The end of an era….

The end of an era…. 😦

I finished writing Prophecy’s End. The long awaited final installment in the Chosen Series.

While some of my characters had suffered a horrific death, there were others that went out in quite an uneventful manner.

My favorites though were back in the fold, such as Laura, Alex and Jamiesonn, with even a few choice scenes with Nanomi.

Just how it plays out?

Now, now… that would be telling …. 🙂

You’ll have to wait for the official release…

Prophecy’s End will be available in paperback, e-book and audio-book. February 2018.

What’s next for C.A. Milson?

The Alfrazedian Conflict… A Sci-fi series with the first novella coming towards the end of 2018…

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VBT – It’s Never Game Over

About the Author

Cristina G. was born in Romania during one of the harshest communist regimes that ever existed.

The tenth child of a farmer’s family, she has six sisters and used to have four brothers, now only two.

Aged eight, she read Les Misérables by Victor Hugo and fell irremediably in love with books. Since then she kept dreaming of writing for many years, and she wrote a lot, but never thought of publishing.

In 2012, after living in Italy for ten years, Cristina became a blogger.

In June of 2014, with the help of a British friend, she moved to the UK. Here, although her expectations were not great, Cristina fulfilled the dream she never dared to dream before.

Cristina G. is now a registered author and dedicates her life to writing focusing on human behaviour, emotions and feelings.

Her latest book is the self-help/nonfiction, It’s Never Game Over.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

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About the Book:

 

Title: IT’S NEVER GAME OVER
Author: Cristina G.
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 145 ebook/268 paperback
Genre: Nonfiction/Self-Help

BOOK BLURB:

It’s the end of the year but you have the impression it’s the end of your life?

Start the New Year with a plan. Don’t make a resolution, make a habit!

Whatever your situation might be now, you have the power to change it.

• Depression can be overcome.
• You can lose weight and find love.
• You can heal and transform your life.

Believe you’re happy, and you’re half way there.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

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Book Excerpt

It’s over when you die

If change was easy, everybody would do it – I have heard this from several people who made it.

As you might have realised, all the chapters treated one thing only: humans are all the same, what differentiates them is ONE single decision: to fight or to surrender. To strive to change, or to accept what happens to you.

What surprises me the most is the fact that we all want a better life, without doing the work. I wanted that too. For 40 years of my existence, I was a spectator in my life. And I cried when things went from bad to worse. I crawled and bowed my head while I was telling myself that it was going to be sunny on my road too, one day. I thought it would happen because I was a good person. The truth is that we are all good until we take the decision not to be good anymore. And this might happen at any time in our existences. It could occur when we are just a baby. It could happen with or without our knowledge.

I knew I had to change for more than 15 years. If you reach thirty and you feel like you never lived, then it is definitely the time to change. I tried many times, but the fact I didn’t succeed means that I wasn’t serious about it.

If the change doesn’t occur in a very long period of time despite many efforts it is either because you are doing something wrong or not enough. Change strategy after you did your best to follow one without a break. Adapt and keep working on yourself. Don’t give up. It’s not the strategy that is useless, you are doing it wrong.

We have seen people who are not smart being extremely prosperous.

“I don’t have the looks.” – How many actors, models who don’t look that good, quite the contrary, are incredibly successful? Why do you think is that? Because they were born to get what they wanted in life?

We were all born to get what we want in life, but we are weak and don’t do the work. These people did everything in their power to be in movies. To play the role of their lives. They didn’t stop at anything. They woke up at 4 am, went to the gym, then knocked on every door they found. When they were turned down, they knocked again, and again, and again until someone opened and let them in. Most people give up at the first try, “It was so humiliating. They didn’t even look at me. I can’t go through this again.”

If you think that after a few attempts, of course you give up. I felt that when I gave up. I cried like a baby in the corner of a room and swore I would never embarrass myself in front of anyone again. But when at forty I realised there was no other way, I started doing what those who made it do. With the mentality I had, the sensitivity, the sense of guilt, it was impossible to get anywhere. I had to make a paradigm shift first. And it wasn’t easy. If for 40 years you are a victim, taking life in your own hands triggers a war inside you. Mind, body, and soul in conflict for 24 hours a day is utterly exhausting. That’s why most of us don’t stick with the decision to change. Surviving is easy, living is an endless tussle.

Everybody wants to have an easy life. We would love to sit all day long, watching TV or walking around, having someone to serve us while we swim in luxury. Some of you will contest this with vehemence, “I don’t want to walk around, I want to have a job I love, money to travel, a family to love me. I want to have a purpose.”

Well, if you really want that, you go and make it happen. Humans flew to the moon. That was impossible, changing is not that risky and definitely not that expensive. If I can do it, everyone can do it. After 2 years of holding on to my decision to change my thoughts in order to transform my life, I am still having troubles breathing. Like right now. And the reason for this is that I am doing something my body doesn’t like to do, insisting on believing I can live one day on my own terms. Everything in my body screams, ‘Give up, you fool. You have a good job that allows you to pay the bills. What else do you want? Many would love to be in your position. Sit back and relax. That’s what most people do.

You don’t have to fight against yourself. You have a destiny that will be fulfilled no matter what;     Why do you make everything so complicated?

You’ll never make it;

Just who do you think you are? Have you forgotten you were born a Romanian farmer? Have you forgotten that you have little education?

Succumb and settle like everybody else. Marry the first bloke who proposes to you and accept the fact you’ll fight against one another daily. Just like everybody else. No one is perfect. Accept the fact you will hate listening to his constant laments about the weather, not enough money to spend on Friday nights and holidays. Accept the fact he will betray you on every occasion. That he will have imaginary sex with every woman (or man), he sets his eyes on. Porn actresses, singers, models, strangers who look so glamorous in pictures;

That’s how life goes for everyone. You can’t beat that. You are no one. Your life means nothing. You are one of the 7.5 billion. Nothing less and nothing more. Eat your breakfast, go to work, come home, and walk around until the next day. A regular life doesn’t require too much effort. Give up the fight. Aren’t you worn out already?’

You might feel the same, and I am sorry. Nobody has to fight if they are happy with their lives. If you don’t complain about your current situation, you don’t have to do anything other than what you’ve done until now. But if your day is characterised by endless laments, resentment, envy, jealousy, a sense of emptiness, gloominess, and despondency, then you must consider making a shift in your paradigm. You need to sacrifice, compromise, commit, sweat, believe in yourself and persevere when you are turned down over, and over, and over again.  Everything has to change:

The way you sleep, drink, eat, walk, speak;

What you listen to or watch;

Your friends, interests, hobbies;

You need to give your time the value it merits;

You have to cherish struggle, rejection, defeat;

You need to force yourself to look in the mirror and see a worthy human being who can do anything!

