Friday – John Ku – AKA – TGIF

February 19, 2016September 15, 2020 ~ John W. Howell ~ 33 Comments

Hello, Friday. Happy to see you. Boy, it seems like it has been a month since we last ran into each other. I think “ran into” is a bit of a misnomer. More like me standing here and you coming around like you do every week. No matter I’m pleased you finally made it. What took so long anyway? Was it the number of guest posts this week? Or maybe the number of radio shows I had to get ready? Might it have even been the amount of travel over the weekend? Well, whatever, here take this margarita. The important part is you made it. Put your feet up and tell me what you have been doing for the week. Oh, I see, you’ve had a tough time and all you want to do is relax. I understand. Maybe we can talk next time. Give me back that margarita. Today’s JohnKu talks about seeing old friends. Hope you like it.

Missing an old friend,

Finally have time to talk. . .

Forgot what to say.

Thursday – A little Personal – Radio Interview with #RRBC’s Maggie Thom

February 18, 2016September 15, 2020 ~ John W. Howell ~ 13 Comments

I will be hosting an RRBC Rave Waves radio interview at 11:00 CST today with Maggie Thom, the talented author of “CAPTURED LIES” – Book One of the Caspian Wine Suspense/Thriller/Mystery Series. Join us as we explore this novel and become better acquainted with the author

Blurb:

She was kidnapped not once but twice… and now someone wants her dead because of it…
Her life was a lie!
Bailey knew her upbringing wasn’t normal, but she’s worked hard to stabilize her life. She finally has a good business, a stable home; her life is miles from that of her childhood. Then her mom suddenly dies, leaving a gaping hole and a discovery, that they may not even be related. If Guy, the private investigator is to be believed, her life was a lie. Growing up on the run has prepared Bailey for once again, fleeing to stay alive. Using the skills she learned on the street, Bailey travels back through a sketchy and dangerous past, to find answers. Dodging bullets, staying ahead of those who want her dead and convincing Guy she can do it alone, are making it difficult to uncover, not only the secrets of her mother’s past, but that of a family claiming she is theirs.
Everyone seems to have a story… but who’s telling the truth? And who wants her dead? To discover the truth,
she’ll have to untangle a web of deceit, lies, and secrets dating back over thirty years.

Bio

Award winning author, Maggie Thom, grew up in a house full of books and often made weekly trips to the library to get more. Reading was her go to when it was too cold outside to play. She started experimenting with writing at a young age, letting her imagination take her away on many adventures. Maggie has written everything from technical writing to nonfiction, to fiction for children, youth and adults, along with poems and short stories. She finally settled on her love of puzzles, mysteries, and roller coasters and now writes suspense/thrillers that will take you on one heck of a ride. Author of The Caspian Wine Series – Captured Lies and Deceitful Truths with Book 3 – Split Seconds – to be out late 2016. She has another published suspense/thriller, Tainted Waters (2013 Suspense/Thriller Book of the Year through Turning the Pages Magazine). Her latest novel, Deadly Ties, will be released spring 2016.
Maggie can be reached:

Twitter @maggiethom2

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMaggieThom

Website: http://www.maggiethom.com/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/maggiethom2/

Wednesday – Story Day AKA Hump Day

February 17, 2016September 15, 2020 ~ John W. Howell ~ 38 Comments

Wednesday Storytime again and last week we left Ben and Doctor Wente alone. The doctor asked Ben if there was anything he needed to tell him. We need to get back there to see if Ben has the guts to tell the doctor what really happened. If he does, then maybe the doctor can help him.

“Anything I want to tell you?”
“Yes, that’s correct. You want to let me know how this wound really happened?”
“W-what. You don’t believe I was jumped by a gang?”
“No, Ben I don’t. There are too many inconsistencies.”
“Like what may I ask?”
“For one, you don’t get GSR and a burn on a shot that is not close to the wound.”
“GSR?”
“Man, don’t you watch any of the crime scene shows? Gun Shot Residue.”
“Oh. Maybe the shooter was height challenged.”
“Yeah, amusing.”
“What else?”
“People don’t often pass out from fright and wake up remembering noting including not being shot.”
“It does happen, though.”
“Maybe one time in a million. You are not convincing on that score. I’ll bet if the police did a GSR test on your hand it would show you to be the shooter. I think you shot yourself, Ben,”
“Any law against that?”
“Well no as long as the gun is properly registered.”
“Hmm, doc. I don’t know what to say. I’m pretty much damned if I say anything and damned if I don’t.”
“So why not go for the truth.”
“When are the police going to arrive?”
“I haven’t called yet. So no one is aware. I’ll have to call pretty soon, though.”
“Okay here’s the deal. I was cleaning my gun, and it went off. I don’t have a permit, and so I wanted just to get treated and then talk to the police and be gone.”
“Well, that’s a problem now. I won’t be able to lie for you. My report will be you shot yourself. Do you still have the gun?”
“It’s home. Also, I have no idea who had it before me. There’s more.”
“More? What do you mean more?”

