We’re at the midpoint of today’s shortlists, which means it’s time to celebrate our authors!
It’s been an incredible year for trans literature, and the Author of the Year award celebrates the authors who helped to define it. Whether they’ve published multiple titles, achieved new heights in craft or commercial success, or done important work off the published page, these authors helped to shape the very best of what 2025 had to offer us. Haven’t voted yet? Voting for the TFR Awards will remain open until December 26th at 11:59pm EST, and you can participate here.
Without further ado, here are the four authors shortlisted for Author of the Year at the 2025 TFR Reader’s Choice Awards!
The Shortlist
Talia Bhatt
Titles Published in 2025: Trans/Rad/Femme (Self, 1/24/25); Ranked Competitive Breast Growth: The Complete Serial with Beth Leigh-Ann (Self, 10/6/25)
Other Notable Work: Ongoing serialization of Ranked Competitive Breast Growth with co-author Beth Leigh-Ann; feminist critique on the Trans/Rad/Fem Substack blog, including ongoing work in the “Understanding Transmisogyny” series, “Degendering and Racialization,” and “Intersectional Antifeminism;” co-host of the Cracked Ivory podcast with Emma Zakharuk covering feminist issues
Major Awards: Three TFR Awards (Best Nonfiction 2024 & Outstanding Trans Theory 2024, “The Third Sex;” Outstanding Romance 2024, Dulhaniyaa); Shortlisted for the Best Transfeminine Nonfiction of 2025 TFR Award, Trans/Rad/Fem
Website: https://taliabhatt.com/
Bluesky: @taliabhatt.itch.io
Purchase: Trans/Rad/Fem, Ranked Competitive Breast Growth
Kara Buchanan
Titles Published in 2025: Magica Riot: Full Bloom (Storm Maiden Studios, 11/14/25); Jade Evergreen and the Perils of Polybius (Storm Maiden Studios, 5/23/25)
Other Notable Work: Collaboration with trans voice actor Emma Martello to self-publish audiobooks for all three titles in the Maidensong Magica series
Major Awards: Two TFR Award Nominations (Shortlisted for Best Debut 2024 & Longlisted for Best Fiction 2024, Magica Riot); Longlisted for the Best Transfeminine Fiction of 2025 TFR Award, Magica Riot: Full Bloom.
Website: https://magicariot.com/
Bluesky: @magicariot.com
Purchase: Magica Riot: Full Bloom, Jade Evergreen and the Perils of Polybius
Jeanne Thornton
Titles Published in 2025: A/S/L (Soho Press, 4/1/25)
Other Notable Work: A national book tour across eight American states and Washington, DC; ongoing editorial work at The Feminist Press
Major Awards: Winner of the 2022 Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Fiction, Summer Fun; Winner of the 2018 Judith A. Markowitz Award for Emerging LGBTQ Writers; Longlisted for the Best Transfeminine Fiction of 2025 TFR Award, A/S/L
Website: https://fictioncircus.com/Jeanne/
Bluesky: @jeannethornton.bsky.social
Purchase: A/S/L
Jemma Topaz
Titles Published in 2025: A Rotten Girl (Self, 1/2/25); The Essence of the Eye (Self, 4/1/25)
Other Notable Work: “Ha ha ha, Yes: Sicko Lesbians and Me,” a guest post published on cultural criticism blog Lesbians with Teeth
Major Awards: One TFR Award (Outstanding Erotica 2024, The Brute of Greengrave); Longlisted for the Best Transfeminine Fiction of 2025 TFR Award, A Rotten Girl
Website: https://jemmatopaz.carrd.co/
Bluesky: @jemma.bsky.social
Purchase: A Rotten Girl, The Essence of the Eye
And that’s the list! If you want to help decide the outcome of this year’s awards, or if your favorite author of the year didn’t make the shortlist, then make sure to vote! Voting is open until December 26th at 11:59pm EST, link below.
Just two more shortlists left to go today! We’ll be back shortly with the penultimate list for Best Transfeminine Debut.
The Transfeminine Review 
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