#Lone Star Book Blog Tours

[jenncaffeinated]

Book Tour and Review: The Edge of Too Late by Jan Sikes

Believe me when I say I’m so happy to be back with Lone Star Book Blog Tours to bring you a wonderful book! November was a tough reading month, personally, as Covid finally caught me, and since recovering it has been a battle to concentrate on anything, which is a massive source of annoyance for this bookworm. That also means that for me to finish a book, it REALLY has to hold my attention, and��

[hollymbryan]

Blog Tour: Top 5 Reasons to Read NEAR MISSES & COWBOY KISSES by Katrina Emmel! #tbrbeyondtours

Welcome to Book-Keeping and my stop on the TBR and Beyond Tours blog tour for Near Misses and Cowboy Kisses, the YA debut novel from Katrina Emmel! I've got all the details on this debut book and author for you below, plus my top 5 reasons to read!

About the Book

title: Near Misses & Cowboy Kisses author: Katrina Emmel publisher: Delacorte Romance release date: 23 July 2024

A swoon-worthy YA rivals-to-lovers romance between a Nebraskan cowboy and California girl, thrust together on the Oregon Trail. Anything’s possible under a prairie sky… Riley Thomas is feeling stuck—she’s moved from California to Nebraska, she’s on a weeklong Oregon Trail family bonding excursion, and her luggage is lost. There’s no one her age on the trip except a tall, dark and irksome cowboy who wrongly assumes she has zero ability to handle the great outdoors. She can’t wait for this misery to end—even though going “home” isn’t even possible anymore. Lone wolf Colton Walker loves the simpler life of the plains and his family’s tourism business that helps protect them. He’s a stand-up guy—not a love ‘em and leave ‘em type like his rival, Jake. And he knows better than to take his chances with a prairie princess like Riley. But Riley’s got more sense than Colton thinks–and he’s not nearly as inflexible as he seems. And under a wide prairie sky of puffy clouds and bright stars, everything comes into focus–including a cowboy’s heart. Katrina Emmel’s Near Misses and Cowboy Kisses will take you on a sweeping journey across the American prairie . . . once you love a boy in a Stetson, you’ll never be the same.

Add to Goodreads: Near Misses & Cowboy Kisses Purchase the Book: Amazon | B&N | Bookshop.org

About the Author

Katrina grew up in New Hampshire, and has a love for literature and science. She studied biochemistry in college before moving to the Midwest for graduate school, where she earned her Ph.D. in chemistry. Continuing her journey to the West Coast, Katrina lives in an active household that includes her husband, two children, father-in-law, and their rascally pup. She works as a chemistry consultant, and writes YA fiction and children’s fiction and non-fiction. Katrina loves chai, science and nature, trying out new recipes, music, and crafting.

Connect with Katrina: Website | Instagram

Top 5 Reasons to Read

I read all kinds of romance and love it all, but there's just something so special about YA romance. It's the first-love butterflies, the sweet and swoony feelings that feel unique to YA that I love so much.

I adore cowboy romance, but I've only ever read adult books, so to have a YA romance with a true cowboy was so much fun!

Both Colton and Riley learn the importance of not making snap judgments or just taking the measure of someone by how they appear; instead, they realize that there are layers of complexity to people that you'd never know about if you didn't allow yourself to get to know them. I think that's an important lesson for teens to learn!

Both Riley and Colton have the best, most supportive parents! They don't play large roles in the book, but of course, as parents, their influence can be outsized, so I love the fact that both sets of parents are extremely supportive of their kids and really root for them. Even when, in Riley's case, she has barely spoken to them for like a month because she's upset about the surprise move. As parents, we should always be there for our kids, even when they think they hate us!

It's important to support debut authors who write such beautiful books, so we can get more books from them in the future! I hope you'll pick this one up, or ask your local library to buy a copy for the teen section. If you've got teens, it's a no-brainer!

Thanks so much to TBR for having me on the tour, and to the publisher and author for the eARC of the book! I loved this one, and I think teen readers, especially, will too. In addition, if you like clean romance, this one's for you!

Make sure you check out the Bookstagram tour too! You can find my post here, and the full schedule is here.

[thepercy6andtheradicalsabbatical]

San Sebastián to Madrid -

We weren’t allowed to make advance reservations on eurrail passes in Spain before arriving as Spain only allows you to make your reservations in person at a station, so Matt ran to the train station on his morning run to try and sort out a plan to make it to Madrid today. Thankfully he can at least sort of communicate in Spanish so he was hoping to not have his same experience he’d had in Hendaye the day before. He did accidentally end up in a bus station at first but after that it was fairly smooth sailing at the train station until it came time to pay. Matt did the usual super slick credit card tap that seems to work great all over so far but the machine gave an error. After a few tries the lady asked if he had cash (and he learned from context clues that “effectivo” meant cash). Unfortunately he had not planned on this so only brought a credit card on the run, so he had to run home, grab his wallet and return with cash. Due to limited seats we were booked in separate seats across 4 coaches, but were able to sit together thanks to an empty train at first then kind strangers trading seats with us as it filled up mid journey. Despite going 160 km/hr at some times it felt like a much slower train than the TGVs due to frequent stops and it took us about 7.5 hours to make it from San Sebastian to Madrid. We passed the time by exploring the train, doing homework, writing this blog and playing cards (including an epically long game of war which included the 4 wars in a row pictured above!) On arrival in Madrid we were very excited to meet Nali Man at the train station, he had flown in earlier in the day from the states and plans to spend most of our spain adventures with us. The kids were talking nonstop as Nali Man led us to our airbnb via a plaza named for cervantes which contained not only a very cool state of cervantes, don quixote and sancho panza, but also people in giant inflatable panda suits and a very cool kids playground with some epic slides and swings. The kids were chattering excitedly all the way to the airbnb telling nail man about the trip so far and then were super fired up to discover the kids room at our rental contained a secret “cave” with an extra bed they could use (see video tour). We then headed back out to the same plaza for some park time and then headed to a restaurant called lamucca for perhaps our fanciest meal of the trip so far. The parents were a little nervous about taking the kids in a fancier place, but the host at the front “Marco” settled all of our worries almost immediately and greeted the children like stars, shaking each of their hands and twirling them all. It was around 8:30pm (very early by Madrid standards), so the place was pretty empty, he said he could get is in now without a reservation but that he would need the table back by 10:30pm for a reservation, which made us chuckle (turns out the place stays open until 2:30AM for dinner). The kids had pizzas and we had several tasty plates to share including a fancy caesar salad, patatas bravas, salmon tartare, asparagus, and fancy quesadillas. Matt then made us walk a but more for churros and chocolate at the “most authentic” place per lonely planet: Chocolateria San Gines. It’s open 24 hours and the guidebook recommended getting there just before dawn after clubbing. We opted to do just after sunset at 9:45ish instead and it was still tasty then. We then headed home and called it a night after asking the kids to be quiet as the stomped up the 4 floors of wooden stairs back to our rental apartment.

[bellewhittington]

*Read my review & ENTER TO WIN!*

Pop over to Books & Broomsticks to check out all the deets of this engaging thriller! Then ENTER TO WIN a copy of “Deep Extraction” by DiAnn Mills!

[argumentl]

The Freedom of Expression, radio version - Ep 23 - Fan comments, Child killer identity leak, Politician suggests shutting down politically biased content - March 2016.

Kaoru starts this episode by stumbling over the pronunciation of 'Expression' in 'The Freedom of Expression'. He introduces Joe, and Joe asks him about his recent activity since Budokan. He says he has been in the studio, working hard on the new single. Joe then asks whether his opportunities to speak with other people have reduced. They have reduced, says Kaoru. Joe tells Kaoru to call him if he gets lonely. Kaoru thinks this is a bad idea, because Joe would tell him to come out drinking.

