Call for Nominations for BDSM writings

via ERWA:

NLA-I Call For Nominations
Contact: Steve Vakesh: stvvakesh@comcast.net
Deadline: 28 February 2009

Pansexual BDSM activists seek to highlight publications & authors

NLA: International <www.nla-i.com>, a leading organization for activists in the pansexual leather community, has expanded its annual writing awards for excellence in SM/leather/fetish writing. Nominations are now being accepted for books, articles, novels, and short fiction first published between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2008. The deadline for nominations is 28 February 2009, and winners will be announced at the NLA-I’s Annual General Meeting, which will be held during Spring Iniquity 18 in Houston, TX (17-19 April 2009). The award categories are:

Non-Fiction Book (Geoff Mains Award)
Non-Fiction Article (Cynthia Slater Award)
Novel (Pauline Reage Award)
Short Fiction (John Preston Award)

Nominations for the Cynthia Slater Award (non-fiction article) may have appeared in print or online publications. Eligibility for all other awards (short fiction, novel, non-fiction book) requires print publication. Nominated works should foster education and promote awareness and a positive image of the leather community. The judges will require three copies of any nominated work (digital copies are acceptable). Nominations may be sent to the committee chair, Steve Vakesh, at: stvvakesh@comcast.net.

NLA-I has convened an award jury of six readers, which includes some noted writers in the field and leading community activists. (Names are withheld until after judging is complete to prevent lobbying by nominees.) In 2007, Lee “Bridgett” Harrington’s book Shibari You Can Use: Japanese Rope Bondage and Erotic Macram (Mystic Productions Publishers) won the Geoff Mains award for best non-fiction book. Jack Rinella’s article “Empathy,” which appeared in Leather Views won the Cynthia Slater award for best article.”

Shortly after the announcement of the winners at the NLA-I’s Annual General Meeting at Beyond Vanilla in Dallas, NLA-I President Vince Andrews noted the widespread appreciation these awards received. He announced the addition of the novel and short fiction awards to recognize writers in these categories whose works “entertain and educate, while building awareness and tolerance of the leather/SM/fetish community and showcasing the talents.”

Tags: BDSM, erotica, kink, kinky, leather, NLA, nonfiction, pansexual, writing