Bill Tilden (February 10, 1893 – June 5, 1953)

William Tatem Tilden II (February 10, 1893 - June 5, 1953), nicknamed "Big Bill," was an American tennis player. He is often considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time. Tilden was the World No. 1 player for seven years, he won 14 Majors including ten Grand Slams and four Pro Slams. Bill Tilden dominated the world of international tennis in the first half of the 1920s. During his 18 year amateur period of 1912-30, he won 138 of 192 tournaments, and had a match record of 907-62, a winning percentage of 93.6 percent.

Tilden was born into a wealthy Philadelphia family bereaved by the death of three older siblings. He lost his semi-invalid mother when he was 18 and, even though his father was still alive and maintained a large house staffed with servants, was sent a few houses away to live with a maiden aunt. The loss at 22 of his father and older brother marked him deeply. After several months of deep depression, and with encouragement from his aunt, tennis, which he had taken up starting at age five, became his primary means of recovery. According to his biographer, Frank Deford, because of his early family losses Tilden spent all of his adult life attempting to create a father-son relationship with a long succession of ball boys and youthful tennis protégés, of whom Vinnie Richards was the most noted. In spite of his worldwide travels, Tilden lived at his aunt's house until 1941 when he was 48 years old.

Tilden was a graduate of Peirce College in Philadelphia.



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

IN 1947, AMERICA was shocked by a contradiction of one of its most strongly held prejudices-the idea that great athletes could never be homosexuals. William "Big Bill" Tilden was a national hero, a larger-than-life tennis player who had been the American champion from 1920 to 1925 and a three-time winner at Wimbledon. Along with Babe Ruth, Red Grange, Johnny Weissmuller, Jack Dempsey and Bobby Jones, he was one of the giants of the golden era of American sports. But at the age of fifty-three Tilden was sentenced to five years probation in Los Angeles after pleading guilty to a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a fourteen-year-old boy. "You have been the idol of youngsters all over the world," said the sentencing judge. "It has been a great shock to sports fans to read about your troubles." Later his probation was revoked when the police found him with a seventeen-year-old boy, and Tilden was forced to serve seven and a half months in jail. --Charles Kaiser. The Gay Metropolis: The Landmark History of Gay Life in America (Kindle Locations 831-836). Kindle Edition.

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Hélène Cixous (born June 5, 1937)

Hélène Cixous (born 5 June 1937) is a professor, French feminist writer, poet, playwright, philosopher, literary critic and rhetorician. She holds honorary degrees from Queen's University and the University of Alberta in Canada; University College Dublin in Ireland; the University of York and University College London in the UK; and Georgetown University, Northwestern University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the USA. In 2008 she was appointed as A.D. White Professor-at-Large at Cornell University until June 2014.

Hélène Cixous was born in Oran, French Algeria, to a German Ashkenazi Jewish mother and French Pied-noir Sephardic Jewish father. She earned her agrégation in English in 1959 and her Doctorat ès lettres in 1968. Her main focus, at this time, was English literature and the works of James Joyce. In 1968, she published L'Exil de James Joyce ou l'Art du remplacement (The Exile of James Joyce, or the Art of Displacement) and the following year she published her first novel, Dedans (Inside), a semi-autobiographical work that won the Prix Médicis. She is a professor at European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland and the University of Paris VIII, whose center for women's studies, the first in Europe, she founded.

She has published widely, including twenty-three volumes of poems, six books of essays, five plays, and numerous influential articles. She published Voiles (Veils) with Jacques Derrida and her work is often considered deconstructive. In introducing her Wellek Lecture, subsequently published as Three Steps on the Ladder of Writing, Derrida referred to her as the greatest living writer in his language (French). Cixous wrote a book on Derrida titled Portrait de Jacques Derrida en jeune saint juif (Portrait of Jacques Derrida as a Young Jewish Saint). Her reading of Derrida finds additional layers of meaning at a phonemic rather than strictly lexical level. In addition to Derrida and Joyce, she has written monographs on the work of the Brazilian writer Clarice Lispector, on Maurice Blanchot, Franz Kafka, Heinrich von Kleist, Michel de Montaigne, Ingeborg Bachmann, Thomas Bernhard, and the Russian poet Marina Tsvetaeva.

