Tag: fiction favorites

Thursday a Little Personal – #RRBC Virtual Writer’s Conference and Book Expo

~ John W. Howell ~ 36 Comments

Conference

You may have heard the exciting news about the first *virtual* RRBC WRITERS’ CONFERENCE & BOOK EXPO!! The club is  beyond excited about this event and I also hope you are going to join us. This will be a one-of-a-kind event you do NOT want to miss!!

The Club expects the Conference to be huge and I want to ensure that EVERYONE reading my blog knows about it.  Here is who should attend: new writers, experienced authors, and even readers!
Important information

*Conference Dates: December 1st thru 3rd

*Registration Deadline: November 23rd

*Registration Link: https://rrbcwritersconferencebookexpo.wordpress.com/registration-general-information/register-now/

*Pricing Link: https://rrbcwritersconferencebookexpo.wordpress.com/registration-general-information/registration-packages-pricing/

Here is a list of the sessions.

*Building Your Author Platform

*Why Your Brand is Important and Why Protecting It Is Even More Important

*Why You Should Never Refuse LIVE Media Interviews

*Blogging for Success

*Literary Lingo 101

*Marketing 101

*Indie vs Traditional: Which One Wins?

*Social Media Dos & Don’ts

*Editors: Sniffing Out The Right One

*Formatting Made Easy

*Your Best Self Promotion Tool…

*Writing In The Senior Season

*Writing the Perfect Book Review

*Book Blurbs Do’s & Don’ts

*Cover Design (FREE bonus session!)

So go to the RRBC site for more information and sign up. Here is the link again. https://rrbcwritersconferencebookexpo.wordpress.com/registration-general-information/

Wednesday Story Day – AKA Hump Day

~ John W. Howell ~ 40 Comments

Hump Day

 

It is Wednesday Storytime again, and last week we left Ralph telling the commander that he was coming out. We need to get back quickly so that we don’t miss any of the action. This episode could be the end of Ralph and we wouldn’t want to miss that circumstance. Unfortunately, we do not have a sponsor this week, but the good part is we don’t have to worry about offending someone directly.
“Okay, Y’all need to gather around. We are going out there, and I need everyone to get close.”
“Daddy. You can’t be serious. You want us to protect you without bodies.”
“Don’t be a simp Alexis. They’re not going to shoot you innocents.”
“How do you know that, daddy?”
“Yeah, Ralph. How do your know that?”
“Trudy and Alexis. What federal officer in his right mind would take out an innocent bystander or a hostage?”
“I would do that, Ralph.”
“Shut up Ben. Don’t call me Ralph. Its Mr. Worthe to you.”
“Mr. Worthe. How do you know all those Federal Agents are in their right mind?”
“Lightfoot. I think you need to shut up as well.”
“But Daddy. You know about all those shootings by police officers. How do you know there isn’t one of those out there?”
“For heaven’s sake. You all sound like you are lunatics. Enough talk. Gather round.”
“Not going to do it, Ralph.”
“Trudy. You know this will work.”
“Nope. You have been a lousy husband, and I’m not taking one in the head for you. I’m sitting right here. Have a safe trip.”
“Trudy. You sure pick a fine time to bring up our marital problems. Okay so who cares. You stay here. I’m sure you will love spending the next fifty years in jail.”
“Would be better than being with you. Besides, they have nothing on me. You’re the guilty one.”
“Don’t make me laugh Trudy. Everyone knows I don’t have the sense to come in out of the rain and you are the mastermind.”
“Whatever Ralph. As I said, have a nice trip.”
“Okay, the rest of you. On your feet.”
“Sorry Daddy. My mind’s made up too. I’m staying.”
“Suit yourself. I think two hostages will be enough.”
“Count me out pops.”
“Ben. How about I give you a third eye? There is no reason to shoot my loved ones. I can’t say the same for you. Now get up.”
“Well, now that you put it that way.”
“Next time you call me anything but Mr. Worthe I’m going to put one in your kneecap. Got it junior?”
“Sheesh, what a grouch.”
Well, it is too bad we have run out of time. Tune in next week for a conclusion. (er maybe)

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Kreative Kue #100 by Keith Channing

~ John W. Howell ~ 43 Comments

It is hard to believe this edition of Kreative Kue is number 100. I have enjoyed each in which I have participated. If you want to do it here is Keith Channing to explain it all.

“Using this photo (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; and either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithkreates@channing.fr before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here – pingbacks don’t work.

