Reported for AfterElton.com by Sheela Lambert

In case you don’t know, The Lammys are the annual LGBT Book Awards organized by Lambda Literary Foundation. This year’s sold out event was held at the auditorium at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology, the place where the designers of your suits and underwear come from. You didn’t think Calvin did it all by himself did you?). Needless to say, this was not a jeans and t-shirt type affair.

The highlight of the evening for me was when mystery writer Greg Herron (Mardi Gras Mambo, Murder in the Rue Dauphine) got drunk and pulled his shirt over his head, presenting the erotic book awards half naked. As he was reading each book description in his sexiest voice, getting laughs all the way, Chas Flowers snuck up behind him and tucked a twenty into his shirt (still twisted over his shoulder and behind his head.) The audience erupted into convulsions! In Greg’s defense, he had earlier won the Anthology category for co-editing Love, Bourbon Street, a love-letter to New Orleans.

Another highlight was seeing four time Emmy winner and third time author Joe Keenan (Frasier, Desperate Housewives, Flushed Away, Out of Practice) looking handsome and distinguished, win for My Lucky Star in the Humor category. Who knew those Hollywood behind-the-scenes guys could be so hot?

Christopher Rice, (son of vampire queen Ann Rice and a thrice published author himself), was looking way cute in an elegant black suit--tall and slender, blonde and stylish. I realize now I should have asked him “what are you wearing?” Armani? Calvin Klein? I guess we’ll never know. He told me he’s quit smoking since the last time we were chatting on the City Hall steps when he stepped out to have a smoke at their star studded Pride event—way to go Chris!

I presented, along with Wendy Curry from BiNetUSA, the first ever Bisexual Book Award in the Lammys 19 year history. We had worked hard to convince Lambda to add this category and were thrilled to be presenting it. The crowd welcomed us with open arms and enthusiastic applause.

After that, there were no seats at this sold out event and I wound up sitting on the stairs until half-way through when all the seat orphans were rescued by the host, LLF Executive Director (and great guy) Charles Flowers who paused the proceedings to find us stray chairs. Next year I am definitely sneaking in and staking a claim before the buffet so I don’t wind up on the floor again.

One of the most moving episodes of the evening was an In Memoriam tribute, a 6 minute video recognizing eleven LGBT literary heroes who have passed away during the last 18 months, including Eric Rofes, Betty Berzon, Sterling Houston, Barbara Gittings, and Dr. Fritz Klein.

Complete list of winners below.

Winner for ANTHOLOGY

Love, Bourbon Street, edited by Greg Herren & Paul J. Willis (Alyson)

Winner for ARTS & CULTURE

GAY L.A. by Lillian Faderman & Stuart Timmons (Basic Books)

Winner for BISEXUAL

The Bisexual's Guide to the Universe by Nicole Kristal & Michael Szymanski (Alyson)

Winners for CHILDRENS/YOUNG ADULT (tie)

Full Spectrum, edited by David Levithan & Billy Merrell (Random House Children's Books)
Between Mom & Jo by Julie Anne Peters (Little Brown)

Winner for DRAMA/THEATER

1001 Beds by Tim Miller (University of Wisconsin)

Winner for HUMOR

My Lucky Star by Joe Keenan (Little Brown)

Winners for LGBT NONFICTION (tie)

GAY L.A. by Lillian Faderman & Stuart Timmons (Basic Books)
Different Daughters by Marcia M. Gallo (Carroll & Graf)

Winner for LGBT STUDIES

Their Own Receive Them Not by Horace L. Griffin (Pilgrim Press)

Winner for SCI-FI/FANTASY/HORROR

Izzy and Eve by Neal Drinnan (Green Candy Press)

Winner for SPIRITUALITY

The After-Death Room by Michael McColly (Soft Skull Press)

Winner for TRANSGENDER

The Transgender Studies Reader, edited by Susan Stryker & Stephen Whittle (Routledge)

Winner for LESBIAN FICTION

The Night Watch by Sarah Waters (Riverhead Books)

Winner for LESBIAN ROMANCE

Fresh Tracks by Georgia Beers (Bold Strokes)

Winner for LESBIAN MYSTERY

The Art of Detection by Laurie R. King (Bantam)

Winner for LESBIAN POETRY

Lemon Hound by Sina Queyras (Coach House Books)

Winner for LESBIAN MEMOIR/BIOGRAPHY

Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (Houghton Mifflin)

Winner for LESBIAN EROTICA

Walk Like a Man by Laurinda D. Brown (Q-Boro Books)

Winner for LESBIAN DEBUT FICTION

The Teahouse Fire by Ellis Avery (Riverhead)

Winner for GAY FICTION

Suspension by Robert Westfield (HarperCollins)

Winner for GAY ROMANCE

When the Stars Come Out by Rob Byrnes (Kensington)

Winner for GAY MYSTERY

The Lucky Elephant Restaurant by Garry Ryan (NeWest Press)

Winner for GAY POETRY

A History of My Tattoo by Jim Elledge (Stonewall)

Winner for GAY MEMOIR/BIOGRAPHY

The Bill From My Father by Bernard Cooper (Simon & Schuster)

Winner for GAY EROTICA

A History of Barbed Wire by Jeff Mann (Suspect Thoughts)

Winner for GAY DEBUT FICTION

Suspension by Robert Westfield (HarperCollins)

For more information, visit www.lambdaliterary.org