A little More Information Not About My Book- My GRL

August 28, 2014June 26, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 23 Comments

This post was supposed to launch early this morning. Well something went wrong so here it is in the afternoon. Will totally miss the UK, but better late than never.

The picture is of Frank our cat. He is still waiting for me to begin writing. He is like the world’s worst nudge. I can’t walk by the desk without a gentle meow reminding me it is writing time. Just so we are all clear, Frank only wants to drink my water and walk on the keyboard. He has no interest in writing.

I have changed the header to reflect a change in weather for us Southerners. You can see the storm moving off the Gulf. The person walking in the picture is my dear wife. She is not supposed to be in the picture (and doesn’t like to be in my pictures) but in all candor, it is the best one and I’m going to run it anyway.

Finally, the sequel to My GRL which is tentatively titled His Revenge is now at the publisher. I have no idea when it will be launched, but want to let you know you can get on my e-mailing list by going over to the right and signing up. I promise there will only be one launch e-mail.

Some More Insights Into My Book – My GRL

August 21, 2014June 26, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 13 Comments

Before I get into the discussion, I need to explain the picture. This is Frankie Blue Eyes, our cat. He loves to be with me while I write. He is waiting for me to sit down at the laptop so he can: 1. Drink my water. 2. Walk on the keyboard. Frank demonstrates with a cat, an author is never alone.

The story of My GRL includes interaction with some terrorists who are seeking revenge for displacement out of their home country Palestine. It would seem natural to have these characters speak with some sort of accent so that the reader would be continually reminded of their origin. I guess this would be natural for a so-called normal story involving Middle Eastern characters. I decided when I was writing the first draft to eliminate any accent due to the fact that the accents did not suit the characters. Let me explain.

The characters are extremely sophisticated and have spent time and money to become “Americanized” to the point where they would be the last subjects to come under suspicion while going about the nasty business of destroying symbols of America. In fact, one of the chief points the antagonist wants to revenge is the humiliation he experienced in court when the facts concerning his background came to light. These facts were brought to light by protagonist John J. Cannon the lawyer for the opposite side in a bitter litigation over patent rights. Matt Jacobs the antagonist never forgave John the embarrassment and wants him dead. Also, I was asked why Matt had a name which was not fitting with his background. Again, his objective of subversion required a name which would not raise suspicion. His real name was expunged from all birth records

So if the reader wants to imagine an accent or a Middle East name there is nothing standing in the way.

I hope you enjoyed this. If yes why not leave a comment?

A Little Inside Information About My Book -My GRL

August 19, 2014August 18, 2014 ~ John W. Howell ~ 10 Comments

I have been asked a number of times about the inspiration for My GRL and I have decided to begin discussing some of the aspects of the book. One reason is to take advantage of this space to help promote the book (gasp). The other is to give some information about the book hoping those who have read it and those who have not may find some interest in background information. So everyone is on the same page here is a brief synopsis of the book. My GRL is the story of a successful San Francisco lawyer who wants to take a break from practicing law. He thinks it would be nice to run a fishing charter business and decides to buy a really nice boat. he is totally unaware that his new boat has been earmarked by a group of terrorists to be used to launch an attack on one of the symbols of America’s military strength. His first inclination of trouble comes when he wakes up in the hospital to learn he was found unconscious next to the body of a girl who sold him his boat in the first place. He also becomes aware during police questioning the gun which killed her was found under him.

This is a story about intrigue and terrorist plots against America. I originally got the idea while visiting the Aircraft Carrier Lexington which is moored in Corpus Christi Bay. My sister and I were taking a tour since our father served on the ship as a naval aviator during WWII. We wanted to visit the spots where he lived and worked and in some manner honor the time he spent defending us from our enemies.

While standing on the huge flight deck I could not help but wonder what would happen if someone launched an attack against this museum. How would it be defended and what would the resultant public opinion of such a move? The boat was clearly defenseless and could be attacked with no resistance. I pretty much made some notes in my iPhone with the idea when I quit full-time work I might revisit this idea. This was in 2009 and in 2012 I finally hung up my spurs and began the live of a lunatic er writer.

I did revisit the idea and knew I had to create a way to destroy one of America’s treasures and then, in the same way, create a way to defend the artifact. I went through the exercise of both scenarios to develop a plausible story. My GRL starts in a small fishing village in Texas and ends on the high seas forty some odd miles from New York Harbor. The only person who knows the true target and method of destruction is John J. Cannon the protagonist. He is the only one standing between the terrorists and the successful completion of their objective.

If you haven’t read it there are 26 four and five-star reviews on Amazon that may help you make up your mind.All you have to do is click that cover over to the right. That’s right over there.