But this proud African-American father has had his own personal struggles - from skirmishes with the law as a youth to time in prison. Refusing to become another statistic, he turned his life around with blood, sweat, tears and plenty of hard work - a process that began during his incarceration.

"When I look at the obstacles I have faced and overcome sometimes I am led to say if I could do it you can do it too," he said. "At the end of the day that's the only answer I can give - you have to do it or it won't get done.

We only get one life and I was not willing to whither away in mediocrity. Of course there is a larger problem that exists within society - some things are just too much for us to tackle. People often get stuck because they misdiagnose the problems they're facing.

Romain adds that his art is one way that he engages people in conversations about touchy, complicated -even controversial subjects.

His new series of paintings reflects years of study and reflection about being a black man in America.

"I have been an avid reader on African-American history for over 20 years but this new project was the first time I actually sat down and did something that speaks to what I have been studying. I am often overwhelmed with how little we know about our past and that knowledge is crucial to understanding where and who we are today.

But there is still so much more I want to do. Life is not long enough to do all of the things that I dream about. I would love to travel the globe and share my art and my life story while at the same time absorbing the art and the stories of others. Art is more than just me painting a picture and selling it. Art is experiencing life in all of its abundance - that's the well from which my creativity evolves.

For more about Jonathon Romain go to his website at www.jromain.com. He can be reached at romainart@aol.com or 708/829-9578.

And with his smooth black skin, devilish grin and chiseled abs he has tongues wagging with envy and desire.

But make no mistake - Max Philisaire has a game plan that includes a lot more than just being today's "eye candy."

He had to learn a new language and a new way of life.

"It only strengthened my character and I remained positive," Philisaire said.

Max's plan included a stint in the U.S. Army as a combat engineer, taking him to places like Germany, Kosovo and Iraq. But even in these dangerous situations, he maintained his workout regiment. After completing his tour of duty, he returned to South Florida with his eyes on becoming a full time fitness model and personal trainer.

Soon his body was being featured in everything from music videos and fashion shows to fitness and hip hop magazines. Now he is working on a line of inspirational and motivational posters as well as a calendar, fitness guide and workout videos. "The whole concept is to inspire and motivate others to be fair to themselves and others while maintaining a healthy lifestyle," he said.

"Above all, I plan to brand myself not only as a Haitian male sex symbol but most important as a positive role model." You can find more pictures and information about Max Philisaire on a variety of social networks including: www.Maxthebody.com or www.Maxphilisaire.net.

Make sure you check out his exercise videos too.

Outwrite's owner Philip Rafshoon set the mood for the tribute which included authors, publishers, LGBT community activists and several members of Harris' family. Far from being a session of sad songs, soliloquies of sorrow and tales of regret, the event was instead upbeat - almost a celebration. And that is how E. Lynn would have wanted it.

Philip Rafshoon: "I'm not sure if any tribute can attest to all that he did and represented for the community, writers and the world but we are certainly here to give our best. E. Lynn showed us that every life is a story worth telling and he was an inspiration for many gay writers who may have once been afraid to tell their own stories. It wasn't that he was the first black gay writer to come along with a great story.

But he took it to a whole new level - he opened up the minds of people, straight and gay. Many of us remember E. Lynn Harris when he wrote his first book, Invisible Life. We have had him with us in this store for every one of his book signings and it has been a fantastic journey that we have taken together. And until this country acknowledges our community with equal rights and equal respect, the journey will need to continue."

J.L. King, New York Times Bestselling author: "His influence on the publishing world was amazing - he really had clout. In terms of my own career, E. Lynn touched me and motivated me to write my book about the down low and then other projects.

And what was great about him is that he helped others get their foot in the door and their books into the hands of the public. Some people have debated about who will fill his shoes but I would say that no one really can. There will never be another E. Lynn Harris."

Cindy Barnes, College Friend: "We've been friends since college at the University of Arkansas and he and my brother pledged Alpha Phi Alpha together. When my brother died from AIDS in 1995, E. Lynn was there for him and for our family - he became my brother and an uncle for my children. He had a way of uniting people and had a heart as big as they come."