You already knew everything you just read, right? Then why don’t you put it into practice? What’s stopping you? Who’s stopping you? If you feel like you are not going anywhere, why don’t you make the shift?

Dr Wayne Dyer used to say that we can’t force the shift. But others say exactly the opposite. I think that if we wait, it might take three lives until it happens. And from what I know, and everyone can prove it, we only have one life, and it is now, not after! If I had to wait for the shift to occur, I wouldn’t have written anything.

The internet and the libraries are full of amazing books, articles, movies that could help you shape your destiny. You read, watch them all even or especially if you disagree with the author or the idea. Invest as much time possible into educating yourself. When the moment comes, you have to be ready. You just need to take the decision to become whoever or whatever you want to be. Then you have to work hard to convince your body to follow the mind’s directions.

Are you contemplating death as the only solution to your struggles? I am the most entitled person that could understand you. I have been thinking of taking my life since I was just a child. A few months before turning forty, I was on the floor in my room, looking in a mirror and thinking the time was right to do what I have been thinking for the previous 39 years. I looked back and saw only misery, the present was dark, and the future seemed even worse. I was tired of fighting, I couldn’t take anymore. I was upset, angry, disappointed. I had nothing but sorrow. There was no point insisting. I thought the universe had already decided. However, I didn’t want to throw shame upon my family, so I spent a few weeks searching for the easiest and safest way to take my life without the evidence of suicide. But I haven’t trained my mind to think criminally, so I came up with nothing. All the ideas that I gathered weren’t bulletproof. In the past, I was a fan of The Mentalist, Lie to me, Dexter (for a few seasons) and several others TV serials on the same theme. I knew they would discover my intervention. I couldn’t risk it. I imagined the titles of newspapers and online articles. They looked dreadful. Then I thought of those who truly cared about me. They were not doing well either, was it fair ignoring their feelings? Was it fair to bring upon them other reasons to suffer?

So one day, I stared at my image in the mirror and told myself out loud the following: ‘It’s your life, if you don’t like it, you are free to make it over with. But just before you do that, give your best shot to change it. You’ve attempted it before but gave up before it happened. This is your last chance. You do whatever it takes. If in 5 years your opinion remains unaltered, then it’s over. You’d know you did your best and it wasn’t supposed to happen.’

The rest is history. After I had taken this ultimate decision – about which I am writing in detail in a new memoir – I realised that before I wasn’t serious about changing. I have waited for something to fall from the sky because I was a good person. I was expecting the shift that Dr Wayne Dyer spoke about. No, I wasn’t expecting it, I was demanding it because I thought I deserved it. Now, I am making the shift, and I am guiding it. Baby steps.

If you are planning a suicide, then the first thing you should do is get help from an organisation like the Samaritans – https://www.samaritans.org.

The only suggestion I can make is that you give your best shot before playing your last card. You invest absolutely everything: time, money, focus, energy for at least 2 years into transforming your life. Take time off from everything and everyone. You are already dead, it won’t matter. But you must do it in this life, and you must do it alone. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. The power is in your hands. You truly are the master of your thoughts. You might not believe in you, but I do.

Do you know why? Because I am 100% certain that you can do it. But you must plunge into this project 100%. Not 90 or 99 but 100. With no breaks and no second thoughts. If you really want to change, if you are so fed up with your empty life, you listen and follow the steps others made before you.

It’s not easy at all. If it was everybody would change, and nobody would be so depressed all the time. But if you start, you go until the end.

I have heard many teenagers saying with anger, “I don’t need you to tell me what to do. Let me make mistakes so I can learn from experience.” Except they never learn and blame their parents for not pushing them more.

No more wasting time with people and situations that drag you down;

No more sad songs, silly movies that make you temporarily forget your problems. These are like alcohol, when they are over, you go back to your desolation;

No more listening to the news, no more watching shallow shows on TV, playing the Xbox as forms of distraction.

If you don’t give up at all these, you won’t step out of your misery. There is no way that you attend a motivational seminar then go to back to your TV, social networks, gaming, expecting those 2 hours to be enough to make you change.

As I said, I tried many times but gave up thinking it was no use. “No, nothing works. I am a lost cause. Too broken to be fixed. There is no point insisting.”

I didn’t manage to change because I capitulated too soon. Because I expected the change to occur instantly or in a few months.

Let me ask you something, “If it took you 20-30-40 years of your existence to become such a wreck, how can you expect to fix that in a few months of trying?”

Everything is broken inside you. You are full of wounds. Your mind is shattered. Your heart is bleeding. It will take time to cure all these. Convalescence is necessary. Unorthodox methods are your best bet.

I used to think I was smart, strong, reasonable, and open-minded. But I wasn’t very humble as I despised neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), motivational speakers, bold and hard to understand beliefs. I actually said a few times that NLP is for losers. Like I wasn’t one…

I used to feel sick at the idea of wasting my time with positive affirmations and subliminal messages. But when the vicissitude of life pushed me to the ground for the umpteenth time and let me no escape, I had to make a supreme choice. The greatest of my life. I was one single second away from cutting my veins when the idea of change spurred into my mind. ‘If others were able to rise from their ashes, why not me too?’ The moment I took the decision to change, I gave up everything else. I fumbled and fell numerous times, but I refused to go back.

So I took my laptop and started the ultimate search for my lost soul. The final battle. ‘If people say that subliminal messages help, who am I to say the opposite? Look at me, I am crawling, suffocating from crying, submerged in pain and responsibilities that shouldn’t even be mine. I need help. Nothing worked in the past, so a change in strategy is an absolute must.’

Of course I didn’t really expect it to take that long and to be such an arduous process. I used to think and say that listening to subliminal positive affirmations is absolutely ridiculous. I was disgusted when I heard that many people waste their time with this useless activity. I couldn’t even conceive of such a thing. ‘I could tell myself these words. But that won’t make them true. I know I am not worthy. Although I am a good person and quite intelligent, I am not that intelligent. There isn’t anything extraordinary about me. I know I am not really strong. The only reason I am still alive is that I am the ultimate coward, I can’t take my own bloody life! Why should I lie to myself? How in hell could this nonsense help me transform my appalling existence? Terribly ludicrous, pathetic, and stupid!’

