2013 Rainbow Awards Submission: Kindle Alexander - The Current Between Us

The Current Between Us by Kindle Alexander
Paperback: 284 pages
Publisher: Kindle Alexander LLC (June 18, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0989117367
ISBN-13: 978-0989117364
Amazon: The Current Between Us
Amazon Kindle: The Current Between Us

Gage Synclair, international, hard-hitting investigative photojournalist, is preparing for the final special report of his career. A story of deception and murder six long years in the making. After spending ten years in some of the worst parts of the world, he's ready to settle life down and open an art gallery in his hometown of Chicago. Trent Cooper, electrical contractor, is surprised by the last minute request for a fast-paced electrical remodel, little did he know he'd be immediately propositioned by the gallery's owner. Being gay in the construction industry isn't easy, nor is being father to his two young adopted children. Trent keeps his life in separate zones to avoid a short circuit. Will their high-voltage passion break the currents between them forever? Full length novel.

2013 Rainbow Awards Submission: Jessica Freely - Dharma Cafe

Dharma Cafe by Jessica Freely
Paperback: 286 pages
Publisher: Loose Id, LLC (December 12, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1611188342
ISBN-13: 978-1611188349
Amazon: Dharma Cafe
Amazon Kindle: Dharma Cafe

Welcome to the Dharma Café, a restaurant like no other. There is no menu. The waiter, Samura, uses mystical powers to read what each customer needs, and the cook, Agatha, prepares the food with ingredients like love, hope, and courage.

The café is a refuge for the new busboy, Charlie, who was kicked out of home on his eighteenth birthday. Irresistibly drawn to Samura, Charlie soon discovers that the stern, formal waiter harbors a heartbreaking past and a dangerous secret.

Samura lives in fear that one day, the darkness inside him will burst forth to destroy all he loves. Now that includes brash, infuriating, delectable Charlie, who has broken through all Samura's defenses and taught him to trust himself.

Just when Samura thinks it might be safe to reveal the truth, his worst nightmare walks back into his life: His father, Akio, the evil food sorcerer who runs the burger stand on the other side of town. Akio's business is expanding and he wants his son to manage his new location, where the Dharma Café now stands.

It will take the combined resources of an ancient cook, a novice dishwasher, and a cursed waiter to fight Akio and protect the café. But when Samura succumbs to Akio's magic, will it be enough?

2013 Rainbow Awards Submission: Jessica Freely - Broken

Broken by Jessica Freely
Paperback: 262 pages
Publisher: Loose Id, LLC (September 3, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1611186552
ISBN-13: 978-1611186550
Amazon: Broken
Amazon Kindle: Broken

Eben does what his brother, mob boss Nicky Flannery, tells him, even when he's not so sure it's right. Letting Nicky do his thinking for him is a lifelong habit. So is hiding the fact that he's gay. Then Nicky buys a Hong Kong rent-boy to expand the mob's escort business and Eben's life gets a lot more complicated.

Forced into prostitution, Song Xiu is an unsentimental survivor. He takes his pleasures where he can and leaves his clients weak in the knees. Xiu knows he's hot for Eben's powerful body, but it's more than that. Eben's kind face and gentle touch give Xiu a strange feeling that no amount of sex or drugs can banish. Is this what people call love?

Eben is instantly attracted to Xiu's erotic beauty, but it's the sweet young man beneath the glossy surface that he falls for. When he learns Xiu's story, he begins to wonder if Nicky is really the hero he grew up worshipping, or something else entirely.

An unguarded moment leads to a passionate encounter that rips away all of Xiu and Eben's illusions. Suddenly the answers to their questions become alarmingly clear. They have one last chance to rescue each other from their broken lives, but only if they can survive Nicky's retribution.

