La Rose Book II Le Baton Chronicles Available Now!!!

The next book in the Le Baton Chronicles is now available in paperback on Amazon.com.

In the shadow of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom telecast in 1963 New Orleans, Louisiana, Lela Chevalier Roberts continues her recount of the Chevalier family history to her great-grandson, Julian Charles Chamberie, with the life of her late husband, James Roberts in 19th Century Louisiana. Assisted by angels and heaven, James escapes annihilation at the hand of his father and flees the war torn American South to France, taking refuge with his cousins Emmanuel and Jonathan. Yet, Mammon the Devil pursues him, destroying the life he has created. Clawing his way out of the madness of Hell, the memory of an ancient love compels James to continue on in spite of Satan ploys. He returns to America at war’s end, finding himself faced with the foretold love he has dreamed, at last uniting with his Rose, Lela. Nevertheless, the devil is busy, and executes his greatest plot to destroy Lela’s and James’ love forever, jeopardizing the lineage and birth of the End Time King, Le Baton.

Pick up your copy today!

New Releases: La Rose Le Baton Chronicles And Dorothy Jones A Jazz Age Trip Through Oz

It's finally here! As of today, July 18, 2016,  La Rose Le Baton Chronicles is available in paperback on amazon.com.

On June 1, 2016, I published Dorothy Jones A Jazz Age Trip Through Oz, also available in paperback on amazon.com.

These past few months have been a crazy time, finalizing publishing details regarding my books. Yet, it has been fulfilling. I am now working towards my goals and making them a reality, instead of just dreaming about them. I can't wait to see what comes next.

I'm Coming Home

That wasn't a good idea, so now I'm back.

Let me explain...

So I'd decided to add a blog to my website. Typically this is a good idea and folks are encourage to do so. However, my web host isn't great with supporting this feature. I would lose my pictures all the time. It just wasn't working.

So I'm coming back home.

I've been pretty busy while I've been gone. I'll tell you about it tomorrow.

Moving Day

As of March 3, 2016 I am moving my blog. You can find it at:

http://www.blamehelenabooks.com/Blog.html

I have been on blogger for many years and have enjoyed my experience. But as I've said, this is the Year of Yes. I am letting go of the old to try something new.

Thanks for your support! See you soon.

The Year of YES

A wonderful friend of mine, K (to protect her privacy) unexpectedly gave me a gift for Christmas. I was shocked. I felt like a heel because I didn't get her anything. But being such a loving person, she knew exactly what I needed to know...

Year of Yes

That's right, she gave me Shondra Rhimes book. I thanked her and took it home. Since I'm always working on my own novels, I'm don't have much opportunity to read like I once did. Most times, I read a few chapters and then the book is left unfinished, languishing on my nightstand.

This book is different from what I anticipated.

I thought it would be more like an Oprah book, be your best self... this it the year were your dreams will come true, the universe is opened to you, just ask.

Nope, not about that.

It's about saying yes to situations and opportunities outside your comfort zone. Interacting with and being apart of your world.

Like leaving your apartment other than to go to work or to go to Mass on occasion. Talking to folks. Going to events.

Say what?

Ms Shondra is talking crazy. I'm a writer. I say at home, drink beverages, write and edit my books. I pay bills. I go to work and I come home. It's the weekend. I ain't going anywhere, unless I need to pay my rent or guilt myself into going to Mass. Hey, they're starting to know me at church. They may ask me to participate in a group. I need to cut  back on my attendence.

This book is crazy talk. I'm not reading anymore of it.

Yet, I'm compelled to read this book. Every night, worn out and over taxed from interacting with people at work, I just want to sleep and forget the world and its demands.

But I'll read a few pages. My friend thought about me and gave me the book. The least I can do is read it. Damn. It's a passive invitation to engage myself and others. I've been tricked. At last, This book is a mirror, showing me my introverted, loner underbelly. For much like Shondra, I say no to just about everything. I'm reading about me; it's showing me what I overlook when I face myself in the mirror every morning. It's making me face myself and my actions.

Like when my friend Vickie invited me to Thanksgiving dinner. I said no. Sure I had great excuses...

It's the holiday. I can't drive because my tags are out. True.

My tires are bald I won't have the money to get the two of them replace (driving on the white meat) until next pay check. True.

I'm have cramps and can't be away from the bathroom for more than five minutes. TRUE TRUE TRUE.

I don't have money for gas. Yeah, that's true too.

But the real truth...

I don't want to leave my house. I don't want to share my time. I don't want to interact. I want to be alone.

