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.
“Hey, Twiggy. You want to play? It’s Friday.” “One more chew on this starfish, Lucy and I’ll be ready.”
Yup, it is Friday, and we all are thankful for that. We had some rain here in Parched City, which was mighty welcome.
The week has been pretty calm. It started with temperatures in the 90s and looks like it will finish in the 70s. It means fall weather has finally arrived here in Texas.
Been plugging away at the WIP. Most of my edits have been additions to the dialog sections. I’ve been adding bits of what could be called Emotional Beats. As you may know, I construct whole stories with nothing but dialog. That may be well and good with less than 1000 words, but throughout a novel, it could be tiring for the reader.
There is plenty of dialog, but I’ve added some points of interest to bring the characters alive when they are talking. I still don’t use tags (he said, she said) since I think it is pretty obvious who is talking and tags just slow the story.
We’ll see if it all works. I’m planning on asking for Beta-reader interest around mid-November. I think I won’t ask for the comments back until mid-January since there are some holidays in there. All in all, the story is still holding, so I’m pretty happy with it.
I had an interesting discussion with someone last weekend. They asked me if I was self-published, and I said, “yes.” Her response was a very patronizing, “Writing is a very good hobby.” I guess we all have had that kind of comment. Today’s John Ku talks about discouraging words. I hope you have a great weekend.
Usually, you see Twiggy and Lucy in action here but this week is a little different. I’m actually going to promote my books (gasp). Now don’t run away cause there is something in it for you. If you leave a comment, you will be entered into a drawing.
Here’s What I’m Giving Away Today:
One of two $5.00 Amazon gift cards won by Liz Gauffreau & Ron Yates
One of two of my E-books won by Miriam Hurdle & Wendy Scott .
There are a total of four winners.
“We are here, Boss.” “Yeah, Dad. Now go talk about your books.”
Thank you, Ladies.
Here are the books
This is the John Cannon Trilogy. It is a continuing story of John Cannon’s struggles with a terrorist organization whose objective is the destruction of America. You can click on each of the covers for a trailer.
Click cover for the trailer.
When a former pro football star and broadcaster, now a Wall Street maven is accused of insider trading, will he be able to prove his innocence and expose those who are guilty?
Greg and his boyhood pal dreamed of big success in professional football and then later in business. Greg was the only one to live the dream. Now the founder of an investment fund Greg is faced with a routine audit finding by the SEC. The audit points to irregularities and all the tracks lead to Greg. The justice department hits him with an indictment of 23 counts of fraud, money laundering, and insider trading. His firm goes bust, and Greg is on his own.
His best friend knows he is innocent but has been ordered under penalty of eternal damnation not to help.
If you enjoy stories of riches to rags, redemption, brotherly love, and a little of the paranormal, Circumstance of Childhood will keep you riveted.
Click the cover for the trailer
The earth is under the threat of a catastrophic political event that could result in international warfare and destroy all life on the planet. In heaven, a divine council decides that extraordinary measures are essential. They call for an intervention that involves two souls returning to earth. The chosen two sign a contract that they will work to avert the disaster.
Brad Channing, a Navy SEAL, and Sarah O’Brien, a teacher, become heaven’s representatives on earth. The story follows them as they individually and then together face overwhelming obstacles and eventually end up on a strategic Air Force base in California. It is there that they discover a conspiracy to assassinate the President of the United States. The terrorists have a plan for global dominance, and they are determined to complete their mission. Although military leadership appears to have the President’s best interests at heart, it is not clear who can be trusted and who should be feared. The action is rough and tumble as Brad and Sarah try to figure out the culprits of the plot that will turn into a worldwide conflagration unless stopped.
If you enjoy thrillers, this is one with enough twists and adventure to keep you riveted and guessing. If you like your thriller along with a good romance, Brad and Sarah’s initial attraction and eventual love will sustain you as they live out their heavenly and earthly desires.
“Hey Boss.” “What Lucy?” “Have you seen Friday?” “Nope. Still Wednesday
It is Wednesday Story Day again, and last week we saw Larry and Andrew go to the Hyatt hotel and serve the warrant on the pretentious hotel manager named Wentworth. It seems Wentworth needed to talk to his lawyer before turning over the records. He invited our heroes into the executive area for some coffee. Andrew is suspicious, and Larry tries to assure him that it will be okay. We are wary too. I see the boys are gathered around the silver coffee service, so let’s join them.
“Man, this is Sumatra deep roast. Just smell that bouquet.”
“Reminds me of Chock Full of Nuts.”
“You have to be kidding, Larry.”
“Yeah, I thought I would get your goat.”
“Mmmm. This taste is out of this world.”
“Okay, Andrew. Snap out of it. We are here for business not to swoon over some coffee beans. Where the hell is that guy anyway. He said five minutes.”
“I can see by my watch that it has been five minutes and thirty seconds. How dare he keep us waiting like this.”
“Hilarious, Andrew. Oh, here he comes.”
“Well, gentlemen. Sorry to keep you waiting. I have received clearance from our legal department to give you the records covered by the warrant.”
“Thanks, Wentworth. For some reason, I hear a caveat in your emptor.”
