Thursday – A Little Personal

March 12, 2015March 10, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 30 Comments

Thursday is the time for me to post some things about myself or my surroundings and today I thought I would give you an idea of some of the watering holes around our town. The residents describe our city as a drinking village with a fishing problem. This tour will give you some idea of the places folks go to have a couple of drinks and talk about the one that got away.

This place is called Bernie’s. It is one of the most popular night spots since there is a band on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Inside there are three bars, pool table, and table bowling machine. If you fancy yourself as a pugilist you can always find a partner.

Shorty’s place is an institution. It was started by a woman named Shorty. Their motto is “Oldest and Friendliest.” They have a sign welcoming spring breakers put there by the Budweiser Blu guy. They don’t mean it.

Right next door to Shorty’s is The Flats. In the spirit of competition, their motto is “Not the Oldest but the Coldest.” They are referring to the beer, not the people. They also have music on the weekends

The picture above is the Salty Dog Saloon, which boasts of being the Coolest Honky Tonk on the Texas Rivera (slang for our Island). If you look closely you can see there is Karaoke Wednesday through Sunday. They also want you to know there is no bait here.(this is an important notice since most people don’t want to stray too far from their bait.) Yes, that is a totem pole on the roof.

This last bar photo is of a place that closed recently. (surprise). It was an institution since it hosted some exciting events. Through the years, most anyone in Texas music played here. Also, there were a number of sanctioned Chili cook-offs held at Sharky’s. Yes, the trailers were there when the place was open.

The words on this airplane are hard to see so what it says is Sharky’s Flight School. Open 2AM. The airplane is outside Sharky’s near the driveway and was kept in place in honor of the first student.

There you have just a few of the number of places available. Another time I’ll give you a look at the restaurants.

Wednesday Story Day – AKA – Hump Day

March 11, 2015March 8, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 24 Comments

Wednesday Story day is here and last week we left our trio in a bit of a fix. Billy was taken into custody while he was letting the hostages go free. Ms. Sutter has recommended that Frank lay down his gun and walk out to face the police with her. Frank, of course, thinks this is a sign that Ms. Sutter likes him. Although I’m reluctant to see what happens, I guess we should join the pair as they contemplate walking out of the bank.

“Aw Ms. Sutter. Telling me to shut up hurts my feelings.”

“I’m sorry Frank but you have to believe it is not a matter of me liking you. It is a question that if you don’t go out there the cops are going to storm this place, and you and I will both get hurt.”

“You think they would risk hurting you?”

“I’m sure of it Frank. They won’t want to, but they will have no choice.”

“I never thought you would be in danger. I wouldn’t want that to happen.”

“I know Frank. So if you put your gun down we can put our hands in the air, and the police will see we can’t harm them.”

“You wouldn’t harm them in the first place.”

“They don’t know that Frank. With both of us in plain sight, there will be no doubt.”

“I guess you are right. I sure don’t want to go to prison though.”

“It won’t be so bad. You didn’t hurt anyone and didn’t make off with any money. They’ll take that into consideration.”

“They will? Will you say anything at a trial?”

“I will be a witness and I will indeed tell the truth. You are a nice guy who makes bad choices.”

“I guess that is a valid statement. I’m sorry if you were frightened any time.”

“It’s okay Frank. You ready?”

“You’ve been real nice to me. I appreciate it Ms. Sutter.”

“Constance. You can call me Constance.”

“Aw I couldn’t do that Ms. Sutter. It would be less professional somehow. You go ahead. I’ll be right behind you.”

“No Frank we go together. Now put down that gun and let’s go.”

“With all due respect Ms. Sutter you are the hostage and I am the bank robber with a weapon and I’m telling you to get out. Now.”

“Frank don’t do this.”

“Shut up Ms. Sutter.”

