The Alice B Readers Award is given annually to living writers of

lesbian fiction Lesbian literature is a subgenre of literature addressing lesbian themes. It includes poetry, plays, fiction addressing lesbian characters, and non-fiction about lesbian-interest topics. A similar term is Sapphic love, sapphic literature, encom ...

whose careers are distinguished by consistently well-written stories about

lesbian A lesbian is a homosexual woman or girl. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate nouns with female homosexu ...

s. Named for

Alice B. Toklas Alice Babette Toklas (April 30, 1877 – March 7, 1967) was an American-born member of the Parisian avant-garde of the early 20th century, and the life partner of American writer Gertrude Stein. Early life Alice B. Toklas was born in San F ...

, the award is given once, only, in appreciation of career achievement. In addition to the medal, each recipient is given a lapel pin and a significant honorarium. The Award was founded by Roberta "Sandy" Sandburg, who died of cancer at the age of 72 on June 16, 2009. Sandburg envisioned the Alice B Awards a decade or so ago, and in 2004 decided to make the awards a reality by committing funds from "an anonymous donor". A lifelong reader who was passionate about lesbian fiction, Sandburg wanted to thank and reward the authors who had given her so much joy, and she did so by establishing the Alice B fund and gathering a group of women who became the Alice B Readers Appreciation Committee. In addition to Alice B Medals, until 2016 the Committee awarded Alice B Lavender Certificates to up-and-coming authors who do not yet have a body of work but who have published a remarkable work or two deserving of notice. Winners of the certificate received an honorarium of $50. After 2016, the Lavender Certificate was suspended. Due to the overwhelming number of debut writers, the committee was no longer able to read so many debut books. By 2021, the Committee acknowledged that so many lesbian books were being published each year that they could no longer keep up and came to believe they were missing writers of great merit. In 2021, the committee began inviting readers, publishers, and authors to submit any book that they believe is a "Best Work of Fiction" by an author and representative of the author being named as deserving of a medal for lifetime achievement.

Significance of the award

Historically, lesbians have rarely had their voices heard in the fiction or nonfiction of modern society, (except perhaps as footnotes in medical journals regarding pathology). As Bertha Harris, author of many novels including ''Lover,'' once wrote: "Between the time of Sappho and the birth of

Natalie Clifford Barney Natalie Clifford Barney (October 31, 1876 – February 2, 1972) was an American writer who hosted a salon (gathering), literary salon at her home in Paris that brought together French and international writers. She influenced other authors thro ...

lies a 'lesbian silence' of twenty-four centuries." It was not until the 1970s and the establishment of

Naiad Press Naiad Press (1973–2003) was an American publishing company, one of the first dedicated to lesbian literature. At its closing it was the oldest and largest lesbian/feminist publisher in the world. History Naiad Press was founded by partners Barba ...

(after the

Stonewall riots The Stonewall riots (also known as the Stonewall uprising, Stonewall rebellion, Stonewall revolution, or simply Stonewall) were a series of spontaneous riots and demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of ...

in 1969), that books by, for, and about lesbians began to be regularly published. Still, it was a long hard road with little recognition and to this day, considerable difficulties and discrimination face authors of lesbian works. The Alice B Award is one small contribution toward overcoming discrimination. As Martha Nell Smith wrote:Alice B Award Winner Lori L. Lake
Retrieved on 2008-05-31.

The trajectory of lesbian literature for the first two-thirds of the twentieth century can be described as a movement from encrypted strategies for expressions of the love that dare not speak its name to overtly political celebrations of woman-for-woman passion that, by the late 1960s, refused to be denied, denigrated, or expunged.

The Alice B Award exists to honor and recognize forerunners of modern lesbian fiction including

Ann Bannon Ann Weldy (born September 15, 1932), better known by her pen name Ann Bannon, is an American author who, from 1957 to 1962, wrote five lesbian pulp fiction novels known as ''The Beebo Brinker Chronicles''. The books' enduring popularity and imp ...

Jane Rule Jane Vance Rule (28 March 1931 – 27 November 2007) was a Canadian-American writer of lesbian-themed works. Her first novel, '' Desert of the Heart'', appeared in 1964, when gay activity was still a criminal offence. It turned Rule into a r ...

, Marijane Meaker,

Sandra Scoppettone Sandra Scoppettone (born June 1, 1936, Morristown, New Jersey)Day, Frances Ann (2000). Lesbian and gay voices: An annotated bibliography and guide to literature for children and young adults. Greenwood Press. is an American author whose career spa ...

Katherine V. Forrest Katherine V. Forrest (born 1939) is a Canadian-born American writer, best known for her novels about lesbian police detective Kate Delafield. Her books have won and been finalists for Lambda Literary Award twelve times, as well as other awards. S ...

, and Lee Lynch, as well as to the new voices who are providing information, entertainment, and enlightenment to lesbians around the world.

