Romance History: Sylvia Thorpe

Born in 1926, Sylvia Thorpe (pen-name of June Sylvia Thimblethorpe) wrote more or less 30 historical romances. Ironic novels, sentimental, passionate, full of adventures and turn of events, which have earned her an huge popularity.

With "The Scapegrace" she won the Elizabeth Goudge Historical Award. She is also an Hon. Life Members of the Romantic Novelist' Association.

Miss June Sylvia Thimblethorpe is now a trustee for the Goodrich Village Hall Trust. Goodrich is a village, in south Herefordshire which is very close to Gloucestershire and the Forest of Dean situated near the River Wye and is famous for its old red sandstone Norman and medieval castle. Not strictly in the Forest of Dean but close enough to count (especially with tourists, and historically, invaders!) Goodrich is a small village that grew up next to Goodrich Castle, a fine 'Marcher Castle' which stands on a high spur of land commanding strategic position above a ford, an important ancient crossing point of the Wye. The castle was begun in 1101 and from 1326 onwards was the family seat of the Earls of Shrewsbury, although by the 16th century it had passed into the hands of the Earls of Kent and was no longer inhabited on a permanent basis.

To read more:

http://rosaromance.splinder.com/post/20460408/

Romance History: Sylvia Thorpe

Born in 1926, Sylvia Thorpe (pen-name of June Sylvia Thimblethorpe) wrote more or less 30 historical romances. Ironic novels, sentimental, passionate, full of adventures and turn of events, which have earned her an huge popularity.

With "The Scapegrace" she won the Elizabeth Goudge Historical Award. She is also an Hon. Life Members of the Romantic Novelist' Association.

Miss June Sylvia Thimblethorpe is now a trustee for the Goodrich Village Hall Trust. Goodrich is a village, in south Herefordshire which is very close to Gloucestershire and the Forest of Dean situated near the River Wye and is famous for its old red sandstone Norman and medieval castle. Not strictly in the Forest of Dean but close enough to count (especially with tourists, and historically, invaders!) Goodrich is a small village that grew up next to Goodrich Castle, a fine 'Marcher Castle' which stands on a high spur of land commanding strategic position above a ford, an important ancient crossing point of the Wye. The castle was begun in 1101 and from 1326 onwards was the family seat of the Earls of Shrewsbury, although by the 16th century it had passed into the hands of the Earls of Kent and was no longer inhabited on a permanent basis.

To read more:

http://rosaromance.splinder.com/post/20460408/

Man Candy Day: T.J. Wilk

Some weeks ago I posted on a nice picture by Bruce Weber for Abercrombie & Fitch catalogue: two very nice young men, naked, in a Lost Paradise setting... In a source I supposedly found the name of the two model, Tyler Lough and David Fair, and I posted about them (http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/502266.html). Problem was, while Tyler was quite recognizable, the supposed David was half hidden (for how much a naked man could be hidden...), and in fact someone commented to say that he was not David Fair, but T.J. Wilk. Your Elisa, made a thoroughly "research" (oh yes, sometime mine is an hard work) and found a quite strong proof to grant the identity to T.J. Wilk:

Proof 1: shot by Bruce Weber



Proof 2: shot by Tony Duran



there are some "lines" that are quite unmistakable...

Terry “T.J.” Wilk, born in 1979 in Cleveland, Ohio, is an American model, actor, musician and champion diver. 6' 1" tall Wilk has appeared on The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency on the Oxygen Network, having been selected as a model by Janice Dickinson because of his well-proportioned body. Janice Dickinson picked TJ when he was just a nanny. He has been working as nanny for almost three years. Even to this day, he is still a nanny to three little girls and lives in the guest house on the family's property in Beverly Hills, while pursuing his dream as a model and actor.

