Annual literary award for bisexual fiction
The Bisexual Book Awards are an annual literary award program, presented by the Bi Writers Association to honour the year's best works of literature addressing themes of bisexuality .[ 1] [ 2]
Awards are presented in 11 categories, where any writer who has addressed bisexual themes in their work may be submitted for consideration regardless of their own sexual orientation. Two special awards are also presented: the Bi Book Publisher Award to the publishing company that has submitted the most books to the awards program that year, and the Bi Writer Award for the best book by an out bisexual writer.
Honorees
Anthology
Biography and Memoir
Award winners and finalists[ 3]
Year
Author
Title
Publisher
Result
Ref.
2013
Alden Jones The Blind Masseuse: A Traveler’s Memoir from Costa Rica to Cambodia Terrace Books/The University of Wisconsin Press
Winner
Charles "Zan" Christensen Anything That Loves: Comics Beyond Gay and Straight [ d] Northwest Press
Finalist
Marina Peralta Penelope James
Barriers to Love: Embracing a Bisexual Identity [ e] Barriers Press
Finalist
2014
Daisy Hernández A Cup of Water Under My Bed [ f] Beacon Press
Winner
Alan Cumming Not My Father’s Son[ g]
Dey Street Books / HarperCollins Publishers
Finalist
Allison Moon Bad Dyke
Lunatic Ink
Finalist
Charles M. Blow Fire Shut Up In My Bones[ h]
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Finalist
Daniel Schreiber Susan Sontag: A Biography
Northwestern University Press
Finalist
Edward White The Tastemaker: Carl Van Vechten and the Birth of Modern America [ i] Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Finalist
2015
Kate Evans Call It Wonder: An Odyssey of Love, Sex, Spirit, and Travel [ j] Coyote Creek Books
Winner
Chelsey Clammer BodyHome
Hopewell Publications
Finalist
Emily Bingham Irrepressible: The Jazz Age Life of Henrietta Bingham
Farrar, Straus and Giroux/Macmillan
Finalist
[ 1]
2016
Juliet Nicolson A House Full of Daughters Farrar, Straus and Giroux / Macmillan
Winner
Ira Nadel Virginia Woolf
London: Reaktion Books/ Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press
Finalist
2017
Monica Meneghetti What the Mouth Wants: A Memoir of Food, Love and Belonging [ k] Dagger Editions/Caitlin Press
Winner
[ 4]
Peggy Seeger First Time Ever [ l] Faber & Faber
Winner
Miranda Pennington A Girl Walks Into a Book Seal Press/Hachette Book Group
Finalist
2018
Sophie Lucido Johnson Many Love [ m] Touchstone / Simon & Schuster
Winner
Charlie Harmon On the Road and Off the Record with Leonard Bernstein: My Years with the Exasperating Genius
Imagine Publishing/ Charlesbridge
Finalist
2019
Carmen Maria Machado In the Dream House Graywolf Press
Winner
[ 5]
Jackson Bird Sorted
Tiller Press / Simon & Schuster
Finalist
2020
Molly Wizenberg The Fixed Stars [ n] Abrams Press
Winner
Celia Stahr Frida in America [ o] St. Martin’s Press / Macmillan
Finalist
Raechel Anne Jolie Rust Belt Femme
Belt Publishing
Finalist
2021
Randa Jarrar Love Is an Ex-Country
Catapult
Finalist
Luke Turner Out of the Woods: Nature, Sexuality, and Faith in the Forest
Greystone Books
Finalist
Jen Winston Greedy: Notes from a Bisexual Who Wants Too Much [ p] Atria Books/Simon & Schuster
Finalist
Erotica
Fiction
Graphic Novels and Memoirs
Award winners and finalists[ 3]
Year
Author
Title
Publisher
Result
Ref.
2016
Tyler Cohen Primahood: Magenta
Stacked Deck Press / J.T. Avery Pacific
Winner
Jon Macy Tara Madison Avery (eds.)
ALPHABET: The LGBTQAIU Creators from Prism Comics [ c] Stacked Deck Press
Finalist
2021
Alice Oseman Heartstopper, Vol. 3 [ aq] Graphix/Scholastic Inc.
Finalist
Courtney Cook The Way She Feels: My Life on the Borderline in Pictures and Pieces Tin House
Finalist
Literary Fiction
Award winners and finalists[ 3]
Year
Author
Title
Publisher
Result
Ref.
2021
Harrie Farrow Finding Bonita
Independently Published
Finalist
Joe Okonkwo Kiss the Scars on the Back of My Neck
Amble Press/Bywater Books
Finalist
Mystery
Non-fiction
Award winners and finalists[ 3]
Year
Author
Title
Publisher
Result
Ref.
