Sunday, October 26, 2008

When The Married Man Gets Sick of You

Zane, I love your books and the advice you give. You are honest and straight up. I've been dating a married man for the past 1 1/2 years. In the beginning the sex was incredible. He hadn't been with a white woman before and was somewhat inexperienced in trying new things...anal sex, public sex, etc. and we explored all these areas. It was hot! He moved out from his wife 6 months ago and a couple months back I got a new job and moved 2 hours away. At first we were talking about moving together but that didn't work out. He hasn't gotten separated and hasn't told his family about me. I understand it and don't at the same time. Lately the sex between us is horrible. I've started talking to old boyfriends, masturbating, watching porn and looking at singles ads. I don't want to creep but my needs aren't being met in this relationship and I don't really feel like he is committed either since he hasn't taken any steps for us to be together since moving out. The last couple times we were together I couldn't even cum. I do love him and have tried to talk to him about this. We got in a big argument and I threatened to leave him if he couldn't make more time for me and work on a future for us. Since then nothing has changed and I'm not aroused by him anymore. Do I need to leave or just start creeping till something changes?

Waiting on A MAN

Dear Waiting on a Man,

Since you realize that I am honest and straight forward, that is exactly what I will be with you. Getting involved with a married man is practically the kiss of death to any real relationship. Any man that would take up with another woman while he is committed to another, cannot be expected to do an about face because of great sex. He probably never respected you. How could he when you did not respect yourself?

Just because he moved out from his wife means nothing. As you said, he has not even told his family about you so how important can you be to him? You may have turned him on to some new sexual acts but if he has not even made a move to become legally separated, and is not trying to move in with you, he could not be clearer with his intentions. A lot of times women find sex to be incredible when they are fucking another woman’s man but once he becomes exclusively hers, the thrill is gone. That is probably the case with you. The challenge is gone and you were apparently never a challenge to him.

I doubt that anything will change, now that things have taken a turn for the worse. Chances are that he is not trying to leave one committed relationship and enter another one, because if he was capable of being a one woman man, he would have already been one with his wife. What I think you need to do is a good self-evaluation about who you are and what you expect from a relationship. Next time, tell the married men to kick rocks and deal only with available men. Carry yourself with respect and then you will get it. I understand that you love him and it is ultimately your choice to keep dealing with him but change is probably not going to come. In this case, it doesn’t look like you’ll be coming either.

Blessings,
Zane

Another Type of Baby Momma Drama

Dear Zane,

I’m 20 years old and I had best friend who turned into my baby, lover, whatever you want to call him. I’ve known him for 3 years and we have been together for about 5 months. We love each other greatly. But it’s little problems we’ve been having. We recently broke up because of his parents. In the beginning, everything was fine with his parents. They claimed they loved me. His mom used to introduce me to all the family members and friends. But then all of sudden things started to change. First it was I’m using him, I think I’m too cute, I keep him from going to church, he does too much for me, I’m a demon, then it turned to I’m not decent, I don’t like to keep my hair done, it’s my spirit. I love this boy with all my heart. He even says he wants to marry me. But he says he can’t deal with the nagging of his mother talking about me and doesn’t want to get kicked out with nowhere to go. I’m currently looking for an apartment so that way we could be together. Do you have an advice for me? I just don’t know what to do.Sincerely,So Confused

Dear So Confused,

You said the operative word when you called him a “boy.” He is a “momma’s boy” to be exact and you have been perceived as a threat to that relationship. Believe it or not, there are men in their 40’s, 50’s and even 60’s in the same predicament if they refuse to stand up for what they want. His mother does not have the right to select his soul mate, even if she disagrees with his choice. His parents may have been delighted at first but, for whatever the reason, they have had a change of heart. He broke up with you because of them and thus, in essence, has already made a choice. While I admire you looking for an apartment for the two of you to be together, do not be surprised if you go through all of that trouble and he still refuses to be with you. There is a great possibility that he will remain at home and make you look like a fool. Look for an apartment for yourself because at the present time, you are not in a relationship with him. Mothers are a hard obstacle to overcome. I personally do not get into my grown son’s business nor do I attempt to choose his girlfriends. I will admit that I hope he does not get into a serious relationship right now but he is grown.

