I know! Happy New Year!

Stranger things do happen, like you find a story that was hardly the fans favorite and voraciously scribe notes, that turn into something better to say than the last time you picked it up.  Yes!  My muse is back.  Thanks to Dr. Feelgood.  So, to those who have missed reading it, even those that are too ashamed to say they are enjoying the sexy...updates!  UP-DATES!  YAY!  Three new Chapters as of today...Enjoy!  Oh yeah...Happy New Year!

"Perry tapped into an interesting niche of emotionally scarred women who need to find a way to punish their abusers, and he gives them that emotional outlet."

A quote from the author critic, Cortland Malloy, a Metro Columnist.  On this, I agree.  But let me expound.

I am reaching a breaking point with my money and motion picture productions as a whole. TP is indeed a powerful influence. I've seen more indie black films straight-to-video on cable that interested me more than all of TP films. I like Tyler. I appreciate his talent. But even Spike had to reach deeper, grow, and use his power to lift a broader brush beyond his shoulders. TP will need to continue doing this or lose sight of his power, as others will hear the charge, capture the audience, and transcend reaching the masses.

Tyler doesn't need Hollywood's permission to do anything because he shot his arrow over their heads. His production releases via LionsGate. He has been given a key to Hollywood's Kingdom because of his money wielding power. He has the potential to continue opening the doors for other artists. That is what I would like to see continue to happen.

His films have been diverse in content. His messages have been sharp. He is an edu-tainer, and that is his stage background showing through.

I didn't see the movie. That's largely because I decided that Janet isn't a worthy cast addition. If I have to continue seeing her then I want to see her taking her 'craft' as serious as she does her dance. I despise the way Perry tongue bathes her. It's gotten old with me, and it's going to eventually get old with the audience. He had a powerful cast of vets and mainstream artists in "Colored Girls" and my opinion was sustained. Lightweights or Heavyweights as his cast, Janet's movement is as about emotive as a turtle poking his head out of his shell, the same way he does each and every time he does this.

My ten dollars can't be invested as a token to go along to get along. Tyler's journey is heavy on my knees. My patience with his works is reaching the point of displacement. I'm getting bored.

So if he continues on this path and becomes consumed with his own plight, gets lost in a conundrum of productions that echo the same song, beat the same drum, forget to continue opening doors for other indie projects, then when his star fades, his power will go with it.

Hello...My Name is Sammy!

I've been on hiatus for like six months and that's just plain old mean. Not really. Sometimes you really need to take a break. Sometimes, readers forget you do this for the sheer pleasure of expressing yourself. These stories don't literally write themselves you know!


For those of you who are new to the spot, and you'd like to read from the top down, Hello...My Name is Sammy is a story of a young mother (who has made a few mistakes in judgement in her not too distant past) meets a nice young man who tows her car and whom her son absolutely adores. Sounds like a slam dunk to love right? Wrong! It never goes without struggle and some fight to the finish. You see the long lost baby daddy, a European-League round baller returns to the states with a change of heart, wants to reclaim his love and get to know his young son. But what about the tow truck driver? Read further, stay the course, and bumpy ride or not, you'll enjoy the travels!

A girl could do worse than surprisingly finding kinship and friendship with the infamous Santi family. Farrah Mallet our tragic heroine rises and falls, but rises again with the support of her family and friends.

Well, I've updated and Ch. 6 is available for your reading pleasure over at the CHAMBER lovelies. Thanks in advance for reading and I promise to churn out the next one in far less than six months. SMOOCHES!

General Hospital welcomes Annie Ilonzeh

Annie Ilonzeh crashed into Port Charles in early April 2010, literally into Nathan Parsons. Her character name-Maya Ward, a struggling med student/intern (yes, she's from the shows historical roots Quartermaine/Ward) bumped into soap-vet Luke Spencer's recent arrival, an illegitimate son named Ethan Lovett, whom he sired with an affair with Holly Sutton while still married to his long time love Laura. Unbelievable? Right? That Luke cheated on Laura? Many soap fans on Soap Central believe it's never wrote in stone, such unbelievable events.

