Author: John W. Howell

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.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – “Make the Call”

January 27, 2024January 28, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 81 Comments

A big gulp of coffee reaches the brain in less time than is reasonable to hope. With the cobwebs gone, it is time to fire up the clock. The choice is to continue to make 1923 mistakes or finally move into 1924. Someone needs to make the call, and it has to be me.

Okay, the clock is set for January 27, 1924. The location is Moscow and the time allowed is two hours. When the plunger is pulled, we find ourselves in Moscow. Dressed like it is Texas with flip-flops and shorts, the temperature turns my knees blue. It is currently -35 degrees F (-37 C), and someone should have reminded me that we need to dress for the destination and not the origin. Lesson learned for next time.

We are in Red Square, and thousands of people gathered for the state funeral for Vladimir Lenin, the co-founder of the Soviet Union. Lenin’s body is delivered to Red Square, accompanied by martial music. The crowds listen to speeches from Mikhail Kalinin, Grigory Zinoviev, and Joseph Stalin, but notably not , who had been convalescing in the Caucasus. Later, it is learned that Stalin had given Trotsky the wrong date for the funeral on purpose.

Lenin’s body is embalmed for long-term viewing and placed in a mausoleum on Red Square. He died on January 21, 1924, at 18:50, in Gorki, at age 53, after falling into a coma. The official cause of death was recorded as an incurable disease of the blood vessels.

As the funeral is completed, the alarm goes off, and back on the sofa is my destination. My test tone tells me Linda Hill has sent this week’s prompt. Here it is. Your prompt for #JusJoJan the 27th and Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “make the call.” Use it as an idiom, or use it literally. Have fun!

To see what other bloggers have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s blog. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2024/01/26/the-friday-reminder-for-socs-jusjojan-2024-daily-prompt-jan-27th/

“Wow. Lenin died 100 years ago.”

“Well, he was buried 100 years ago.”

“To be technical. Yes. Is he still there?”

“There was talk about taking him out of the mausoleum in 2018, but it didn’t happen. Yes, he is still there.”

“Well, that’s good. I guess someone had to make the call on that.”

“Yeah, that was Putin. He put his foot down.”

“I guess that would be the final foot.”

“I think it would. You ready for the pub?”

“Sure am. Uber’s already here. It’s in the parking garage.”

“Okay, let’s walk over.”

“Here we are.”

“You’re kidding?”

“It was this or a horse wagon. I had to make the call.”

“I guess it is better than a horse wagon. You know we could pay full price and get something comfortable.”

“What fun is that?”

“We doing lights and siren?”

“Is there any other way?”

“VooDoo Ranger, here we come.”

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

January 26, 2024January 25, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 78 Comments

Today’s good news comes from station KDFW, which serves Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas.

Screengrab of Eban Barns from FoxNews 4

Royse City Boy Scout builds doghouses for Dallas Animal Services

by Lori Brown

ROYSE CITY, Texas – An eighth-grade Boy Scout from Royse City is working toward the prestigious Eagle rank by helping save the dogs’ lives in Dallas.

He built and delivered 20 dog houses to Dallas Animal Services this week to be given out to families in need.

Eben Barnes is only 13 years old but already making a big difference

“I really enjoy being around dogs, and I found out that they can be removed from their homes because they don’t have a shelter,” he said. “So I wanted to do a project for that so that dogs wouldn’t be removed.”

Eben reached out to Det. Michael Bono with the Dallas Police Department’s animal cruelty unit to find out how he could help animals in a city that is struggling with shelter overcrowding.

There are almost twice as many dogs in the shelter as there are in the kennels, forcing the shelter to euthanize adoptable pets.

“One of our biggest challenges we have in the animal cruelty unit is individuals that don’t provide a means of shelter,” Bono said. “Whether it’s they just don’t have the means to do so, or they choose not to. But animals in North Texas are at risk based on not having shelter.”