Kaoru says that this week he would like to read out some more of the fan messages which were written in notebooks at the booth in Budokan. The first comment says 'Freedom of expression is a contitutional right, and must be respected, but determination is also needed. Its a brave thing to boldy speak out, despite knowing the drawbacks. I look forward to the future episodes'. Joe thinks it impressive to wait out in the cold for so long before the live, and then write this after coming in. Kaoru says this message gives him courage. Joe says, yes, its true that freedom of expression is written in the constitution, but with complacency, this right will become eroded. Vigilence is needed.

The next message says, 'It's said that Dir's live shows are all about expressing pain, but is it ok to say the live was 'fun'?'. Kaoru says there are two ways to look at this, fun for him, or fun for the audience. As for him, he feels very happy when he sees people coming to watch him, in both small and big venues, which is similar to fun. As for the audience...he recalls when the band were making Dum Spiro Spero, and the huge earthquake/tsunami happened in March 2011. They asked themselves whether they should quit this album, was it right to continue with it in those circumstances? But they came to the conclusion that it may give people hope, and help people to look forward if the album could be finished and released. It may be a trivial thing, but if it makes a positive difference in someone's life they (Dir) are happy. So in that sense, he thinks its totally ok to say lives are fun. It may seem odd that everyone leaves a live with a smile on their face, but when you think about it, that is a part of what makes us people. Joe says that just after seeing Dir en grey live for the first time at Budokan, he went to interview one of Kaoru's favourite manga artists, Urasawa Naoki, at Urasawa's own house. Urasawa is a huge fan of 60s and 70s rock, and has a big collection of vintage guitars in his house. Joe says their conversation naturally turned to, 'What is "rock"?'. Urasawa said it may be the idea of 'understanding'. For example, when rock star (Imawano) Kiyoshiro sang, 'Kimi no kimochi, boku ni wa wakaru/I understand how you feel'...that sense of understanding may be what rock is. That includes understanding feelings of lonliness, or of fun etc etc. 'Sharing' may not be quite the right word, but Joe says he felt this at Budokan, this sensation of understanding. Kaoru feels like its a sensation of becoming closer with each other. Joe says there may be people who feel 'fun' out of this, but it comes from a sense of understanding. After speaking to Urasawa, Joe realised that this is how he had felt at Budokan.

Next Kaoru moves on to read out some emails which the show has recieved. The first email is from a fan who was very impressed with the Budokan shows, and hears Arche in a different light since then.

The second email is from a fan who saw the two days at Budokan, but didn't see 'Day 3' (the show at Liquid Room a week later). Some fans who had gone to 'Day 3' had posted online that they thought THIS was the real finale to Arche. The fan was disappointed that they didn't get to experience this. Kaoru feels that at Liquid Room they played Arche in a new style, showing a kind of step forward into a new path.

Next Kaoru welcomes Hiranabe for the Tokyo Sports corner. Hiranabe says he had been very busy at work lately with the whole Kiyohara drug scandal. But the first story Hiranabe brings up this time is the news that the gossip magazine Shukan Post had published the place of living and other details about the child killer Shonen A/Boy A (Search: Kobe Child Murders). Joe says he rarely buys gossip magazines, but he did this time, and not only did he realise what a huge leak of information this was, he wondered why the magazine had published this. What was the point of making this into news? Hiranabe thinks this is a plan by the police. He says there is a trend of high profile criminals finishing their sentences, leaving prison and then writing a book, or appearing on tv and getting royalties or fame (Ten years after his release, 'Boy A' wrote a book detailing his crimes).The police don't like this trend, and there has been a slew of such cases where the police have made a fresh arrest after a book release or tv appearance. Kiyohara Kazuhiro is a good example, but other examples include businessman Ikawa Mototaka (arrested after releasing a book), and motorcycle gang leader Ishimoto Taichi. Hiranabe thinks the Shukan Post must be cooperating with the police over the publication of this information. There is no proof of this, its just his opinion. He also says he wonders how often 'Boy A' has to move house, which he probably needs money for. If his place of living is discovered he will have to move, and finding a new place will be hard. He must be getting some kind of support. Kaoru jokes that since he himself has also released a book, will the police be after him now? He wants someone to support him too. Joe wonders whether the police are intending to re-arrest 'Boy A' with this info leak, and whether there is someone somewhere assisting him to escape further.

Hiranabe's next news story is that Internal Affairs and Communications minister Takaichi Sanae had made the sugestion that broadcasters who repeatedly broadcast politically biased material could be taken off the air. Hiranabe asks, if broadcasters are shut down, what happens after that? You can't listen to the radio any more? For them, if this show got negative press, would they be taken off air? They all agree this would be pretty undesirable. Joe says that the minister might say that a move like this is permissible by law, but as for freedom of expression on radio stations for example, in Japan there is never any instruction from radio stations to take material off air or to take certain songs off air, it is down to individual radio programs to decide on this. In the USA they have station-wide policies when taking songs etc off the air, but in Japan it depends very much on each program, rather than the radio station itself. As a result, people on radio programs have to be very aware of the atmosphere around them. The Japanese are a culture whereby reading the atmosphere is very important. Its very different from America where the rules are often set down clearly. When the Japanese musician Aska was arrested, there was a time after this where his songs ceased to be played on radio, but there was no instruction about when it would be ok to start playing them again. People just though, 'Ah, he's been arrested, so we'd better not', and then after a while, gradually just started to think it would be ok to play them again. So with this kind of comment from Minister Takaichi, its possible people might just react in the same way, and read the atmosphere as appropriate. Joe also mentions that recently some tv announcers had be axed from a few channels. He thinks this is a result of pressure from political quarters, and if such things continue to happen, freedom of expression in Japan will get narrower. Hiranabe and Joe say it sounds like intimidation tactics are being implemented by the government. Hiranabe laments at how useless the main opposition party is against this, with their constant in-fighting over petty matters. The voters have no choice. Kaoru agrees with this. Joe asks Hiranabe what solution can be found to this. Hiranabe suggests forming the 'InterFM Party'. The others laugh at this, then suggest they could unite with the 'Tokyo Sports Party'.

To finish Kaoru says the TFoE stickers have been made already. He expains one more time that the stickers wil be revealed on the show's blog after they have been sent out to the winners of the Arche cover design contest. Joe suggests Hiranabe should get some stickers. Kaoru then plugs the Budokan bluray/DVD, upcoming new single and tour. He also reveals that his Offical Blog magazine TheTheDay will put out its first edition on the 11th of that month (11th March 2016), and will update every second and fourth friday. Finally,  Joe mentions how impressed he was with Hiranabe's energy as he entered the studio that day. He had arrived just in time, and says his driver had got lost on the way and made him late.

Songs - Dir en grey/Revelation of Mankind, New Order/Blue Monday.

[lonelyreputation]

Answer 30 questions and tag 20 people you’d like to know better!

Thank youuu @shawnaus​ for tagging me!! Love you, Stacey!! 💖

Name: Allison

Gender: Female

Star Sign: Aries ♈️

Height: I could be 5′2 or 5′11 and no one would know

Time: 8:01 pm (or the superior way to tell time––20:01)

Birthday: April 🌸 

Favorite Bands: Ohhh…Fleetwood Mac, Beach Boys, The Mamas & The Papas, One Direction, Weird Milk, Hall & Oates, HAIM, The Zombies, The Beatles, The Beaches, COIN

Favorite Solo Artists: Lorde, Taylor Swift, Shawn Mendes, Greyson Chance, Maisie Peters, Harry Styles, Cameron Avery, Stevie Nicks, Conan Gray, Zella Day, Cam…

Song Stuck In My Head: Starman by David Bowie

Last Movie: Echo In The Canyon (sick documentary about 60s music)

Last Show: The Crown 

When Did I Create This Blog: Either late April or early May of this year! (If only I kept my og blog I would’ve been here since 2016 rip)

What Do I Post: Fics that I’ve written, fics I enjoy, & anything that interests me!