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries, with links to your own blog or web site, next Monday.”

Here is the photo.

Kreative Kue 100

Our House by John W. Howell © 2016

“Man alive, you are so in trouble.”

“I don’t need to hear that. I know it. What I need to hear is suggestions on how to fix this mess.”

“How on earth did this happen?”

“I’m not sure. I was feeding my rabbits and all of a sudden this thing drops out of the sky.”

“Out of the sky? This must be hundreds of tons. How could it just drop out of the sky?”

“I don’t know, but you can see the rabbit hutches are untouched. in fact when the thing hit they along with me just popped up onto this ledge.”

“You were lucky you weren’t killed.”

“Well, we need to figure out how to move this thing before my father gets home.”

“I don’t think that is possible. Your house is under there somewhere and even if you could move it there won’t be anything left.”

“So what can I tell my father.”

“How about the truth?”

“I’m not sure he would believe me.”

“Why not? You said you were feeding your rabbits and this thing fell out of the sky. That’s the truth right?”

“Not exactly.”

“Not exactly? What does that mean?”

“Well, I wasn’t feeding the rabbits. I was on my computer and having a chat with a guy whose name is Zeus.”

“Chat name of Zeus? What were you talking about?”

“Aw he was saying how great he is and I called his bluff.”

“Called his bluff? How?”

“I told him if he was so great and could do what he said why not show me something.”

“Like what?”

“Like putting the Brooklyn Bridge in my back yard.”

“Man, I’ve told you before that those chat rooms are dangerous.”

Top Ten Things Not to Do When the Time Changes

~ John W. Howell ~ 43 Comments

 

Daylight Savings time

I dislike the time change situation and have to guard against doing some unnatural things during the “getting used to” period. I hope this list is not too late.

Top Ten Things Not to Do When the Time Changes

10 When there is a time change, do not think “fall back ” will really give you an hour of extra sleep. If you do, at best you will be grumpy and disappointed. At worst, you will hold a grudge against the government until the “spring forward” time comes around. (Those threatening letters to the President have a way of coming back to haunt you. Don’t they felon?)

9 When there is a time change, do not expect your pets to understand the difference. If you do, at best you will have a lot of whining around the house. At worst, those routines that are now disrupted will cause some major animal errors. (What part of going outside by 7:00 did you miss trying to extend the visit by an hour?)

8 When there is a time change, do not expect your boss to understand your inability to adapt. If you do, at best your boss has the same problem. At worst, the meeting called for your performance appraisal was an hour ago. (I’ll bet you are happy with your raise this year Ferd. Is giving back some of last year’s a thing?)

7 When there is a time change, do not think the rest of the world needs to understand your disorganization. If you do, at best you will only miss a couple of scheduled events. At worst, your no-show profile will be noted, and the next event invitation will conveniently arrive one hour after the event is over. (There is only so much planners can take and after all it’s been three months since the change.)

6 When there is a time change, do not forget to reset your timers. If you do forget, at best there will be minor inconveniences until set. At worst, that oven setting will be an hour late, and you’ll be faced with raw chicken, and you invited your boss for dinner. (Lucky you there is a Kentucky Fried outlet just down the block. What you don’t know is your boss can’t eat fried food and just walked through the front door.)

5 When there is a time change, do not forget it gets dark earlier in the fall. If you do, at best you’ll need to remember a flashlight next time. At worst, that sinkhole which is very visible in the light somehow disappears in the dark. (That is until you manage to step in it and go up to your knees in freezing water huh Bunky?)

4 When there is a time change, do not take out the fact that you are out of sorts on others. If you do, at best you will be ignored. At worst, you will insult those whose job it is to serve you. (You can’t tell but Tiny the WWF champ is heading to your table to personally deliver the perfectly cooked meal you sent back. It seems that Tiny was on probation as a chef and your meal was the test case. Hope your health insurance is in effect Buster.)

3 When there is a time change, do not keep one clock on the previous time. If you do, at best you might pay attention to that clock and miss something. At worst, you will keep reminding yourself of your unfortunate lack of ability to adapt and continue to measure your life in terms of what is missing as opposed to what you have. (A deep philosophical point which can be summed up with the word “stubborn.” Right Clyde?)