Eben researched how to build a doghouse, but that had its challenges. His prototype broke after the first try. He contacted businesses to collect donations for the supplies he needed.

Eben’s mom, Brooke Barnes, said she was proud of his perseverance.

“He sets a goal and sticks to it,” she said. “So to see him build the prototype, see him get everything organized, and then to see him oversee the work day and the delivery of the doghouses yesterday, it was really exciting.”

And now it’s 20 dogs that will soon have the excitement of their own.

“We’ve seen animals come in because the families just couldn’t provide,” Bono said. “And I think through Evan’s Eagle Scout project, he’s able to help 20 of those families.”

The hope is others will be inspired to follow Eben’s lead.

“I think Eben really nailed this project. I think the doghouses turned out excellent. I think it’s the tip of the iceberg,” Bono said. “I think a lot of other scouts and individuals could do this, and it could greatly impact the greater Dallas and North Texas area.

Eben has now completed all of the requirements to become an Eagle Scout. The next step is his board of review to verify his work.

The good news here is a young man saw a need and did what was necessary to satisfy that need. Today’s JohnKu talks about action. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

There’s a difference,

Between just seeing a need . . .

And action to solve.

Thursday – A Little Personal – Twiggy Rain Day

January 25, 2024January 24, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 120 Comments

“It’s still raining.”

“Yes, that is true, but it’s supposed to stop later.”

“How much later?”

“Let’s see. It looks like, after one o’clock, it will be light. You can go out then.”

“Paaallleeze. After one, I’ll have died from terminal boredom.”

“Oh, come on. You have enough toys to last several days. Go get the hedgehog burrow toy.”

“Okay, here it is. I already pulled out one of the little hedgehogs.”

“So there are two more. Get them out, too.”

“That’s one. No use hiding hedgehog. You gotta come out.”

“Now you’re talking.”

“I think a little tooth work is better than talking.”

“I have to agree.”

“Ha, so there it is. The last hedgehog.”

“You did it. Now go chase the burrow.”

“Nice throw, Dad. Under the couch for a degree of difficulty of 11 on a ten scale.”

“Sorry about that, but taking photos and throwing are not compatable actions.”

“Have no fear. The puma is here. Got the burrow from its burrow.”

“Good joke. Where are you going to take it?”

“Back to you, of course. You need the tossing practice.”

“You want the hedgehogs back in the toy?”

“I think an empty toy is enough of a challenge for you today.”

“Very funny.”

Tuesday- Anything Possible – Prompt – Kreative Kue # 416 by Keith Channing

January 23, 2024January 22, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 67 Comments

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 your offering (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before Sunday evening UK time. 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. Thank you for taking part.”

Keith’s link. https://keithchanning.wordpress.com/2024/01/22/kreative-kue-415/

The photo.

“Why are we running?”

“Are you kidding?”

“No, I just don’t understand.”

“Didn’t you see that?”

“What was I supposed to see?”

“Here we’ve been patrolling these hills for what seems like forever.”

“Yeah. I still don’t get it.”

“We’ve been up, down, and all around.”

“Okay, okay, so what?”

“This is the first time I have seen one in the daytime.”

“You are driving me nuts, let alone out of breath.”

“Sure, there were hints of nighttime visits.”

“I will stop unless you tell me what you saw.”

“Suit yourself, but for me, I’m going to try and get it.”

“These pronouns are killing me. Get what?”

“I wish you would keep your eyes open, and then I wouldn’t have to explain.”

“I’m going to count to three, and when I get to one, just blurt out what it is you will get. One.”

“It’s going to be great to capture it.”

“Two.”

“I can almost feel the thing in my mouth as I clamp down.”

“Three.”

“The FedEx truck.”

“Huh? We are running so you can bite the FedEx truck?”

“Not the whole truck. Just the tire. I wanna hear it pop.”

“You are not well, dear brother. You need help.”

