Tag: author

The Last Drive Tour with Annette Rochelle Aben.

~ John W. Howell ~ 2 Comments

I am happy to be with fellow Michigander Annette Rochelle Aben to discuss The Last Drive. You can visit Annette’s post HERE.

Annette can be described as a Communicator, WordSmith, Artist, Guide, Mentor, and Muse. She is all of these things. As a communicator, she is a trained radio broadcaster and has a blog talk radio show. Her wordsmith moniker is proven by the fact she has a daily blog and has written 20 titles which are available on Amazon. Her artistic talent can be seen in her Zazzle store. Here is the link http://www.zazzle.com/annetteaben. As a mentor and guide, Annette has developed the concept of Attitude with Gratitude. She shows folks how to approach life in a way that produces happiness. You can visit several examples of her teachings HERE.

As a muse, Annette invites everyone to her blog with these works. “In addition to writing, I am completely in love with Angels, cooking, making jewelry, photography, cats, listening to music, and laughing! Perhaps we have something in common, if so, leave me a comment, and let’s connect.”

Click for Amazon

Thank you so much for helping me tell The Last Drive story, Annette.

I have closed the comments, so you don’t have to think of something clever to say here but you can do that at Annette’s place.

Views of the Neighborhood – Lakeway Heritage Tour

~ John W. Howell ~ 67 Comments

Today we are going on the heritage tour of Lakeway. There are 22 stops, and we will be chauffeured in a brand-new bus. Of course, we will have to take our bus to get there. We are catered by Odd Duck of Austin, and our entertainment is The Who.

Menu

Starters

Gulf seafood ceviche, carrot leche de tigre, strawberry, radish, potato chips

Grilled kale salad, fennel, citrus, sunchoke dukkah, shiitake ranch

Charred broccoli, chèvre, mole spice, apple gastrique, sesame

Cast iron cheddar cornbread, green garlic butter

Mushroom tamal, kohlrabi cheese, field greens, cilantro

Smoked oyster chowder, turnip, pork belly, brassica greens, pork rinds

Main

Capellini pasta, sunchoke cacio e pepe, TX cheddar, carrot salsa macha

Blackened redfish, sourdough sauce, wilted romaine, pecan, lemon

Grilled quail, XO fried rice, braised greens, beet BBQ, fried chicken skin

Dry-aged wagyu burger, blue beer cheese, tostada, pork birria jam, cabbage slaw

Aged pork loin, tzatziki, caramelized fennel, beets, pepitas

Chile beer glazed short rib, radish kimchi, Japanese sweet potato, peanut

Dessert

Lime mousse, strawberry sorbet, puffed rice, butter mochi

Sunchoke blondie, caramelized white chocolate, sherry vinegar caramel, cocoa nib ice cream

Salted peanut butter budino, chocolate cake, marshmallow creme, dark chocolate-covered peanut butter cookie

Picture of an old time school bus

All aboard.

Here is the map of the tour and a list of the stops.

After the tour, we each get a hardcover book about Lakeway.

That bus makes ours look a little shabby. Not as lovely inside, I’ll bet.

There are the registration tents. Yes, we had to have reservations.

We can also meet the mayor, who is here somewhere, and Gwen Wunneberger, who as a girl, lived in the cabin in the background.

Gotta have a sweet and cup of coffee but don’t spoil your brunch.

Always terrific to be welcomed.

The old Liebelt cabin was moved to this spot.

Kay Andrews, dressed in a period costume, gives us a tour of the cabin.

A horse-drawn hay cutter sits in the cabin yard.

Behind the cabin sits a replica of August Liebelt’s headstone in honor of him.

It is time to get on the other bus for the tour. If you really want to see what the tour is like. you can visit a previous post on the subject HERE

I hope you enjoyed the tour. Now, let’s sit back and enjoy the food and entertainment. I hope you have a terrific week.

 

Saturday – A Little Personal – Lucy and Twiggy Messing Around

~ John W. Howell ~ 122 Comments

“Lucy. What are you doing?”

“Who says I’m Lucy?”

“What do you mean, ‘who says I’m Lucy?’ I say you’re Lucy.”

“Look closer, pesky puma. There is a water buffalo stalking you.”

“We just played this yesterday. Let’s do something else.”

“Play puma? Play? Do you think this is a game?”

“You’re funny, Lucy. We always play this game.”

“So I’m funny, huh? What kind of funny? Funny, haha, or what?”

“What’s come over you, Lucy? I just said I thought you were funny.”

“Yeah, I know, and I want to know what is so funny?”

“Oh, I get it. You’re doing a Joe Pesci Goodfella riff.”

“Okay, so you figured it out. Had you going though, didn’t I?”

“Let’s just say I thought you had finally gone off the deep end.”

“Why do you always sniff the stair when you are nervous?”

“I’m not nervous, and I think you just made that up.”

“I’m just telling you what I have observed.”

“Don’t go near that door. I heard mom putting together the bath stuff.”

“When did you hear that?”

“Just before we came out. Man, I do not like baths.”