Your ex man’s mother is in a position of control so my advice is to learn from this experience, be grateful that you really only dedicated five months and realize that you are not going to be able to come between him and his mother.

Blessings,
Zane

Beyond Frustration

Dear Zane,

I know that u have a website that u answer questions about sex, but since you are on MySpace, maybe you can help me out with a problem that I am having.I am a 23 year old African-American male who is gay. I came out of the closet 5 years ago and since them my sex life has been dull. In today's society, men in this lifestyle have to be a certain weight size. For example I weigh around 184-200 lbs. In their eyes I’m the fattest thing that ever walked the earth.Indeed I am not fat at all but I feel that I have to complete with other men. I feel like Lyric from the show "Zane’s Sex Chronicles." A woman who loves her husband but for some reason she is feeling alone and bitter sexually.Sometimes I cry over the situation because this is not supposed to happen to me. I am young and ambitious. And because I am not like everybody else and just give a damn about parties and clothes I have to be punished. I am beyond sexually frustrated, Zane. Please tell me what should I do.

Signed,
Beyond Frustration

Dear Beyond Frustration,

I am not trying to pimp books that I publish but if you have not read “Passion Marks” by Lee Hayes, you should do so because it is about how a gay man’s self-esteem is destroyed by his lover. It is good that you are not all about partying and clothes and that you are ambitious. I am sure that you are not alone but it could be that you are searching for love in the wrong places. This happens to women as well, dealing with shallow-minded men or people who are not goal-oriented but worried about what party to go to next weekend.

You should not cry but embrace the real you. Someone told me recently that we are not supposed to seek out love but to attract it. If you seem depressed and miserable you will attract only likeminded individuals or people who mean you no good. We all wish that love would come easy. Sometimes it does but that is rare.

Even though you are sexually frustrated you need to refrain from promiscuity because that is not going to help either. Ironically I did a radio show on Friday that was about how some women who feel dejected about their looks use their bodies to make them feel special by becoming promiscuous. You are good enough for everybody but you are not for everybody. Engage in some activities, groups, networking opportunities that give you the chance to meet new people; not just the ones harping on looks only. I saw your picture and you are not fat, just dealing with fat heads.

Blessings,
Zane

Monday, October 13, 2008

Illinois Sheriff Refuses to Evict Tenants

Chicago-area Sheriff Allows Renters in Foreclosed Buildings to Stay Put
Responding to the mortgage crisis in his own backyard, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has refused to carry out any more evictions of county residents. Dart reports that the eviction orders often name the wrong party, or that the mandated 120-day notice was not given to the tenants. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that The Accredited Home Lenders has filed a lawsuit to force the sheriff to enforce court-ordered evictions. Dart argues that in many cases, families who have consistently paid their rent have been forced from their homes because their landlord failed to pay the mortgage, although he acknowledges that his policy also protects non-payers. Cook County expects 43,000 eviction notices to be served this year, double the number in 2006.According to Chicago ABC affiliate WLS, in nearby Albany County this past May, one landlord took tenants’ rent and mortgage money from seven lenders, and then fled the country.

The tenants were completely unaware that their buildings were being foreclosed, Dart told the station that the situation is not uncommon: “You have law abiding people, great people of our county, who are playing by the rules and then they show up and their stuff is in the street and that’s just wrong.”On Thursday, frustrated by Dart’s refusal to issue foreclosures, Accredited Home Lenders filed a lawsuit demanding the sheriff foreclose the home of Shirley McFarland in Dolton, Ohio. The lawyers for the mortgage lending agency said, “Sheriff Dart may have concerns about the orders that he is charged with enforcing, but he simply cannot refuse to carry them out.” The same day, Dart met with Judge Dorothy Kirie Kinnaird, who heads the Chancery Division, and Judge Lewis Nixon, who is in charge of foreclosures, asking them to require all banks to present affidavits to the court pledging that homeowners, landlords and all tenants have been informed in advance of a building’s foreclosure. Steve Patterson, a representative for Dart, said that Dart’s proposal is under review with Kinnaird and an assistant state’s attorney. Kinnaird told the Sun Times she is optimistic about resolving the matter.

Ohio woman, 90, attempts suicide after foreclosure

CINCINNATI (Reuters) - A 90-year-old Ohio woman, facing eviction from the home she has lived in for 38 years, shot and wounded herself this week, becoming a grim symbol of the U.S. home mortgage crisis.