Jessie Phillips (Aunt "G"), Aunt: "He was more than a nephew to me - he was more like another one of my sons. Lynn was a compassionate man and loved people. He especially enjoyed taking me and my sister [Harris' mother] to one new city a couple of times a year that we had never visited.

I remember one time we were in Philadelphia and a young man shared how much he [Harris] had inspired him. The young man admitted that before reading Lynn's novels, he had never read a complete book in his life - and he enjoyed it!

He had it rough growing up and his stepfather tried to beat his "gayness" out of him. His mother never knew that but if she had known, there would have been real trouble. With all of that it's amazing to me how beautiful a person he became.

"I remember when he quit his job at IBM - he was very unhappy and said he wanted to write. I told him if that was his passion then he needed to write but I also told him that he would have to be willing to sacrifice in order to make that dream come true. Then I made a deal with him - I told him he could stay with me and work on his book. He would read a few chapters to us at a time and I was amazed at his talent.

"That first book was tough for him. He lived at Kinko's getting it printed and could not find a publisher so he did it himself. He carried books in his car and went to barber shops and beauty salons and house parties. I even took books to my office.

He had some hard knocks along the way and some friends let him down. But his mother and I both reminded him that sometimes people will let you down - but you have to keep going.

"We had many memorable family gathering and while he was always on a diet, that boy could put some food away. I am grateful that God game him to us for 54 years. That was a true blessing. I have three sons - but E. Lynn Harris was my fourth son."

Christopher Bennett, Author: "If it had not been for E. Lynn Harris, I would never have become a writer. His memoirs actually touched me - it was like I knew some of the people in his books and after reading his first book, I began to write my own.

I wanted to write the first great American novel and just the thought of him left me star struck. I reached out to him when I was close to finishing my first book - well, I only had three chapters really done, but he actually read them.

He sat down, read carefully and told me that while he expected it to be mostly trash, that he was very impressed. As I continued to write, he would reach out to me periodically to see how things were progressing. That meant so much to me. Today is like closure for me."

He told me he believed in me. I mailed my mother a copy of Invisible Life and told her that the main character was her son. I could not have done that without E. Lynn Harris in my life. "

Fiona Zedde, Author: "I came to the United States from Jamaica and lived with my aunt during my teen years when I was beginning to understand that I was attracted to women. My aunt knew what I was going through and she actually gave me a copy of Invisible Life to help me with my coming out process.

It was the first time I had ever read a book with characters that were experiencing the same highs and lows that I was. Reading his book helped me overcome my own challenges and when I started writing he was my inspiration."

Clarence Nero, Author: "E. Lynn Harris gave me my start in mainstream publishing. He opened the door for me and he encouraged me and was kind. I knew I had to be a part of this tribute to tell the world how special he was to so many writers like me."

Laura Gilmore, Adopted Mother: "I was so touched when Lynn told me that he was going to dedicate his last book to me. But that was just Lynn. He loved to spend time with his family and I had the pleasure of working with him for five years as his personal assistant.

His mother was always foremost in his mind and I was always included with her and his Aunt Jessie. We miss him so much that I cannot tell you how much it pains me to know he is no longer here for me to talk to. I still have the last message he left for me on my answering machine - I will never erase it."

R.M. Johnson, Award-winning Author: "We met in 1999 at a book signing event for Omar Tyree in Chicago. My first book, The Harris Men, had not come out yet and I really wanted to talk with him about it. But I was really hesitant because I figured he would flick me away like a fly. But he was so gracious - it was the start of a 10-year friendship. He was the only person to give me a blurb for my book and that was really helpful. There are so many new and emerging authors that he helped like me. During those ten years we took road trips together and had some candid conversations. He was really cool people and I am going to miss him - and the black man could write!"

Eric Jerome Dickey, New York Times Bestselling author: "I still miss E. Lynn Harris - hearing his voice on the telephone saying 'what's up frat?' He was a funny man and a real card. There are so many stories that most people do not know of how he helped writers get started in the business.

For me I have said it before and I will say it again - E. Lynn Harris sent me out on my first book tour when I was barely making ends meet by working as a substitute teacher.

