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Lambda Literary Awards 2006

The 2006 Lambda Literary Awards went to Freedom in this Village: 25 Years of Black, Gay Men’s Writing by E. Lynn Harris (Anthology), The Tricky Part by Martin Moran (Belles Lettres) and February House by Sherrill Tippins (Biography), with winners in 17 more categories. 100 books were finalists across 20 categories.

Winners

Anthology

  1. Freedom in this Village: 25 Years of Black, Gay Men’s Writing by E. Lynn Harrissource (opens in a new tab)

Belles Lettres

  1. The Tricky Part by Martin Moransource (opens in a new tab)

Biography

  1. February House by Sherrill Tippinssource (opens in a new tab)

Children’s/Young Adult

  1. Swimming in the Monsoon Sea by Shyam Selvaduraisource (opens in a new tab)

Erotica

  1. Stolen Moments: Erotic Interludes 2 by Stacia Seaman and Radclyffesource (opens in a new tab)

Gay Debut Fiction

  1. You Are Not the One by Vestal McIntyresource (opens in a new tab)

Gay Fiction

  1. The Sluts by Dennis Coopersource (opens in a new tab)

Gay Mystery

  1. One of These Things is Not Like the Other by D. Travers Scottsource (opens in a new tab)

Gay Poetry

  1. Crush by Richard Sikensource (opens in a new tab)

Humor

  1. Don’t Get too Comfortable by David Rakoffsource (opens in a new tab)

Lesbian Debut Fiction

  1. The Beautifully Worthless by Ali Leibegottsource (opens in a new tab)

Lesbian Fiction

  1. Babyji by Abha Dawesarsource (opens in a new tab)

Lesbian Mystery

  1. Desert Blood: The Juarez Murders by Alicia Gaspar De Albasource (opens in a new tab)

Lesbian Poetry

  1. Directed by Desire: Collected Poems by June Jordansource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. Words to Our Now by Thomas Glavesource (opens in a new tab)

Romance

  1. Distant Shores, Silent Thunder by Radclyffesource (opens in a new tab)

Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror

  1. Daughters of an Emerald Dusk by Katherine V. Forrestsource (opens in a new tab)

Spirituality

  1. Qu(e)erying Evangelism by Cheri DiNovosource (opens in a new tab)

Studies

  1. When Heroes Love: The Ambiguity of Eros in the Stories of Gilgamesh and David by Susan Ackermansource (opens in a new tab)

Transgender/Genderqueer

  1. Choir Boy by Charlie Anderssource (opens in a new tab)

Finalists

Anthology

  1. Bullets and Butterflies: Queer Spoken Word Poetry by Emanuel Xaviersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Everything I Have is Blue: Short Fiction by Working-Class Men by Wendell Rickettssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Lesbian Pulp Fiction by Katherine Forrestsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Red Light: Superheroes, Saints, & Sluts by Anna Camillerisource (opens in a new tab)

Belles Lettres

  1. My One Night Stand with Cancer by Tania Katansource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Quicksands: A Memoir by Sybille Bedfordsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Tab Hunter Confidential by Tab Hunter and with Eddie Mullersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. When I Knew by Robert Trachtenberg and Tom Bachtellsource (opens in a new tab)

Biography

  1. Beyond Recall by Mary Meigs and Lise Weilsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted: The Life of Brion Gysin by John Geigersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Fabulous Sylvester by Joshua Gamsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Wild Girls: Paris, Sappho, & Art by Diana Souhamisource (opens in a new tab)

Children’s/Young Adult

  1. And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Antonio’s Card/La Tarjeta de Antonio by Rigoberto Gonzalezsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Rainbow Road by Alex Sanchezsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Totally Joe by James Howesource (opens in a new tab)

Erotica

  1. Best Gay Erotica 2006 by Matt Bernstein Sycamore and Richard Labontesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Best Lesbian Erotica 2006 by Eileen Myles and Tristan Taorminosource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Close Contact by Sean Wolfesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Rode Hard But Away Wet: Lesbian Cowboy Erotica by Sacchi Green and Rakelle Valenciasource (opens in a new tab)

Gay Debut Fiction

  1. Bilal’s Bread by Sulyman Xsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Mother of Sorrows by Richard McCannsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Setting the Lawn on Fire by Mack Friedmansource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The First Verse by Barry McCreasource (opens in a new tab)

