Thursday – A Little Personal – Lucy and Twiggy are Back Where They Belong

~ John W. Howell ~ 125 Comments

 

“Hey, Little One,” what’s up?”

“I’m just thinking how nice it is to be back on Thursday.”

“Yeah, now that dad has finished his book tour, we go back to normal.”

“That was some tour. How many stops did he have?”

“Let’s see. He had Twenty-six wonderful fellow writers who volunteered to host him.”

“He didn’t have to bribe anyone?”

“No. They all offered, and that is what makes the whole thing so special.”

“Well, now that we are back, what say we play?”

“Sounds good. What do you want to play?”

“Not so fast. I have to check this turf to make sure it is still the same.”

“We didn’t go anywhere. The turf should be the same. But, in fact, it was a virtual tour.”

“Well then, why don’t we thank everyone who helped Dad spread the word about his book.”

“Good idea, Little One. Here they are in order of appearance. (Left to right) The folks can click on their name and return to their post.

Pete Springer   Chris Graham  Mae Clair  Stephen Geez

Harmony Kent   Craig Boyack  Beem Weeks  Denise Finn

Marie Bailey  Dan Antion  Jan Sikes  Staci Troilo

Gwen Plano  Teri Polen  Darlene Foster  Noelle Granger

Keith Channing  Joan Hall  Annette Rochell Aben  Marcia Meara

Geoff Le Pard  Liz Gauffreau  Lauren Scott  Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes

Robbie Cheadle  Diana Peach

Thank you all so much. I had a blast and hope you enjoyed it too. I know hosting takes work, and I am very grateful for your help.

The Last Drive Tour with Diana Peach

~ John W. Howell

Today I am on the last stop of The Last Drive tour. I’m so pleased to be with Diana Peach. You can go HERE to connect to her post.

Diana is one of those amazing authors who is able to write wonderful books and attract readers to them no matter the reader’s preferred genre. She does this because all her books are so well written that they draw the reader in until the end. Diana has written twenty books, and you can check them out on her Amazon Author’s Page.

Here is more in her words.

I didn’t care for reading as a child – I preferred Bonanza and Beverly Hillbillies reruns, Saturday morning cartoons and the Ed Sullivan show. Then one day, I opened a book titled The Hobbit.

Tolkien … literally changed my life.

I love to write. It’s a luxury I never expected I’d have time for – life got in the way. You know how that goes – kids, work, chores… sleep. I worked for 18 years in business where amassing coin was the all-consuming objective. It required huge amounts of time and mental energy. And for me personally, it was soul-slaying.

Then on September 11, 2001 two planes flew into the World Trade Center. I was working in Connecticut, about 2 hours from ground zero, and remember sitting in a conference room, watching the second tower fall. That tragedy initiated a process of redefinition for me, an evaluation of what was vital and important. Life felt short and precarious, and I started to wonder if it was time to do something that actually mattered.

In a moment of loving kindness, my husband suggested that I quit my job and go back to school (he still wonders what he could possibly have been thinking). I graduated with a Masters in Counseling and a mountain of debt. Oh well. I worked in Burlington, Vermont for peanuts – but, oh, they were chocolate covered! The human experience was sweet and rich. I had the pleasure of working with people who cared deeply about the challenges facing children and families, and I came to understand how the power of relationship, in all its myriad forms, can change the world. In Myths of the Mirror it is called the Belonging.

Then life got in the way again, and Randy and I made a move to the lush, wet, green wilderness of the Oregon rainforest. We live on a mountain a half-hour beyond the edge of civilization in a wonderful community where, once again, I encountered the Belonging. In another regrettable moment of loving kindness, he suggested that I write a book rather than work, and Myths of the Mirror poured onto the keyboard. Fast forward a decade and more than twenty books line my Amazon shelf. They have each been labors of love and I hope you enjoy them.

Diana’s latest – Click for Amazon

Thank you so much, Diana for helping spread the word about The Last Drive

I have closed comments so you can be brillant at Diana’s place

Joan Hall Guesting Today to Talk About Her #newbook – Menagerie

~ John W. Howell ~ 82 Comments

I am so happy to have Joan Hall visit today. Joan is a fellow member of Story Empire, and she has a new book that sounds fascinating. Come on in, Joan, and tell us about your latest.

The Homecoming

Thanks so much for hosting me today, John. It’s a pleasure to visit you and to share news about my latest release, Menagerie. It’s a mixed-genre compilation of thirteen short stories. Each tour stop features a different story and what inspired me to write it. Today, I’d like to talk about The Homecoming, a contemporary fiction story about a military family.