I didn't even know him then. But he footed the bill so I could go to three cities - something that my publisher at that point wasn't even willing to do."

Etta Mae Harris, Mother: "Lynn was my only boy and my first child and he always signed his cards 'your number one son.' After the divorce he became the man of the house for me and his three younger sisters. He was a blessing to us all."

Harris' mother, who was the final speaker, chose to end her comments at that point, clearly overcome with emotion.

E. Lynn Harris introduced us to Yancey, Basil, Kyle, Raymond and the irascible Ava - characters that reminded us of ourselves, our friends and our lovers. He showed us that love should not be defined by the narrow parameters of a close-minded world. He illustrated how there can be victory and joy even in the painful process of "coming out" - admitting to others that we are different than they may have imagined. He helped us see that the only box we need to fit in is the one the Creator planned for us.

Years from now his stories will continue to live on, inspiring future generations of straight and gay youth to love themselves and to have the courage to openly love the man or woman that makes their hearts skip a beat and brings them joy.

Not to be deterred, Glave helped found the Jamaica Forum of Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (J-Flag) while in Jamaica to pursue post graduate education opportunities and continues to speak justice to a situation of injustice.

Glave next read excerpts from "Out There," which is an account of an exorcism held in a small Jamaican village where the natives burn down the home of an admitted homosexual while he is still inside and refuse to allow him to exit, unless he wishes to accept mutilation and death at the hands of machete-wielding men.

"The story isn't based on an historical account but it well could be," he added. "I was interested in how easy it is for some to participate in such atrocities when we do not know the person. In such cases our fellow humans view their victims not as people but as a thing - an object. And somehow that make it easier.

One is considered in a different class based on their color and that is part of our lasting legacy of being a colonized nation."

"I chose to use multiple voices in "Out There" and sought to provide it with its own energy and propulsion," he said. "I wanted to establish the tableau so that it was clear that the story was not written for a North American audience. I wanted the reader to be able to see what it was like to live in that town and to understand that the stakes were different for the main characters because while both gay, only one of the characters is from Jamaica. This story was difficult for me to write because I felt imprisoned by language and its constraints. I wanted to see if I could free language and give it [language] its own expansiveness. "

Glave says that his stories are pieces of fiction and almost never, except on one occasion, based on real people. Still, his characters speak to him and - he listens.

You could say that I was experimenting with his words and attempting to show it on the page grammatically and make it read clearly to a Jamaican audience.

"The issues that Jamaicans face are not what African Americans experience here in the United States. Understand, Jamaica is a black country but the degrees of black and brown define one's social class and the opportunities that are either present or denied because of their skin color. 

African Americans seem to have that same tension [recall American literature about house slaves versus field slaves where the lighter-skinned slaves were given the privileged position of being indoors] but don't tend to feel it as much as we do in Jamaica. In Jamaica it is more desirable to be "brown" not "black."

But for those who were brown [lighter] we were instructed to call them by their title - mister, misses. Even my relatives who were darker were not accepted like I was. And as for my friends, I was not allowed to have too many "black" friends. It's still a complicated situation."

Glave continues to push the button and challenge notions of conformity in all of his work. He is currently working on a piece of fiction that examines life for the middle class and how they live within the confines of their black-brown obsessions.

He says that besides language, one of his primary concerns is the lasting impact of slavery and colonization on the people of Jamaica.

I think it is because we have not dealt with our bodies - the many women and men who were raped by their colonizers. The result it that Jamaicans are both very sensual while at the same time repressed - almost puritanical. We live in a world with a lot of contradictions because of our former English rulers. The strange thing is that you find rampant expressions of homosexuality in the most unexpected places."

To read the work of Thomas Glave is to experience his penchant for listening which manifests itself in how he tells a story. And it is clear that each word is carefully chosen before he puts it down on paper.

Even the music is included in the language and the sounds that I seek to recreate. Sometimes just a simple "uh hum," can mean so many different things. 