“Yeah, sure. Tell me that as you feast on the spoils.”

“What spoils?”

“The Chewy delivery of kibble that the guy will drop when his tire goes kaflooie.”

“Let’s hurry.”

Top Ten Things Not to Do While Walking a Dog

January 22, 2024January 21, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 92 Comments

Top Ten Things Not to Do While Walking a Dog

10. If you are walking your dog, do not stop at a neighbor’s nice grassy place and let your dog do its thing. If you do, at best, your neighbor will nicely ask you not to do that again. At worst, you will wake in the morning to a load of manure on your driveway with a note, “Sorry about my elephant’s mistake. I’ll be back to pick it up later.” (Don’t hold your breath for the pickup, Buster. But do for the stink.)

9. If you are walking your dog, do not think other dogs would be fortunate to meet and play with yours without the other owner’s concurrence. If you do, at best, the other dog’s owner will be nice enough to be patient and not sock you. At worst, the other owner’s dog is a rescue from a dog fighting ring and has been in a twelve-step program designed to stop aggressive fighting behavior and, up to this moment, has been doing beautifully. (Shredded clothes are the least of your worries, Bunky.)

8. If you are walking your dog and find you do not have a litter bag at the moment of truth, do not simply leave it there. If you do, at best, someone will remind you of proper behavior. At worst, you may run into Tiny the WWF Champ, who is in a very bad mood and has just left the couples counseling session with the knowledge that he is considered a pushover and now has your dog’s mess on his shoe. (You may want to consider picking up the pooch and booking for home, Baylor.)

7. If you are walking your dog, do not think it is cute to let it run free with no leash. If you do, at best, you will get unapprovingly stern looks from other dog owners. At worst, you may lose your dog around the corner and come to realize the animal control officer pulling away has it and the lion mix it was fighting in the back of the van. (Hopefull you can cover the fine, Bosco. If not, maybe you can trade adopting the lion mix for the ticket.)

6. If you are walking your dog, do not think you can leave it tied up outside a store for long. If you do, at best, your dog will bark and draw a crowd of unappreciative animal lovers. At worst, you will need to explain to animal control why you left your dog in the sun with no water while you are swinging from a tree upside down where the crowd left you. (Calling for help is futile, Bryce. It will only bring the crowd back.)

5. If you are walking your dog, you need to remember that the pavement gets hot in the summer. If you forget, at best, your dog will get tired enough of having hot paws and will jump into your arms to be carried for the rest of the way. At worst, the dog in your arms weighs over one hundred pounds, and you will struggle to stay on your feet as you slowly return home barefooted, followed by the patrol car with the police officer who threatened to ticket you for animal cruelty unless you gave him your shoes. (How do you like the hotfoot, Brandon?)

4. If you are walking your dog, do not forget to bring water for the dog to drink. If you do forget, at best, your walk will need to be cut short. At worst, your dog will beg passersby to be adopted into foster care. (Will work for a good home is what the sign says, Buford. It is sad that your dog is smarter than you.)

3. If you are walking your dog at night, don’t think everyone can see you if you don’t have a light. If you do, at best, you may find yourself jumping into a ditch to avoid the near misses of those who can’t see you. At worst, you may find yourself riding out of town on the front of a huge truck whose driver has no idea you and your dog are there hanging on for dear life. (The noise of the engine is drowning out your pitiful cries for help, Bruce. Sit back and enjoy the ride.)

2. If you are walking your dog, don’t forget to keep an eye out for coyotes or other animals that might consider your dog a tasty treat. If you do, at best, you may have to make a run for it unexpectedly. At worst, you might be in a position of having to go to a primal position and challenge the leader of the pack to a showdown while keeping your frightened pooch safe in your pants. (your howling is very convincing, Bradly. In fact, I think the leader thinks you are cute.”