( more pics )

Wilk has graced the pages of DNA Magazine (20-page cover layout was devoted to him), and was featured in the November issue of Ocean Drive Magazine, photos taken by world famous photographer Tony Duran. He also shot for Abercrombie & Fitch with Bruce Weber and for Thom Fleming. Wilk has also done numerous runway and editorial campaigns including 2(x)ist, Diesel Jeans, and most recently strutted the runway for Tommy Hilfiger charity, "Race to Erase MS."

Wilk is also a champion diver, placing 17th in the nation for 3 meter springboard diving. Wilk enjoys playing drums, reading biographies of famous entertainers, modeling and being around children. He's been behind the drums for more than 25 years playing mostly jazz, rap and rock. He listens to Paul Hardcastle, Four Play, Van Halen, Rush, Dream Theatre, Guns N Roses, Bone Thugs N Harmony, and Snoop Dogg.

His friends described him as loyal, honest and goofy. "I'm very animated and not afraid of making a complete *ss of myself," TJ has said.

@T.J. Wilk

Man Candy Day: T.J. Wilk

Some weeks ago I posted on a nice picture by Bruce Weber for Abercrombie & Fitch catalogue: two very nice young men, naked, in a Lost Paradise setting... In a source I supposedly found the name of the two model, Tyler Lough and David Fair, and I posted about them (http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/502266.html). Problem was, while Tyler was quite recognizable, the supposed David was half hidden (for how much a naked man could be hidden...), and in fact someone commented to say that he was not David Fair, but T.J. Wilk. Your Elisa, made a thoroughly "research" (oh yes, sometime mine is an hard work) and found a quite strong proof to grant the identity to T.J. Wilk:

Proof 1: shot by Bruce Weber



Proof 2: shot by Tony Duran



there are some "lines" that are quite unmistakable...

Terry “T.J.” Wilk, born in 1979 in Cleveland, Ohio, is an American model, actor, musician and champion diver. 6' 1" tall Wilk has appeared on The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency on the Oxygen Network, having been selected as a model by Janice Dickinson because of his well-proportioned body. Janice Dickinson picked TJ when he was just a nanny. He has been working as nanny for almost three years. Even to this day, he is still a nanny to three little girls and lives in the guest house on the family's property in Beverly Hills, while pursuing his dream as a model and actor.

( more pics )

Wilk has graced the pages of DNA Magazine (20-page cover layout was devoted to him), and was featured in the November issue of Ocean Drive Magazine, photos taken by world famous photographer Tony Duran. He also shot for Abercrombie & Fitch with Bruce Weber and for Thom Fleming. Wilk has also done numerous runway and editorial campaigns including 2(x)ist, Diesel Jeans, and most recently strutted the runway for Tommy Hilfiger charity, "Race to Erase MS."

Wilk is also a champion diver, placing 17th in the nation for 3 meter springboard diving. Wilk enjoys playing drums, reading biographies of famous entertainers, modeling and being around children. He's been behind the drums for more than 25 years playing mostly jazz, rap and rock. He listens to Paul Hardcastle, Four Play, Van Halen, Rush, Dream Theatre, Guns N Roses, Bone Thugs N Harmony, and Snoop Dogg.

His friends described him as loyal, honest and goofy. "I'm very animated and not afraid of making a complete *ss of myself," TJ has said.

@T.J. Wilk

Hidden Hands by Shayla Kersten

Hidden Hands gathers a supporting character from Hidden Force (David) and one from A Helping Hand (Jeremy) and gives them their own story. For this reason, it's not necessary to read the previous books to enjoy this story, but for sure I wouldn't recommend to read them after this one since most of the mysteries on both stories are spoilered in this one and used as basis for the plot.

Jeremy is a police detective; he is a nice man and this is confirmed from his role in the previous book: he was the buddy friend of Rich in A Helping Hand, the man to whom Rich turned when his unrequited love for Dan was not returned. And in a way he was the man that helped Rich to realize that he was using him, even if Jeremy was more than willing. Jeremy is not so young, 37 years old, and he has already realized that he wants someone steady in his life; he thought to have found that someone special in Rich, but it was not fated. At the beginning of this book Jeremy is cruising a pub more with the hope to find a lonesome soul like him than for sex, even if sex it's not left out.

