Richard Buckley & Tom Ford

Thomas Carlyle "Tom" Ford (born August 27, 1961) is an American fashion designer and film director. He gained international fame for his turnaround of the Gucci fashion house and the creation of the Tom Ford label before directing the Oscar-nominated film A Single Man. Tom Ford and his partner, journalist Richard Buckley, have been together since 1986. Buckley was the former Editor in Chief of Vogue Hommes International. The fashion designer and the magazine editor's baby boy, Alexander John Buckley Ford, was born in Los Angeles on 23 September 2012.

Tom Ford was born August 27, 1961 in Austin, Texas, to realtors Tom Ford and Shirley Burton. He spent his early life in the suburbs of Houston, Texas, and in San Marcos, outside Austin; his family moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, when he was 11. In Santa Fe, he entered St. Michael's High School and later moved to Santa Fe Preparatory School, from which he graduated in 1979. Ford left Santa Fe at age 16, when he enrolled at Bard College at Simon's Rock, but quickly dropped out. He then moved to New York City to study art history at New York University.

Ford dropped out of NYU after only a year, preferring to concentrate on acting in television commercials; at one time, he was in 12 national advertising campaigns simultaneously. Ford then began studying interior architecture at The New School's famous art and design college, Parsons The New School for Design. During his time in New York, Ford became a fixture at the legendary nightclub Studio 54, where he realized he was gay. The club's disco-era glamor would be a major influence on his later designs. Before his last year at New School, Ford spent a year and a half in Paris, where he worked as an intern in Chloé's press office. Though his work primarily involved sending clothes out on photo shoots, it triggered his love of fashion. He spent his final year at The New School studying fashion, but nonetheless graduated with a degree in architecture.


Tom Ford and his partner, journalist Richard Buckley, have been together since 1986. Buckley was the former Editor in Chief of Vogue Hommes International. "Richard and I are bound together, and I think that's what that recognition is when you look someone in the eyes and you feel like you've known them forever. It is a kind of coming home." The fashion designer and the magazine editor's baby boy, Alexander John Buckley Ford, was born in Los Angeles on 23 September 2012.

( Read more... )

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

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Fashion:


1996/1997, Tom Ford, Evening Ensemble, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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( Further Readings )

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

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

2014 Rainbow Awards Submissions

Gay Contemporary Romance
Chasing the Dragon by Kate Sherwood
Paperback: 230 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (August 4, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1632160315
ISBN-13: 978-1632160317
Amazon: Chasing the Dragon
Amazon Kindle: Chasing the Dragon

When mercenary Jack Hunter stumbles upon Christian Manning servicing a client in a back alley, it stirs feelings he’s kept deeply buried. Hunter becomes Christian's knight in shining armor when he rescues him from an attack and takes him to his secluded cabin to heal.

Being stuck in the cabin over the winter gives both men a chance to get their lives in order. Christian is struggling to break his heroin addiction, and Hunter needs to get away from the organization he helped start years before—a group of people who don’t appreciate being told no. It’s a toss-up which goal is more difficult. Their new starts spark a relationship between them, but nothing good comes cheap. Despite the complications, Hunter wants more, but Christian is resistant to making that commitment. When Hunter’s private security company threatens them, only nurturing the fragile trust they formed at the beginning of their love affair will save them. But for two men with very dark pasts, relying on each other might be easier said than done.

Gay Erotica
Great Pleasures by Edward Southgate
Paperback: 236 pages
Publisher: Bernabel Books; 1 edition (April 4, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0692207635
ISBN-13: 978-0692207635
Amazon: Great Pleasures
Amazon Kindle: Great Pleasures

"How many bottoms can I top before I pass the threshold of sexual acceptability and destroy my chances for being a contender in the sweepstakes of romance?" Sex isn't usually this fraught with complications . . . or this funny! Written as confessional blog entries by a gay man tomcatting through the nightlife of New York City, this novel of erotic exploration delves into the repercussions and fascinations of sex as physical entertainment, with graphic frankness, cheeky humor, mortifying vulnerability, poetic flights, and brutal honesty.

