Elisa Rolle's Blog, page 386

2015 Rainbow Awards Submission: The Butcher’s Sons by Scott Alexander Hess

The Butcher’s Sons by Scott Alexander Hess
Gay Historical Fiction
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Lethe Press (April 18, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1590210743
ISBN-13: 978-1590210741
Amazon: The Butcher’s Sons
Amazon Kindle: The Butcher’s Sons

This darkly lyrical and violent family saga set in a butcher shop in New York circa 1930 tells the story about three Irish brothers, each struggling to find their role--to define their lives and express their dreams--amid the poverty of a broken home, alcoholic father, and the violent society of Hell's Kitchen. Dickie is guided by an almost animal desire to get what he wants and, as a fighter, is fearless in his pursuit of being respected by mobsters. Walt, the middle brother, romances a woman whose educated father sees the lad as gutter trash. Then there is frail Adlai, who finds himself on the most perilous path, an illicit affair with his oldest brother's best friend. The Butcher's Boys is an engaging read about desperate young men determined to do whatever they can to find something gilded amid the grime of old New York.

2015 Rainbow Awards Guidelines: http://www.elisarolle.com/rainbowawards/rainbow_awards_2015.html

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Book Blast: How It Was Supposed to Be by Jayson James

[image error]How It Was Supposed to Be by Jayson James
Publisher: Jayson James Books
Amazon Kindle: How It Was Supposed to Be

The Kennicott’s were living the carefree life of an upper middle class family. That was until one day when his father arrives home from work and shares the company he has worked for since he was Reese’s age has gone out of business. Adding to the stress of being out of work for the worst time is the worst economic downturn the United States has ever faced. It does not take long for the Kennicotts to fall behind in their bills and lose everything.

Reese Kennicott had everything he could ever want and life was good. He worked a part time job to have extra money and to socialize. Now he is working all the hours he can get in order to help his family get by, which isn’t much. Reese is now dating the guy of his dreams, he along with his friends seem to be the only stable thing going for him.

Hope finally comes with a new job that will take the family across the country. This means for Reese giving up his lifelong friends, his new boyfriend and life as he’s always known it. The family takes with them what they can and begins on a road trip to their new life. Along the way, they encounter several barriers and hope begins to fade. Each day things look bleaker and the Kennicott’s begin to wonder if they are going to make it to their destination.

( Excerpt )

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[image error]About the author: I have a horrible time when it comes to writing about myself. It is not that I have low self-esteem, but the fact that I am not comfortable talking about myself.

For most of my life, I have been writing and sharing it with my friends. They have repeatedly told me I needed to publish my writing and share it with the world. Now that I have, I am amazed at how many people admire it.

My interests beyond writing include reading a variety of books, watching movies and drawing.

I truly appreciate all the support and encouragement from my friends, family, and you. I am so thankful to your support!

Keep on reading! I am always interested in hearing about what people are reading, especially if it is something I have written.
Thank you for reading and letting me know what you think of my writing!

Where to find the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaysonjamesb...
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJayson...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaysonjamesbook
Website: http://jaysonjamesbooks.blogspot.com/
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

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Tour Dates & Stops: April 30, 2015
Parker Williams, Boys on the Brink Reviews, Carly’s Book Reviews, MM Good Book Reviews, Bayou Book Junkie, Bike Book Reviews, Elisa - My Reviews and Ramblings, BFD Book Blog, Molly Lolly, Inked Rainbow Reads, Divine Magazine, My Fiction Nook, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Andrew Q. Gordon, Mikky's World of Books, Amanda C. Stone, Hearts on Fire, Multitasking Mommas, Velvet Panic, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Wicked Faerie's Tales and Reviews, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, The Hat Party

Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘How It Was Supposed to Be’ by Jayson James
Rafflecopter Code:
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Kate Pierson & Monica Coleman

Catherine Elizabeth "Kate" Pierson (born April 27, 1948) is an American vocalist, lyricist, and one of the lead singers and founding members of The B-52's. A multi-instrumentalists, she played guitar, bass and various keyboard instruments. In the B-52s, she has performed alongside Cindy Wilson, Fred Schneider, Ricky Wilson, and Keith Strickland. She is the owner of Kate's Lazy Desert in Landers, California and Kate's Lazy Meadow in Mount Tremper, New York, a rustic modern lodge in New York's Catskill Mountains. She operates the businesses with her partner, Monica Coleman. Pierson and Coleman have been together since 2003. (P: Kate Pierson in 2009)

In February 2015, Pierson released her first solo album, Guitars and Microphones, featuring material co-written by Sia Furler.

