Thursday, December 15, 2016

Just in time for holiday season: I give Happy Homicides 5 stars.....


Happy Homicides 13 Cozy Mysteries for the Holidays Vol. 1...




From Amazon.com:

A huge collection of heartwarming, brain-puzzling, and character-driven traditional mysteries that'll keep you entertained for hours. (At 213,000 words, this is 627 pages of reading material!) Plus, you can email to get a FREE Bonus File with recipes and holiday craft ideas. Celebrate the holidays with stories by these thirteen bestselling and award-winning authors: Joanna Campbell Slan, Neil Plakcy, Lois Winston, Annie Adams, Jenna Bennett, Nancy Jill Thames, Sara Rosett, Camille Minichino, Nancy Warren, Linda Gordon Hengerer, Joyce and Jim Lavene, and Teresa Trent.


My Review:         

This is a collection of Cozy Holiday Homicides just in time for the Holiday Season. First, I must admit that when I asked to read and review this book, I was not familiar with any of the authors. I love cozy mysteries, though and couldn’t resist wanting to read this collection of thirteen stories all in one huge compilation of 669 pages. Some of the stories have murder in them. Some do not. All the stories are well written, well-paced mysteries that are character driven and they are “cozy” mysteries. There are stories with animals in them and some without. Some of the stories I enjoyed more than others, but overall I liked them all.

I really enjoyed this set and can recommend it to others without any difficulty, especially now around the holiday season. I wish there was a paperback version available in order that I could purchase it and keep it in my home library and read when I felt like reading a cozy mystery short story. There’s a variety of stories here, enough for someone to love. My personal favorites were Dog Forbid, Teddy Saves Christmas, and The Dog Who came For Christmas. Yes, these have animals starring in them.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the e-Pub from Reading Alley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Product Details from amazon.com

  • File Size: 1985 KB
  • Print Length: 669 pages
  • Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
  • Publisher: Spot On Publishing (October 15, 2015)
  • Publication Date: October 15, 2015
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B015D1E6TQ

Until next review, stay safe. Smile! Show compassion to others. Be nice to one another. Be a voice for the voiceless! Read a book and pass it on. Review it. Reviews are very important tool for authors. Cheers!
Regards,
S.J. Francis
In Shattered Lies: "It's All About Family."  Now available from Black Opal Books at all on-line retailers and independent bookstores.
    "Some secrets should remain that way."
                                               My Official web page: http://sjfranciswriter.com
            My Black Opal Books Author Page:
            http://www.blackopalbooks.com/author-bios/bio-sj-francis
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sjfrancis419
Face Book:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/SJ-Francis/480058115420325

 My Blogs: sjfranciswriter.blogspot.com 
                                                            
 
  
 
And now for some legal stuff: Copyright 2016 by S.J. Francis. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, S. J. Francis and are meant to entertain, inform and enlighten, and intend to offend no one.










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Thursday, November 17, 2016

4 Stars for Seven for A Secret, a Paranormal Romance by Rumer Haven...

                           

From amazon.com:
It's the year 2000, and twenty-four-year-old Kate moves into a new apartment to find a new state of independence in a new millennium. Almost immediately, she starts crushing on a hot guy who lives in her building. Deciding to take a break from her boyfriend Dexter, Kate believes the only thing now separating her from the fresh object of her sexual fantasies is the thin wall between their neighboring apartments.

A former 1920s hotel, Camden Court has housed many lonely lives over the decades--and is where a number of them have come to die. They're not all resting in peace, however, including ninety-year-old Olive, who dropped dead in Kate's apartment and continues to make her presence known.

For Olive has a secret she's dying to tell. One linking her to the sex, scandal, and sacrifice of a young dreamer named Lon. As the past haunts the present, Kate's romantic notion that the thrill-of-the-chase beats the reality-after-the-catch unexpectedly entwines her modern-day love life with Lon's Jazz Age tragedy.

With a little supernatural and a lotta' razzle-dazzle, Seven for a Secret is where historical fiction meets contemporary rom-com--from the Roaring Twenties when the "New Woman" was born, to the modern Noughties when she really came of age.

