David Maxine & Eric Shanower

Eric James Shanower (born October 23, 1963) is an American comics artist and writer, best known for his Oz novels and comics and the on-going retelling of the Trojan War as Age of Bronze. Shanower lives in San Diego, California with his partner David Maxine, who runs Hungry Tiger Press, a publisher of Oz books, Oz-related comics and compact discs, which the two started in 1994. David Maxine met Eric Shanower for the first time at the 1983 Winkie Convention, in June 2, 1983. They are only one of several couple who met each other at the Winkie convention.

Eric Shanower was born on October 23, 1963. Upon his graduation from Novato High School in 1981, he attended The Kubert School. He attended The Kubert School in Dover, New Jersey, graduating in 1984.

Shanower's first major published works were the Oz graphic novels, which are The Enchanted Apples of Oz, The Secret Island of Oz, The Ice King of Oz, The Forgotten Forest of Oz, and The Blue Witch of Oz released by First Comics and Dark Horse Comics between 1986 and 1992. They are collected in a single large volume titled Adventures in Oz, published by IDW.

He has also written and illustrated a full-length Oz novel, The Giant Garden of Oz, and a collection of short Oz stories, The Salt Sorcerer of Oz. As an illustrator, he has worked on books by Oz historians, including The Wicked Witch of Oz by Rachel Cosgrove Payes, The Rundelstone of Oz by Eloise Jarvis McGraw, The Runaway in Oz by John R. Neill, and The Third Book of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Other Oz projects include his illustrations for Paradox in Oz and The Living House of Oz by Edward Einhorn.


Eric James Shanower (born October 23, 1963) is an American comics artist and writer, best known for his Oz novels and comics and the on-going retelling of the Trojan War as Age of Bronze. Shanower lives in San Diego, California with his partner David Maxine, who runs Hungry Tiger Press, a publisher of Oz books, Oz-related comics and compact discs, which the two started in 1994. David Maxine met Eric Shanower for the first time at the 1983 Winkie Convention, in June 2, 1983.

( Read more... )

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Shanower

Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time by Elisa Rolle
Paperback: 760 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (July 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1500563323
ISBN-13: 978-1500563325
CreateSpace Store: https://www.createspace.com/4910282
Amazon (Paperback): http://www.amazon.com/dp/1500563323/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Amazon (Kindle): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MZG0VHY/?tag=elimyrevandra-20

Days of Love chronicles more than 700 LGBT couples throughout history, spanning 2000 years from Alexander the Great to the most recent winner of a Lambda Literary Award. Many of the contemporary couples share their stories on how they met and fell in love, as well as photos from when they married or of their families. Included are professional portraits by Robert Giard and Stathis Orphanos, paintings by John Singer Sargent and Giovanni Boldini, and photographs by Frances Benjamin Johnson, Arnold Genthe, and Carl Van Vechten among others. “It's wonderful. Laying it out chronologically is inspired, offering a solid GLBT history. I kept learning things. I love the decision to include couples broken by death. It makes clear how important love is, as well as showing what people have been through. The layout and photos look terrific.” Christopher Bram “I couldn’t resist clicking through every page. I never realized the scope of the book would cover centuries! I know that it will be hugely validating to young, newly-emerging LGBT kids and be reassured that they really can have a secure, respected place in the world as their futures unfold.” Howard Cruse “This international history-and-photo book, featuring 100s of detailed bios of some of the most forward-moving gay persons in history, is sure to be one of those bestsellers that gay folk will enjoy for years to come as reference and research that is filled with facts and fun.” Jack Fritscher

Euro Pride Con: Aimee Brissay

Starting from June 1, 2015, I will daily feature authors attending the three conventions I will join, Euro Pride in Munich (July), UK Meet in Bristol (September) and GRL in San Diego (October).

For the Euro Pride in Munich, July 11-12, 2015, today author is Aimee Brissay: Born in Romania, land of the Iele and Vlad the Impaler, she’d spent all her life surrounded by books. She rode side by side with d’Artagnan and The Three Musketeers to retrieve the Queen’s diamonds, set sail on the Erasmus in search of the Japans, fell in love with Rhett Butler and roamed the Wild West along Old Shatterhand. She walked on the footsteps of the Olympian Gods and searched for Zalmoxis' sanctuary in the Carpathians. In her mind, she’d never been the damsel in distress but rather the knight in shiny armor fighting for a cause.