Some don't care if it turns out that Ethan is in fact Robert Scorpio's son with Holly. After all, it would make more sense given that Ethan was raised in Australia and his conception wouldn't explode the history of Luke/Laura.

But no matter who his father or mother is, Ethan Lovett has won the hearts of fans and is beginning to grow an entirely new crop to to add to his storefront. The rogue Aussie has been heating up the screen with newcomer Annie. Their adoring fans or shippers have adoringly coined the name MAYAN when speaking of their 'couple' and pay homage to them when ever they can.



Some say this is a new beginning for GH having an interracial couple at the forefront of the show's premier families. But this isn't the first time, if you recall Simone (Ravell) and Tom Hardy, or Keesha (Ward) and Jason Quartermaine.

I would have to agree on one account, and that is that MAYAN are a fun, sexy, comical pair in the trenches as they earn their way into soap couple history. There is oodles of chemistry blooming as the bad boy meets and becomes beguiled by the charming Maya. Despite their differences, and obvious critics who want Ethan with their favorite heroine, Annie Ilonzeh and Nathan Parsons are definitely brining the 'pretty'.

State returns to the 2010 Final Four (for the 6th time in 12 seasons), but it will have to be without the reigning Two-Time All-Big Ten player of the year seated court side.

Kalin Lucas who helped propel his team to the finals suffered a torn achilles tendon when he was injured late in the first half of the Spartans' 85-83 victory over Maryland on Sunday, March 22, 2010. Kalin, who reported his injury as "I came down the wrong way" will likely be present to help along with Tom Izzo to coach Korie Lucas as State prepares to challenge Butler on Saturday, April 3.


Today Kalin underwent surgery and his spirits seem to be glowing, according to Izzo. Kalin, I wish you a speedy recovery and hope that your energy and spirit continues to give courage to your team. We love you!

Our Family Wedding

If you know screen writer, director and Best Actor/Academy Award Winner Forest Whitaker like I know him then you can bet your bottom dollar that he's the film industry standard for a platinum gold artist. A much lighter piece than what he's traditionally known, but Forest rocks the urban swag like no other. He has chemistry by the pound with television vet Regina King. Sure the film is a family comedy about the blending of two cultures: Mexican and Black American, however the real genious comes shining through in the screen vets.

Like my friend Lisa said "I didn't get the chemistry with Marcus (Lance Gross) an unemployed med school student and his law school dropout fiancee Lucia (America Fererra)!" Well, I somewhat have to agree. The movie didn't really put a lot of emphasis on their relationship, other than she was playing this relationship quite close to the vest. So although it was a barrel of laughs, these two were steam rolled by the vets and self-proclaimed equal opportunity offender Carlos Mencia. They were the frame, Forest, Regina, and Carlos Mencia were the photo, without a doubt. But it was a great time of funny, charming, and loads of culture. I took my nephew and he isn't the romantic film guru by no stretch so he was pleasantly surprised to see Charlie Murphy grace the screen. It's worthy to take a resting place in the archives of my many DVD's.

Did I bother to mention that Forest has swagger! He brings it! I totally bought the dynamic of his relationships!

Our Family Wedding - Trailer No. 1 - Moviefone

Tonight...The NAACP Image Awards

Image Award nominees Anika Noni Rose and Hill Harper will host tonights event. Don't forget to set your TiVo or your DVR to tune in for the 41st Annual NAACP Image Awards, tagged as 'the multi-cultural awards show from an African American perspective'. This should be the award that Gabourey Sidibe gets to take home as outstanding actress in a lead role for her labor in Precious...no problem. I'm pulling for her. I'm also pulling for Adam Rodriguez who had an outstanding role in Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad...

I'm watching! How about you?