2012
Cheryl Burke My Awesome Place: The Autobiography of Cheryl B [ aw] Topside Signature
Winner
Janet W. Hardy Girlfag: A Life Told In Sex and Musicals [ ax] Beyond Binary Books
Finalist
2013
Charles "Zan" Christensen Anything That Loves: Comics Beyond Gay and Straight [ d] Northwest Press
Winner
Jade Sylvan Kissing Oscar Wilde: A Love Story In The City Of Light
Write Bloody Publishing
Finalist
Maria San Filippo The B Word: Bisexuality in Contemporary Film and Television Indiana University Press
Finalist
Marina Peralta Penelope James
Barriers to Love: Embracing a Bisexual Identity [ e] Barriers Press
Finalist
Shiri Eisner Bi Notes for a Bisexual Revolution [ ay] Seal Press
Finalist
2014
Robyn Ochs H. Sharif Williams
Recognize: The Voices of Bisexual Men [ a] Bisexual Resource Center
Winner
Jacob and Diane Anderson-Minshall Queerly Beloved: A Love Story Across Gender
Bold Strokes Books
Finalist
Breanne Fahs Valerie Solanas: The Defiant Life of the Woman Who Wrote SCUM (and Shot Andy Warhol)
The Feminist Press
Finalist
Charles M. Blow Fire Shut Up In My Bones [ h] Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Finalist
Daisy Hernández A Cup of Water Under My Bed [ f] Beacon Press
Finalist
Edward White The Tastemaker: Carl Van Vechten and the Birth of Modern America [ i] Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Finalist
2015
Maria Pallotta-Chiarolli Bisexuality in Education: Erasure, Exclusion and the Absence of Intersectionality
Routledge
Winner
Jillian Deri Love's Refraction: Jealousy and Compersion in Queer Women's Polyamorous Relationships
University of Toronto Press
Finalist
Surya Monro Bisexuality: Identities, Politics, and Theories
Palgrave/Macmillan
Finalist
2016
Maria Pallotta-Chiarolli Women in Relationships with Bisexual Men: Bi Men, Women
Lexington Books
Winner
Eric Anderson The Changing Dynamics of Bisexual Men's Lives: Social Research Perspectives Springer
Finalist
Tiggy Upland Advice from a Wild Deuce: The Best of Ask Tiggy [ az] Jennifer L. Bonardi
Finalist
2017
Telaina Eriksen Unconditional: A Guide to Loving and Supporting Your LGBTQ Child
Mango Media
Winner
[ 4]
Mary-Anne McAllum Young Bisexual Women’s Experiences in Secondary Schools
Routledge
Finalist
Sarah Prager Queer, There, and Everywhere: 23 People Who Changed the World
HarperCollins
Finalist
2018
Sophie Lucido Johnson Many Love [ m] Touchstone / Simon & Schuster
Winner
Michael Amherst Go the Way Your Blood Beats: On Truth, Bisexuality, and Desire
Repeater Books
Finalist
2019
Esther Rapoport From Psychoanalytic Bisexuality to Bisexual Psychoanalysis: Desiring in the Real
Routledge
Winner
Corey E. Flanders Under the Bisexual Umbrella: Diversity of Identity and Experience [ ba] Routledge
Finalist
2020
Emiel Maliepaard Renate Baumgartner (eds.)
Bisexuality in Europe: Sexual Citizenship, Romantic Relationships, and Bi+ Identities [ bb] Routledge
Winner
Carol A. Shepherd Bi the Way: Pastoring Bisexual Christians in Europe
Easy Yoke Publishing
Finalist
Nikki Hayfield Bisexual and Pansexual Identities: Exploring and challenging invisibility and invalidation [ bc] Routledge
Finalist
Poetry
Publisher of the Year
Romance
Speculative Fiction
Teen and Young Adult
Writer of the Year
Award winners and finalists[ 3]
Year
Author
Title
Publisher
Result
Ref.
