#TenThingsYouMayNotKnow – About #JohnW.Howell

April 27, 2022April 27, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 4 Comments

I am at Marcia Meara’s today. She invited me over to talk about ten things you may not know about me. Most of you know Marcia from her outstanding books. I know Marcia as a friend and exceptional author. So come visit, and while there, check out her beautiful books. Thank you for having me today, Marcia.

The Write Stuff

Good Morning, Everyone! Today I’d like you to help me welcome a great friend and supporter of writers everywhere, #StoryEmpire member John W. Howell. I think you’ll really enjoy John’s post today, so let’s get things rolling!

Thank you, Marcia, for having me on your #TenThingsYouMayNotKnowAboutMe feature. When we initially talked about doing this, I explained to Marcia that the first item on the list would be the fact that I have evolved into a close imitation of Howard Hughes. You may recall in his later years; he became a recluse. Marcia being the kind and generous person she is, thought that would be an excellent beginning to the list. So, with that encouragement, here are the #TenThingsYouMayNotKnowAboutMe. You will note the Howard Hughes one is not there because you already know that one.

Ten Things You May Not Know About Me
by John W. Howell

1) Detroit, Michigan, is…

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Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Guest Post – I Wish I Knew Then What I Know Now! by John W. Howell

April 13, 2022April 13, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 1 Comment

Sally Cronin has a new feature, “I Wish I Knew Then What I Know Now,” She invited me to join her as a guest. As I have often said, Sally is the greatest supporter of Indi authors on the planet, and a visit to her place is a thing of wonder. Thank you, Sally, for having me with you today. I hope you will all go and say hello.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

I am sure like me, there have been times when you have wondered what difference might have been made to your life, if your younger self had been gifted with the experience and knowledge you have accumulated over the years.

I invited several friends from the writing community to share their thoughts on this subject which I am sure you will enjoy as much as I did.

The first author to rise to the challenge is John W. Howell.. and author whose books I have enjoyed very much.

I Wish I Knew Then What I Know Now… John W. Howell

When Sally first proposed the feature titled, I Wish I Knew Then What I Know Now, there was a rush of things that immediately came to mind. Some connected to the writing life, and some to life in general. Sally being a gracious host, assured either would be acceptable…

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Views of the Neighborhood – Eggstravaganza

April 10, 2022April 10, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 99 Comments

Today we are going on an Easter Egg hunt and more. Our destination is Lakeway park, and it should be a lot of fun. We are catered by Café No Sé in Austin. Our entertainment is Shania Twain.

avocado toast, soft boiled egg, crème fraîche, arugula, Aleppo carrots
smoked salmon bagel, salmon, hard-boiled egg, pickled onion, tomato, caper scallion cream cheese, everything bagel
lemon-ricotta hotcakes, apple-thyme chutney, pecan butter, maple syrup
café scramble, roasted wild mushrooms, Fresno pepper, spinach, fresh ricotta, sourdough toast
sweet potato hash, two sunny eggs, crispy pork belly, kimchi, mustard greens, jalapeño, kale
cowboy breakfast, two sunny eggs, bacon, confit pork, borracho beans, tomato, roasted jalapeño, cilantro butter

Vegan plant protein can be substituted, and they offer any drink on the planet

So hop on, and we’ll be off.

Looks like a big turnout.

A favorite stop.

Always time for Ice cream.

Water and shave ice.

Face and body decorating.

Baskets for the easter egg grab.

The new Park& Rec digital billboard. Has the schedule for the various age group egg hunts.

A volunteer handing out candy. (Don’t ask)

The Easter Bunny.

Bubbles.

Petting zoo. Turtle, bunnies, chicken, guinea pig, and T-Rex.

The field for the 9 and 10-year-olds has been littered with 3000 eggs. Inside some of the eggs are prize notifications.

And there they go. Within three minutes, there was not an egg left.

Here’s where the prizes are handed out.

Chalk art competition underway.

Thank you, Lakeway Parks and Rec, for a successful event.

Now relax in the shade and enjoy the food and music.

Eternal Road – by: John W. Howell

March 30, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 41 Comments

Resa McConaghy at Graffiti Lux Art and More has written a fascinating post for Eternal Road. Resa is a talented artist and has created beautiful drawings to interpret how she sees Sam, her favorite character. She has also taken photos of murals she has found and placed them into the post to describe the book further. If you haven’t visited Resa before, now is the time. Prepare to be overwhelmed by her talent as I have been. Thank you, Resa.

Graffiti Lux Art & More

It’s the road trip of a deathtime.

I’d say lifetime, but both lead characters, James and Samantha, have already passed. Where are they going? I can’t tell you. However, a few brief glimpses of their journey are in order.

Of course I was keen on knowing why John had picked this particular car.

Resa – Why did you pick the 1965 Oldsmobile? Why turquoise and white?