Black History Month Salutes...Winter Olympic Medalists

In 2006, Shani Davis joined a distinct membership of Winter Olympic Athletes, when he successfully claimed his quest for gold in the 1000 meter speed skate. He then set a record this year by becoming the first man to win back-to-back 1,000–meter Olympic speed skating gold medals.

The tradition began with U.S. figure skater Debi Thomas who became the first African American to medal in a Winter Olympics when she placed third in her event in the '88 games.

Keeping the flame burning, in 2002 Vonetta Flowers who had failed to make the Summer Teams for track and field due to injuries and was originally cut from the 2002 Winter Games as a brakewoman, accepted the call (one of two offers) to join her future partner in gold, Jill Bakken, making her the first African American to achieve gold in a winter game.

These three individuals have not only made their family's and fellow country-men proud, but have stood apart from the masses and challenged the spectra that winter sports are not deemed a white or caucasian entity. So as we conclude the winter games, I raise my glass and toast you Shani and the trailblazers that came before you. May your honor, courage, strength, and leadership forever reign supreme.

2010 Winter Olympics

I can't remember the last time I was so excited to see the Winter Olympics...was it 92? Probably. Figure skating has been the winter equivalent to gymnastics, for me any way. So, to say I've been thoroughly disappointed with NBC's coverage, is an understatement. How did they manage to turn an exciting event into nearly the fanfare of a wet firecracker? By promising coverage that falls short of the hype, that's how. I remember back in 1992, never missing a single event because it was so organized on the calendar. Now, it's so much easier to ignore the Olympics altogether and just catch the sound bites on the news. Yes. It's that sad.

So, because I've been rooting for Apolo, Shani, and the U.S. altogether, I've found some creative space to pen a tale that suprisingly marries my writing muse to the backdrop of the Vancouver spectacular. Yes. NBC I will not allow your disappointing coverage to damper the wonderful euphoric state I've been in since the opening day ceremonies. The Olympics is scheduled to conclude in less than week. And this idea is dying to break free. So, I'm going to go for the Gold! Perhaps it'll get me mused, because I've sadly fallen short of my February goals to complete my stories. Sorry, but I'll be on the saddle again. But if Shani Davis can repeat gold, and not just become the first African American to win an individual gold medal in a winter sport, do so without the big name sponsors of some of his fellow patriots, then I think I can stir myself into a writing frenzy? What do you think?

One Night Only© by SparkApCider

Did you ever do something you know you shouldn't have? But inspite all pre-warnings, you fail at sobriety? This one-shot story to my 'apples in bloom' series titled: Love Bears All, I bring you One Night Only.



RATING: R
GENRE: Friendship/Romance/Comedy/Erotica

SUMMARY: What started out as a night on the town all by herself turned into an event she never could have planned!

"...My hair cut is short, sassy, and fierce just like me. I have a fresh pedi and mani, all cause I'm going out for a night on the town. Sure am. I bought myself a $115 ticket to see 'Dreamgirls Live' at the fabulous Fox Theatre...I'm worth it. In a dazzling red dress, some kick ass stiletto sandals, and showing all the assholes just what they won't be getting. Dinner before, then cocktails at intermission, I'm going all out tonight because...I have a date with myself."

...and then, what did my wondering eyes see appear...

"I should have counted up the costs but instead I got lost in the seconds in the minutes in the hours...as we lay"

To follow the adventure...

Against All Odds by SparkApCider

Are you ready for some football? Well this tale is surely grid-iron tough with a sexy twist. Just in time for the national football classic, I bring you a throwback with my millenium twist. Against All Odds is a gritty tale. It's not all sweet. If you remember the movie, an 80's classic, you'll remember that it was rough and passionate. Well this one is that and then some. No copyright infringements intended.

RATING: R/X
GENRE: Drama, Erotica, Family, Mystery, Romance, Suspense
SUMMARY: A gangster (Frank Sorrell), hires an ex-football player with gambling debts (Dean Stafford) to find his fugitive girlfriend (Lourdes Wheeler). He immediately falls in love with her. But when the odds are against him is she a woman he can bet his heart on?

