SADDAM HUSSEIN ANNOUNCEMENT

It's 9:24 p.m. CST, and we've just got word that Saddam has been executed, according to ABC News. For such a defining event, the mood is very nonchalant. The media interrupt the 20/20 interview with Perez Hilton, I would have rather watched the interview than to have Saddam take up more of my time, but I digress. It is important to report of such events for future generations, so they'll know how the average person feels about this matter. I wish that I could record in time my feelings from the day the Towers went down, although the memory is still with me, the emotions are gone.
I for one, feel anxious and have felt anxious all day. I'm afraid of repercussions. If there were ever a reason to use the death penalty, Saddam's case was it. I'm just wondering how many people has to die martyring him.
So I'll pray. And I'll continue to pray. For Peace. For guidance, for understanding.


Lea

SADDAM HUSSEIN

We are several hours away from the execution of Saddam Hussein. I have to admit that I am nervous about the repercussion for Saddam's execution. I pray that he is laid to rest and forgotten about, and that no one seeks to martyr him. I pray that the Middle East, especially Iraq and included in this sentiment, the United States, can begin to heal from the pain that Saddam has inflicted on his people.

I guess with the death of Saddam closing out the 2006 New Year, it is in a way a new beginning. Maybe this is hope. I remember in Astronomy class, we talked about the Death of a Star. With the death of a star comes new life. Maybe with Saddam's death, new life, or a new way of life, will emerge.



Lea

PRODIGAL AUTHOR LAYNE BLACQUE STILL NOT READY FOR PRIMETIME

You’ve seen her before. She dipped her toes into ebook publishing’s shallow waters briefly before disappearing into a search portal. Her name’s Layne (well, one of her names, anyway) and she’s not like other girls. While many authors jockey for mass love and attention, she sits in a dark corner of cyberspace blogging. And waiting.

Anyone who’s read Liquid Assets, her first shot at a romance, will you tell you her voice is rather…interesting. It’s certainly loud. And here’s something Layne will tell you herself: her stories are anything but romantic. While her stories may lack in sweetness, they certainly are abundant in truthfulness, intensity and fireworks.

On December 22 2006, she reemerged from her cave to give us Cold Comfort, her saucy, soapy tale of love and forgiveness.

Layne agreed to chat with me because I asked her. Well, I threatened her. In any case, she’s here to share and care on Christmas.


L.T. Rashard: So, where have you been?

Layne Blacque: Working. Writing articles and other non-fiction. Studying various genres. I was stressed out and needed time to unwind. Personal stuff got in the way and I had to make some choices. At the time I felt it wise to leave sensual writing by the wayside. But it wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be, lol. Writing sexy couples is addicting. Damn if I don’t like it!

L.T.R: Did you really go crazy over a lover?

L.B.: What young woman hasn’t lost her mind over a hot piece of guy at least once or twice? I wouldn’t call it going crazy. I’d call it being caught up in the rapture. We had to part ways a few months back. I was so caught up in the rapture, I got very little done. At the time, that seemed like a good thing, but after awhile we both realized we had little in common other than…being caught up in the rapture, lol!

L.T.R: With all of the controversy surrounding OMP; why go back there?

L.B.: Why wouldn’t I? Take a stroll over to Piers Anthony’s site sometime and note how rare it is for any ebook company to dodge negativity. All of them have had their skirmishes. My experience with OMP has been very pleasant. The publisher doesn’t seem to mind that my heroines are prone to tantrums and eye-rolling. I don’t mind that people seem to want to take potshots at the company. I’m sure they have their reasons. But those reasons are none of my business, are they?

L.T.R: What are you writing now?

L.B.: Well, one of the stories I’m working on is top secret. Seriously. After a bigger, less controversial pub blatantly lifted an idea from Ocean’s Mist Press this year, I was sworn to secrecy about my next project. I can say it’s coming sooner than you might think, and it’s never been done before. It’s a labor of love for my publisher and me.

L.T.R:. How do you feel about what's being published now?

L.B.: I like stories with real heart and soul. Whether e-pubbed or released from a New York house tales with real feeling touch me the most. When I find one of those, I’m always happy.

L.T.R: What's in the future for Layne Blacque?

L.B.: I really can’t say. I don’t plan life. It sorta happens to me. My mentor is trying to groom me for my New York shot. She’s trying to get me to behave and follow the rules. Whatever happens, though, I’ll still be writing in some form or another. So that means more rejections for unsympathetic characters. Not that I mind. One of my seven identities always gets in to fit in. I never allow anyone to stop me. I just take stock, refocus and sneak in there. That’s always fun.

L.T.R.: Thank you for spending time w/ me Ms. Blacque.

L.B.: See, the interview had gone so well until this last bit. “Thank you for spending time w/ me Ms. Blacque”? Like we’re strangers? Like we don’t talk everyday? Lea, please.


Get Layne at www.saintblacque.com.

Layne and L.T.’s stories are available at Ocean’s Mist Press.

JAMES BROWN IS DEAD

Today the godfather of Soul music today. According to published reports, the 73year old Brown, died of pneumonia.


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LIKE MY BLOGGIE

My blog has gotten an overhaul. My friend Stephanie did it(thanks), and I really think it looks wonderful.

Speaking of new things, what are your New Years resolutions? Any plans for leaving '06? I personally can't wait for the year to end. I've spent most of it sick and I am looking forward to having a fresh start, and illness free.

