Malice Domestic 30
North Bethesda, MD
- "Simply the Best": I'll be moderating for this year's Best Contemporary Mystery Agatha Nominees: Allison Brook, Ellen Byron, Annette Dashofy, Margaret Maron, and Louise Penny on Friday from 3:00 - 3:50.
- I will also be moderating the panel "From Page to Screen" featuring Ellen Byerrum, Dana Cameron, Ann Cleeves, Louise Penny, and Nancy Pickard on Saturday from 10:00 - 10:50
- I'll also be signing books on Saturday from 2:00 - 2:50
May 4th
Noir at the Bar CRAWL
McCormick's Irish Pub - Richmond, VA
May 19th
Gaithersburg Book Festival - Gaithersburg, MD
City Hall, 31 S. Summit Ave
Crime Fiction Panel featuring Donna Andrews, John Betancourt, Alan Orloff, Shawn Reilly Simmons, and E.A. Aymar (moderating).
Gaithersburg's First Ever Noir at the Bar!
Participating guys and dolls include Kelly J. Ford, Alma Katsu, Owen Laukkanen, Con Lehane, Alan S. Orloff, Eryk Pruitt, and Shawn Reilly Simmons. Hosted by E.A. Aymar.
May 31st
Dinner and Book Club with the Reading Divas
Rocky Mount, NC
June 9th at 7:00 PM
Noir at the Bar: the Debut N@TB in Fredericksburg, VA featuring readings by S.A. Cosby, J.T. Glover, Eryk Pruitt, Hugh Lessing, Steve Weddle, LynDee Walker, Meriah Crawford, Phillip Thompson, and Shawn Reilly Simmons.
The Rec Center, Fredericksburg, VA
June 24th
Red Carpet Catering Book Club Dinner & Birthday Party!
Wild and Wonderful, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
June 28th at 5:30 PM
Sisters in Crime Panel: Writing a Mystery Series with Wendy Sand Eckel, Marcia Talley, Eileen Haavik McIntire, Shawn Reilly Simmons, and Cathy Wiley (moderating).
Northwood Branch Library - Baltimore, MD
July 10th - 14th
Thrillerfest
Grand Hyatt, New York, NY
Panel: Short Stories, Excerpts or Night of the Flood? Creating Anthologies (Friday 10:20 - 11:10)
Kathy Bennett, Joe Clifford, Thomas Pluck, Wendy Tyson, Johnny Temple, Shawn Reilly Simmons with E.A. Aymar moderating.
Book Signing: Friday from 1:10 - 1:40
August 4th
Suffolk Mystery Authors Festival
Suffolk, VA
September 6th - 9th
Bouchercon 2018
St. Petersburg FL
September 22nd
Sisters in Crime Library Panel
Enoch Pratt Free Library - Light Street Branch Baltimore MD
A discussion of culinary mysteries with members of the Chessie Chapter of SinC Maya Corrigan, Lisa Schwartz, Wendy Sand Eckel, Shawn Reilly Simmons, and Cathy Wiley (moderator).
November 3rd
Sisters in Crime Chesapeake Chapter Holiday Extravaganza Part 1
Howard County Public Library Miller Branch - Ellicott City MD
1:00 - 3:00
December 1st
Sisters in Crime Chesapeake Chapter Holiday Extravaganza Part 2
Reston Public Library - Reston VA
December 2nd
Shippensburg Book Festival
The Thought Lot - Shippensburg PA
December 8th
Sisters in Crime Library Event
Bowman Library - Stephens City, VA
December 12th
Book Club Dinner Party with The Paige Turners
Frederick, MD
2017 Events...
April 27th at 6:30 PM
East City Book Shop
Washington, D.C.
"On the Verge of Malice: Female Writers on Crime Fiction Careers" panel discussion with Christina Kovac, Shawn Reilly Simmons, Wendy Tyson, Radha Vastal, and E.A. Aymar as moderator.
April 28th - 30th:
Malice Domestic 29
Bethesda, MD
Panels & Signings:
- "Simply the Best" Moderating the 2016 Agatha Nominees in the Best Contemporary Novel category: Ellen Byron, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Catriona McPherson & Barbara Ross at 1:00 PM on Friday
- "Mystery Most Historical" anthology signing at 9:00 PM on Friday
- "Lights, Camera, Murder" discussing mysteries and the movies with Ann Cleeves, Tracy Kiley, Shawn Reilly Simmons, and Sheila York, with Verena Rose as moderator at 10:00 AM on Sunday
May 19th at 7:00 PM
Noir @ the Bar
McCormack's Irish Pub in Richmond, VA
Authors: John Ashley, Mary Burton, S.A. Cosby, Meriah Crawford, Jamie Mason, Marietta Miles, Shawn Reilly Simmons, Phillip Thompson, & LynDee Walker. Hosted by Eryk Pruitt.