With a background like this, turning to writing was no surprise. She discovered erotica early on in life and never looked back. Now she can write anywhere, even in a crowded room or a busy subway station, but she loves solitude.

When she’s not at her evil day job, she can be found writing or playing with her cat.

Further Readings:

Perfect Timing by Aimee Brissay
Series: Siren Publishing Classic Manlove
Paperback: 212 pages
Publisher: Siren Publishing, Inc. (May 3, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1619269732
ISBN-13: 978-1619269736
Amazon: Perfect Timing
Amazon Kindle: Perfect Timing

Valentin Alekseev prays for death while fleeing for his life, hunted for secrets he shouldn't know exist. With his home in ruins and his master killed, he's in such bad shape he can't even tell that the man who's caught his eye is a shifter. He should know better than to bring innocent bystanders into his mess of a life, but Fate has other plans. Twenty-seven years old, Shawn Dougal never thought he'd fall for a man, much less a bloodsucker. But how else can he explain the sudden lapse in judgment that has him traveling halfway across Romania, risking his own life to save Valentin's? And will breaking and entering a centuries-old castle full of vampires be enough to get his lover back?

UK Meet: A. B. Gayle

Starting from June 1, 2015, I will daily feature authors attending the three conventions I will join, Euro Pride in Munich (July), UK Meet in Bristol (September) and GRL in San Diego (October).

For the UK Meet in Bristol, September 11-13, 2015, today author is A. B. Gayle: "Unlike many authors, I haven't been writing stories all my life. I've been too busy living life.
My travels took me from the fjords of Norway to the southern tip of New Zealand. In between, I've worked in so many different towns I've lost count. I've shoveled cow shit, mustered sheep, been polite to customers, traded insults with politicians and need to be forgiven on occasions when I get confused as to who needs what where. Now that I'm settled in Sydney, Australia, my real-life experiences can morph with my fertile imagination and create fiction which I hope readers will enjoy.

My philosophy on posting reviews is to recommend books I like which I think other people may not read and state why I like them. These are only the tip of the iceberg of books I read. If I do post a negative review, it's because there is some craft aspect (usually) that, to me, prevents the book from reaching its full potential. Books I straight out don't like or don't finish, don't even get a mention, as they may be someone else's cup of tea."

Further Readings:

Red+Blue (Opposites Attract, #1) by A.B. Gayle
Paperback: 330 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (May 25, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1613725205
ISBN-13: 978-1613725207
Amazon: Red+Blue (Opposites Attract, #1)
Amazon Kindle: Red+Blue (Opposites Attract, #1)

An Opposites Attract novel Fresh from backwoods Minnesota, actuarial student Ben Dutoit is ecstatic to land a job with Sydney Sutherland Family Insurance, one of the few companies that offers life insurance to people in the high-risk category. The fact that he gets to work in Gay Central, aka San Francisco, is just the icing on the rainbow-colored cake. Ben sets himself just three goals: be out and proud enough to participate in the Pride parade; seek out the company of like-minded souls in the clubs; and maybe, if he's lucky, fall in love. But the men Ben meets are everything he's not: suave, confident, sophisticated, and sexy. Unlike redneck Ben, they're blue bloods from blue states, born with status, wealth, and the responsibility that comes with the package. Ben's still wondering if red and blue can mix when he discovers what risk really means. The global economy tanks. The job he looked forward to is in jeopardy, and every dream Ben ever had is threatened, especially love, the biggest dream of all.

GRL: Shira Anthony & Blog Tour: Running With the Wind

Starting from June 1, 2015, I will daily feature authors attending the three conventions I will join, Euro Pride in Munich (July), UK Meet in Bristol (September) and GRL in San Diego (October).

For the GRL in San Diego, October 15-18, 2015, today author is Shira Anthony who I'm hosting also for her June blog tour for Running With the Wind.

