Saturday, November 11, 2017

A Poem I wrote for Vets

Liberty Bell Tolls

(Published in the AMVETS newspaper and read at the Memo- rial Day parade 1997)

Give them liberty
For my death,
Consider it a soldier’s
Last request,
Let them live in freedom, 
And do not contest,
For I paid for it,
With my last breath. 

Where missiles soar, And napalm burns, 
In all our wars,
Burnt and bloodied turns, 
In what is lost in death, 
Let the living learn,
That their freedom’s price,
Lies not undiscerned,

In Stars and Stripes,
Let my empty body rest,
And the flood of tears,
Swell in the mourner’s breast.
But give them liberty,
For my death,
I have paid for it, 
With my last breath.


Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Very Sorry

The funny witch series for kids will NOT be out by Christmas as the editor's PC  erased everything!
We apologize for any inconvenience

Friday, April 28, 2017

13 Reasons Why Addresses Rape Culture in America

The controversial Netflix series, 13 Reasons Why has people up in arms. Here's my opinion, while not popular... I liked it, because while it's true that if someone is suicidal nothing you say or do, or don’t say will not make any difference to them. If they kill themselves, it is because they lost a life-long battle with depression. However, I think this particular series was very good. WHY? Because it makes a strong statement about rape culture. YES, women and teens sometimes end their lives after a rape. Also whether you take your life after or not, you are dead, your life as you knew it ends there. Also, it pointed out the fear, humiliation and how we are told to say nothing, get over it, move past it, stay silent because the topic makes people uncomfortable. It draws those lines in bold. When will we wake up? Boys will be boys? Just having fun? Were you drinking? A million ways to blame the already broken victim, but none to shame the culprit. Ask me. I know. And probably most of the women and teens that you love know too.

70% of teens report that they have been sexually coerced before the first year of college. Think about how many teens there are... and they are not alone. Nearly one in 10 women has been raped by an intimate partner in her lifetime, including completed forced penetration, attempted forced penetration or alcohol/drug facilitated completed penetration.


And though the statistics are so high that you’d feel that every rape victim has another rape victim to support them, to talk to. Rape victims are taught from the first second of terror to keep quiet, to never express their feelings of despondency, mostly because society hates stark, jagged truths.

If you are the type that is brave enough to report it to authorities prepare for an even more hellish experience when women are asked about the color of their underwear. Told that the outfit they wore was somehow transforming them into consenting pieces of meat. Being told that if they lost consciousness, they were willing prey. Being scolded, scorned, and destroyed for the simple fact that they are the ones with the vagina.

Don’t get me wrong men are raped as well. The problem is that society uses that as a crutch to the objectifying and reducing of women. You will hear and see it, in every form of media that exists. Even in casual conversations, you will hear, “Girls like that” and “She has a reputation” as if any prior sexual activity or even promiscuity is an invitation to destroy another human being, a reason to deprive a woman’s right to having the simple privacy of her own body.


Statements like “Just look what she was wearing” and “Asking for it,” gives predators permission to continue acting barbaric. And if you want to apply the word savage, yes you can apply it to the rapists and womanizers. However, it can readily be applied to society’s view of women and whether or not they have rights over their own bodies.

That’s my side of it,

Angel

Sunday, April 2, 2017

Saturday, April 1, 2017

Coming Soon! The exciting conclusion!



Eyes of the Goddess is the third book in The Grandfather’s Nucleus series. A plague has settled over The People's Collective, changing fact into fiction. Eye-shaped telescreens dictate that you can't trust your own eyes. Woe be to any who disagree.




Out of the masses comes one plague-ridden man, with limited ability, who vows to put out the eyes of the Goddess Kim, once and for all. Only one thing stands in his way... the entire world.


Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Meet Scooter!




Q). What is a day in the life of Scooter the Cat?

I wake up early for breakfast, then nap to let my food digest properly. When I wake up, I usually take a bath, which takes a while. The perfect amount of fluffiness takes time. Afterward I search the house for the perfect place to take my next nap. Sometimes I get distracted by a toy and must play. My favorite place to nap is in the sun or on a windowsill by an open window. I also must have lunch and dinner in a day’s time. I don’t want to starve. If I’m lucky and the day is nice I get to go outside and lay in the grass and enjoy the fresh air. I also let Samantha pet me in the evening because I haven’t seen her all day. She is my favorite person.


Q) What inspired you to write Scooter's story?

Samantha wrote my story. I was her cat when she was a kid. She adored me. She wanted to share my story with kids who have their own favorite pet. It was her Dad though that told her she should write my story. He’s a smart man.


