CHECKING OUT THE COMPETITION

By now, most of the 2009 Lambda Literary Award submissions have been posted. My category:

GAY MYSTERY
Aloha, Candy Hearts, Anthony Bidulka, Insomniac Press

The 38 Million Dollar Smile, Richard Stevenson, MLR Press

Bangkok Dragons, Cape Cod Tears, Randall Peffer, Big Earth Publishing/Bleak House Books

Murder on Camac, Joseph RG DeMarco, Lethe Press

Glad Hand Saloon, Steve Scott, Smoke Tree Press

Nothing/Everything Disconnects/Connects, William Lester Tarvin, Xlibris

A Murderous Ball of Fluff, Ken Lansdowne, H Publishing

Straight Lies, Rob Byrnes, Kensington Publishing

What We Remember, Michael Thomas Ford, Kensington Publishing

Love and Genetic Weaponry, Lee Patton, Alyson Books

Mahu Vice, Neil Plakcy, Alyson Books

Murder in the Garden District, Greg Herren, Alyson Books

It's good I mentally took myself out of the running when I started work on my manuscript back in 2007 (for reasons of content, kids; not quality), because that's a tough, tough list of books and writers.

Although I already stole one Lammy, so you never know...