Running With the Wind (Mermen of Ea 3) by Shira Anthony
eBook: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6455
Paperback: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6456

Sequel to Into the Wind

With the final confrontation between the island and mainland Ea factions looming, Taren and Ian sail with Odhrán to investigate a lost colony of merfolk in the Eastern Lands. Upon their arrival, the King of Astenya welcomes them as friends. Odhrán, however, isn’t so quick to trust the descendent of the man who held him prisoner for nearly a decade, especially now that he has someone to cherish and protect—the mysterious winged boy he rescued from the depths.

Armed with the knowledge he believes will save the Ea, Taren returns to the mainland. With Ian at his side, Taren convinces Vurin that their people must unite with their island brethren before it’s too late. When Seria and his men attack, Taren must call upon the ancient power of the rune stone to protect his comrades. But using stone’s immeasurable power commands a hefty price—and Ian fears that price is Taren’s life.

( Excerpt )

About the author: In her last incarnation, Shira was a professional opera singer, performing roles in such operas as “Tosca,” “i Pagliacci,” and “La Traviata,” among others. She’s given up TV for evenings spent with her laptop, and she never goes anywhere without a pile of unread M/M romance on her Kindle.

Shira is married with two children and two insane dogs, and when she’s not writing she is usually in a courtroom trying to make the world safer for children. When she’s not working, she can be found aboard a 36’ catamaran at the Carolina coast with her favorite sexy captain at the wheel.

Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

Thanks for hosting me today! Running with the Wind, as you mentioned, is the final novel in the Mermen of Ea trilogy. The first two books are Stealing the Wind, and Into the Wind. The series is high fantasy and romance. The main characters are merfolk shifters who can take both human and mer forms. The series is one long story arc, and it’s set in the age of sail in an earthlike place. There’s magic, reincarnation, and lots of action in the books. Oh, and a HEA, of course, since I won’t write a story without one.



Tell us something about your character’s friends.

The focus of the novels is on Taren Laxley, an indentured servant who dreams of sailing on one of the great ships. He’s kidnapped by pirates and his dream finally comes true. He makes many friends aboard the pirate ship, but my favorite is Bastian, who once was a slave like Taren, but who now is the ship’s quartermaster (sort of like a first officer). Bastian is open and loving, and he and the ship’s captain are lovers. They welcome Taren into their bed, and although the relationship for Taren isn’t a true romantic one, the two men initiate Taren into the “pleasures of the flesh.” Later, of course, Taren meets his mate in Ian Dunaidh, captain of another ship, but you’ll have to read the story to find out how that happens!

What is your character’s favorite meal? Favorite dessert? Favorite snack food?

Taren isn’t a picky eater. When he was a slave, he barely ate enough to keep him alive, so he’s just as happy with dried fish and hard tack, the staples of a sea-faring diet, as he is with the exotic yara meat he eats in later books when he sails to the exotic Eastern Lands.

What activity does your character absolutely hate?

Hate might be too strong a word, but Taren fears taking charge. He grew up as a slave, and it’s very difficult for him to imagine himself as anything but. As the series progresses, he is forced to become a leader. But he doesn’t want this for himself. As he grows and changes, he will step up to the plate and lead his people, but it’s a difficult transition for him.

What other author’s book do you think your character would be good in?

I could see the Ea (merfolk) in the Lord of the Rings universe. Like the creatures of Middle Earth, the Ea must also combat the forces of evil and find their way forward in a difficult world. They must forge alliances and make hard choices to survive. Besides, I love the LOTR books, so why not?

What’s your favorite decade and why?

That’s a tough question. I love 60s music and pop culture, but those were tumultuous times as well. It’s difficult to look back at history and only look at the good parts of it. I don’t think there was ever a perfect decade overall, but that one certainly appeals to me from the standpoint of cultural change.