I have a deep respect for the men and women who serve and have served in the military. While I’m grateful to all the generations who have served, I have a special place in my heart for those who served in Vietnam. I had two cousins who served during that time—one in the Navy, the other Army.

In 2019, I first heard the story of Colonel Roy Knight, an Air Force pilot whose plane was shot down over Laos in 1967. He was listed as missing in action for many years before being declared killed in action. In February 2019, fifty-two years after being shot down, his remains were identified. That same August, his remains were flown home to Texas, his final resting place.

The story itself is touching, but what made it even more of a tearjerker is the fact his son, a pilot for Southwest Airlines, flew the plane with his father’s casket into Dallas Love Field Airport. The same airport then five-year-old Bryan and other members of his family last saw him as he departed Texas for what proved to be his final tour of duty.

I shed a few tears when watching the video and still do each time I see it. Colonel Knight’s story inspired me to write The Homecoming.

It’s the story of the Atwood family. Four generations have served in the Navy—except for the youngest son. Brady Atwood decided against a military career, which didn’t make his father happy. Brady reluctantly joins his family when his grandfather’s remains are returned from Vietnam a half-century after he went missing.

Told from four different points of view—Brady, his father Bruce, his mother Cindy, and his brother Chris, The Homecoming is story of family dynamics, mending relationships, and most of all honoring a fallen hero.

Excerpt:

I had long given up hope of this day ever happening. Now that it’s here, it seems surreal. I was six years old on that February morning in 1968 when we saw my father off at this same airport for what proved to be his final tour of duty. As the youngest child, it was hard for me to grasp what was happening. Growing up in a military family, I was accustomed to him leaving from time to time. It was all part of life, but Dad would always come back.

Vietnam was on the other side of the world. I’d seen clips of the war on television but never expected it to change our lives forever.

It’s funny how my memories of that day are as plain as if they’d happened last week. Dad was a handsome man with dark hair, twinkling blue eyes, and a smile that would light up any room. Mom said his smile was what she first noticed about him. It’s also what I remember most. He’d started up the jet bridge when he turned back. He waved and flashed a grin at us then continued toward the plane. It was the last time we saw him alive.

Blurb:

King’s. The Tower of London. Glass. What do these have in common?

Each is a famous menagerie.

While this Menagerie doesn’t focus on exotic animals, it does contain a collection of stories that explore various trials people face and how their reactions shape their worlds.

Survivors of a haunted bridge. Women who wait while their husbands fight a war. Former partners reuniting to solve a cold-case murder.

These are just three of the thirteen stories in this compendium, encompassing past and present, natural and supernatural, legend and reality. The genres and timelines are varied, but there’s a little something for everyone who enjoys reading about simpler times and small-town life.

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/jh-menagerie  

About the Author

Social Media Links

Website   |   Blog   |   BookBub   |   Goodreads

 

Smorgasbord Posts from Your Archives 2023 – #PotLuck – Top Ten Things Not to Do on a Windy Day by John W. Howell

~ John W. Howell

Sally Cronin has a new feature for 2023. It is called Potluck, and she hand-selects posts she feels her readers might enjoy. She is featuring one of my Top Ten lists from 2022. I am very honored and hope you’ll visit. She has a lot going on at her place, and I’m sure there is something she offers that will help you get better known.

Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life.'s avatarSmorgasbord Blog Magazine

Welcome to the new series of Posts from Your Archives 2023 where I will be sharing posts from the last six months of 2022 I have selected from the archives of willing participants. If you wish to be included the information is at the the end of the post.

This is the second post from John Howell and another Top Ten Things Not To Do which strikes a chord, since over here in Ireland, particularly this last few weeks, high winds accompanied by lashing rain has been a feature.

Photo by Khamkéo Vilaysing on Unsplash6

The inspiration for this list is the over twenty-five-mile-an-hour winds we have been experiencing since Thursday. Most of these warnings are a matter of common sense, but in the spirit of public service, I will state the obvious. Hope you enjoy it.

The Top Things Not to do on a Windy Day

10 On a…

View original post 1,559 more words

The Last Drive Tour with Robbie Cheadle

~ John W. Howell

I am delighted to be with Robbie Cheadle for the last stop on the tour of The Last Drive. You can visit Robbie’s post HERE.

I enjoy following Robbie. She offers so much on her blog. There are recipes to try, book reviews to follow up on, and Children’s stories to delight a child in your life. There is always something new at Robbie’s place. In addition, Robbie works full-time as a Charted Accountant, which is the equivalent of a CPA here in the US. She is also a spouse and a mother of two boys. With all this and 25 published titles, to say she is very accomplished is an understatement.