Product Details

    Print Length: 376 pages
  • Publisher: Omnific Publishing (December 2, 2014)
  • Publication Date: December 2, 2014
  • Sold by: Simon and Schuster Digital Sales Inc
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B00PNQG6EA
                                                   Author Rumer Haven. 
About the Author:

Rumer Haven is probably the most social recluse you could ever meet. When she's not babbling her fool head off among friends and family, she's pacified with a good story that she's reading, writing, or revising--or binge-watching something on Netflix. A former teacher hailing from Chicago, she presently lives in London with her husband and probably a ghost or two. Rumer has always had a penchant for the past and paranormal, which inspires her writing to explore dimensions of time, love, and the soul. She debuted in 2014 with Seven for a Secret, and her next novel, What the Clocks Know, was released in March 2016.

                                          www.rumerhaven.com
     Until next review, stay safe. Smile! Show compassion to others. Be nice to one another. Be a voice for animals for they have no voice of their own. Read a book and pass it on. Review it. Reviews are very important tool for authors. Be a voice for the voiceless! Cheers!
Regards,
S.J. Francis
In Shattered Lies: "It's All About Family."  Now available from Black Opal Books at all on-line retailers and independent bookstores.
    "Some secrets should remain that way."
                                                  My Official web page: http://sjfranciswriter.com
            My Black Opal Books Author Page:
            http://www.blackopalbooks.com/author-bios/bio-sj-francis
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sjfrancis419
Face Book:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/SJ-Francis/480058115420325
My Blogs: sjfranciswriter.blogspot.com 

                                                             
 
  
 
And now for some legal stuff: Copyright 2016 by S.J. Francis. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, S. J. Francis and are meant to entertain, inform and enlighten, and intend to offend no one.





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Tuesday, October 11, 2016

5 out of 5 Stars for Chicken Eats Pasta: Escape to Umbria by Clare Pedrick....


Chicken Eats Pasta: Escape to Umbria by Clare Pedrick...                                                                


From amazon.com:

Not just another romance, but a story of escapism, coincidences, friendship, luck and most of all... love.
Chickens Eat Pasta is the tale of how a young Englishwoman starts a new life after watching a video showing a chicken eating spaghetti in a mediaeval hill village in central Italy.

“Here I was, 26 years old, alone and numb with boredom at the prospect of a future which until recently had seemed to be just what I wanted.”
Unlike some recent bestsellers, this is not simply an account of a foreigner’s move to Italy, but a love story written from the unusual perspective of both within and outside of the story. As events unfold, the strong storyline carries with it a rich portrayal of Italian life from the inside, with a supporting cast of memorable characters. Along the way, the book explores and captures the warmth and colour of Italy, as well as some of the cultural differences – between England and Italy, but also between regional Italian lifestyles and behaviour. It is a story with a happy ending. The author and her husband are still married, with three children, who love the old house on the hill (now much restored) almost as much as she does.
Chickens Eat Pasta is Clare’s autobiography, and ultimately a love story – with the house itself and with the man that Clare met there and went on to marry. If you yearn for a happy ending, you won’t be disappointed. It’s a story that proves anything is possible if you only try.




                                                                                                                



My review:

First off, it was the book title that caught my eye: Chickens Eat Pasta made me chuckle.. What a clever and humorous title. Inventive too. Then how the author, Clare Pedrick became interested in moving to Italy intrigued me even further. Imagine being intrigued enough by seeing a chicken eat pasta to make a move to a new place, another country. It’s exactly what this young British woman, the author did. She uprooted herself to start a new life after watching a video showing a chicken eating spaghetti in a mediaeval hill village in central Italy. That in itself interested this life-long traveler. I knew it was a memoir and despite memoirs not really being my thing, I had to read this one. Fortunately, I enjoyed Chickens Eat Pasta beyond the title. Why?