Where to find the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shira.anthony
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shira-Anthony/177484618974406
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WriterShira
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/anthony0564/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4641776.Shira_Anthony
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+ShiraAnthony/posts
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24027250-running-with-the-wind



Tour Dates & Stops:
1-Jun Elisa - My Reviews and Ramblings
2-Jun Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
3-Jun My Fiction Nook
4-Jun Amanda C. Stone
5-Jun Carly’s Book Reviews
8-Jun Bayou Book Junkie
9-Jun Wicked Faerie's Tales and Reviews
10-Jun Decadent Delights
11-Jun MM Good Book Reviews
12-Jun Inked Rainbow Reads
15-Jun Divine Magazine
16-Jun Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves
17-Jun BFD Book Blog
18-Jun The Novel Approach
19-Jun Because Two Men Are Better Than One
22-Jun Kimi-Chan, Happily Ever Chapter
23-Jun Prism Book Alliance
24-Jun Cate Ashwood
25-Jun Love Bytes
26-Jun Molly Lolly

Rafflecopter Prize: December Diamonds Wedding Mermen Ornament (or a free download of the audiobook version of Stealing the Wind)
for non U.S. Residents Geneva Nautical Wrap Watch Anchor Cord Bracelet
Rafflecopter Code: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cf0ba94912/?
a Rafflecopter giveaway



&

Referrals Program: Yearly Top List

In June 2009, I joined the Referrals Program with different online sellers; this allows me to see where the people goes to browse after leaving my Blog/LiveJournal. It is still a surprise month after month, people tend to be interested on the most different topics and objects (many more than only books)

Some books were meteors, only 1 month in the list, some others appeared month after month. I decided to post the yearly Top List so that you can better understand the trend, and of course, find out a title that maybe you missed in the past year. Congrats to all the authors, I'd love to post all of them, but it would be really a HUGE list; to allow a better browsing I divided it in Fiction and Non Fiction (i.e. essays, memories, art books and movies).

Of course Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time is top referral link, but obviously I'm removing it.

Yearly Top List - Fiction

1) Foot Fetish by J.M Snyder
Link: www.amazon.com/dp/B004EYUE4A/

2) Wholehearted by Ronica Black
Link: www.amazon.com/dp/1602825947/

3) Gay for Pay (G-A-Y) by Kim Dare
Link: www.amazon.com/dp/B003XRE7EW/

4) The Mating of Michael (Sex in Seattle Book 3) by Eli Easton
Link: www.amazon.com/dp/1632160153/

5) A Herd of Tiny Elephants by Stan Leventhal
Link: www.amazon.com/dp/0934411131/

6) Best Gay Erotica 2014 by Larry Duplechan & Joe Mannetti
Link: www.amazon.com/dp/1627780017/

7) Slave Boy by Evangeline Anderson
Link: www.amazon.com/dp/1596327545/

8) Blind Space by Marie Sexton
Link: www.amazon.com/dp/0991415302/

9) Tales My Body Told Me: A Novel by Wayne Courtois
Link: www.amazon.com/dp/1590212479/

10) What He Wants by Kate Aaron
Link: www.amazon.com/dp/148200819X/




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Yearly Top List - Non-Fiction

1) Full Frontal: The Best of Dylan Rosser
Link: www.amazon.com/dp/3867875987/

2) Naked by Dylan Rosser
Link: www.amazon.com/dp/3867872260/

3) Manly by Dale Lazarov
Link: www.amazon.com/dp/3861878879/

4) The Gay Metropolis: The Landmark History of Gay Life in America by Charles Kaiser
Link: www.amazon.com/dp/0802143172/

5) Nightlife by Dale Lazarov
Link: www.amazon.com/dp/3867870446/

6) Sticky by Dale Lazarov
Link: www.amazon.com/dp/3861879719/

7) A Queer History of the United States by Michael Bronski
Link: www.amazon.com/dp/0807044652/

8) Particular Voices: Portraits of Gay and Lesbian Writers by Robert Giard
Link: www.amazon.com/dp/0262571250/

9) Intimate Companions: A Triography of George Platt Lynes, Paul Cadmus, Lincoln Kirstein, and Their Circle by David Leddick
Link: www.amazon.com/dp/0312271271/

10) X-posed by Dylan Rosser
Link: www.amazon.com/dp/386787008X/




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