Last Thing I Googled: How to connect pandora amp to next big sound (lmaooo work)

Other Blogs: I made a side blog when I was drunk dedicated to that ~one curl for Shawn but I'm too scared to delete bc I don’t want my main to #delete so it’s just…there slkdjlfj

Do I Get Asks: Sometimes!

Why I Chose This URL: My URL is an homage to the 2 songs that I dedicate my life to: To Be So Lonely by Harry Styles & Bad Reputation by Shawn Mendes

Following: I don’t feel like opening a tab to find out lmao 

Followers: 🕵️‍♀️

Average Hours Of Sleep: Uhhhh hmmm that depends…I think like maybe 7 or 8?? 

Lucky Number: 6!

Instruments: I can play guitar !

What I’m Wearing: My mom’s red sweater from the 80s, leggings, and mismatched Christmas socks 😌

Dream Job: Either to be a merchandise manager for an artist on tour or help out with premium / VIP experiences for an artist on tour! (I just really really want to go on tour)

Dream Trip: Tokyo

Favorite Food: Pasta!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nationality: American

Last Song: Anything You Want by Weird Milk

Last Book I Read: The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

Top 3 Fictional Universes I’d Like To Live In: Peaky Blinders, Harry Potter, does New Girl count? 

20 people is a bit…excessive, so I’m going to tag just a few if they want to do it! @fallinallincurls, @futurecherry, @5-seconds-of-mendes & @perfectlywrongsm !💥💥

[hellotherebugboy]

ULTIMATE Beatlemaniac Tag!

Thank you for tagging me @femininehygieneproducts, I’ve never done this before. You should answer these too!!!

How long have you been a fan?: I’ve liked their music for 4 years, but I sold my soul to Them exactly three years ago.

Favorite Beatle: pretty boy Paul.

Favorite era for music: I like the innocence of early Beatles, like the first four albums.

Favorite era for lewks: Magical Mystery Tour 🌈🌈

Favorite Song: Two of Us is playing ,,,,,, wanna hold hands ?,,,, 🥺👉👈

Favorite album: Abbey Road 🤡

Unpopular/Controversial Opinion: None of them are good looking and that’s okay.

A song everyone loves but you dislike: We can work it out,,,, 🤢,,,,, all you need is love 🤮🤮

A song everyone dislikes but you love: uhmmmmm,,,,, you can’t do that ??? (when we hate a Beatle song it always deserves it)

Your fantasy involving The Beatles: Okay, I know it’s silly, but I daydream of marrying McBeardy often.

Tell us about the moment you knew you were a fan: When I watched the Ed Sullivan show performance of I Want to hold your hand and my heart exploded.

Did you ever have a genuine ‘The Beatles suck!’ phase before becoming a fan? Nope. I didn’t know who they were :////

Favorite Beatles Book: Philip Norman’s take on Paul and John’s biography ????? I’ve never read either one but they say it’s gay so,,

Thoughts on the old generation of fans: Honestly respect to all those hysterical girls at concerts, living their best lives and being completely unhinged, peeing their pants, coordinating mobs without Twitter and also these legends

I love them and I want to meet one.

If Hollywood were to make a high budget Beatles biopic, what is one thing you desperately hope they include?: A funny looking dude bro to play John (pretty boys like Aaron Taylor-Johnson? Not on my watch!), John and Paul’s drunken night outs, and their general homoerotic tension.

Do you read/write fanfic?: I do read them and I do write them but they’re just for me 😌😌

Are you the only one in your family/friend group to enjoy them?: Most of my family are huge rock fans, so I’m not alone in this madness, and my friends are slowly turning into the dark side.

Are you a shipper?: I’ve only ever shipped John and Paul, and the dorks from good omens. But generally no.

Favorite movie starring/made by them?: Give My Regards to Broad Street. I’ve never seen it, but the No More Lonely Nights’ music video made it look pretty rad. I’m sure it’s awful.

Do you believe in McLennon?: I want it to be true, but I don’t think it ever was. If I’m wrong, I’ll be pleasantly surprised though.

General opinions on McLennon?: A love story of Shakespearean proportions that probably didn’t happen as this is real life.

If you got to change ONE thing about their history what would it be and why?: John and Paul being publicly in a relationship with each other. I think it would’ve done some progress for the gay rights movement, and given gay youths everywhere cool idols to look up to.

What song has the best vocal?: Girl, of course. And Norwegian wood. And Oh! Darling. And Because. 😌😌😌 what being a bird must feel like

What song do you feel had no effort put into it? Whatever One After 909 is.

What is a well talked about moment in Beatle history you genuinely believe to be false?: The story about George lashing out at Yoko for eating his biscuits, idk it doesn’t sound like him.

What is something you KNOW to be true, but often gets erased in their history?: That Paul treated his girlfriends just as poorly as John did. (Thinking about poor ol’ Dot hours)

Least favorite look from a Beatles(s):

Let’s talk about hygiene.

Favorite look from a Beatle(s):

I hope to dress this gay someday.

I would like to tag @latinxbeatles to keep the chain going because I really like her blog.

[jenncaffeinated]

Book Blitz: Magical Elements of the Periodic Table Presented Alphabetically by the Elemental Dragons

No metal -- no magic...and no technology. On #LoneStarLit #bookblitz: MAGICAL ELEMENTS OF THE PERIOD TABLE PRESENTED ALPHABETICALLY BY THE ELEMENTAL DRAGONS by @Sybrina_spt w/#bookreviews + #giveaway!

Today on the blog, I’m jumping onto the book blitz for this ADORABLE picture book by Sybrina Durant with a title as long as the dragons are cute AND clever! Magical Elements of the Periodic Table Presented Alphabetically by the Elemental Dragons is the perfect way to learn about elements from the periodic table and is fun for all ages! Read on to learn more about this picture book and enter the…

[carrotmakar]

hey loves!! miss sham @tbslenthusiast tagged me in this cute little get to know me game so here i am!!! (if someone else tagged me and i didn’t see it, i’m so sorry my mentions only work like 1/4 of the time!! also if i’ve done this before, no i haven’t <3

1.) name: zoey! but you can call me zo or just z if you want!!!

2.) gender: female, my pronouns are she/her

3.) star sign: libra

4.) height: 5′4-ish (i haven’t been to the doctor in almost a year due to the pandemic okay idk exactly how tall i amfhdskjf)

5.) time: 12:32 am (00:32)

6.) birthday: september 26th

7.) favorite band(s): one direction, 5sos (but like... more like 2014 5sos), lany (i’m getting into them <3)

8.) favorite solo artist(s): harry styles, taylor swift, lorde, hozier, miley cyrus, megan thee stallion, and so many more that i just can’t think of rn!!