The “100 THINGS WE ALL WONDER ABOUT NONNIE JULES” Blog Tour Day #4

February 17, 2016September 15, 2020 ~ John W. Howell ~ 96 Comments

I am very pleased to welcome Nonnie Jules President of Rave Reviews Book Club as part of her The 100 Things We All Wonder About Blog Tour. Nonnie has some special prizes for you.

GIVEAWAYS:
(2) $10 Amazon Gift Cards
(1) $5 Amazon Gift Card
(2) e-book copies of “THE GOOD MOMMIES’ GUIDE…”

ULTIMATE PRIZE GIVEAWAY #1:
Anyone who purchases a copy of “THE GOOD MOMMIES’ GUIDE…” “DAYDREAM’S DAUGHTER, NIGHTMARE’S FRIEND” or “IF ONLY THERE WAS MUSIC” and send to me a copy of the purchase receipt to nonniejules@gmail.com, and also leave a comment along the tour, will get their name entered into a drawing for a $50 Amazon gift card! One entry for each book that is purchased, whether in e-book or paperback format. Purchases must take place between 2/14/16 – 2/29/16. If you’ve already purchased all of my books, then feel free to gift a friend, just for the chance to win!!! Spend a little, and you could win a lot!!!

ULTIMATE PRIZE GIVEAWAY #2:
Anyone who reads and posts a review of “THE GOOD MOMMIES’ GUIDE…” “DAYDREAM’S DAUGHTER, NIGHTMARE’S FRIEND” or “IF ONLY THERE WAS MUSIC” and sends the link to their review to nonniejules@gmail.com, will get their name entered into a drawing for a $20 Amazon gift card! One entry for each book read and reviewed. Reviews must be posted between 2/16/16 – 3/15/16 to be placed into the drawing.

Nonnie has agreed to answer some questions about herself and the club so let’s get started.
Q: You are the well-respected President and Founder of the very successful RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB. Tell us why you founded the club and the vision you have for the club going forward?
A: John, that’s a great question and thank you so much for that compliment. Anytime you are referred to as being “well-respected,” I mean, that’s a tough act to follow, but I try my best. I initially founded RAVE REVIEWS BY NONNIE JULES as a way to offer readers an insight into “truthful” reviews. I had been reading so many reviews that were 4 and 5 star raves, that were pure trash (sorry, Bette Stevens) and I couldn’t believe it. I know that some say that “Just because I didn’t like it, doesn’t mean that it’s trash.” There is a word that I would insert here for those that say that and ARE reading pure trash but won’t say so, but I’m not going to use that word, as kids might be reading this interview. What I will say is this…there are some who are true connoisseurs of the written word, and they know when writing is good or bad, and then, there are the others. YES, I SAID THAT! And I didn’t stutter when I did, for those gasping because I had the nerve to say that. So, back to answering the question, I wanted to give those who were truly interested in honest reviews, a place to find those books, listed on my site.
Then, one day in December, I had a thought that I could take this concept a step further by offering a place where others could also feel safe in sharing “very truthful,” honest reviews. That’s when I went after those awesome supporters that I had connected with online (my initial board members: Bruce A. Borders, Shirley Harris-Slaughter, Lynette Creswellyn, Kathryn C. Treat, Beem Weeks, etc.), who I knew would be just as interested in helping authors get more honest reviews, as well as pushing support for others, as that was unimaginable at that time. Hence, we now have the wonderful RRBC!
The vision that I have for RRBC going forward, is to grow the base of supporters that we have now, the truly uber-supporters that we have, into a pool of support so large, that to be a “real” author, you will HAVE TO BE A MEMBER of RRBC. The other ideas that I have for the club, well, John, this question has already turned into a full-page book. I’d advise you all to stay tuned for more of the awesome things my mind cooks up late at night (when I should be sleeping), for RRBC!

