Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt “mb”

June 11, 2016June 10, 2016 ~ John W. Howell ~ 38 Comments

It is Stream of Consciousness time again and this week’s prompt is “mb.” Yes, you read that right “mb.” We are supposed to find a word that has these two letters in this order and then base our post on the word. If this seems odd to you, think how I feel. Also, if you want to have the same fun I’m having, go to Linda’s blog and read all the rules. I’ll even give you her link.

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS June 11/16

“So there I was with my arms akimbo and my feet assembled far apart like they were attached to the floor.”

“My heavens. What did the ambassador do?”

“Called the assemblywomen to come help him.”

“That must have been a clambering scene. Then what?”

“The combative assembly started yelling like they were having an embolism.”

“You must have been emboldened knowing you had all this activity around you.”

“Don’t forget I was outnumbered.”

“Ah yes, and a certain amount of rambunctiousness there as well.”

“So I did what every warmblooded person would do. I remembered my lessons from school.”

“You blew them away with math symbols?”

“No, I unambiguously pointed out the symbiotic nature of our goals.”

“The numbskulls bought it?”

“Every last member.”

“That was a gamble that paid off.”

“And no ambush later either.”

“Pure flamboyance.”

Thursday – A Little Personal – His Revenge 0.99 Kindle Sale 6-9 to 6-13 #RRBC #ASMSG

June 9, 2016June 8, 2016 ~ John W. Howell ~ 20 Comments

His Revenge

In recognition of being chosen for the Book of the Month honor at Rave Reviews Book Club, I am running a sale in the US and the UK. June 9th (Thursday) through June 13 (Monday) His Revenge Kindle edition will be on sale for $0.99 in the US and £0.99 in the UK. Here are the short links should you want to grab a copy at this low price (1/2 the price of a bottle of Two Buck Chuck and ten times better for you)

US http://goo.gl/1NuXIK

UK http://goo.gl/GIsEnV

Blurb

America loves John Cannon, its newest hero, and the President wants to present him with the highest civilian medal for bravery for saving the Annapolis midshipman from a terrorist plot to destroy them. While in Washington for the award ceremony, John unwillingly becomes an accomplice in another plan by the same group to attack the credibility of the US President and the stability of the worldwide oil market. There is no way out as John either becomes a traitor to America or causes thousands of innocent people to die if he refuses.
The second John J Cannon Thriller moves from a barrier Island off the coast of Texas to Washington DC, then to Northern California, and finally to Ecuador. John is on the receiving end of an offer he cannot refuse. His avowed enemy Matt Jacobs now wants John to help him shake the reputation of the US in the world political arena. If John refuses, Matt plans to murder innocent Americans including John’s latest relationship. John’s only way out is to pretend to go along with the plan and hope for a miracle.

Sunday – Views of the Neighborhood

June 5, 2016September 15, 2020 ~ John W. Howell ~ 36 Comments

I had planned to run some more photos of the Marine Science Center to continue where I left off before. The problem was the rain. When I had the time to take the photos it was raining, and when it wasn’t raining I had no time.

Today’s post is about the rain. This photo is before on of the frog strangler downpours that we have had for most of the week.

You can see the dark clouds over the water. There were several lightning strikes on the water and unfortunately I couldn’t capture one. I was always looking away or some other dumb thing and missed them.

Like the sign given to Noah after the flood, there is the promise that the rain will end.

You can see the partial rainbow, and also the rain hitting the water on the left.

Maybe next week I can get another set of photos of the Marine Science Center. Here was the only one I managed to get before a downpour. It is the entrance to the wetlands educational center. (I know yawn right? Well, we will see.)

Seven Rules to a Caster Duel – Guest Post by Charles Yallowitz

June 2, 2016May 31, 2016 ~ John W. Howell ~ 10 Comments

Last week saw the announcement of Charles Yallowitz’s new book Tribe of the Snow Tiger. I am so please to have Charles back for a guest post. So here’s Charles.