9.) song stuck in my head: vibez by zayn and driver’s license by olivia rodrigo

10.) last movie: um....? i think i watched hamilton not too long ago (shush i know it’s a broadway musical but i call it a movie bc i can watch it on disney+)

11.) last show: the last one i finished was bridgerton, but i started the queen’s gambit (i’m literally like 5 minutes in bc i got busy but still)

12.) when did i create this account: like december, 2019 but i didn’t really use it until like.... april or may of this year

13.) what do i post: harry styles, taylor swift, zayn, lorde (whenever she appears on the dash although i don’t follow many lorde accounts sadly. if you know any, feel free to recommend me some!!), my thoughts, a lot of censored tags that if anyone ever figured out i’d be forced to pass away, updates that nobody even looks at in regards to my wips, random screaming posts that are just song lyrics, and probably more i’m just.... tired it’s after midnight <3

14.) last thing i googled: is 0 a rational number (listen it was like 4 am yesterday i was delirious with sleep and just wanted to get the missing work turned in)

15.) other blogs: my ‘spam’ for my thots: @vehicularmanslaughterr, my to red blog: @zoeysficrecs, my truck stop harry fan blog: @truckstoprry, my fan account for hitha: @gays4joealwyn (i think that’s it fhdskjf)

16.) do i get asks: sometimes, mostly when i rb an ask game or if i make a post that for some reason gets seen by a bunch of people and then there are some people that get.... angry <3

17.) why i chose this url: stream nobody is listening, coming january 15th

18.) following: 325

19.) followers: a number between 0 and 50,000 :)

20.) average hours of sleep: 0.5 - 2 if i actually end up sleeping at night. if i sleep during the day it’s like... 4 - 12

21.) lucky number: i don’t think i have one tbh

22.) instruments: piano, viola, cello, violin <3

23.) what i’m wearing: a sweatshirt and shorts

24.) dream job: artist / tour management or a lawyer (i know, two very different things)

25.) dream trip: europe or australia

26.) favorite food: grilled cheese or toast 

27.) nationality: american

28.) favorite song: i don’t just have one but i’ll give you my top five right now in no particular order - i would die for you: miley cyrus; to be so lonely: harry styles; buzzcut season: lorde; anna (played in barcelona): harry styles; vibez: zayn

29.) last book i read: i haven’t read a book in so long that it’s kinda sad, i read fanfiction instead </3

30.) top three fictional universes i’d like to live in: um.... bridgerton, lucifer, and maybe harry potter

i’ll tag @havethetimeofyourstyles, @academia-ashton, @hsonesupremacy, @glowunderthemoon + anyone else who wants to do it!!!

[walterfilmmemorabilia-blog]

10 LGBTQ Performers in the 1970's

The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations by members of the gay (LGBT) community against a police raid that began in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. They are widely considered to constitute the most important event leading to the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for LGBT rights in the United States. Wikipedia

What followed in the 1970’s was a rising tide of LGBTQ performers that “came out” to express their unique take on music, theater and sexual (transgender) identity. Here are 10 of those performers and a brief look at what they contributed to the movement and to our culture. Click on the image to learn more about the performer.

JAYNE COUNTY

As rock’s first openly transgender singer, Jayne Rogers (born June 13, 1947), better known by her stage name Jayne County, is an American singer, songwriter, actress and record producer whose career spans five decades. While dressed in female attire from the beginning of her career, County transitioned to female in 1979, becoming Jayne (as the above poster illustrates).

She made her first performing appearances as Wayne County in Wayne County and The Electric Chairs. In 1969 she appeared in Jackie Curtis’ play Femme Fatale. County considered Curtis a major influence on her career and persona and County is widely considered an influence on David Bowie –– County’s Queenage Baby number was the prototype for Bowie’s Rebel Rebel. Even more notable was her play, World – Birth of A Nation, which was set in a hospital and dealt with male castration –– evoking both transgender surgery and her mixed feelings about men, both gay and straight.

After seeing the play, Andy Warhol cast her in his play Pork. She went on to appear in the film The Blank Generation (1976).  Back and forth between New York and London, she settled in Atlanta Georgia. In 2018, County debuted a retrospective show of visual art in the New York City gallery, Participant, Inc.

County’s life and art is considered an inspirational influence on John Cameron Mitchell’s transgender rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

JACKIE CURTIS

“Jackie Curtis is not a drag queen. Jackie is an artist. A pioneer without a frontier,” so said Andy Warhol. Andy was right. Jackie Cutis (1947-1987) was a true original. Long before he became one of the Pop master’s superstars. Curtis distinguished himself by appearing (alternately) as a James Dean-like male and a Jean Harlow-like female in Off-off Broadway plays of his own devise in which he and his friends appeared:

Glamour, Glory And Gold, co-starred Candy Darling, and Robert DeNiroin his first New York stage appearance;

Vain Victory, also starred Darling with Warhol and Jack Smith star Mario Montez;

Amerika Cleopatra featured a thin barely-known Harvey Fierstein;

Femme Fatale, starred Patti Smith, Jayne County and Penny Arcade; and

Heaven Grand In Amber Orbit toplined Holly Woodlawn. These were all makeshift, wildly tossed together affairs having little to do with plot and character but tons to do with exhibitionistic self-expression.

Outside of such Warhol films as Flesh (1968) and Women in Revolt (1972), Jackie’s most notable screen appearance was in Yugoslavia agant-gardist Dusan Makvejev’s W.R.: Mysteries of the Organism – a film about sex researcher Willhelm Reich, creator of the so-called Orgone Box. Makvejev felt Jackie presence in the film added a lot to his view of Reich’s sexual theories.

DIVINE

Born Harris Glenn Milsted in 1945, this life-affirming, overweight transvestite was re-named Divine (after the hero/heroine of Jean Genet’s Our Lady of the Flowers ) by the writer-director John Waters, who discovered her right down the block from where he lived. Through his films Waters turned a lonely overweight kid from Baltimore into one of the biggest (in every sense of the word) of all underground movie stars.

In Waters’ comedies, Pink Flamingoes, Female Trouble, Polyester and Hairspray, Divine redefined what it means to be a movie star. Waters called him The Most Beautiful Woman in The World and if you’ve seen Divine on stage of screen you’ll know why; for like his idol, Elizabeth Taylor, Divine was overwhelmingly sui generis.

While beloved for his films, Divine was a prolific LGBTQ performer on stage and in nightclubs. This above poster memorializes one of them . In this particular show — Vice— Divine appeared with many of the members of the legendary San Francisco drag troupe, The Cockettes.

Sadly, Divine (now a gay, transgender icon) died in 1988 of respiratory problems, days after the opening of his greatest acting success, Hairspray. Those lucky enough to see his club appearances also recall Divine for numbers like this —

CASSELBERRY & DUPREE

Mixing Reggae, Country and Gospel, Casselberry and Dupree are a dynamic lesbian duo who have performed with Harry Belafonte and Whoppi Goldberg, They appeared in the Oscar-nominated Art Is and the Oscar-winning The Times of Harvey Milk. The early 70s was a great time for Sapphic folk music, featured as it was at such venues as Lilith Fair. Jaqué Dupree and J. Casselberry offer a stellar example of it in: CASSELBERRYY AND DUPREE “TWO OF US”

CHARLES PIERCE

Charles Piece 1926-1999 was what might be called a female impersonator (he called himself a Male Actress) who found favor with audiences both straight and gay with his knowing impressions of Bette Davis, Mae West, Tallulah Bankhead and Carol Channing, Such impersonations were quite  traditional for a comic performer of this sort. But as can be seen and heard in this clip of his rendition of Katherine Hepburn, Pierce kept pace with the blossoming LGBTQ movement with many of his zingers evidencing a keen awareness of the difference the out and proud LGBTQ movement had made in  a straight-dominated world.

Headlining a production of Applause was a real tour de force for Piece as this musical version of All About Eve gave him leave to do Bette Davis (star of the original film) and Lauren Bacall (star of the musical remake) at the same time.

JUDITH ANDERSON

Stage and screen star Judith Anderson (1897-1992.) best remembered by the general public for playing the sinister lesbian “Mrs. Danvers” in Hithcock’s Rebecca (1940) and “Ann Treadwell” the socialite who’s keeping Vincent Price’s “Shelby Carpenter” in Laura  The latter was quite low-key in that the character was straight, whereas “Mrs. Danvers” was a full-force lesbian.

