The 2009 Publishing Triangle Awards

The surprise star of this year's Publishing Triangle awards ceremony was veteran novelist Christopher Bram (Gods and Monsters), who may have a second career as the Bruce Vilanch scripter of gay awards
ceremonies. When the nominees for the Ferro-Grumley Awards for LGBT Fiction were introduced, the presenters got so many audience yucks for comparing Alison Bechdel's winning The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For to Victorian novels like The Way We Live Now or a lesbian War and Peace, Bram was credited with the line -- and several others.

Bechdel was on hand to accept the award and said she'd never thought of the ongoing episodes of her cartoon strip, which span more than 25 years, as a novel. "If nothing else, a novel ends," she said. Her decision to end the series last year, while difficult, she said, may have had the silver lining of finally turning the project into fiction.

Lifetime achievement award winner, historian and prolific writer in many genres Martin Duberman gently criticized the "assimilationist thirst" of the modern LGBT movement for expending "far too much energy....in joing up rather than challenging mainstream institutions." But he did say a gracious "thank you" for the award. For a full list of nominees and winners click here.

-- BRUCE SHENITZ

Previously > Alison Bechdel's Fun Home