The Alice B Awards Committee

The Alice B Awards Committee is an anonymous group of avid lesbian readers located around the US. The award is made possible by an anonymous donor. The donor and committee share a common goal: to reward and thank writers of lesbian fiction for their contribution to lesbian community, culture, and identity. At least two Medals are given out annually. Selections are made from lists compiled by the committee members’ to include their all-time favorite living authors currently publishing and also those with a substantial body of excellent work, even if they are not now publishing.

Winners of the Alice B Award

2024

* Nat Burns *

Carolyn Gage Carolyn Gage (born 1952) is an American playwright, actor, theatrical director and author. She has written nine books on lesbian theater and sixty-five plays, musicals, and one-woman shows. A lesbian feminist, her work emphasizes non-traditiona ...

* Tracey Richardson * Brey Willows

2023

* Georgia Beers *

Abigail Padgett Mary Abigail Padgett (born May 13, 1942, in Vincennes, Indiana) is an American author of mystery novels who features in ''Great Women Mystery Writers'' (2007).page 196-198, ''Great Women Mystery Writers'', 2nd Ed. by Elizabeth Blakesley Lindsay, 2 ...

* Lee Winter

2022

Jessie Chandler Jessie Chandler (born August 16, 1968) is an American author of mystery and humorous caper fiction, most of which is about lesbian protagonists. Her work includes the Shay O'Hanlon Caper Series, many short stories, and other novels. Chandler has ...

Camarin Grae Camarin Grae is the pen name of Marian Grace (born 1941),Sandra Pollack and Denise D. Knight, ''Contemporary Lesbian Writers of the United States: A Bio-bibliographical Critical Sourcebook''. Greenwood Press, 1993. . an American writer of lesbian- ...

* Cheryl A. Head *

Anne Laughlin Anne Laughlin (born April 9, 1955) is a writer from Chicago, Illinois. She is the author of seven novels of crime fiction, as well as many published short stories. Laughlin was named an emerging writer by the Lambda Literary Foundation in 2008 an ...

2021

* Jae *

Malinda Lo Malinda Lo is an American writer of young adult novels including '' Ash'', ''Huntress'', ''Adaptation'', ''Inheritance,'' ''A Line in the Dark'', and '' Last Night at the Telegraph Club''. She also does research on diversity in young adult litera ...

* Caren J. Werlinger

2020

* Lynn Ames *

Penny Mickelbury Penny Mickelbury (born May 31, 1948) is an African-American playwright, short story writer, mystery series writer, and historical novelist who worked as a print and television journalist for ten years before concentrating on fiction writing. Afte ...

Jeanette Winterson Jeanette Winterson (born 27 August 1959) is an English author. Her first book, '' Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit'', was a semi-autobiographical novel about a lesbian growing up in an English Pentecostal community. Other novels explore gender ...

2019

Dorothy Allison Dorothy Earlene Allison (April 11, 1949 – November 6, 2024) was an American writer whose writing focused on class struggle, sexual abuse, child abuse, feminism, and lesbianism. She was a self-identified femme lesbian. Allison won a number o ...

* S. Renée Bess * Fletcher DeLancey *

Mary Wings Mary Wings (born Mary Lee Geller; April 14, 1949 – July 3, 2024) was an American cartoonist, writer, and artist. She was known for highlighting lesbian themes in her work. In 1973, she made history by releasing ''Come Out Comix'', the first le ...

2018

* Penny Hayes * Barbara Johnson * Rachel Spangler

2017

* Melissa Brayden * Jaye Maiman * Ann McMan

2016

* Justine Saracen * Carsen Taite * Pat Welch

2015

Carol Anshaw Carol Anshaw (born March 22, 1946) is an American novelist and short story writer. '' Publishing Triangle'' named her debut novel, ''Aquamarine,'' one of "The Triangle's 100 Best" gay and lesbian novels. Her novels have won the Carl Sandburg Award ...

* Randye Lordon * D Jordan Redhawk

2014

* Marianne K. Martin * Susan X. Meagher * Ann Roberts

2013

* Robin Alexander *

* Linda K. Silva

2012

* Saxon Bennett *

KG MacGregor KG MacGregor (aka Sue A. Greer, born October 22, 1955) is an American writer of lesbian fiction. She has authored over two dozen lesbian romance novels, collecting a Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Romance and nine Goldie Awards from the Gold ...

* Gill McKnight

2011

* Erin Dutton * Fran Heckrotte * Ali Vali

2010

* Catherine Friend * JM Redmann (also known as Jean M. Redmann) * Kate Sweeney

2009

* Gun Brooke * Jane Fletcher *

Nicola Griffith Nicola Griffith (; born 30 September 1960) is a British American novelist, essayist, and teacher. She has won the Washington State Book Award (twice), Nebula Award, James Tiptree, Jr. Award, World Fantasy Award, ''Los Angeles Times'' Book Priz ...

Lesléa Newman Lesléa Newman (born November 5, 1955, in Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the ...

2008

* Kim Baldwin * Cate Culpepper * Lauren Wright Douglas * Jennifer L. Jordan *

Val McDermid Valarie McDermid (born 4 June 1955) is a Scottish crime writer, best known for a series of novels featuring clinical psychologist Dr. Tony Hill and his collaborators in the police department. Her work is considered to be part of a sub-genre k ...

