I have been working in business for over forty years and now have the time to work in special areas of interest. My passion has always been to create compelling stories of fiction. I have authored six novels and am working on my Seventh. The first novel is still in manuscript form and being utilized as a door stop in the laundry room. The second is a contemporary fiction novel of 89,000 words and is complete and I am currently seeking a publisher. I also write poetry but have not had the guts to share any with anyone. The one time I read a piece to a person their only comment was, “it doesn’t rhyme.” I will continue to write and hopefully my blog, Fiction Favorites at www.johnwhowell.com will provide some entertainment and an interesting thought or two.
I live in the Austin area with my wife Molly and an assortment of loving pets.
Lauren Scott has written a terrific review of Eternal Road – The final stop. Lauren also does some pretty great poetry. Give her site a visit and while there have a look around. Thank you, Lauren. 😁
I was thrilled to be a part of John’s blog tour in helping him promote his new book which is now a new favorite in my home library. So,today I introduce John Howell againand I’m sharing my review of Eternal Road – The Final Stop.
My 5-star review on Amazon:
What a thrilling ride Eternal Road – The Final Stop turned out to be! We are introduced to James who is on a road trip in his classic 1956 Oldsmobile, but we are shocked when he ends up dying in a tragic car accident. And yet, we still find him driving his Oldsmobile when he decides to give a hitchhiker a ride, who surprisingly, happens to be his childhood sweetheart Sam. She is now an adult because seventeen years have flown by since they have seen each other. And when Sam breaks the surreal news to James…
“Lucy is that Friday?” “MMFF. Uh, No, Little One that’s Wednesday.” “Noisy thing isn’t it.”
It is Wednesday Story Day again, and last week, we learned a guy named Somner who made the ID’s for Carolyn was beaten pretty badly. Chances are he gave the identity names to Cortez’s men. If so, Cortez will hunt Carolyn down and take her for insurance against Lazar talking. Now it is a race to see who can find Carolyn first, Cortez, or our side. There is some more discussion going on with Lazar. I think Larry has asked him a question. Let’s go and find out what they are talking about.
“I’m sorry my mind was a million miles away. Could you repeat the question, detective?”
“Sure, Lazar. What I asked was do you know of any place in France where Carolyn might be heading?”
“That’s a good question. Let me think a second. I remember in high school, there was an exchange student from France. He and Carolyn were pretty good friends.”
“Do you know where he lived?”
“Oh, yeah, he was at our house several times. He was really a nice kid. He and his family lived in Paris.”
“Do you have a name?”
“Sure. His name was Pablo.”
“And he was French?”
“Yeah. He always got asked the same question. His parents named him after Picasso.”
“How about their names or address?”
“I have all that in my phone. His parent came for a visit and stayed with us.”
“Pricilla. I think we may have a lead here.”
“Yes, Larry. Thanks for the help. So here’s your phone Mr. Popović. Get the address, and we will have some people go there to protect that family.”
“What do you mean to protect?”
“I’m sure Cortez will be paying them a visit as well.”
“How will he know she is going there?”
“My guess is he will have someone bribe someone in the passport control office to give him the address.”
“How will the passport control office get the address?”
“Don’t arrivals fill out a form with the address where they are going to be staying?”
“She has a French passport and is, therefore, looks to be a citizen. She won’t have to do anything.”
“Well, there goes that theory. I still think getting some folks over there will at least allow us to get Carolyn. Who knows? Maybe Cortez’s men will be following her so we can prevent a grab there.”
“There is another concern Ms. Thomas.”
“What is that, Mr. Popović?”
“It is a three and one half-hour drive from Coquelles where the Chunnel terminates in France to Paris. Cortez’s men could grab her anywhere along that route.”
“Goodness. We have to get her on the train as it arrives in France.”
“Can you do that?”
“If the stars align and if we can get Somner to tell us the name on the French Passport.”
Today Victoria Ray NB has published an outstanding review for Eternal Road on her site.
A little about Victoria.
Victoria RayNB is a multi-genre author, known for her surreal, thought-provoking themes and humor. She is living in Sweden with her family and two dogs: Daisy and Sky. She holds a Ph.D. in Classic Russian Literature.
