Charles M. Durham & michel de la Roche

Charles was born in Georgia on Oct. 27, 1947 and died in San Francisco on Jul. 18, 1986. His family moved to Detroit early in life. He served with the U.S. Coast Guard and lived in Chicago before moving to San Francisco in the mid-1970s.

He was a "leather man" in the "old guard" tradition. He was an early member of the "15 Association" and served for three years as it's chairman. He was also a member of the Barbary Coasters Motorcycle Club. immensely popular and outgoing, he made friends very easily. He was at once funny, irreverent and always in good spirits.

Charles was a caring social worker and dedicated to his work. He quietly was holding on to depression and one Sunday went to his favorite bar, ordered a drink, called for a taxi and asked to be taken to Marin County. Half way across the Golden Gate Bridge, he had the taxi stop, he got out and ran over to the rail and jumped. His friends and co-workers were left stunned because this man personified optimism, a sense of humor and confidence.

He was survived by his mother Madeline, his partners Warren and Bill, his former partner michel de la Roche, his close friends Robert, Dolores and Duane. There was a celebration of his life at the "S.F. Eagle" on August 2nd, 1986.

Source: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=67822643

In 1988, Fred Vaselenak and his slave michel de la Roche founded the first chapter of Masters and slaves Together (MAsT) in San Francisco. MAsT was founded as a support group for gay men living in Master/slave relationships. Slave michel de La Roche died in 1994.


Charles M. Durham & michel de la Roche by Lisa Kanemoto
Charles M. Durham was a Social Worker, michel de la Roche was a Tour Director. "S&M has to do with a mutually agreed-upon exchange of power in which the slave voluntarily subjects himself to his master's will." In brief, michel has found his freedom in slavery to the man he loves, and similarly, Charles has found his in the possession this involves.

( Further Readings )

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

2014 Rainbow Awards Submission: Beneath the Weight of Sadness

Gay Contemporary General Fiction
Beneath the Weight of Sadness by Gerald L. Dodge
Publisher: Untreed Reads Publishing (June 17, 2014)
Amazon Kindle: Beneath the Weight of Sadness

Beneath the Weight of Sadness is a novel about Truman Engroff, a gay, seventeen-year-old boy, living in an affluent, New Jersey town, Persia, who is brutally murdered one early Sunday morning. The murder becomes sensational not only for the fact that Truman is gay, but because the town is peopled with mostly wealthy conservatives who view anomalous lifestyles as a disruption to their strict view of how the world should function. The death of Truman's brief life is told in four separate narratives, by: his father, his mother, the detective investigating the case, and his best friend growing up, Carly Rodenbaugh. All four of these people are devastated by Truman's death, and the story of his death unfolds as the characters tell the story of his life.

Charities Donation program progress:
328$ Albert Kennedy Trust: http://www.akt.org.uk/
965$ Ali Forney Center: www.aliforneycenter.org/
25$ Audre Lorde Project: http://alp.org/
25$ BiNet US: http://www.binetusa.org/
75$ CARE: careprogram.org/
100$ The Center Colorado: http://www.glbtcolorado.org/
25$ LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland: http://www.lgbtcleveland.org/
392$ COLORS: www.colorsyouth.org/
80$ Covenant: www.covenanthouseno.org/
75$ Diversity Role Models: http://www.diversityrolemodels.org/
25$ The Diversity Center: http://diversitycenter.org/
317$ Galop: www.galop.org.uk/
150$ GLYS: http://www.glyswny.org/
100$ Human Rights Campaign: http://www.hrc.org/
50$ Huntsville GLBT Advocacy & Youth Services: http://www.glbtays.org/
75$ It Gets Better: http://www.itgetsbetter.org/
100$ Inland Northwest LGBT Center: www.thelgbtcenter.org/
235$ Lambda Legal: www.lambdalegal.org/
50$ Lambert House: www.lamberthouse.org/
50$ Lancaster LGBT Center: http://www.centralpalgbtcenter.org/
50$ LEAP: http://www.glbtleap.org/
512$ Lost-n-Found Youth: www.lost-n-found.org/
50$ MKE LGBT Center: www.mkelgbt.org/
130$ Moveable Feast: http://www.mfeast.org/
25$ Odyssey Youth Center: www.odysseyyouth.org/
25$ Out Youth: outyouth.org/
100$ PFLAG: community.pflag.org/
175$ Point Foundation: www.pointfoundation.org/
100$ Ruth Ellis Center: http://www.ruthelliscenter.org/
600$ SAGE: giveto.sageusa.org/
25$ Terrence Higgins Trust: www.tht.org.uk/
430$ The Trevor Project: www.thetrevorproject.org/
160$ UCAN: www.ucanchicago.org/
25$ WayGay: http://www.waygay.org/
200$ You Can Play: http://youcanplayproject.org/
50$ YouthCare: www.youthcare.org/
997$ Other Funds
TOTAL: 6896$

* more than 150$ is a direct donation from a supporter of the Rainbow Awards who isn't submitting; while some authors were more than generous, arriving to donate 5 times the suggested amount, being the submission fee a non mandatory and voluntary direct donation, we were struggling to raise the same amount as last year and there is who decided to cover part of it. I thank you for all you are doing, and if you wish to donate to the above links, please drop me a note with your donation and I will update the total.