Addie Polk was found lying on the floor of her home with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to her shoulder when police came to the home on Wednesday to serve an eviction notice, Akron police spokesman Lt. Rick Edwards said on Friday.
Polk survived the shooting and is being treated in a hospital.

It was the latest attempt by sheriff's deputies to evict Polk from her modest single-family home because she could not keep up with her mortgage.

"It appears they're evicting her over her mortgage. She's lived in the house, the neighbors said, something like 38 years and in the last couple of years fell prey to some predatory lending company or financial institution," Edwards said.

Local news reports said deputies had tried to serve Polk's eviction notice more than 30 times before Wednesday's shooting.

Home foreclosure rates are at record highs in the United States, in many cases because buyers with adjustable interest rates could not keep up with sharp increases in monthly payments. The foreclosure crisis has sparked a wider housing market downturn and is at the heart of the U.S. financial crisis.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

The Orgasmic Face Rider

Dear Zane,

I just read something of yours on how to please your man. Unfortunately, that doesn't apply to me in that matter because I am lesbian. So I have a few questions for you and I hope that maybe you can help me out. First off, my lover and I have been together for four years now and the sex is slowly drifting away. We are not really turned on by each other, or should I say, we can't please each other like we used to. When I give her oral sex, I put my all into it. Sometimes she says that it was the bomb and then other times she would say that it was okay. The same goes for me. For some reason, when she is pleasing me while I am on my back or my stomach, it feels really great but I can't have an orgasm! But when I ride her face, it’s all over, because I have the hardest orgasms and it is out of this world. Now my question is, is there something wrong with my body, that I can only have an orgasm while I ride her face? Is there something that I can do to please her better, like try another technique? Also, when we try and use a dildo, (she is the male in the relationship) I can't do it. I believe it is because I have not been with a man in four years. Is there something that I can use or do to make that happen, because she likes to use it? Please help me if you can. I would really appreciate it.

Signed,
The Orgasmic Face Rider

Dear Orgasmic Face Rider,

Believe it or not, this is not the first time that I have received a question like this. Another female emailed me a while back with a similar situation. She could only climax while she was riding her female lover’s face. I do not believe that there is something wrong with you. That is simply what turns you on and it could be because you feel more powerful in that position or because her tongue is able to penetrate you better.

As far as spicing up your sex life, be adventurous. Meet her at the door in fishnets, heels and nothing else. Do role-playing. Experiment with edible products. Ask her what fantasies you can fulfill for her.

In regards to the dildo, I have honestly always been confused about that when it comes to lesbian relationships but I was enlightened quite a bit when I edited Purple Panties. If it is uncomfortable for you—if anything is uncomfortable to you when it comes to intimacy—you should not feel forced to engage in it. She will have to understand unless you can find a smaller one that does not hurt you or come up with an alternative solution to a dildo.

Blessings,
Zane

Afraid to Stay but Terrified to Leave

Dear Zane,

I'll give you a little background on me. I'm a 23 year old female, married with no children of my own. I've been married for two and a half years and with my husband for five. We were really cool when it started out, but needless to say I was young and he has almost a decade on me. I have been more places now and seen more things and I feel like my leaving regularly because of my job bothers him a lot. We haven't spent a great deal of our marriage under the same roof and that has caused a lot of distance.

We've both done our dirt in the past, but he violated me in a way that I can never forgive. I've been raped before, but what he did to me was much worse and I don't think I'll ever fully recover mentally from it because he's supposed to be the one who would never hurt me. I'm not saying that I'm an angel, but after you go through so much with a man, there is a line that just shouldn't be crossed. I still love him because he's my husband, but after what he did to me, I'm not in love with him anymore and I only stayed this long out of fear. I feared the unknown, like what he might do to me or my family if I decided to leave or what might happen to me without him being around; even if he's not really there at times. But now it's like I can't feel comfortable in my own home when he's there.