“See, you’re doing it again. Sniffing the stair.”

“Okay, you stay by that door until you’re discovered. I’m heading the other way.”

“I think I hear mom coming.”

“I’m outta here.”

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

~ John W. Howell ~ 104 Comments
The plane that made the hydrogen-powered flight. credit: ZeroAvia

Today’s good news story comes from the Good News Network. Here it is in its entirety.

Aviation Startup ZeroAvia Flies Largest-Ever Hydrogen Electric Aircraft

By

Andy Corbley

An aviation start-up just set a new world-first for the largest hydrogen-powered aircraft flight in history—a 19-seat aircraft called the Dornier 228.

Designed by ZeroAvia, the start-up is developing hydrogen-powered engines for regional flights and has taken off over the last 12 months.

This most recent flight was a 10-minute affair from the Cotswolds Airport in Gloucestershire, England, but was only the most recent manifestation of their success.

ZeroAvia counts American and United airlines as their investors, and by 2025, the firm has 1,500 pre-orders of their hydrogen-electric powertrains to fulfill. In addition, the prototype powertrains have received approval from the UK and US civil aviation authorities.

“This is a major moment, not just for ZeroAvia, but for the aviation industry as a whole, as it shows that true zero-emission commercial flight is only a few years away,” ZeroAvia founder and CEO Val Miftakhov said in a statement Thursday.

The flight comes after news in August that the company signed a memorandum of understanding with American Airlines for 100 of the powertrains being developed for 90-seat aircraft.

“Having support from [one of the] world’s largest airline is a strong indication of the progress we’re making on the development of hydrogen-electric, zero-emission flight,” added ZeroAvia Founder and CEO Val Miftakhov. “We are focused on delivering sustainable travel and are delighted that American, a visionary leader in the industry, sees ZeroAvia as a part of the future of aviation.”

Hydrogen as a fuel source is currently one of two more sustainable alternatives to powering aviation. Accounting for 2.8% of all global emissions, passenger aircraft need high-octane, energy-dense fuel sources because of the weight limitations that batteries can’t account for.

The ZA2000-RJ powertrain from ZeroAvia is predicted to have a 500-mile range on a full tank, which United Airlines said would restore the economic viability of smaller regional flights.

“A lot of small cities have lost service because of the cost, and we think that these technologies will allow United to bring back more frequent service and service to airports that don’t have any service today,” Michael Leskinen, president of United Airlines Ventures, told CBS.

For reference, 500-mile jumps could service distances such as Pittsburgh to Chicago, Amarillo to Austin, or Fort Myers to Savannah. In Europe, the benefits compound because of the size of the continent. ZeroAvia could easily service Milan to Naples, Munich to Hamburg, or Newcastle to Exeter.

The good news here is zero emissions are possible for air travel. Today’s JohnKu talks about innovation. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Discovery by John W. Howell © 2023

Like we always have,

Is not an excuse anymore . . .

Innovation rules.

The Last Drive Tour with Joan Hall

~ John W. Howell ~ 1 Comment

I am excited to be with Joan Hall to talk about The Last Drive. You can visit her post HERE.

Joan and I are both members of Story Empire. Since the time I joined, I have always been impressed by Joan’s professional approach to writing. Also, she is quick to help fellow writers with questions about their stories or any concerns in general. Joan is always giving the group links to some of the latest improvements in applications designed to help make the job of writing easier.

Joan is the author of ten books, and you can see them on her Amazon page

Here is a little more about Joan.

Joan Hall has always enjoyed reading or listening to stories about inexplicable events, so it’s not surprising she writes mystery and romantic suspense. A lover of classic rock music, songs often serve as the inspiration for her books.

When she’s not writing, Joan likes to observe the night skies, explore old cemeteries, and learn about legends and folklore. She and her husband live in Texas with their two cats. Learn more about Joan at her website, http://JoanHall.net.

Joan’s latest. Click for Amazon

Thank you, Joan, for helping spread The Last Drive word.

I have closed the comments so that Joan will have your original thoughts.

The last Drive Tour with Keith Channing

~ John W. Howell

I am delighted to be visiting Keith Channing’s blog today. He is helping spread the word about The Last Drive. You can visit the post HERE.

Each Monday, Keith publishes a photo and asks for submissions. I have been submitting a story using his photo as a prompt since August 6th, 2015. Prior to my joining in Keith had published 39 photos. He just finished number 392. So I have participated with Keith in 353 stories over the last seven years. Keith has also published 13 books. You can see them all on his Amazon page.

More about Keith in his own words.

“My work background was in insurance and IT. When I retired in 2005 at the tender age of 56, my wife Clare and I sold up and moved to a small hamlet in the middle of France, where we stayed for thirteen years. In 2019, we relocated to South Yorkshire with our two dogs.

During my working life, I spent five years living in Dubai and two years in Tanzania, which had an enormous effect on shaping my world view and my way of looking at life.

As a writer of fiction, I make up and write lies (and some poetry – mostly limericks) for the sheer pleasure of doing it. These lies generally end up on my blog at keithkreates.com, as do a few of the photographs I take from time to time.”

