The James Tiptree, Jr. is awarded each year "for science fiction or fantasy that expands or explores our understanding of gender." As most readers of science fiction and fantasy know, James Tiptree, Jr., was the pen name of Alice B. Sheldon. Tiptree's works were often about gender roles, and are among my favorite science fiction of all time. I particularly recommend Her Smoke Rose Up Forever, a collection of Tiptree's stories (s/he worked mostly at shorter lengths) and Julie Phillips's well-reviewed biography, James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon.

Awards for work published during 2009 were presented this past March. There were two winners: Cloud & Ashes: Three Winter's Tales by Greer Gilman; and Ooku: The Inner Chambers, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 by Fumi Yoshinaga.

Honors were awarded to the following:

Alice Sola Kim, “Beautiful White Bodies” (online at Strange Horizons, 2009.12.07-14)

Vandana Singh, Distances: A Novella (Conversation Pieces Vol. 23)

Caitlin R. Kiernan, “Galapagos” (in Eclipse 3)

Jo Walton, Lifelode

Maureen F. McHugh, “Useless Things” (Eclipse 3)

Paul Haines, “Wives” (in X6 edited by Keith Stevenson, coeur de lion 2009)

L. Timmel Duchamp, The Marq’ssan Cycle (Alanya to Alanya, Renegade, Tsunami, Blood in the Fruit and Stretto.

There is much here that I'd like to read. I'm particularly interested in hearing what you folks think of Greer Gilman's work. She is a revered figure at such conferences as Readercon, but I confess I have difficulty with her work. Should I try again?