I cringe when he touches me and I always see it happening to me over again whenever we have sex. I call it sex and not making love because I'm not getting anything out of it and I feel like since he's the only one being satisfied that it's sex. Sometimes I just pretend I'm asleep or roll over so I don't have to look at him during it. I know it's wrong to sit and harbor ill feelings toward him and not tell him, but I'm afraid of the outcome if I say something. I can't live the next twenty years of my life like this and I definitely can't have children with this man because I don't want to resent or hate my kids. I can't tell my mother about the incident and my one friend who knows actually told me to leave, but she doesn't get how hard it is when you don't know what might happen. Any advice that you can give me would be appreciated. Thank you in advance and keep the books coming. You're a very talented author.

Signed,
Afraid to Stay but Terrified to Leave

Dear Afraid to Stay but Terrified to Leave,

You have already answered your own questions. You are 23 and you do not want to have children with your husband or live the next 20 years in fear. That only leaves one option. I realize that life is scary at such a young age but you have been with him since you were 18 and life has so much more to offer. I am going to assume that your husband raped you and now sex has become a frightening experience because you do not want to repeat the experience. Men do not understand the emotional damage that rape can cause, especially when it happens at the hands of the one person we trust the most.

While I could suggest counseling and you may very well want to go that route, that will not work unless your husband acknowledges that he has a problem. I am more concerned about your safety and the lifelong ramifications on your emotional health. Too many women stay in abusive situations believing things will change. Even though it has only happened once, chances are it will happen again. Next time, he might take it farther or you might lose it, kill him and end up behind bars. Believe me, there are a lot of women behind bars for that very reason.

Even though it is a scary proposition to end your marriage, do not fear what he might do. If you think he is capable of harming you or your family, seek legal help but nothing will be solved by continuing to subject yourself to an unhealthy situation. You have at least one friend on your side, so ask her to assist you and be your shoulder to lean on throughout this ordeal.

Blessings,
Zane

Needing to Fill a Void

Dear Zane,

I must say your books are off the chain. I LOVE YOUR BOOKS!! I'm in my late 30's and in love with this guy who works the opposite shift I work. We keep work at work but when we get behind doors it's a different story. We have been sexually active for 5 years. The SEX is fantastic. On a scale from 1-10, he's a 10++. He's sooooo compassionate, respectful, loving, caring, etc. I feel like he's my soul mate and all that I've been looking for in a man. I don't want to let go of him. My problem is sometimes I feel like he doesn't love me the same as I love him.

He tells me the right things all the time; except when it comes to talking about relationships. We both do not want a long term relationship because of past relationships but I can't help but to feel like something is missing. A void in my life. We don't see much of each other because we both believe absence makes the heart grow fonder but it's been 5 years and I'm feeling quite empty. I've tried dating but can't. Never once have I slept with anyone else. He's always on my mind. I can't help but ask myself what type of relationship is this? What type of relationship I want to be in and in what way? I want him to be part of my life but how? He knows everything (some things are kept to myself) about me and I know him as well (I'm sure some things were kept sacred). We have been keeping our relationship to ourselves (besides immediate families on both sides). All in all, the sex is superb. We talk about everything (he's also a big fan of your books and we converse about your books) and tried almost everything you spoke in your books. Should I hold on for a little while longer? I hate to give up loving him? I LOVE him dearly but don't really know if he really means when he says he loves me. What should I do?

Signed,
Needing to Fill a Void

Dear Needing to Fill a Void,

Five years is too long to consider yourself friends with benefits. Despite problems with past relationships, this one has withstood the test of time and lasted longer than most marriages. It was inevitable that one of you would get to the point of craving more. You do not see much of each other outside of work and I am not sure it is because of the whole “absence making the heart grow fonder” scenario. You need to confront him—straight up. Ask him what his intentions are regarding you. If after five years, he is not comfortable enough to make a commitment, you should probably move on. Either he is too settled with the ways things are—having a sex partner on demand but with the freedom of dating others—or he is not ever going to view you as a soul mate.

You have been faithful to him but have allowed yourself to be his option. That is not cool. You love him, you said that numerous times, and love means building a life together eventually. After five years, either you are at that point with him, or you need to stop sacrificing your happiness for the sake of someone else.

Blessings,
Zane

Mints, Ice and Oral Sex

Dear Zane,

I really enjoy sex but haven’t mastered sucking dick. I really wanted to know how to do it with a mint and ice. I’m anxious to please my man of a year in this area because he’s so good at pleasing me. He takes the time to ask me what and how I want things done. So hopefully you can see why I want to please him. Thanking you in advance.

