In memory of Laura Black

ROGER LONGRIGG was the author of 55 books. There is nothing unique about this statistic. Many writers have achieved a similar output. What was unique was that the authorship of each was concealed behind one of eight different noms de plume. Even more remarkable was that the books in each different category were financially profitable.

Readers of the busty Scottish historical novels supposedly written by Laura Black would have been surprised to know that Rosalind Erskine, creator of the saucy The Passion-Flower Hotel (1962), came from the same stable. Or that Ivor Drummond, the Ian Fleming lookalike, was the author of The History of Horse Racing (1972).

He enjoyed the mystery and mischief of his various pseudonymous selves, and never failed to reply in character to their fan-mail. Rosalind Erskine, in particular, received some interesting entreaties from lesbian readers, fascinated by his novel about a group of public schoolgirls who turned their school gym into a brothel. The intrigue surrounding the authorship of The Passion-Flower Hotel was spoiled when Longrigg was exposed by the gossip columnist Richard Berens, in the William Hickey column of the Daily Express, putting an end to one of the more amusing episodes of Longrigg's secret life.

To read more:

http://rosaromance.splinder.com/post/19944534/

In memory of Laura Black

ROGER LONGRIGG was the author of 55 books. There is nothing unique about this statistic. Many writers have achieved a similar output. What was unique was that the authorship of each was concealed behind one of eight different noms de plume. Even more remarkable was that the books in each different category were financially profitable.

Readers of the busty Scottish historical novels supposedly written by Laura Black would have been surprised to know that Rosalind Erskine, creator of the saucy The Passion-Flower Hotel (1962), came from the same stable. Or that Ivor Drummond, the Ian Fleming lookalike, was the author of The History of Horse Racing (1972).

He enjoyed the mystery and mischief of his various pseudonymous selves, and never failed to reply in character to their fan-mail. Rosalind Erskine, in particular, received some interesting entreaties from lesbian readers, fascinated by his novel about a group of public schoolgirls who turned their school gym into a brothel. The intrigue surrounding the authorship of The Passion-Flower Hotel was spoiled when Longrigg was exposed by the gossip columnist Richard Berens, in the William Hickey column of the Daily Express, putting an end to one of the more amusing episodes of Longrigg's secret life.

To read more:

http://rosaromance.splinder.com/post/19944534/

Cornelius McCarthy: The Male Odalisque

Cornelius McCarthy is one of Britain's leading contemporary painters of the male form. His unique style makes his work instantly recognizable. Throughout his long career his subject matter has always been men, either singly or in groups, and from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds. McCarthy conveys his subjects not as beefcake, but as real men, strong and unapologetic. McCarthy's most recent exhibition at Adonis Art was "The Male Odalisque" in October 2007. The French term "Odalisque" ".....derives from a Turkish word originally signifying a female slave in an oriental harem, and was adopted in the 19th and 20th centuries by artists such as Ingres, Delacroix and Matisse to refer to a type of voluptuous female nude, often but not always in an erotic pose and evidently aware of the viewer’s gaze.


"Jason's Back" by Cornelius McCarthy (Gouache painting)

( more pics )

"McCarthy extends this concept to include a male model who in a similar way welcomes the admiration and interest of the spectator. Mutual trust and respect are important elements in this interaction, and it is no accident that many of the figures in these pictures appear to meet our eye as if regarding us with calm acceptance and sharing with us their private reveries." Peter Dobson

http://adonisartgallery.3dcartstores.com/Cornelius-McCarthy_c_30-1.html

Both Adonis Art than Gay Men's Press released art book by this artist:

Interiors by Cornelius McCarthy, introduced by Emmanuel Cooper, Gay Men's Press
http://www.amazon.com/Interiors-Cornelius-McCarthy/dp/0854490159/

Cornelius McCarthy: Masters of the Male Form, Adonis Art
http://adonisartgallery.3dcartstores.com/Cornelius-McCarthy--Softback-Book-_p_30-589.html

More Artists at my website: http://www.elisarolle.com/, My Ramblings/Art

Wes and Toren by J.M. Colail

This is a classical coming of age story with a bit less angst than usual. I'm really fond of teens story, I always say that in them I find an innocence and a sweetness that it's hard to find in a normal contemporary story. Teenagers are so eager for love, and the love so hard that it's impossible to not heart for them; problem is that I'm maybe a bit too realistic, and I always wonder if a story that starts when the boys are underage have really a chance to last.

This is the main reason why I liked this book, since it spans almost two years in the life of Wes and Toren, from when they are still in highschool till when they approach their adult life, with college and work and stuff like that.

Toren is a cute nerd little student; he is obviously gay, he has written it all over his face but he is so worried to come out: his parents got divorced since his father fell for a man when Toren was 12 yeard old, and since then he lives with his mother; he loves so much his mom that he fears to hurt her with the truth and so he represses his feelings. But then Wesley enters his life and he can't help to fall hard and love is impossible to hide. Plus Wes has not a supporting family and Toren becomes not only his lover but also all the family he has.

Probably Wes and Toren have to grew too soon and too fast, but as I said this is not an angst story: even if they went through some not nice events, mostly their story is made of tenderness and cuteness; there is clearly a yaoi imprint in it, but not so much as other western yaoi novel I read. Wes is clearly the top in the relationship, he assumes the role of the caretaker, the man of the family, the one who goes to work and comes back home to his little "wife". But he is not an authoritative man, he is not an absolute top, he is only a real good boy; and it's strange since in highschool he had the fame to be a bad boy, the one born in the wrong side of the city. But for most of it was only a role he played as reaction to what he was living at home, with parents that never once supported him, even before they knew he was gay.

Toren instead is the classical bottom, all blushing and tears, but he is not weak, he only needs to find a bit of courage to come out, and not only in a sexual way. But don't forget that Toren is 17 years old when the story starts, he is still mostly a boy and he has plenty of time to grew; I like that he is not forced to take steps he is not ready to do only since around him people don't understand. And I think that Wes, with his protective attitude, somehow helped Toren to walk at his own pace.

There is a lot of sex, and there is clearly the fascination of a woman author for two young boys in love, another legacy from the yaoi influence; not only that, there are also some female characters in the book that probably represent the author herself (actually the female are the strongest characters in the book). But the sex is also tender, as all the book, and so it's very nice to read it.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/currenttitles/wesandtoren/wesandtorenbuynow.htm

Amazon Kindle: Wes and Toren

Amazon: Wes and Toren

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading+list&view=elisa.rolle