For one thing, Chickens Eats Pasta was cleverly written. It probably helped that the author is a journalist. And no, it isn’t a story about chickens eating pasta. No, it isn’t a cookbook either. The story begins with the author enduring another rainy, soggy day in England, and ends with her maiden Aunt Vi asking her the logical question, “How can you buy a house just because you’ve watched a video?” Good question, which this book does a great job in answering. Fortunately, the author studied Italian at Cambridge University before becoming a reporter. The funny thing about this book is that the author moved to a town that she had no idea where it was.






Chickens Eat Pasta by Clare Pedrick is a romance story, an interesting and satisfying read, but instead of the typical romance between two people, it was about her romance with an old house and the warmth and colors of Italy, specifically in the beautiful town of Umbria. Having been to Italy myself a few times, I can relate. Chickens Eats Pasta by Clare Pedrick is a great tale. I’d personally label it autobiography, memoir, and travel journal. I really enjoyed this book and have no hesitation in recommending it to others. If you enjoy traveling, especially from the safety and comfort of your favorite arm chair, may I suggest you take a look at Chickens Eats Pasta?




Until next review, stay safe. Smile! Show compassion to others. Be nice to one another. Read a book and pass it on. Review it. Reviews are very important tool for authors. Cheers!
Regards,
S.J. Francis
In Shattered Lies: "It's All About Family."  Now available from Black Opal Books at all on-line retailers and independent bookstores.
    "Some secrets should remain that way."
                                            My Official web page: http://sjfranciswriter.com
            My Black Opal Books Author Page:
And now for some legal stuff: Copyright 2016 by S.J. Francis. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, S. J. Francis and are meant to entertain, inform and enlighten, and intend to offend no one.




 




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Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Animal Lover? Military Veteran? 5 Stars for a story about a dog that saved an Army Veteran's Life....


Duke: The Dog that Saved My life by Toby Yarbrough...
   


My Review:
     I'm naturally drawn to stories about animals, which made Duke: The Dog That Saved My Life by Toby Yarbrough a natural read for me. The synopsis about this book drew me right away.

Toby Yarbrough is an Army Veteran with twenty years of military service. His life was changed during his service to his country, America. Duke: The Dog That Save My Life is the result of that fateful day of September 11, 2001. It was a day of infamy for many, but personally for this author who was injured and disabled due to an accident he sustained while deployed to Afghanistan. Considering what happened to him, Toby was lucky to be alive.
 

 Enjoy the story and feel the strong emotions of the author and his special bond with his service dog, Duke. Toby Yarbrough saw war. He has been to hell and back but retained his optimism and his sense of self, despite post-traumatic stress disorder, and seizures as a result of the accident he endured. For those that don't know, PSTD isn't a simple psychological disorder. It isn't a defect of the mind. In fact, it really doesn't have anything to do with simple "stress". PTSD is a real, long-lasting, permanent residue of trauma, psychological and/or physical. There is no cure. It never goes away. "It makes you feel stressed and afraid even long after the danger is long gone. You have a hard time functioning in normal life." A person with PSTD will never be the person they once were. No amount of therapy, counseling or drugs can make you "all better". I know a little about PTSD from doing research, but nothing I read before matched the information I received in reading this book.




Duke: The Dog that save my life is written as a journal, a personal memoir filled with colorful photos. It's a wonderful, touching, fast and easy reading book that anyone can enjoy. I particularly enjoyed the chapter from Duke's point of view. It’s a book about a disabled Army veteran named Sgt. Toby Yarbrough and his service dog, Duke, the dog that saved his life on more than one occasion. I had no idea what our military service person actually endured during wartime. How could I? How could anyone unless they were there? I had no idea what having/training a service dog entailed. Now I do. I highly recommend this book to any military veteran, animal lover, and especially to friends and family of a veteran. Most importantly, I strongly believe that every world leader and their cabinets should read this book, because 1) service dogs are important part of a Veteran's healing process and should be provided to every disabled veteran that needs one, and 2) Most importantly they need to realize that war is not always the right answer because some wounds will never heal.
This is a memorable story of a Veteran & a dog named Duke that keeps him going! Everyone should read it! Thank you Toby and Duke for your service!