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Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A9l%C3%A8ne_Cixous

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Larry Kert (December 5, 1930 - June 5, 1991)

Larry Kert (December 5, 1930 - June 5, 1991) was an American actor, singer, and dancer. He is best known for creating the role of Tony in the original Broadway version of West Side Story. Kert's last stage appearance came in a touring company of La Cage aux Folles but he missed performances because of illness. Kert died, aged 60, in New York City from complications of AIDS in 1991. Kert's partner at the time of his death was Ron Pullen. In a video he made for the 2011 World AIDS Day, Ron Pullen defines the phrase, "I’m still here.": diagnosed with his partner in the 1980s, he’s survived decades with HIV. He talks about his experiences, and his frustrations with new infections among young people. (http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=features&sc=worldaidsday2011)

Born as Frederick Lawrence Kert in Los Angeles, California, Kert graduated from Hollywood High School. His first professional credit was as a member of a theatrical troupe called the "Bill Norvas and the Upstarts" in the 1950 Broadway revue Tickets, Please!. After a seven-month run, he worked sporadically in Off-Broadway and ballet productions as a dancer until 1957, when he was cast in West Side Story.

In 1955, while dancing in the chorus in the Sammy Davis, Jr. show Mr. Wonderful, Kert was recommended by his fellow dancer and friend Chita Rivera, who eventually won the role of Anita in West Side Story, to audition as a dancer for Gangway during the earliest Broadway pre-production of the Arthur Laurents-Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim musical later titled West Side Story, an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet set on the west side of mid-town Manhattan in the 1950s. Years later while singing at the White House, Kert remembered he was the 18th out of 150 hopefuls to audition, but he was the first one to be cut. A few months later, while he was working for Esquire in an advertising show, Stephen Sondheim approached him after seeing him perform and set up an audition for the part of Tony. Kert was reluctant to accept the offer, but a few weeks later, he was informed that he had the role.


AIDS Quilt

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

Thousands of gay Americans fell in love with West Side Story when they were children in the fifties. And for legions of kids of all persuasions, the show provided them with their first concrete notion of romantic love. To many gay adults coming of age in the sixties, the romance, violence, danger, and mystery so audible on the original cast album all felt like integral parts of the gay life they had embraced. The lyrics of "Somewhere" in particular seemed to speak directly to the gay experience before the age of liberation. In 1996, it was one of the songs chosen for the first mass gay wedding of two hundred couples in San Francisco, presided over by the city's mayor, Willie Brown. But none of the collaborators (or their 1950S contemporaries) ever suspected there was anything gay about their very heterosexual love story. (Coincidentally, Larry Kert, who starred as Tony, was also gay.) "It was never an issue that we talked about," said Murray Gitlin, who fell in love with the show when it opened. "I never thought about it as gay." --Charles Kaiser. The Gay Metropolis: The Landmark History of Gay Life in America (Kindle Locations 1384-1389). Kindle Edition.

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Faygele Ben-Miriam & Paul Barwick

Faygele Ben-Miriam (born John F. Singer, October 21, 1944, in New York City – June 5, 2000) was a U.S. activist, particularly for LGBT rights, and a gay marriage pioneer, filing one of the first gay marriage lawsuits in American history after being denied a marriage license at the King County Administration Building in Seattle, Washington in 1971. (Photo: Faygele ben Miriam takes a smoking break during a Kadima meeting. (Photographs by Geoff Manasse))

Paul Barwick (born 1946) is an American former LGBT rights activist and same-sex marriage pioneer. In 1971, he filed one of the first lawsuits in the history of the United States regarding the right of gays and lesbians to marry, after he and fellow activist John Singer were denied a civil marriage license at the King County Administration Building in Seattle, Washington. The case, Singer v. Hara, was the best-known gay marriage case in the state of Washington until Andersen v. King County in 2006.

Born in Washington, Barwick served three years in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, working as a military policeman. Later, he became an emergency dispatcher for the Washington State Patrol, and attended Olympic College in Bremerton. He currently lives in San Francisco, California, his residence for the last 30 years.