Take a peek and see the wonderful group of Hollywood stars whose on-screen works drove the personality of this tale.

READ ON...

Are U Still Down?© by SparkApCider

You ever had this catchy tune that you simply couldn't get out of your head? I mean a soulful R&B tune with a catchy Hip Hop hook? That's how I felt when I heard this song for the first time. It's a near perfect melody and I came up with a short one-shot. I hope you spin the cut, drop the volume low, making it the back drop while you read along.


SONG
RATING: R
GENRE: Friendship/Romance
SUMMARY: A past love returns to claim what was lost, but is she still down?

snippet...

Why should Aaliyah Chapman believe it today?

She had heard it all before. It wasn't the exact words, but the conveyance was still the same. If she had a dollar for the sonnets, she could blow school and retire young.

How can he say he loved her, and then marry another woman? What the hell was he smoking, telling her that if this circus stunt he was trying to pull off didn't pan out then maybe he'd just admit he'd made a mistake and come back to her garden? What did he think? Was that supposed to make her feel better? The shit that comes out the ass could be deemed less foul.

READ ON...

Valentines Day: Art and Life meet and then some

Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14 by many people throughout the world. In the English-speaking countries, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The holiday is named after two Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines". Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards.

Lost for gift ideas this year? Send that special someone a holiday gift courtesy of Cheryl and Co. Their unique collection of gifts for all seasons can be given to your friends, family, business associates as well.

On February 12, film director Garry Marshall debuts his film Valentine's Day boasting an eclectic ensemble cast that includes Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Kathy Bates, the two Taylors (Lautner and Swift), and many more. The films premise of intertwining the lives of several couples, single and married, who break ups and make up based on the pressures of the holiday should make this one quite a laugh.


If that's a little too serious for you, how about sharing the company of your special someone right in your very own living room. Why let costs keep you from having a good time. The NBA's All-Star Game will telecast live on Feb. 14 hosted by the Dallas Mavericks, and it's showcase includes: Shakira, Usher, and Alicia Keys!

Baby of Mine© by SparkApCider

Thanks to the fans who inspired the parent series Love Bears All: A Journey to Love, I dedicated this one especially to baha_malo from TST Message Board. A beastly saga was born, and it continues to breed new siblings, cousins, etc., such as: Denied a prequel, One Night Only, Hello My Name is Sammy (WIP), and so on.


RATING: R
GENRE: Romance/Family/Drama
SUMMARY: From the series Love Bears All, the sequel to It's All about You, comes the story of a young man (Brian Keith Santi) and a young woman (Nicole America Mendes) growing preciously in love and looking towards the future of building a life together. Every thing seems to be going well until tragedy strikes the young family. Brian finds himself standing alone in the face of fear and uncertainty but rises to the challenge of fatherhood and dares anyone to doubt the woman he loves and the family few believe is even worth it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it.

No copyright infringements intended.

READ ON...

Embrace of the Dragon© by SparkApCider

Remember Romeo Must Die?

This was the blockbuster action film which starred the late superstar Aaliyah and martial arts action star Jet Li was themed in the lightness of West Side Story. Well here's the sequel, one I penned into a multi-chapter story that returns some of the original cast and introduces some new. This is just a snippet to wet your appetite. It's truly something you'd want to sink your teeth in. No copyright infringements intended.


RATING: R/X
GENRE: Drama/Suspense/Action

excerpt, from CH. 7.

The thirst was upon him. It had been two days since he last fed. He cursed the curse. But he was seduced by the power it gave him. He raised his hand to his face-and inhaled the message she left behind. He would never forget that scent. But she wasn't in rapture yet-but he could tell her womanly sacrifice was a few more days away. That would be the optimum time to embrace her. There's no way she would deny him. He would have his bride and rule his dominion by moon of the night and by day.

Death was upon him. He looked around the shop and a quiet fell upon the place.