Disclaimer: I received an e-book from Reader’s Favorite in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Product Details


Until next review, stay safe. Smile! Show compassion to others. Be nice to one another. Read a book and pass it on. Review it. Reviews are very important tool for authors. Cheers!
Regards,
S.J. Francis
In Shattered Lies: "It's All About Family."  Now available from Black Opal Books at all on-line retailers and independent bookstores.
    "Some secrets should remain that way."
                              My Official web page: http://sjfranciswriter.com

            My Black Opal Books Author Page:
            http://www.blackopalbooks.com/author-bios/bio-sj-francis
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sjfrancis419
Face Book:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/SJ-Francis/480058115420325
My Blogs: sjfranciswriter.blogspot.com 
                                                              
A Book Review 4 U: abookreview4u.blogspot.com
A Consumer's View: aconsumersview.blogspot.com
OnefortheAnimals:    onefortheanimals.blogspot.com


 
  
 
And now for some legal stuff: Copyright 2016 by S.J. Francis. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, S. J. Francis and are meant to entertain, inform and enlighten, and intend to offend no one.




 


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Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Are You a Dreamer? Here's a book you may enjoy. 5 Stars for Star Dust Dreams by S.B. Redstone....



From Amazon.com:

Lance Forrester is a dreamer. After a celebrated career as an astronaut and engineer, he and a friend build a secret spacecraft to seek their destinies in the stars. But his friend dies and Lance is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Desperate not to succumb to his fate, he convinces an acquaintance, ailing actress Sage Saint Claire, whom he hasn’t seen since high school, to join him on his quest to reach an advanced alien civilization which can heal them both. Unfortunately, true life is not a Hollywood movie, as much as Sage might want it to be, and problems abound. Mistakes in the past have turned Sage into a bitter old woman, and she turns out to be a less-than-perfect traveling companion which no amount of optimism, youth, or good health can cure. Can these two intrepid octogenarians-turned-immortals overcome the emotional scars of their pasts and achieve true happiness, or are they doomed to suffer for their mistakes, no matter how far from Earth they go?
S. B. Redstone, Author



My Review:
      This is a cute and wonderful story for dreamers of all ages.

I love this book. I used to read fantasy and science fiction quite a lot and then just stopped, as I lost interest. I think this book has renewed my interest in it. Stardust Dreams by S.B. Redstone may very well change your outlook in both genres should you never read either. This is a cute and wonderful story about never giving up on your dreams, seeking out the impossible and just going for it. The author shows you why one should never give up on your dream no matter what. There's a little bit of everything in this story to entice just about any kind of reader, too.

The hero Lance Forrester is a dreamer. In fact, his dreams are contagious. I don't want to give too much away, but take a chance on this book and you won't be disappointed. I wasn't. Find out as Lance did, "Sometimes, if you wish hard enough -- and work hard enough at achieving that wish -- stardust dreams just might come true for you as well..." May all your dreams come true, every single one of them.



Product Details

  • Paperback: 324 pages
  • Publisher: Black Opal Books (May 19, 2015)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1626942765
  • ISBN-13: 978-1626942769
  • Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.7 x 8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 15.7 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  •  Books > Romance > Science Fiction


Disclaimer: I received an ARC e-book copy from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. 

Until my next review, stay safe. Smile! Show compassion to others. Be nice to one another. Read a book and pass it on. Review it. Reviews are very important tool for authors. Cheers!
Regards,
S.J. Francis
In Shattered Lies: "It's All About Family."  Now available from Black Opal Books at all on-line retailers and independent bookstores.
    "Some secrets should remain that way."
                                       My Official web page: http://sjfranciswriter.com
            My Black Opal Books Author Page:
            http://www.blackopalbooks.com/author-bios/bio-sj-francis
My web page: http://sjfranciswriter.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sjfrancis419
Face Book:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/SJ-Francis/480058115420325
My Blogs: sjfranciswriter.blogspot.com 
                                                              
A Book Review 4 U: abookreview4u.blogspot.com
A Consumer's View: aconsumersview.blogspot.com
OnefortheAnimals:    onefortheanimals.blogspot.com
Pinterest:   http://www.pinterest.com/sjfrancis419/
 
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104831238907682620486/about 
Good Reads:       https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/33550975-s-j
                                      
 
 
 
And now for some legal stuff: Copyright 2016 by S.J. Francis. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, S. J. Francis and are meant to entertain, inform and enlighten, and intend to offend no one.