Joanna Russ Joanna Russ (February 22, 1937 – April 29, 2011) was an American writer, academic and feminist. She is the author of a number of works of science fiction, fantasy and feminist literary criticism such as '' How to Suppress Women's Writing'', as ...

* Therese Szymanski

2007

Alison Bechdel Alison Bechdel ( ; born September 10, 1960) is an American cartoonist. Originally known for the long-running comic strip ''Dykes to Watch Out For'', she came to critical and commercial success in 2006 with her Graphic novel, graphic memoir ''Fun ...

* Gerri Hill *

Lori L. Lake Lori L. Lake (born February 9, 1960) is an American writer of fiction, mainly about lesbian protagonists. She is also an editor, writing instructor, and former publisher. Personal life Lake was born in Portland, Oregon, the oldest of five daught ...

* Lee Lynch * Marijane Meaker *

2006

* Jennifer Fulton *

Claire McNab Claire Carmichael (1940 – 2022), also known by her pen name Claire McNab, was an Australian writer born in Melbourne. While pursuing a career as a high school teacher in Sydney, she began her writing career with comedy plays and textbooks. She ...

* Ann Allen Shockley * Sheila Ortiz-Taylor

2005

* Sarah Dreher *

Ellen Hart Ellen Hart (born August 10, 1949) is the award-winning mystery author of the Jane Lawless and Sophie Greenway series. Born in Maine, she was a professional chef for 14 years. Hart's mysteries include culinary elements similar to those of Diane ...

2004

* Peggy J. Herring *

Karin Kallmaker Karin Kallmaker (born 1960) is an American author of lesbian fiction whose works also include those originally written under the name Laura Adams. Her writings span lesbian romance, lesbian erotica, and lesbian science-fiction/fantasy. Dubbed th ...

Radclyffe Radclyffe (real name Dr. Lenora Ruth Barot, born 1950) is an American author of lesbian romance, paranormal romance, erotica, and mystery. She has authored multiple short stories, written fan fiction, and edited numerous anthologies. Radclyffe i ...

Winners of the ''Lavender Certificate''

2005

* Jaime Clevenger for ''The Unknown Mile'' * Gabrielle Goldsby for ''The Caretaker's Daughter'' * C. Paradee for ''Deep Cover''

2006

* Cynthia Tyler for ''Descanso''

2007

* Brenda Adcock for ''Pipeline''

2008

* L-J Baker for ''Broken Wings'' * Catherine Friend for ''The Spanish Pearl'' * Nairne Holtz for ''The Skin Beneath''

2009

* Del Robertson for ''Taming the Wolff'' * Gill McKnight for ''Falling Star'' and ''Green-eyed Monster''

2010

* DL Line for ''On Dangerous Ground'' * Colette Moody for ''The Sublime and Spirited Voyage of Original Sin'' * Carsen Taite for ''truelesbianlove.com''

2011

* Amy Briant for ''Shadow Point '' * Nat Burns for ''Two Weeks in August'' * Gina Noelle Daggett for ''Jukebox'' * D. Jackson Leigh for ''Bareback'' and ''Long Shot'' * Kristin Marra for ''Wind and Bones'' * Amy Dawson Robertson for ''Miles to Go''

2012

* Regina Hanel for ''Love Another Day '' * Cari Hunter for ''Snowbound'' * Ann McMan for ''Jericho'' * AJ Quinn for ''Hostage Moon'' * Pol Robinson for ''Open Water''

2013

* Andrea Bramhall for ''Ladyfish'' * Maggie Morton for ''Dreaming of Her'' * Jenna Rae for ''The Writing on the Wall'' * Robin Silverman for ''Lemon Reef'' * Rebecca Swartz for ''Everything Pales in Comparison''

2014

* Miriam Ruth Black for ''Turtle Season'' * Lea Daley for ''Waiting for Harper Lee'' * M E Logan for ''Lexington Connection'' * Diane Wood for ''Web of Obsessions''

2015

* Marie Castle for ''Hell's Belle'' * Jaime Maddox for ''Agnes''

2016

* Jean Copeland for ''The Revelation of Beatrice Darby'' * Jenny Frame for ''A Royal Romance'' * Sophia French for ''The Diplomat'' * Brandy T. Wilson for ''The Palace Blues''

References

Notes

1
The Lesbian History Portal
Retrieved on 2008-05-31.
2

on glbtq.com Retrieved on 2008-05-31.
3
American Literature: Lesbian, 1900-1969
Martha Nell Smith. Retrieved on 2008-05-31.
4

Retrieved on 2014-02-14. 5

Retrieved on 2014-02-14.

External links

Alice B Awards

which assumed the mantle from Naiad Books.

Alice B Awards Facebook Page
established 2021. {{DEFAULTSORT:Alice B Readers Award American literary awards Awards established in 2005 2005 establishments in the United States LGBTQ literature in the United States LGBTQ literary awards