The Rainbow Awards is an annual contest celebrating outstanding work in LGBT fiction and nonfiction.

Hosted and owned by blogger Elisa Rolle, the contest is open to all authors of work containing LGBT fictional characters and work chronicling the true stories of LGBT persons. Almost 400 books, more than 150 judges, all over the world, and many submissions

Best LGBT Cover – Design

1. Into This River I Drown (Kyle Thompson)
2. Coming Home (Anne Cain) / A Knitter in His Natural Habitat (Catt Ford)
3. The Boys and the Bees (Catt Ford)
4. Mingled Destinies of Crocodiles and Men (Amy Morrison)
5. After the End (Brooke Albrecht)
6. Boys of Summer (Reese Dante) / Aaron (AngstyG) / For Men Like Us (Anne Cain)
7. Fire (Paul Richmond) / Plan B (Ronaldo Gutierrez)
8. Texas Pride (Reese Dante)
9. Gravedigger’s Brawl (Reese Dante)
10. Lion and the Crow (Eli Easton) / 3 (DWS Photography)

Best LGBT Cover – Illustration

1. Evolution (Paul Richmond)
2. Stealing the Wind (Anne Cain)
3. Falling for Rain (Paul Richmond)
4. Crow and Firefly (Shobana Appavu) / Venetian Masks (Shobana Appavu)
5. Ice and Embers (Anne Cain) / Secret Chemistry (Anne Cain) / Blood Red Butterfly (Faith L.)
6. The Actor and the Earl (Anne Cain)
7. Out of the Blackness (SJL Graphics)
8. Hour of the Lotus (Anne Cain) / Bound Forget Me Knot (Shobana Appavu)
9. Calling Dr Laura (Nicole J. Georges)
10. Bonds of Death (Shobana Appavu) / Gravemen (Aisha Akeju)

Best B/T & LGBT Contemporary Fiction, Mystery / Thriller, Contemporary & Historical Romance

1. Laura Antoniou – The Killer Wore Leather
2. Vincent Meis – Down in Cuba
3. Julian Griffith – Love Continuance and Increasing

Best B/T & LGBT Fantasy, Paranormal Romance & Sci-fi / Futuristic

1. J. Tullos Hennig – GreenWode
2. Jill Braden – The Devil’s Concubine
3. Jill Shultz – Angel on the Ropes

Best Gay Contemporary General Fiction

1 (tie). Amy Lane – Dex in Blue
1 (tie). Rick R. Reed – Raining Men
2. Larry Benjamin – Damaged Angels
3. Brad Boney – The Return
4. George Seaton – Saving Skylar Hand
5. Jamie Fessenden – By That Sin Fell The Angels / S.A. McAuley – Crack the Darkest Sky Wide Open

Best Gay Contemporary Romance (William Neale Award)

1. Amy Lane – Racing for the Sun
2. Amy Lane – Mourning Heaven / Ryan Loveless – Ethan Who Loved Carter
3. Taylor V. Donovan – Disasterology 101
4. Carter Quinn – Out of the Blackness
5. Heidi Cullinan & Marie Sexton – Second Hand
6. Anyta Sunday – Taboo For You
7. Alexis Hall – Glitterland
8. Julie Bozza – The Apothecary’s Garden
9. Clancy Nacht & Thursday Euclid – Double Black
10. Lane Hayes – Better Than Good

Best Gay Fantasy

1. Kim Fielding – Brute
2. Eric Arvin – Mingled Destinies of Crocodiles and Men / Kaje Harper – Nor Iron Bars A Cage
3. Angel Martinez & Freddy MacKay – The Horns and Halos
4. Vaughn R. Demont – Community Service
5. Megan Derr – Black Magic / Tali Spencer – Thick as Thieves

Best Gay Historical Romance

1. Adam Fitzroy – Make Do and Mend
2. Osiris Brackhaus – Lovers in Arms
3. Jane Elliot – Montana Red
4. Aleksandr Voinov & L.A. Witt – Unhinge The Universe
5. Brita Addams – Tarnished Gold

Best Gay Mystery / Thriller

1. AJ Rose – Safeword
2. Jamie Fessenden – Billy’s Bones
3. J.L. Merrow – Pressure Head
4. AJ Rose – Power Exchange
5. Marshall Thornton – Boystown 5

