The author of the upcoming book based on late ALICE IN CHAINS singer Layne Staley's last five years of reclusive life in downtown Seattle is now accepting submissions from AIC fans.

"Itch, Love Stories about Heroin" was originally slated for publication in August 2008 to coincide with what would have been Staley's 41st birthday, but its author, Tanya Vece, decide to push back the release to April 2009 "after being inspired by the fans." The first half of the book will now feature the original journal writings of the author from the time of Staley's death up to when she started writing the tome, while the book's second half will be titled "Memory Layne" and will contain stories from fans sent to the author as well as her "experiences with the occult" while writing "Itch, Love Stories about Heroin". According to a press release, Vece "felt there couldn't be a greater tribute to Layne Staley than compiling a book of memories, along with her journal entries about the singer, and publishing it on the date of his passing." She said, "A small group of people, less than one hundred, made a petition online trying to ban the book. I read some of those entries and decided to put together a compilation of memories about Layne. You can't please all the people all of the time. That is why writing, music, and any other form of self-expression is called art. Like it, hate it, but we all have a right to create it."

Vece will be accepting submissions until the beginning of January. The submissions can be about anything relating to your memories of Staley. Send your memories (along with a phone number and your real name) to mediumpress@aol.com.

"Itch, Love Stories about Heroin" will be available for sale at Amazon.com. Some proceeds from the book will go to The Layne Staley Fund and The Los Angeles Free Clinic.