Tuesday Discussion – Anything is Possible

March 10, 2015March 8, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 11 Comments

I get a little lonely on Tuesday. This and Sunday are the two days of the week I have nothing planned to post. Since I’m a slave to writing this leaves a small pent-up place that needs relief. I think a good thing to do is to discuss anything that is relevant to the time. It just may be there is nothing going on and so no need to post (yeah right). Today I would like to post the opening of my WIP. I posted this on A Word with Traci last week in celebration of her It’s Reining Men Tour. It is a lot to ask busy people to click on links to read something. So now that you are here this is it.

Chapter One

So with nothing better to do, I figured I’d stop at Jerry’s place and grab a couple a drinks and a burger. Usually, I don’t go there on Saturday night since there’s a crap load of amateurs taking up what would be considered prime space. I figure since this is a weekday it will be okay. It is the kind of place where everyone minds their own business. Today’s events will probably not register with the people in the bar. They are there for a good time and will in all likelihood not notice me. Even so, I go through the door, stop and have a look around trying not to make eye contact. I’m hoping the ball cap, and large coat will keep me from being noticed. There’s the usual weekday crowd alright, hanging on each other like they never had a date before. I tighten my eyelids against the smoke and can make out four guys near the pool table and what looks like a couple a girls fetching drinks. I search for a seat beyond the table in the back, but they are all taken.

Straight ahead is the bar, and there is a place right in the middle. Getting my feet to move in the direction of the empty place I look over the other side. Happy drunks jam the tables. There’re buckets of empties and the barmaid’s trying to sell more. She’s not having much luck since most of these people just spent their last five bucks on this outing. Making it to the stool, I hoist myself up and lean on the bar.

“Hey Sammy,” Jerry says. “Whadda you have?”

“Evening Jerry. I’ll have a gin on the rocks with water back.”

“Coming up.”

I like Jerry’s no-nonsense way he handles things. He doesn’t like small talk and gets right to business. Feeling my eyes start to smart from the smoke I wonder how Jerry gets away with letting people kill themselves when it’s apparently not allowed in this kind of establishment.

“Here you go Sammy. Want me to run a tab?”

“Yeah, Jerry I would appreciate that. I intend to have another drink and then a burger.”

“No problem. Gimme the high sign when you’re ready for another.”

“Will do Jerry. Thanks.”

“For you buddy anything.”

I should mention Jerry, and I go back a ways. When I fell on hard times, he was the only one that seemed to give a shit. I take a sip of my drink and wait for the hot assed burn in my throat which signals the good stuff. There it is. I take a swig of the water and almost believe life is good. I think I’ll wait for the gin to get to the brain before making any judgment.

While I’m waiting for the warmth of the gin to go from my stomach to my head, I check out the folk sitting on either side of me. Not too friendly as they both have their backs turned to me and engrossed in some discussion with their neighbor. I figure it’s just as well since I don’t want to go through that old “what do you do” and “don’t I know you?” bullshit. I also don’t figure on staying the night, so no use in getting into any long discussions about life.

I look down at my drink and start to wonder what’s going to happen tomorrow. It’s gonna be Saturday, and my daughter Constance wants to come and visit. She lives in New York, and we don’t see each other often. It’s only an hour’s flight by the shuttle or three by train, but it seems like a world away. Her husband is a nice enough guy, yet I always wonder if he has someplace important to go when I visit. He never sits still and is on the phone or at the computer. He makes a good living, but it seems a person could take an hour to sit and talk. I was looking forward to some relationship when he and daughter got married. It’s never going to happen with him.

Taking another pull at my drink I notice the burn lessons. It happens every time. First sip initiation I call it. It’s like the first puff of a cigarette, hits ya hard then after nothing. I decide to let daughter pretty much have the agenda tomorrow. She and I have not had a chance to talk for a while. I think she blamed me when her mother ran off with that guy with the house on the Hudson. He has a title, and the old gal couldn’t resist, but I think the daughter always felt I should have done something. Her mother’s sleeping with another guy and what the hell can I do about that? I’ll just go with the flow. If she wants to go out, we will. If she intends to stay in we can do that too. I better think about getting some food in the house. Of course, we can always order takeout. I need to move on to my drink and let this go. Tomorrow will be what it is. I hope we can somehow get to the root of whatever is wrong. She sounded strange on the phone this morning.