Cover Art by Jason Pedersen Click the cover to visit Amazon

A big thank you to John for having me for a guest post so soon after being part of the promotional tour for my latest book, Legends of Windemere: Tribe of the Snow Tiger. This is the 10th volume of my fantasy series and it has a battle that I’ve been dying to write for a few years. As the warriors fight, two powerful casters are going to unleash their full power in their greatest confrontation to date. So of course, I have to give some tips on how to act if you’re challenged to a caster duel.
1 Don’t start the fight until opening threats and bluster have been completed. It’s very rude to throw a lightning bolt in the middle of an enemy’s speech. You might not like each other, but you don’t have to be mean. Besides, there’s always a chance that they’ll say something that leads to your own epic comeback and the banter will go down in bardic history.
2 No weapons. This is about magic versus magic. You want to use a club, sword, or a dagger? Then put away the books, get some sun, and . . . Okay, maybe ease into the sunlight before you burn like a vampire in the Sahara.
3 Try to move during the fight because people might be watching from very far away. The last thing you want is to be remembered as the person who forgot that dodging is just as important as attacking. Shields are fine, but you better make them flashy or your reputation will take longer to heal than your injuries.
4 For the love of every god and goddess in your magical world, use shield spells. I know your father said a good defense is an aggressive offense, but a lightning bolt to the belly button tends to be a fight ender.
5 Be nice to the people who will be living near the collection of rubble and craters that you’re about to create. Give them a warning before the fight and maybe even time it for when it’s least intrusive to their lives. Nothing ruins a dinner or work day like fireballs exploding and the earth-shaking. While on this topic, livestock shouldn’t be transformed into creatures of destruction unless you’re ready to pay the owners for new ones.
6 Know the power and experience of your enemy before you even think about making the challenge. Yes, you were the top of your class at the academy and now you travel with a famous warrior to battle evil. That doesn’t mean you can take on the drunk caster you see at the bar or the young woman who mentions only having two years of adventuring under her belt. Both may have the sheer power to beat the book knowledge out of your head, put it into the person next to you, and return it for whatever is left in your money pouch.
7 No drinking during a caster duel unless you or your opponent are Dwarven. It’s hard enough to aim those big spells when you’re sober and dodging enemy attacks at ever-increasing speeds. If you really want to have some mead then skip the destructive battle and challenge your enemy to a drinking contest. Maybe you’ll make a friend and avoid getting a bill for collateral damage.

Charles Yallowitz was born and raised on Long Island, NY, but he has spent most of his life wandering his own imagination in a blissful haze. Occasionally, he would return from this world for the necessities such as food, showers, and Saturday morning cartoons. One day he returned from his imagination and decided he would share his stories with the world. After his wife decided that she was tired of hearing the same stories repeatedly, she convinced him that it would make more sense to follow his dream of being a fantasy author. So, locked within the house under orders to shut up and get to work, Charles brings you Legends of Windemere. He looks forward to sharing all of his stories with you, and his wife is happy he finally has someone else to play with.

Blog: www.legendsofwindemere.com
Twitter: @cyallowitz
Facebook: Charles Yallowitz
Website: www.charleseyallowitz.com

Thursday – A Little Personal – The Launch of Tribe of the Snow Tiger

May 26, 2016May 24, 2016 ~ John W. Howell ~ 12 Comments

I am using my Thursday – A Little Personal space to announce the Pre-Order Status of another in the Legends of Windemere. The reason I call it personal, I have known Charles from the first book and have participated in each of his launches. So I am so proud to be one of his supporters, and it gives me personal pleasure to help in each launch. Here is the information

Now Available on Amazon for Pre-Order!
Coming to your Kindle on June 1st!

Timoran Wrath has a shameful secret that is about to see the light of day.

The noble barbarian has always been a constant source of strength and wisdom for his beloved friends. His loyalty has been unwavering, and they know that he would never hesitate to lay down his life for them. Even in their darkest hour, the champions know that Timoran will come through and fight to the bitter end. Now they must return the favor as he reunites with his tribe and willingly faces the executioner’s blade.

Is it possible that the honorable Timoran was nothing more than an illusion?

Don’t forget to add it to your Goodreads ‘To Read’ List too!

Excerpt: The Snow Tiger

“The snow is too bright and level for me to see anything clearly,” the barbarian growls. The sound of shuffling and mild cursing draws his attention to Nyx, who has sunk up to her nose in snow. “What are you doing, fire sprite?”

Nyx shivers while squinting into the distance, her eyes coated in bronze energy. “The reason you can’t see anything might be because you’re too tall. I’m trying to see if there’s anything that breaks the level ground. My eyes are enhanced right now, but I don’t . . . wait a second . . . I think there’s something buried out there. A beast of some kind? It’s a very subtle up and down motion that reminds me of something breathing. It just stopped moving, but I don’t know what that means. I’ll lead the way.”

Not waiting for a response, Nyx pushes through the thick snow and uses wind magic to gradually shift the powder out of her path. She does her best to move quietly and avoid disturbing whatever they are approaching, but the crunch of frozen grass beneath her boots makes the half-elf cringe with every step. A violent sneeze threatens to erupt from her nose, stifled quickly by a silence spell around her nostrils. Rubbing at her cold legs, Nyx is thankful when Timoran puts a vest made of black fur over her. The Ifrit hair warms her body and drives away the looming cold that has been brewing in her chest for the last few minutes. With renewed energy, the channeler walks a little faster and adds a simple heat spell to the wind that is steadily clearing the path.

“Wow. Such a beautiful creature,” she whispers when she steps into a circular clearing that surrounds the dead beast.