Pierson was born in Weehawken, New Jersey and raised in Rutherford.


Moet & Chandon Toasts The 139th Kentucky Derby - Day 2. In This Photo: Monica Coleman, Kate Pierson
Kate Pierson (born April 27, 1948) is an American vocalist, lyricist, and one of the lead singers and founding members of The B-52's. A multi-instrumentalists, she played guitar, bass and various keyboard instruments. She is the owner of Kate's Lazy Desert in Landers, California and Kate's Lazy Meadow in Mount Tremper, New York, a rustic modern lodge in New York's Catskill Mountains. She operates the businesses with her partner, Monica Coleman. Pierson and Coleman have been together since 2003.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Pierson

( Further Readings )

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2015 Rainbow Awards Submission: Square Affair by Timmothy J. Holt

Square Affair by Timmothy J. Holt
Gay Contemporary General Fiction
Paperback: 244 pages
Publisher: Christine F.\Anderson#Publishing & Media; First Edition edition (January 14, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0692350640
ISBN-13: 978-0692350645
Amazon: Square Affair
Amazon Kindle: Square Affair

In the small Midwestern town of Dewers, amidst the turmoil of the 1960s, the casual conversations of five men lead to public sex in the courthouse restroom. Their arrest for public indecency takes the town on a journey through good and evil that will alter it, as well as the five men and their families. Through it all the town confirms its perseverance of community and ability to survive. Each man tells his version of the story that starts at Squeaky’s bar with a planned weekend fishing trip. On that weekend the five men discover a shared sexual interest in each other. This newfound release triggers a need for more, leading to anonymous sex in the courthouse restroom. Their private encounters become public knowledge when the sheriff, acting on a tip, observes the behavior. All are arrested and accused of public indecency, a charge that could land them in jail or a psychiatric hospital. It will lead the town out of its ordinary world and through a land of forbidden, deviant sexual behavior. The men reveal complex, unknown, and differing motivations for their behavior. It is not erotic but gives insight into the behavior’s erotic appeal. On the day of the men’s hearing, Clara May, a retired English teacher, and Frieda, a retired principal’s assistant, guide us through the thoughts and actions of the men and their families as they await the outcome. Bob, a law professor, has experimented sexually with other men. Sexual tension in his marriage leads both him and his wife to seek gratification elsewhere. Gary is a transplant from Chicago. He knows he is attracted to men. As an outsider, Gary is mistrusted by the town and blamed for the affair. Thomas, a farmer, experimented sexually in the Navy. His continued desires, deeply held religious beliefs, and controlling parents threaten him and his marriage. He turns to alcohol. James, a car dealer, satisfies his identity crisis with a red sports car and sexual release at out-of-town meetings. His wife suspects but she does not act until her husband’s arrest. Danny’s fundamentalist father forces him to live with his grandfather because of his interest in male muscle magazines. Two questions are on all their minds: Who am I? Is anyone out there like me? After the hearing the men meet at Washington Street Bar, a place where anonymity is respected.Knowing there will be a plea deal and no jail, the men discuss tomorrow’s uncertainty. Returning home from the bar, each man confronts the day’s events with their families. Readers learn, through Clara May and Frieda, that the town questions if it will maintain its natural order of life or enter the stream of a changing world. One thing is certain:Pastor Jones will not cross that threshold of change and tells the town to shun the men and their evil ways. The ordeal brings the men, their families, and Dewers an armor of truth where acceptance can find a home. Not even Pastor Jones’s sword of words will penetrate it. No one remains unchanged. The town finds it has the power to heal, to change, thanks to the power of forgiveness.

2015 Rainbow Awards Guidelines: http://www.elisarolle.com/rainbowawards/rainbow_awards_2015.html

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Jonathan Rauch (born April 26, 1960)

Jonathan Charles Rauch (born April 26, 1960 in Phoenix, Arizona) is an American author, journalist and activist. After graduating from Yale University, Rauch worked at the Winston-Salem Journal in North Carolina, for the National Journal magazine, and later for The Economist magazine and as a freelance writer.