If you are looking for more from Thomas Glave, this writer recommends his edited anthology of gay and lesbian writing from the Caribbean - a collection that has been described as an "unprecedented literary conversation" on LGBT experiences throughout the Caribbean and its "far-flung Diaspora." 

With authors representing 37 countries, some who still live in the Caribbean with others having moved to Europe, Canada or the United States, the pieces are urgent messages from teachers, performers, activists and community organizers.

Glave is a former Martin Luther King Jr. Visiting Professor in the Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is currently Professor of English at SUNY - Binghamton where among his course offerings he is now engaged in a class that introduces students to contemporary black gay/lesbian writers.

"The course is called "Politics and Courage: Contemporary African-American 'Queer' Writings," and in it we will cover an assortment of essays, poetry, short stories and films," Glave said. "The span of history is about 25 years and that includes everything from Essex Hemphill's Brother to Brother to the words of Audre Lorde. 

I think the course is extremely relevant for my students but it is also a strange

I recognize how complicated this material can be - it's complicated because many of the authors were responding to other black writers who came before them and who were not gay. So the texts on which we concentrate are exploding a lot of stereotypes.

"Adding to the difficulty is helping students understand the nuances of black culture. One of my tasks therefore is to help my students grasp the historical context of the black experience in America and that too is quite complicated because it is so regionalized. [Being black in Atlanta is a different experience than being black in Boston.]

" There are more black gay films that we can access and study. The result is that there is a lot for the students to take on but so far it has been a great deal of fun. 

Sometimes I have to explain what the authors are talking about like in Essex's poem "American Wedding," where one black man is talking about placing a cock ring on his lover's penis. My students could not appreciate how Hemphill is playing on the image of the wedding ring with the cock ring if they didn't know what a cock ring is - and many didn't.

"The material has heavily sexual themes and deals with black bodies and so before we can discuss these profound works, 

I have to get some of my students past their shyness. We are moving along through the material quite well and in a progressive way but again, there's so much to cover that I don't even attempt to tackle figures like James Baldwin although he is referenced throughout the course - that could be a course all by itself."

Look for an opportunity to listen to Glave when he makes an appearance in your town. And read his books. You will go away enlightened and changed forever. 

Thomas Glave can be reached at tglave@binghamton.edu or tglave@mit.edu.

The story focuses on a beautiful Jamaican woman, Naomi McElroy, who finds that her life is incomplete, despite having a lovely little girl and all the comforts of home.

One night during a family vacation in Negril, she leaves her young child in the capable hands of her mother for a night on the town - hoping to finally make her dreams of seduction at the hands of another woman come true.

But Julia is no ordinary lesbian. She is part of a secret clan of vampires that is led by the towering, tempting Silvija - whose sensuality and skills of lovemaking cause men and women, mortal or immortal, to yield to her touch and melt in her arms.

For Naomi, one moment of pure ecstasy results in her becoming one of the undead as she becomes "Belle." And while Julia's plan is to make "Belle" her personal love-slave, Silvija stands in the way - first because she finds a woman whose will is as strong as her own.

But more than that - the two women discover that they are "soulmates" and are unexplainably drawn to one another.

Before they know it, Belle and Silvija, much to the chagrin of Julia and the rest of the vampire clan, have fallen in love.

And she must face emotions like anger, resentment and jealousy, which she realizes, almost too late, are feelings shared by beauties and beasts alike.

Fiona Zedde is the author of numerous short stories, three novellas and four best-selling novels.

She describes her work as lesbian fiction and says she focuses on erotica because she believes so strongly in the power of love and romance.

Zedde, who lives in Atlanta, is recently "divorced" and can be reached at www.fionazedde.com. Look for her interview in our March edition.

Johnny moves to the nation's capital first where he is determined to get his life back on track - even enrolling in college to follow in the footsteps of the men of his family.

And while his family knows full well about his homosexuality, they are determined to steer him in a "new" direction, including an attempt to fix him up with a beautiful southern belle.

But James, always flamboyant but extremely faithful and in love, refuses to allow the well-to-do Lomack family to keep him from his man - even if his man believes that he can assume a heterosexual lifestyle and keep his real desires on the down low.

