To honor Sara Freed, the former editor-in-chief of Mysterious Press who died last year, the Time Warner Book Group has established the Sara Ann Freed Memorial Award for a first mystery novel. The award offers a publishing contract and a $10,000 advance for a first novel that will be published by Mysterious Press, a TWBG imprint, in September 2005.

Larry Kirshbaum, chairman and CEO of TWBG, observed, "Sara Ann Freed nurtured many outstanding mystery writers at the beginnings of their careers. I can think of no better way to honor her memory than the establishment of this award."

Manuscripts can be submitted with or without an agent. Only submissions postmarked between April 1, 2004, and July 1, 2004, will be accepted. More information on the award is available at the Mysterious Press Web site, www.mysteriouspress.com.