FINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR 2017 NLA-I WRITING AWARDS

(Columbus, OH) — National Leather Association – International (NLA-I), a leading organization for activists in the pansexual SM/leather/fetish community, announced today the semi-finalists for its annual writing awards. Named after activists and writers Geoff Mains, John Preston, Pauline Reage, Cynthia Slater, and the groundbreaking organization Samois, they are awarded annually to recognize excellence in writing and publishing about Leather, SM, bondage and fetishes.

The finalists for the Cynthia Slater Non-fiction Article Award are:

• Writing While Deviant by Erica Mena which appeared January 26, 2017 on http://therumpus.net/2016/01/kink-5-wri … rica-mena/
• He Was a Sexual Outlaw: My Love Affair with Robert Mapplethorpe by Jack Fritscher which appeared March 9, 2016 on https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesig … e-pictures
• Claw – Year of the Puppy – A Reboot! by Pup Bayard which appeared May 5, 2016 on http://www.greatlakesden.net/claw-year-puppy-reboot/
• Editor’s Note -Three Days Since Orlando by Ruff Wray which appeared June 16, 2016 on http://www.greatlakesden.net/editors-no … e-orlando/
• Squire’s Corner – To Love Beyond Gender by Lisa Lacriola which appeared November 14, 2016 on http://illinoiseagle.com/squires-corner … nd-gender/

The finalists for the Geoff Mains Non-fiction Book Award are:

• Vanilla Breaks by David Wade (Xcite books)
• Jolted Awake by Richard Levine (Alfred Press in cooperation with Lulu Enterprises, Inc.)
• Our Lives, Our History by Peter Tupper with David Stein (ed.) (Perfectbound Press)
• Beyond Obedience by Slavemaster & slave7 (Creatspace)

The finalists for the Pauline Reage Novel Award are:

• Risk Aware by Amelia C Gromley (Riptide Publishing)
• Heart’s Master by Elizabeth Schechter (Circlet Press)*
• The Viscountess Interrogates: A Dominion Erotic Mystery by Cameron Quintain (Circlet Press)
• Skyscraper by Scott Alexander Hess (Unzipped Books, an imprint of Lethe Press)
• The Gambler’s Lady by Angela Hamm (Blushing Books)
• The Assignment by Jade A. Waters (Carina Press)

The finalists for the John Preston Short Story Award are:

• 7 With 1 Blow by Caraway Carter (Beaten Track Publishing)
• Pictures and Frames by Daniel Erickson (Pride Publishing)
• Cupcakes and Steel by D.L. King from the anthology For The Men and The Women Who Love Them ed. Rose Caraway (Stupid Fish Productions)
• A Proven Therapeutic Fact by D.L. King from the anthology Begging For It: Erotic Fantasies For Women ed. Rachel Kramer Bussel (Cleis Press)
• Spring on Scrabble Creek by Jeff Mann from the anthology Threesome: Him, Him and Me ed. Matthew Bright (Lethe Press)
• Rooms Formed of Neurons and Sex by Ferrett Steinmetz which appeared in Uncanny Magazine http://uncannymagazine.com/article/room … urons-sex/

There were no submissions this year for the Samois Anthology Award.

The winners will be announced at the National Leather Association – International’s Annual General Meeting, which will be held April 23rd at Oklahoma Leatherfest April 21st – 23rd in Oklahoma City https://www.eventbrite.com/e/oklahoma-l … 7595093668. We hope our finalists will attend the AGM to receive their awards and congratulate the winners.

For more information about the awards, please contact the Award Committee Chair, CandiAnne, at awards@nla-international.com