Despite the obvious she was married twice. Her first husband was an English professor, Benjamin Harrison Lehmann. They were married in 1937 and divorced  in 1939. Then, in 1946, she married theatrical  producer Luther Greene. They divorced in 1951. Of these marriages Anderson said. “Neither experience was a jolly holiday.”

While Sarah Bernhardt had famously performed  Hamlet in the late 19th century, few actresses have ever tried it. Taking it on at an advanced age, as Anderson did, was quite novel. Doing it when she did, put Anderson in league with the avant-garde gender-benders of the early 70s like Jackie Curtis and Holly Woodlawn.

CRAIG RUSSELL

Craig Russell, born Russell Crag Easie in 1948 in Toronto Canada, this female impersonator carved out a considerable career for himself doing such stars as Bette Davis, Tallulah Bankhead and Mae West — having come to know the last-mentioned personally as he briefly worked as her secretary in Los Angeles. Many LGBTQ performers of this genre did impressions of these stars. But there was an edginess to Russell’s work clearly influenced by the rise of the gay rights movement.

He toured widely, appearing in Las Vegas, Hollywood, San Francisco, Berlin, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Hamburg and Sydney, to the delight of a variety of audiences. But he won a special place in the hearts of the gay ones, as shown in the 1977 comedy-drama Outrageous in which he plays a character largely based on himself.

Interestingly, Russell — who always identified himself as gay — was bisexual. He fathered a daughter, Susan Allison, in 1973, and in 1982 married his closest female friend Lori Jenkins. The marriage lasted right through to the end of Russell’s life in 1990 when he died from AIDS complications.

SYLVESTER

Sylvester James Jr. (1947-1988) was born in Los Angeles, but first came to public attention when he moved to San Francisco and joined the legendary gay hippie performance troupe The Cockettes. A genuinely original singing talent  Sylvester showcased a high, shimmering falsetto and a variety of styles encompassing gospel, disco and cabaret. His look was utterly androgynous. While he sometimes appeared in “drag” he most often sported ensembles suitable to both genders.

Wildly popular in San Francisco he performed solo shows at the city’s opera house. When he died from AIDS complications the entire city mourned, along with everyone else who came to know the man and his music.

STEVEN GROSSMAN

Steve Grossman (1951-1991) a gay singer-songwriter of the early 1970s whose album Caravan Tonight (1974) is distinguished as being the first album dealing with openly gay subject matter released by a major record label, Mercury Records.

He died from AIDS leaving his Joni Mitchell-inflected songs, recorded much in the style of singer-songwriter Cat Stevens, opposed to the then-current glam Bowiesque fashion of openly gay artists. Among them, “Out” is a deeply moving coming-out song directed to his Father mother and brother.

OUR GUEST AUTHOR

DAVID EHRENSTEIN

Born in 1947, David Ehrenstein has been a film critic and political commentator since 1965, writing for such publications as Film Culture, Film Quarterly, Cahiers du Cinema, and the Los Angeles Times. His books include Open Secret: Gay Hollywood 1928-2000,  The Scorsese Picture: The Art and Life of Martin Scorsese and Cahiers du Cinema — Masters of Cinema: Roman Polanski .

Blog is originally published at: https://www.walterfilm.com/10-lgbtq-performers-in-the-1970s/

It is republished with permission from the author.

[itsanerdlife]

Chasing The Dream 8/10

Pairing: Peter Parker x Reader (High School/College AU)

Warning: Angst. Underage drinking. Jealousy. Language. Heartbreak and arguing.

A/N: This is the series, the prequel of Chasing Dreams One Shot. They do overlap so if you need to read it I can link it when time comes.

Chasing Dreams - This is half way through this part. The basic ending is where this picks up. I got the idea of this series from this one shot. It’s not totally on spot but you get the idea.

Only Two Parts Left

College –

Y/N (Beginning Never Start While Carrying Past Baggage)

The guys had tested out early, getting their diplomas before they left. Nat, Wanda and yourself watched as the tail lights of Buck’s van faded into the evening night. You’d kept your word, not speaking to your father since the fight. He’d left shortly before Peter and the guys, something about a new album and working out a few new songs. You rolled your eyes and ran up to your room without a goodbye, you had nothing nice to say to him.

The guys missed graduation. Wanda sent them photos, and a short video of you celebrating, blowing them kisses. She sent the good photos, most of them were of one of you crying, all of you puffy eyed and ruined make up. Your mother joined your father on tour, leaving you to pack for college on your own.

You’d put off singing, the three of you not ready to pick at the wound in your chests. Peter sent texts, sometimes he called late at night, running on a high after a concert. The closer your move in date got, the more you avoided answering. You were playing with fire; your willpower was weak, and you were standing on the edge of booking a plane ticket and bailing on college. There were break down moments, in the weeks leading up to your move. You’d broke down and called Bucky, bawling and irrational.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” He was moving from room to room, you could hear it.

“I can’t do it Buck. I don’t want to go. I don’t want to do this.” You sobbed curled up in bed.

“Hey breathe, you’re going to be okay.” His voice is soft and soothing.

“It hurts too much. I don’t want to live like this. This isn’t what I want.” You shake your head, tears soaking your pillow.

“Deep breathes, Y/N. You’re scared and you’re still getting over the heart break.” He was right, you were being selfish.

“I miss him.” You admit with a choked voice.

“He’s no better than you.” He sighs.

“I’m a lone Buck. I’m scared.” You chew your bottom lip.

“I’m going to send you some downloads, put them on your phone, put your headphones in. I know you have about eight of his shirts. So, put one on and hide under all the blankets and press play.” He instructs you.

“Don’t tell him I called.” You sigh, wiping your tears.

“Our secret doll.” He chuckles softly. “Get ready, I’ll send you what you need to get through the night.” The two of you hang up.

You did what Buck told you pulling your laptop into your lap, you transfer over the MP3’s he sent you, loading them to your phone without a glance at what they were labeled. You put your headphones in, pulling the blankets up over your head you press play. Snuggled in, wearing Peter’s band T you’d stolen from him, a guitar fills your ears and like everything you needed Peter’s voice follows. Your eyes sink close and your body relaxes into the blankets and bed, everything was right when you were dreaming of Peter.

--------

(After One Shot)

Peter (Is It Really Everything You Ever Wanted)

He dropped his duffle just inside the door, and he could hear Aunt May rushing through the house.

“Peter?” She yells excitedly.

“It’s me, Aunt May.” He laughs, she rushes around the corner colliding into him. Her arms hugging him tightly to her.

“My boys home!” She gushes, rocking side to side.

“It’s just a few days.” He laughs.

“Let me fix you something to eat.” She lets go, heading for the kitchen.

“Somethings just never change.” He mumbles under his breath with a grin as he follows her.

“Where are my other boys?” She looks back at him.

“They’ll be here for supper.” He nods, knowing none of them would risk the wrath of Aunt May if they missed dinner.

“Good.” She nods, shuffling around the kitchen.

“So how are things?” He chews the inside of his cheek, sliding up onto the counter top.

“Anything interesting you’re looking for?” Aunt May smirks at him.

“How’s Uncle Ben?” Peter looks down at his hands.

“Good, working. Refuses to retire, stubborn old man.” She mutters.

“Good to know he’s still the same.” He laughs.

“Aunt May?!” The front door opens, the guys having arrived.

“My boys!” Aunt May throws her hands up, rushing out to greet them. “Come, come, I’m making snacks.” She comes back into the kitchen, going back to work.

“Hey man.” The guys greet him.

“Hey.” He nods.

“Peter was just asking how things are around here. You boys wondering the same thing?” She pauses looking at them. All four of them shift, Aunt May was always good at knowing what they were up too.

