Mary's World

The 9th Annual Golden Crown Literary SocietyLiterary Conference is pretty much over and it has been a wonderful experience.

MISSION: The Golden Crown Literary Society (GCLS) is an educational organization whose mission is for the enjoyment, discussion, and enhancement of lesbian literature and creative non-fiction. Our goals are to support and strengthen quality lesbian writing by providing places for readers and writers to interact; to encourage and assist new writers and established authors to develop their craft; and to recognize and promote lesbian work.

Being able to spend four days hanging out with readers and writers and lovers of lesbian fiction is the highlight of my year and I can’t recommend attending this event enough.

I was able to share about my own work as well as sit at the feet of the masters as they talked about ways to improve my craft and getting my work into the hands of readers. I learned a lot and laughed even more. Heck, I did so much hugging I think the Con T-shirt should read, “Embrace Your Favorite Author!”

Check out the schedule for all the fun and interesting things that were  offered to attendees and start saving your money now for July 9 -13, 2014 in Portland, OR – the site of the 2014 GCLS Conference.

On Saturday night, the Goldie Awards Reception, Ceremony and Dance was held. Everyone was glittering in their finery – butches in tuxes and ties, femme’s in gorgeous dresses and a few folks in the new style (popularized by Ann McMan and Jessie Chandler of dressing up on top and ready to party down below).

We started by honoring the sisters we lost since the last conference – Julie Penelope, Jovette Maechessault, Gerda Lerner, Roxanne Jones, Jeanne Manford and Nancy Spry.

Here is a list of the Winners and Presenters (the full listing of finalists can be found here).

Anthology (Non Erotica): Lori Lake and Ann McMan, presenters.
Winners: Women of the Dark Streets, Radclyffe and Stacia Seaman, eds and OMG Queer, Radclyffe and Katherine Lynch, eds.

Debut Author Award: presenters KG MacGregor and Karin Kallmaker. Winners: Lemon Reef by Robin Silverman; The Furthest City Light byJeanne Winer; Art on Fire by Hillary Sloin

Dramatic/General Fiction: Presenters Bev Prescott and MJ Williamz. Winners: Raven’s Heart by Jesse Blackadder; Being Emily by Rachel Gold;
The Raid by Lee Lynch

Historical Fiction: Presenters Georgia Beers and Mary Lou Heintz. Winners: Awake Unto Me by Kathleen Knowles and The Last Nude by Ellis Avery

Lesbian Erotica: Presenters Kenna White and Cheyne Curry.
Winners: The Night Off by Meghan O’Brien; Initiation by Desire by MJ Williamz and Girls Who Score: Hot Lesbian Erotica by Ily Goyanes

Mystery/Thriller: presenters Carsen Taite and JM Redmann.
Winners: Hide and Snake Murder by Jessie Chandler; Being the Steel Drummer by Liz Bradbury and Runaway by Anne Laughlin

Paranormal: presenters Carleen Spry and Barb Clanton.
Winners: Sometime Yesterday by Yvonne Heidt; The Book of Eleanor by Nat Burns and Touch Me Gently by D. Jackson Leigh

Poetry: Presenters Nann Dunne and VK Powell.
Winners: Wor(l)ds of Love, Loss and Longing by Beth Mitchum and Secession by Amy Sara Carroll

Romantic Suspense/Intrigue: Presenters Linda Kay Silva and Chris Paynter.
Winners: Playing With Fuego by KG MacGregor; After Mrs. Hamilton by Clare Ashton and Beyond Innocence by Carsen Taite

Short Stories/Collections: Presenters Brenda Adcock and Pam Sloss. Winners: Slices of Life by Georgia Beers; Tea Leaves by Janet Mason and Sidecar by Ann McMan

Speculative Fiction: Presenters Pol Robinson and Ali Vali.
Winners: Just Killing Time by Linda Kay Silva; The Smuggler, the Spy, and the Spider by Diana Rivers and Soulwalker by Erica Lawson

Traditional Romance: presenters Lynn Ames and Mary Griggs.
Winners: Snow Falls, Gerri Hill; Almost Heaven by Susan X. Meagher and Heart Block by Melissa Brayden

Ann Bannon Popular Choice Award, presenter Jessie Chandler
This award is voted on by members of the Golden Crown Literary Society
Winner: Survived by Her Longtime Companion by Chris Paynter

Directors’ Award, presenter Patty Schramm.
The GCLS Directors’ Award is presented to a single GCLS member in recognition of contributions made to the Golden Crown Literary Society during the past year and/or to the ongoing mission of the organization over a longer period of time.
Winner is the GCLS website guru, who spent countless hours on website migration and the membership database: MB Panichi!

Lee Lynch Classic Award, presented by Lee Lynch.
The award recognizes an individual work that conveys meaningful lesbian experiences with influential historical value to lesbian community and predates the Goldies (2004).
Winner: Vin Packer for Spring Fire.

Trailblazer Award, presented by Rachel Spangler.
This award is for lifetime achievement and is presented each year to a single author in recognition of their contributions made to the field of lesbian literature.
Award goes to: Marijane Meaker, who writes as Vin Packer, M.E. Kerr, Ann Aldrich and Mary James