The 2023 Kitschies Awards were presented on June 24 at the Bradford Literature Festival. The prize, sponsored by Blackwell’s, is given to “the year’s most progressive, intelligent and entertaining fiction that contain elements of the speculative or fantastic.”

RED TENTACLE (NOVEL)

• The Last Blade Priest by Will Wiles

GOLDEN TENTACLE (DEBUT)

• Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

INKY TENTACLE (COVER ART)

• Paper Crusade by Michelle Penn — Cover by Klara Smith

The Red and Golden Tentacle categories were judged by Adam Roberts, Molly Tanzer, Mahvesh Murad and Jared Shurin.

The winner of the Red Tentacle receives £1,000 & a hand-crafted tentacle trophy; the Golden Tentacle winner gets £500 & a hand-crafted tentacle trophy; and the Inky Tentacle winner gets £500 & a hand-crafted tentacle trophy.

Also presented:

GLENTACLE (SPECIAL)

A discretionary award named in honor of The Kitschies’ former director, Glen Mehn, intended to recognize extraordinary service to the SFF industry.

• Bisha K. Ali — for her inspirational and thought-provoking work as head writer for the Disney+ show, Ms. Marvel.