2013 Rainbow Awards Submission: Hayley B. James - Paid Leave

Paid Leave by Hayley B. James
Paperback: 230 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (April 3, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1623804787
ISBN-13: 978-1623804787
Amazon: Paid Leave
Amazon Kindle: Paid Leave

Albuquerque police officer Benji Miller made the choice to hide his sexuality and devote his life to his career. He guards his secret carefully, believing he is protecting his job and happiness. Then, during a routine traffic stop gone awry, he shoots a suspect and his life spins out of control. A department-mandated paid leave rips away the only distraction he had, and he has to deal with the unsympathetic media who criticize the police department's every move.

One day, needing to get out of the house, Benji walks into a café, where he meets Neal McCoy-a gay man living without shame, unafraid to speak his mind or stand up against prejudice. Benji quickly falls for Neal but struggles to combine his new love interest and his career. With the media threatening the careful illusion he's built around himself, Benji can't stand the pressure.

Benji has to decide: sacrifice his happiness in the name of his career and an easy life, or find the courage to give up the lonely existence he knows and take a step into the unknown.

Charles Horne (1946 - September 2, 1994)

Charles Horne was an American playwright. His credits include the AIDS drama The Smoking Room and the documentary Our Sisters Are Dying.

Charles Horne, a playwright who detailed his battle against AIDS for a Syracuse newspaper, died here on September 2, 1994, at Community-General Hospital. He was 48.

The cause was AIDS, after he suffered a stroke several weeks ago that left him paralyzed, the hospital said.

In the last year, Mr. Horne had written occasional columns for The Herald-Journal addressing issues from the perspective of someone infected with the AIDS virus.

Mr. Horne's plays included "The Smoking Room," a drama set in a hospital AIDS ward. He also wrote and produced "Our Sisters Are Dying," a 30-minute documentary about women and AIDS, and he was working on a documentary about AIDS in prisons when he became ill.

Mr. Horne came to Syracuse in 1985 to direct an acting company at the Landmark Theater. He had also done graduate work in Germany and at the University of Massachusetts. Mr. Horne lived in New York City for about eight years, writing and directing plays.


AIDS Quilt

He is survived by his parents, Clyde and Hilda Horne of Acton, Mass.; three brothers, Mark, of Rochester, N.H.; David, of Westford, Mass., and Barry, of Acton, Mass.; and his companion, Tony Williams of Syracuse.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/05/obituaries/charles-horne-48-wrote-about-aids.html

( Further Readings )

Don Hall (1949 - September 2, 1993)

Don Hall was an American songwriter. He organized Ads Against AIDS, which encouraged print and broadcast campaigns about the disease.

Don Hall worked primarily as a studio musician, writing and recording songs for commercials. In the 1980s he also worked as a studio vocalist on many industrials and corporate projects with composer-writer-producer Mary Moreno.

His last project, completed shortly before his death and still unreleased, was a recording of songs for children.

He lived with his companion, Robert Starr, in Manhattan and Bellport, Long Island.

In 1986 Hall and a group of friends in Bellport founded People Taking Action Against AIDS, an all-volunteer organization that by the time of his death had raised $10 million for AIDS research, mainly through an annual event on Long Island. In 1987 the group raised over $120,000 at a single event – an auction of work donated by well-known artists.

Projects funded by People Taking Action Against AIDS included hot meals, hospital equipment not covered by Federal grants, malpractice insurance for rural volunteer nurses, an AIDS support center in rural Georgia, the Children's AIDS Foundation, Friends of Clinical Care Center, the Pediatric AIDS Foundation, the Long Island Association for AIDS Care, and New York's Community Research Initiative.


