Hump Day is as Hump Day Does

February 5, 2014February 3, 2014 ~ John W. Howell ~ 21 Comments

Wednesday is here so we need to give a small “well done” to each of us for making it. I guess we could give each other high two and one halfs. (The five is for Friday). On Fiction Favorites Wednesday is story day. Today is no exception. Today’s story deals with the vagaries of a relationship between two people who seem undecided about their future. Here it is:

“Okay tell me what you think we should do.”

“Darling I never know what to do in this situation.”

“Well . . . I think we only have a couple of choices sweetheart.”

“I agree honey, but I am having trouble figuring out just what those choices are.”

“Yeah. I know what you mean. Think it would help to talk about the alternatives and then do some kind of pro and con analysis?”

“This is why I feel so safe with you my strong man. You always have a solution when we get stuck.”

“Gosh Audrey, you make me blush.”

“Well you know it is true Frank. I need you to help me out of some really potentially embarrassing positions like this.”

“Positions? I don’t understand.”

“Okay call it situations then.”

“Alright here are our options as I see them.”

“Oh I can’t wait.”

“Excuse me can I continue?”

“Please.”

“We can go ahead and try to move into a better position which should allow us to separate ourselves from the present predicament.”

“I guess that is one alternative. What’s another?”

“We could simply stay in our present position and remain stuck where we are.”

“That one doesn’t get us ahead. I say we go for the better position.”

“I agree we don’t even have do a pro or con.”

“Okay you start the move.”

“We each usually have a Grande latte and since this coupon is good for one free one, I say we split the cost rather than one of us getting a free drink and the other having to pay full price.”

“Genius Frank. What a man.”

Book Signing is as Book Signing Does

February 4, 2014February 3, 2014 ~ John W. Howell ~ 26 Comments

Picture of cake and empty pitcher waiting for My GRL punch

This last weekend I was very fortunate in having my first book signing. I must say it is an exciting experience. There you are, the same dumb shit you were before the event, in a venue surrounded by a bunch of folks. Some are waiting to talk and wanting a book to be signed. Others are just hanging out talking about books and literature. It hits you at some point, people actually came to see and talk to you. Whoa what a rush.

More than actually seeing your book go out the door in the hands of a perfect stranger, the experience has a collegial overtone which cannot be matched. You have a group of people gathered and each has something in common with you. As a result of talking with you and having what you wrote in their book, each individual is now part of your family. They became family the moment they picked up your book. After signing, you each have received a piece of one another. They have your words in print and your personal message. You have them captured in your world for as long as it takes to finish the book. It doesn’t end there since you wrote their name in your book. They will be part of your fictional adventure for as long as they have the book. I know . . . this is pretty existentialist.

The message which seemed to be well received was, “Thank you so much for joining me on my fictional adventure.” It is an experience which turned out exactly as I wished. The book signing lived up to every expectation and I am so glad I was able to do it.

Anyone else feel the same?

My GRL Blog Tour Volunteer Recognition – Pamela Beckford

February 1, 2014 ~ John W. Howell ~ 2 Comments

Pamela Beckford has two places on WordPress she calls home. The first is her blog titled Year ‘Round Thanksgiving Project. This is where Pamela can express herself in the form of looking for something to be thankful for each and every day. She made up her mind it is more blessed to be thankful for the good in one’s life. Her words; “and the power of looking for something, even on the bleakest day, to be thankful for is incredible. Kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy. If I am looking for good, I will find good.” So the reader can count on Pamela to bring out what is good in most any situation or challenge. Her comments on these thanksgiving posts can be found under the Thanksgiving tab.

Pamela also does book reviews which can be found under her Book Review tab. Her reviews are very succinct and she doesn’t waste a lot of words which gives the reader a quick idea of what she thinks and how much she likes the book in question.

The Random tab houses just what you would expect; random discussions about a number of topics of the day. She also posts a lot of information about other authors and sites which have caught her eye. Pamela is one of the most supportive bloggers in this regard.

