OFF THE CHAIN….!!!

Oh, yeah, we paaartaayed in Chi-town and in NYC!

First let me tell you, the Chicago Street team and crazy-azz sister-friend-author, Lissa Woodson and her road doll, “Miz Deb” hooked a sistah up! I don’t even know where to begin, but Alicia, Candace, Barbara and company scooped me up, had me hitting store after store, chile, we laughed till I was about to fall down in the Chicago heat. Downtown at Citicorp Center, they had it on lock, as well as at Books-A-million, Borders on Michigan and state Street… and you know I bumped into MY GURL, Seven, who works up at Borders on Michigan Avenue and we turned the store out with a scream-fest, LOL! But Lissa took us to this place called The Grand Lux, where we all experienced the “food-gasm.” See, that place made no sense—was the kind of smack yo’ Momma experience done in refined style… plank smoked salmon, salmon cooked three ways, desserts that were simply ridiculous—pics will be showing up on the forum and yahoo group I am sooo sure! (Candace took plenty of blackmail shots for everyone, ha ha ha!)

Then on to Borders Hyde Park, where it was thick with readers, we had the no-holds-barred discussion—which always causes more laughs, and then rolled gansta style (on two wheels) to get to the Come Out and Play Party hosted by Lissa… jerk chicken, rice & peas, homemade wheat rolls that melted in your mouth like butta, homemade cakes, steppin’, salsa, musical chairs, Bid, Spades… awwww sookie, sookie, it was mad-crazy fun. I was so tired and so full, I could barely breathe… but on Saturday, Lissa and her road doll took over the driving and spun me into this chicken and waffles joint for breakfast. By the time we left there, wiping greasy mouths, I needed to go back to bed, LOL… but we pushed on, hitting stores in stock-signing drive-bys, then stopped at Azizi Books and over at Walden’s at River Oaks (where they treat us like royalty—just like Dorothy does downtown at Citicorp Center.) Once out of there, Street team and Raw Sisters hijacked me to Bogart’s Restaurant with author-brother Earl Sewell and his lovely teenaged daughter, a steak house with stooopid portions and such good eats that I simply cried Uncle. Had to tell ‘em, “Y’all, just take me home!” Ha ha ha! At the end, Alicia hands me a tin of Garrett’s popcorn… this insanely delicious concoction of cheese and caramel. I know the folks in Chicago who got a book signed by me last year remember my orange thumb prints in their books—the popcorn is like crack! I inhaled a bag on the way to a signing and then was “orange fingered” for the rest of that day—this year Street team hid the tin and gave it to me at the end, LOL (that ain’t right!)

Now, mind you… right after Chicago, I had to head to NYC for “The Hueman Experience,” where the NYC Street team didn’t disappoint. Maaaaannnn… they took over Hueman, about 125 people thick in the house—standing room only, folks in the aisles, every seat taken, whew! They gave out door prizes, mugs, all sorts of key chains, magnets, and raffles… and we GOT DOWN on the git-down on what was gonna happen next in the series (BIG GRIN—if I tell ya I have to kill ya kinda discussion.) Madame Marva, owner-manager of Hueman extraordinaire gave me my BIG HUG and lots of love… I bow to her ebullient hospitality as always. Then we got a surprise visit from Susan Taylor of Essence Magazine! Yes, I babbled and kissed her ring, LOL—she is sooo gracious and soooo gorgeous, just a beautiful spirit. Carmen, gansta Street Team, ha ha ha, went over to her and convinced her that it was all right to break into the discussion to say “hi.” Everyone gave her a standing ovation and clapped—made my night!

See, y’all have to understand… Susan Taylor, for me, was the first image as a young woman I had of an African American editor/publisher. I was in my teens when Susan Taylor grasped my mind and left her brand upon it. She was so serene, graceful, calm, and spiritual… and her image left a lasting impression on my psyche. A queen… and there she was… had floated into the bookstore with her trademark braids and glowing skin and flowing robes of pastel hue—and all I could think of was one of the Neteru Queens had given me the nod. When she smiled at me and said she’d listened to the discussion and was so glad that I was doing what I was doing… wow… that was like getting a divine “go in peace my child” from Aset. I wanted to laugh and cry and felt just like a star-struck newbie… yeah.

But Street team wasn’t having a short night, no siree, LOL! We had to go do Dinosaur Burger’s in style… ribs, big ass pulled pork, Lynchburg Lemonade, et al. We ate till we couldn’t breathe and laughed just as hard. Carmen, her sister Rosemary, Adrienne, Brother Glenn (aka Phat Jesus), his boy, Barry, Mz. Lisa-Lisa and her handsome boy, Rene, plus Roshida brought her husband, Keith, who is a throw-down hoot—family… it was all good. We staggered out of there, they got me a cab, and I passed out when I got back to my hotel. Next day, the heat—and I do mean Harlem HEAT WAVE was ON!

It had to be 110 degrees in the shade, but Street Team was out representing. They rushed me through the crowd at the Harlem Book fair so I could make my panel with my author sister-friends, Donna Hill, Gwen Forster, Nathasha Brooks, and Sandra Kitt up at the Thurgood Marshall Academy… then from there was a run past all the vendors to sign at the MacMillan booth, but you know Carmen hooked me up with fried fish from her borough office while Adrienne had the keychain and magnet distribution on lock—BIG GRIN. Just like in Chi-town, I saw lots of friends, familiar faces, and received plenty of love. (Shout out and Hug to Leslie, who came with a lovely stuffed wolf and handmade, gorgeous jeweled book mark! Bless you, sis!) Long day, lotta fun, there’s nothing like Chicago and NYC. Fell down and had a beer at Manie Barron’s house, then headed up to Brooklyn to hang out with my baby sis. On Sunday, we got to go to the Ausar-Aset Society in Brooklyn… profound experience and inspiration there. They also have a vegan restaurant and bookstore that is out of this world, smile!

So, today I’m home, washing clothes, packing and reading two manuscript edits and heading out to ComicCon. There will be stores, this I know, LOL! Tony Swatton, GENIUS with a blade—from The Sword and The Stone, is casting the Madame Isis as we speak, here are some pics below (this is work in progress, but I thought you might find the whole bronze casting thing really deep and interesting)—plus I got invited to a Vampire ball… I cannot wait!

Here is Tony’s work and Tony “at work” — check him out:

Yes he is actually FORGING an Isis! I am chair dancing! Here are some rogh sketches of what the hilt will look like–and he is using semi-precious stones, quartz crystal, and all that jazz

How deep is that, huh? And this is work in progress….

BIG PHILLY HUG and stay cool, y’all… Love, Leslie!
Stay in The Light!

The Devil’s Candy Store Merchandise

PS: But don’t worry… They will be offering mini versions of the Isis dagger on line at the Devil’s Candy Store, as well as jewelry and the illustration book after ComicCon. So folks can hit them there and order–I swear I don’t have any, LOL!

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