Ray is working in genres:
– surreal humor & satire
– ERO GURO (erotica+grotesque)
– absurdist fantasy & sci-fi
– action thriller
– dark comedy
– parody
– poetry
The definition of NB = “never boring”.
Check out the review and while there check out her books which I think you’ll find very entertaining.
To give you an idea.
Her Sophia Von X Thriller earned this from Readers Favorite.
“Using this photo (Below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem, anything, really, even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please also mention it in a comment here.
Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries next Monday.”
This was the weekend that we moved daughter into her new house. With all the work I did not have time to do an adequate job of a Top Ten Post. This post ran on October 29th, 2018. I hope if you missed it you will enjoy it. For those who have seen this one, next week will be better. Also, I’m over at Story Empire today talking about burnout. Here is the LINK
***
This post continues the Top Ten Things Not to Do with history as a backdrop. Harvard College, the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States, is founded in Cambridge, Mass on this day in 1636.
The Top Ten Things Not to Do at the Founding of Harvard College in 1636.
10 If you are at the founding of Harvard, do not suggest a celebration with a kegger party. If you do, at best the kegger store will be closed. At worst, the administration will create a rule against keggers. (Congratulations, Fyodor. You are the first student at the college to be put on probation.)
9 If you are at the founding of Harvard, do not pledge a fraternity where Tiny the WWF champ is a member. If you do, at best Tiny will flunk out before you get there. At worst, Tiny who was just criticized by the dean for necessary hazing had ordered you to bend over. (Let’s hope the dean lecture has not made Tiny even angrier, Frederick. Is that paddle as big as it looks?)
8 If you are at the founding of Harvard, do not organize a demonstration protesting the dorm food. If you do, at best no one will join you. At worst, the college put you in charge of food procurement. (Looks like your fellow students are getting tired of squirrel stew, Falcon. I think I would try to raise a few vegetables if I were you.)
7 If you are at the founding of Harvard, do not cut class on the first warm day. If you do, at best you can get notes from the nerd, At worst, your professor will pull a pop quiz that is 20% of the term grade. (No amount of begging is going to help, Fallon. I would go to the infirmary and see if you can con someone into an excuse.)
6 If you are at the founding of Harvard, do not try to organize a football team. If you do, at best no one will know what you are talking about. At worst, you’ll find some players who are ready to play but can’t see a ball. (Looks like you will have to make one, Fraser. Try to get it a little rounder okay. That thing looks like a fat sausage.)
5 If you are at the founding of Harvard, do not go outside wearing that Yale sweatshirt. If you do, at best no one will notice since Yale was founded in 1701. At worst, someone will take offense thinking Yale is an acronym for Young American Liquor Enterprise. (You have to understand the Puritan Ethic is still pretty strong, Fiorello. The time in the stocks will go fast. Think positive.)
4 If you are at the founding of Harvard, do not fail to return your library book on time. If you do, at best the fine is only 1p a week. At worst, a press-gang will come looking for you. (It would have been easier to return the book, Ferril. Now you won’t get back to the College until your sea duty is over. Five years will go pretty quickly.)
3 If you are at the founding of Harvard, do not try to organize the first co-ed dance. If you do, at best your fellow students will just laugh. At worst the administration will pass a rule prohibiting co-ed dancing. (Good luck finding a co-ed, Fabrice. The first sex-blind admissions were not until 1977. Oh, and you need to serve time on the dunking chair due to the rule violation. I hope those hold your breath contests come in handy.)
2 If you are at the founding of Harvard, do not park your horse in the faculty parking lot. If you do, at best no one will need the space. At worst, professor Curmudgeon will alert campus security to shoot you on sight. (Never thought taking a tenured professor’s parking place was that big of a deal, huh Faddei. Those musket balls look like they would hurt.)