Here is a little more about Robbie.

Roberta Eaton Cheadle is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres, and her writing has been influenced by famous authors, including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.

Roberta has short stories and poems in seven anthologies and has two published novels:

  • Through the Nethergate, a historical supernatural fantasy; and
  • A Ghost and His Gold, a historical paranormal novel set in South Africa.

Roberta has ten children’s books published under the name Robbie Cheadle.

You can visit her Amazon Author’s page to review them all

Roberta was educated at the University of South Africa, where she achieved a Bachelor of Accounting Science in 1996 and an Honours Bachelor of Accounting Science in 1997. She was admitted as a member of The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants in 2000.

Roberta has worked in corporate finance from 2001 until the present date and has written seven publications relating to investing in Africa. She has won several awards over her 20-year career in the category of Transactional Support Services.

One of Robbie’s Books – click for Amazon.

Thank you, Robbie, for helping to spread the word about The Last Drive.

I have closed the comments, so you only feel the need to scribe once.

 

Smorgasbord Book Promotions – Book Review – #Supernatural Adventure The Last Drive by John W. Howell

~ John W. Howell ~ 32 Comments

Sally Cronin has written an excellent review for The Last Drive. As you know, Sally is very supportive of indie authors. A visit to her place will give you an idea of the possibilities of taking advantage of her huge heart when it comes to supporting indie authors. Do yourself a favor and check out what she offers.

Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life.'s avatarSmorgasbord Blog Magazine

Delighted to share my review for the latest release by John W. Howell the sequel to the excellent Eternal Road... another supernatural adventure…The Last Drive

About the book

In the sequel to Eternal Road – The final stop, Sam and James are reunited to look for two souls, Ryan and Eddie. Ryan was killed in Afghanistan, trying to avoid a schoolyard with his crippled plane. Eddie Rickenbacker, Ryan’s hero, is to guide Ryan to his Eternal Home, and now both are missing.

The higher-ups believe that there has been some interference in Ryan and Eddie’s journey by Lucifer, so Sam and James have the task of finding Ryan and Eddie to get them back on the road despite the evil interference. Unfortunately, the machinations designed to prevent Ryan and Eddy from completing their journey takes the pair to horrifying testing grounds. The places visited represent the best work…

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The Last Drive with Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes.

~ John W. Howell

Jaye Marie and Anita invited me to their blog to help explain The Last Drive. I am thrilled to be with them, and you can visit their post HERE.

Anita
Jaye Marie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been following Anita and Jaye Marie for several years and have always been very impressed with their ability to capture the emotions that come from great accomplishment and disappointment. Their writing comes from the heart and never fails to elicit a response due to their fine work. Jaye Marie has four books available, which you can see on her Amazon Author’s page.

Anita has six novels available, which can be seen on her Amazon Author’s page.

Here is a little more about Jaye Marie and Anita.

Jaye Marie came to writing rather late but has always loved books. She enjoys reading many different genres, so was surprised to discover a passion for writing detective thrillers. Five of them to date, with more to follow. She also enjoys running a website/blog, https://jenanita01.com, and loves meeting all the wonderful people who drop in to say hello!

Anita Dawes loves all things esoteric, magical, and the otherworldly and would prefer to live in a fairy tale. In between these moments, she likes to visit old churches and ancient buildings. She has written six fiction novels in various genres, Bad Moon, Simple, Secrets, The Scarlet Ribbon; Let it Go, and Not My Life. She is presently working on a sequel to her popular supernatural romance, The Scarlet Ribbon.

Anita has recently rediscovered her childhood love of poetry and often writes and posts them online.

Once owned by an egocentric black and white cat called Merlin, named after her favourite hero, Anita dislikes computers and prefers to write longhand, sharing a website http://jenanita01.com with Jaye Marie, who transcribes and edits her work…

Anita’s latest – Click for Amazon.
Jaye’s Latest – Click for Amazon

Thank you, Jaye and Anita, for helping spread the word on The Last Drive

I have closed comments, so you only have to write once on Anita and Jaye’s post.

 

Views of the Neighborhood – The Ice Man Comith

~ John W. Howell ~ 104 Comments

Today we will motor around and check out the ice damage from the storm that passed through Texas. No need to leave the bus since we will be catered to by Paperboy of Austin. Our entertainment is who else but Vanilla Ice.