John – The 1965 Oldsmobile was selected since it represents my awakening in high school. I was born in Detroit and when I was 15 moved to the suburbs. During high school I used to wash and wax a neighbors 1965 Oldsmobile coupe. Yes, it was turquoise and white and had fancy hubs and white wall tires. The car represents the suburbs since the real item very seldom got very dirty and existed without the inner city grime, pings, and nicks. It always struck…

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Views of the Neighborhood – Searching for Signs of Spring

March 20, 2022March 19, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 111 Comments

Today we are going to hunt down signs of spring. Since this is the first day of spring, there must be signs, so we will find them. We are being catered by the Cherrywood Coffee House in Austin to fuel our adventure. Our entertainment is The Loving Spoonful.

BENEDICT
poached eggs nestled on a toasted English muffin topped with homemade Hollandaise with choice of spinach and tomato or ham, plus one side dish

SHRIMP & GRITS
shrimp sauteed in white wine, pico de Gallo, and applewood smoked bacon

BISCUITS & GRAVY
homemade buttermilk biscuits smothered in creamy pepper gravy and sausage
add two eggs any style

STEEL-CUT OATMEAL (V)
served with raisins, walnuts, and brown sugar
add two eggs any style

HUEVOS RANCHEROS (V)
two over-easy eggs, black beans, salsa, cheese, and cilantro served on freshly fried tortillas

AMERICAN BREAKFAST
two eggs any style, hash browns, choice of toast or English muffin, and choice of bacon, sausage, or grilled ham steak

BREAKFAST QUESADILLAS
monster tortilla stuffed with bacon, egg, and cheese served with salsa and pico salad

TEXAS CHEESESTEAK SCRAMBLE
egg scramble with thinly sliced steak, onions, peppers, mushrooms, jalapenos, and American Swiss cheese. Served with hash browns on the side

VEGAN SCRAMBLE (VE)
soft tofu scramble, mushrooms, topped with avocado and served with hash browns (no butter)

CLASSIC BREAKFAST SANDWICH
eggs and cheese topped with one choice of avocado, bacon, sausage, or grilled ham
served on a wheat bun, white bun, or multigrain bread

BREAKFAST BLT SANDWICH
bacon, bibb lettuce, tomato, avocado, over medium egg, swiss cheese, light mayo on rye bread

Anything you want to drink.

There’s the bus. Let’s go.

The first stop is the garden shop. Can’t spend a lot of time here, though. Impatiens anyone?

Next are the famous Texas bluebonnets. These are the first I’ve seen.

Good ole redbuds are in bloom.

The mountain laurels and popping out.

The verbena is making itself known.

The Carolina jasmine is just starting.

A spicebush swallowtail butterfly takes off from the hibiscus.

The strawberry plant is in bloom.

The roses are budding.

Talk about hibiscus? They are going crazy.

And finally, The Producer’s herb garden. (with tomato)

I hope you enjoyed the hunt for spring. I think we found signs that it is here in central Texas. I hope it is arriving in your neck of the woods too. Have a great week. Have some food and enjoy the music.

Happy National Dark Chocolate Day! (Grab a #fantasy book for free)

February 1, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 22 Comments

Charles Yallowitz celebrates Dark Chocolate Day with a free copy of his Fantasy adventure, Beginning of a Hero. I enjoyed this book and must say the price will never be better.

Legends of Windemere

It’s National Dark Chocolate Day! Celebrate with a treat and grabbing a Free copy of Legends of Windemere: Beginning of a Hero.

Cover Art by Jason Pedersen

(Welcome to the weirdness of Tuesday for a while. You’ll get the idea next week.)

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A Mind-Bending Trip: John W. Howell’s Eternal Road #BookReview

January 24, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 36 Comments

Beem Weeks has shared his thoughts about Eternal Road – The final stop on his blog The Indie Spot. Check out the review and while there check out his excellent books as well.

The Indie Spot!

Book Blurb:

James Wainwright picks up a hitchhiker and discovers two things 1. The woman he picks up is his childhood sweetheart, only Seventeen years older. 2. He is no longer of this world.

James began a road trip alone in his 1956 Oldsmobile. He stops for a hitchhiker only to discover she is his childhood sweetheart, Sam, who disappeared seventeen years before. James learns from Sam falling asleep miles back caused him to perish in a one-car accident. He also comes to understand that Sam was taken and murdered all those years ago, and now she has come back to help him find his eternal home.

The pair visit a number of times and places and are witness to a number of historical events. The rules dictate that they do no harm to the time continuum. Trying to be careful, they inadvertently come to the attention of Lucifer who…

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Views of the Neighborhood – The Best of 2021

December 26, 2021December 25, 2021 ~ John W. Howell ~ 79 Comments

Since we are coming to a close in 2021, I thought it would be fun to capture some of the past Views of the Neighborhood by giving a sample of some of the best subject views. We don’t have a catered event, but I’m sure you can remember some of the best menus. We won’t need to get on the bus since we have already gone there. I hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane.