1 If you are at the founding of Harvard, do not buy your books ahead of time at the used bookstore. If you do, at best you might save money. At worst, the professor will change the course text with no notice. (Well, looks like your used books will make an excellent fire starter, Fadil. Better luck next term)
Welcome to the final edition of the Halloween Views of the Neighborhood. Since Halloween is next Saturday, this will be the last post showing the decorations in the neighborhood. The temperatures have also tuned quite nippy (in the 70s), so we will be serving hot mulled cider, Prosciutto, and provolone sandwiches on toasted ciabatta, napa cabbage slaw, and brownie bites. There is also a full bar, and The Traveling Wilburys will be entertaining us.
Jump on the bus, and we will be off.
This first house has quite a display. I love that witch.
Excuse me while I switch off the lights. Makes the display spooky for sure.
We saw these social distance ghosts a while ago.
This is their yard at night. That image on the house is a changing picture.
A bunch of ghouls.
Scary at night.
Flat monsters.
All blown up
Poor pumpkin
All better
Happy monsters.
Cute mailbox topper.
Maybe a cute mailbox topper. Then again maybe not.
Definitely not a cute mailbox topper.
I guess that does it for this year. I hope you liked the series. Hang around and have more cider and listen to “End of the Line” by the Traveling Wilburys. I hope you have a super week.
It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday time again. Here is Linda Hill with this week’s prompt. “Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “starts with ‘m’.” Use any word that begins with the letter “m” as the subject or theme for your post. Enjoy!”
“Twiggy. You still after that Squirrel?” “I figured Friday would be a good time to catch it.” “I can see that plan is going well.”
Another Friday is here and that means the weekend is a mere eight hours away. Oh happy day.
This week has been quite busy with odds and ends. I have begun thinking about the sequal to Eternal Road and have a couple of plot points in mind. You have to woder about what kind of circumstance could possibly bring two souls who are happily spending their eternal time as they envisioned, together again? You have to believe it would be something major. Well it is. Before I spill the whole story let me just say, “Workin on it.”
Halloween is sneaking up on us for sure. If you have followed the Views of the Neighborhood you know we have been taking tours and looking at Halloween decorations. Well this week is the last look since Halloween is on a Saturday and by Sunday when Views is posted it will be old news.
Reviews for Eternal Road continue to arrive. I’m so grateful for them and loved that the fact that all of the readers enjoyed the book. This makes the job of an author so rewarding and certainly makes me feel good.
The 99¢ price on Kindle ends on November 1st here is a link if you want to take a look.
Miriam Hurdle has given Eternal Road an outstanding five-star review. I am very grateful that she also published her review on her blog The Shower of Blessings. Thank you so much, Miriam. I appreciate your review and your support during the tour.
I followed John Howell’s book launch tour and hosted a tour for his latest book Eternal Road: The Final Stop. I read all the excerpts presented on the tour. They grabbed my interest. I wanted to read the rest of the book and I did. I love to read or watch movies of time-travel stories. John’s book was a delight.
My Review
Mr. John Howell began the book with the scene of Sam being killed, but her body was not found. It grabbed my attention right away. James picked up a hitchhiker, Sam, who turned out to be his grade school friend missing 17 years ago. During their conversation, James realized he was dead when his car crashed while falling asleep driving.
Sam received the assignment to take James on an eternal road to his final destiny. They had a time-travel ability by closing their eyes to focus on a…
There is an excellent review of Eternal Road – The final stop on Jessica Bakkers site today. She is also featuring Marcia Mera and Harmony Kent two among my favorite authors. Stop by and say, “Hi.”
When I picked up this book, I expected a sombre tale about passing over and a journey to the other side. I didn’t expect a rollicking adventure through time! John Howell’sEternal Road is one of the more unique titles I’ve come across in recent memory, pitting protagonists Sam and James against historical figures and situations, the reconciliation of their own lives (and deaths), and even against the devil himself.
Howell makes up his own set of ‘rules’ regarding the afterlife (there are no angels plucking harps on floaty clouds here) and sets a cracking pace for James and Sam as they visit immensely important moments in history and learn a good deal about themselves on their journey toward the final stop.
There are moments of levity, moments of drama, moments that tug on the heartstrings, and, as other reviewers have noted…
Happy monsters.
![Eternal Road: The final stop by [John W. Howell]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41LUXIOgiSL._SY346_.jpg)