“Things been good?” Buck swallows, looking nervously at Aunt May. She lays down her knife, sighing.

“I’m going to give it to you straight boys. Aunt May isn’t Willy Wonka, so here it is.” She points at Buck. “Your girl, pawned her guitar, it’s still sitting down at the second hand shop. She’s sworn off music, colored her hair and has a mean glare on her face most days.” She nods.

“Yikes.” Buck swallows.

“Steven, you better be asking that Amy Thompson for a DNA test, her little girl is blonde, blue eyed and looks like you.” She shoots Steve a dirty look. Steve’s eyes are massive, as he looks around at the other guys.

“I think I need to make a phone call.” Steve pats his pockets before running out of the kitchen.

“That little red headed Wanda, she’s sad. Just sad Samuel. They cried through graduation, and don’t even think it’s cause they are going to miss school.” She points at the three of them. “That girl was so bubbly and joyful and it’s like someone fed her vinegar.” She sighs.

“Wanda? I can’t picture her anything but wide eyed, embarrassed and laughing.” Peter shakes his head, but Aunt May turns on him.

“Peter Benjamin Parker. That poor girl has not been the same since you left this town. Cops showed up just before she left for school. Apparently she had it out with her father again, family dispute or so the town is saying.” She gives him a look that makes him shift in his seat. “Girl colored her hair, refuses to speak to her father, and from what I heard, she’s barely making grades in school.” Aunt May waves the knife around the kitchen at them. “You got some fancy deal and left town, ruining three of the sweetest girls I know.” She wasn’t happy with them, she was lecturing them.

“We didn’t have a choice Aunt May.” Buck sighs.

“We had a choice.” Peter speaks up.

“Christ not this argument again.” Sam drops his head into his hands.

“She wasn’t allowed to come with us. What did you want Nat and Wanda to come, but leave Y/N even more alone?” Buck defends himself.

“Was this really worth it?” Peter throws his hands up. “Cause I’m not fucking happy. Sam isn’t happy. Are you happy Buck? Does being a rock star keep you warm at night? Does it give you that warm excited feeling in your chest? Is it excited to see you every day? Cause I haven’t seen that yet.” Peter shakes his head, biting into a cookie off the counter.

“He has a point.” Sam looks up, rubbing his face.

“You’re only saying this cause you saw her a few weeks ago.” Buck sighs. “I get the same way after seeing Nat. It’s hard, wondering what could have been, I get that Parker.” He shakes his head.

“I’ve been feeling this way for a while, before seeing her.” He admits.

“Maybe you shouldn’t have let her take you back to her place, you wouldn’t be all tangled up in your head.” Buck replies with a sigh. Aunt May looks over at him, he flushes red.

“Shut up.” Peter throws the other half the cookie at Buck. “I’ve been thinking this before the concert. Before being with her again.” His brow connects.

“He has.” Sam defends Peter.

“Why do you always take his side in everything?” Buck groans.

“Maybe because we think the same. Maybe I just miss Wanda. I miss our old lives.” Sam retorts annoyed.

“Yeah, maybe we miss how things were.” Peter jumps in. Suddenly the three of them are going back and forth, Aunt May watching.

“Steven are you okay?” She interrupts. Everyone quiets looking over at Steve, who’s pale white and wide eyed.

“I have a daughter.” He replies, shocked.

“Oh shit.” Peter’s off the counter.

“Told you so.” Aunt May replies, her voice soft as she goes back to making snacks. Peter smirks at her, woman was always right and sometimes it was downright scary.

Everything Peaches 2/6/19: @xmtd5 @mo320 @courtmr   @all1e23 @izzy--lee @irepeldirt @dumblani @crist1216 @alyssaj23 @allyp1023 @joannie95 @kolakube9 @rileyloves5 @sarahp879 @sea040561 @sexyvixen7 @pcterpvrker @pigwidgexn @doctoranon @abschaffer2 @nickimarie94 @teller258316 @wandressfox @amandab-ftw @henrietteoaks @nea90sweetie @circusofchaos @itsagalaxystar @bettercallsabs @miraclesoflove @lucifersnipnips @queenkrissy11 @sadyoungadult @destiel-artemis @paintballkid711 @iwillbeinmynest @sweet-honey15 @chanelmadrid13 @mellxander1993   @spookygrantaire @geeksareunique @supernatural508 @sammysgirl1997 @itzmegaaaaaaan @booksbeforebois @mariekoukie6661 @pure-princess-97 @capsheadquaters @samanthasmileys @youclickedthislink @futuremrsb-r-main @lovemarvelousfics @notyourtypicalrose @petersunderoos96 @loving-life-my-way @booktvmoviefangirl @supernatural-girl97 @fanfictionjunkie1112 @abbypalmer14-blog @meganlikesfandoms @awkwardfangirl2014 @supernaturaldean67 @xqueenofthecraziesx   @queenoftheunderdark @writingaworldofmyown @supernaturallover2002 @daughterofthenight117 @sprinklesandsugarcubes @whothehellisbucky-1930 @verymuchclosetedfangirl @for-the-love-of-the-fandom @ocaptain-mycaptainmorgan @wonderlandfandomkingdom @crazy-little-thing-called-buck @letsgetfuckingsuperwholocked @stupendoussciencenaturepanda @jamesbarnesappreciationsociety

Peter Parker: @ml7010 @ariminiria @dkpink123 @little-smurf @boltsgirl919 @quokkatrash   @everthenerd @ms-rogers06 @crayonwriting @baebeepeach @bellamouse16 @honey-bee-holly @kiss-the-stars-goodbye

Chasing The Dream: @del-rcys @gabile18   @robin-writes @raven-black102

[bellewhittington]

📚ON THE BLOG TODAY 📚 Pop over to Books & Broomsticks to read my review and enter to win a signed copy of LOVING LUTHOR by Allison Pittman! Another fine Lone Star Literary Life book blog tour.

[foreverhamkke]

22 Questions

Tagged by @dark-muse-iris

Rules: Answer the questions then tag 20 people. (We’ll see if I know that many people....)

1 - Name: Tamara

2 - Nickname: Tam, Tam Tam, Tada

3 - Star Sign: Taurus with Aquarius Ascending and Aquarius Moon (I was today years old when I found those last two parts out lol). 

4 - Gender: Female

5 - Sexuality: Bisexual

6 - Favorite colour: Green

7 - Time Right Now: 10:12 am

8 - Average Hours of Sleep: 6-7 hours 

9 - The last thing I googled: How to cite a website without an author in MLA format BECAUSE THEY KEEP CHANGING THE DAMN FORMAT BY LIKE A COMMA

10 - Number of Blankets: 1 if I’m lucky and the dogs aren’t hogging it

11 - Favorite Fictional Character: Briar Moss from The Circle of Magic series (as of this moment because this fluctuates crazily)

12 - What are you wearing right now: a flannel shirt and purple cow pj bottoms CAUSE I DON’T GIVE A FUCK WHEN I’M NOT OUT lol

13 - Favourite Book: You’re seriously asking a to-be-English teacher this? *sigh* Let’s go with Return of the King, Cry of the Icemark, and The Man Who Loved Jane Austen

14 - Favourite Musician: If we’re going with plays instruments musicians, I’m going with 2cellos. If not.... fuck that, I listen to way too many amazingly talented people 15 - Dream Job: Authenticity researcher for authors and movies. What kind of authenticity? Languages, historical costume, architecture, belief systems, you name it. Everything except math stuff. 

16 - Number of followers: When the hell did 201 of you show up?!?! 

17 - When did you create your account: Spring of 2013...?