Lesbian Anthology / Paranormal Romance
When the Clock Strikes Thirteen by Diane Marina, Emma Weimann, Erzabet Bishop, Joan Arling, L.T. Smith, Lois Cloarec Hart & R.G. Emanuelle
Paperback: 202 pages
Publisher: Ylva Verlag e Kfr (October 26, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 3955331555
ISBN-13: 978-3955331559
Amazon: When the Clock Strikes Thirteen
Amazon Kindle: When the Clock Strikes Thirteen

Seven authors of lesbian fiction contributed otherworldly and supernatural short stories that will keep you glued to your seat. Midnight Messages by Lois Cloarec Hart Luce Sheppard can't ignore it any longer. She has to make a decision and time grows short. But refusing to make a decision is a decision, and she retires to bed, prepared to accept the results of her non-decision. That night an unexpected midnight visitor lands on her doorstep. Keira Keller, a distraught teenager, has lost her way home after a disastrous party. Luce steps in to help and in doing so receives answers to questions she didn't know she'd asked. Batteries Not Included by L.T. Smith Alex Stevens is a workaholic and a loner. Nothing and nobody can get past the cool exterior and solitary walls she has painstakingly created. Until one night in October. One night that makes her step back and reassess what it means to be alive. Lost and Found by Emma Weimann Laura Sullivan flees to her grandparents' old cottage to escape the haunting memories of finding her brother in bed with her girlfriend. But even in rural Ireland, tranquility is easier to find than peace--especially when she meets an otherworldly being that leaves her a reminder she didn't count on. Chrysalis by Joan Arling Tara is a nice little girl. Her friends, on the other hand, are... peculiar... A breeze of a story. Or the other way 'round. Sisters of the Moon by Diane Marina The week before Halloween, Nicole joins her friends on a local ghost tour. In addition to visiting spooky sights and haunted grounds, she meets an enticing woman who makes her spine tingle. Who is the mysterious stranger? And how will the encounter end? Wolf Moon by Erzabet Bishop Seeking diversion from her job as a bookstore manager, Lindsay goes to a Halloween party at a convention center—and finds much more than she bargained for. Werewolf Detective Taggert responds to a bomb threat at the convention center. An explosive situation, especially when raw chemistry hits them full force. Can Lindsay open her heart and accept the fierce love of a red-hot shifter, or will they go their separate ways? Love Bites by R.G. Emanuelle New Orleans. Vampires. Jodi goes to the former and finds the latter. She feels a mysterious pull that leads her to The Big Easy and to freedom, passion, and the startling revelation of what having too many daiquiris can make her do.

Lesbian Contemporary Romance
See Right Through Me by L.T. Smith
Paperback: 310 pages
Publisher: Ylva Verlag e.Kfr. (November 9, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 3955330680
ISBN-13: 978-3955330682
Amazon: See Right Through Me
Amazon Kindle: See Right Through Me

Trust, respect, and love. Three little words-that's all. But these words are powerful, and if we ignore any one of them, then three other little words take their place: jealousy, insecurity, and heartbreak. Schoolteacher Gemma Hughes is an ordinary woman living an ordinary life. Disorganised and clumsy, she soon finds herself in the capable hands of the beautiful Dr Maria Moran. Everything goes wonderfully until Gemma starts doubting Maria's intentions and begins listening to the wrong people. But has Maria something to hide, or is it a case of swapping trust for insecurity, respect for jealousy and finishing with a world of heartbreak and deceit? Can Gemma stop her actions before it's too late? Or will she ruin the best thing to happen in her life? Given her track record, anything is possible...