Her last tab on this site is Who Am I? this is the spot where you get to know a little about Pamela. She says, “I’m Pamela. I hate these pages where you have to talk about yourself. Really, I’m not all that interesting. I am CEO of a local nonprofit, I’m middle aged (who am I kidding? I’m past the half way mark), I’m a grandma and a mom. My grandson is the sun and the moon to me. I never knew true love until he was born.” She is very interesting. Don’t let her fool you. Which leads to her other site:

Poetry by Pamela where the reader will really get to experience Pamela’s skill in writing moving and sometimes complicated poems. She is not afraid to try new forms to make a mark. Recently she has been creating beautiful verse in Tanka and Doidotsu in addition to her other forms. She has chased subjects as diverse as: Winter, Spring, Fall, Summer, Flying, Season of Love, Why Now? It’s Over, and Resolutions. There really is a poem for every person on Pamela’s site. Go visit and tell her hello for me.

Thank you Pamela for your help with the launch of My GRL.

My GRL Blog Tour Volunteer Recognition – Teri Polen

February 1, 2014 ~ John W. Howell ~ 1 Comment

Teri Polen has an interesting site: Books and Such which contains some of the latest book releases as well as links to reviews of the book listed. Many times Teri has done a review in advance of the actual release so this linking feature really helps to get up to speed on the latest opinion when the book is launched. The reviews are spot on and Teri answers the questions the reader needs answered before deciding to get the book.

Teri also spends a great deal of blogging time supporting other authors in their release, cover reveal and blog tours. This thank you post is but one of many directed to Teri for the support given.

Teri has a well thought out view of likes and dislikes. The About Me posting on Books and Such pretty much tells the tale. Here is what it says about Teri’s likes and then a modifier to the like:

“Books (no romance), music (absolutely no country), wine (no Merlot), movies (no chick flicks), chocolate (dark) – good. Shopping (unless in a book or electronics store) and the color pink – bad.

I’m an aspiring writer hoping to publish by the traditional route or self-publishing. Sometimes I’ll write about my journey to publication, others I’ll review books, talk about movies or anything else I feel like blogging about.”

Recent posts on Books and Such have included: a review of The Vanishing by Wendy Webb , a review of We Are Here by Michael Marshall, a review of The Truth Against The World by Sarah Jamila Stevenson, a release announcement of Happy “Echoes” Release Day!, a review of The Devil Walks in Mattingly by Billy Coffey, and review and release announcement for Red Rising Release Day!

Teri is also a member of Networked Blogs and can be followed Here

Visit the site and learn first hand what a reviewer would like to see in a book. Thank you Teri for supporting the launch of My GRL.

My GRL Blog Tour Volunteer Recognition – Susan Nicholls

January 31, 2014 ~ John W. Howell ~ 6 Comments

Susan is helping on the My GRL launch and I thank her very much. A visit to her blog S.K.Nichols│mybrandofgenus is well worth the time it will take to look it over. There are a number of places where you will find information which you would be hunting for on your own had you not visited.

An example is the tab; Writing Process WIPs. Here you will be able to look at what Susan is currently working. In addition you will find a number of helpful posts on the mechanics of writing. Susan has explored topics on dialog, research, and software. There are links to helpful sites such as an on line class offered titled Scrivener for Dummies. This tab also features Susan’s suggestions and experience in the marketing of her book Red Clay and Roses. Her experiences are documented in such a way to provide the reader with very helpful how to do and how to avoid mistakes.

Another example is Book Reviews and Books. Susan has kept up to date with some outstanding releases and she uses this space to provide detailed reviews of the books she enjoys. These reviews give plenty of reasons to read the book for which Susan has offered an opinion.

The Short Story and Poetry tabs contain some interesting subject material covered in a well thought out and a well-executed way. The stories and poetry are definitely worth taking the time to read and ponder.