“Emptor.”
“In your words, sir.”
“Oh, no, caveat. Just that I have to be careful to comply with the warrant and not give away the store.”
“So how you going to do that?”
“I will have our lawyer on facetime. He’ll check everything I plan to turn over before I do.”
“Yeah, whatever. Can we get started?”
“Yes, let’s go into my office, and I will bring up the registration records.”
“Great. Lead the way. Andrew, can you tear yourself away from the bean plant and join us?”
“Most certainly, Bawana. I can’t find my machete anyway.”
“You two have a strange way of communicating. Code, I presume.”
“No code. Andrew is a smart ass is all.”
“So here we are. Let me pull up the records. What night are you interested in?”
“Would be the week of February 12th.”
“Okay, here is the week. What information do you need?”
“When did Ned Dixon check-in?”
“The record shows he checked in on the 13th.”
“And when di Alexis Rafferty arrive?”
“Humm. He is in on the twelfth.”
“How about Mrs. Rafferty?”
“I’m looking at the whole week. Nope, there is nothing for a Mrs. Rafferty.”
“Damn. Wait. How about with Rafferty. Is there a Mr. and Mrs.?”
“No, just Mr.”
“Larry?”
‘’Yes, Andrew.”
“Try Dixon. See if there is a Mrs. Dixon.”
“Yeah, Wentworth, see if there is a Mrs. Dixon.”
“Yes, I show Mrs. Dixon. Mr. and Mrs. Dixon checked in on the thirteenth.”
“Okay, I need a copy of that registration.”
“Sure enough. Let me call the lawyer.”
“Okay, while you are doing that, Andrew and I need to confer. We’ll be right back. Come on, Andrew.”
“Okay, I think we are far enough from Wentworth’s office. What the hell are we going to do with that piece of evidence? It tells us nothing.”
“It does tell us Mrs. Rafferty was here with Dixon. Now, all we have to do is find someone in the hotel who can identify her. Let’s go back and see if she ordered room service. Maybe the server can remember her.”
“Super idea Andrew. Grab another cup of your elixir, and let’s get back to Wentworth while he has the lawyer on the line.”
I am very pleased to welcome Jaye Marie to my blog today. She is introducing her new book and is here to let you know it is available.
Silent PayBack Book Description
A city on edge – a detective on shaky ground…
A serial killer roams the streets of Brighton, hunting for his next victim.
When the case lands on detective David Mallory’s desk, will his personal demon prevent him from bringing this vicious monster to justice?
As the body count rises, Mallory finds himself sinking under the weight of his heavy secret – one that could jeopardise his job and his reputation.
With the pressure building, can the troubled detective reconcile his issues and solve the case, before more women die?
About Jaye
Jaye Marie is affectionately known as the giant redwood, probably because she is very tall, but also because of her love for trees. Most afternoons she can be found repotting or taking care of her bonsai collection, but her love of detective mysteries soon brings her back indoors. She has written three fiction novels in this genre, Nine Lives, Out of Time and Crossfire and is looking forward to publishing Silent Payback, her fourth book.
She spends any free time learning everything she can about self-publishing, and despite all the obstacles, she never gives up on anything and is as stubborn as a mule. She also shares a website http://jenanita01.com with Anita Dawes…
In Keith’s words, “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 do 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 week marks the anniversary of the first successful parachute descent is made by Andre-Jacqes Garnerin, who jumps from a balloon at some 2,200 feet over Paris in 1797. There are two reasons we have to go there. 1. Tiny already caught a time capsule there. 2. Andrew Joyce, the very talented writer, and history buff had me tied up in his garage until I agreed to do a post on the jump. So for us not to make a mistake that could cause a tear in the time continuum and so that I don’t end up back in Andrew’s garage, here is a list of ten things not to do when we go there.
Top Ten Things Not to Do at the First Parachute Jump in 1797.
10 If you go to the jump, do not ask Andre-Jacqes if you can go tandem. If you do, at best, he’ll laugh you off. At worst, he will think you are trying to steal his thunder. (That glove slap to the face means you better start practicing your swordsmanship, Jarl. Of course, you could pray he forgets about it. Likely? Not.)
9 If you go to the jump, do not try to convince Tiny the WWF champ that you can take over holding his balloon tie-down ropes. If you do, at best, Tiny won’t understand your request. At worst, Tiny, who has skipped the last seven anger management group sessions, will not give you the rope without a fight. (You better worry about that rope around your ankle, Jarrad. Your weight isn’t enough to keep the balloon on the ground. So as you dangle from one leg at 2000 feet, you might contemplate this. Does Tiny really know how to tie a knot that holds?)
8 If you go to the jump, do not start taking bets on whether or not old Andre-Jacqes will make it. If you do, at best, Andre-Jacqes will not find out about it. At worst, Andre-Jacques’ brother will make a bet that he won’t. (Now you’ve caused a family incident, Jarran. Here comes Andre-Jacques now. I see he has a glove in his hand. Might be time to go.)