The most Holiday laughs

Cutest Holiday topper.

Best Axis Deer shot.

Funniest Turkey

Best Halloween

Best waterfall.

Best trash.

Best art show

Best bluebonnets

Best Twiggy and Lucy photo (at least the happiest)

Best non-holiday mailbox topper

Best tree planting.

Best spring flowers.

Best Fawn.

Best treasure hunt.

Best Snow (January 2021)

I hope you enjoyed the tour, and I wish you a great week.

Views of the Neighborhood – Run up to the Holiday

December 12, 2021December 11, 2021 ~ John W. Howell ~ 89 Comments

We are starting our run-up to the holiday decorations tour. This week, we will visit several mailboxes and the Walk of Lights in Lakeway. Since we have some daylight activities and some dusk, we are being catered by Better Half in Austin for brunch. Our entertainment today is Jose Feliciano.

BETTER HALF BREAKFAST SANDWICH

English muffin, crispy hash brown, smoked paprika aïoli, arugula, fried farm egg

CHOOSE BACON, BREAKFAST SAUSAGE, BEYOND SAUSAGE, OR AVOCADO

CHICKEN BISCUIT

southern fried chicken breast, jalapeño-honey butter, curry bread & butter pickles
MAKE IT SPICY / SUB BEYOND CHICKEN

SRIRACHA-MAPLE BACON BISCUIT

spicy glazed bacon, brown sugar-brown butter, fried egg

GRANOLA BOWL

oats, nuts & seeds, pomegranate molasses,
local Greek yogurt, seasonal fruit & berries, Thai basil & mint

PASTRAMI TOAST

thick-cut Texas toast, shaved house-smoked pastrami, berbere horsey sauce, smoky mushrooms & garlicky greens, fried egg & runny yolk sauce

WAFFLE IRON HASHBROWNS

coffee & cream gravy, cotija, farm egg, pickled onions, scallions

PUMPKIN FRENCH TOAST

apple cider caramel, house cultured butter, molasses crumb

NEW THE FALL BIG SALAD power greens & romaine hearts, curry roasted sweet potatoes, coconut milk sweet potato purée, sumac chèvre dressing, honey crisp apple & watermelon radish, chili roasted pumpkin seeds, avocado ADD STEAK, SHRIMP, BEYOND CHICKEN, OR FRIED CHICKEN

BETTER HALF CHICKEN BURGER

house ground chicken, Duke’s Mayo, Swiss, LTO

CONTAINS GLUTEN

BETTER HALF CHEESEBURGER

44 Farms ground beef, Dijonnaise, American cheese, LTO

BEYOND MEAT VEGGIE PATTY AVAILABLE as well as TOP SHELF DRINKS AND EVERYTHING ELSE

So let’s go.

Our first stop is an Armadillo Santa.

Not going to touch this one.

Glass tree.

A wimpy sprig.

Mistletoe Wreath. Gotta lay on the ground to get under it.

Since I did a complete tour of the Trail of Lights last year, this year is an overview. If you would like to check out last year click THIS LINK. Here is Santa giving us directions to the entrance.

Inside and looking up in the big holiday tree.

A view of the lights beyond the tree.

We also did a Twelve Days of Christmas hunt last year. Here are all twelve.

A display of flowers and longhorn cattle.

Santa’s sleigh just getting airborne in the middle of the toys.

I hope you enjoyed our view and I wish you a happy week. Now enjoy more food and listen to the music.

Views of the Neighborhood – Holiday Market Place

December 5, 2021December 5, 2021 ~ John W. Howell ~ 91 Comments

Since this is the gift-giving season, I thought it would be fun to go shopping. The Emmaus Catholic Church here in Lakeway is having a market sale. To keep up our strength, we will be catered by Biscuits and Groovy in Austin. Our entertainment is ABBA. (Yes, we have a big music budget)

THREE BISCUIT DISHES
Made with three freshly baked buttermilk biscuits.

Biscuits + Groovy
Biscuits, gravy, sausage, pepper, chives
The Village
Biscuits, gravy, sausage, jalapenos, colby jack, pepper, chives
The Aretha
Biscuits, gravy, sausage, bacon, colby jack, pepper, chives
The Donna
Biscuits, gravy, three scrambled eggs, sausage, colby jack, pepper, chives
The Johnny
Biscuits, gravy, sausage, bacon, potatoes, colby jack, pepper, chives
The Gloria
Biscuits, gravy, three scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, jalapenos, colby jack, pepper, chives
ONE BISCUIT DISHES
The M.C. Hammer
One freshly baked buttermilk biscuit served open faced with two scrambled eggs on one side and your choice of maple bacon or sausage on the other. Topped with colby jack cheese and chives. Gravy upon request.
The Bee Gee
One freshly baked buttermilk biscuit with butter and jam (strawberry, grape, or the jam of the day)