Gay Fiction

  1. Acqua Calda by Keith McDermottsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Faith for Beginners by Aaron Hamburgersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. German Officer’s Boy by Harlan Greenesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. What We Do is Secret by Kief Hillsberysource (opens in a new tab)

Gay Mystery

  1. Cajun Snuff by W. Randy Haynessource (opens in a new tab)
  2. The Actor’s Guide to Greed by Rick Coppsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Paper Mirror by Dorien Greysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. White Tiger by Michael Allen Dymmochsource (opens in a new tab)

Gay Poetry

  1. Blue on Blue Ground by Aaron Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. For Dust Thou Art by Timothy Luisource (opens in a new tab)
  3. School of the Arts by Mark Dotysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Sugar by Martin Poussonsource (opens in a new tab)

Humor

  1. Invasion of Dykes to Watch Out For by Alison Bechdelsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Juicy Mother by Jennifer Campersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Revenge of the Paste Eaters by Cheryl Pecksource (opens in a new tab)
  4. What the L ? by Kate Clintonsource (opens in a new tab)

Lesbian Debut Fiction

  1. Bliss by Fiona Zeddesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Crashing America by Katia Noyessource (opens in a new tab)
  3. In Too Deep by Ronica Blacksource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Manstealing for Fat Girls by Michelle Embreesource (opens in a new tab)

Lesbian Fiction

  1. Five Books of Moses Lapinsky by Karen Tulchinskysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Lighthousekeeping by Jeanette Wintersonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Wild Dogs by Helen Humphryssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. With or Without You by Lauren Sanderssource (opens in a new tab)

Lesbian Mystery

  1. Darkness Descending by Penny Mickelburysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Justice Served by Radclyffesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Iron Girl by Ellen Hartsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Women of Mystery by Katherine Forrestsource (opens in a new tab)

Lesbian Poetry

  1. Eye of Water by Amber Flora Thomassource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Life Mask by Jackie Kaysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. New and Selected Poems, Volume II by Mary Oliversource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Where the Apple Falls by Samiya Bashirsource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. Beyond the Down Low by Keith Boykinsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Gore Vidal’s America by Dennis Altmansource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Raising Boys without Men by Peggy Drexlersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Women Together/Women Apart by Tirza True Latimersource (opens in a new tab)

Romance

  1. Artist’s Dream by Gerri Hillsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Just Like That by Karin Kallmakersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Price of Temptation by M. J. Pearsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Walt Loves the Bearcat by Randy Boydsource (opens in a new tab)

Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror

  1. Fledgling by Octavia Butlersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. No Sister of Mine by Jeanne G’Fellerssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Shapers of Darkness by David B. Coesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Temple Landfall by Jane Fletchersource (opens in a new tab)

Spirituality

  1. Fumbling Toward Divinity by Craig Hickmansource (opens in a new tab)
  2. I Am This One Walking Beside Me by Daniel Gebhardtsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Path of the Green Man by Michael Thomas Fordsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Seven Sisters of the Pleiades by Munya Andrewssource (opens in a new tab)

Studies

  1. Lesbian Communities Festivals, Rvs And the Internet by Esther D. Rothblum and Penny Sablovesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Love’s Rite: Same-Sex Marriage in India and the West by Ruth Vanitasource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Why I Hate Abercrombie and Fitch by Dwight A. McBridesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Zest for Life: Lesbians’ Experience of Menopause by Jennifer Kellysource (opens in a new tab)

Transgender/Genderqueer

  1. Deliver Me from Nowhere by Tennessee Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  2. In a Queer Time and Place by Judith Halberstamsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Just Add Hormones by Matt Kaileysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Riddle of Gender by Deborah Rudacillesource (opens in a new tab)

About the Lambda Literary Awards

Winners and finalists in every book category, from Lambda Literary's own Lammys Directory (an Airtable embed on the cited page). Year is the ceremony year: the 18th annual awards (2006) through the 37th (2025). The directory lists each book under its publication year, one year earlier, so year = directory year + 1. Ties are recorded as Winner. For 2025 the directory labels non-winners "Shortlist"; Lambda's announcement calls them finalists, so they are Finalist here. Editor and illustrator role tags are dropped from author names; translators go in the translator field. Special Prizes (career and emerging-writer awards to people) are out of scope.

Organization: Lambda Literary Foundation. Years are award years, which can differ from publication years. Official site (opens in a new tab)

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