Nero tackles several sensitive social issues in this novel including the plight of public schools, discrimination against homosexual teachers and homophobic hazing at the hands of a college fraternity.

The author states that his book is based on real life situations that he found "disturbing" including the firing of a co-worker whose sexual orientation was used as the grounds for his dismissal.

When Johnny is viciously attacked by his fraternal brothers after they discover that the new pledge is gay, James springs to action.

Nero employs great courage and creativity as he uses this platform to criticize the ignorance and fear that is still associated with homosexuality and how it jeopardizes real brotherhood and sisterhood for both straight and gay Greek letter members.

How far would you go for love? That is the question that Johnny and James must face.

Nero's novel entertains us with colorful, well-developed characters and a powerful plot. But it also raises topics that are sure to spark vital conversation about the quality of life and the dreams that all Americans share - no matter who they chose to love.

Every house on our street had a tree in front of it and the tops of those trees stretched up and out across the middle of the causeway, forming an amazing arch that provided us with plenty of shade in the summer, and a lot of leaves to both play in and eventually rake every fall. As the tree tops intertwined, they looked like dancers meeting for the very first time.

This was my street, these were my trees and I was five-years-old.

Then one day - the trees were gone. I don't remember how old I was but I know I was no longer the precocious, snaggle-toothed boy that believed the world had been created for his pleasure. Something had gone terribly wrong in my childhood Wonderland.

But I couldn't understand why a doctor couldn't heal them like my mom did whenever I scraped my knee or came down with the sniffles.

And so the City sent big, strong men with even bigger machines to cut down the trees - severing the arms, legs and torsos of my dancing companions from their once magnificent forms leaving only angry, ugly stumps with nutrient-deficient roots as reminders of their once mighty grandeur.

My father, a robust former gridiron star with a bellowing voice and a gentle soul, complained about the protruding roots and unsightly stumps that remained saying that the City should have removed the trees completely so that our sidewalk wouldn't have to be repaired when the roots made

But I didn't care about all of that. I just wanted to sit on our porch, tussling with the family dog, sipping kool-aid with a crazy straw from my favorite superhero cup (Batman was the man) and watch the wind blow our dancing trees like lovers engaged in a sensuous tango.

I missed my tree-friends and longed for their return but there would be no abatement to my disappointment. It would be my first time learning about the cycle of life and death and at that point in my young life, I could not have imagined that it was only the beginning of a malevolent malaise that would slowly overtake our neighborhood, the proud citizens of Detroit and eventually our way of life - forever altering the beauty that was once Motown. It would not be my last lesson in the fragility of life.

My child care provider before and after school who watched and fed me until my parents or my older sister got home from work, Mrs. Hunt, was coincidentally, the babysitter for the children of the late and great, Marvin Gaye.

Mr. Gaye lived on Outer Drive on Detroit's West Side, three blocks from my own home. And after the Jackson Five had signed their contract with Motown, which was also at that time based in Detroit, it was announced that the group would be performing at a popular, outdoor summer event, the State Fair. The annual outing to the State Fair was our last hurrah before school doors opened once again in September and it was always an exciting adventure.

Mr. Gaye was married at that time to Barry Gordy's sister, Anna - one of the nicest women I have ever met.

One summer afternoon, which had been particularly fun with little Marvin running around the house and getting in every one's hair, Mrs. Gaye told us that Michael and his brothers would be singing at the State Fair and that she wanted to take us all to meet the boys.

After a lot of screaming and hollering and making sure it was okay with my parents, she loaded us all into her Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, a car that I liked so much that I begged my mother to get me a Matchbox (car) replica, and whisked us away like Glenda, the Good Witch of the North, to the concert.

Of course, being children with the Gaye family, Motown "kids," we received special treatment. For example, we didn't have to fight the crowds because Mrs. Gaye just kept driving and driving - on grass and sidewalks and around barriers and blockades that were mysteriously removed as her car approached. Finally, we got out of the car and stood in front of a trailer - and then, the five brothers came out and simply said, "Hello."