In December 2012, as hundreds of gay couples waited for marriage licenses at the King County Administration building early Thursday morning, some workers there noted it was the same place where a pioneering gay couple was denied one 41 years ago. The previous November, after a seattlepi.com story about Referendum 74 ran on the San Francisco Chronicle website, Barwick noted that "awesome" victory. Another reader thanked Barwick for the efforts he and Singer made. "Thanks," he wrote back. "You wouldn't believe just how sweet it is after all these years."

John Singer was born New York City to Jewish parents of Lithuanian and Polish background Irving and Miriam Singer. He and his two younger brothers Michael and Thomas and his younger sister Judith were raised in a non-religious, politically aware household in Mount Vernon, New York. He came out to his parents in 1963 or 1964, to the initial consternation and eventual acceptance of his mother and the long-running anger of his father.


Faygele ben Miriam (left), then known as John Singer, applies for a marriage license with Paul Barwick at the King County Administration Building in Seattle in 1971. (Seattlepi.com archives, Photo Tom Barlet)

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Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faygele_Ben-Miriam

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More LGBT Couples at my website: http://www.elisarolle.com/, My Ramblings/Real Life Romance

GayRomLit Ebook Giveaway: Marguerite Labbe - Ghosts in the Wind

I asked to all the authors joining the GayRomLit convention in Atlanta in October (http://gayromlit.com/grl-authors) a personal favor, a special Ebook Giveaway: twice a week I will post 1 book from each author, and among those who will leave a comment, I will draw a winner. Very easy and very fast ;-) I will send a PM to the winner, so remember to not leave anonymous comments!

And the ebook giveaway goes to: kasjo_peja

Today author is Marguerite Labbe: Marguerite has been accused of being eccentric and a shade neurotic, both of which she freely admits to, though her husband and son do an excellent job keeping her toeing the line. She likes to write paranormal mostly, though she dabbles and mixes genres, and generally follows wherever her muse leads her, even if it lands her into trouble. When she's not working hard on writing new material and editing completed work, she spends her time reading novels of all genres, enjoying role-playing games with her equally nutty friends, and trying to plot practical jokes against her son and husband. Follow her at http://www.margueritelabbe.com for updates, pictures and contests.
Website: http://www.margueritelabbe.com
Most recent title: Ghosts in the Wind
Publishers: Amber Quill/Amber Allure, Carina Press, Dreamspinner Press, Ellora's Cave

Ghosts in the Wind by Marguerite Labbe
Paperback: 310 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (October 31, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1623800528
ISBN-13: 978-1623800529
Amazon: Ghosts in the Wind
Amazon Kindle: Ghosts in the Wind

Andrei Cuza and Dean Marshall celebrated their tenth anniversary only to have their happiness shattered by a random, insane event: On his way home from closing a business deal, Dean stops on the parkway to help a young mother with her flat tire, and her ex arrives, murders them, and takes off with his two kids.

Ghosts have haunted Andrei all his life. He bears the guilt for his sister being stuck in limbo, because ghosts are frozen at the moment they died, unable to adapt to the changes in their living loved ones. When Dean returns to Andrei as a ghost, the double punch of losing him and having to watch him founder if he doesn't move on is almost more than Andrei can bear.

Despite dangers in limbo-Jackal Wraiths that devour souls are hunting him-Dean isn't going anywhere until he helps Andrei track down the missing children. Andrei is in danger as well when he pays dearly to feel Dean's touch one last time. Time is slowly running out as Dean and Andrei try to say good-bye while they track a killer who's more than happy to kill again.

2013 Rainbow Awards Submission: Patricia Logan - Silver Ties

Silver Ties (Silvers) by Patricia Logan
Paperback: 190 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (February 17, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1482344904
ISBN-13: 978-1482344905
Amazon: Silver Ties (Silvers)
Amazon Kindle: Silver Ties (Silvers)

A serial killer is preying upon gay men in Los Angeles. Detective Cassidy Ryan of the LAPD is out to stop the monster before more mutilated corpses turn up. The victims have one thing in common and it leads back to an infamous online club called DOMZ.com. The website owner, Zachary Teak, is stunningly gorgeous and infuriatingly uncooperative. Having spent years in vice, investigating crimes fueled by pornography, Cassidy hates the Dom on sight. Zack Teak is a wealthy man and a popular Dom with a long waiting list of subs who beg to lick his boots. The moment he meets the detective, a former Navy SEAL, he is determined to help the handsome, blond hunk explore his own submissive nature but Cassidy is having none of it. As Cassidy closes in on the killer, he succumbs to Teak’s charms, finding that it’s okay to give up control and let Zack take charge. Join the men as they flush out a killer while trying not to become victims themselves.