However, I forced myself to do it. My first step was to buy stickers with positive messages. “If you can dream it, you can do it!” – Walt Disney – that type, all clichés. My eyes hurt when I looked at them. I felt so childish! My mind retaliated it with violence, ‘You can’t even dream, how the hell are you supposed to do it then?’

Then I started writing what I thought I wanted to happen in my life. Many influential people in the world did this. So, I began waking up 1 hour earlier every morning and made a list of my desires. Then I wrote them as if they were already there, ‘I am a happy, positive and accomplished writer. My stories are appreciated around the globe. And so on.’ Pages and pages with the same words over and over and over again. I was terrified at the idea that someone might discover them and call a psychiatrist who would put me in a straightjacket.

Then I followed (still) the ritual of reading them out loud first thing in the morning and before going to bed. Every day. I am still doing it because 40 years of miserable paradigm can’t be overwritten in 2 years.

Listening to positive messages was even harder. My body rejected the idea with violence, my mind was literally bleeding, my face was covered in tears, my back in cold sweat. At that moment I understood what torture feels like. But when it’s inflicted on you by others while your hands and legs are tied up to a chair, you can’t do much. When this agony is your decision, bloody hell it feels infinitely worse!

All successful people recommend the use of positive affirmations daily, you check. At first I registered my voice reading out loud words of encouragement, praise, compliments, and so on. I also made a list of all my accomplishments I never really considered as such. I listened to them when I walked to and from work (50+50 minutes).

This made me feel so pathetic, but I didn’t give up. I downloaded positive affirmations recited by strangers and focused on them. Every fibre in my body was aching. My mind rejected them with ferocity, ‘What is wrong with you? You know it’s not true. It will never happen;

Based on your experiences, your destiny is to suffer in eternity;

You are cursed. Nobody believes in you. You don’t believe in yourself. Give me a break, you can’t be a writer, you are a farmer!

You can’t do that. You can’t do anything. Stop fighting against fate. Nobody ever won this battle. You are not strong enough;

Who will read your stories? Just who do you think you are?

You are not an erudite, you have no expertise;

So what if you speak three languages, people are fluent in seven, twelve, or even fifteen;

Give up already. Stop fooling yourself. The universe has no power. There is no such a thing as positive vibrations;

People will step on your dignity again. They will wash the floor with your human essence. They will push you to the ground and spit on your work. They will mock and denigrate you. They will call you delusional and arrogant. They will laugh at your pain. They will invent anything to destroy you. You know this already. You know how it feels. Do you really want to torture yourself again? Are you a masochist or just terribly stupid?

You are losing your mind, go to a psychiatrist;

Nobody will publish your books. Your life story is just a story. Nothing extraordinary about it. You are not Victor Hugo. You will never write like Thomas Hardy. You are an amateur, and there are millions like you. How are you planning on getting noticed when the competition is so ferocious? Are you sure you can swim in this sea of sharks? They will take your money and bury you in shame;

You make me feel sick. So what if you are elegant and can walk in high heels? It’s nothing to be proud of. How are these helping you? You can’t defy ageing. It’s too late. Look how old and ugly you are. Nobody loves you. Nobody wants you;

You are too sensitive for this world. A crier, a servant, a follower, not a leader;

Just kill yourself and make it over with. The world would be a better place without you.’ And the list could continue indefinitely.

5 months of persecution from these and many other terrible beliefs and behaviours – nature – resulted in tangible improvements in my thinking patterns. My confidence started to build up. I stopped crying so often. I gave a different meaning to my struggling. And most importantly, I slowly started believing that becoming a writer was possible.

I think it was then when I realised that most people use their ignorance as an excuse to not do anything extraordinary in this life. Most of us are offended when someone calls us stupid. But it turns out that this is our defence against change. The perfect pretext not to try anything. Ignorance is a shield behind which those who don’t want to do much in this world hide.

But we all know that “No man is his craft’s master the first day.” If we sit all day long watching TV shows, films and serials, we will never enhance our knowledge, right? If we listen to songs that praise humiliation, loss, discrimination, pain, gloominess we will not feel inspired to get out of misery, will we? We resonate with those negative feelings, and we feel understood somehow. We chose infantile distractions on purpose.

Almost 2 years after, I am still listening to subliminal messages and positive affirmations daily. I know that if I stop now, or take a break, the risk to go back to my miserable life is tremendous. I listen to them when I sleep, when I walk to work and back, when I clean the house, while I write and study (at a very low volume in the background).

I also still listen to audiobooks that treat this subject. All the free audio books on YouTube were heeded by me at least once. From each of them, I learnt something. Some of them became my bible, and I access them once a week, a few daily. Many people are convinced that reading a book once is enough to acquire the meaning of it. What I am doing taught me that if an idea gives you the chills, then you should listen to it – or read it if you prefer – as often as possible. Especially when you are in this process of mental – life – transformation. I prefer the audiobooks because I can do other things while listening. However, I know that perusing something written on a piece of paper might have a stronger impact on you. You choose. If I were twenty, I would have, most certainly, chosen the paperback versions.

The reason one should insist on watching, reading, listening to something positive ad infinitum is that we change even without noticing and some things we might have ignored in the past might become incredibly powerful and effective.

There is a motivational speaker I listen to first thing in the mornings: Les Brown. His talks sound different from one week to another.

Bob Proctor was the first one I listened to, and he promulgates a unique set of principles. I was so frustrated and upset because I didn’t like much his philosophies. I remember watching his seminars and crying from exasperation. I was incredibly conflicted and had tough times accepting or agreeing with him. I forced myself so badly that at some point I thought that I will die from too strong feelings of controversy. The Law of Vibration sounded very appealing, and that’s what I acquired from him.

Then I moved to the next motivational speaker, Louise Hay. You can heal your life resonated with me so much that I listened to absolutely everything I found with and about her.    Then I discovered Eckhart Tolle, “What a liberation to realise that the voice in my head is not who I am. Who am I then? The one who sees that.”