Q) Can we expect more Scooter books?

I know for a fact that Samantha has more Scooter books up her sleeve. She recruited her own kids to help write an ABC book about my world and eventually she will introduce you to a few of my friends, Patches, Duchess Chantilly, Pat, and Theodore.


Q) What sets the story of Scooter apart from other childrens' books?

The story is told my point of view. Samantha knows me very well and knows exactly how I felt that first day at her house. She doesn’t only write about me, but about our family, humans and pets included.


Q) Do you have a birthday club?

Why, yes I do. The people who published my story kindly set one up for me. Follow the link to sign up! http://www.cheshiregrinpublishing.com/birthday-club.html


Q) How can kids talk to Scooter?

I have my own Facebook page! I post funny things about other pets, about my life, pictures of myself, and drawings people send to me. You can find me at www.facebook.comsuperscootercat.


Q) What are the real life Scooter's favorite toys, games?

My favorite place to be is outside. I love chasing bugs and lying in the sun. Inside I play with strings, feathers, and little stuffed mice. I also like to play with my animal friends.


Q) Thanks for talking with us today!—

Thank you for talking to me. I had fun!

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Rival Gates AMA on Twitter!!!

I will be appearing on Twitter today, March 15th at 5Pm Central Time.  To join just go to the search page and enter #asktheauthor and you will be connected with me.  Then you can ask whatever you like.  I will be thrilled to converse with my fans.  See you at 5PM.

Scooter the cat Sings Spin Doctors

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Coming soon!


Mantra guru Serge Kozlovsky has done it again! Get ready to heal, ladies!

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Secret Castle Birthday Club

Ruffy Birthday Club

Cool Papa Ike interview




Hi, Cool Papa Ike, welcome. What prompted you to write your book?




S.J. McMillan, what a remarkable, intelligent and talented woman she is. May I add that she is my daughter? This classy gal was the published author of the family. I had a bee in my bonnet about a story line that was about a grandpa and his cathouse. She got a laugh out that and said my personality fit that notion better than her. A couple of weeks later, I took on the gauntlet and started writing. I discovered writing Grandpa’s Cathouse was fun. That led to writing Grandpa’s Copasetic Conundrum. That was even more fun. I like having fun so a third book got cranked out. Now I have started a fourth. Three books in eight months all because my daughter said, “You should write it”…




Tell us just a little about the story, isn’t it sort of coming of age?



My character Sam came of age like no other. In Grandpa’s Copacetic Conundrum he reflects on his initiation into a society of gifted and talented gentlemen. He takes you back to his days of youth which set this whole conundrum in motion. With the misfits, characters and experiences he had, it certainly does describe one unique coming of age. As this grandpa reflects on his memories he admits that life is full of conundrums and with a little luck you can keep them all copacetic. Guess Grandpa’s Copacetic Conundrum sums it up pretty well.






In as far as writing, who were your biggest influences?




Mark Twain is at the top of the heap in my estimation. His books, speeches, interviews and everything written about him is right up my ally. I do appreciate Kurt Vonnegut, Hemmingway, Steinbeck, Salinger, Heller and all those writing geniuses. I find inspiration in comedy. From movies to television, those images rattle my brain with persistence. That muck between my ears is full of curious peccadilloes. Grandpa’s Copasetic Conundrum has a plethora of these influences crammed in all those pages.




What sets you apart from other writers?




In Grandpa’s Copacetic Conundrum there is a phenomenon that is explored. This theme is that we are all wired differently. Safe to say, I’m wired in a unique way. This singular wiring of mine comes out in my writing. I don’t copy any particular style and would pity anyone who would attempt to copy mine.




Can we expect more books?




Grandpa’s Copacetic Conundrum was my second book. Grandpa’s Courteous Obligation is a great sequel to it, and it’s ready for editing. My first book was Grandpa’s Cathouse and it’s ready for the editor as well. I have started book four. Surprise! It’s a Grandpa book too. I don’t foresee any lack of Grandpa Books. I’m having too much fun to quit.




If you were to give just one piece of advice to other writers, what would that be?




Writing Grandpa’s Copacetic Conundrum was so entertaining. Everyone has a story. I would suggest that if you have one you want to share, get with it and tell your tale. I like to have fun. I’d hate to think anybody would consider writing work. So, I would say, be sure to enjoy the experience and have a good time with it. Now, if you are wired differently and love to work, then get to work. Make your writing a copasetic conundrum.

Sunday, February 26, 2017

Buy Ruffy!

Adorable story coupled with training tips to teach kids how to be responsible pet owners! Get it on lulu today!

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Sunday, February 19, 2017