The 2023 winners of the annual Goldie Awards bestowed by the Golden Crown Literary Society (GCLS) were named on Saturday, July 1st at the awards ceremony held at their annual convention, which was in Denver, Colorado, this year.
New from GCLS this year, after receiving a substantial grant from the Aronson-Besthoff Fund of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, are monetary awards for the highest scoring debut novel, the highest scoring book in each genre category, and the highest scoring book in each of the ‘non-novel’ categories like, non-fiction and poetry.
Also now receiving monetary awards are the top three books determined by ranked choice voting for the Ann Bannon Popular Choice Award. The institution of monetary prizes necessitated changes in how the Ann Bannon entries were voted upon.
GCLS names 25% of all books entered in each category as finalists as determined by the rankings of the judging panel for the category. In each category, 10% of all entered books ultimately receive awards, allowing more than one winner in larger categories.
Winners are listed below in the order award categories were presented by the GCLS at the awards ceremony. Monetary prize winning books are listed first and noted in each category.
General Non-Fiction:
Half In: A Coming of Age Memoir of Forbidden Love by Felice Cohen/Dividend Press – Felice and her book were profiled here previously. – Also won $1,000 prize
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Audiobook Narrator:
This was a new category this year. There were more than 30 audio books entered, and three winning narrartors were chosen.
Dead Woman’s Revenge narrated by Rebecca Lowman* of Orange Skye Audio (Published by Dreamspinner Press)
A Whisper of Solace (previously profiled on this site) narrated by Abby Craden* of Tantor Media (Self Published by Milena McKay)
Dead Letters from Paradise narrated by Christine Williams* of Susie Bright/Audible Studios (Published by Bywater Books)
*Links to narrator names go to the lists of Audible audio books they have narrator credits for including the book they won for. Not all books they’ve narrated are sapphic books.
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Romantic Blend:
Enigma by Suzie Clarke, published by Bold Strokes Books – Top Scoring Novel Prize – $1,000
Despite Chaos by Stacy Lynn Miller, published by Bella Books
Secret Agent by Michelle Larkin, published by Bold Strokes Books
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Contemporary Romance Short Novels:
Trial and Error by Carsen Taite, published by Bold Strokes Books – Top Scoring Novel Prize – $1,000
Truly Wanted by J.J. Hale, published by Bold Strokes Books
Perfect Rivalry by Radclyffe, published by Bold Strokes Books
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Fiction Anthologies/Collections:
Defiant Hearts – Lee Lynch, published by Bold Strokes Books – Top Scoring $1,000 Prize
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Mystery/Thriller/Crime:
Delafield
by Katherine V. Forrest, published by Spinsters Ink – Top Scoring Novel Prize – $1,000
Hunting Gold by Ann Aptaker, published by Bywater Books
Last Chance Chicago by Diana DiGangi, published by Bywater Books
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Young Adult Fiction:
Can I Trust Her? by Frances Lucas, published by Bella Books – Top Scoring Novel Prize – $1,000
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Contemporary Romance – Mid Length Novels:
The Last Lavender Sister by Melissa Brayden, published by Bold Strokes Books – Top Scoring Novel Prize – $1,000
She’ll Steal Your Heart by Rachel Lacey, Self Published
With a Twist by Georgia Beers, published by Bold Strokes Books
I Dare You to Love Me by Lori G. Matthews, published by Bella Books (Lori has a short mystery in a giveaway available through July 5th, 2023)
Christmas Mouse by Rachel Spangler, published by Brisk Press
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Paranormal/Occult/Horror:
The Wicked and the Willing by Lianyu Tan, published by Shattered Scepter Press – Top Scoring Novel Prize, $1,000. (Previously featured on this site)
The Mermaid Hypothesis by Siri Caldwell, published by Brussels Sprouts Press
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Poetry Collections:
Time Out of Time by Arleen Paré, published by Caitlin Press and Dagger Editions – $1,000 prize winner
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General Fiction:
Dead Letters from Paradise by Ann McMan, published by Bywater Books – Top Scoring Novel Prize $1,000
The Barrens by Kurt Johnson and Ellie Johnson, published by Arcade – Skyhorse
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New Adult Fiction:
Catching Feelings by Ana Hartnett Reichardt, published by Bold Strokes Books – Top Scoring Novel Prize, $1,000
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Historical Fiction:
Once in Berlin by Jo Havens, self published – Top Scoring Novel Prize, $1,000
Observations on the Danger of Female Curiosity by Suzanne Moss, published by Aesculus Books (previously featured on this site)