Signed,
Out to Please My man

Dear Out to Please My Man,

The best way to use mints and ice is to simply place them in your mouth as you are doing what you normally do to your man. The sensation of heat or cold only serves to enhance the total experience for him and it is not rocket science. As for pleasing your man in general, communication is key because no two men are aroused by exactly the same things. He will be flattered that you have taken such a serious interest in his desires and, hopefully, will reciprocate those actions as well.

Blessings,
Zane

Distant and Lonely

Dear Zane,

I have recently completed your book Dear G-Spot and I must say it was off the hook, but it got me thinking a lot about my current situation and if you could possibly help me out. My boyfriend and I have been together for three years and it seems like me joining the Navy has made things really hard. When I was home, he was always saying how we have been through so much and things can only get better but it seems like they have gotten worse.

I’ll email him at least five times a week talking about our future and how much I love him and all I can get back is one email with one sentence. I feel like if he doesn’t have time for me, it’s because someone else has his time. He’s back living at home and I know it’s hard for him to access the computer because of his younger cousins being addicted to MySpace, but if he loves me like he says he would make time, right? Well my question is do you think there is someone else? I know my man. He’s not the type to cheat but I also know not to put it past him. Am I over analyzing the situation? I’m currently on deployment and have a lot of time to think, but I can’t find an answer. Please help.

Signed,
Distant and Lonely

Dear Distant and Lonely,

Military deployment puts a great deal of strain on a lot of relationships. It is a good possibility that your man has moved on, or is simply passing the time while you are away by being intimate with someone else. Only time will tell. I will say this: gut instincts are rarely wrong. If you feel like something is wrong, chances are there is. Reserve your judgment but protect your feelings. There is nothing much you can do over there but work and pray. Keep yourself open to others as well.

Blessings,
Zane

Looking for Mr. Right

Dear Zane,

I have recently started reading some of your novels (Shame on it All and Zane's Sex Chronicles). It’s not usually the type of books I go for but couldn't put them down. I am a twenty two, single, and have never been in a relationship. In fact, I would consider myself a virgin in all domains. Lately I've been thinking, what is it about me that's not appealing to men. I am a smart, funny, sweet, caring and attractive young woman with a bright future ahead. I study in one of the most prestigious universities in the world. However, I lack the love and companionship of a partner. I do admit that I am a bit shy but there has to be someone out there who finds me to their liking. (I have had guys being interested in me but most of them were not the ones I wanted to be with, so nothing ever happened. I subscribed myself to a local speed dating service in hopes for good results. But I would like to know if there is something that I am doing wrong. Please help me.

Signed,
Desperate for Love

Dear Desperate for Love

Things do not always happen when we want them to happen but when they are supposed to. I am wondering if you have a clear understanding of what you desire in a man and if those are the type of men you are truly compatible with. You say that men have been interested in you but not the other way around. What I am saying, in a nutshell, is that there are plenty of men but maybe you want the wrong type. All that notwithstanding, someone will come along. Just continue to enhance yourself and your personal traits so that you can increase your single man dating pool.

Blessings,
Zane

Stuck With Small-Minded Men

Dear Zane,

I love your books and have learned much from them. Thank you. My problem is: I am single, no children and have moved back to my home town. There are not any available men in this town. I have a job, a home and no friends. It's not that I am unsociable. It's the females in this town. They say I act like I am better than them. It's not true. I am just a very private person. In a small town people tend to gossip about other people. I am not trying to get into other people's business. I am trying to take care of mine. All the men in this town are either felons, drug addicts, drug dealers, gay or married. The single men have no ambition, no jobs and still live with their Mothers. I have had single men tell me that they are single and a catch, "Their time is worth being paid for." Can you believe that? I have all the toys in the world but a woman needs to have a man to hold her and tell her things a vibrator can't. What can I do to find a man who is on the same page as I am?