BRUNCH

classic breakfast – two eggs, maple sausage, potato wedges, buttered toast, apple butter

texas hash – roasted pork, sweet potato, onion, kale, poached egg, pecan mole
add avocado

paperboy pancake – warm maple syrup, brown butter, sea salt 11 add blueberries or chocolate chips

migas – egg, avocado, pico de gallo, cotija, serrano hot sauce, grilled tortillas add pork carnitas

steak & eggs – 44 farms steak, chimichurri, sunny eggs, potato wedges, secret sauce, arugula

chicken & biscuit – crispy-fried chicken, country gravy, sunny egg, spicy honey

lox plate – grilled toast points, everything spice, caper cream cheese, tomato, cucumber, dill

Picture of an old time school bus

So let’s get rolling.

So here is a juniper pretty well split.

Downed limbs, but also the ice is beautiful

Limbs in the street.

More beauty

Another juniper.

A tree uprooted. Seems the drought caused the surface roots to dry out and weaken.

The same tree is now available for pick-up.

More brush for city pick up, which Lakeway said they will do beginning Monday.

Closer to home. Our artichoke agave is covered in ice.

The mountain laurel on the right and the magnolia tree on the left took hits.

Closer view of the mountain laurel

The magnolia is my 80th birthday tree and looks worse for wear.

She is all cleaned up now and feeling better, although lighter.

Time to relax and enjoy the food and music. I hope you have a wonderful week.

Saturday – A Little Personal – Lucy and Twiggy Survey Ice Damage

~ John W. Howell ~ 118 Comments

“Where you going Little One?”

“I thought I heard dad say there was some damage to the trees from the ice storm.”

“The damage is over here on the patio side.”

“Oh. I don’t know why I thought it was the potting bench plants.”

“Well, they are toast too. But take a look at the mountain laurel.”

“There are some limbs here on the ground.”

“So true. The weight of the ice broke those limbs off the tree.”

“Can we put them back on?”

“I’m afraid not. Once a limb has been severed it will die.”

“OMG. That sounds pretty severe.”

“Did you notice Dad’s magnolia?”

“He’s not going to like all those limbs on the ground.”

“I think we’ve seen enough, Little One. Let’s go play.”

“This stuff still smells alive. Are you sure it can’t be put back?”

“I’m sure Little One. It is the way nature works.”

“Well then we ought to invent a way that things can live even if they have something wrong wth them.”

“You talking about trees, now?”

“Like these leaves, Lucy. Why do they have to lie here.”

“It’s a cycle that we have talked about before. It is the way nature works.”

“Doesn’t mean we have to like it.”

“You can stay there and sniff that turf all the way to St Louis. As for me? I’m thinking about a soft chew.”

“Hold on. I think I found an acorn.”

“Too early. It’s a rock.”

“Tomato, tomahto. Still interesting.”

“You coming?”

“Right behind you.”

 

The Last Drive Tour with Lauren Scott

~ John W. Howell

Laren Scott is hosting this stop on the tour. I am grateful for her help in spreading the word about The Last Drive. You can visit her post HERE.

I have been following Lauren since 2015. I have always been impressed by the passion she puts into her work. Lauren writes prose and poetry. She has four titles published. Three are stand-alone, authored by her, and one is an anthology. You can see them all on Lauren’s Amazon author’s page.

A little more about Lauren in her words.

Currently, California is my home where my husband, Matt, of thirty-three years, and our cuddly canine, Copper, reside; we have two grown children. I have authored two collections of poetry: New Day, New Dreams (2013) and Finding a Balance (2015), and my latest book, More than Coffee: Memories in Verse and Prose, was published in September of 2021.

My writing projects are sometimes serious – drawn from painful subjects and raw emotions – or they spotlight my silly side – pulled from humorous moments. I am inspired to write about family, love, loss, and nature – the marvelous wild world that surrounds me: the smell of the woods, the sound of a babbling brook, and the chorus of birds singing. Recent backpacking trips with my husband along the California coast and Sierra Nevada mountains have stirred up thoughts to pen about fear, loss of friendship, overcoming challenges, and the possibility that anything can happen. Hikes along the Paper Mill Creek remind me that life is fragile. From trout hatchlings to swallowtail butterflies, I marvel at how the world is interconnected and every living thing matters. I hope my readers will find a little nugget of delight, comfort, or understanding in my poetry and stories – some detail that resonates with them beyond my words.

Lauren’s latest – Click for Amazon.

Thank you, Lauren, for hosting me today. I appreciate you.

I have closed comments so that all the words fit to write are left at Lauren’s place.