The Red Clay and Roses tab provides information on Susan’s critically acclaimed book. It is here that the novice can learn the book is a fictionalized true story of life in the Deep South during the time of Jim Crow Law, and before Roe vs. Wade. Women were supposed to keep quiet and serve, abortion was illegal, adoption difficult, and racism rampant. The discovery of an old ledger opens a window into the dynamics of the 1950s-60s, when the world was beginning to change. Mystery, rape, murder, drama, and forbidden love meld as the origin of the ledger unfolds. AVAILABLE FROM YOUR FAVORITE EBOOKSELLER: Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, etc…, or you may purchase a copy on smashwords in a variety of formats, including ePub for your iPad or other reader, a Kindle version, and a PDF version for your computer if you don’t have an ereader device; (a free sample is available). The paperback POD is now available on Amazon.

My favorite tab is About since it is here we have a one stop shop to understand how talented and well-rounded Susan really is. She says it best, “I am an author, poet, history loving Registered Nurse, with a 30 year career in everything from ER, CCU, med-surg, pediatrics, geriatrics, hospice, and psychiatry to forensics. I am currently performing wellness screenings. I am a GA farm girl, transplanted, living in and loving the city life of Orlando. I wrote “Red Clay and Roses”, a novel that explores civil rights, interracial relations, and women’s issues in the 1950s and 60s. I am also a wife, mother and grandmother.”

What Susan doesn’t list is her warm and generous support of other writers and her fine sense of humor. Go visit and you will see what I mean.

Thank you for your help on My GRL Susan.

My GRL Blog Tour Volunteer Recognition – Jo Robinson

January 31, 2014 ~ John W. Howell ~ 5 Comments

Jo Robinson lives in South Africa and is plagued by an intermittent internet. Some of her lastest posts describe trying to get her two novels downloaded before the internet goes out again. All of us must sympathize with Jo and have, at least one time or another, been caught in the same circumstance. Her blog is titled Simply Jo Robinson – Writer. Here is how she describes herself “Born in the windy city of Port Elizabeth, I live in Africa with my husband, four birds, some chickens, and a dog. I originally started this blog as a ‘diary’ for two of the characters in one of my books, but as it does, life took a different turn here and there, and now it’s just my blog. I am a writer, so I blog about writing and books, but not only that. I blog about things that happen, things that I like or don’t like, or anything that catches my interest enough for me to focus on. Other interests are human and animal rights, painting and poetry. Sometimes I’m very serious, and sometimes I really am not.” Jo has graciously offered to help with the launch of My GRL and I take this as a serious moment.

Jo says she is a writer and if you have visited he blog you know this is not brag. She writes on all kinds of subjects, she reblogs those things she finds interesting and is a participant in the Feed My Reads project. In addition Jo writes books and stories. She is launching two currently, but has two novels and two short stories in print. She has also collaborated with a number of authors on the collection The Plight of the Rhino Anthology. The authors are donating £1 per book to Save the Rhino International

Here is the rundown on the books and short stories currently available:

Shadow People

After Natalie and Gabe discover a hidden room, they are hurled across time and space, and find themselves on Lapillus, a beautiful world made up of precious gems. But they soon realize that Lapillus is home to an ancient evil when they are attacked by the demonic wraiths of the Nefandus.

African Me & Satellite TV

For many years Suzette has managed very well to live her life without actually taking part in it, avoiding any possibility of pain by very carefully ignoring reality. Until something happens. Something so terrible that she has no choice but to abandon her cocoon of safety.

Fly Birdie A Short Story.

Hannah’s life has given her no reason to be anything but bitter and afraid. She tries to hold on to her sanity as her life spirals further into superstition and dread, until a small averted tragedy leads to the melting of her heart, and teaches her how to love.

The Visitation. A short Story

Tony makes a potion to kill humanity because he hasn’t felt the touch of love or friendship in his life. But when he goes to disperse his poison, something happens to change his mind.

Thank you so much Jo for your help on the launch of My GRL

My GRL Blog Tour Volunteer Recognition – Rosie Amber

January 30, 2014January 30, 2014 ~ John W. Howell ~ 9 Comments

Rosie Amber – An English Author Who supports other Writers and who also Writes Book Reviews

Rosie Amber is an amazing person. She has so much going on it makes one tired just reading the various tabs on her blog site titled simply Rosie Amber. I thought I would quickly read about the books she has reviewed. I went to her Books I Have Reviewed tab and I thought I would see a few. There have to be over fifty on the list which is a testimony to Rosie’s dedication to reading.