For some reason, I feel pretty tired and think I will go ahead and finish my drink. Maybe I’ll just go home and forget the burger. First though I think I’ll just shut my eyes for a minute. My hands feel comfortable as I put my head down.

“Hey, Sammy,” Jerry says. I barely hear him. “What’s the matter you taking a nap? Sammy?” I can feel him shake me, but I have no interest in waking up. His voice gets further away, and I think he says, “oh my god Sophie call 911 quick.” Now the room goes silent.

The Top Ten Things Not to do at Your Annual Home Owner’s Association Meeting

March 9, 2015March 5, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 36 Comments

This list is a result of the last Saturdays Home Owner Association Annual meeting held in our community.

Ten Things Not to do While Attending a Home Owners Association Annual Meeting

10 If you are attending an HOA meeting, do not challenge everyone who disagrees with your point to go outside and settle things. If you do, At best you will come off as a crackpot. At worst several of the bigger neighbors may take you up on your offer leading to a hurried trip to the ER.

9 If you are attending an HOA meeting, do not tell a long-winded speaker to sit down and shut up. If you do, at best you will appear to be a bully. At worst the speaker may be a black belt Karate champ who will show you how he breaks cement blocks using only a head. (Yours)

8 If you are attending an HOA meeting, do not ask questions just to show how smart you are about the covenants. If you do at best, your neighbors will make a note to avoid you at all costs. At worse, you may be appointed as the rule cop for the neighborhood that will endear you to everyone to whom you point out errors (not to mention the egg on your windows)

7 If you are attending an HOA meeting, do not try to convince everyone your idea is the next best thing to whipped bread. If you do, at best you will delay while contributing to the boredom of the meeting. At worst, someone in the crowd will yell at you to shut up and sit down which will expose them to the remedies in item nine, and they will be waiting outside to settle the deal.

6 If you are attending an HOA meeting, do not bring your Italian sub sandwich to eat during the meeting. If you do, at best everyone will move away from you. At worst, the biggest guy in the room will invite you to join the sandwich that is now in the garbage can outside.

5 If you are attending an HOA meeting, do not get up and ask for donations for your book’s marketing fund. If you do, at best your neighbors will think you have lost your mind. At worst, they will discover you are an author and will warn their family members to stay away from you especially if they see you carrying books.

4 If you are attending an HOA meeting, try to find a babysitter for the kids. If you can’t at best, you will be distracted and lose sight of what is being voted. At worst your kids will see a bunch of new people and ask some potentially embarrassing questions like “why is that man wearing hair on his head that doesn’t fit?”

3 If you are attending an HOA meeting, do not try to pretend you haven’t forgotten a few names. If you do, at best your charade will be transparent, and some will believe you to be shallow. At worst, you will run out of introductory statements like “Hi there.” You’ll be forced to admit you’ve forgotten the name of your next door neighbor. He is the man who was kind enough to run out in the rain to help you catch your dog with a loss of creditability that an honest admission would save.

2 If you are attending an HOA meeting, do not be the first to “second” every motion. If you do, at best your neighbors will think you have no friends. At worst you may be seconding things that will cause frictions among the neighbors, and you will be seen as in favor no matter that you didn’t even hear the motion.

1 If you are attending an HOA meeting and the President is reading the agenda, do not sigh and mumble “another long boring meeting.” If you do, at best you are quickly losing a friend in the President. At worst, your outspoken comment may be shared by others but because you said it you will be the one who the neighbors will talk about tomorrow beginning with the words, “can you believe how rude he was?”