Craven took off his dark glasses and looked at the clerk. The young man slowly walked over to the windows and drew the shades. Then he turned the sign around on the door. He didn't say anything he just did what Craven had commanded him to do. Craven led the way, to the back of the store, and disappeared behind a door marked 'employees only'. Suddenly whimpers and moans came from the other side of that door. You could hear cans crashing to the floor, whimpers and moans, and then the faint sound of an animal ripping through flesh.

The door opened and Craven appeared. "M mm" he uttered while the licking the sides of his mouth. He unlocked the door and walked out. Then about six blocks down the road he turned and looked back towards Luigi's Pizzeria. He eased the dark shades from his face. In his eyes you could see the flames engulfing the tiny little shop.

READ MORE...

Italian Ice© by SparkApCider

A one-shot short story which I had so much fun writing was finally scribed after six months of trying to figure out if it should be a chapter story. Well, it has begged a continuance! Here's an exerpt. Feel free to continue reading and share your thoughts. This is unbetaed, so I'm still polishing it up. No copyright infringements intended.


RATING: R/X
GENRE: Romance/Drama/Erotica
SUMMARY: He danced by the name Italian Ice.

Dereon (pron. Darry-ahn) Boudreaux took a long languid look at the man she had just made love with. His long thick lashes flickering as a soft snore emitted from him. She loved his hair, soft brown and golden hues to match his eyes, deep crater dimples that would make a liar of anyone who said he wasn't fine, can't escape mentioning those loaded guns strapped to the top of his six foot five frame. Long, muscular, thick and he even had a body to match it too. He had earned his rest. Dinner was fabulous-chicken marsala, white zinfandel, fresh bread hot from the oven, and crisp chilled garden salad with the little garlic croutons he knew she loved. Everything was right, but something was missing.

No fizzle. The chemistry just wasn't there. She spent days, even months trying to manufacture it. If any woman needed to open her wound and bear the babies of the hulky independently wealthy Jamieson Scalia, he was there for the taking...left kicked like a puppy against the side of the road, where Dereon left him. It wasn't all bad on her part. She did try. She spent time with him. She took an interest in the things he loved. He wasn't perfect but he tried. The trouble was her. She wasn't in love and it pained her to keep denying it. Jamieson so wanted to please her.

Dereon struggled for weeks on how to tell him, how to break his heart, because as much as she tried...the magic didn't come and she was sure by now it wouldn't likely ever be around. She was twenty-two, and too young to be selling herself short, she thought. CONTINUE...

A Pretty Woman© by SparkApCider

Enjoy, and by all means feel free to continue reading. This is a completed work, unbetaed. I'm still editing and polishing it. Let me know what you think!


RATING: R
GENRE: Inspirational/Drama
SUMMARY: an inspirational tale of four strangers from different places who meet at the auspice of life and death, stirring each others hearts and setting their true spirits free. Michelangelo Sabatino is a good son, a hardworking Type A, whose mother Linda, a former sculptor, whom he hardly knows has been released to hospice and needs a caregiver but his estranged wife Rachel isn't up to the challenge. A chance encounter with the homeless Imani Demeska, Linda discovers a kind and friendly heart who helps mediate a renewed relationship with mother and son before the element of time cements them strangers forever.

Chapter 1

A white and blue SafeWay Transportation mini-bus pulled into the circular driveway of the Sabatino's Palmer Woods Estate, a historic tree-lined district with homes well over a hundred years old. Lawns manicured in the quiet sub-division, a fresh rain misted the tops of the bright green blades of grass, and a few subtle hits of charcoal filled the air. It was more apt to be a retirement community of the 'old money' of the larger nearby metropolis. But a younger urban professional class had moved in and renovated the older homes while maintaining their historic charm. The driver pulled up the emergency break after cutting the engine, and stepped off the bus, allowing the petite woman assistance as she made her way, carefully negotiating each step. She cupped his face with her right hand and gave it a gentle tap, as he held her left hand taut in his larger right; he held his left arm firmly against her back. She smiled as he guided her up to the door of the large brick mini-mansion. As he leaned in to ring the bell, a wiry thin bleach blond woman with dark roots and over-baked tanned skin flung the door open. "Mother!" the host cheered and clasped her hands together, as if excited to see the visitor. The petite little woman's smile drained from her wrinkled face as she looked up towards the eyes of her burly chauffer. "Oh God...why has thou forsaken me!" She whispered with closed eyes.