Signed,
Stuck with Small-Minded Men

Dear Stuck with Small-Minded Men,

My suggestion to you is simple. Tell the men in your hometown to kiss your ass; especially the ones who have the audacity to suggest that you pay them for their time. I am not sure where your hometown is located but I am sure that there have to be major cities within driving distance. It would be worth your time to explore the possibilities elsewhere. While I normally shy away from suggesting internet dating, in your case, you may want to see what happens and search my nearby area codes. However, let me caution you that you should not jump into anything and to be sure that you are safe. Also, ask some of your friends in other towns if they know of a decent single man. You might be surprised.

Blessings,
Zane

Trying to No Avail

Dear Zane,

I will try to keep this simple. I am 28 with a 36-year-old man. We have been together on and off since 1999. I have tried everything with him; oral, anal; anything he asks for, I give to him. He constantly cheats on me. Am I doing something wrong? He gets text messages from other females and nude pictures. Whatever you can think of. I tried doing that, sending him nude pictures and videos of me masturbating. It worked for a while but then he has someone else doing it. What am I doing? Is there anything I can do to help my relationship? How else can I sexually please him so he will not stray?

Signed,
Trying to No Avail

Dear Trying to No Avail,

His tendency to stray has nothing whatsoever to do with you, more than likely. If you have been with this man since 1999 and he is still teetering between commitment and fucking other women, you need to move on with a quickness. You have wasted nearly ten years on a good for nothing asshole. Let him go fuck his nude whores but you need to respect yourself and kick him to the curb. He means you no good will and if you continue with him, drama and, sooner or later, disease will follow you all the days of your life. The only thing that you can do to help your relationship is end it. If there was a possibility that you could sexually please him in a way that would prevent him from straying, that would have happened years ago.

Blessings,
Zane

Anal Sex and Squirting Help

Dear Zane,

I love your books. They are the shit. I started reading them when I was sixteen. I have been with my boyfriend for about three years and we have wonderful, amazing, mind-blowing sex. We are very open with each other and have been talking about trying anal sex for about a year, but I am uncomfortable with the thought of shitting all over him. From what I have heard, the only way to avoid that is not to eat for a day or so before you do it.

I was hoping your could let me know if that was a myth or not. I also need some suggestions on how to do it comfortably. Also, I was wondering if you are familiar with women cumming in very, very large amounts. I have been blessed with the ability to cum a lot, like there is a lot of liquid but it’s not thick or slimy like regular cum. It’s more like water. Do you know what kind of cumming it is or if it’s even cum at all?

Thanks for your wonderful knowledge and your eager spirit to share it with others.

Signed,
Just Wondering


Dear Just Wondering:

You need to read the chapter on Anal Sex in my advice manual Dear G Spot. People who make stupid comments are the ones who have never tried it. That is definitely a myth. It is physically impossible to urinate when you are having sex and it rings similar to anal sex. However, you need to be careful to do it the right way and at the right pace, thus my suggestion of my book. There are several web sites with valuable information as well on anal sex.

You are probably what we call a “squirter” when it comes to orgasms. That is actually a good thing and it means that your body is truly releasing when you have intercourse. I would not worry about that at all.

Blessings,
Zane

Wanting to Go Both Ways

Dear Zane,

First, I would like to say that I love your books. I have a situation. I have been married a year in September. I am madly in love with my husband and the sex is great. But, for the past year, I have been craving to be with a woman. I have experienced another woman before, years ago. She wanted a relationship and I did not. We are best friends now and ever since then, this urge has been driving me crazy. Every time I cross paths with an attractive woman, something comes over me. I am in love with nice, rounded breasts and a nice ass. Is something wrong with me? Now most people would ask, what’s the problem? The problem is that my husband is a deacon and we attend church faithfully. I know that it’s wrong but I cannot help the way I feel. My husband jokes about my bisexuality all the time, but he has no idea how I feel. I can’t tell him because he talks about how wrong same sex relationships are. Can you please give me some advice?

Signed,
Wanting to Go Both Ways

Dear Wanting to Go Both Ways,

My advice has to be the only advice in this situation but not because I believe that bisexuality or homosexuality is wrong. People are who they are and they should love who they love. I am going to tell you to leave the situation alone because you are a married woman and you have taken vows to be faithful. There is nothing wrong with fantasizing; all normal people do it. However, cheating is never acceptable and even though you are talking about cheating with a woman instead of a man, it is still wrong and the ramifications can be long-standing and harmful. Thus I would suggest that you confine your sexual activity to being with your husband, unless and until your marriage ends for other reasons.