Currently, a contributing editor of National Journal and The Atlantic, is the author of several books and many articles on public policy, culture, and economics. He is also a guest scholar at the Brookings Institution in Governance Studies and a vice president of the Independent Gay Forum. Rauch is also the author of five books, including Gay Marriage: Why It Is Good for Gays, Good for Straights, and Good for America (2004).

A critic of U.S. government public policy in general, and specifically in its relation to homosexuals, Rauch has pursued gay-related topics as an openly gay author since 1991 when he spoke out against hate crime laws in The New Republic. He is an avid proponent of same-sex marriage, which he believes will improve the quality of life of both LGBT people and married heterosexuals. He co-authored an op-ed article in the New York Times that proposed the compromise of nationally recognised civil unions for gay couples, which he did with the goal of "reconciliation" with religious opponents of same-sex marriage.

Peter H. Wehner, conservative writer and director of the Bush-era Office of Strategic Initiatives, has called Rauch "the most formidable and persuasive voice for same-sex marriage."

Rauch is also well known for an article he wrote in The Atlantic Monthly in March 2003, entitled "Caring for Your Introvert: The habits and needs of a little-understood group". In this article, Rauch described his own experiences as an introvert, and how being an introvert has had an impact on his own life. For many introverts, his piece became a long sought after explanation of their own personality traits. Rauch's original article has drawn more traffic to The Atlantic Monthly site than any other article.

( Read more... )

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Rauch

Gay Marriage: Why It Is Good for Gays, Good for Straights, and Good for America by Jonathan Rauch
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Holt Paperbacks; First Edition edition (February 1, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0805078150
ISBN-13: 978-0805078152
Amazon: Gay Marriage: Why It Is Good for Gays, Good for Straights, and Good for America
Amazon Kindle: Gay Marriage: Why It Is Good for Gays, Good for Straights, and Good for America

"Thoughtful and convincingly argued . . . Rauch's impressive book is as enthusiastic an encomium to marriage as anyone, gay or straight, could write."
—David J. Garrow, The Washington Post Book World

In May 2004, gay marriage became legal in Massachusetts, but it remains a divisive and contentious issue across America. As liberals and conservatives mobilize around this issue, no one has come forward with a more compelling, comprehensive, and readable case for gay marriage than Jonathan Rauch. In this book, he puts forward a clear and honest manifesto explaining why gay marriage is important—even crucial—to the health of marriage in America today, grounding his argument in commonsense, mainstream values and confronting social conservatives on their own turf. Marriage, he observes, is more than a bond between individuals; it also links them to the community at large. Excluding some people from the prospect of marriage not only is harmful to them but also is corrosive of the institution itself.

Gay marriage, he shows, is a "win-win-win" for strengthening the bonds that tie us together and for remaining true to our national heritage of fairness and humaneness toward all.

More Spotlights at my website:  elisarolle.com , My Lists/Gay Novels


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Lily Parr & Mary

Lilian "Lily" Parr (26 April 1905 – 24 May 1978) was an English professional women's association football player who played as a winger. She is best known for playing for the Dick, Kerr's Ladies team, which was founded in 1917 and based in Preston, Lancashire.

In 2002 she was the only woman to be made an inaugural inductee into the English Football Hall of Fame at the National Football Museum.

Parr was born in a rented house in Union Street, Gerrard's Bridge, St. Helens; the fourth of seven children born to George and Sarah Parr. Her father was a labourer at the local glass factory and the family rented out space in the yard and rooms at their house for extra income.

As a girl Parr displayed little enthusiasm for traditional pursuits such as sewing and cookery. Instead her fearless streak and robust frame allowed her to compete alongside boys in both football and rugby. Under the tutelage of her elder brothers she became proficient in both sports.

During the First World War in England there was a growing interest in women's football and Dick, Kerr & Co. was the name of the Preston munitions factory where most of the women on the team worked. The Dick, Kerr's Ladies team regularly drew large crowds including a famous event on 26 December 1920 at Goodison Park that drew more than 53,000 spectators.

During her time working for Dick, Kerr & Co she lodged in Preston with one of her team mates, Alice Norris. She was good friends with her team-mate Alice Woods, who was also from St Helens. While playing for the Dick, Kerr's Ladies she was noted for her large appetite and almost constant smoking of Woodbine cigarettes.