But what I remember most, both before Michael went on stage and the next day during the party and before the Jackson Five had to leave for another city and another concert, was the sad look in his eyes. It never really registered with me until just recently that even then, despite having it all, or so I believed, more than anything what Michael really wanted was the opportunity to do what I did every day and took for granted - enjoy being a little boy.

Maybe that's why he built Neverland on his sprawling estate. Perhaps that's why he invited little boys and girls to his home for celebrations that other adults could not understand. Maybe.

One writer who interviewed Jackson said that one of his greatest unfulfilled desires, when he was still a young boy, was to go outside and join other children, children that he did not know, on a playground and just … play.

 And maybe now he is happy - at least, I would like to think so.

When I was a boy, we all wanted to be Marlon or Jermaine, Tito or Jackie, or of course, Michael, but I wonder, if I could have really switched places, would I have been able to embrace my new life and all of its challenges. When I look at the mountains that Michael Jackson was able to climb and the valleys that sometimes appeared to swallow him whole, I wonder if perhaps I was am actually the lucky one.

And I have decided to be satisfied with who I am and hold on to being an ordinary brother from Motown and celebrate the memories of a childhood when Detroit was a little like "heaven."

The essay above is from Kevin's collection of essays that he is currently completing for publication entitled, Growing Up Motown: When Detroit Was "Heaven."

"They are as singers unclothed with their instruments (voices) so mistakes cannot be hidden - pitches must be impeccable."

The actors in this show have the vocal ability and impeccable ear training that the composer's work demands and that's what makes this piece a thing of beauty and magic - not to mention the ability to grab a pitch out of the air and harmonize with singers that you've never met and make it seem like you've been singing together for years.

"Some of the best singers in the world have problems singing a cappella so having these actors prepare for walking a tight rope without a net was a daunting task. I play piano by ear so I needed some help from my assistants, Johnny Edwards and Renee Clark.

My job was not only to make sure they knew the music but to coach them so they could get the 60s style of singing."

J.D. Webster (Winston), who was last seen at the Alliance in the role of Annas along with Williams in Jesus Christ Superstar GOSPEL grew up in a family of singers but says that for a while he shied away from singing a cappella.

As an actor it is a thrill to nightly share our gifts in an artistic format that can educate and/or provoke a modern day audience - it's not just cotton candy. For me, this is the first role I have done that required significant work with a dialect, so in addition to learning my lines and music, I've also worked with a dialect coach. The biggest challenge, however, is performing (harmonies especially) a cappella.

There's no orchestra, there's not even a conductor. I liken it to trapeze artists performing without a safety net. It forces you to listen, not to your own voice as

Clayton is another Superstar alumnus, performing the role of Judas at Madison Square Garden and in regional productions of the show.

"One of the best things about this show is that it is not a typical musical," Clayton remarked. "It's really a play with music which means we have the task of pulling off the music without accompaniment and also telling a gritty story.

To prepare for my role (Roscoe Hines) the biggest thing I did was to listen to some of the groups from that era. They sang in a different kind of way -- the way they phrased musical lines and the kinds of riffs they sang.

Dynamics were different too. I used to sing with an a cappella group in college so I was familiar with the style.

But I still listened to some of the greats to prepare for this show - great quartets like the Soul Stirrers and the Persuasions.

Gleason delivers with a haunting interpretation of "The Phantom of the Opera," only to return with a vengeance in his second act-duet with Trista Moldovan (Christine Daae), "The Point of No Return." In fact, there are moments when his voice seems to rise from out of nowhere then soar high into the theater's rafters.

She is superb in the moving graveyard scene in which she longs for the presence and advice of her deceased father in "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again."

The gowns she wears, including one that weighs in at over 35 pounds, are breathtaking and she is truly stunning when the second act opens to a masquerade party and she descends from a winding staircase.

And then there is Sean MacLaughlin (Raoul) whose good looks and powerful voice make him the perfect foil for the Phantom and a noteworthy adversary for Christine's love.

Over 80 million people in 124 cities in 25 countries have witnessed this Broadway thriller. Now, thru January 17th, citizens of or visitors to the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale area can experience the magic that is The Phantom of the Opera.