Title: Lakeside
University Cover Up
Author Name:
Charles A. Taylor
Author Bio: Dr. Charles “Chuck”
Taylor, author, speaker and diversity expert is currently a professor
in the school of education at a Midwestern college. Although he has
written and edited over 10 books, this is his first novel. Chuck has
also written a full-length children’s musical, a highly acclaimed
documentary on the Milwaukee, Wisconsin civil rights movement and
continues to serve as a national consultant to college campuses in
the areas of racial diversity and inclusion. Please visit his website
for additional information: http://drcharlestaylor.com/about/
Author Links -
Book Genre: Mystery Thriller
Publisher: Roar
Enterprises, Inc.
Release Date: January,
2012
Buy Link(s): Lakeside
University Cover Up,;
http://www.amazon.com/Lakeside-University-Cover-Charles-Taylor/dp/0935483535?tag=amazoniediscount01-20
Book Description:
A
cross is burned in the yard of two black Lakeside University
students. When campus
Instead,
the administration devises a divide and conquer scheme to create a
rift between black and white students. Feel
the tension mounting as the students react to the Administration’s
response to the incident. As
black students turn up the pressure, the campus stands on the verge
of a racial explosion. Campus leaders must find a way out of the
crisis so they seek the help of Dr. Wendell Oliver, the country’s
leading expert in diffusing racial tension.
Watch
Dr. Oliver as he masterfully guides the feuding students into looking
beyond themselves on a weekend retreat that is filled with action,
danger, sexual attraction, and racial conflict. Discover
the hidden lessons that students learn about friendship, betrayal and
forgiveness. Follow the love story as the plot unfolds. Experience
this roller coaster ride of emotions for yourself! Learn the secret
behind the cross burning as the leading character Gloria finds her
voice.
Students
come to realize that the cross burning is more than just about
racism. Its wicked flames shed light on corrupt cops, complicit
college administrators and misguided attitudes that point to a major
cover up. When students finally piece the puzzle together, justice is
served but it comes with a steep price. Lakeside University will
never be the same again.
Excerpt One:
Enough
was enough. Dean of Students, Todd Severson stormed into President
David Horning’s office and slammed the door. “Sir, we need to do
something!” Severson said, lowering himself into the chair across
from Horning’s antique desk. “Your divide and conquer strategy is
backfiring—we have to do something and do it fast, or this
university will explode!”
President
Horning glanced up from his coffee. “That’s a bit dramatic, Todd,
don’t you think?”
Severson
leaned forward in his chair and pressed his palms against the
desktop. “A black student has just been attacked!” he said.
“Classes are being disrupted. The police are running themselves
ragged, trying to keep everything under control. Now we have threats
of a major civil rights demonstration being held on our campus!”
Horning
looked at Severson and frowned. “Why don’t you just calm down,”
he said. “We’ve weathered crises before. This isn’t any
different.”
Severson
stared back, his jaw askew. “Sir, I beg to disagree! We may have
been able to smooth things over in the past, but this is very
different. This could turn violent—even more violent than it
already has become. And it's just a matter of time before the media
plasters this mess all over the front page.”
Before
Horning could respond, his phone rang. As he reached to answer it,
Severson stood to leave. “Hold on Todd. Let me get this. This might
be the call that will get us out of this damn mess,” Horning said,
as Severson paced the floor.
***
Three
Weeks Earlier
It
was a cool, cloudy Sunday night in early autumn. Two figures huddled
in the shadows next to a small house, near the Lakeside University
campus. They set to work quickly, and soon a sharp chemical odor
drifted through the air.
“Man,
this shit really stinks,” said the first one, muffling a cough in
his gloved hand. “Are you sure this will work?”
“It
has to,” said the second. “You heard what they said. We’ve got
to take care of this tonight.” “Okay, okay,” said the first.
“Just light the damn thing so I can make the call and we can get
the hell out of here!”
***
Inside
the small house, Lakeside University student Ashante Melashe was
working on a recording for her broadcast engineering class. Just as
she hit the record
button, the shrill ring of the telephone echoed through the house.
"Oh, no!” she moaned, “I forgot to turn off the ringer!”
She pushed her chair back from the table. “Well, that’s another
sound bite down the drain."
"I'm
coming," she grumbled as the phone continued its loud summons.
"Hello?"
"Look
outside,” said a gruff, male voice. “You’ll see how we feel
about niggers
at Lakeside University."
"What
did you just say? Who is this?"
"Just
look outside, bitch."
“Is
this some kind of joke?” Ashante asked, but the only answer was the
dial tone.
Shaking
her head in disgust, she took a deep breath and stepped out into the
front yard. The shock of the flames sucked the air from her lungs in
a choked gasp. A strange smell burned her eyes and throat. She stood
frozen, glaring at the blaze of bright red and orange fire burning
against the cold, black starless night.
Then
the realization hit her with as much force as if someone had kicked
her in the stomach. Suddenly she knew what she was staring at: a huge
cross, whose wicked flames lit up the yard and filled her with soul
wrenching horror.
"Oh, my God," Ashante whispered.