2 When there is a time change, do not be concerned that you have to calculate scheduled times for your favorite shows. If you do, at best you will miss a few shows due to your own error. At worst, you will employ a tremendous amount of effort only to discover the shows are on at the same time as usual. (Makes one feel foolish doesn’t it Homer

1 When there is a time change, do not attempt to change your car clock yourself. If you do, at best you’ll realize quickly you need help. At worst , you’ll make some adjustment that has never been seen before and will require a replacement clock to fix. (The clock reset is a little car manufacturer humor built into each car. Maybe this is the only exception to point number three.)

Views of the Neighborhood – Sand Belt Races

~ John W. Howell ~ 40 Comments

Yes, the headline is correct. Here in Port Aransas, we have sand belt races every second and fourth Saturday. Yesterday was the second Saturday, so I had to go and check it out.  Here is where the races are held.

Sand belt Races

Obviously, this is a pirate bar. Here is a shot of the inside.

San Belt races

A fun place. The races are out back. The Gaff has been conducting these races since 2005. The next photo is a shot of the judge’s stand.

Sand Belt races

Here is the pit area where the sanders are being prepared.

Belt Sander Racers

Here is a cute entry.

Belt Sander races

Here is a shot of the raceway. (two lane) That guy with the beard, new tattoo and cigarette. is the finish judge.

Belt Sander Races

Here is the start of a race.

Belt Sander Races

And the finish line.

Belt Sander RacesI’ll bet you are wondering if anyone from town shows up for these races. Well, take a look.

Sand Belt Races

Of course, there is a bar and a band so why not?

 

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Veteran’s Day

~ John W. Howell ~ 37 Comments

 

As the ashes of the election are being swept up I think it is time to pause and remember those who make the democratic process possible no matter how far afield it goes.

The men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice should receive our thanks, today and a prayer for their lasting peace. Those still serving and those who have served deserve our gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy. Today’s JohnKu is in honor of all who have served.

Service by John W. Howell © 2016

We wake to free air,

We sleep soundly without fear. . .

Uniforms insure.

Thursday – A Little Personal – #RRBC Holiday Train “Book Trailer” Block Party

~ John W. Howell ~ 26 Comments

Holiday Book Trailer

Welcome, all. I am posting from Port Aransas, Texas and am very pleased you have stopped. I am participating in the Rave Reviews Book Club “Book Trailer” Block Party. Just for leaving a comment  on my trailer you qualify for one of two prizes.

First Prize –     A Ten Dollar Amazon gift card.

Second Prize – An e-book copy of Our Justice.

The prizes will be selected by random drawing within twenty-four hours. If you would like to visit the rest of the posts during this event, go HERE. There are winners at each stop so go and have fun.

Since this is a Book Trailer Block Party and if you want a prize, this post would not be complete without my Our Justice trailer. So here is the link

 

Click the cover to visit Amazon.

Our Justice

Thank you

Wednesday Story Day – AKA Hump Day

~ John W. Howell ~ 38 Comments

Hump day

 

It is Wednesday Story Day time again. This week’s episode is brought to you by an excellent blog written by Gwen Plano. Her blog is one where you can visit with the expectation of being inspired. Visit. You will be glad you did. http://www.gwenplano.com/blog-reflections.
Last week we witnessed Ralph Worthe starting to come apart at the seams. He openly stated he was using his family as a shield. We need to go back and find out where he will lead us.
“Mr. Worth I think you are unraveling.”
“Lightfoot if you say that again I may have to pop you one.”
“That would leave one less hostage.”
“So who cares I have three more.”
“Ralph Worthe. You better get a grip here.”
“Trudy. I want you to sit down and shut up.”
“Daddy. You can’t talk to mother that way.”
“Alexis you need to be quiet.”
“I will not be quiet. You are making us very upset. Ben, why are you just sitting there?”
“Uh. Cause he has the gun.”
“That’s right sonny. I have the gun. Y’all better just get used to the idea that you can’t do much about what I need to do.”
“You are going to die, Ralph. You know that don’t you?”
“I’m going to tell you one more time to shut up.”
“Is that your phone ringing.”
“I’m not going to answer it.”
“What if they have met your demands?”
“Okay. hello?”
“Mr. Worthe. This is the commander.”
“Yes. what is it?”
“We are all set. The SUV’s are here, and the jet is waiting for you..”
“Okay. I’m coming out.”

Will Ralph make it to the jet? (or even out the front door)  Tune in next week to find out. In the meantime visit Gwen Plano at http://www.gwenplano.com/blog-reflections.