July 27th:
Dinner & Book Club Party with The Reading Divas
Rocky Mount, NC
August 9th:
For the Love of Mystery: A Sisters in Crime discussion and Q&A with Shawn Reilly Simmons and Sherry Harris.
Curious Iguana, 12 N Market St, Frederick, MD
7:00 - 8:00 PM
August 11th & 12th:
Suffolk Mystery Author Festival
Suffolk, VA
Panels & Signings:
- VIP Meet & Greet Friday from 12 - 1 PM
- From 17th Century Weaver to 21st Century Chef: How Research Establishes a Character's Professional Credibility with Maya Corrigan, Barbara Early, Grace Greene, Jenna Harte, Eleanor Kuhns, Shawn Reilly Simmons, BK Stevens, Art Taylor and Christine Trent. Saturday at 4 PM at the Birdsong Theater
September 2nd from 5:00 - 6:30 PM:
17th Library of Congress National Book Festival
Noir at the National Book Festival
Washington, DC
- I'll be reading at the Noir at the Bar event along with James Grady, Sujata Massey, Louis Bayard, Colleen Shogan, Con Lehane, and Kathleen Barber. Hosted by E.A. Aymar.
October 6th from 6:00 - 8:00 PM:
First Friday Meet the Authors
Chambersburg PA
October 7th from 11:00 - 3:00 PM:
Eat Local, Read Local Event
Cascades Library
Potomac Falls, VA
October 8th at 2:00 PM:
Taneytown Library
Sisters in Crime Mystery Writing Panel with co-panelists Shawn Reilly Simmons, KM Rockwood, Carla Coupe & Teresa Quill.
Taneytown, MD
October 12th - 15th:
Bouchercon 2017: Passport to Murder
Toronto, Canada
Panels & Signings:
- "Adapted For..." I'll be moderating a panel of authors who have had their work adapted for the screen. My panelists are Ann Cleeves, Maureen Jennings, Lou Berney, David Morrell & Yrsa Sigurdardottir. (Thursday from 2:30 - 3:30 in Sheraton E)
- "The Amateurs," a panel discussing how a character's profession shapes their amateur sleuthing with Sara J Henry (moderator), R. Franklin James, KM Rockwood, E. C. Bell & Chris Knopf (Saturday from 2:30 - 3:30 in Sheraton B)
- Passport to Murder Anthology Signing: My story "Burnt Orange" appears in this year's Bouchercon Anthology, published by Down & Out Books. (Saturday from 7:00 - 8:00 PM)
November 4th:
Sisters in Crime Library Event
Ellicott City, MD
November 10th - 12th:
New England Crime Bake
Dedham, MA
2016 Events...
March 13:
Book Release Party, JoJo's Restaurant and Tap House & Curious Iguana Book Store in Frederick MD
April 29 - May 1:
Malice Domestic, Bethesda MD
July 16:
Noir at the Bar, The Wonderland Ballroom in Washington DC
July 20th:
Killer Coffee Club at Barnes & Noble in Ithaca NY
August 30:
Noir on the Radio's Dames in the Dark program, Blog Talk Radio, Live @ 9:00 PM
Listen to the podcast here!
September 15 - 18:
Bouchercon 2016 Blood on the Bayou in New Orleans LA
I'm included in the following panels/events:
- "Knowing Me Knowing You" on Thursday September 15th at 12:00 noon along with Carolyn Tillery (Moderator), Kristi Abbott, Loretta Ross, Carol Ann Newsome & Debra Goldstein
- Sisters in Crime Breakfast, Saturday September 17th at 7:30 AM
- "Make 'Em Laugh" on Sunday September 18th at 10:30 AM. I'll be moderating for Shaun Harris, Susan Rogers Cooper, Marla Cooper, Helen Smith & Nancy Cole Silverman
September 29 @ 6:00 PM:
Fall For The Book at George Mason University (Merton Hall) in Fairfax VA
Mystery Writers of America Mid-Atlantic Chapter Panel with Art Taylor (Moderator), Maya Corrigan, Dan Fesperman, and David Swinson.
October 7:
Read All About It
First Friday Author Event in Chambersburg PA
Hosted by Teas & Such, 42 South Main Street
October 8:
Fletcher Library, 100 South Potomac Street, Hagerstown MD
Library Journal's Author Day Celebration from 10 AM - 2 PM
October 29:
The Writer's Center in Bethesda
Sisters in Crime, Chesapeake Chapter's Author Showcase 1:00 PM
November 5:
Noir @ the Bar Richmond
McCormack's Irish Pub in Richmond VA from 5:00 - 7:00 PM
November 10-13:
New England Crime Bake, Dedham MA
November 27:
Book signing and Writing Panel
The Red Canoe, Baltimore MD
Join the Dames of Detection along with other contributing authors to Windward: The Best New England Crime Stories 2016 as they sign books and discuss the art of short story writing.
December 3:
Reston Public Library in Reston, VA
Sisters in Crime, Chesapeake Chapter's Author Showcase from 1 - 3:00 PM