From him, I moved to everyone else suggested by YouTube and Google based on my researches. I literally plunged mind, body and soul into the search for my true essence. I fought against my thoughts, impulses, arrogance, scepticisms, cynicism, pessimism disguised in realism. 24 hours a day for several months I invested into getting to know and accept unbelievable theories propagated by extraordinary human beings like the ones mentioned above and many, many others. I can’t even remember all their names. You do research, and once you start, you won’t have time for anything else. The amount of self-help is infinite. Only one who doesn’t want to change, can’t find this priceless. Don’t be arrogant and think you know better. Unless, of course, you are happy with your current situation. All right? Nobody is required to change something they are pleased with. I hope you have understood this by now.

But if you complain, my suggestion is: The earlier you start, the faster you can transform your life entirely.

***

Of course, among these great people, I also came across despicable creatures who vaunt themselves and have great success on YouTube. One guy, for example, very detestable looking, teaches the art of manipulation (among other abhorrent topics). I was utterly disgusted by all his lessons. I spent like 5 hours in one day watching and listening to him. I was mesmerised by depravation. I really couldn’t believe that such a repugnant being could get so many followers and views. However, that’s when I gathered that if his distasteful concepts can be accepted, my style has a market too. In the end, he gave me hope.

So you see, you can learn something good from anyone. I so wish I had learnt that from a nice person, not from a big-headed brute with whom I randomly collide in my nightmares.

When I didn’t watch motivational seminars, I listened to subliminal messages and encouraging affirmations in which I never trusted. I had such a repulsion towards all this sort of new age therapy that I can’t even explain in words. Until I turned forty, I was convinced that positive thinking was a bullshit notion sold to gullible and uninformed humans. How ashamed I am now it’s hard to describe. So much camouflaged arrogance in my old beliefs.

Although Bob Proctor is not in my top five favourites, he is the one who opened my eyes and initiated me on the tricky path of paradigm transformation. I totally believe in the Law of Vibration being linked to the Law of Attraction. I will always be grateful.

Again, you might not like an idea or a person, but you can still change if you are fed up with your current situation. From my own experience, I gathered that one has to be at the nadir of their existence in order to want and force the change. Curious is the fact that I hit rock bottom quite a few times in my life and have strived for happiness since I was a child, yet it took me 40 years to move into the same direction of the wind of change.

Some people take the decision to change their lives at an early age. I really don’t know what drove them, but they have my admiration.

Changing takes time. Success takes time. Nothing happens overnight while we sleep. We would like that very much, isn’t it? I know I would. Without discipline, consistency, resilience, grit, determination, self-esteem, we are a ship adrift. Don’t be a victim of destiny, unless that’s your goal that makes you happy.

Nobody can force you to change or to become successful, these have to be your free choices. If you are happy with your situation, don’t do anything, changing is not required. You know what’s best for you. But if you are weary and contemplate death as the only escape, don’t give up life before having invested at least 2 years of your existence into shifting your paradigm.

Victimism, drama, guilt don’t serve you any good. Move away from these. Don’t succumb to negativity and sufferance. There is always another way.

Choose living instead of surviving. Believe you can do it and you are halfway there.

Remember that we are what we think we are.

Book Trailer

 

 

VBT – Abuse of Discretion

About the Author

Pamela Samuels Young has always abided by the philosophy that you create the change you want to see. She set giant-sized goals and used her talent, tenacity and positive outlook to accomplish them. Pamela consequently achieved success in both the corporate arena and literary world simultaneously.

An author, attorney and motivational speaker, Pamela spent fifteen years as Managing Counsel for Toyota, specializing in labor and employment law. While still practicing law, Pamela began moonlighting as a mystery writer because of the absence of women and people of color depicted in the legal thrillers she read. She is now an award-winning author of multiple legal thrillers, including Anybody’s Daughter, which won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Fiction, and her new release, Abuse of Discretion, a shocking look at the juvenile justice system in the context of a troubling teen sexting case.

Prior to her legal career, spent several years as a television news writer and associate producer. She received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from USC and earned a master’s degree in broadcasting from Northwestern University and a law degree from UC Berkeley School of Law. She is a frequent speaker on the topics of teen sexting, child sex trafficking, self-empowerment and fiction writing.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

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About the Book

Title: ABUSE OF DISCRETION
Author: Pamela Samuels Young
Publisher: Goldman House Publishing
Pages: 352
Genre: Mystery

BOOK BLURB:

A Kid’s Curiosity … A Parent’s Nightmare

The award-winning author of “Anybody’s Daughter” is back with an addictive courtroom drama that gives readers a shocking look inside the juvenile criminal justice system.

Graylin Alexander is a model fourteen-year-old. When his adolescent curiosity gets the best of him, Graylin finds himself embroiled in a sexting scandal that threatens to ruin his life. Jenny Ungerman, the attorney hired to defend Graylin, is smart, confident and committed. She isn’t thrilled, however, when ex-prosecutor Angela Evans joins Graylin’s defense team. The two women instantly butt heads. Can they put aside their differences long enough to ensure Graylin gets justice?

Unbeknownst to Angela, her boyfriend Dre is wrestling with his own drama. Someone from his past wants him dead. For Dre, his response is simple—kill or be killed.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

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Book Excerpt

Graylin

“What’s the matter, Mrs. Singletary? Why do I have to go to the principal’s office?”

I’m walking side-by-side down the hallway with my second-period teacher. Students are huddled together staring and pointing at us like we’re zoo animals. When a teacher at Marcus Preparatory Academy escorts you to the principal’s office, it’s a big deal. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. I’m a good student. I never get in trouble.

Mrs. Singletary won’t answer my questions or even look at me. I hope she knows she’s only making me more nervous.

“Mrs. Singletary, please tell me what’s wrong?”

“Just follow me. You’ll find out in a minute.”

I’m about to ask her another question when it hits me. Something happened to my mama!

My mama has been on and off drugs for as long as I can remember. I haven’t seen her in months and I don’t even know where she lives. No one does. I act like it doesn’t bother me, but it does. I’ve prayed to God a million times to get her off drugs. Even though my granny says God answers prayers, He hasn’t answered mine, so I stopped asking.

I jump in front of my teacher, forcing her to stop. “Was there a death in my family, Mrs. Singletary? Did something happen to my mama?”

“No, there wasn’t a death.”

She swerves around me and keeps going. I have to take giant steps to keep up with her.

Once we’re inside the main office, Mrs. Singletary points at a wooden chair outside Principal Keller’s office. “Have a seat and don’t move.”

She goes into the principal’s office and closes the door. My head begins to throb like somebody’s banging on it from the inside. I close my eyes and try to calm down. I didn’t do anything wrong. It’s probably just—Oh snap! The picture!