18 - What do you post about: Kpop, history, some political stuff, LGBTQ+, various geekdoms

19 - What made you get an account: I wanted more Kpop content and Youtube and AFF just wasn’t cutting it

20 - When did your blog reach its peak: Bold of you to assume it has enough potential to peak

21 - Do you get asks on a daily basis: *snorts* I get an ask about as often as the current human cheeto in chief has an intelligent thought

22 - Why did you choose your url: At BTS�� Wings tour, he taught us the Korean word “hamkke” which means together and said BTS would be forever together with us. That really hit me in the feels because I’m a lonely sap.

Tagging: @squirrelly831, @jojossweater, @taehyungs-vodka-aunt, @moonofmirrors, @loveshackbaby, @marilynspook, @weareasthestars, @ohhhappydae, @solitarelee, @gigigachi, @rosegukk and i think that’s everyone ( @war-of-hormoan you already got tagged by Iris so I won’t double tag you lol).... If I forgot you, I am terribly terribly sorry and apologize. Please do this and tag my rude ass so I can apologize even more. 

[iuniverseblog]

African-American poets through the centuries

We at iUniverse would like to honor Black History month by taking a look at three African-American poets. We’ve chosen one excellent poet from each of the preceding centuries, to celebrate black poetry through the ages!

Phillis Wheatley: One of the earliest writers of poetry in the US was Phillis Wheatley (c.1753-1784), who arrived in the American colonies as a slave around 1760. Wheatley studied poetry under the Wheatley family that she lived with in Boston, and published Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral in 1773. She was even able to read Latin and Greek by the age of 12!

Wheatley’s poetry shows classical elements, in keeping with the neo-classical style popular in the 1700s, an era which also featured Alexander Pope. At the same time, her poems also infuse elements of Christianity. The time period, which consisted of rising tensions between the American colonies and the British government, is reflected in her writings, especially in a poem to George Washington during the Revolution:

Thee, first in peace and honors—we demand

The grace and glory of thy martial band.

Fam’d for thy valour, for thy virtues more,

Hear every tongue thy guardian aid implore!

Incidentally, Wheatley was not actually the first Black poet in America. Sometime in the late 1740s, Lucy Terry (also living in Massachusetts) composed a poem called “Bars Fight”, about an incident in 1746. However, the poem was only in oral form until it was published in 1855. Thus, Wheatley is America’s first published female black poet. (The first published poet, male or female, was Jupiter Hammon.) Her writings created a sensation in England, where she went to publish them, meeting members of the aristocracy during her visit. She was also praised by Voltaire, American naval her John Paul Jones, and of course, George Washington.

  Paul Dunbar: Paul Dunbar (1872-1906), hailing from Ohio, emerged at the end of the 19th century, in the first generation born after emancipation. He was a skilled linguist, writing in various American dialects, and published his first two poems at the age of 16. Ultimately, Dunbar wrote a dozen books of poetry, four novels, four books of short stories, lyrics for a musical called In Dahomey (the former name of Benin), and a play.

William Dean Howells, who launched The Atlantic Monthly, praised Dunbar’s skill, as did Maya Angelou, who said his works had inspired her writing ambition. Frederick Douglass, whose eloquent narrative of his own slavery and freedom is now a classic work in American Literature, was also fond of Dunbar’s poetry. Dunbar wrote a poem to Douglass, eponymously titled “Douglass”, which ends with the moving apostrophe,

Oh, for thy voice high-sounding o’er the storm, For thy strong arm to guide the shivering bark, The blast-defying power of thy form, To give us comfort through the lonely dark.

Dunbar’s works fell somewhat into obscurity during the first half of the 1900s, but have fortunately received more critical attention in recent years.

Langston Hughes: One of the leaders of the Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes (1902-1967) flourished well into the artistic and tumultuous period of the American 1960s. Hughes, originally from the American heartland, saw a fair amount of the globe during his early years, living in Mexico in his late teens and then serving as a crewman on a ship that visited Africa and Europe. He eventually settled in the northeast, first New Jersey and then New York City.

Hughes’ first poem, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”, was published in the NAACP’s magazine, and helped establish his reputation. It was later published in his first book of poems, The Weary Blues. As a poet, Hughes’ focus was on blacks in the lower-classes, i.e. the proletariat. He had a passion for illuminating the daily life, both struggles and laughter, of the ordinary, working-class African-American, and became known as a “people’s poet”. One very emotional poem by Hughes, which reflects his appreciation for the common black American but also all people, is “Kids Who Die”, which begins with the stanza,

This is for the kids who die, Black and white, For kids will die certainly. The old and rich will live on awhile, As always, Eating blood and gold, Letting kids die.

Hughes was a much-celebrated and respected member of the intellectual community in New York City, and remains a famous name to this day. Movie star Danny Glover is a huge fan of Hughes’ poetry, and has toured America giving readings of many of the poems. Here is a recording of Glover’s rendition of “Kids Who Die”, along with his presentation of “Ballad of Roosevelt” and “Montage of a Dream Deferred”. Make sure to check them out — Glover’s charm really brings the poems to life.

Once again, we at iUniverse salute all of the contributors to the world of African-American poetry, and hope you’ll check out more poems by these superb authors.

Now, for the big question: Who is your favorite African-American poet of the 21st Century? Write in and let us know!

Make sure to check out the iUniverse site for more advice and blogs, as well as iUniverse Facebook and iUniverse Twitter.

  The post African-American poets through the centuries appeared first on iUniverse Blog.

[carolinesiede]

My 2018 Writing Roundup

2018 was one of those years where I felt like I was frantically treading water all year, only to look up and realize I’d actually managed to swim myself to shore. The previous two years somehow felt simultaneously tumultuous and like a plateau. At first, I thought 2018 was more of the same, but looking back it was way more of a transitional year than I realized. I’m ending the year on a higher note than I started it, which is a really nice feeling. I’m in an apartment I love, feeling a bit more stable, and I even developed the ability to do a full pushup for the first time in my life, which is by far my single greatest achievement of the year!

This was my fifth year as a full-time freelance writer, and I experienced a pretty big shift in the types of articles I wrote this year—fewer short news posts and way more long-form pieces that more truly reflect my voice and opinions. I actually didn’t realize it until creating this roundup, but good god did I do a lot of writing this year. No wonder I had some pretty severe moments of burnout. I’m incredibly proud of the volume of writing I did, although I’m also frustrated that I worked this much yet still frequently struggled to make ends meet. Thankfully, after a rocky year money-wise, I found a little more stability towards the end of the year. Here’s hoping I can carry that forward into 2019!

One of my big goals for 2018 was to immerse myself more in the world of film criticism, and boy howdy did I manage to manifest that one! I quadrupled the number of films I watched this year and filled in some big cinematic blindspots. I also began writing film reviews in a regular capacity, first at Consequence of Sound and later for The A.V. Club and Alcohollywood as well. While I’ll always enjoy writing about TV (and loved covering the shows I did this year!), TV criticism is something I kind of inadvertently fell into at the start of my career. Film has always been my first love, and I’m glad I found the courage and drive to shift into this new area of writing. It’s been lovely to start immersing myself in the world of Chicago film critics too.

But by far my biggest achievement of the year (beyond being able to do a pushup, of course!) is launching my column When Romance Met Comedy for The A.V. Club. I poured my whole heart and soul into the column, both in terms of each individual entry and in terms of shaping its overall voice and making sure to cover a diverse set of films within the rom-com genre. It’s been a lot of work (way more work than is actually cost effective for me, to be honest), but I’m incredibly proud of how the column turned out in its first year. It’s also been really lovely to get so much positive feedback, both from the commentary community as well as from my A.V. Club bosses. I started my writing career with a blog about rom-coms and I find it hilarious that it took me four years to think of actually pitching that as an idea elsewhere. I’m so glad I did, and I’m having a blast planning out my slate of films to cover in 2019. (If you want to stump for your favorite, drop me a line on Twitter!)