The enormous snow tiger’s blue and black fur is thick, the hairs sparkling when touched by direct sunlight. It has long incisors of glistening white that jut out of its mouth due to their size and sharpness. A slender tail lies limp in the exposed grass and still twitches as the muscles continue to lose their tension. Powerful legs and massive paws are splayed on the ground, giving the body the appearance of having peacefully died in its sleep. The gaping wound in the gorgeous snow tiger’s side is the only sign of an attack, the surrounding fur matted with aromatic blood.

Timoran’s rage boils when he spots the three cubs that are mewling and pushing against their dead mother. Judging from their size and faint, black stripes, he assumes they are no older than three months. Rusty manacles are attached to their back legs, the chains running to a stake that has been driven into the muddy earth. Restraining his anger, the barbarian moves within reach of the animals and gently breaks the metal bindings that are bruising their ankles. Scared and confused, the cubs cower against the still warm corpse and hiss whenever one of the adventurers comes close. One of the snow tigers bravely charges at Timoran and bites his boot, proudly returning to the others when the towering figure moves away.

Need to catch Legends of Windemere from the beginning? Then click on the covers below!

You can start for FREE . . .

Or grab the $4.99 ‘3 in 1’ bundles!

Cover Art by Jason Pedersen 3D Conversion by Bestt_graphics — Cover Art by Jason Pedersen
3D Conversion by Bestt_graphics

Also Available:

Interested in a new adventure? Then grab your Kindle & dive back into the world of Windemere! Don’t forget an apple for Fizzle.

About the Author:

Blog: www.legendsofwindemere.com
Twitter: @cyallowitz
Facebook: Charles Yallowitz
Website: www.charleseyallowitz.com

My GRL (John J. Cannon Series, #1) by John W. Howell

May 23, 2016 ~ John W. Howell ~ 10 Comments

Karen Oberlaender has a wonderful blog about books and other interesting things. She is a member of Rosie’s Book Review Team and as she describes herself, “A confessing book addict.” Her blog is worth a visit not just because she has posted a lovely review of My GRL, but because there is a ton of good things to read. Thank you, Karen.

My train of thoughts on...

My GRL_johnwhowell The author sent me a copy (mobi format) in exchange for an honest review.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Plot
(by Goodreads)

My GRL is the story of John J. Cannon, successful San Francisco lawyer, who takes a well-deserved leave of absence from his firm. He travels to a small Texas fishing town and buys a boat, unaware that his new purchase, renamed My GRL, had already been targeted by a terrorist group. John’s first inkling of a problem is when he wakes up in the hospital. He learns he was found unconscious next to the dead body of the attractive young woman who sold him the boat in the first place. John now stands between the terrorists and the success of their mission.

Genre(s): Mystery, Thriller

Series: John J. Cannon Series, #1

Length: 226 pages

Release Date: 2014-01-11

Teaser

It was a 2002…

View original post 550 more words

20 Questions with Author John Howell

May 23, 2016 ~ John W. Howell ~ 18 Comments

I have been honored by Don Massenzio today on his 20 Questions feature post. Don is one of the most informative bloggers, and if you follow him, you will find a wealth of information about writing and blogging. He is also a talented author so check out his books while you are there. Thank you , Don, for this feature.

Don Massenzio

Photo by Tim Burdick

Today we sit down with author and blogger John Howell. He is also my hero of sorts becoming a full-time writer after many years in business. This is something I am working toward in the next ten years or so.

Please enjoy this very interesting 20 questions session with accomplished author and blogger, John W. Howell.

Q1) When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I guess the first real desire to be a write hit me in college. I remember my friends and I trying to decide what we really wanted to do. I wrote a few poems and short stories and thought that this would be a great way to make a living. Unfortunately, the practical world rose its ugly head, and I sold my soul to Procter and Gamble.

Q2) How long does it typically take you to write a book?

I write one-thousand…

View original post 1,557 more words

Sunday – Views of the Neighborhood

May 22, 2016September 15, 2020 ~ John W. Howell ~ 42 Comments

Today I want to take you on a quick tour of the Marine Science Education Center

Pictured is the education center located on the grounds of the Marine Science Institute here in Port Aransas.

The University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute is the oldest and most significant marine research facility on the Texas coast. The Institute is dedicated to the three central functions of a major university, research, education, and outreach, as they apply to the Texas coastal zone and other marine environments. As an organized research unit, the primary goal of the Marine Science Institute is to improve understanding of the marine environment through rigorous scientific investigations.

This is the plaque at the base of the sculpture titled, Interdependency. The sculpture contains over fifty marine species and symbolizes the interdependent nature of our marine world.

Inside the Educational Center are a number of interactive exhibits designed to explain the mysteries of the coastal zone.