I slide down in the chair and pull my iPhone from my right pocket. My hands are trembling so bad I have to concentrate to keep from dropping it. I open the photos app and delete the last picture on my camera roll. If anyone saw that picture, I’d be screwed.

Loud voices seep through the closed door. I lean forward, straining to hear. It almost sounds like Mrs. Singletary and Principal Keller are arguing.

“It’s only an allegation. We don’t even know if it’s true.”

“I don’t care. We have to follow protocol.”

“Can’t you at least check his phone first?”

“I’m not putting myself in the middle of this mess. I’ve already made the call.”

The call? I can’t believe Principal Keller called my dad without even giving me a chance to defend myself. How’d she even find out about the picture?  

The door swings open and I almost jump out of my skin. The principal crooks her finger at me. “Come in here, son.”

Trudging into her office, I sit down on a red cloth chair that’s way more comfortable than the hard one outside. My heart is beating so fast it feels like it might jump out of my chest.

The only time I’ve ever been in Principal Keller’s office was the day my dad enrolled me in school. Mrs. Singletary is standing in front of the principal’s desk with her arms folded. I hope she’s going to stay here with me, but a second later, she walks out and closes the door.

Principal Keller sits on the edge of her desk, looking down at me. “Graylin, do you have any inappropriate pictures on your cell phone?”

“Huh?” I try to keep a straight face. “No, ma’am.”

“It’s been brought to my attention that you have an inappropriate picture—a naked picture—of Kennedy Carlyle on your phone. Is that true?”

“No…uh…No, ma’am.” Thank God I deleted it!

“This is a very serious matter, young man. So, I need you to tell me the truth.”

“No, ma’am.” I shake my head so hard my cheeks vibrate. “I don’t have anything like that on my phone.”

“I pray to God you’re telling me the truth.”

I don’t want to ask this next question, but I have to know. “Um, so you called my dad?”

“Yes, I did. He’s on his way down here now.”

I hug myself and start rocking back and forth. Even though I deleted the picture, my dad is still going to kill me for having to leave work in the middle of the day.

“I also made another call.”

At first I’m confused. Then I realize Mrs. Keller must’ve called my granny too. At least she’ll keep my dad from going ballistic.

“So you called my granny?”

“No.” The principal’s cheeks puff up like she’s about to blow something away. “I called the police.”

Merry Christmas from us :)

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VBT – RELATIVELY CRAZY

Relatively Crazy

by Ellen Dye

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GENRE: Women’s Fiction/Romance

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BLURB:

On her fortieth birthday housewife Wanda Jo Ashton is expecting her husband’s standard gift of an E and E from T-that being Elegant and Expensive from Tiffany’s. However, what she gets is the news that her formerly successful, dependable corporate attorney husband is leaving her to pursue the rich life of a kept man. Left with nothing she has no choice but to escape the San Francisco area, with her sixteen-year-old daughter in tow and head toward the mountains of West Virginia and the quirky family she left behind twenty years ago. Here Wanda Jo must carve out a future, complete with career and home in the midst of family feuds, computer phobias and the occasional homebrewing explosion before she finally figures out life can indeed being again at forty.

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EXCERPT

Okay, there is was. Looking no different than twenty-two years ago. A small opening in the woods marked by a gray, metal, utilitarian mailbox and a graveled trail that passed for a driveway in these parts.

I was home. Oh God help me. Please.

I depressed the brake pedal, leaving behind the paved surface and tried not to wince as what sounded like millions of tiny gravel bits pinged against the underside of my car.

The azaleas lining the drive still looked the same. The one at the very end caught my attention, I could have sworn it jiggled. Oh no, it couldn’t be. Surely it was impossible now.

Suddenly the bush jumped in front of the car.

I slammed on the brakes, pinning Olivia to the seat with my outstretched arm. In the fashion of mothers everywhere I was protecting my offspring from flying through the windshield by crushing her windpipe while invoking the Maternal Arm.

I looked toward the hood and the half-dozen bobbing azalea twigs in front. I sat resolved as they rose and wre followed by an old pith helmet and a face which looked a bit older than I’d remembered, although it was hard to tell precisely, given the layers of green and black greasepaint. A body followed, dressed in a set of ancient Army –issued fatigues.

“Gun,” Olivia croaked, pointing.

I simply nodded, there would be plenty of time later for my daughter to find out exactly what was swimming around in the waters of the gene pool from whence she’d sprung.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links

At the age of nine Ellen Dye decided she was going to be a writer when she found her Aunt Nettie’s trunk of True Confessions magazines and spent untold hours reading the lot, a bag of Munchos potato chips and a frosty RC Cola at her side. Then, being nine, she promptly forgot all about it as she got lost in the pesky business of growing up, And then one very lucky day she spotted a confession magazine on the grocery store shelf and began to tap out her own stories which were a delight to see published. Now she spends her days tapping out her characters’ happily-ever-afters for The Wild Rose Press.

Visit anytime at www.ellendye.com

Ellen is always up for meeting new friends at Ellen Dye Author on Facebook

Amazon sale link

 

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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

Ellen Dye will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Enter to win a $25 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

VBT – ONE TOO

One Too
by Sherrie Cronin

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GENRE: Sci-fi/Fantasy

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BLURB:

Telepathy creates as many problems as it solves, as most of the members of the secret organization x0 would admit. When new member Lola discovers another group of telepaths with a completely different approach, those problems multiply at the speed of thought.

Soon, Lola’s family and friends are in danger. Lucky for her, she’s not your average budding psychic. Each person with whom she is close has a special gift of their own. That’s good, because it’s going to take every power they possess to keep this other group from succeeding with their plan to eradicate x0.

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EXCERPT

On the last day of the year, Violeta woke to the bright, cloudless blue of a dry, cool day calling to her to come out for a walk. Her days of hiking through the woods were over, but a quick drive would take her to a park she knew and to short paths that were well maintained. Her mother helped her prepare for the little outing, happy to see her troubled daughter making the effort to get out.

It was true that the tourists were everywhere this time of year. She should have guessed that they would fill the park on a beautiful day. She didn’t used to mind them; the money from their pockets had helped pay to feed and educate her and had kept her well dressed in judo gis throughout her growing years. But walking in crowds was more stressful now, and when she saw tight-knit throngs as she got out of her car, she considered turning around. Pretend you’re going for a walk in New York, she told herself.

