(Columbus, OH) -- National Leather Association: International, a leading organization for activists in the pansexual leather community, announced the 2008 winners of its recently created annual awards for excellence in SM/leather/fetish writing at its Annual General Meeting at Spring Iniquity in Houston, TX on 19 April 2009).

The winner of the Cynthia Slater Non-fiction Article Award is Jack Fritscher for "Spill a Drop for Lost Brothers: the Legendary Larry Townsend," which appeared in both the Leather Journal and Leather Times. Intertwining laughter and sadness, Fritscher, a friend and compatriot of legendary author Larry Townsend, discusses Townsend's life and accomplishments, which include writing the Leatherman's Handbook, its sequel, and numerous other works. Laura Antoniou's amusing and entertaining "These Boots Are Made for Buffin; or the erotic power of looking like you know your shit" (Alt.com) received the honorable mention.

The winner of the Geoff Mains Non-fiction Book Award is Jack Fritscher for Gay San Francisco: Eyewitness Drummer (Palm Drive), a memoir of his early years as editor in chief of Drummer magazine that is packed with historical detail and incisive analysis of the leather community in the 1970s. The honorable mention went to Vince Andrews for The Leatherboy Handbook (Nazca Plains), a detailed guide to the boy subculture.

The winner of the Pauline Reage Novel Award is Anneke Jacob for As She's Told (Pink Flamingo), a compelling and erotic tale that explores the complexities and difficulties of fulltime SM relationships. The honorable mention went to Sasha White for Wicked (Berkley), which blends intrigue, mystery, and romance, while exploring the successive relationships of a new submissive with two very different dominants.

The winner of the Anthology Award is Alison Tyler for Hurts So Good: Unrestrained Erotica (Cleis), a superb collection of stories that well represent the diversity of the SM/leather/fetish community. The honorable mention went to Richard Labonté (ed.) for Best Gay Bondage Erotica (Cleis), which offers a great mix of new and previously published stories.
 
The winner of the John Preston Short Fiction Award is Jeff Mann, "Kidnapping Chris," a hot and humorous story with a great plot twist that appeared in Richard Labonté (ed.), Best Gay Bondage Erotica (Cleis). The honorable mention went to Xan West for "First Time Since," which appeared in Alison Tyler (ed.), Hurts So Good: Unrestrained Erotica (Cleis).

Nominations for the 2009 awards will open soon.