 





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Tuesday, July 12, 2016

What would happen if Hackers Shut Down Power in the USA? Ted Koppel Explores the Question In Lights Out.....


Four out of Five Stars for Lights Out by Ted Koppel....


From amazon.com:

In this New York Times bestselling investigation, Ted Koppel reveals that a major cyberattack on America’s power grid is not only possible but likely, that it would be devastating, and that the United States is shockingly unprepared.



Imagine a blackout lasting not days, but weeks or months. Tens of millions of people over several states are affected. For those without access to a generator, there is no running water, no sewage, no refrigeration or light. Food and medical supplies are dwindling. Devices we rely on have gone dark. Banks no longer function, looting is widespread, and law and order are being tested as never before.



It isn’t just a scenario. A well-designed attack on just one of the nation’s three electric power grids could cripple much of our infrastructure—and in the age of cyberwarfare, a laptop has become the only necessary weapon. Several nations hostile to the United States could launch such an assault at any time. In fact, as a former chief scientist of the NSA reveals, China and Russia have already penetrated the grid. And a cybersecurity advisor to President Obama believes that independent actors—from “hacktivists” to terrorists—have the capability as well. “It’s not a question of if,” says Centcom Commander General Lloyd Austin, “it’s a question of when.”  And yet, as Koppel makes clear, the federal government, while well prepared for natural disasters, has no plan for the aftermath of an attack on the power grid. The current Secretary of Homeland Security suggests keeping a battery-powered radio.








In the absence of a government plan, some individuals and communities have taken matters into their own hands. Among the nation’s estimated three million “preppers,” we meet one whose doomsday retreat includes a newly excavated three-acre lake, stocked with fish, and a Wyoming homesteader so self-sufficient that he crafted the thousands of adobe bricks in his house by hand. We also see the unrivaled disaster preparedness of the Mormon Church, with its enormous storehouses, high-tech dairies, orchards, and proprietary trucking company – the fruits of a long tradition of anticipating the worst. But how, Koppel asks, will ordinary civilians survive?




With urgency and authority, one of our most renowned journalists examines a threat unique to our time and evaluates potential ways to prepare for a catastrophe that is all but inevitable.












My review:

I wanted to read this book as soon as I heard about it. I’ve always wondered what would happen, what the USA would do if everything electronic was suddenly shut down by a cataclysmic event or otherwise. This book brings to light with scary facts, opinions from the experts and those everyday people that are already preparing for such an event. Koppel is a journalist. Hence, his writing is a bit dry. Think school text book. Not everyone will enjoy this book because of that, but he presents the evidence that shows what I knew all along, what a great many probably know. Woe to the US should an enemy shut down one or all of our power grids. Nothing will work. There’ll be no electricity to run televisions, or radios or computers. Banks can’t process money in or out. Pharmacies won’t be able to get in medication. Supermarkets won’t be able to bring groceries in. Fact is, as Koppel shows, the United States is the country that is most dependent on electricity. Metropolitan areas will feel the power loss first and foremost. What will you do should this scenario play out for not just hours, but days, weeks even months? Would you be prepared? The government certainly isn’t.



Disclaimer: I received an ARC from blogging for books in exchange for a fair and honest review.


