Blessings,
Zane

Jobless Man Kills Family, Himself

I am so deeply saddened by the state of today's economy. I feel so much compassion for this family and I hope that this does not become the norm for so many who are struggling due to the unjustified monetary gains of a few who did not give a damn about everyone else. Zane

LOS ANGELES (Oct. 7) - The only hints of trouble in the big beige house on Como Lane were the newspapers in the driveway and the lack of any activity behind the front door.

But when police summoned by worried friends of the residents got inside Monday, they found a horror — six members of a family fatally shot in a murder-suicide committed by an unemployed man in financial crisis.

The body of 45-year-old Karthik Rajaram, a gun clutched in one hand, was found by officers who followed a trail of carnage through the home in a gated community in the Porter Ranch area of the San Fernando Valley.

His victims, most slain in their beds, were his wife, three sons and his mother-in-law.

"Absolute devastation," Deputy Chief Michel Moore told reporters outside the home.

Investigators quickly found two suicide letters and a will, and determined that the man once worked for a major accounting firm and was at least the part-owner of a financial holding company.

"The source of it appears to be a financial state, a crisis if you will, that this man became embroiled in that has unfolded over the past weeks," Moore said.

The man wrote in his suicide letter that he felt he had two options — to just kill himself or to kill himself and his family — and decided the second option was more honorable, Moore said.

The bodies were found when officers were sent to make a check on the home Monday morning after the wife failed to show up at a neighbor's home to go to work as a pharmacy bookkeeper, Moore said.

Officers found the mother-in-law, Indra Ramasesham, 69, dead in bed on the first floor. Upstairs, they found a 19-year-old son, Krishna Rajaram, dead in bed in the master bedroom.

The gunman's 39-year-old wife, Subasri, was found in another room, also apparently shot while sleeping, Moore said.

In an adjoining room, a 12-year-old son, Ganesha, was dead on the floor, and his 7-year-old brother, Arjuna, was dead in bed. Their father's body also was found there with a handgun "in his grasp," Moore said. The gun was purchased Sept. 16.

Coroner's assistant chief Ed Winter said the victims were shot multiple times.

The killings occurred some time between midnight Saturday and early Monday morning, Winter said.
The father had a business degree and formerly worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers and Sony Pictures, but had been unemployed for several months, Moore said. The deputy chief did not identify the financial holding company, though Nevada records show an incorporation there.

Moore did not specify what financial trouble the man had been in. He noted that the family did not own the home.

The man had no record of mental disabilities or contacts with mental health professionals in Los Angeles County, Moore said.

PricewaterhouseCoopers spokesman Steven Silber said Karthik Rajaram last worked for the company in 1999, but declined to offer any further information about him.

Sony Pictures Entertainment spokesman Steve Elzer did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Karthik Rajaram is listed as a co-manager of a corporation called SKGL LLC, which is incorporated in Nevada, according to state records. He formed the corporation for his family's assets and used his family members' initials to form the name, said Las Vegas attorney Christopher R. Grobl.

SKGL was incorporated in 1999 and renewed its annual business license in December 2007. Grobl did not know what sort of business SKGL was or why Rajaram incorporated in Nevada.

Krishna Rajaram was enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles, as a junior majoring in business economics, spokesman Phil Hampton said.

Zane Leads Strebor Books Into Its 10th Year

Contact: Jason Browner or Dante Feenix For Immediate Release
Telephone: 301-583-0616 October 7, 2008
Fax: 301-583-0003
zaneassistant@gmail.com

ZANE LEADS STREBOR BOOKS INTO ITS 10TH YEAR
New York Times Bestselling Author Adds Heavy Hitters to Her Slate