Other 'O7 plans include:
Learning to bake
Taking a family vacation
Earning more money
Acquiring a NY contract
Starting my own business
Going back to school
Improving on my "writing" craft
Blogging more

'07 for me is going to be about learning. I will become a student again in every sense of the word. I want my writing to be stronger, and better.

What are your goals? Holla back


Lea

CAN'T HARDLY WAIT

I've had the good fortune of meeting new authors and reading their works.

Layne Blacque is back! I have an interview with her, and it's gonna be hell hot!!!



Alyiah Burke, she's one to keep your eyes on.


Shay Leonard spins a tale that will have you saying: Damn she's good!


KL Bjork will tells an exciting tale that will keep you wanting more.


Marie Rochelle tells stories that will captivate you.


Check them out.

Lea

WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?

I haven't been around lately(Like anyone f-ing cares, right), anywho, I've been M.I.A. since Dec.14. The family and I have been ill.
I'm feeling better, Thank God.
But that's all for now.
Pray for a serviceman(woman) and his family.



Peace,
Lea

INTRODUCING: L.T.

So I'm writing and my phone rings. I answer it and it's my sister. She and I commence to gossiping as usual. At any rate, she notices that I am using a lot of "colorful words." So much so that she was really taken aback by the fact. After she and I hung up, I realized that I was still operating in writer's mode. L.T. was still in control of my emotions when my sister and I were on the phone together, so there for she wasn't use to me cursing and carrying on. I am usually pretty mild mannered, and Lord knows, I hardly curse in front of my family.

So, after all this time, my sister finally met my alter ego: L.T. She liked her, but said it felt a little weird being around her.



Lea

DEJA VU WRITING

So I'm reading a book and it seems that I'm having a case of deja vu.
That's french for 'already seen'or something like that.(I'm sure
Layne Blacque will run onto her computer to google the word and
inform me of it's true meaning and origins.)Anywho, so I'm reading
this book and some of the scenes seems oddly familiar... So, I go
into my mental roller dex, and realizes that the scenes in the book
is one of a montage of different authors works, rolled into a book.
This particular author was very clever. She decided not to use exact
words, but rather put her "stank" all over the collection of stories.
I was really bothered by this, so a friend of mine told me to blog
about it.

I started to research this and realized that this is running rampant
in the publishing world and we as ebook authors are particularly
vulnerable.(I know, I'm a horrific speller...bare with me.)
So, who's watching whom in this industry?
And I'm not naive about similar plots and storylines. Hell, I
remember reading a book and swearing to God that someone poached The
Price of Love, until I read the trademark,(Sister girl knew that she
was going to get paid)and realized that the other book had come out
in 2003. I felt like an ass. (I had already called up publisher ready
to sue) Especially since I was only 2 pages into story. I decided not
to finish book.(Don't want to feed any paranoia) sigh.

But no, this is different. This is someone stealing scenes from
someone else and casting it off as their own.

I want to hear from both writers and readers. What do you think about
this unscruplious practice?

Lea

HAPPY HOLIDAY

HAPPY HOLIDAY EVERYONE.


Darian and Sandy have loved and protected each other all their lives. A promise made seventeen years earlier will bring them back together. Proving that a promise made at Christmas may be magical.
If you are looking for a feel good novel, Darian's Christmas Promise is for you.


Lea

TYRESE

Tyrese CD will drop tonight! He is one fine man.

IN THE NEWS

Fucking Ebola! So thousands of gorillas have been killed by the Ebola strand. Isn't that the same virus in that movie Outbreak that came out a few years ago w/ Cuba Gooding Jr.
This shit is crazy! Scary. The virus moved from gorillas to humans in the movie.

This is from the Associated Press:

PARIS (AFP) - An outbreak of Ebola virus in northwestern Republic of Congo has killed 5,000 gorillas, helping to push the threatened species even closer to extinction, a study says.

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The estimate is made by a team of scientists in Europe and central western AFrica, who say there was a "massive die-off" of gorillas in Congo's Lossi Sanctuary park from 2002 to 2004.

The great apes which died were western gorillas (Gorilla gorilla), one of two gorillas species.

The other species is the eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei).

"The Lossi outbreak killed about as many gorillas as survive in the entire eastern gorillas species," laments the paper, carried in Friday's issue of the US journal Science.

But the death toll is probably only a "small fraction" of gorillas likely to have been killed by Ebola in the past decade, it says.

"Add commercial hunting to the mix, and we have a recipe for rapid ecological extinction. Ape species that were abundant and widely distributed a decade ago are rapidly being reduced to remnant populations."

Lead author is Magdalena Bermejo of Ecosystemes Forestiers d'Afrique Centrale (ECOFAC) in Libreville, Gabon.

Ebola first came to light in 1976 in Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and is named after the river with which this outbreak is associated.

It is of four categories of viruses that cause viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF), a disease whose outbreaks among humans are sometimes traced to the bushmeat trade -- gorillas and chimpanzees that are killed, butchered and sold for meat.

VHF causes the feverish patient to bleed under the skin and in severe cases, from the mouth, ears and eyes. Blood loss, shock and organ failure lead to coma and delirium and, in many cases, to death.

The new study suggests that the gorillas were not only infected by some animal reservoir -- last year, three species of African fruit bat were fingered as an Ebola source -- but also by contact between ape groups themselves.