AIDS Quilt

( Read more... )

Source: http://www.artistswithaids.org/artforms/music/catalogue/halld.html

( Further Readings )

Marsden Hartley (January 4, 1877 - September 2, 1943)

Marsden Hartley (January 4, 1877 – September 2, 1943) was an American Modernist painter, poet, and essayist. In Berlin, Hartley developed a close relationship with a Prussian lieutenant, Karl von Freyburg, who was the cousin of Hartley's friend Arnold Ronnebeck. References to Freyburg were a recurring motif in Hartley's work, most notably in Portrait of a German Officer (1914). Freyburg's subsequent death during the war hit Hartley hard, and he afterward idealized their relationship. Many scholars believe Hartley to have been gay, and have interpreted his work regarding Freyburg as embodying his homosexual feelings for him.

Hartley was born in Lewiston, Maine, where his English parents had settled. He was the youngest of nine children. His mother died when he was eight, and his father remarried four years later to Martha Marsden. His birth name was Edmund Hartley; he later assumed Marsden as his first name when he was in his early 20s.

Hartley began his art training at the Cleveland Institute of Art after his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio, in 1892. He won a scholarship to the Cleveland School of Art.

In 1898, at age 22, Hartley moved to New York City to study painting at the New York School of Art under William Merritt Chase, and then attended the National Academy of Design. Hartley was a great admirer of Albert Pinkham Ryder and visited his studio in Greenwich Village as often as possible. His friendship with Ryder, in addition to the writings of Walt Whitman and American transcendentalists Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson, inspired Hartley to view art as a spiritual quest.


Marsden Hartley by Edward Stieglitz


Portrait of a German Office, 1914

( Read more... )

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

( Further Readings  )

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

GayRomLit Ebook Giveaway: Elizah Davis - The Hawk and the Rabbit

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: everyday 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: tizzzzez

Today author is Elizah Davis: Elizah Davis has lived in various parts of the United States, but currently resides in the Pacific Northwest, enjoying the abundance of coffee readily available there. She earned her degree in creative writing after she realized journalism involved too many facts and not enough unicorns. She loves stories of all kinds, but has a particular fondness for romance and fantastical adventures. When she isn’t busy making things up, Elizah enjoys reading, laughing at cats on the internet, buying girly shoes, and trying to come up with world domination plans that don’t require the donning of pants (her endeavors towards which have thus far been unsuccessful).
Most recent title : The Hawk and the Rabbit
Publishers: Less Than Three Publishing

The Hawk and the Rabbit (The Bestiary) by Elizah J. Davis
Publisher: Less Than Three Press; 1 edition (November 20, 2012)
Amazon Kindle: The Hawk and the Rabbit (The Bestiary)

When the Queen is struck down by a deadly curse, Leal's only chance of saving her depends on cooperating with the Dragon Master, Hawk. But Hawk, like the rest of the palace, has no love of the foreign Leal or his magic, and would much rather throw Leal in prison until he has good enough reason to execute him.

Kindly offered by Less Than Three Press

Fool’s Rush by Chris Quinton

I really enjoyed the third, and for now, last installment in this series, Xavi comes out like this hedonistic, but so cute, top from the bottom character that is able to conquer Andreas’s heart completely and unavoidably.

It can appear that there is no balance between them, like Xavi is almost “forced” to be with Andreas, a feeling that you could have in the previous book, but with this one, you understand that Xavi has chosen to be with Andreas, moreover, he is happy and content; he is like a cat, who has find his home and has always a saucer full of milk cream… why in heaven should he leave all this? And like a content cat, he is more than willing to “purr” for his lover.

I did enjoy the introduction of new myths in the vampire tradition, like the fact that they could bear sunlight, but only to a moderate level: the scene in which Xavi cannot renounce to his tan, willingly subjecting himself to the pain of being under the sun is perfect for his hedonistic character.

Picking Barcellona has setting for the novel is again a perfect choice, the Barrio Antico and the Ramblas are a mix of modern and ancient, that well reflect the development of the story: the time is a near future, 2042, but the theme is a classical gothic one, vampires.

I would dare to say that, while you will for sure enjoying reading the whole series, Fool’s Rush has all the merits to be also a perfect standalone novel.