7 If you go to the jump, do not offer to pack Andre-Jacqes’ chute. If you do, at best, he will ignore you. At worst, he’ll let you do it. (Funny how that thing looked like a trail of smoke when he let go of the balloon, Jarrell. The sad thing, it never opened. Oh, well, there is always next time.)
6 If you go to the jump, do not ask Andre-Jacqes to unfold your sweetheart proposal flag on the way down. If you do, at best, he’ll say no. At worst, he’ll agree. (Just your luck, Jase. There are at least four women in the spectator area named Noelle. Good luck on the breach of promise lawsuits not to mention the father’s blunderbusses)
5 If you go to the jump, do not ask the balloon pilot if he knows the color of his balloon. If you do, at best he will be too busy to answer. At worst, he’ll think you are making a joke about his balloon. (As you may know, Jaspar, Frenchmen do not take lightly jokes by Americans. I don’t think this one gets it for sure.)
4 If you go to the jump, do not try to get Andre-Jacqes to yell Geronimo when he jumps out of the balloon. If you do, at best, he’ll have no idea what you are talking about. At worst, he too will think you are joking, Jaxon. Don’t look now, but that guy in the top hat is the second coming to ask which weapon you would like to use. Here’s a hit. Tell him death by pillows.)
3 If you go to the jump, do not suggest that Andre-Jacqes should have his parachute made out of silk by Hermes. If you do, at best, he will assume you don’t know what you are talking about. At worse, he will place an order for the parachute. ( Now you are in a pickle, Jaydee. You weren’t aware that Hermes was founded in 1837. How you going to deliver a parachute tomorrow when the manufacturer won’t be in business for 40 years? You got any silkworms?)
2 If you go to the jump, do not ask Andre-Jacqes to wear your Go Lafayette sweatshirt for the stunt. If you do, at best he’ll decline. At worst, he will accept your gift. (Given the amount of angst around the support of the American revolution that shirt could cause a definite crowd reaction, Jayme. I’m not talking positive either. Can you say Guillotine?)
1 If you go to the jump, do not ask for an order of french fries at the local food tent. If you do, at best, you’ll have a thicker potato that’s been fried. At worst, the order taker won’t understand you and will alert the chef. (Here we go, Jayson. You got the big guy with the butcher knife all hot and bothered. I would hit the road if I were you.)
I wandered over to the Rough Hollow Yacht Club just to see how the other half lives. I must say the place is beautiful. Here are some photos.
While walking toward the view, the restaurant is on your left. Pretty nice outdoor/indoor space.
Just past the restaurant, there is this view of the yacht basin.
Another shot from “on top” of the marina. All the slips are covered.
As you look out to the yacht basin, to your right across from the restaurant is the pool and athletic club. The athletic club is behind the palms.
This is the incline track that has two cars to take you down to the docks.
Straight ahead is the yacht club office and general store.
Here is a shot looking back up the stairs to the top of the incline. I wouldn’t want to walk those.
A photo of the fish around the pilings.
A whole rack of jet skis and a view of the covered slips.
A photo of the furthermost docks.
A fueling station with a warning. Gas fumes collect below decks during the fueling process, and a spark from the ignition system could set them off. There are pumps on boats that ventilate the below-deck area. This sign is a reminder to run the pumps.
More slips.
Another view of the incline.
A list of activities available at the club. I hope you enjoyed the visit.
Oh, my goodness, it is Stream of Consciousness Saturday again, and this week’s prompt is “oh.” It has been so much easier to let Linda Hill explain the prompt, so here are her words.
“Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “oh.” Use it as a word or find a word that starts with “oh.” Bonus points if you start and end with “oh.” Enjoy!”
Now you can see why I started the post with “oh.” I’m saving up for a Bentley Turbo Convertable, and I’m pretty close. The bonus points from this post should put me over. If you would like to participate in the fun, go to Linda’s blog and read how easy it is to accumulate bonus points. Here is the link.
Friday has arrived as it does each week typically. The prospect of spending a couple of days catching our breath makes Friday a particular day. I used to call it Saturday eve when I was a prisoner of organized commerce. Friday was the day to put on casual clothes and take a little extra time at lunch. Friday was also the day when company re-organizations would take place and thus became a “day of the long knives.” Even if this were the case, Friday was also the day the eagle pooped. Yeah, payday. Payday was a cause to stop after work for a couple of drinks and to celebrate making it another week, bi-week or in the old days, month.
I once asked one of my co-workers if he would like to stop after work for a couple of drinks. He said, “If I can only have a couple, then no.” He was one of those funny guys that every office has on hand.
This week was more editing on the WIP. As I was working, it became apparent to me that my deadline was in serious jeopardy. I had planned to have the MS into my editor’s hands by early November. This would have included beta reader input.
I find that my second draft is taking me longer. I did beg my editor for more time since I hate to send her an MS that isn’t as complete as I can make it. The beta read part of that is essential. If I sent it without input from beta readers, then there would be a chance of another rewrite, which would then be a waste of the editor’s time. So I pushed the launch and will be ready to solicit beta readers shortly. (My editor is an angel) If you would like to read the book, I will be posting an invitation separately.
Today’s JohnKu celebrates the weekend. I hope you have a good one.
