SEMI-FINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR 2015 NLA-I WRITING AWARDS

(Columbus, OH) — National Leather Association – International (NLA-I), a leading organization for activists in the pansexual SM/leather/fetish community, announced today the semi-finalists for its annual writing awards. Named after activists and writers Geoff Mains, John Preston, Pauline Reage, Cynthia Slater, and the groundbreaking organization Samois, they are awarded annually to recognize excellence in writing and publishing about Leather, SM, bondage and fetishes.

The semi-finalists for the Cynthia Slater Non-fiction Article Award are:

• To All The Tops Afraid To Make A Move 🏆 👍 by Sinclair Sexsmith which appeared 2/25/14 on SugarButch.net
• Kink Is About Connection 👍 by Race Bannon which appeared on 8/21/14 The Bay Area Reporter (ebar.com)
• The Truth About Old Guard by Race Bannon which appeared 10/26/14 on Race’s blog (bannon.com)
• The Handsomest Man In New York by Patrick Mulcahey which appeared 5/9/2014 on Leatherati.com
• Of Pride and Gay Shaming by Patrick Mulcahey which appeared 6/25/2014 on Leatherati.com
• Love Traditional Marriage by Patrick Mulcahey which appeared 10/18/2014 on Leatherati.com

The semi-finalists for the Geoff Mains Non-fiction Book Award are:

• A Year of Dominance 🏆 👍 by Peter Masters (self-published)
• Unequal by Design: Counseling Power Dynamic Relationships by Raven Kaldera (Alfred Press)
• Kinky As You Wanna Be: Your Guide to Safe, Sane and Smart BDSM 👍 by Shanna Germain (Cleis Press)

The semi-finalists for the Pauline Reage Novel Award are:

• Crave by Sierra Cartwright (Totally Bound Publishing)
• Breaking Free by Cat Grant (Cat Grant Books)
• Knowing Her Place 👍 by Kay Jaybee (Xcite Books)
• Cub 👍 by Jeff Mann (Bear Bones Books)
• Salvation 🏆 👍 by Jeff Mann (Bear Bones Books)
• Rasputin’s Kiss 👍 by L.M. Somerton (Totally Bound Publishing)
• Beyond The Compound by Claire Thompson (Romance Unbound Publishing)
• I’ll Show You Mine by Lauren Gallagher (Samhain Publishing)
• The Contract 👍 by Claire Thompson (Romance Unbound Publishing)
• If It Drives by Aleksandr Voinov & L.A. Witt (Riptide Publishing)

The semi-finalists for the Samois Anthology Award are:

• Big Book of Submission by Rachel Bussel (Cleis Press)
• Big Book of Domination 👍 by D.L. King (Cleis Press)
• First Annual BDSM Writer’s Conference Anthology by Dr. Charley Ferrer (Riverdale Avenue Books)
• A Princess Bound by Kristina Wright (Cleis Press)
• Twisted 🏆 👍 by Alison Tyler (Cleis Press)

The semi-finalists for the John Preston Short Story Award are:

• Prison Bitch 👍 by David Wraith from the anthology Big Book of Domination ed. D.L. King (Cleis Pres)
• Grace Under Pressure 🏆 👍 by D.L. King from the anthology She Who Must Be Obeyed ed. D.L. King (Lethe Press)
• My Pretty Pony 👍 by D.L. King from the anthology Bound for Trouble: BDSM Erotica for Women ed. Alison Tyler (Cleis Press)
• Empty Seat by I.G. Frederick (Pussy Cat Press)
• Switch by I.G. Frederick (Pussy Cat Press)
• Mantrap 👍 by L.M. Somerton (Totally Bound Publishing)
• You’re Fucking Mine by Sinclair Sexsmith (self-published)

The finalists will be announced May 1st. Please be sure to like our Facebook page to find out more about what we’re doing and to get updates on the Awards and visit our website.