And there it is. How insulting to one of my great friends. I want to be alone. I cringed when she asked me. I had already planned my holiday, alone. I'm going to drink plenty of champagne and finish writing my book. Although desperately lonely, I CHOSE to be alone. I understand loneliness. It's my friend. I don't have to try. I'm in my comfort zone, being alone with me.

It's better to dream of the ideal me than to make it a reality. The reality may fall short of the dream.

That's why I write, to bring my dreams to life. Living the dream? Well that's no good. It falls short, every time.

So, I insulted my friend and stayed at home, alone and hungry, eating leftover Indian food. It was good. I didn't have to drive. I didn't challenge myself with the outside world.

Easy-peasy.

Yet, Shondra has challenged reclusive writers (and others) everywhere. This is the year of YES. This is the year we say yes to everything, in particular, those things that make us anxious. The things that cause your fingers to turn black and caked with eczema.

Like Christmas. I went home for Christmas. Five days of alone time with my parents. No out. Just in the house with the loving people who gave birth to me.

I thought I would lose my mind.

Why are they talking to me? Why do they want to talk at 6am? Why are you asking me if I'm hungry? No I don't want to cook. We have champagne and beer, won't that do?

I couldn't sleep. I didn't have my TV and fan to lull me asleep.

However, the hermit was intrigue. Social interaction. It was fascinating. Persistence. My parents never give up. The make a way out of no way. Unconditional love. They just loved me.

I'm not accustomed to receiving love anymore. The shields were coming down. I needed to get out. A snow/sleet storm threatened to trap me, but I got out. After one of the worst travel days ever (I once travel for work, I never encountered challenges such as this) I was home.

I was painfully lonely. I missed my parents, their hell hound, the cat. I missed family. I missed love.

So, I pulled out the book I'd been re-writing for six months. I finished it. I figured out how to convert it into an EPUB file and published it not only on Amazon, but Barnes & Noble and Kobo.

I've started saying YES.

This year, I say YES to love and relationships. No matter what the relationship may be or the circumstances surrounding it... Yes honey, I say YES to you.

Oh, and I say YES to updating my technology. I'm getting a new computer and tablet. I still say no to a smart phone. I guess I must take baby steps in the universe of YES.

The Grinch Stole My Strongholds

2015 has been a challenging a**kicker of the year. It was all I could do to maintain my mental facilities to survive day to day, let alone write. This is my first entry in months. Although I did make it to ComicCon, I never posted the pictures. Everything was a struggle this year. I endured one breakdown after another.

A breakdown of strongholds.

These past five years have been a continuous, non-stop breakdown of strongholds for me. I lost a lot. Not sure what I gained. Here's what I think I gained:

Freedom - There's nothing left I have an emotional attachment to except my writing. That's it. 

Hardened heart - I'm not super sensitive to others and their hardships. I don't feel obligated to get involved in everyone's personal problems. Guess what? Live goes on for all concerned. 

Self-sufficient - I've learned not to depend on others financially and emotionally. I'm ok being alone with me. If I can't afford it, I typically say forget it and skip purchases/extras (unless it involves parents. ugh)

 I kinda sound like the Grinch, huh? Yeah, kinda feel like him too. But it works.

 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Comic Con 2015

ComicCon was a blast this year, as it is every year. I fluffed up my fro and unfurled my petals, anxious to behold the dreams of July in San Diego.

La Rose from the series La Rose, Book I - III Le Baton Chronicles www.amazon.com/author/claudiaross
ComicCon 2015, San Diego CA

Thanks to Jim Poole Photography for the photo. To enjoy more of his photos from Comic Con, visit his site at https://jimpoolphotography.smugmug.com/ComicCon-San-Diego-2015/

Fertilizing my roses at Acqua Al 2

Taking a break with new friends at Trivoli's, where Wyatt Earp once hung his gun belt

My favorite costume - Retired #Spiderman

Watering and Fertilizing my Roses and Trivoli's

Alas, adieu to my love, Comic Con. Hold my dreams safe until next year.

AM

I don't have a name for this post. I'm in a transitional phase of my life and have no clear ideals on anything. I'm on a verge of a major shift in my life, but I don't know what it is or when it's coming. I feel it, though. I've let go of some living aids and adopted new ones.

I'm writing Book IV of La Rose (coming next December). It's going alright. It's ok. It just is.

I'm throwing out stuff around the house and office. Fixing up a few things. But mostly, I wait.

Now, Empire is ending. After tomorrow, I will have nothing to do.

Yet at the same time, I feel like Cookie Lyons when her day had come. My day has come, but I don't know it yet.