With that, I’ll leave you with wishes for a Happy New Year and a roundup of all the major writing I did in 2018. If you enjoyed my work this year, it would mean a lot if you would support me on either Kofi or PayPal. Or just share some of your favorite pieces with your friends!

OP-EDS

My my, what the hell is up with the Mamma Mia! timeline?

A timey-wimey guide to the modern era of Doctor Who

Star Wars: Episode IX can fill Leia’s absence by embracing its forgotten queen

From femme fatale to complex superhero: The evolution of the MCU’s Black Widow

All the songs from The Greatest Showman, ranked

WHEN ROMANCE MET COMEDY

Like the best romantic comedies, Bridget Jones’s Diary is about more than just falling in love

Bringing Up Baby and the screwball comedies that delivered romance via pratfalls

After When Harry Met Sally, almost every rom-com tried to have what Nora Ephron was having

The Big Sick lovingly updated the rom-com formula with a coma and a great 9/11 joke

Something Borrowed and the phenomenon of rom-coms that hate women

In a sea of unintentionally creepy rom-coms, the original Overboard goes, well, overboard

My Best Friend’s Wedding rewrote the rom-com happy ending

Will Smith’s lone rom-com muddled its message about pickup artists and romance

Breakfast At Tiffany’s is so much more than a fashionable proto-Sex And The City

25 years ago, Sleepless In Seattle found the romantic hiding in the cynic

Before palling around with Ant-Man and the Wasp, Peyton Reed was Down With Love

You can dance, you can jive, you can love Mamma Mia! without feeling embarrassed

Maid In Manhattan let Jennifer Lopez’s rom-com talents sparkle

Pair Crazy Rich Asians with this Hong Kong rom-com classic

Jane Austen provided the romantic comedy some Sense And Sensibility

How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days set the stage for the rom-com’s downfall

Romantic comedies (briefly) came out of the closet with In & Out

Pretty In Pink is a far superior riff on the Sixteen Candles formula

How Stella Got Her Groove Back is a sexy vacation romp that explores the line between fantasy and reality

The Devil Wears Prada pulls off the perfect romantic comedy look, even though it really isn't one

Enchanted, or: How I learned to stop worrying and love the Disney princess

Why are Hallmark Christmas movies so addictive?

Without hope or agenda: A defense of Love Actually

SEASON-LONG TV COVERAGE

Doctor Who S11

Daredevil S3

This Is Us S2 and S3

Jessica Jones S2

Supergirl S3 and S4

FILM REVIEWS

Crazy Rich Asians has so much rom-com razzle dazzle it practically sings

Ben Mendelsohn battles suburban ennui in Nicole Holofcener’s The Land Of Steady Habits

Michael Shannon is refreshingly ordinary in What They Had, a family drama with focus issues

Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne build an Instant Family in a comedy more touching than funny

After a clumsy opening statement, RBG biopic On The Basis Of Sex effectively argues its case

Jennifer Lopez’s overstuffed Second Act offers three movies for the price of one

The Girl in the Spider’s Web: Lisbeth Slander gets an action hero makeover

Widows: An Enthralling Heist Thriller with Some Less Interesting Gangster Drama Touches

If Beale Street Could Talk: Love is a Battle, Love is a War

6 Balloons tackles the everyday agonies of the opiate crisis

I Feel Pretty takes on identity crises while having one of its own

RBG examines the complex, inspiring woman behind all the memes

Book Club does a disservice to its gifted cast of legacy stars

Set It Up is a fine, breezy rom-com for the start of summer

Ant-Man and the Wasp takes a modest quantum leap for the series

Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind looks into the late comedian’s heart

The Spy Who Dumped Me is a fun but fairly disposable summer flick

Like Father uses the Netflix format to play around with comic conventions

Madeline’s Madeline blurs the lines of fantasy and reality

Life Itself is so bizarre it has to be seen to be believed

Private Life takes a personal, observant look at late-life reproduction

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is a CGI mess with an earnest heart

The Grinch goes CGI and gets a fluffy, sincere modern update

TV REVIEWS/OP-EDS

Grey’s Anatomy’s lengthy existence isn’t a joke, it’s a strength

This Is Us is obsessed with killing its dad

Three years later, Supergirl is still telling the best female-centered superhero stories

Even without a resurrection, John Legend rises in NBC’s electrifying Jesus Christ Superstar Live

Sara Bareilles and Josh Groban lend an infectious energy to the wonderfully earnest 72nd Annual Tony Awards

Iron Fist season 2 feels like an entirely different show—which is mostly a good thing

13 Reasons Why puts itself on trial but can’t give up its worst impulses in season 2

Sex dreams and explosive rectal surgeries—it must be the Grey’s Anatomy season 15 premiere

Pre-Air Review: Dietland offers an ambitious, unapologetic taste of something new

Season Two Review: The messages of The Handmaid’s Tale season two resonate now more than ever

Season One Review: AMC’s Dietland aimed wide and mostly hit its marks in a chaotic first season

PODCAST GUEST APPEARANCES

Cinematic Universe: Men In Black

Cinematic Universe: Independence Day

Filmography: Wes Anderson comedies

Debating Doctor Who: Favorite guest stars part 1 and part 2

TV Party: Let’s Solve Westworld Season Two

TV Party: Appreciating The West Wing’s “Two Cathedrals”

Plus some other episodes of TV Party including this one, this one, this one, this one, this one, and this one.

MINDMEET INTERVIEWS

Bernard Avle: Human Beings Are Stories

The CyberCode Twins: A Blockchain Beacon of Hope

Jason Berlin and Tour de Crypto: A Pioneering Journey to Raise Awareness for Charity and Bitcoin

And here are similar year-end wrap-ups I did in 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013.

[booknotesbyathina]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Athina|Fantasy Reader & Reviewer (@booknotes_athina)

[Book tour] Hello everyone!! Today I am really excited to share with you When Stars Become Shadows by Emmie Hamilton (@authoremmiehamilton), which is an adult dark fantasy.The book is already out. *** Check out my post on my blog Book Notes by Athina for more information, as well as the link for the rest of the tour schedule. *** About the book: For the past seven years, Emersyn Jane Merona had been owned by a deadly mob boss and forced to service any lonely soul who found their way to Skarsrowe, a shady port town on the edge of the Baronian Sea. When Syn commits a murder and initiates a daring escape, she finds herself in the arms of her boss’ archrival, the legendary Captain Killian O’Donnell. After seeking refuge on his mysterious ship, Syn soon realizes that she may have traded one form of danger for another. Desperate to regain her freedom, she falls back on all the old tricks she used to survive her indentured servitude. Just when she is ready to give up, a murdered siren changes her fate and the Lord of Lost Souls, Malakai Barron, drags her down into the underworld. Through a deal brokered by someone from her past, Syn now has to try to earn her freedom from not one, but two key players in the dark underworld. Though it seems impossible, opportunity strikes when Malakai’s missing sirens reappear and Syn is given the chance to investigate. Who is taking the sirens? And why does their song haunt her dreams? As Emersyn uncovers the demons of her past, will the monsters of her future be kept at bay, or will she become another lost soul anchored to the bottom of the sea? *** @literaryboundtours #literaryboundtours #whenstarsbecomeshadowstour #emmiehamilton #fantasyreader #fantasybook #bookaddict #bookcommunity #readingismagic #bookblogger #bookreviewer #greekbookstagram #instavivlio #vivlio #diavazo #eucitesc #mybookfeatures #over30sbookstagram #bookstamums #booknotes_athina #ipreview (at Bucharest, Romania) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf_e-APDqAu/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=