Q: If you had to do it all over again what changes would you make in founding RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB?
A: If I had to do this all over again (and thank goodness I don’t!), I would have the wisdom to select a panel of board members from the beginning who were truly worthy of being called to serve the membership of this great club, and I would still have those same board members today, and some I do have. BUT, if I hadn’t kissed a few frogs along the way, as they say, then I wouldn’t have gotten the great group I’m blessed to work with today, like you, John!

Q: Thank you Nonnie. Although you are very busy, what gives you joy when you are not working?
A: I love what I do so much, I love feeling as if I’m being of service to others so much, as that’s not the norm, that question is hard to answer! Now, don’t get me wrong, I love downtime, even more-so now than ever, and I certainly don’t enjoy being overwhelmed, which at this moment I am, but I love my work. I also love my family dearly, because they give me the space to work, but when I’m not working (which is hardly ever), I enjoy writing; I enjoy reading; I enjoy exercising; I enjoy running on my treadmill while I catch up on my episodes of the Young & The Restless, which as of today, I’m on the episode from February 2. I’m not one of those who has to be out. I love my beautiful home. It’s peaceful and serene; most often it’s quiet these days, but honestly, if I didn’t have two of the busiest daughters in the world, I’d stay locked up in my home, writing, reading, and exercising while watching The Real Housewives of anything and Y&R!
Q: What is your personal motto and how did it become so?
A: John, I have so many and you can find most of them on my site at www.BooksByNonnie.wordpress.com (under Quotes by Nonnie). My personal favorite, which is being used all over the world by individuals and sites such as Shiny Quote, Best Quotes Library, Quoting.com, and organizations such as Spotlight Youth Theatre, AnonymousGood.org, and is also noted on a list of famous quotes with The Pope, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Ghandi, is “A tiny spark ignites a flame, just as a helping hand can do the same.” I live by that. I truly believe that for us to be successful, we have to push each other, stand on each other’s shoulders and lift each other up as we climb. Not the opposite.
You know, when I first started in this business, it was so hard trying to get others to help me, or even to answer questions for me. I guess they were all of the mindset that we had to be in competition with one another. But, that was OK, because a lot of what I learned, I taught myself. I remember wanting to go on a blog tour, and almost everyone that I asked turned me down. One even tipped into my DM on Twitter and said basically that I was new here, and it wasn’t appropriate for me to go around asking for help the way that I was. She said “I’ve been here a long time, and you have to pay your dues here before anyone will help you.” Basically, in her mind, I was a nobody, and no one knew my name so no one would help me. I thought “Really?” Well, a while ago, she applied for membership to RRBC, and of course, got her name on our roster, did nothing for anyone else, actually, we never heard from her since the day she joined, and then she left. The irony of that story is, I’m sure lots of folks know the name Nonnie Jules now, and for the life of me, even if I tried, I couldn’t recall her name to share it with you. We must all remember, the same faces you step on climbing to the top, are the same faces you’ll see on your way falling down. “There are only two classes of people, the movers and shakers and the sitters and takers” ~ Nonnie Jules original

Q: If you could grant your followers one gift, what would it be?
A: If I could grant my followers a gift, only one, it would be a lifetime of love, happiness and the feeling of joy that overwhelms you when you take the focus off you for a while and put it on someone else. Those would be my gifts, all wrapped up in one! Thanks so much for having me, John!
To follow Nonnie’s tour to get more of your questions answered, please visit her Blog Tour Page on the 4WillsPub site http://wp.me/P43s9i-FEw. Thanks for stopping by today and good luck on winning some of these great prizes!