Product Details:

Hardcover: 288 pages

Publisher: Crown (October 27, 2015)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 055341996X

ISBN-13: 978-0553419962






                    





Until next review, stay safe. Smile! Show compassion to others. Be nice to one another. Read a book and pass it on. Review it. Cheers!
Regards,
S.J. Francis
In Shattered Lies: "It's All About Family."  Released from Black Opal Books Oct. 24th, 2015 and available at all on-line retailers and indie booksellers.
                                          My Official web page: http://www.sjfranciswriter.com

My Black Opal Books Author Page:
            http://www.blackopalbooks.com/author-bios/bio-sj-francis 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sjfrancis419
Face Book:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/SJ-Francis/480058115420325
My Blogs: sjfranciswriter.blogspot.com 
A Book Review 4 U: abookreview4u.blogspot.com
                                                         
 A Consumer's View: aconsumersview.blogspot.com
 
OnefortheAnimals:    onefortheanimals.blogspot.com
 


 
And now for some legal stuff: Copyright 2016 by S.J. Francis. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, S. J. Francis and are meant to entertain, inform and enlighten, and intend to offend no one. 





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Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Go Where the Lemons Bloom.....by Blair McDowell I give 4 out of 5 Stars....




Synopsis from amazon.com:

When Eve Anderson meets Adamo de Leone on a ship bound for Europe, she has no idea of the dark secret that will endanger both their lives. She accompanies him to his home on Italy’s Amalfi Coast to open an inn left to him by his grandfather. But then she learns he spent five years in prison for a crime he claims he didn’t commit. Could the man she loves be responsible for embezzling eighty million dollars from the investment firm he once owned?

Adamo wants to hold Eve at arm’s length until he can clear his proud family name. But when there is an attempt on his life and Eve is terrorized by a gun-bearing thug, he realizes how much he wants her, and he must accept whatever help he can get to uncover the well-hidden trail of a six-year-old crime.




Product Details:

File Size: 595 KB

Print Length: 210 pages

Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc (December 16, 2015)

Publication Date: December 16, 2015

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Language: English

ASIN: B017PT3K7I




About the author:

Blair McDowell is quickly becoming a favorite with readers of Romantic Suspense and Mystery.  Her passion for writing is combined with her love of travel and exploring the world. Blair's thrilling tales are set in exotic and captivating places, which she uses almost like another character because of their intrinsic significance to the story.




My Review:

Beautiful cover on this book! There I said it. Sorry, but I had to. Fortunately, unlike a great many books out there, this cover reflects what the story is about inside. I just adore the Amalfi coast where this story takes place. I’m not one for straight romances, but good ones, great ones always attract my interest, especially romantic suspense that keep the pages turning. This one did that right away from the opening scene. Unfortunately, after the first scene, I was able to guess what would happen next. No surprises there, which disappointed me greatly. I hate predictable books. That’s the problem I have with typical romance books. Fortunately, once I delved into the story after that, I grew to enjoy it, and though, the character names Adamo and Eve are far from original for a romance, one disregards that trite fact once the reader delves into the story.




I found I truly enjoyed Where Lemons Bloom by Blair McDowell and will be looking for other books by her. If you’re a traveler via armchair, or your chosen mode of transportation, this book combines vivid traveling with a romantic suspense. All in all, I highly recommend this book for any fan of romance, suspense, travel and mystery. You won’t be disappointed.


Disclaimer: I received an ARC from Reading Alley in exchange for a fair and honest review.



                     

                          



Until next review, stay safe. Smile! Show compassion to others. Be nice to one another. Read a book and pass it on. Review it. Cheers!
Regards,
S.J. Francis
In Shattered Lies: "It's All About Family."  Released from Black Opal Books Oct. 24th, 2015 and available at all on-line retailers and indie booksellers.


My Black Opal Books Author Page:
View My ShoutOut:  http://bit.ly/1r3oynM
 
A Book Review 4 U: abookreview4u.blogspot.com

 
A Consumer's View: aconsumersview.blogspot.com
 
OnefortheAnimals:    onefortheanimals.blogspot.com
 
 

Good Reads:       http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8423986.S_J_Francis


 
And now for some legal stuff: Copyright 2015 by S.J. Francis. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, S. J. Francis and are meant to entertain, inform and enlighten, and intend to offend no one. 








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