1. If you walking your dog, don’t forget all is well, and it is a beautiful day there is no more rewarding time. Keep your dog safe on a leash. If you do, at best, you will enjoy your friend for years, and there is no worse. (Nice smile, Beauregard. You are a lucky person)

Views of the Neighborhood – Artist Gail Threinen at Lakeway

January 21, 2024January 20, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 76 Comments

Today, we are off to see the Asian watercolor art of Gail Threinen, whose work is displayed at Lakeway City Hall. This type of painting is deep in history and symbolism. Unlike traditional Western-style painting, it is meant to capture the spirit of the subject rather than its photographic reality. The ink and paper are unforgiving and cannot be retouched once the brush is stroked on the paper. Yet, many happy surprises come of that water-ink-brush-paper interaction.

We are catered by Asti Trattoria. Our entertainment is Don Mclean

Brunch menu

ASTI Benedict – focaccia / prosciutto / poached egg / hollandaise / dressed greens

Shakshuka – arrabiatta / house ground sausage / baked eggs / parmesan / pecorino / grilled focaccia

Egg White Frittata – roasted romanesco / blistered tomato / butternut squash / fontina / arugula salad

Italian Toast – focaccia / sweet ricotta / lemon curd / merengue / candied rosemary

Shrimp & Polenta – red eye gravy / shaved parmesan

Chicken Cutlet Parmesan – capellini / lemon / capers / garlic / tomato fresca

Picture of an old time school bus

Let’s go

Lakeway artist – Gail Threinen can be reached at gail.threinen@gmail.com

A word about the photos. The lighting in the Art Center is excellent for viewing the art in person but terrible for photos. Also the art pieces are displayed in varying heights which makes straight on photos difficult. I had to take the shot from a side view to avoid the lights so some pictures would look off-center. I have cropped the pimagesto feature the art and paid little attention to the frames.

This piece is titled Spring Moon and is ink and pigment on xuan paper

Peace Blossom village – Ink and pigment on xuan paper

Peonies in Pink – Ink and pigment on xuan paper

Just Fishing – Ink and pigment on xuan paper

Quote by Yoko Ono – ink on xuan paper

Vineyard and Friends – Ink and pigment on xuan paper

In The Moonlight – Ink and pigment on xuan paper

Calm – Ink on xuan paper

Jucy Grapes – Ink and pigment on xuan paper

In Praise of Second Chances – ink on xuan paper

Water Village – Ink and pigment on xuan paper

I hope you enjoyed the show. Now relax, have some brunch, and enjoy the music.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “In a Nutshell”

January 20, 2024January 19, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 73 Comments

When the coffee machine knows the need and desire for the relief the beverage promises, has reached an apex, it then decides it needs a cleaning. Empty Grounds is the message blinking to get my sore eyes to notice. In a nutshell, no empty, no coffee. With unsteady movements, the grounds receptacle is emptied, washed, and replaced. In gracious appreciation, the two spouts pour forth the life-saving elixir.

Once the caffeine has hit the brain, the clock is set for January 19th, 1923. The location is the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. The time is set for two hours, and the plunger is pulled.

We arrive at the university just in time to see physicist Dirk Coster of the Netherlands and chemist George de Hevesy of Hungary read from the journal Nature about their discovery of the 72nd element, Hafnium, Latin for Copenhagen. Hafnium is not found as a free element but is dispersed in Earth’s crust to the extent of three parts per million and is invariably found in zirconium minerals. Dirk and George did not know it then, but the metal is very useful for controlling rods in nuclear power plants because of its high melting point.

As champagne is being served, the alarm goes off again. The couch is my landing spot. The tone on my phone is the expected text from Linda Hill. It reads:

Your prompt for #JusJoJan the 20th and Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “in a nutshell.” Use it as an idiom, or use it literally. Enjoy!

If you want to see what other bloggers do with the prompt, visit Lindas’s post at this link: https://lindaghill.com/2024/01/19/the-friday-reminder-for-socs-jusjojan-2024-daily-prompt-jan-20th/

“That was a nice trip. You did that 1023 thing again.”