Best Gay Paranormal Romance

1. Lou Harper – Spirit Sanguine
2. Abigail Roux – The Gravedigger’s Brawl
3. Jordan L. Hawk – Hainted
4. Cari Z. – Cambion, Dark Around the Edges
5. Eden Winters – Naked Tails
6. Jordan L. Hawk – Widdershins
7. Marguerite Labbe – Make Me Whole / T.J. Klune – Into This River I Drown
8. Kate McMurray – Show and Tell
9. Adam Fitzroy – Between Now and Then
10. Belinda McBride – Arcada 2, Silver-Steel

Best Gay Sci-Fi / Futuristic

1 (tie). Alicia Cameron – Inherent Gifts
1 (tie). Amy Lane – Under the Rushes
1 (tie). L.A. Witt – Something New Under the Sun
2. Sunny Moraine & Lisa Soem – Line and Orbit
3. Andrea Speed – Infected, Lesser Evils

Best Lesbian Contemporary General Fiction

1. Catherine Ryan Hyde – Where We Belong
2. R.E. Bradshaw – Out on the Panhandle
3. Caren J. Werlinger – In This Small Spot
4. Justine Saracen – Beloved Gomorrah
5. Ann McMan – Aftermath

Best Lesbian Contemporary Romance

1. Karis Walsh – Sea Glass Inn
2. Caren J. Werlinger – Neither Present Time
3. Andi Marquette – From the Boots Up
4. Beth Burnett – Andy’s Song
5. Lynn Ames – All That Lies Within

Best Lesbian Fantasy

1. Barbara Ann Wright – The Pyramid Waltz
2. Riley LaShea – Black Forest, Kingdoms Fall
3. Benny Lawrence – Shell Game

Best Lesbian Historical Romance

1. Sandra Moran – Letters Never Sent
2. Linda North – Wind and Dreams
3. T.T. Thomas – A Delicate Refusal

Best Lesbian Mystery / Thriller

1. Lori L. Lake – A Very Public Eye
2. Lori L. Lake – Jump the Gun
3. Cari Hunter – Desolation Point
4. R.E. Bradshaw – The Rainey Season
5. Lynn Kear – Black-Hearted Bitch

Best Lesbian Paranormal Romance

1. Robin Roseau – Fox Run
2. L.L. Raand – The Lone Hunt
3. Kim Pritekel – After Shadow
4. Linda Kay Silva – Man Eaters
5. Yvonne Heidt – The Awakening

Best Lesbian Sci-Fi / Futuristic

1. Cathy Pegau – Deep Deception
2. Linda Kay Silva – Magical Echo
3. Mary Griggs – In the Midst of Tribulation

Best LGBT Biography / Memoir / Non Fiction / Poetry

1. Scott M. Terry – Cowboys, Armageddon, and The Truth
2. Jeff Mann – A Romantic Mann
3. Paul Alan Fahey – The Other Man

Best LGBT Erotic Romance (Bobby Michaels Award)

1. Heidi Cullinan – Dirty Laundry
2. L.A. Witt – Finding Master Right
3. Bren Christopher – Second Chance Sam
4. Amelia C. Gormley – Acceleration (2 books as 1 submission) / L.A. Witt – Conduct Unbecoming
5. A.B. Gayle – Leather+Lace
6. Aleksandr Voinov & L.A. Witt – Capture & Surrender
7. Amelia C. Gormley – Velocity / Mickie B. Ashling – Fire Horse / Tia Fielding – Falling Into Place
8. Z. Allora – Made in China 1, The Great Wall
9. T.J. Askren – Killian James
10. Brandon Shire – Afflicted / Lori Toland – Dangerous Submission / Rory Ni Coileain – Hard as Stone

Best LGBT Erotica

1. Aleksandr Voinov & L.A. Witt – If It Flies, If It Fornicates (2 novellas as 1 submission)
2. James Earl Hardy – Can You Feel What I’m Saying
3. Ciaran Dwynvil – In Blue Poppy Fields

Best LGBT Historical

1. Caren J. Werlinger – Miserere
2. Charlie Cochrane – Promises Made Under Fire
3. Elin Gregory – On A Lee Shore

Best LGBT Romantic Comedy

1. J.L. Merrow – Slam
2. Barbara Davies – Licensed to Spy / Sandrine Gasq-Dion – A Betting Man, A Marrying Man (2 novellas as 1 submission)
3. Wade Kelly – My Roommate’s a Jock