Lily Parr was an English professional women's association football player who played as a winger for the Dick, Kerr's Ladies team of Frankland. Frankland had raised considerable sums of money for Whittingham Hospital and Lunatic Asylum. The hospital was always willing to employ and provide accommodation for Frankland's players. This included Lily Parr. While working at the hospital Lily Parr met her partner Mary and together they bought a house in Preston. Openly lesbian, she lived with Mary in Preston and has become a LGBT rights icon.

( Read more... )

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_Parr

Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time by Elisa Rolle
Paperback: 760 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (July 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1500563323
ISBN-13: 978-1500563325
CreateSpace Store: https://www.createspace.com/4910282
Amazon (Paperback): http://www.amazon.com/dp/1500563323/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Amazon (Kindle): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MZG0VHY/?tag=elimyrevandra-20

Days of Love chronicles more than 700 LGBT couples throughout history, spanning 2000 years from Alexander the Great to the most recent winner of a Lambda Literary Award. Many of the contemporary couples share their stories on how they met and fell in love, as well as photos from when they married or of their families. Included are professional portraits by Robert Giard and Stathis Orphanos, paintings by John Singer Sargent and Giovanni Boldini, and photographs by Frances Benjamin Johnson, Arnold Genthe, and Carl Van Vechten among others. “It's wonderful. Laying it out chronologically is inspired, offering a solid GLBT history. I kept learning things. I love the decision to include couples broken by death. It makes clear how important love is, as well as showing what people have been through. The layout and photos look terrific.” Christopher Bram “I couldn’t resist clicking through every page. I never realized the scope of the book would cover centuries! I know that it will be hugely validating to young, newly-emerging LGBT kids and be reassured that they really can have a secure, respected place in the world as their futures unfold.” Howard Cruse “This international history-and-photo book, featuring 100s of detailed bios of some of the most forward-moving gay persons in history, is sure to be one of those bestsellers that gay folk will enjoy for years to come as reference and research that is filled with facts and fun.” Jack Fritscher



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2015 Rainbow Awards Submission: Manipulation by Eden Winters

Manipulation by Eden Winters
Gay Mystery / Thriller
Series: Diversion
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Rocky Ridge Books; 1 edition (November 7, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1626220166
ISBN-13: 978-1626220164
Amazon: Manipulation (Diversion 4)
Amazon Kindle: Manipulation (Diversion 4)

Lucky Lucklighter has a new life. His old life wants him back. He traded trafficking for taking down criminals with the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau, and a drug-lord lover for a man on the right side of the law. Bo Schollenberger found the way past the thorny defenses of Lucky’s heart, and made Mr. I-Get-Along-Fine-Alone think about his and his closets, stevia in the sugar bowl, and a picket fence—with a good lock on the gate. Now Bo is missing, and a voice long silenced asks, “Did you miss me?” Lucky must deal with a devil from his past to get Bo back. And if Bo isn’t willing to come? A drug ring needs its back broken before flooding the US with a designer high, seductive and undetectable. But there’s a fine line between good and evil, and a truckload of temptation urging Lucky to cross.

2015 Rainbow Awards Guidelines: http://www.elisarolle.com/rainbowawards/rainbow_awards_2015.html

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2015 Rainbow Awards Submission: Daydreamers by Jonathan Harper

Daydreamers by Jonathan Harper
Gay Anthology / Collection / Contemporary General Fiction
Paperback: 164 pages
Publisher: Lethe Press (March 15, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1590212967
ISBN-13: 978-1590212967
Amazon: Daydreamers
Amazon Kindle: Daydreamers

Ne'er-do-wells, prodigal sons, and young men without so much as a clue to their present state of mind let alone their futures are waiting to be met in the stories within Daydreamers, Jonathan Harper s debut collection. But these men are not Walter Mittys everyday life refuses to allow them languor. Whether it be the roll of the dice in a Dungeons & Dragons game played in a hostile, rural bar, the lure of body modification and being suspended in front of a crowd, or discovering a body on the beach, the rough edges of each young man cannot help but be noticed, even admired. And once a young man is admired, he needs to decide whether or not to awaken from his daydreams.