READ MORE

the best buy of 2009

I typically have what I call a love-hate relationship with techno-retailer Best Buy. See I remember the days when Sears & Roebuck, Fretter, and Highland Appliances were a neighborhood staple for electronics. Well, gone are the days. And in it's place cometh the Bohemothe.

After years of being a computer consumer, it's not easy now to sell me a load of junk. Fool me once...

But I have to give both HP and Best Buy huge props for what turned out to be truly the best buy of 2009. Best Buy ran a pre-Black Friday special on HP laptop computers, specifically the G60-549DX. It retails currently around 530-588 dollars. Lucky me, who had been in the market for a new laptop happened upon a day of shopping, which suprisingly was the Friday before the sale of 429.99 had ended.

Suffice it to say, they were flying off the shelves and I spent countless hours studying the specs and then proceeded to driving nearly 100 miles to get this pre-holiday treasure. Five minutes before I walked into the store in Ann Arbor, MI there were nearly two dozen. By the time I crossed the threshold there were five and three of them were about to be closing sale.

It was an unbelievable adventure. But I'm glad I stayed in the fight. You see that price of 429.99 hasn't returned since the week before Black Friday 2009. And so far, it doesn't seem that this brand is going to make an encore at that offer. By the way it boasts an Intel Pentium Dual Core Processor, 4 GB of RAM, and 250 GB HD. Sure it runs the latest OS, Windows 7 has a built-in web cam and MIC. Some of it's beauty I have yet to experience. But I'm proud of my purchase. I have no complaints. I'm a squeeing fool!

Every once in a while you happen on to something that makes you truly feel like you hit the lottery. I'm not one to believe in luck, but I do believe that what is meant for you is meant for you.

Art is my Muse!

Nothing gets me more in the mood to write quite like music and images. I must admit that my love for music (all genres) has often lead me into many of sleepless nights, spinning a tale of love, lust, and revenge. My current musical muse is 70-80's music and movies. I can get lost in that era. After all, it's what I call my Wonder Years.

Musically speaking, R&B soul singer and writer Teddy Pendergrass, who recently passed away on January 13, 2010 has been plucking at my creative nerve. Listen to this signature track. Does it inspire you?

RIP Theodore Pendergrass - March 26, 1950 – January 13, 2010.

Interracial Fiction Message Board

If THE CHAMBER is where I call home, then TST (The Sweetest Taboo) is the womb from where I was nurtured. The very first story I posted on this site, but abandoned for nearly two years is called Embrace of the Dragon: A vampy-martial arts original sequel to Romeo Must Die. I revisited the story after beginning to pen another story and decided, WAIT! You have some unfinished business lingering...so I retooled the old, made a new banner, added a music playlist, and fired up my desktop daily until it was done.

If you decide not to join TST to read, you may enjoy it directly from here.

But I do more than post work there at TST. I laugh and chat it up with some of the most intelligent people in the bloggosphere about current events. I think my posting numbers ballooned there during the Presidential Election of 2008.

You have to join this site to read, but let me tell you: IT'S WORTH IT!

It's an absolute thrill to be there but a lot of my works are resting in the archive and it can be a little tricky for new readers to reach them. So one of the reason's I started this blog was to unify the readers from the various places I publish and dialog about how I can make the journey to reading my stories a little easier. I hope that from here, it will be much easier to navigate to the updates.

Any suggestions you may have will be greatly appreciated.