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Kreative Kue #99 by Keith Channing

~ John W. Howell ~ 45 Comments

So here is the deal in Keith’s words.

“Using this photo(below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; and either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithkreates@channing.fr before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here – pingbacks don’t work.

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries, with links to your own blog or web site, next Monday.”

The photo

Kreative Kue #99

Ready by John W. Howell © 2016

“So what do you guys want to portray?”

“We want the world to look at our photo and see four handsome eligible men.”

“Okay, I think we can do that. Why did you hire me.? I thought you already published a photo.”

“Well, we did but er it just didn’t say what we wanted it to say.”

“Okay. let me see it.”

“Here it is.”

“Hmmm. What did this photo say that you wanted to keep quiet.”

“For one thing. See that chipped cup in the foreground?”

“Yes.”

“That says poor.”

“Uh huh. I can agree there. What about those  ashtrays.”

“They are the finest crystal from Waterford. They say rich.”

“Also they say smokers with stinky breath and clothes.”

“Oh. We didn’t think of that angle.”

“How about that background? The electric cord and the drapes. That orange color looks like poster board. Where did you take this? Looks like the Holiday Inn.”

“That was taken in our office conference room I’ll have you know.”

“Uh okay. You know what that says?”

“No what?”

“No creativity.”

“But I’m holding a camera as a demonstration of my interest in photography.”

“Does a lot of good when your photo stinks.”

“I didn’t take it.”

“Even worse. What about the shirt outside the pants.”

“He forgot a belt.”

“I suppose you all got those ties from the same place.”

“Yes, we did. A guy on the street corner had a sale.”

“Let me guess. Four for one.”

“How did you know?”

“Just lucky I guess.”

“I think you guys need more than a photographer. I can put you in touch with an image consultant.”

“Why do you think we need an image consultant?”

“Your question just confirmed it.”

Top Ten Things Not to Do if You Are Editing Your Book

~ John W. Howell ~ 65 Comments

Editing

The inspiration for this list is, well frankly, my latest labor over the editing process. I hope you enjoy the list and, yes I have done some of these things.

Ten Things Not to Do if You Are Editing Your Book.

10 If you are editing, do not think glasses of wine make the work go easier. If you do, at best you’ll just have to do it over. At worst, you might inadvertently delete several chapters of your book under the belief that you have better ones in mind. (Aren’t you glad you had that backup file Goof-ball?)

9 If you are editing, do not think you can watch the football game while you work. If you do, at best you will catch all your mistakes on the second go around. At worst, you think you found them all only to discover in reading a review the question, “What does a touchdown have to do with the relationship?” (Hmm you can explain that can’t you Bunkie?)

8 If you are editing, do not decide to change a character’s name with “find and replace.” If you do, At best you’ll catch the ones missed. At worst, you will have a new character named JerryTinyO.” (That extra space sure made a difference. Oh, and Tiny would like to see you. He’s over at the gym straightening out horseshoes.)

7 If you are editing, do not believe long breaks will enhance your work. If you do, at best you will be editing this book forever. At worst, your continuity will go out the window, and your book will read like a short story collection. (You had not intended to publish short stories, did you Ferd?”)

6 If you are editing, do not ask your friends to read the new edits. If you do, at best the opinions will be so varied you’ll be confused. At worst, you will come to realize you need new friends and a new book. (You now wish you had just given it to an editor right?)

5 If you are editing, do not try to do the whole thing in one sitting. If you do, at best you will be exhausted. At worst, you may stop caring how the stupid book comes out and just want to get it done. (Your two-star reviews aren’t much of a reward are they?)

4 If you are editing, do not snack to reduce stress. If you do, at best you’ll need extra exercise hours. At worst, your snacking will resemble a runaway train from which there is no return. (Getting a grip is so much harder when there is more of you isn’t it?)

3 If you are editing, do not believe the rest of the family understands your pain. If you do, at best you’ll feel misunderstood. At worst, you will constantly be thinking of ways to take your angst out on your characters. (This book has taken on a sinister air hasn’t it Stephen?)

2 If you are editing, do not abandon personal hygiene. If you do, at best you will be alone. At worst, your family could be seeking council with the local mental health provider, and you’ll get more help than you need. (You can still type with that white jacket on right Buford?)

1 If you are editing, know when it is time to stop. If you don’t at best, you will never finish the book. At worst, you will suffer PETS (Post Editing Traumatic Ssyndrome) and never sleep again. (You need to stop going over the book in your head. It is published already.)