2013 Rainbow Awards Submission: Anne Tenino - Too Stupid To Live

Too Stupid to Live (Romancelandia) by Anne Tenino
Paperback: 278 pages
Publisher: Riptide Publishing; first edition (January 3, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1937551857
ISBN-13: 978-1937551858
Amazon: Too Stupid to Live (Romancelandia)
Amazon Kindle: Too Stupid to Live (Romancelandia)

It isn't true love until someone gets hurt.

Sam’s a new man. Yes, he’s still too tall, too skinny, too dorky, too gay, and has that unfortunate addiction to romance novels, but he’s wised up. His One True Love is certainly still out there, but he knows now that real life is nothing like fiction. He’s cultivated the necessary fortitude to say “no” to the next Mr. Wrong, no matter how hot, exciting, and/or erotic-novel-worthy he may be.

Until he meets Ian.

Ian’s a new man. He’s pain-free, has escaped the job he hated and the family who stifled him, and is now—possibly—ready to dip his toe into the sea of relationships. He’s going to be cautious, though, maybe start with someone who knows the score and isn’t looking for anything too complicated. Someone with experience and simple needs that largely revolve around the bedroom.

Until he meets Sam.

Sam’s convinced that Ian is no one’s Mr. Right. Ian’s sure that Sam isn’t his type. They can’t both be wrong . . . can they?

2013 Rainbow Awards Submission: S.J. Frost - To The Other Side

To The Other Side (Terra Series) by S.J. Frost
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Amazon Kindle: To The Other Side (Terra Series)

When Garrett Evergard is rescued by the witch, Bryson Summers, he discovers an alternate world unlike anything he's ever imagined, and when that world is threatened, he'll do anything to save it and the man he's grown to love.

Garrett Evergard is a finder of secrets. As a biologist and environmentalist, it's his job to go into wild lands and uncover their mysteries in order to save them. In the Pacific Northwest, he races against logging lobbyists to save a section of temperate rainforest, but the forest seems reluctant to give up her secrets. Until a fateful meeting with a rare spirit bear opens the door to wonders beyond anything he's ever imagine, the greatest of those being the beautiful man who comes to his rescue. As a witch and Gatekeeper, Bryson Summers is used to living a solitary life. He lives between two worlds, Earth and Terra, feeling not fully part of either, and dreams of meeting someone who understands him. From the moment he sees Garrett, he believes -- and hopes -- he's looking upon a twin soul. Dragons, unicorns, and a witch with enchanting brown eyes, Garrett tries to make sense of a world so different from anything he's ever known. But his mind and heart are open, and he finds himself drawn more to Bryson with each day they spend together. When Bryson and the gate that links the two worlds fall under threat, Garrett is willing to do all he can to protect them, even if it means facing down dark magic.

Another plot bunny...

Today I posted about John Singer and Paul Barwick:

http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/3637506.html

in 1971 they applied for a marriage license, and of course they didn't get it, but basically for them it was a political act, they weren't really a couple. But that sprung me an idea for a plot. Mind you, I'm not a writer, so this is only a plut bunny. My idea is: move the action in current time, in a state where same-sex marriage is still not allowed. A militant gay group select two of them to apply for a marriage license, they are handpicked because they represent the community, i.e. one can be a professional and another can be a public man, like an actor or someone else in the show business. They are not a couple, actually maybe they even initially don't like each other much. They nevertheless apply for the marriage license because they believe in the cause. But surprisingly a judge approves their request and now they are in front of a choice: admit their was only a political act, and in this way discreedit their own imagine as gay couple, or go on with the marriage. Of course they will choose the second, with all the following misunderstanding. I would add a family of one of the two (i.e. the actor), who believing the marriage will "correct" their son (he has to be a bit flicky, not really believing in long-term relationships), is embracing the prospect groom as a gift from the sky. And OF COURSE there will be an happy ending where they will fall in love and marry, for real!

That's all, but as a friend told me, by the time it becomes a novel, maybe the story will be "old" (I hope, that will mean same-sex marriage will be for all!)