Seventh Day of It’s Reining Men with Traci Sanders – (me included)

March 8, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 4 Comments

Today is the seventh day of the Traci Sanders It’s Reining Men Tour. This will be my last day but there are three more male authors she will be hosting for the remainder of the month. Today I posted a short story which I call Last night. This story is the opening of the first chapter of my latest WIP. You might want to check it out and then come back for the rest of Traci’s tour all month.

Thank you. Tracy for having me. It was a real pleasure and wishing you the best for the remainder of the month.

When DarknessBreaks

Sixth Day of the IT’s Reining Men Tour with Traci Sanders (and me)

March 7, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 4 Comments

Today is the sixth day of Traci Sanders’ It’s Reining Men Tour. I am over there pontificating about the six things a writer should know. These were learned by me through the efficient and time-honored tradition of Trial & Error. (Tongue in cheek) Visit if you can

Traci has authored a number of books, but her first foray into fiction for adults is When Darkness Breaks

Local news anchor, Amber Woods, seemed to have it all – a thriving career, two beautiful children, and a doting husband named Drake. Life was perfect…until her world was turned upside down in one fateful night. While the incident causes Amber to renew her priorities; unable to deal with what happened, Drake begins sinking into a deep depression laced with infidelity and alcohol.

Hoping a change of scenery will salvage her quickly deteriorating marriage, Amber agrees that a move to New York may be just what they need. Unfortunately, she quickly discovers that you can’t outrun your problems and the past is not always left in the past.

Can Amber save her marriage without losing herself along the way? What will she do when darkness breaks her will to keep trying?

Here is an excerpt.

Drake’s feet tore a cautious but swift path to the double doors, and stopped when he reached the waiting room. His hands trembled as he filled out the papers. Then, he alternated between sitting and standing, unable to settle, as he anticipated the doctor’s arrival. After what seemed like an eternity, Drake spied a white coat out of the corner of his eye.

“Mr. Woods?” A deep, soothing voice summoned him.

Drake turned to see a male physician, possibly in his late fifties, who sported a head full of dark black hair, and appeared to be in excellent physical shape. He shook the doctor’s hand as he confirmed his name.

“I am Dr. Davis. I am the surgeon on your wife’s case. We need to talk about your wife’s current condition.” His words were spoken in a matter-of-fact tone, almost with arrogance.

Drake sat down. The words “We need to talk,” echoed in his mind. He had heard those words from Amber many times, especially lately, and good news never followed.

“Is she alive?” He could barely summon his voice to ask the question.

“She is, but remains in critical condition. Amber suffered severe trauma to the head and is currently in a coma. Amazingly, she came through with only a few broken bones, and those can be mended. Our major concern right now is her brain. We were able to stop the hemorrhaging, but there is still quite a bit of swelling left behind. We are monitoring that now and giving her …”

Drake’s head felt as though it had swelled. His ears rang. He wanted to hear every word the doctor said, but his heart pounded louder than the doctor’s voice, and his tears masked his sight. He pictured his sweet love lying on a hospital bed, hooked up to a plethora of machines and IV drips, as she clung to her last breath of life. He worried about the children too, but felt a powerful obligatory presence with the love of his life in that moment. After all, she was the reason he even became a father. Where have these loving thoughts about her been hiding for so long?

When Drake’s mind and ears returned to the conversation, the doctor said, “I need to get back to check on Amber now. I will send the Chaplain in to speak with you. Is there anyone else you’d like us to call? Do you have any other questions for me?”

Drake only had one: “What now?”

“Now, we wait.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt Go

March 7, 2015March 6, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 11 Comments

SOC Badge by: Doobster at Mindful Digressions — SOC Badge by Doobster at Mindful Digressions

Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt is “Go” which can be used in any manner the writer chooses. If you would like to learn more visit Linda Hill at http://lindaghill.com/2015/03/06/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-march-715/ Here is my interpretation of “Go.” Hope you like it.

Go by John W. Howell

“Where does this one go?”

“I think it will go over here.”

“Okay if you say so. I think it will go here better.”

“That may well be but I’m paying you to move furniture not tell me something will go better somewhere else.”