2015 Rainbow Awards Guidelines: http://www.elisarolle.com/rainbowawards/rainbow_awards_2015.html

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Blog Tour: In-Decision by Sue Brown

In-Decision (Left at the Crossroads #2) by Sue Brown
Publisher: Sue Brown Stories (April 15, 2015)
Amazon Kindle: In-Decision (Left at the Crossroads #2)

Little Mowbury is a sleepy English village deep in the Cotswolds. The kind of village where you’re only a local if your lineage can be traced back to the dinosaurs. Where you can find everything in the single village shop from morning newspapers to dry-cleaning, and getting your shoes mended. And, of course, where everybody knows everybody else’s business. It’s easy to find… you can’t miss it… just ask anyone and they’ll tell you… “It’s left at the crossroads.”
Eighteen months ago Jason Havers lost the love of his life and it's time to move on. Applying for the position of chef in a sleepy country pub, a million miles away from his previous life, may well be the fresh start he needs. His new employers immediately take him under their wing and before long he finds himself with a passel of new friends and a job he loves. What he doesn’t expect is Tom, a gorgeous midwife, who stirs up feelings he’s not ready to deal with.
But when someone from his previous life turns up in Little Mowbury, will Jason be able to keep them from revealing the secret he’s been keeping from those he’s come to love?

( EXCERPT )



ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sue Brown is owned by her dog and two children. When she isn't following their orders, she be found haunting coffee shops to feed her coffee addiction. She spends hours people-watching instead of typing. She feeds the plot bunnies, not the word count.
Sue discovered M/M erotica at the time she woke up to find two men kissing on her favorite television series. The series was boring; the kissing was not. She may be late to the party, but she's made up for it since, writing fan fiction until she was brave enough to venture out into the world of original fiction

TOUR SCHEDULE
April 15: Diverse Reader || Multitasking Mommas || UK Gay Romance
April 16: Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words || Cia's stories
April 17: Hearts on Fire Reviews || The Purple Rose Tea House
April 20: The Novel Approach
April 21: Prism Book Alliance
April 22: RJ Scott || Because Two Men Are Better Than One
April 23: Divine Magazine
April 24: Elisa - My Reviews and Ramblings
April 27: Anne Barwell || Love Bytes Reviews
April 28: MM Good Book Reviews
April 29: Bayou Book Junkie
April 30: BFD Book Blog || Rainbow Gold Reviews

GIVEAWAY
Win a copy of Lisa Worrall’s ‘Un-expected’ and 3 runners up will get to pick any one of Sue Brown’s books!
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Rafflecopter Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/disp...?




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Simon Gage (born April 24, 1963)

With plenty of color photos, graphics, best-of lists and miniprofiles of celebrities, plus a foreword by Boy George, Queer is a lighthearted celebration of gay and lesbian culture, especially of the last three decades. Edited by freelance writer Lisa Richard, former Boyz magazine editor Simon Gage and journalist Howard Wilmot, the book includes a survey of the gayest cities in the world, a retrospective of gay and lesbian contributions to entertainment and fashion (from drag kings to Versace) and spotlights of activists and icons ("Princess Diana: Latter day saint and gay icon or stupid spoilt bitch?"), all in a busy, slick package that will remind readers of their favorite glossy magazines.

Further Readings:

Queer by Simon Gage
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Da Capo Press (June 14, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1560253770
ISBN-13: 978-1560253778
Amazon Kindle: Queer

Gays and lesbians have traveled a long road from persecution to toleration and from fashionable to establishment. Terms of abuse that have long been weapons used to oppress the gay community have now been reclaimed as expressions of liberation and freedom. With wit and panache, Queer explores all avenues of gay life from avant-garde fashion to popular cartoon strips, from radical politics to global persecution. Included is a wide range of topics, magnificent spreads of personalities and icons, entertainment value, and many profoundly touching issues of our time. Queer not only presents the history and contribution of gay men and lesbians, but also takes a look across the spectrum at the advances made by the bisexual, transsexual and transgender communities and all points in between. Contributions from leading writers and commentators and a superb photo archive all add up to as definitive a statement as one can get, and, simultaneously, a great book. Featured revolutionaries include, among others, Derek Jarman, Sappho, Harvey Milk, Pat Califia, Audre Lorde, Oscar Wilde, Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, Edward II, King of England, Marlene Dietrich, James Baldwin, Djuna Barnes and Brandon Teena.

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