Day 5 of the 4th Annual Occult Detective Awards

THE MANLY WADE WELLMAN AWARD

In a perfect world, I would have money, and one of the things I would do with that money is to actually give out physical awards, rather than a cyber pat on the back. Now, in that perfect world, the Manly Wade Wellman recipient would not receive a bust of the great Wellman. No, I would have something much better in store for the award winner — a masterfully crafted replica of John Thunstone’s cane sword. Hopefully this year’s inaugural finalist will fantasize accordingly.

Now, without further ado, allow me to announce the much deserved recipient of The Manly Wade Wellman Award for 2013.

TIM PRASIL

Tim Prasil is acknowledged here for his tireless dedication toward compiling an accurate history of occult detective literature. His exemplary investigative work, highlighted at A Chronological Bibliography of Early Occult Detectives, shatters the myth of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s Dr. Martin Hesselius being the “first occult detective”. Prasil has introduced me to several characters and stories I had been previously unfamiliar with, and as a lifelong fan of the genre, well, I am forever indebted to his erstwhile endeavor. I wish him continued success as an author and archivist. Well done, sir. Well done indeed.

And so that concludes the Fourth Annual Occult Detective Awards. Thanks for dropping in. We’ll see you back here next year for another thrilling chapter in the Awards saga.