2012
Cheryl Burke My Awesome Place: The Autobiography of Cheryl B [ aw] Topside Signature
Winner
[ 2]
Annette Lapointe Whitetail Shooting Gallery [ af] Anvil Press Publishers
Finalist
Basil Papademos Mount Royal, There’s Nothing Harder than Love[ q]
Tightrope Books
Finalist
Brit Mandelo Beyond Binary: Genderqueer and Sexually Fluid Speculative Fiction [ ag] Lethe Press
Finalist
Catherine Lundoff Silver Moon [ ah] Lethe Press
Finalist
Cecilia Tan The Poet and the Prophecy [ r] Ravenous Romance
Finalist
Erynn Rowan Laurie Fireflies at Absolute Zero [ bd] Hiraeth Press
Finalist
Janet W. Hardy Girlfag: A Life Told In Sex and Musicals [ ax] Beyond Binary Books
Finalist
Mykola Dementiuk Times Square Queer: Tales of Bad Boys in the Big Apple [ s] Renaissance eBooks
Finalist
2013
Shiri Eisner Bi Notes for a Bisexual Revolution [ ay] Seal Press
Winner
Clive Davis Anthony DeCurtis
The Soundtrack of My Life Simon & Schuster
Finalist
Ed Kurtz A Wind of Knives Snubnose Press
Finalist
Jean Roberta The Flight of the Black Swan [ t] Lethe Press
Finalist
Livia Ellis Memoirs of a Gigolo Omnibus, Vol. 1-4 [ u] Riverdale Avenue Books/ Desire
Finalist
Marina Peralta Penelope James
Barriers to Love: Embracing a Bisexual Identity [ e] Barriers Press
Finalist
Rachel Kramer Bussel Twice the Pleasure: Bisexual Women’s Erotica [ v] Cleis Press
Finalist
2014
Robyn Ochs H. Sharif Williams (eds.)
Recognize: The Voices of Bisexual Men {[ a] Bisexual Resource Center
Winner
Alan Cumming Not My Father’s Son [ g] Dey Street Books/HarperCollins Publishers
Finalist
Charles M. Blow Fire Shut Up In My Bones [ h] Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Finalist
Livia Ellis Memoirs of a Gigolo, Second Omnibus, Vol. 5-7 [ y] Riverdale Avenue Books
Finalist
Daisy Hernández A Cup of Water Under My Bed [ f] Beacon Press
Finalist
Sheela Lambert Best Bi Short Stories
Gressive Press/Circlet Press
Finalist
2015
Kate Evans Call It Wonder: An Odyssey of Love, Sex, Spirit, and Travel [ j] Coyote Creek Books
Winner
B R Sanders Ariah [ bs] The Zharmae Publishing Press
Finalist
[ 1]
Hannah Moskowitz Not Otherwise Specified [ bz] Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster
Finalist
2016
Tiggy Upland Advice from a Wild Deuce: The Best of Ask Tiggy [ az] Jennifer L. Bonardi
Winner
Ann Tweedy The Body’s Alphabet [ be] Headmistress Press
Finalist
Erin Judge Vow of Celibacy [ ai] Rare Bird Books
Finalist
Garrett Leigh What Remains [ bh] Riptide Publishing
Finalist
Lauren Gallagher The Best Laid Plans [ ab] Samhain Publishing
Finalist
Suzanne van Rooyen Obscura Burning [ ca] Harmony Ink/Dreamspinner Press
Finalist
2017
Peggy Seeger First Time Ever [ l] Faber & Faber
Winner
[ 4]
Carmen Maria Machado Her Body and Other Parties [ aj] Graywolf Press
Finalist
Erin McRae Racheline Maltese
The Art of Three Avian30
Finalist
Karen Connelly The Change Room [ ak] Random House/ PenguinRandomHouse
Finalist
Monica Meneghetti What the Mouth Wants: A Memoir of Food, Love and Belonging [ k] Dagger Editions/Caitlin Press
Finalist
Sylvia Brownrigg Pages for Her [ al] Counterpoint
Finalist
2018
Duy Doan We Play a Game [ bf] Yale University Press
Winner
Elaine Castillo America Is Not the Heart [ am] Viking / Penguin Random House
Winner
J.R. Mabry The Worship of Mystery [ bv] The Apocryphile Press
Winner
Kate Evans Target
Coyote Creek Books
Finalist
Lilah Suzanne Jilted [ bj] Interlude Press
Finalist
Rachel Wiley Nothing Is Okay
Button Poetry
Finalist
2019
Rosalind Chase Lot’s Wife: An Erotic Retelling [ ad] Under Hill Press
Winner
Casey McQuiston Red, White & Royal Blue [ bk] St. Martin’s Griffin / Macmillan
Finalist
Corey E. Flanders Under the Bisexual Umbrella: Diversity of Identity and Experience[ ba]
Routledge
Finalist
Rebecca Kim Wells Shatter the Sky [ bw] Books for Young Readers / Simon & Schuster
Finalist
Sarah Blake Naamah [ an] Riverhead Books / Penguin Random House
Finalist
2020
Molly Wizenberg The Fixed Stars [ n] Abrams Press
Winner
Celia Stahr Frida in America [ o] St. Martin’s Press / Macmillan
Finalist
Emiel Maliepaard Renate Baumgartner (eds.)