For example here is a game teaching where fish are found in the Gulf. The lighthouse mural on the right is named the Lydia Ann lighthouse.

There is a telescope inside the center so that you can look at the Lydia Ann lighthouse. I took a photo through the telescope and you can see it off in the distance.

There are also interactive displays.

Here is a fishing boat on the bay with a little pond filled with fish that can be caught with a magnet on a rod (yes,the fish have a metal spot with which you have to connect)

Here’s what the boat looks like loaded with tourists (actually my family – daughters and grandkids)

There is so much more to see and feel but we are just about out of time. Here is an aerial view so you can get an idea of how large.

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Creative Kue #77

May 17, 2016May 16, 2016 ~ John W. Howell ~ 34 Comments

As you know, I’m a fan of prompts. Keith Channing has a prompt each week and in his words here is what it is all about.

“Using this photo (Below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; and either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithkreates@channing.fr 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 – for reasons I have yet to fathom, pingbacks don’t seem to be working.

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries, with links to your own blog or web site, next Monday.”

Here is the photo.

Kreative Kue #

“Hello, Nanu base. Come in.”

“This is Nanu base. Who is this?”

“This is Rubber Ducky One reporting in.”

“Let me see. Rubber Ducky One. Oh yes, I see you were launched in sub-lunar year six.”

“That is correct, and I have landed.”

“Roger that Rubber Ducky One. That was one hundred lifetimes ago. Do you know where you are?”

“I think I’m on the Earth but can’t verify.”

“What makes you think you are on the Earth.”

“There is a lot of water, and I can see land up ahead.”

“Okay, that could be any planet in the system.”

“How about this. I can see a moon in the sky which is blue.”

“The moon is blue?”

“Negative. The sky is blue.”

“Can you reach land?”

“Yes. I have put on my putter-putter and am heading there now. Oh oh.”

“Is there a problem Rubber Ducky One?”

“There is a creature in the water just ahead of me.”

“Can you identify?”

“I’m going to take a chance and say it is a human.”

“How do you know?”

“I’m looking at my Earth creature identification chart and this creature has a dorsal fin and enormous teeth.”

“And you say it is human.”

“Yes. There is a picture of one here and it is labeled with the term lawyer. In checking the index, lawyers are an occupational subset of the human race.”

“Maybe you could offer food and start a friendly discussion.”

“I wonder what they eat?”

Thursday a Little Personal – Interview with John J. Cannon

May 12, 2016May 12, 2016 ~ John W. Howell ~ 39 Comments

Today we are pleased to have John J. Cannon on Fiction Favorites. John is the hero of the John Cannon Trilogy and from all accounts a very nice guy.

FF. “Welcome, John. it is a pleasure having you here today.”

John. Believe me; the pleasure is all mine. I have been wondering what this place looked like ever since I met John W. Howell. Thank you for the kind introduction.”

FF. “I hope you are not disappointed. We don’t get too many visitors here in the garret.”

John. “I think it’s nice. I like the view, and the coffee is great.”

FF. “So John, some of the reviews of My GRL and His Revenge keep describing you as a reluctant hero. What does that mean to you?”

John. “I have always wondered about those descriptions. I guess it means I’m not some muscle-bound hero type.”

FF. “How does that make you feel?”

John. “I’m good with it. I’m an average person after all.”

FF. “You are a lawyer.”

John. *Laughs* “Yes that’s true. I can’t avoid my chosen career.”

FF. “I know you want to be a charter captain. How does that square with being a lawyer.”

John. “Some would say being a lawyer is a good experience for catching sharks. Seriously I just needed to get away for a while.”

FF. “Your boat My GRL was destroyed. Did you get a new one?”

John. “I sure tried, but I ran into more trouble with certain people trying to kill me.”

FF. “Can you name them?”

John. “I would like to but since there is an ongoing investigation I can’t.”

FF. “So you know who they are?”

John. “After dealing with them in My GRL and His Revenge, I certainly do.”

FF. “How about the police.”

John. “You wouldn’t believe how many agencies are involved. The people responsible are very wealthy and smart. I was very lucky to get away.”

FF. I noticed that your author has another book almost ready to be launched.’

John. “Yes, you are referring to Our Justice.”

FF. “That’s the one. Will this bring some closure to this terrorist situation?”

John. “I think the title leads us to that conclusion. of course, I have not been given the liberty to disclose anything.’

FF. “Liberty? By whom?”

John. “That guy looking at us right now. John W. Howell.”

FF. “I get it. You need to say no more.”

John. “I would like to mention that over to the right and just below this post the reader can find enough links to My GRL and His Revenge to choke a horse. You can click on them if you want more of the story.”

FF. Well, John it has been nice but we need to wrap-up. Any last thoughts?”

John. “Thanks for having me and could I get another cup of coffee?”