She had walked for about fifteen minutes when her body started to let her know that a rest would be good, followed by a return to the car. Very well. She looked around for a bench. Not many people had found their way to this corner of the grounds, but the few that had were occupying every seat within view.

Some might have made room for her if she asked, but it still hurt to see the look of pity common on the faces of those who accommodated her. No, she could sit on the ground.

Unfortunately, neither getting down nor back up was going to be particularly graceful in her case, so she hunted for a place that was out of view. If she could manage to walk about 50 yards through that grass without falling, she could climb up over the hill to the left. Taking each step with care, she set out for her private spot.

She hadn’t quite cleared the hill when it became obvious what was on the other side. A small fence marked the edge of the city park. Behind it, a six-foot-wide trench discouraged leaving the grounds, as did the numerous No Trespassing signs in seven languages. But the real showstopper was the eight-foot-tall cinderblock wall just past that and its additional two feet of barbed wire on top.

Nobody in Ushuaia, ever, had been that concerned about intruders. Violeta was willing to bet that this was Warren Moore’s new business complex. No wonder the whole town was talking about it.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links

Sherrie grew up in Western Kansas thinking that there was no place in the universe more fascinating than outer space. After her mother vetoed astronaut as a career ambition, she went on to study journalism and physics in hopes of becoming a science writer.

She published her first science fiction short story long ago, and then waited a lot of tables while she looked for inspiration for the next story. When it finally came, it declared to her that it had to be whole book, nothing less. One night, while digesting this disturbing piece of news, she drank way too many shots of ouzo with her boyfriend. She woke up thirty-one years later demanding to know what was going on.

The boyfriend, who she had apparently long since married, asked her to calm down and explained that in a fit of practicality she had gone back to school and gotten a degree in geophysics and had spent the last 28 years interpreting seismic data in the oil industry. The good news, according to Mr. Cronin, was that she had found it at least mildly entertaining and ridiculously well-paying The bad news was that the two of them had still managed to spend almost all of the money.

Apparently she was now Mrs. Cronin, and the further good news was that they had produced three wonderful children whom they loved dearly, even though to be honest that is where a lot of the money had gone. Even better news was that Mr. Cronin turned out to be a warm-hearted, encouraging sort who was happy to see her awake and ready to write. “It’s about time,” were his exact words.

Sherrie Cronin discovered that over the ensuing decades Sally Ride had already managed to become the first woman in space and apparently had done a fine job of it. No one, however, had written the book that had been in Sherrie’s head for decades. The only problem was, the book informed her sternly that it had now grown into a six book collection. Sherrie decided that she better start writing it before it got any longer. She’s been wide awake ever since, and writing away.

PRE-PURCHASE BUY LINKS FOR $2.99 FOR THIS BOOK:

https://www.amazon.com/One-Too-Ascending-Sherrie-Cronin-ebook/dp/B077NYTNSJ
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-too-sherrie-cronin/1127552938
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/one-too

Author Social Media Links
Twitter: @cinnabar01
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Number46Ascending
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/5805814.Sherrie_Cronin
Amazon: www.amazon.com/Sherrie-Cronin/e/B007FRMO9Q
Blog: 46ascending.org/

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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

Sherrie will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Enter to win a $25 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway

VBT – The Heart of the Matter

About the Author

P Nelson has just started her journey in Erotic Romance this year with her debut novel Take My hand. The Rehabilitation of Master Dillon is a prequel novel to Take My Hand focusing on the character of Master Dillon. Nelson calls Vancouver her hometown and is married with one young daughter. At 6.00pm most days she can be found with a G&T in one hand and either her daughter or a good book in the other.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER

About the Book

Title: THE HEART OF THE MATTER
Author: P Nelson
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 205
Genre: Erotic Romance/BDSM

BOOK BLURB:

Eric Danvers thought he had found the perfect submissive before she was swept right out of his arms.

Now pining after the one woman he can’t have, Master Eric finds himself stuck in a gruelling cycle of emotional torture that has nothing to do with his BDSM lifestyle. Just as he was about to take a hiatus from The Cage and the lifestyle altogether, Master Eric is asked to take on the role of training Dom for one of the new subs. Rather than agreeing, he’s coerced into the role and finds there’s more to his new training sub than meets the eye.

Elizabeth Williams is a sub on a mission.

Elizabeth Williams has read every single book on BDSM she can get her hands on, and she feels as if this is the lifestyle for her. After saving up for an entire year and working an extra job, she finally had enough money to enter the couples training program at the most exclusive BDSM club in Vancouver. Unfortunately, as soon as Elizabeth and her boyfriend are accepted, he decides that he wants a different sub. Elizabeth decides not to let go of her dream and enters the submissive training program.

Master Eric soon finds that Elizabeth Williams may be more sub than he can handle. He loves her brattiness, but he knows it hides a pool of inner hurt that cried out to his Dom instincts to heal. Elizabeth falls for Mater Eric as soon as she meets him and really believes she cannot help her brattiness. She wants to give him her true submission, but she might not be able to set aside her past hurts to move on. Read the story of Master Eric and Elizabeth in The Heart of the Matter.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

Book Excerpt

Eric sat on a stool at the bar of his former favourite place in the world. The sound of whips, hands meetings fleshy backsides along with the moans and groans of sex used to relax and centre him. Now, it was just a reminder of what he wanted but couldn’t quite seem to reach. He took another pull from the beer bottle and surveyed the crowd, looking for the couple he most wanted to watch scene. Eric knew it was perverse, but if he couldn’t have Lilith, then he didn’t mind being their third wheel.

“Master Eric.” The cheery voice of the resident shrink Calla Jones buzzed in his ear. Eric didn’t need a shrink to tell him what his problems were. He already knew he was straight-up fucked.

“Calla, can I just ask you to go away, and you will like a good sub?” Eric asked as his eyes slid over the petite blond. She was wearing short leather boy shorts, but instead of fetware on the top she wore a T-shirt that read DM.

“Not a sub tonight, Master Eric.” Calla smiled and pointed at her shirt. “I’m a dungeon monitor, and I need to get through some club business while I’m at it.”

“Don’t let me keep you.” Eric contemplated the last bit of beer and wondered whether he should even bother ordering his second beer. He could have only two drinks at the club. If he wanted to get really wasted, Eric would have to either go home or find another bar.