That's it. I'm null inside. 

I'm just AM.

Fox's Empire Tackles African-American Taboos

As with most of America, I'm riveted to Empire every Wednesday night on FOX. I start booting up my Tweet Deck at 830pm so that I'm ready to go by 9pm. There is no lolly-gagging with this show. If you're late, you're missing the action. Go to the bathroom and get your glass of wine before the show starts; you won't have enough time to address all of your needs during commercial breaks.

Empire writers aren't afraid to tackle the tough issues, taking them head on. No concerns about political correctness here. Lucious Lyon, family patriach and founder of Empire Records, has proven to be an unforgiving threshing floor when dealing with taboo family subjects and issues.

First issue

Jamal's gay. It was never a secret; Lucious and Cookie always knew about it. Yet, since no one was talking about Jamal's sexuality, it didn't exist. The boy is straight. Lucious is a 'Type A' Black father whose sons are a reflection of him. Lucious is proud and straight; and his sons had damn well better be too. In Lucious' mind, Jamal needs to get that 'gay s###' out of their mind, straighten up and fly right. Not open for discussion.

My mouth fell open during the first episode when Lucious threw his young son Jamal in the garbage can. This is how deep the shame runs for some. I felt the pain, outrage, helplessness, vulnerability and hurt from each of the characters involved in the scene. I can't understand how you can throw your child in the garbage can (maybe because I'm a woman). That was one of the all time unforgettable TV/Movie scenes. It ranks with "You told Harpo to beat me" from The Color Purple and "I'm going to make you an offer you can't refuse" from The Godfather. It was raw, brutal, heartbreaking and honest.

YouTuber LeoStatus811 posted this clip:

Lucious is beginning to deal with Jamal's homosexuality, a reality he can't change. Lucious is traveling a rough road, but he's dealing. Yet, he still has his moments. However, last night, Jamal stood up to his Lucious' put down. He didn't get emotional or offended; he just told Lucious the facts and to deal with them. Jamal has overcome.

Second Issue

Lucious notices Andre is having a few mental issues. The boy seems 'off' to him, or down right crazy at times. Unbeknownst to Lucious, Andre has been having issues for years, but he was taking his meds, suppressing the emotional cancer of his childhood trapped within.

Andre's off his meds.

Uh Oh

And he's showing out.

Unacceptable. Lucious doesn't have sons who are nuts anymore than he has sons who are gay.

After a meltdown in the elevator with his brothers, Andre returns to boardroom. He can no longer hold the heartache.

It will be interesting to see how Lucious deals with Andre's mental collapse next week. Based on his dealings with Jamal, I think I have a pretty good ideal.

Empire has done an excellent job in presenting these issues within the Black community (and others I'm sure) as they are. They haven't glamorized or glorified them, instead confronting these challenges as we all do - filled with courage, fear, trepidation and resistance.

Empire has demonstrated we must deal with our stuff sooner or later. And it's going to hurt. Bad. But once we go through, we come out stronger on the other side. We grow. The secrets, humiliation and shame that once crippled our spirits has now become new weapons in arsenal. Can't nothing mess with us anymore.

The troubles we have overcome while living with folks and life have become bricks in our road to realizing ourselves as the supreme beings God created us to be.

Oscar Dreams

As many around the world, I'm watching the Oscar's Red Carpet ceremony. I can't help but to dream of one day 'walking the line' in a glamorous yellow dress, chatting about the screenplay of one of my works up for nomination, jaw-jabbing with other celebrities, and charming the press while answering the daunting question of 'what are you wearing?'

Then I sigh and return to my work as an assistant. It's a great job, but we all dream dreams. One day last year, and not a particularly good day, I sat at my desk, discouraged. And then I remembered something. digging through my bag-o-files, I pulled out an old copy of Fortune Magazine, with Miss Oprah Winfrey on the cover. My co-worker Jessica had given it to me, having pasted my name over Miss Oprah's.

Inspired, I designed the following cover that evening:

The next day, I placed this picture on my bulletin board at work. I look at it all day, every day. When I feel inadequate and discouraged, I look at my picture to remind myself of who I am and my purpose in life. My current situation is a step towards my destiny. I remind myself I'm a great writer and my break will come. A person will read my books and say, 'We need to talk. This is great.' 

As artists, writers, actors, musicians, dancers, performers, and athletes, we must constantly remind ourselves of our greatness and our tremendous talent, whether sitting at the Oscars, Grammy's, Lou's Bar, the library, or on the sofa. We all have a great gift and talent to share with the world, and it is our duty to continue to do so, no matter what.