Gaylactic Spectrum Award for Best Short Fiction

The Gaylactic Spectrum Awards are given to works of science fiction, fantasy and horror that explore LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender) topics in a positive way. They were founded in 1998, first presented by the Gaylactic Network in 1999, and in 2002 they were given their own organization, the Gaylactic Spectrum Awards Foundation.[1]

Awards are given in categories for novels, short fiction and best other work, although in some years the award for short fiction has not been presented due to lack of sufficient nominees or no nominee of high enough quality. Other categories have also been added and removed in intervening years, and works produced before the inception of the awards are eligible to be inducted into the "Hall of Fame". The short fiction category is open to submissions of short written works released during the prior calendar year in North America that includes "significant positive GLBT content". The long list of nominees is reduced to a short list of finalists, and the results are generally announced and presented at Gaylaxicon, a convention dedicated to LGBT science fiction, although they have also been presented at Worldcon in the past.[2][3] This article lists all the "Best short fiction" award nominees and winners, and short fiction hall of fame inductees.[4]

Each award consists of an etched image on lucite on a stand, using a spiral galaxy in a triangle logo, which is based on the logo the Gaylactic Network. The award winner's name, work title, award year and award category are etched on a small plaque on the base or on the plexiglass itself. A small cash stipend is awarded to winners in the Best Short Fiction category. The cost of the awards is paid for through individual donations and fundraising events.[4]

Logo of the Gaylactic Spectrum Award Foundation

Steve Berman has the record for most nominations, having been a finalist four times without winning. No writer has won the short fiction award more than once.[5] Per Locus, the most recent short fiction award was given in 2010.[6]

  1. ^ "About the Gaylactic Spectrum Award". Gaylactic Spectrum Award Foundation. 2000–2008. Archived from the original on 2015-07-12. Retrieved 2008-11-14.
  2. ^ "Books and Publishing June 1999". Locus Publications. 2003. Retrieved 2008-11-19.
  3. ^ "News Log July 2003". Locus Publications. 2003. Retrieved 2008-11-19.
  4. ^ a b "Gaylactic Spectrum Award Official Rules". Gaylactic Spectrum Award Foundation. 2000–2008. Archived from the original on 2009-01-23. Retrieved 2008-11-14.
  5. ^ Kelly, Mark R. (2003–2007). "Gaylactic Spectrum Awards Records and Tallies". Locus Publications. Archived from the original on 2009-01-15. Retrieved 2008-11-13.
  6. ^ "Gaylactic Spectrum Awards Winners By Category". Science Fiction Awards Database. Locus Science Fiction Foundation. Retrieved 2022-03-15.

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