“Yeah, I blew it again. Even so, I thought a little education would do us all good.”

“Or provide an incentive for a nap.”

“Oh, come on. I’ll bet you never heard of Hafnium.”

“You are so right, and I’m afraid to go near water. I’m so heavy with that knowledge.”

“Yeah, very funny. I’m sure someone appreciates it.”

“I certainly hope they let you know in the comments.”

“Well, even so, It is good to keep learning.”

“I’ll bet the kids in Chemistry back then were pleased these guys found another element to memorize.”

“It was number 72, so I don’t think the kids would notice.”

“Anyhow, I’m tired of learning, so how about a trip to the pub.”

“Good idea. Give Uber a call.”

“Already done. He’s waiting over there.”

“Where? I can’t see anything beyond that giant peanut.”

“That’s it. The driver is there too.”

“You gotta be kidding me.”

“Transportation in a nutshell.”

“Great tie-in to the prompt.”

“Thank you. Let’s go.”

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

January 19, 2024January 18, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 77 Comments

Today’s good news comes from the Good News Network.

Elton John During His Farewell Yellow Brick Road World Tour, for which he won an Emmy – CC 2.0. slgckgc. Flickr

Elton John Just Achieved EGOT Status with Emmy Win–Only 19 People Have Done It in History

By Andy Corbley

Jan 18, 2024

It’s not referring to a tropical disease to say that someone has an EGOT. It means they’ve got a mantlepiece at home where stand an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony—the four major pop culture awards in America.

Only 18 entertainers have achieved this quadruple, and now Elton John stands among them as the 19th, having recently won an Emmy for his concert film, Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium.

John was not able to attend the ceremony because of needed recovery from knee surgery, “which isn’t surprising if you think of the number of pianos he’s jumped off from in platform heels,” said John’s husband, David Furnish.

John has collected two Oscars: one for The Lion King’s Can You Feel The Love Tonight? and another for Rocketman’s (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again.

For the ‘T’ in EGOT, he won a Tony for scoring the musical version of the opera Aida.

For the ‘G’—the Grammy, it’s a case of take your pick, with John having collected quite a few over his decades as a musician.

“I am incredibly humbled to be joining the unbelievably talented group of EGOT winners tonight,” said John in a statement. “The journey to this moment has been filled with passion, dedication, and the unwavering support of my fans all around the world. Tonight is a testament to the power of the arts and the joy that it brings to all our lives. Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout my career; I am incredibly grateful.”

According to Smithsonian Magazine, the term EGOT was first used on Miami Vice. Its imaginary alumni include Richard Rogers, Hellen Hayes, Rita Moreno, Whoopi Goldberg, Viola Davis, John Legend, Alan Menken, Mell Brooks, Audrey Hepburn, John Gielgud, Marvin Hamlisch, Johnathan Tunic, Mike Nichols, Scott Rudin, Robert Lobez, Andrew Lloyd Weber, Tim Rice, and Jennifer Hudson.

It seems appropriate that the acronym would be finished on Elton’s final show ever on tour in North America, the curtain call of all curtain calls, and a tremendous achievement to mark the end of a long chapter in a tremendous career.

WATCH Tiny Fey and Amy Pohler present the award along with peers…

The good news in this story is that a man who has invested his life and energy into entertainment has been recognized for his achievement and hard work. Today’s JohnKu talks about recognition. I hope you have a wonderful week.

When something is great,

And is done by someone else . . .

Do you offer praise?

Thursday – A Little Personal – Arctic Weather

January 18, 2024January 17, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 138 Comments

“Why do you keep looking at your watch?”

“It is getting late, and you need a walk.”

“What’s the temperature out there?”

“Right now, it is 21 F (-6 C ) degrees. Was 15 F (-9.4 C ) earlier.”

“Well, I guess we better get going.”