Instead of moving away, Calla pulled out the stool next to him and sat down. Eric groaned and wondered whether he could make a hasty retreat before she opened her mouth. It wasn’t very Dom-like, but at this exact moment, he really didn’t care.

“Master Eric, the club needs you to step up.” Calla’s voice had gone from cheery sub to serious shrink in less than a heartbeat.

“You know I’d do anything for the club,” Eric replied slowly because he had a fairly good idea of where this was going. Even though he would do anything for the club, there was something he wasn’t willing to commit to right now.

“Good. Master Gaige has decided not to train any more subs. He wants to focus all his attention on his new permanent sub Lilith,” Calla explained what Eric already knew.

“Yes, I’m aware of their situation,” Eric’s voice grated out. Unfortunately, he was too aware of their relationship. Eric was Lilith’s boss, and he had waited months to introduce the obvious natural sub to the lifestyle, but another Dom had pipped him at the post. It was galling to know he had been half in love with Lilith all that time, and now the only time he got to scene with her was in the company of the Dom she obviously loved.

Calla’s face softened slightly as she looked at him. “We need another Dom to help out with the training. There’s a girl who’s ready to start in the next week, and I had her lined up for Master Gaige, but I think you’ll suit her much better.”

“Listen, Calla…” Eric began thinking that normally in the kink world he didn’t have to make excuses. He was a Dom and whatever he said was unquestioned by subs and other Doms. Unfortunately, this was Calla in shrink mode and that made things much more difficult. “I’m not really in the mood to spank virgin ass right now. Can’t the twins do it?”

They both looked towards the dungeon floor where two stacked Doms wearing the requisite leather pants were watching a demonstration by the owner of The Cage, Master Flynn. He was using a six-foot single tail whip to punish a sub tied to a St Andrews Cross. By the look on the sub’s face, she was enjoying every minute of it.

“They’re not twins,” Calla’s voice had become brusque at the sight of Master Flynn, “as you are well aware. And it’s the middle of the hockey season. With their out-of-town schedule, neither of them has time to take on a full-time sub, let alone commit to a thirty-day training program.”

Eric glanced around the club, looking for anyone who could give him a way out of this situation. He spotted a Dom working a girl over with a sadistic glee. She was screaming around her ball gag as he placed punishing blows all over her body. “What about Master Keith?”

Calla gave him a look as if he were out of his mind. “Are you kidding me? I can’t give a newbie sub over to the resident sadist. What the hell are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking you owe me ten for using a swear word.” Eric felt good for the first time that night. He was a man who liked to give out punishments normally.

“When was the last time you had a scene that didn’t involve Lilith and Master Gaige?” Lilith asked bluntly.

“I don’t have to answer that question, Calla.” Eric’s voice had grown hard. He wasn’t mad, more embarrassed.

“You haven’t played with anyone at the club in months, so unless you’re doing scenes outside the club, the answer is you haven’t played with any subs except for Lilith.” Calla held up her hand when Eric opened his mouth to speak. “I get it, I really do. You wanted to bring Lilith into the fold, but it didn’t work out that way. You have to move on before it starts affecting her relationship with Master Gaige. After everything she’s been through, Lilith deserves happiness.”

“I know that, dammit.” Eric didn’t normally lose his patience, but he felt as if he were on edge.

“Good, the sub’s name is Elizabeth Williams; she is a total newbie to the lifestyle. Elizabeth was supposed to start the couples training last week, but at the last minute her boyfriend, and would-be Dom, pulled out on her. So now, they’re doing the training separately.” Calla explained.

“Why did he pull out?” Eric was curious about this girl even though he hadn’t met her.

“Neither of them said.” Calla’s voice was casual, but years of reading women’s emotions in the lifestyle alerted Eric that Calla was not completely honest. “Listen, she’s a great girl. Ready for a big lifestyle adventure. She has a lot of energy and is super-curious about everything. My analysis leads me to believe Elizabeth will be a brat of the highest order, and she’s going to need a Dom with a very firm hand.”

“I have a firm hand,” Eric said absently as he thought about Jane. He needed to get his head back in the game. Why not do it with a curious tourist? Eric could go back over the basics of the BDSM lifestyle and get his mojo back. At the end of the thirty days, they would go their separate ways. No fuss, no muss.

“Yes, you do, Master Eric,” Calla replied watching him intently. She didn’t say anything else letting him come to his own decisions.

“I’ll do it.” Eric watched Calla’s face light up. “On one condition.”

Calla scowled at Eric. “What condition?”

“You find someone else for the next training sub. I don’t mind taking one on every once in a while, but I’m not going permanent like Master Gaige.” Eric was serious. He didn’t want to be stuck with all the newbies.

“Deal, but you know we don’t get a lot of tourists through The Cage anyway.” Calla seemed happy with his decision. “I’ll forward your details on to her, and the two of you can meet out in the mundane world.”

“Fine.” Eric eyed Calla as she stood up, getting ready to leave. “Where are you going, Calla? You owe me ten.” She appeared to struggle with the command for a second before demurely lowering her gaze.

“Where do you want me, Master Eric?” she asked.

“Pull your shorts down to your ankles, lean over and rest your hands on the bar.” Eric felt a surge of satisfaction go through him as Calla immediately did as he requested. Going into the bag at his feet, Eric unzipped his kit and looked through it until he found what he was looking for.

“What’s your safe word, Calla?” Eric asked as he tested the weight of the paddle in his hand. It felt good to have an instrument of torture ready to use.

“Red, sir,” Lilith answered immediately.

“Good girl.” Eric reached up and pushed the T-shirt away from Calla’s ass to reveal the small of her back. Calla was a good-looking woman, but she needed a little more meat on her bones for Eric’s liking. “It’s a count of ten. This is a punishment, so I want to hear you count out.”

“Yes, sir.” Calla’s voice had become breathless in anticipation of Eric lighting her ass up.

“Good girl.” Eric lined the paddle up with the fleshy part of her ass and struck. The sound of the paddle hitting her ass made his balls tighten and his dick harden.

“One.” Calla breathed out.

The next few smacks came in rapid succession, landing just after Calla’s count. Hearing her breathy voice, seeing the way her body responded to his paddle brought Eric the kind of peace he had searched for these past few weeks. He was finally out of his head and in his Dom space, working over a woman who was committed to this small scene with him.

“Ten.” Calla sighed and her head sagged between her outstretched arms.

“Good girl, Calla.” Eric’s voice was rough. “You took your punishment like a good sub. Do you want to be rewarded?”

