19th January: Janis Joplin

Born this date in 1943: Janis Joplin, American rock singer and songwriter. She was one of the biggest female rock stars of her era. After releasing three albums, she died of a heroin overdose at the age of 27. Here are some facts about her life:

1. Janis Joplin was born in Port Arthur, Texas. She was a bright student at school but wasn't popular. She was bullied by her classmates as a teen for being overweight and having acne. Even at university the teasing continued with fellow students dubbing her “Ugliest Man on Campus”. She dropped out after just one term.
2. Two of her main influences were blues singer Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday. She carried Billie Holiday's biography, Lady Sings the Blues, around with her everywhere. Bessie Smith had died in 1937 after a car accident and was buried in an unmarked grave. Joplin and Juanita Green (who as a child had done housework for Smith) clubbed together to have a tombstone erected for her.
3. Joplin only had one chart hit single in her entire career, and that was a year after she died - Me and Bobby Mcgee hit number one on the Billboard charts in 1971.
4. She was a third-degree black belt in Kenpo Karate.
5. Her favourite drink was Southern Comfort. She boosted their sales so much that she was able to persuade them to give her a lynx coat.
6. She had two tattoos, one on her wrist, which is a symbol for the liberation of women; and a small heart tattooed over her left breast. These were designed by the legendary tattoo artist Lyle Tuttle. Of her tattoos, Janis said, "The one on my wrist is for everybody; the one on my tit is for me and my friends."
7. She had many admirers and both male and female lovers. She was even engaged once, to a man who worked for IBM computers, Peter de Blanc, in 1965. He asked her father for her hand, and she started planning her wedding, but he ended it not long after. Jim Morrison of the Doors liked her but the feelings weren't returned. She once hit him over the head with a bottle of Southern Comfort and knocked him out. This actually turned him on even more and he asked her producer for her phone number - but she turned him down flat.
8. One of her last recordings was a rendition of the old Dale Evans cowboy tune Happy Trails as a birthday greeting for John Lennon.
9. At the time of her death, Janis was in an on-off relationship with a man she'd met in Brazil while trying to kick her drug habit - David Niehaus. However, once back in America she'd started using again which strained their relationship. He sent her a telegram which read "Love you Mama, more than you know…" She never saw it - it was found at her hotel after her death.
10. Her funeral was private, attended only by her parents and aunt. Her friends enjoyed a party at her request - she set aside $2,500 in her will for them to have a blow out bash in her memory. Her ashes were scattered from a plane into the Pacific Ocean and along Stinson Beach.

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Secrets and Skies

Jack Ward, President of Innovia, owes his life twice over to the enigmatic superhero, dubbed Power Blaster by the press. No-one knows who Power Blaster is or where he comes from - and he wants it to stay that way.

Scientist Desi Troyes has developed a nuclear bomb to counter the ever present threat of an asteroid hitting the planet. When Ward signs the order giving the go ahead for a nuclear test on the remote Bird Island, he has no inkling of Troyes' real agenda, and that he has signed the death warrants of millions of people.

Although the island should have been evacuated, there are people still there: some from the distant continent of Classica; protesters opposed to the bomb test; and Innovians who will not, or cannot, use their communication devices.

Power Blaster knows he must stop the bomb from hitting the island. He also knows it may be the last thing he ever does.

Meanwhile in Innovia, Ward and his staff gather to watch the broadcast of the test. Nobody, not even Troyes himself, has any idea what is about to happen.

Part One of The Raiders Trilogy.

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