CONTACT NONNIE VIA:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/nonniejules
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BooksByNonnie
Blogs: www.nonniewrites.wordpress.com , www.BooksByNonnie.wordpress.com & www.AskTheGoodMommy.wordpress.com

Nonnie’s Books

TRAILER:
“THE GOOD MOMMIES’ GUIDE TO RAISING (ALMOST) PERFECT DAUGHTERS,” https://youtu.be/zg15rptFN2g

“DAYDREAM’S DAUGHTER, NIGHTMARE’S FRIEND,”

TRAILER: https://youtu.be/qbUK3XQ5-dA

“SUGARCOATIN’ IS FOR CANDY & PACIFYIN’ IS FOR KIDS,”

TRAILER: https://youtu.be/fQBnt0wix88

“IF ONLY THERE WAS MUSIC,”

TRAILER: https://youtu.be/g2gNns8ZVFI

Announcing Crossing Bedlam by Charles Yallowitz

February 16, 2016September 15, 2020 ~ John W. Howell ~ 12 Comments

The Rated-R Post-Apocalyptic Action Comedy Adventure is finally here!

The United States of America has been crippled. Violently contained by a global military force and left without its leaders, the country has become shattered and chaotic. A decade has passed since the first strike and a new landscape has emerged where survival is more important than anything else. Who will uncover the truth behind the attack and revive this once great nation?

It certainly won’t be Cassidy and Lloyd since they couldn’t care less about that stuff. She is a young woman on a mission to honor her mother’s dying wish, which is to toss her ashes off the Golden Gate Bridge. He is an infamous serial killer she broke out of Rikers Island since hiring a bodyguard wasn’t working out. Not the perfect plan, but having an insane, oddly charming murder-junkie on your side is a plus in the Shattered States.

Bullets and swear words are going to fly as Cassidy and Lloyd travel coast to coast, facing one challenge after another . . . including Nebraska.

Curious about this broken world & these two ‘not even close to being heroes’?

Then grab a copy for $2.99 on Amazon
&
Mark it as ‘To Read’ on Goodreads

Excerpt: A Relaxing Drive on the Parkway (Foul Language Warning)

The jeep hurtles through a large hole in the parkway divider, the threat of incoming traffic nothing more than a faded memory. Only three of their pursuers manage to follow with a fourth smashing into the gap and blocking the path. Not wanting to be an easy target, Cassidy keeps their vehicle swerving from one lane to another. She can hear bullets pinging off the asphalt and the abandoned cars that have been moved to the side of the road. There is another hole in the divider right before an overpass, so she drives through at the last second. Sliding into the tunnel, Cassidy watches the other vehicles pass the gap before making a tire-screeching U-turn to go in the opposite direction. Five motorcycles are heading toward them, but the heavy jeep and its driver’s refusal to get out-of-the-way makes them an easily scattered threat. One of the bikers is unable to swerve to the side and he crashes onto the hood while his ride is sent spinning into an abandoned van.

“Get off my car!” Cassidy shouts as she reaches out the window. Grabbing the man by the ankle, she yanks him off the hood and lets him tumble into the concrete divider. “This is really going to cost me. Do you know what the penalty for your idiocy is? They kill you unless you escape to the mainland. Then you’re exiled until you find something that the Trade Barons want more than revenge. I don’t have time to go on a treasure hunt. Would you take off those sunglasses and stop humming car chase music?”

“I was only trying to complete the scene,” Lloyd argues as he calmly fires a pellet at a sedan driver. Having mixed the three types of ammo, he is happy to see a yellow orb burst on the woman’s mouth. “There’s the scratching. Now the nausea. We have a spinning and flipping car, folks. Oh, and there goes either the guy in the passenger seat or a really big ragdoll. You know, I’m starting to like what all of you have done with the place.”

“Stop killing people!” the blonde shouts, veering away from a large truck. She narrowly avoids slamming into a small car, the jeep moving off the road to complete the turn. “The more bodies we leave, the harder it will be to regain the Trade Barons’ favor. At least Neddy will send us what we need and . . . this is not the fucking time to change clothes!”

Lloyd stops with his head peeking out of his blood-covered shirt, which is high enough to reveal his scarred stomach. Figuring that he has come too far to stop, he yanks off the garment and hurls it out the window. He pouts when it flies over a car instead of covering the driver’s side of the windshield and causing a crash. Blindly reaching back, he takes a random shirt out of his bags and examines the black top in the side view mirror. The red and black mask of an old comic book character stares back at him, the face giving the illusion of grinning beneath the fabric.