“Okay you’re the boss. I just know from moving thousands of people it will go better here.”

“So put it there then and I’ll see if it will go.”

“How does it look? Tell me it doesn’t go here.”

“I think it will go there.”

“Ah, I feel vindicated. I said go here, and you agree.’

“Don’t get carried away. Go get the next piece.”

“We going to discuss where it will go?”

“I don’t think the go discussion is one I want to continue.”

“Go on. You know I made a good suggestion.”

“Go get the next one and we’ll see.”

“That is a condition I can live with today. I’m going to go.”

“What are you looking at. Go.”

Go, go, go. Doesn’t anyone stay anymore?

Guest Post on A Word with Traci – Excerpt from My Next Book

March 6, 2015March 6, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 7 Comments

Traci Sanders is hosting the It’s Reining Men Tour for the month of March. I am lucky to be the kick-off guest and have had a great time. Today I have posted an excerpt from my next book titled His Revenge for release in May. (At least that was the last word). Traci has a beautiful site and well worth a visit. http://awordwithtraci.com/guest-author-john-howell-3/

Author and mother of three, Traci Sanders has been composing poetry, songs, and children’s stories since the young age of ten. In 2003, she opened her home to young children in her community offering “beyond the basics” teachings. In 2008, she was recognized by the Child Care Resource and Referral Agency as Family Childcare Provider of the Year and was featured in two local newspapers.

In 2010, she furthered her education by earning her Child Development Associates degree and was a recipient of the FIRST (First Incentive for Raising Standards among Teachers) Award presented by the Child Care Commissioner of her state. She continues to shape the young minds of the future through her home-based childcare program. Her daily interactions with these children provide constant inspiration for her writing and she plans to continue on this path until her story has reached “The End.”

Her first book was published in January 2013 titled ‘Welcome to “Poop Camp”: The Truth, The Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth about Potty Training’. She released her first children’s book about family child care in May 2013.

To date, Traci has published five books, including her latest foray into adult fiction titled, ‘When Darkness Breaks’. She is an avid reader and writer, and finds inspiration all around her.

Currently Traci is writing her second adult novel, a light paranormal romance, titled ‘UNSEVERED’.

When Darkness Breaks!

TGIF – AKA JohnKu Friday

March 6, 2015March 4, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 23 Comments

Friday is, here again, which means it is JohnKu (a termed coined by Words4jp) Friday or as most of the world knows is the day we thank God for its arrival. Yes, good old TGIF. This week has been pretty quick.

I am still averaging one thousand words a day on my Work in Process. I am currently at 69,500 words and I fully expect it to reach 92,000 when complete. So if all works well, I should be finished in twenty-four more days. That means at the end of March. Okay let’s just draw a line in the sand and say it will be so. This book is totally off what I would consider my normal track. In fact, right now I can quite pin the genre. It is a Mystery but not the classic who done it. It has some Thriller aspects but only a couple of twists. It has a lot of scope like a Literary piece, and it has some paranormal occurrences. Since I’m not planning this book to be published by my current publisher, I might just let a group of Bata readers give me some suggestions.

I do know I’m enjoying the hell out of writing it and so who knows its future. Today’s JohnKu is about making up one’s mind. I hope you like it.

A decision now,

Or else the world will collapse . . .

May be good to wait.

Thursday – A Little Personal

March 5, 2015March 4, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 33 Comments

Thursday is for a little something personal.

If you read my Bio you know, I live on an island in the Gulf of Mexico. It is a barrier island off the South Texas coast. The island is about fifteen miles long and has almost four thousand full-time residents. During the summer, this number grows to ten times the population, so there aren’t too many familiar faces around town.

What I thought I would do is give you a taste of what I find to be a fascinating view of the Gulf of Mexico. My wife and I are always amazed by the daily changes we see on a morning walk. (caption under the picture) Also, this post is being simu-published on Traci Sanders site at http://awordwithtraci.com/. Give her a hello from me.