The seven astronauts who are about to embark on a Long Duration Mission (LDM) have decided that they would like to have female companionship. "Lady Bliss," designed by the mad scientist Dr. Eveready, is cautiously welcomed by the astronauts. Fast forwarding back. The LDM has been successful, with help from "Lady Bliss," but she has to remain a secret because of the sociopolitical climate. NAPA ("National Association for Protection of Astronauts," -- think Orwellian) decides that "Lady Bliss" should be disassembled. The astronauts decide to release her into space. A Solar Gulf Stream washes...

"Mr. Bonobo[1] Bliss aka 'Bo'" is a humanoid designed by the Dr. Maxwell Waters Group to accompany six female astronauts on a long duration mission. "BO's" presence must be kept a secret because of the sociopolitical climate of the time. Unfortunately, for the "astranauettes," the secret is leaked and their mission is scrubbed. They return to Earth with serious cases of post-traumatic romantic-stress disorders. "Mr. Bonobo Bliss" escapes to the Amazon forest and Dr. Maxwell Waters and her husband, the former head of the National Association Protection of Astronauts, are forced into "exile."...

Sweet Peter Deeder a.k.a. 'Mr. Sweets' "First off I have to say this loud and make it very clear from the very beginning; I am a descendant of one of the royal houses of African-American pimping. Let me add, I am a proud descendant. I know what I'm about to tell you is going to rustle some feathers, make no mistake about that, but that's the way it's been with me all my pimping life. When I say I'm a descendant of one of the royal houses, I mean it. I can back it up with bona fide DNA/geneo-logical evidence. Now then, having said that, I want to make it clear that my economic/sexual...

SHACKLES ACROSS TIME "Shackles Across Time" traces the history of a curse, of a spiritual fatwa, in a sense, on an African slave trader's family in West Africa, and the subsequent effect of that curse on the family, over the course of three centuries. Modern technology helps the descendants to realize that something is not cool with their spiritual DNA, but they must use ol'fashioned means to cope with the problem. They engage the services of a well-known writer (a case of serendipity, he has written about their family in his book about the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade). The mediator is called...

The Matador Negro "Azucar" (Black Matador, "Sugar"), is the story of a young African-American man, born and raised on the Southside of Chicago, who is obsessed by the idea of becoming a matador. Chester Simmons is opposed by his parents. "Bullfighting ? Get serious about yourself, Chester " Dondisha Phillips, the kindergarten teacher who loves him, "Chester, you could get hurt messin' around with those bulls." Chester trips to Mexico City. He spends time in the projects called Tlaltelolco before he does an "espontaneo"/jumps into the bullring during a fight in the Plaza Mexico. He does four...

""Snake Doctor" is a modern, African-American Faustian epic. The story is of a man who made a supernatural deal with a wizard in the Equatorial Rain Forest of Northern Ghana. The deal that was made guaranteed this man that he would receive the money he needed to make the break out film he yearned to make. The proper sacrifices were made, the money poured in and the filmmaker became an international success. But all does not remain sweetness 'n light. The shadow of the wizards influence remains a mental section that the filmaker's son must deal with. It takes grit, determination and hard work...

"Kwanzaa for Conrad & The Survival Tango" offers a gritty, sometimes funny picture of a brilliant man who manages to swim out of schizophrenia into a "normal" creative life as a writer.

"Black, White & Brown On The Blue Line" is an invitation to join a collection of strangers on an emotionally adventurous trip, from Long Beach, California to Downtown Los Angeles, California -- and back.

Palm Wine Junction has several stories reflecting the Pan-African Occult genre. I invite the perceptive reader to determine which stories come from that genre. I would also suggest that the prospective reader should not be led into thinking that the children, beautifully detailed by artist Suchin Lin, on the cover of Palm Wine Junction represent the unusual stories in Palm Wine Junction. The children were chosen, symbolically, to represent ideal readers - those who are unbiased, "innocent," their imagination still intact, willing to have an experience with "unusual stories