Founded in 2004, The Golden Crown Literary Society is dedicated to education, promotion, and recognition of lesbian literature. The group holds an annual conference, offers writing scholarships and mentorships, and gives out awards in more than a dozen literary categories including erotica, romantic suspense, young adult, poetry, paranormal, and creative nonfiction.
Saturday nights Golden Crown Literary Awards in New Orleans brought together lesbian fiction pioneers Rita Mae Brown, Lee Lynch, and Dorothy Allison, all sharing a stage for the first time, reports the Advocate.com.
Lee Lynch, a contributor on LGBTweekly.com , won a Goldie Award in the Non-fiction/Anthology category An American Queer: The Amazon Trail.
Allison and Lynch together presented Rita Mae Brown with the Lee Lynch Classic Book Award for her seminal lesbian novel, Rubyfruit Jungle, and the best-selling novelist included the weekend’s best line in her speech:”Never celebrate your oppression.”
The complete list of winners is below.
Debut Author:
Just Intuition – Makenzi Fisk
Never Too Late – Julie Blair
Stick McLaughlin: The Prohibition Years – CF Frizzell
Romantic Suspense/Intrigue/Adventure:
The One – JM Dragon
Sharpshooter – Leslie Murray
Switchblade – Carsen Taite
Poetry:
Undone – EM Hodge
Kissing Keeps us Afloat – Laurie McFayden
Mystery/Thriller:
The Acquittal – Anne Laughlin
Left Field – Elizabeth Sims
The Consequence of Murder – Nene Adams
Young Adult:
Double Exposure – Bridget Birdsall
Riding the Rainbow – Genta Sebastian
Just Girls – Rachel Gold
Anthology/Collection (Creative Non-Fiction):
Queerly Beloved A Love Story Across Genders – Diane Anderson-Minshall Jacob Anderson-Minshall
An American Queer – Lee Lynch
Paranormal/Horror:
The Magic Hunt – LL Rand
The Devil You Know – Marie Castle
Dogs of War – Geonn Cannon
Erotica:
Heart’s Surrender – Emma Weimann
Best Lesbian Erotica 2014 – Rachel Windsor
Escapades – MJ Williamz
Dramatic/General Fiction:
The War Within – Yolanda Wallace
Loved and Lost – Stephanie Kusiak
Everything – Carole Wolf
Anthology/Collection (Fiction):
Wicked Things – Jae and Astrid Ohletz
Unwrap These Presents – Astrid Ohletz and R.G. Emanuelle
Historical Fiction:
Tangled Roots – Marianne K. Martin
Waiting for the Violins – Justine Saracen
The Bright Lights of Summer – Lynn Ames
Traditional Contemporary Romance:
Kiss the Girl – Melissa Brayden
Nightingale – Andrea Bramhall
The Midnight Moon – Gerri Hill
Science Fiction/Fantasy:
FutureDyke – Lea Daley
Return of an Impetuous Pilot – Kate McLachlan
Rabbits of the Apocalypse – Benny Lawrence
Tee Corinne Outstanding Cover Design:
Everything – Ann McMan designer
Ann Bannon Popular Choice Award:
Olive Oil and White Bread – Georgia Beers
Lee Lynch Classic Book Award:
Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown
Trailblazer Award:
Joan Nestle
GCLS Directors Volunteer Award: Watty Boss