Amazon Kindle: Fool's Rush (Fool's Odyssey)
Publisher: Manifold Press (May 10, 2013)

Series: Fool's Odyssey Trilogy
1) Fool's Errand: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/1247549.html
2) Fool's Oath: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/1536452.html
3) Fool's Rush

Updates: http://www.goodreads.com/user/updates_rss/2156728?key=011e4dd0a1ff993d8c2322e691d6229ed9bbf74b

2013 Rainbow Awards Submission: Angel Martinez & Freddy MacKay - The Horns and Halos

Horns and Halos Anthology (Mischief Corner Anthologies) by Freddy MacKay, Toni Griffin, Angel Martinez
Publisher: Mischief Corner Books, LLC; 1st edition (August 28, 2013)
Amazon Kindle: Horns and Halos Anthology (Mischief Corner Anthologies)

Demons and Angels have been among us for thousands of years, in many cultures and in many forms. What happens when you set the Mischief Corner authors loose on the vague prompt "Write a story about angels or demons?" The poor unsuspecting world is about to find out.

From Toni Griffin - Archie's Accidental Kidnapping

Hell may not have any fury like a woman scorned, but even that's nothing compared to a Hell Hound when you get between him and his mate.

From Freddy Mackay - Internment

Tadashi's life spirals out of control, and he hides away on his mountain taking care of the one place he knows he is safe, and people are safe from him. But the world has a way of interrupting life.

From Angel Martinez - Hell For The Company

Shax, the Demon Prince of Thieves, has reconciled himself to exile. He has a grand time careening around the galaxy as a high-end, intergalactic purloiner of pretties. Everything's going just fine, thank you very much, until he comes across an injured angel in a psychedelic alien jungle.

2013 Rainbow Awards Submission: Freddy MacKay - Cabin for Two

Cabin for Two: An Anthology by Toni Griffin, Angel Martinez, Mathilde Watson, Freddy MacKay and Silvia Violet
Paperback: 186 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; Second edition (March 19, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 148274435X
ISBN-13: 978-1482744354
Amazon: Cabin for Two: An Anthology
Amazon Kindle: Cabin for Two: An Anthology

Snow, storm, transportation woes, gravity well mishaps - the list of disasters that might strand someone in the wilderness is endless. But what happens when two men are marooned together? Close quarters and intimate situations strike sparks, whether the men are strangers or lovers on the emotional rocks. A Bear in the Woods by Toni Griffin A bear shifter tries to convince his mate that he's not crazy while fighting threats against his own life. Dirty Little Secret by Freddy MacKay A geocaching trip goes horribly wrong, but the hiker's rescuer is the one person who may be able to save him in more ways than he can imagine. Three Little Words by Mathilde Watson Lifelong friends have returned from the Korean conflict and now need to fight their way through the feelings they've harbored for each other for so long. Their Natural Habitat by Silvia Violet A forest ranger and his lover just want a nice weekend away. The bear baiters have other ideas. A Matter of Faces by Angel Martinez A data privateer crash lands on a barely habitable moon where he's found by a research scientist who refuses to show his face.

2013 Rainbow Awards Submission: M.F. Kays - Lost and Found

Lost & Found edited by Kris Jacen
Publisher: Featherweight Publishing
Amazon Kindle: Lost & Found

In the Fall of 2012, DH Starr approached me about Featherweight publishing an anthology that he was a part of. It was a special project being organized by Michele Montgomery. All the authors wanted to donate their royalties from the anthology to charity. They wanted the monies to go to a specific cause---they wanted the money to go to a charity that worked with LGBT homeless teens.

The authors donating their royalties to this worthy cause are Dakota Chase, DC Juris, Jeff Erno, Tabatha Heart, Caitlin Ricci, Diana Adams, DH Starr, Michele Montgomery, MF Kays and Tom Webb. We thank them one and all.

The inspiration for the anthology was a picture that they had seen with the text over the image that said "40% of homeless youth are LGBT. The #1 reason they're on the streets is family rejection."