“I think I can handle that.” The voice of The Cage’s resident porn star said from beside him. Eric knew that Calla had been playing with Master Dillon and his protégé Master Mason for the past few months. Calla wasn’t wearing either of their collars, but Eric felt himself step back emotionally and physically.

“Of course, Master Dillon.” Eric relinquished his rights to aftercare to Master Dillon who inspected his handiwork on Calla’s ass. He rubbed the red stinging flesh, and Calla whimpered in response.

“This is very nice work, Master Eric.” Master Dillon commented in a matter-of fact-tone. Normally, the guy was full of sarcastic comments, but tonight he appeared to be serious.

“Thank you, Master Dillon.” Eric took out some cleansing wipes and used them on his paddle before he put it back into his kit bag. Eric watched as Master Dillon leaned over Calla and said something in her ear. She nodded and stood up with a slight wobble. Master Dillon helped her pull her boy shorts back up and signalled for Master Mason to come over.

“Why don’t you administer a little aftercare to Calla, Master Mason?” Master Dillon addressed Master Mason as he approached. A grin spread across the other man’s face, and he picked Calla up and held her to his chest.

“No problem, Master Dillon.” Master Mason nodded to Dillon before doing the same to Eric. “Have a good night, Master Eric.”

Before he strode away, Calla’s voice called out, “Don’t forget to watch for Jane’s phone call.”

“I won’t.” Eric accepted the reminder. He was looking forward to meeting this new sub and seeing where the next month took them.

“You taking on a new sub?” Dillon asked Eric with a frown.

“Yup. A training sub,” Eric replied, and Dillon frowned harder. “What?” Eric was starting to get worried over Dillon’s reaction.

“Tricky business, training new subs,” Dillon remarked as his gaze caught something that looked interesting. Eric followed where he was looking and spotted Lilith and Gaige approaching a St Andrews Cross. His heart clenched at the sight. “You don’t want to end up like them, having to scene with one sub for the rest of your life.” Dillon’s voice took on a tone of sympathy.

Eric thought about only playing with Lilith for the rest of his life and believed it wouldn’t have been such a bad thing. But he was looking forward to meeting Elizabeth and working out some of his demons.

 

Movie Review – The Last Jedi

When I saw the trailer for TLJ, I had very high expectations for this movie. What I expected was some awesome lightsaber duels, the identity of Snoke revealed, and some kick-ass scenes.

What I saw was 2+ hours of my life that I will never get back. The SW films, up to now, has been great. Even TFA had it’s moments. But this?

SPOILERS FOLLOW

Let’s start with the basic plot. Cruiser is low on fuel, and cruising just out of range of the Super Destroyers Blast Cannons to do major damage. This takes up a good part of the movie, which could have been condensed down to 5 minutes.

Poe taking on a Star Destroyer by himself in his fighter. Unlikely.

General Leah – There’s a scene where she gets blasted into space, and moments later uses the force to glide back to the ship.. No offense to the late Carrie Fisher, who was a great actress in her own right, but that scene did not make sense on any level. She wasn’t a Jedi Master, and being able to survive in space for as long as she was, defies everything that Jedi or Sith could pull off! Maybe they “borrowed” some ideas from the DCU to give her a moment of being Supergirl.

The opening scene, where Rey hands Luke the lightsaber. Two years we waited for this moment. The expectations we must have all had, to see where this was going to lead.. And what happened? Luke tosses the lightsaber away. WTF!!!!! Two years of waiting for this moment just for that?

Chewie – Scenes with Chewie were great to see, although we did not get to see him in much action whatsoever. A waste of great screen time for a lovable favorite.

Snoke – This character is supposedly a Sith Lord. More powerful than Palpatine. What I expected was a confrontation between him and Luke. Instead, what we see is Rey and Kylo Ren in his throne room, and in what has to be the most unmemorable death scene of a villain in cinematic history, he merely gets sliced in half by Kylo. (Mind you, a moment later Snoke boasts that he knows everything that Kylo was thinking. Yet, he didn’t know that Kylo was about to kill him??? PALEASE!)

After Snoke is wasted, Rey and Kylo go up against Snoke’s guards, who are nothing more than Samurai Ninjas. That scene reminded me heavily of something I have seen in Chinese New Year parades. I was just waiting for a 50 ft dragon to make an appearance in that scene. 🙂

The Porgs? Great for merchandise, but despite the rumors of how “vicious” they can be, they are nothing more than Disney product placement. Very poorly done on the part of Disney.

Yoda makes an appearance. The CGI was poor at best. One would think that with all our modern technology, the CGI would have been so much better. But no. Then, in a new move, Yoda’s Force Ghost manipulates the atmosphere to make lightning burn down the ancient Jedi Tree. (Jedi Tree? Seriously???) Perhaps they got the idea for that from the movie, Avatar?

Then there’s the ending scene where Luke faces Kylo. Luke performs a few Neo (Matrix) maneuvers, then we find out that it isn’t Luke at all, but his Force Projection! HUH! So Luke, (having abandoned the ways the force), can project an image of himself across galaxies, then we see him at the Island where he sees the twin suns (Tattooine) and then dies.

WOW! Worst death scene of a Jedi ever… Even Mace had a better ending scene than this!

General Hux – This idiot reminds me of a Hitler wanna-be, but has no clue how to command his own military and is often incompetent in the smallest orders Snoke gives him. An idiot through and through.

The plot was a mess. Disney really pulled out all stops to make this film even more unbelievable with the tripe this film was.

It is obvious Rian has never watched a Star Wars movie in his life.

Although it was great to see old favorites in the film, such as 3PO, R2, Chewie. They served no real plot purpose other than screen time to remain in the series. R2’s cameo moment was also uneventful.

SPX was average. Overall, this movie was poorly written, with no real purpose. It definitely was not worth waiting 2 years that I (and many fans) had hoped for.

With Luke dead, Snoke dead, that leaves nothing for the next installment in the series. Which is sad indeed.

With Kylo and Rey both without masters to teach them, where do they go from here?

Too many questions left unanswered in this. Who was Snoke? Who were Reys parents? If Snoke was “so powerful”, why was he so easily killed off? WTF was with Luke “fading into the sunset” at the end?

I think we all know what will happen in the final installment. Kylo will turn back to the Light, and the saga will be complete.

I give this movie a 1 out of 10. That 1 being for the Crystal Foxes. Otherwise, don’t waste your time watching this.