2014 Rainbow Awards Guidelines: reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/4162490.html

2014 Rainbow Awards Submission: The Mating of Michael

Gay Contemporary Romance
The Mating of Michael (Sex in Seattle Book 3) by Eli Easton
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (June 30, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1632160153
ISBN-13: 978-1632160157
Amazon: The Mating of Michael (Sex in Seattle Book 3)
Amazon Kindle: The Mating of Michael (Sex in Seattle Book 3)

Sex in Seattle: Book Three

Everyone admires Michael Lamont for being a nurse, but his part-time work as a gay sex surrogate not only raises eyebrows, it's cost him relationships. Michael is small, beautiful, and dedicated to working with people who need him. But what he really wants is a love of his own. He spends most of his time reading science fiction, especially books written by his favorite author and long-time crush, the mysteriously reclusive J.C. Guise.

James Gallway’s life is slowly but inexorably sliding downhill. He wrote a best-selling science fiction novel at the tender age of eighteen, while bedridden with complications of polio. But by twenty-eight, he's lost his inspiration and his will to live. His sales from his J.C. Guise books have been in decline for years. Wheelchair bound, James has isolated himself, convinced he is unlovable. When he is forced to do a book signing and meets Michael Lamont, he can’t believe a guy who looks like Michael could be interested in a man like him.

Michael and James are made for each other. But they must let go of stubbornness to see that life finds a way and love has no limitations.

Charities Donation program progress:
328$ Albert Kennedy Trust: http://www.akt.org.uk/
965$ Ali Forney Center: www.aliforneycenter.org/
25$ Audre Lorde Project: http://alp.org/
25$ BiNet US: http://www.binetusa.org/
75$ CARE: careprogram.org/
100$ The Center Colorado: http://www.glbtcolorado.org/
25$ LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland: http://www.lgbtcleveland.org/
392$ COLORS: www.colorsyouth.org/
80$ Covenant: www.covenanthouseno.org/
75$ Diversity Role Models: http://www.diversityrolemodels.org/
25$ The Diversity Center: http://diversitycenter.org/
317$ Galop: www.galop.org.uk/
150$ GLYS: http://www.glyswny.org/
100$ Human Rights Campaign: http://www.hrc.org/
50$ Huntsville GLBT Advocacy & Youth Services: http://www.glbtays.org/
75$ It Gets Better: http://www.itgetsbetter.org/
100$ Inland Northwest LGBT Center: www.thelgbtcenter.org/
235$ Lambda Legal: www.lambdalegal.org/
50$ Lambert House: www.lamberthouse.org/
50$ Lancaster LGBT Center: http://www.centralpalgbtcenter.org/
50$ LEAP: http://www.glbtleap.org/
512$ Lost-n-Found Youth: www.lost-n-found.org/
50$ MKE LGBT Center: www.mkelgbt.org/
130$ Moveable Feast: http://www.mfeast.org/
25$ Odyssey Youth Center: www.odysseyyouth.org/
25$ Out Youth: outyouth.org/
100$ PFLAG: community.pflag.org/
175$ Point Foundation: www.pointfoundation.org/
100$ Ruth Ellis Center: http://www.ruthelliscenter.org/
600$ SAGE: giveto.sageusa.org/
25$ Terrence Higgins Trust: www.tht.org.uk/
430$ The Trevor Project: www.thetrevorproject.org/
160$ UCAN: www.ucanchicago.org/
25$ WayGay: http://www.waygay.org/
200$ You Can Play: http://youcanplayproject.org/
50$ YouthCare: www.youthcare.org/
997$ Other Funds
TOTAL: 6896$

* more than 150$ is a direct donation from a supporter of the Rainbow Awards who isn't submitting; while some authors were more than generous, arriving to donate 5 times the suggested amount, being the submission fee a non mandatory and voluntary direct donation, we were struggling to raise the same amount as last year and there is who decided to cover part of it. I thank you for all you are doing, and if you wish to donate to the above links, please drop me a note with your donation and I will update the total.

2014 Rainbow Awards Guidelines: reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/4162490.html

Book Blast: Not Quite Broken by Diana DeRicci

Not Quite Broken by Diana DeRicci
Published by MLR Press

Can Dex survive a nightmare that won't let go?
Dex's life has gone into a tailspin. One night that ruined his entire world. He can't sleep, he can't eat. He's lost his job, and is about to lose the last of his sanity. When the world crashes down around him, he's ready to let the world win.
Dex has friends, though, who are determined to not let him self-combust.
One man will be there to guide him through his nightmare, to hold him to keep the demons at bay, and still let him be strong enough to find the strength to love after his darkest hour.



( Excerpt )

Author Bio: Diana DeRicci is the sexy, flirty pen name of Diana Castilleja. A romance author at heart, DeRicci's writing takes you into a saucier spectrum of sensuality and sexual adventure, where a happily-ever-after is still the key to any story. Diana lives in Central Texas with her husband, one son and a feisty little Chihuahua named Rascal. You can catch the latest news on all of Diana DeRicci's writing and books on her website. Feel free to drop Diana an email. She'd love to hear from you.
Author Links:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/diana.castilleja.14
Author Page - https://www.facebook.com/groups/247519905431256/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/dianacastilleja/
Twitter: @DianaCastilleja



Tour Dates: 7/18/14
Tour Stops: Parker Williams, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Cate Ashwood, MM Good Book Reviews, Havan Fellows, Reviews and Ramblings, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Smoocher’s Voice, Prism Book Alliance, Tara Lain, Love Bytes, Hearts on Fire, Fallen Angel Reviews, Wicked Wolves and Dreaming Dragons, It’s Raining Men, Because Two Men Are Better Than One

Rafflecopter Prize: E-book of Not Quite Broken
Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway