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.
“Lucy. I think I see Friday from here.” “Sorry Little Potato that is Wednesday wearing a Friday hat.”
It is Wednesday Story Day again and last week we were there when Andrew and Larry discussed what to do as a result of Larry insulting Cortez to his face. The best Larry could come up with is to “find somebody who really knows what went on.” I think we all did a double take on that one since it would require finding someone who would be willing to rat out the biggest killer on the planet. Let’s get back to Larry since he is walking into Micki’s fortune telling shop.
“Why hello detective. Glad to see you again.”
“Hi, Ms. Lee. I think I need some help again.”
“You can call me Micki. What’s the problem now?”
“Gloria told me to follow the motive and I would find the suspect in the Sandusky murder.”
“So?”
“We think we found the motive.”
“Okay. Who is the “we?’”
“Andrew and me.”
“Oh, that too handsome for his clothes, Andrew?”
“Er. I suppose.”
“We had such a nice cup of tea.”
“Yes, well. I wonder if we can talk to Gloria?”
“I think that could be arranged. Come with me.”
“Thank you.”
“Make yourself comfortable. Close your eyes and I’ll see if Gloria is available.”
“Oh, my goodness, detective. Gloria is on holiday.”
“On holiday? How do you know that?”
“There is a note on her ethereal portal.”
“Ethereal portal? What the heck is an ethereal portal.”
“It is the place where I go to summon a spirit. Each spirit has their own.”
“You say Gloria is on holiday.”
“Yes, she will be gone for two of our weeks.”
“Where the heck did she go for a holiday if she is in heaven?”
“She really didn’t say. I’ll read you the note. Hello all. Thank you for stopping by but I have gone on holiday and will be back next lune day. Love, Gloria.”
“Hello, all. Who is she talking about?”
“I’m sure it is a message for her heavenly friends.”
“Well, that just takes the cake. I may not be alive in two weeks.”
“My goodness, detective. What is the problem?”
“It is a long story, Ms. Lee. I’m sure you have better things to do than hear my troubles.”
“Would it have anything to do with that horrible man Cortez?”
“How on Earth did you know.”
“It’s not Earth where I get my information. I have other sources.”
“So, what am I to do.”
“If it were me, and it is not me, you understand. I would get the goods on one of his closest associates and see if you can get him to turn against Cortez.”
“I had the same idea, and Andrew pooh-poohed it.”
“He’s good looking but not always far-sighted.”
“Okay then. You’ve made me feel a lot better. I think a lot of folks thought I had lost it.”
“You had better work quickly though. I can feel the wrath of Cortez starting to build.”
“He killed Sandusky, right?”
“I’m not that sure. If you can get someone to tell you what went down that night, I think you can make a case. Now, how about a nice hot cup of tea before you leave?”
In Keith’s words. “Using this photo 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.”
“Well, I’m quite sure we are not alone if that’s what you mean.”
“Okay let me start over. You called for Captain Tom. I answered. You then asked if I were Captain Tom.”
“Yes so?”
“Who the heck do you think I am?”
“No need to be prickly. I was just following protocol.”
“I’m sitting in this cramped capsule which as far as I know is the only cramped capsule orbiting the Earth right now. You called me and then have the cheek to ask if I am Captain Tom.”
“I’m beginning to see your point. You are on a mission, and the only one on that mission, and I called you.”
“What does that tell you?”
“Since we are on the same frequency I would guess that you are Captain Tom.”
“So why did you ask? I know I’m making a mountain out of a hillock but with nothing else to do and it being so damn cold, I am curious.”
“That is an interesting saying you have there.”
“Which one.”
“Mountain out of a hillock.”
“Yeah, so?”
“The saying we have is “mountain out of a molehill.”‘
“For heaven’s sake. What’s the difference?”
“Also you mention the cold.”
“Yes, I did. It is freezing up here.”
“What have you done with Captain Tom?”
“Here we go again.”
“It would not be cold unless the integrity of the capsule has been compromised.”
“If that were to happen you would see it on the telemetry.”
“Unless someone knows how to intercept the signal. Now before I hit the abort button tell me what you did with Captain Tom.”
“I ate him.”
“What?”
“He was just too tempting. Like a sardine in a can. In case you wonder, he was delicious. Go ahead and abort. I’ll just be waiting up here for the next one. TTFN.”
This post continues the Top Ten Things Not to Do with a historical background. Today is the 230th anniversary of the publication of the first American novel. Its title was “Power of Sympathy,” and it was written by William Hill Brown. If you were there when this event happened, there are some things you should not have done. In case you have a time machine and plan to go here is a list of the Top Ten Things Not to Do to keep you out of trouble.
10 If you are there when published, do not complain about the nine shilling price. If you do, at best you’ll come off like a cheap skate. At worst, the publisher will take your name and vow never to publish anything you write. (I guess you can take this guy off your query list, Gael. Of course, you never got a response to the ten you did send already.)
9 If you are there when published, do not try to take more than one bookmark being handed out by Tiny the WWF champ. If you do, at best Tiny will merely take the extra back, At worst, Tiny, who has just been expelled from empathy school, will assume you are challenging his authority, (Looks like it is time to head for the door, Gino)
8 If you are there when published, do not wear your I love New York t-shirt. If you do, at best no one will notice. At worst, since the book was published in Boston, you might have to deal with rabid Bostonians who hate New York for whatever reason. (Don’t try to write it off as loyal Red Sox fans, Griffith. Baseball is still not played. The first game was in 1846 fifty-seven years from now.)
7 If you were there when published, do not write a review before you have read the book. If you do, at best no one will read it. At worst, the author will have his second call upon you. (The subject at hand is a duel, Gabian. I hope you know your way around flintlock dueling pistols.)
6 If you were there when published, do not ask when the Kindle edition will be available. If you do, at best you’ll get puzzled looks. At worst, once you explain the Kindle, you’ll be spending some quality time in the stocks. (They don’t exactly believe in witches, Gadhi, but you are as close to one as they can imagine. Look forward to some moments of panic in the dunking chair. I would just tell them you are a witch.)
5 If you are there when published, do not say to the author that you are thinking of writing a book as well. If you do, at best he’ll just laugh. At worst, you’ll experience the weightlessness that comes from falling through a trap door leading to the swamp. ( Now you know why the author stood in that one location with his arm resting on a lever, Gaelan. Authors hate it when folks think writing a book is so damn easy.)
4 If you are there when published, do not ask for an author autograph on anything but the book. If you do, at best he might sign your paper with the name of his carriage driver. At worst, the people behind you who are holding a book will shame you into a purchase. (By shame we are talking about that musket in your face, Gairbhith. These people really love the author)
3 If you are there when published, do not ask the author if he has been thinking of getting a real job. If you do, at best you will be shown the door. At worst, you will have asked the question that the author’s spouse asked over breakfast this morning. (This seems to be a sore spot with the author, Galeun. Time to think of a graceful way to get out fast.)
2 If you are there when published, do not ask the author when his next book is coming out. If you do, at best the author has another book coming out. At worst, the author has a bad case of writer’s block and is near insanity with worry. (Yes he is holding the cleaver that used to be on the sideboard, Galton. Yes, he has a fiery look in his eye. Yes, he is coming for you.)
1 If you are there when published, do not suggest a plot that you believe the writer will want to write. If you do, at best you will get a kind smile. At worst, the author, having heard ten other plot ideas already today, will walk away. (I wouldn’t call it rude, Galyn. I would call it your life-saving technique.)
Last year I featured the bollard in Port Aransas being covered by crochet wraps. There were about thirty the previous year and more than one hundred and thirty this year. The creator of this display is Diana Vondra and a host of helpers. They are being called the “Bollard People for reasons you will see in a moment. There are some photos, and I could not put them all in this post. Also, the sun was at an Eastern angle so for you to see the faces I had to manipulate the photos a little.
Here’s one that looks like a superhero.
This is a view of the way they look when you drive up.
It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday and this weeks prompt is ‘television.” Linda Hil says we can write about our favorite programs of about the apparatus itself. If you would like to join in on this mind-bender visit Linda’s blog and read how. Here is the link.
Friday has come again. YAY. It looks like everyone is going to share in the cold front moving from the Northwest. Temps are going down and snow possibilities going up. This always reminds us that winter is still with us. Somehow we seem to forget that little fact. Sure, there is a lovely day here and there. Just enough to make us believe we will have an early spring. My advice is to not fall for it. Only assume it will be cold until April and your mind will rest easier. Like a free lunch, there is no such thing as an early Spring.
Today’s JohnKu talks about Winter. By the way, the term JohnKu was coined a few years ago by Kimberly at https://words4jp.com/ She is a poet, and when I started doing my version of a Haiku, she suggested delicately that maybe what I was doing was a JohnKu more than a classic Haiku. Ever since then I have been grateful for the suggestion. Kimberly is now back to blogging and certainly worth a visit.
It is Wednesday Story Day again and last week the hair on our neck went up as Cortez seemed to pull a Jeckle and Hyde personality change. It looked like he took an exception to Larry’s declaration that the device worked when Cortez said it didn’t. Larry and Andrew left Cortez’s office as fast as they could and hot-footed it back to the police building. Let’s get there too and see what the guys think about the visit with Cortez.
“Holy shit. That guy just threatened us.”
“Calm down Larry. He is a cartel head. You don’t go calling him a liar.”
“I didn’t call him a liar.”
“I think he thought you did.”
“When?”
“Remember when he told you the device didn’t work?”
“Yeah, of course.”
“Then you told him you had information that it did work.”
“That was the truth.”
“But do you think he wanted to hear the truth and especially if he just told you the exact opposite.”
“What if I told you I did that on purpose?”
“I would think you have lost your mind.”
“Well, I wanted to see if I could get a rise out of him.”
“You certainly did that, my friend. Now that you have taken a stick to the hornet’s nest, what are you going to do?”
“He doesn’t have the guts to come after police officers.”
“I wouldn’t stake my life on that.”
“The point is. That bastard didn’t pay Louis just because he didn’t want to do it.”
“And your point is?”
“I think he killed Sandusky.”
“You have no proof.”
“We can get the proof. All we have to do is find someone who really knows what went on.”
“Sometimes I’m amazed by your brilliance.”
“Why thank you.”
“This is not one of those times.”
“What do you mean?”
“How are you going to penetrate that mob and once you do, how are you going to get someone to rat out Cortez?”
“I think you have stated the objective very well. I must confess I don’t have all the details worked out as yet.”
“You might as well consider one other problem while you are working on your plan.”
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.”