David instead is the building contractor who was the first lover of Ryan, the main character in Hidden Force. David is the classic closeted case: when he came out with his father as a teenager, the reaction of the parent was so negative that David shut up on his protective shield and denied who he was and whom he wanted. He even married a woman with dreadful consequences. From all of that you understand that David is not exactly a strong willed and independent man; he relies too much on the opinion of other people, he fears his own desire, and he is really convinced that everyone is judging him.

Even if David is the bigger in body, he is the weaker side of the couple. He needs someone good and quite, a strong hand in velvet glove; it's quite right that between Jeremy and David there is a substantial age difference (11 years), since David needs the reassuring figure of someone older. I wouldn't venture on saying that there is a "male" Oedipus complex between David and Jeremy, but for sure David lacked of the comforting figure of a father, and Jeremy fills a bit that role. Probably someone will question if David, once he will arrive to be at easy with himself, will feel the same for Jeremy, but sincerely I believe that he will.

There is a very nice and long introduction scene, most of which spent in a sex encounter; after that, the story sustains acceleration toward the resolution, but I don't feel as that scene weights to much on the story, since it serves to present the characters and to set the basis for their future relationship.

http://www.jasminejade.com/p-7115-hidden-hands.aspx

Amazon Kindle: Hidden Hands

Series:
1) Hidden Force: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/189273.html
2) A Helping Hand: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/370932.html
3) Hidden Hands

Reading List:

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

Hidden Hands by Shayla Kersten

Hidden Hands gathers a supporting character from Hidden Force (David) and one from A Helping Hand (Jeremy) and gives them their own story. For this reason, it's not necessary to read the previous books to enjoy this story, but for sure I wouldn't recommend to read them after this one since most of the mysteries on both stories are spoilered in this one and used as basis for the plot.

Jeremy is a police detective; he is a nice man and this is confirmed from his role in the previous book: he was the buddy friend of Rich in A Helping Hand, the man to whom Rich turned when his unrequited love for Dan was not returned. And in a way he was the man that helped Rich to realize that he was using him, even if Jeremy was more than willing. Jeremy is not so young, 37 years old, and he has already realized that he wants someone steady in his life; he thought to have found that someone special in Rich, but it was not fated. At the beginning of this book Jeremy is cruising a pub more with the hope to find a lonesome soul like him than for sex, even if sex it's not left out.

David instead is the building contractor who was the first lover of Ryan, the main character in Hidden Force. David is the classic closeted case: when he came out with his father as a teenager, the reaction of the parent was so negative that David shut up on his protective shield and denied who he was and whom he wanted. He even married a woman with dreadful consequences. From all of that you understand that David is not exactly a strong willed and independent man; he relies too much on the opinion of other people, he fears his own desire, and he is really convinced that everyone is judging him.

Even if David is the bigger in body, he is the weaker side of the couple. He needs someone good and quite, a strong hand in velvet glove; it's quite right that between Jeremy and David there is a substantial age difference (11 years), since David needs the reassuring figure of someone older. I wouldn't venture on saying that there is a "male" Oedipus complex between David and Jeremy, but for sure David lacked of the comforting figure of a father, and Jeremy fills a bit that role. Probably someone will question if David, once he will arrive to be at easy with himself, will feel the same for Jeremy, but sincerely I believe that he will.

There is a very nice and long introduction scene, most of which spent in a sex encounter; after that, the story sustains acceleration toward the resolution, but I don't feel as that scene weights to much on the story, since it serves to present the characters and to set the basis for their future relationship.

http://www.jasminejade.com/p-7115-hidden-hands.aspx

Amazon Kindle: Hidden Hands

Series:
1) Hidden Force: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/189273.html
2) A Helping Hand: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/370932.html
3) Hidden Hands

Reading List:

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