Once we got to final editing stages we realized, we didn't know WHICH charity to donate the monies to. There are so many great charities out there working with LGBT youth that we weren't sure which to choose. We wanted to make sure that no matter how much, it would make a difference. So the search was on.

I was pleasantly surprised to come across one that had the name of the anthology almost exactly---Lost-n-Found Youth, Inc. It seemed like fate talking to me and after speaking with one of the board members, I was convinced of it. You see the board member told me that the day before we spoke, they received a call from a teen that had been on vacation with his parents and when they found a gay romance on his eReader, they left him on the side of the road. Yes, you read that correctly, abandoned him for reading a gay romance.

Our hope is that with these stories, these teens realize that there are many out there that care about them. That no matter what anyone says---THEY MATTER.

Kris Jacen

MLR Press

2013 Rainbow Awards Submission: S.Y. Thompson - Under the Midnight Cloak

Under the Midnight Cloak by S Y Thompson
Paperback: 252 pages
Publisher: Mystic Books by RCE (January 8, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1619290944
ISBN-13: 978-1619290945
Amazon: Under the Midnight Cloak
Amazon Kindle: Under the Midnight Cloak

Lee Grayson is a nature photographer whose father is a senator in New York. She's never felt close to him and her faith in people as a whole is lacking. She moves to the town of Harmon deep in the Adirondack Mountains after inheriting her great aunt's estate, but the local townspeople seem a little...off. Then she meets Ranger Jamison Kessler and learns there's a killer running rampant around the area. Jamison seems to be hiding things from her and Lee is starting to become suspicious. Lee discovers that her aunt was a central part of this community and that she possesses the woman's unique abilities. She and Jamison are falling for each other, but things take a turn for the worse when the murderer sets his sights on Lee and a cure for his condition which he believes her to be harboring. Their situation is further complicated by the fact that the killer isn't even human. Neither is Jamison.

2013 Rainbow Awards Submission: S.Y. Thompson - Now You See Me

Now You See Me by S. Y. Thompson
Paperback: 258 pages
Publisher: Quest by RCE (June 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1619291126
ISBN-13: 978-1619291126
Amazon: Now You See Me
Amazon Kindle: Now You See Me

Corporate attorney, Erin Donovan, has nothing on her mind except representing her clients to the best of her ability. One fateful day, she shows an irritating new client, Carson Tierney, around the tenth floor space of her own building and her life takes off in an unforeseen direction. Carson is an awe-inspiring woman by anyone's standards. Possessing genius-level intelligence that has allowed her to become a self- made millionaire from her computer software company, Carson still has a dark secret that could be her undoing. When the two are thrust together, in a high-rise office building, to escape a deadly killer while a blizzard rages outside, they have no one to count on but themselves. So begins an unexpected yet tender romance. Unchecked love and desire isn't in their future, however. The murderer is still out there and he's coming for them. Will Carson's street-wise skills protect them both as Erin attempts to discover the killer's identity just as relentlessly as he is seeking their demise?

2013 Rainbow Awards Submission: Logan Zachary - Big Bad Wolf

Big Bad Wolf by Logan Zachary
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books (July 16, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602828903
ISBN-13: 978-1602828902
Amazon: Big Bad Wolf
Amazon Kindle: Big Bad Wolf

Paavo Wolfe owns We’re Wolfe’s Books, the place to go for Lake Superior’s horror book and movie aficionados. His best friend, Stacey, own Lotions and Potions next door. When a wolf attacks two of Stacey’s employees, against all reason, they begin to suspect that one of the victims is turning into a werewolf. As they struggle to find the truth, they dodge a nosy news reporter, an ex-partner detective assigned to the case, a drug selling boyfriend, and too many friends trying to help solve the crime before things become really hairy. Can Paavo solve the mystery before he runs into the Big Bad Wolf?