Lesbian Contemporary Romance
Departure from the Script by Jae
Paperback: 270 pages
Publisher: Ylva Verlag e.Kfr. (June 30, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 3955331954
ISBN-13: 978-3955331955
Amazon: Departure from the Script
Amazon Kindle: Departure from the Script

Aspiring actress Amanda Clark and photographer Michelle Osinski are two women burned by love and not looking to test the fire again. And even if they were, it certainly wouldn't be with each other. Amanda has never been attracted to a butch woman before, and Michelle personifies the term butch. Having just landed a role on a hot new TV show, she's determined to focus on her career and doesn't need any complications in her life. After a turbulent breakup with her starlet ex, Michelle swore she would never get involved with an actress again. Another high-maintenance woman is the last thing she wants, and her first encounter with Amanda certainly makes her appear the type. But after a date that is not a date and some meddling from Amanda's grandmother, they both begin to wonder if it's not time for a departure from their usual dating scripts.

Charities Donation program progress:
328$ Albert Kennedy Trust: http://www.akt.org.uk/
1165$ Ali Forney Center: www.aliforneycenter.org/
10$ Australian Marriage Equality: www.australianmarriageequality.org/
50$ Audre Lorde Project: http://alp.org/
25$ BiNet US: http://www.binetusa.org/
125$ CARE: careprogram.org/
125$ The Center Colorado: http://www.glbtcolorado.org/
25$ LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland: http://www.lgbtcleveland.org/
554$ COLORS: www.colorsyouth.org/
130$ Covenant: www.covenanthouseno.org/
75$ Diversity Role Models: http://www.diversityrolemodels.org/
25$ The Diversity Center: http://diversitycenter.org/
10$ Gay and Lesbian Foundation of Australia: www.galfa.org.au/
367$ Galop: www.galop.org.uk/
150$ GLYS: http://www.glyswny.org/
135$ Human Rights Campaign: http://www.hrc.org/
75$ Huntsville GLBT Advocacy & Youth Services: http://www.glbtays.org/
125$ It Gets Better: http://www.itgetsbetter.org/
100$ Inland Northwest LGBT Center: www.thelgbtcenter.org/
28$ In Other Words: inotherwords.org/
40$ Los Angeles LGBT Center: www.lalgbtcenter.org/
415$ 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/
515$ 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/
50$ Pathfinders: pathfindersmke.org/
235$ PFLAG: community.pflag.org/
175$ Point Foundation: www.pointfoundation.org/
130$ Ruth Ellis Center: http://www.ruthelliscenter.org/
854$ SAGE: giveto.sageusa.org/
25$ Seta: seta.fi/seta-in-english/
25$ Terrence Higgins Trust: www.tht.org.uk/
605$ The Trevor Project: www.thetrevorproject.org/
160$ UCAN: www.ucanchicago.org/
25$ WayGay: http://www.waygay.org/
225$ You Can Play: http://youcanplayproject.org/
75$ YouthCare: www.youthcare.org/
25$ You Will Rise Project: youwillriseproject.blogspot.com/p/our-mission.html
1135$ Other Funds
TOTAL: 8721$*

* 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

Blog Tour: The Need to Touch by Brooke Johnson & Natalya Parks

The Need to Touch by Brooke Johnson & Natalya Parks
Series: Stay True
Paperback: 168 pages
Publisher: Cool Beans Publishing & Editing, llc; First Edition edition (July 31, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1634470001
ISBN-13: 978-1634470001
Amazon: The Need to Touch
Amazon Kindle: The Need to Touch

You can only win someone’s heart once you’ve captured it.
Nineteen year old Ryder Harrison grew up near a small town in Montana, working on the family’s ranch and in love with his best friend, Landon Pennington. That was until his Grandfather decided he needed to go to college in California. Ryder promised his Mom before she died that he would finish his education. Staying true to his word, Ryder packs his clothes, and heads to California, confident that it would all be one big disaster. The only thing he hadn’t planned on was meeting Bentley Carter.
Twenty year old Bentley Carter has enough emotional issues to write his own ‘How to Cope’ manual. Surviving an abusive childhood, he made a personal promise to always stay true to himself, and never let emotions overrule his common sense. Content with his current life and friend with ‘benefits’, Ben is determined to not let his new roommate affect him.
Uncertain about their places in the world, and with each other, Ryder and Ben struggle to understand the person who is not what they thought they wanted, yet who they are unable to live without. Living in a sometimes cruel and unforgiving world they are determined to embrace the reality of falling in love and the challenges that follow.