Bisexuality in Europe: Sexual Citizenship, Romantic Relationships, and Bi+ Identities [ bb] Routledge
Finalist
Jay Hogan Off Balance [ bl] Southern Lights Publishing
Finalist
Jennifer Steil Exile Music [ ao] Viking / Penguin Random House
Finalist
Nikki Hayfield Bisexual and Pansexual Identities: Exploring and challenging invisibility and invalidation [ bc] Routledge
Finalist
Nita Tyndall Who I Was with Her [ cb] HarperTeen / Harper Collins
Finalist
Samantha Irby Wow, No Thank You
Vintage / Penguin Random House
Finalist
Samantha Rajaram The Company Daughters [ ap] Bookouture
Finalist
2021
Skye Kilaen The Home I Find With You [ bm] Independently Published
Finalist
Catherine Lewis Zipless
845 Press
Finalist
Lois Shearing Bi the Way: The Bisexual Guide to Life
Jessica Kingsley
Finalist
Jen Winston Greedy: Notes from a Bisexual Who Wants Too Much [ p] Atria Books/Simon & Schuster
Finalist
Notes
^ a b c In 2014, Recognize: The Voices of Bisexual Men won the Award for Anthology, Non-Fiction, and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2016, Enchanted Soles was a finalist for the Award for Speculative Fiction and won the Award for Anthology.
^ a b In 2016, ALPHABET: The LGBTQAIU Creators from Prism Comics was a finalist for the Award for Anthology and Graphic Novel/Memoir.
^ a b In 2013, Anything That Loves was a finalist for the Award for Biography and Memoir, and won the Award for Non-Fiction.
^ a b c Barriers to Love: Embracing a Bisexual Identity was also...^ a b c A Cup of Water Under My Bed won the Award for Biography and Memoir, and was a finalist for the Awards for Non-Fiction and Writer of the Year.^ a b In 2014, Not My Father's Son was a finalist for the Award for Writer of the Read and Biography and Memoir.
^ a b c In 2014, Fire Shut Up In My Bones was a finalist for the Award for Teen and Young Adult, Biography and Memoir, and Nonfiction.
^ a b In 2014, The Tastemaker was a finalist for the Awards for Biography and Memoir, and Non-fiction.
^ a b In 2015, Call It Wonder won the Awards for Biography and Memoir, and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2017, What the Mouth Wants won the Award for Biography and Memoir and was a finalist for Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2017, First Time Ever won the Awards for Biography and Memoir, and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2018, Many Love won the Awards for Biography and Memoir, and Non-Fiction.
^ a b In 2020, The Fixed Stars won the Awards for Biography and Memoir, and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2020, Frida in America was a finalist for the Awards for Biography and Memoir, and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2021, Greedy was a finalist for the Awards for Biography and Memoir and Writer of the Year.
^ a b c In 2012, Mount Royal won the Award for Erotica and was a finalist for the Awards for Fiction and Writer of the Year.
^ a b c In 2012, The Poet and the Prophecy was a finalist for the Awards for Erotica, Speculative Fiction, and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2012, Times Square Queer was a finalist for the Awards for Erotica and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2013, The Flight of the Black Swan was a finalist for the Awards for Erotica and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2013, Memoirs of a Gigolo Omnibus, Vol. 1-4 was a finalist for the Awards for Erotica and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2013, Twice the Pleasure was a finalist for the Award for Erotica and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2014, Capricious won the Award for Erotica and was a finalist for the Award for Speculative Fiction.
^ a b In 2014, Murder on the Mountain won the Award for Mystery and was a finalist for the Award for Erotica.
^ a b In 2014, Memoirs of a Gigolo, Second Omnibus, Vol. 5-7 was a finalist for the Awards for Erotica and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2014, One Kiss with a Rock Star won the Award for Romance and was a finalist for the Award for Erotica.
^ a b In 2015, She Whom I Love was a finalist for the Awards for Erotica and Romance.
^ a b In 2016, The Best Laid Plans won the Award for Erotica and was a finalist for the Award for Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2017, Rescues and the Rhyssa won the Award for Erotica and was a finalist for the Award for Speculative Fiction.
^ a b In 2019, Lot’s Wife won the Award for Writer of the Year and was a finalist for the Award for Erotica.
^ Not enough books were nominated to declare winners or finalists.
^ a b In 2012, Whitetail Shooting Gallery was a finalist for the Awards for Fiction and Writer of the Year.
^ a b c In 2012, Beyond Binary won the Award for Speculative Fiction and was a finalist for the Awards for Fiction and Writer of the Year.
^ a b c In 2012, Silver Moon was a finalist for the Awards for Fiction, Speculative Fiction, and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2016, Vow of Celibacy won the Award for Fiction and was a finalist for the Award for Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2017, Her Body and Other Parties won the Award for Fiction and was a finalist for Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2017, The Change Room was a finalist for the Award for Fiction and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2017, Pages for Her was a finalist for the Award for Fiction and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2018, America Is Not the Heart won the Award for Fiction and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2019, Naamah won the Award for Fiction and was a finalist for Writer of the Year.
^ a b Exile Music was also ...^ a b In 2020, The Company Daughters was a finalist for the Award for Fiction and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2021, the Heartstopper, Vol. 3 was a finalist for the Award for Graphic Novels and Memoirs and the Award for Teen and Young Adult.
^ a b In 2015, Peripheral People won the Award for Mystery and was a finalist for the Award for Speculative Fiction.
^ a b In 2015, Out of Order was a finalist for the Awards for Mystery and Teen and Young Adult.
^ a b In 2016, Order in the Court was a finalist for the Awards for Mystery, and Teen and Young Adult.
^ a b In 2018, We Are Young won the Award for Teen and Young Adult and was a finalist for the Award for Mystery.
^ In 2020, there was a winner but no finalists.
^ a b In 2012, My Awesome Place won the Awards for Non-fiction and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2012, Girlfag was a finalist for the Awards for Non-Fiction and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2013, Bi Notes for a Bisexual Revolution won the Award for Writer of the Year and was a finalist for the Award for Non-Fiction.
^ a b In 2016, Advice from a Wild Deuce won the Award for Writer of the Year and was a finalist for the Award for Non-Fiction.
^ a b In 2019, Under the Bisexual Umbrella was a finalist for the Award for Non-Fiction and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2020, Bisexuality in Europe won the Award for Non-Fiction and was a finalist for Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2020, Bisexual and Pansexual Identities was a finalist for the Awards for Non-Fiction and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2012, Fireflies at Absolute Zero won the Award for Poetry and was a finalist for Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2016, The Body’s Alphabet won the Award for Poetry and was a finalist for Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2018, We Play a Game won Writer of the Year and was a finalist for the Award for Poetry.
^ a b In 2014, Climbing the Date Palm was a finalist for the Awards for Romance and Speculative Fiction
^ a b In 2016, What Remains won the Award for Romance and was a finalist for Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2016, Out on Good Behavior was a finalist for the Awards for Romance and Teen and Young Adult.
^ a b In 2018, Jilted won the Award for Romance and was a finalist for Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2019, Red, White & Royal Blue won the Award for Romance and was a finalist for Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2020, Off Balance won the Award for Romance and was a finalist for Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2021, The Home I Find With You was a finalist for the Award for Romance and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2013, Pantomime won the Award for Speculative Fiction and was a finalist for the Award for Teen and Young Adult.
^ a b In 2013, The Summer Prince was a finalist for the Award for Speculative Fiction and Teen/Young Adult Fiction.
^ a b In 2013, Love in The Time of Global Warming was a finalist for the Awards for Speculative Fiction and Teen/Young Adult.
^ a b In 2013, Inheritance won the Award for Teen and Young Adult and was a finalist for the Award for Speculative Fiction.
^ a b In 2014, Otherbound won the Award for Speculative Fiction and was a finalist for the Award for Teen and Young Adult.
^ a b In 2015, Ariah won the Award for Speculative Fiction and was a finalist for Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2015, Seven Tears at High Tide was a finalist for the Awards for Speculative Fiction and Teen/Young Adult.
^ a b In 2017, The Rules and Regulations For Mediating Myths & Magic won the Award for Speculative Fiction and was a finalist for the Award for Teen and Young Adult.
^ a b In 2018, The Worship of Mystery won the Award for Speculative Fiction and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2019, Shatter the Sky won the Award for Speculative Fiction and was a finalist for Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2019, Monster of the Week was a finalist for the Awards for Speculative Fiction and Teen/Young Adult.
^ a b In 2021, Iron Widow was a finalist for the Awards for Speculative Fiction, and Teen and Young Adult.
^ a b In 2015, Not Otherwise Specified won the Award for Teen/Young Adult and was a finalist for Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2016, Obscura Burning was a finalist for the Award for Teen/Young Adult and Writer of the Year.
^ a b In 2020, Who I Was with Her won the Award for Teen/Young Adult and was a finalist for Writer of the Year.
References
External links
By genre
LGBTQ+ themes Subgenres
By subgroup
Media portrayal Fiction Literature Animation Film TV Pornography Nonfiction