“Oh, my. Aren’t you the cutest?”

“Wow, this concrete feels like ice.”

“No wonder it is probably still at last night’s temperature.”

“I’ll tell you what. These walks are overrated.”

“Now come on. You know you need to have a nice quick walk.”

“Dad, sush. The puma sees a tasty-looking Springbok over there.”

“That’s a deer.”

“Step by step, the puma moves closer for the kill. Oops, the Springbok spots the danger.”

“Shoot. The Springbok got away. Time to head for home.”

“As for me, I’m glad.”

“Another puma goes to bed hungry tonight.”

“Who are you talking to. You never go to bed hungry.”

“The puma sees its den up ahead. Won’t be long until a cozy nap.”

“All I can say is better luck tomorrow.”

“Yeah, tomorrow is another day.”

Guest Author Gwen M. Plano #newbook The Soul Whisperer’s Decision

January 17, 2024January 9, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 98 Comments

I am pleased to have Gwen Plano visiting today. She is out and about talking about her new book, The Soul Whisperer’s Decision. Please welcome Gwen.

Thank you, John. Before we look at the blurb, I want to give your readers some background on the book.

I have a special interest in the Near-Death Experience phenomenon. Since the 1980s, I’ve read original research of accounts, and I’ve also read numerous books by survivors. Though I’ve not experienced an NDE, I’ve had several inexplicable experiences of a loving presence at times of great duress.

For ten years, 2002 – 2012, I was an administrator at a college near Camp Pendleton in California. I worked directly with the Marine veterans and, to a lesser degree, veterans from the other branches of the military. I quickly discovered that almost all the Marines suffered PTSD and/or physical injuries from their service in Iraq or Afghanistan. I became their advocate and tried to provide a ‘safe’ place for the veterans to meet, hang out, and process. To this day, my experience with the veterans remains the highlight of my thirty years in Higher Education.

When I wrote The Soul Whisperer’s Decision, I sought to illuminate the struggles of those who have experienced extreme violence. And, as well, I tried to show the healing power of love. None of us can erase our past or another’s, but by our choices, we can carve a hopeful future for ourselves and others.

BLURB:

Sarah Jameson, a nurse at County Central Hospital, survives an accident that kills her two young children. While comatose, she travels into the heavenly realm, where she visits with her precious little ones. She is given a choice – return to her husband, Jack, or remain with her children in their celestial home.

Jack was not in the fated automobile. Though he heard the crash and ran to help, there was nothing he could do. He suffers the loss of his children, fears the potential demise of his wife, and wonders about his own sanity. His struggle with PTSD from his military years has returned, and at times, he cannot distinguish between the present and the past.

An accident tragically changed the lives of this young family, but out of sorrow emerges unexpected blessings.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon: https://bit.ly/488Ziay

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/48aWmdu

BLOG: www.gwenplano.com ( https://bit.ly/48AKRvE )

BIOGRAPHY

Gwen M. Plano, aka Gwendolyn M. Plano, grew up in Southern California and spent most of her professional life in higher education. She taught and served as an administrator in colleges in Japan, New York, Connecticut, and California. Gwen’s academic background is in theology and counseling. Recently retired, she now lives in the high desert of Arizona, where she writes, gardens, and travels with her husband.

Gwen’s first book is an acclaimed memoir, Letting Go into Perfect Love. Her second book, The Contract between heaven and earth, is a thriller fiction novel co-authored by John W. Howell. It has received multiple awards and is an Amazon Best Seller. The Choice, the unexpected heroes, is the sequel to The Contract. It is also a thriller involving the attempt of an unfriendly nation to take over the world. The third book in the series, The Culmination, a new beginning, is an action-packed military thriller that spans the globe and involves multiple Heads of State and the threat of World War III. Only love can change the fate of humanity.

When Gwen is not writing, she’s often in the beautiful Red Rocks of Sedona, where she finds inspiration.