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Erotica:
Escorted by Renee Roman, published by Bold Strokes Books – Top Scoring Novel
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Contemporary Romance – Long Novel:
Plain English by Rachel Spangler, published by Bywater Books – Top Scoring Novel Prize – $1,000
Chemistry by Rachael Sommers, published by Ylva Publishing
Purposefully Accidental by G Benson, Self Published
Over the Moon with You by Jaime Clevenger, published by Bella Books
Something’s Different by Quinn Ivens, published by Ylva Publishing
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Science Fiction/Fantasy:
Endurance
by Elaine Burnes, published by Mindancer Press/Bedazzled Ink – Top Scoring Novel Prize – $1,000
The Mage and the Monster by Barbara Ann Wright, published by Bold Strokes Books
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Debut Novel:
The Barrens by Kurt Johnson and Ellie Johnson, published by Arcade – Skyhorse – Top Scoring Debut Novel Prize – $1,000
Truly Wanted by JJ Hale, published by Bold Strokes Books
Observations on the Danger of Female Curiosity by Suzanne Moss, published by Aesculus Books (previously featured on this site)
Honey in the Marrow by Emily Waters, published by Ylva Publishing
Love and Duty by Catherine Young, published by Bold Strokes Books
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Sandra Moran Writing Academy Scholarship: Beth Caldwell
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Ann Bannon Popular Choice Award:
Gold and $3,000 – If I Don’t Ask by EJ Noyes, published by Bella Books
Silver and $2,000 – Just a Touch Away by Jae (This book was previously featured on this site)
Bronze and $1,000 – Broken Beyond Repair by Emily Banting (This book was previously featured on this site)
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Tee Corinne Award for Outstanding Cover Design:
Observations on the Danger of Female Curiosity by Suzanne Moss, published and cover by Aesculus Books (This book was previously featured on this site)
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Lee Lynch Classic Award:
Home Girls by Barbara Smith
From the book blurb and from Amazon:
“The pioneering anthology Home Girls features writings by Black feminist and lesbian activists on topics both provocative and profound. Since its initial publication in 1983, it has become an essential text on Black women’s lives and writings. This edition features an updated list of contributor biographies and an all-new preface that provides a fresh assessment of how Black women’s lives have changed-or not-since the book was first published.”
Contributors are Tania Abdulahad, Donna Allegra, Barbara A. Banks, Becky Birtha, Julie Carter, Cenen, Cheryl Clarke, Michelle Cliff, Michelle T. Clinton, Willie M. Coleman, Toi Derricotte, Alexis De Veaux, Jewelle L. Gomez, Akasha (Gloria) Hull, Patricia Jones, June Jordan, Audre Lorde, Raymina Y. Mays, Deidre McCalla, Chirlane McCray, Pat Parker, Linda C. Powell, Bernice Johnson Reagon, Spring Redd, Gwendolyn Rogers, Kate Rushin, Ann Allen Shockley, Barbara Smith, Beverly Smith, Shirley O. Steele, Luisah Teish, Jameelah Waheed, Alice Walker, and Renita Weems.
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Trailblazer Award:
The Trailblazer Award is given annually by GCLS to an author for lifetime achievement. The 2023 awardee is:
Alison Bechdel
Alison’s brief bio:
ALISON BECHDEL has been a careful archivist of her own life and kept a journal since she was ten. Since 1983 she has been chronicling the lives of various characters in the fictionalized “Dykes to Watch Out For” strip, “one of the preeminent oeuvres in the comics genre, period” (Ms.). The strip is syndicated in 50 alternative newspapers, translated into multiple languages, and collected into a book series with a quarter of a million copies in print. Utne magazine has listed DTWOF as “one of the greatest hits of the twentieth century.”
Her books and collections of some of her comic strips are available in English on Amazon. Some books have also been translated into German.
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Note: All of these books are available at Amazon. Many which were by traditional publishers and small sapphic presses are available both directly from the publisher and at all other major retailers. Over time, we’ll add the top scoring books to this site with all purchase links from the publishers and all retailers, followed later by links to and/or pages for all of the other award winning books. This is a major undertaking as I do it all by hand. I wanted to get the list out to you as soon as I could. We’ve included the publisher information. Please shop for these bo wherever you feel comfortable.
The Amazon links here are affiliate links. We (this site/Erin and I) earn a small commission if you purchase a book. Those commissions help to defray the cost of maintaining this site and sending out the weekly newsletter.
The authors appreciate your support and we at MyQueerSapphFic do too! Thank you for reading and loving sapphic literature!
~Anne