In June 1999, a virtually unknown African-American woman launched Strebor Books International inside her Maryland home. Now she is the author of more than ten New York Times bestsellers, the creator, co-executive producer and subject of the CINEMAX series “Zane’s Sex Chronicles” and publisher of one of the largest African-American imprints in the world.
Zane’s vision has always been huge and she has proven that dreams really do come true. Having published over 150 titles, including the recent release of Street Judge by the Honorary Greg Mathis of the “Judge Mathis” television show, Zane shows no signs of slowing up. In fact, she plans to take Strebor Books to the next level as it celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2009. Now an imprint of ATRIA Books/Simon and Schuster, Zane knows what it takes to make bestsellers, and people have stood up and taken notice. That may be why she has recently signed several best-selling authors to her imprint.
Danita Carter is the Essence best-selling author of Revenge is Best Served Cold, Talk of the Town, and Success is the Best Revenge. Carter’s Strebor titles will include Peer Pleasure—a young adult novel best described as an African-American version of Gossip Girls—and an adult novel entitled Murder in the Hamptons.
Travis Hunter is the Essence best-selling author of The Hearts of Men, Married but Still Looking, Trouble Man, A One Woman Man, Something to Die For and A Family Sin. His first Strebor novel is entitled Dark Child.
Earl Sewell is the National best-selling author of Taken for Granted, Through Thick and Thin, The Flip Side of Money, When Push Comes to Shove and Love, Lies and Scandal. Sewell is also the author of a best-selling young adult series which includes Keysha’s Drama and If I Were Your Boyfriend. His first Strebor novel is entitled Have Mercy.
Omar Tyree, a New York Times best-selling author, a 2001 NAACP Image Award recipient for Outstanding Literature in Fiction, and a 2006 Phillis Wheatley Literary Award winner for Body of Work in Urban Fiction, has published 15 books and has sold more than 1.8 million copies worldwide. His titles include Flyy Girl, A Do Right Man, Diary of a Groupie, Just Say No, For the Love of Money, Leslie, Sweet St. Louis, Single Mom, Boss Lady, What They Want, and Pecking Order. His first Strebor title is Dirty Old Men.
Strebor Books will also be publishing Scared Silent: The Mildred Muhammad Story in 2009. Ms. Muhammad is the ex-wife of the D.C. Sniper John Muhammad and speculated to be the true motivation—intended victim—behind his killing spree that left ten dead and three critically injured during a three-week period in October 2002.
Nasty by Dr. XYZ will be released in September 2009 and Strebor expects the book to spark much-needed conversation about the spread of HIV. Dr. XYZ is the pen name of a successful African American female physician who wanted to pen a fictional account of how quickly and randomly HIV can be acquired when people are careless with their sex lives. She hopes to spread the message through fiction since most people steer away from reading the material circulated by health organizations. Zane quickly acquired this title because even though she believes in sexual liberation, she also believes in sexual responsibility. Zane recently became the first African American female owner of a condom corporation when she partnered with Kirk Manuel, the CEO and Founder of Head Strong, LLC, an Arkansas-based company. Mr. Manuel, a bails bondsman by trade, started Head Strong after he bonded out a former friend who became the subject of a Statewide manhunt after knowingly infecting dozens of women with HIV. “Female empowerment begins with self-preservation,” Zane says. “Women cannot continue to take chances with their lives and while abstinence might work for some, most women will be sexually active throughout their lifetime.”
Zane is known for publishing cutting-edge authors who think outside of the box, such as best-selling authors Allison Hobbs, William Fredrick Cooper, Laurinda Brown, and Lee Hayes. “I have a clear-cut vision for Strebor,” Zane says. “Everything I do in life is meant to make a path and leave a trail; not to follow a path someone else has already laid out. Where is the challenge in that?” When asked about apparently being the first New York Times best-selling author to publish another New York Times best-selling author, Zane says, “It is about time. There is no point in authors being competitive. Real authors have a true purpose and desire behind their writing; a passion that ultimately is enhanced by readers gaining enjoyment from their offerings. Before I was a writer, I was a reader, and I have always admired and loved Omar’s talent. I feel blessed to be given this opportunity to combine our brands to reach a larger audience. It is good business and more people need to appreciate each other’s ability, instead of attempting to hinder it.”
Strebor Books is located in Prince George’s County, Maryland and Simon and Schuster is headquartered in New York City. Charmaine Parker serves as the Publishing Director and oversees the production of all titles. Strebor Books became a distribution client of Simon and Schuster in 2003 and a full imprint in June 2005. “There are no limitations to where Strebor will go,” Zane says. “The only barriers in life exist in the mind.”

If you would like more information about Strebor Books or would like to schedule an interview with Zane, please contact Jason Browner at 301-583-0616 or via email at zaneassistant@gmail.com.