Keith’s latest- click for Amazon.

Thank you, Keith, for helping to spread the word on The Last Drive.

I have closed the comments so that every word in Keith’s comment section is original.

 

Views of the Neighborhood – GOOD “TIME” SCAVENGER HUNT – Part II

~ John W. Howell ~ 74 Comments

Well, we are back to finish the scavenger hunt. If you missed part I, you can go HERE and check it out. We will be doing the even numbers today. We are catered by Nixta of Austin. Our entertainment is Chicago.

Picture of an old time school bus

So jump on, and let’s go.

So, right away, we have a problem. This should be number two, but it looks like someone took it. So, after we complete the puzzle, we will have to figure out which letter goes with the number 2.

Ah. At least we have number 4.

Number six, taking a nap.

Number 8 overlooks the drought-ravished Lake Travis.

A certain number, 10.

Number 12 in the mountain laurel.

High flying number 14.

Number 16 on the ground.

Looks like a ground pandemic. Number 18 is there as well.

Number 20 in the trees.

Number 22 has been benched.

Number 24 on a spindly oak.

Numer 26 marks the end of the hunt.

The missing letter was U. The puzzle is solved. I hope you had a good time. Now relax, have some food and listen to the music.

Saturday – A Little Personal – Lucy and Twiggy Check the Plants

~ John W. Howell ~ 132 Comments

“Little One. Did you see this Fig tree?”

“Yeah. It’s getting some new leaves.”

“Well, that’s not good. There’s more cold coming.”

“Don’t you think the fig knows what it’s doing?”

“I’m not so sure. These crazy winters have most plants confused.”

“These begonias seem to be doing sorta okay.”

“Yeah, for now. Wait till a freeze hits.”

“These roses are getting new leaves too.”

“I sure hope they aren’t sorry. I’m going over to the patio.”

“What’s over there?”

“There were a bunch of flowers in pots. I want to make sure they aren’t budding as well.”

“If they are, what are you going to do?”

“Well, they’re not, so your question doesn’t need an answer.”

“Lucky for you, ’cause I don’t think you had an answer.”

“You may be right. How about we play in the yard.”

“I see a bud here, Lucy. What are we going to do?”

“You know everyone dislikes a wise guy.”

“Good thing I’m a girl, then.”

“How about a game of hide and seek?”

“Great, you’re it.”

“One one thousand, two one thousand….”

“No peeking.”

The Last Drive Tour with Staci Troilo

~ John W. Howell

Today I’m with Staci Troilo, who has graciously given me the opportunity to talk about my latest book, The Last Drive. You can visit her post HERE.

 

 

I have known Staci to be an excellent blogger and author. She is also a member of Story Empire, and that association gave me insight into Staci’s big-heartedness and sense of humor, as well as her desire to help her fellow authors. I understand she calls on her Italian heritage to produce killer recipes.

Here is her bio in her own words.

I grew up in Western Pennsylvania, writing stories and poetry in my free time, so no one was surprised when I became a writing major in college. After receiving creative and professional writing degrees from Carnegie Mellon University, I went on to get my Master’s Degree in Professional Writing, and I worked in corporate communications until I had my children. Now I’m a freelance writer and editor and spend many of my days happily immersed in fictional worlds.

Staci is also a prolific novelist who has 23 titles to her credit. You can see them all on her Amazon Page

Staci’s Latest -Click for Amazon

Thank you, Staci, for having me today.

I have closed the comments so that all your words will be conserved for Staci’s post.

The Last Drive Tour with Jan Sikes

~ John W. Howell

I am pleased to be hosted by Jan Sikes today on The Last Drive tour. You can visit Jan’s post HERE.

 

Jan and I have been colleagues and friends since we published our debut Novel. I first met Jan in an author’s club and was taken by her passion for writing. Now that she has seventeen titles, she has never lost that passion. You can go to her Amazon page and see all her books.

Here is Jan’s bio in her words

I’ve been an avid reader all my life. I still remember the excitement that surged through me the first time I realized I could decipher words. There’s nothing I love more than losing myself in a story.

Oddly enough, I never had any ambition to be a writer. But I wound up in mid-life with a story that begged to be told. Not just any story, but a true story that rivaled any fiction creation. Through fictitious characters, the tale came to life in an intricately woven tale that encompasses four books. Not satisfied to stop with the books, I released music CDs of original music to match the time period of each story segment. In conclusion, to bring the story full circle, I published a book of poetry and art. I was done.

Wrong!

The story ideas keep coming, and I don’t intend to turn off the creative fountain.

I love all things metaphysical and often include those aspects in my stories.

I am a member of the Author’s Marketing Guild, The Writer’s League of Texas, Story Empire, and the Paranormal Writer’s Guild. I am an avid fan of Texas music and grandmother of five beautiful souls. I reside in North Texas.

Jan’s Latest -Click for Amazon

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

I have closed the comments so that all your fine words can be spent on Jan’s post.