Another surprising tab is the number and quality of guest authors listed under the Guest Author tab. Looking at Books Reviewed, Guest Author and the fact that Rosie makes a review submission form available on her blog, means she cares about books and authors. This is one friendly place to spend a few minutes.

For those of you who have followed Rosie know she is very concerned with propagating a sense of good deeds by leading with example. She began her My Year of Doing Good Deeds in 2013 and has carried it over to 2014. This is a personal commitment by Rosie to herself to be accountable to her for meeting the challenge of recording a year of doing good deeds. Trust me, some of her good deeds are directed to the benefit of authors. Her support of My GRL is one example and one which is meaningful to me. I think this is the essence of her good deeds. They are meaningful to others.

Rosie is also an author. Her Talk of the Playground is available on Amazon. You’ll meet Glenda Glossop and read all the antics of Moortulk primary school.

The rest of the tabs on her blog show Rosie’s spirit of rewarding others. Her Romancing September Across the World Tour and 24 Sleeps Til Christmas gives her readers an opportunity to participate either through some fabulous interviews with romance authors or opportunity to win books.

This year she has opened the A to Z challenge to authors who want to publicize their book. It is real simple, just let Rosie know you want your book to occupy a letter of the alphabet (title). I can see she is quickly running out of letters, so go HERE and sign up before it is too late.

Finally you will want to follow Rosie on Twitter. Here is her handle. Go give her a tweet and say Hi for me. Thank you Rosie for helping support the launch of My GRL

My GRL Blog Tour Volunteer Recognition – Alison Jack

January 30, 2014 ~ John W. Howell

Alison Jack is an author, editor and is helping with the My GRL Launch. She writes her blog, An Author’s View and that’s not all. She has written her book titled Dory’s Avengers. The story – In a stifled and oppressed United Kingdom, nothing can be achieved without the approval of the dictatorial Sponsors, at whose head is the malevolent and cruel Lord William St Benedict. In Britain’s cities the Sponsored live narrow, if privileged, lives, while the Unsponsored are confined to menial roles and to less desirable districts. Among the Sponsors many victims is Lord William’s own son, the forthright and charismatic Theodore (Dory) held captive by his father since he was a boy. In the unassuming town of Applethwaite, in the shadow of the Cumbrian fells, an unlikely revolution is brewing. Albino gymnast Louis Trevelyan and his motley group of friends are fiercely proud of their Unsponsored status and gradually forge a plan not only to liberate the beleaguered Theodore but the whole of the United Kingdom… Dory’s Avengers are coming!

Alison Jack has spent much of her adult life working in book distribution – Dory’s Avengers, however, is her first foray into the world of books as an author. She is a keen walker and has a particular love for the Lake District fells – the atmospheric setting for much of her novel.
Aside from writing her own novels and blogging, Alison spends a lot of time editing the work of other authors. When not writing, Alison enjoys reading, playing guitar – with more enthusiasm than skill – and wakeboarding. She lives near Cambridge with her partner and three cats.

Although Alison lives in Great Briton she can take an edit commission from any part of the world. Alison asks. ” Are you an author of fiction? Before you share your story with the world, why not make sure your manuscript is as elegant as possible? Alison’s Editing Service is here to help. As a bonus for manuscripts of 50,000 words or more, the first 5,000 words will be edited FREE OF CHARGE.” Visit her edit service HERE.

Author Links

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AlisonJackAuthor

Twitter – https://twitter.com/AlisonJack66

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7246491.Alison_Jack

Amazon purchase links

Thank you Alison for the help with My GRL launch

My GRL Blog Tour Volunteer Recognition – Andra Watkins

January 29, 2014 ~ John W. Howell ~ 3 Comments

Andra Watkins has what I would consider an idyllic life. She has lived in Charleston South Carolina in the heart of the deep south for twenty-three years. As any of us know from reading Gone with the Wind, the South is the center of grace and good manners. It is in the South (Texas too) where there is no such thing as first names without the respectful suffix of Miss or Mr. So it can be Miss Daisy and Mr. Robert. Never just Daisy or Robert and it really doesn’t matter if the person is married or not. The term of respect does not discriminate between the two states of matrimony. Miss Andra moves in this realm with ease and grace.

Miss Andra also has her stalwart companion and spouse Mr. MTM. He maintains what could be considered the equilibrium of the relationship since he is a Yankee. As we also know Yankees were born under the practical star of wholesome work and honest values. So it is Mr. MTM who raises some of the needed questions when Andra has her mind-set on a particular action or path she want to take.

All this leads to a life filled with adventure, romance and the occasional surprises. We the readers of her blog The Accidental Chootchie Mama are the welcome recipients of Miss Andra’s descriptions of what is going on in her life today. We can’t seem to get enough and lucky for us Andra seems capable of fulfilling our needs on an almost daily basis.

If that is not hard enough writing Andra is preparing to launch her book To Live Forever and has a story Bad Deal from the book in the published collection Echoes in Darkness. If you have not picked up the book you can get it and it will give you a preview of To Live Forever which you certainly will want to get.

It is no accident Andra has gathered an immense following due to her writing talent as well as a lesson she usually manages one way or another to fit into each story. It doesn’t hurt that she has a very colorful family as well.

In addition Andra is planning to walk over 400 miles in from March 1 to April 3. She will be walking the Natchez Trace walk . She is training quite hard and is currently taking a break from her blog to do administrative work. Let’s wish her well when she returns.

Thank you Andra er Miss Andra for your help on launching My GRL especially given your schedule. I really appreciate you.

My GRL Blog Tour Volunteer Recognition – Cayman Thorn

January 28, 2014December 9, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 2 Comments

Nothing fancy about walking into a bar and grabbing a stool across from the guy with the handlebar mustache who is tending. The reason you are here, the guy makes you believe you are the only one in the place. There could be people wall to wall, all talking too loud and making individual asses out of themselves, but the guy behind the bar speaks softly and only to you. You hang on his every word since each word sounds as if it was crafted on a fine workbench somewhere. The information in these words belies their beauty. There should be some pap or nonsensical construct since beauty and well-said don’t usually come in the same package. Your draw to the place results from the intelligent and profoundly moving words placed together to make the hearing well worth any effort to be there.

So this is the blog of Cayman Thorn, the person who Drinks Well with Others. Each post is as if he is writing a personal message to the reader. There is no escaping the draw-in and ultimate commitment the reader makes to the words so well written and composed. This is not your Millennia’s blog of “OMG,” “amazing,” and “it was so surreal.” No, my friends, this is the gosh, honest real thing. YOU NEED TO HAVE A BRAIN TO VISIT. If you left yours somewhere out in the rain, you might as well use the facilities and take off since you will really be bored here.

This is a writer’s place run by a writer for writers to enjoy. Sure, other artists will appreciate a visit, but don’t get in the way of Mr. Thorn when he is throwing down words. He’s got to have a lotta room cause his words are words that most words would like to grow up to be. I don’t mean they are big words; I mean they are meaningful words. Words with substance and arranged with care.

Okay, a small excerpt from his post on the 19th . . .Cayman decided not to use the internet for a while, so here he describes:

Things you believe when you can’t use Google for verification:

-Brad Pitt once played minor league baseball for the New York Mets
-Chris Christie used to be a toll booth operator
-The term “Made in America” is made in China
-If a hyena and a tanning bed made a baby, it would look like Snooki
-Neil Armstrong found a half-eaten bag of M&M’s on the moon
-Russia is two months ahead, which means they’ve already held the Winter Olympics.

Thank you, Cayman, for helping launch My GRL. This is like a concertmaster helping with a ukulele lesson, and this ukulele player appreciates it.