( Excerpt )

Author Bio: Brooke Johnson lives in Louisiana with her five girls, wonderful boyfriend, and many pets. When she is not working on finishing her current degree, she can be found fishing, coloring, or blowing bubbles with her kids. Just over a year ago, Brooke decided she wasn’t going to back down from her dreams, and started writing full time. With the encouragement of her family she is proud to be publishing her books for the world to read.
Brooke started reading later in life. Unlike many authors who have always had a special love for reading, Brooke didn’t pick up a book until she was in her late teens. She remembers wanting to find something to do with her mom, who has always been her best friend. One day her mom was talking about a romance novel that she just read. Not being interested in it all, Brooke gave in and read the book. She’s been her mom’s reading partner ever since. They can now sit and talk, laugh and even cry about all the books they have read over the years.
So, with great pride and honor, Brooke is happy to thank her mother for encouraging her to not only read, but to follow her heart, and write her own books. What started as simple poetry on scrap paper, at the age of seven, is now a dream come true. Brooke started writing but felt something was missing. When she started writing with Natalya Parks, everything seemed to fall into place, and now here they are. Launching books, and writing more. This may be the first you see of them, but Brooke is determined that this won’t be last. Brooke is excited for you to meet their characters, and fall in love with the men that they have spent many hours with over the last year, just for you!!

Natalya parks lives is Louisiana with her beloved dog, Napoleon. Natalya enjoys spending as much time as possible with her children and grandchildren.
Natalya has had an ongoing passionate love affair with books since she was four years old. While her friends were getting in trouble for not reading she was getting in trouble for reading. She was late for dinner, forgot to do her chores, stayed up past her bedtime, forgot about homework and was late for the school bus on many occasions; because she couldn’t put the book down. Her most embarrassing moment caused by reading a book occurred when she was in seventh grade. The school bus pulled up to her stop and of course she couldn’t possibly stop reading. The story was just too good. So with her nose still in her book she slowly made her way down the aisle of the bus. She as she got to the top of the stairs she tripped over an instrument case that was jutting out just a bit into the aisle. Where she promptly fell head first down the stairs landing in a heap in the dirt, her feet resting on the bottom step. Natalya was wearing a dress that day.
She has wanted to be a writer since she was a teenager but never thought she could write anything good enough for someone else to want to read. Her dear friend Brooke convinced her otherwise and literally dragged her into the world of writing. Something she will be forever grateful. Now, not only does she get to love and enjoy works by other authors but also those that she has contributed to as well. Her mind still goes tilt, tilt when she thinks about the fact that she is a published author. Dreams really can come true.



Tour Dates/Stops:
8/25: MM Good Book Reviews
8/26: Andrew Q. Gordon
8/26: Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves
8/27: Elisa - My Reviews and Ramblings
8/28: Jade Crystal
8/29: Amanda C. Stone, EE Montgomery
9/1: Parker Williams
9/2: LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Iyana Jenna
9/3: The Hat Party
9/4: Love Bytes
9/5: Kimi-Chan
9/8: Cate Ashwood
9/9: Prism Book Alliance
9/10: Hearts on Fire
9/11: Fallen Angel Reviews
9/12: Foxylutely Book Reviews
9/15: Love of Bookends
9/16: Wake Up Your Wild Side
9/17: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
9/18: Hearts on Fire
9/19: My Fiction Nook

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Rafflecopter Prize: One of two signed paperbacks