Best LGBT Young Adult

1. James Erich – Dreams
2. Jere’ M. Fishback – Tyler Buckspan
3. Bill Konigsberg – Openly Straight
4. Dan Skinner – Memorizing You
5. Sara Alva – Social Skills
6. Huston Piner – My Life as a Myth
7. Laura Hughes – Don’t Ask
8. M.F. Kays – Lost and Found / Michael J. Bowler – Children of the Knight
9. Gene Gant – Battle for Jericho
10. Madison Parker – Play Me, I’m Yours

Best B/T & LGBT Debut

1. J. Tullos Hennig – GreenWode
2. Laura Hughes – Don’t Ask
3. Jill Braden – The Devil’s Concubine
4. Jill Shultz – Angel on the Ropes / Julian Griffith – Love Continuance and Increasing
5. Ava Burquette – Held in Dreams

Best Gay Debut

1. Scott M. Terry – Cowboys, Armageddon, and The Truth
2. Alicia Cameron – Inherent Gifts
3. Sunny Moraine & Lisa Soem – Line and Orbit
4. Alexis Hall – Glitterland
5. Osiris Brackhaus – Lovers in Arms
6. Lane Hayes – Better Than Good
7. Sara Alva – Social Skills
8. AJ Rose – Power Exchange
9. Huston Piner – My Life as a Myth
10. A.J. Thomas – A Casual Weekend Thing / Will Parkinson – Pitch / Marcelino Rosas – Afuera

Best Lesbian Debut

1. Sandra Moran – Letters Never Sent
2. Andrea Bramhall – Ladyfish / Donna K. Ford – Healing Hearts
3. Barbara Ann Wright – The Pyramid Waltz
4. Nick Hadikwa Mwaluko – WAAFRIKA
5. Shelley Thrasher – The Storm

Best Bisexual Novel

1. Gene Gant – Battle for Jericho
2. Jill Braden – The Devil’s Concubine
3. Vincent Meis – Down in Cuba
4. Jill Shultz – Angel on the Ropes / Julian Griffith – Love Continuance and Increasing
5. Ava Burquette – Held in Dreams

Best Gay Novel

1. Adam Fitzroy – Make Do and Mend
2. Amy Lane – Racing for the Sun
3. Amy Lane – Mourning Heaven / Ryan Loveless – Ethan Who Loved Carter
4. Scott M. Terry – Cowboys, Armageddon, and The Truth / Kim Fielding – Brute
5. Alicia Cameron – Inherent Gifts / Amy Lane – Under the Rushes / L.A. Witt – Something New Under the Sun
6. Amy Lane – Dex in Blue/ Rick R. Reed – Raining Men
7. Taylor V. Donovan – Disasterology 101
8. Carter Quinn – Out of the Blackness
9. James Erich – Dreams
10. Eric Arvin – Mingled Destinies of Crocodiles and Men / Jere’ M. Fishback – Tyler Buckspan / Kaje Harper – Nor Iron Bars A Cage / Lou Harper – Spirit Sanguine

Best Lesbian Novel

1. Catherine Ryan Hyde – Where We Belong
2. R.E. Bradshaw – Out on the Panhandle
3. Karis Walsh – Sea Glass Inn
4. Caren J. Werlinger – Neither Present Time
5. Caren J. Werlinger – In This Small Spot
6. Andi Marquette – From the Boots Up
7. Sandra Moran – Letters Never Sent
8. Beth Burnett – Andy’s Song
9. Lynn Ames – All That Lies Within
10. Donna K. Ford – Healing Hearts / Andrea Bramhall – Ladyfish

Best LGBT Novel

1. J. Tullos Hennig – GreenWode
2. Laura Antoniou – The Killer Wore Leather
3. Laura Hughes – Don’t Ask

Best Transgender Novel

1 (tie). Elliott DeLine – I Know Very Well How I Got My Name
1 (tie). L.A. Witt – The Left Hand of Calvus
2. Sassafras Lowrey – Roving Pack
3. Grigory Ryzhakov – Becoming Agie