“I remember reading this guy’s series before the Internet made him so popular and he turned up everywhere. Ugh, that sounded so pretentious that I’m tempted to stab myself. Hey, can we still see movies because I want to see his?” Lloyd asks while tying the laces of the black sneakers he hastily put on before making a mess at the Coliseum. “I really like t-shirts with pictures on them. They bring attention to what I’m wearing instead of my face. You can start a conversation about them too. Nice way to meet people and find out if they’re worth leaving alive or not. For example, I have a shirt with another hero and if somebody tells me that the bastard can defeat every other character then I know they have to die. I mean, he’s nothing more than a child-endangering bill-”

“Shut the fuck up, Lloyd!”

“Don’t be angry, kid. You’re doing great.”

“I can’t even figure out if we’re going in the right direction.”

“Turn around and start shooting at their tires.”

“I can’t because I need to save bullets.”

“For what?”

“Nebraska!”

About the Author:

Charles Yallowitz was born and raised on Long Island, NY, but he has spent most of his life wandering his own imagination in a blissful haze. Occasionally, he would return from this world for the necessities such as food, showers, and Saturday morning cartoons. One day he returned from his imagination and decided he would share his stories with the world. After his wife decided that she was tired of hearing the same stories repeatedly, she convinced him that it would make more sense to follow his dream of being a fantasy author. So, locked within the house under orders to shut up and get to work, Charles brings you Legends of Windemere. He looks forward to sharing all of his stories with you, and his wife is happy he finally has someone else to play with.

Twitter: @cyallowitz
Facebook: Charles Yallowitz
Website: www.charleseyallowitz.com

Want the same level of action with a lot of magic & no cursing?

Click here for the $4.99 Bundle to start your journey into Windemere!

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Creative Kue #64

February 16, 2016September 15, 2020 ~ John W. Howell ~ 33 Comments

As you know, I love prompts and am fond of those by Keith Channing. His instructions, “Using this photo 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 on Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here – pingbacks don’t seem to be working, and I haven’t yet figured out why.

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

Here is the photo.

Here is my interpretation.

I know this story will be confusing since I hardly understand what happened myself. In fact, I don’t know why I’m writing this down since I don’t believe there will be anyone around who will read it. Okay, no matter. I think writing things down helps me control the panic I feel. I know whoever reads this won’t understand the nature of my feelings but let me explain my sense of dread by writing down what happened as best as I know.

I came back to the jungle after a long trip to the city which included an eight-hour drive through the outback, a small airplane ride and then a flight from the regional airport. I needed to earn some money to keep the hospital going. We were spending more that we were bringing in. (that is a story for a different time) I came back to the hospital very late and went straight to my room. The trip was long and I was exhausted. I lay down and went to sleep. When I awoke and walked around there was no one here. The patients were all gone and the staff as well.

I went to the radio room and tried to call the nearest station to find out any information they could give. The station did not answer. I then looked at my SAT phone with the idea of calling my sister in London for no other reason than to see if she heard something about the hospital being closed down. There was no service and at first I thought the satellite had malfunctioned. I called the regional police on the radio and all I got was the white noise that tells me their radio is not working. I began to feel my stomach rolling like I had too much wine. I knew it was the first signal of fear and I needed to get control before I did something irrational.

I sat in the radio room and tried every broadcast channel and finally gave up. There was no response to any of my broadcasts. I looked at the SAT phone for the tenth time and still no signal. It was clear to me now that I was disconnected from the world. This lonely outpost where I worked for ten years to bring modern medicine to this remote privative area was cut off from civilization.

Sitting on the veranda and visits to an empty village for the last ten days has finally convinced me that I need to go from this place and seek out other people. The Range Rover will take me back through the outback to the small airport. Maybe there has been some kind of atmospheric disturbance that has caused the radios and phone to malfunction. Only a face to face meeting will answer my most pressing question. Is there anyone else out there?

Top Ten Things Not to Talk About When Others Can Hear

February 15, 2016September 15, 2020 ~ John W. Howell ~ 47 Comments

This list is inspired by a weekend out-of-town and overhearing some of the darnedest things said by others.

Top Ten Things Not to Talk About When Others Can Hear

10. When others can hear you, do not ask your partner if they brought the money. If you do, at best we all know you’re okay to spend. At worst, the mugger behind you will love the confirmation you should be ripped off. (Could have whispered that one right?)

9 When others can hear you, do not ask a waiter if the food is good. If you do, at best he will tell you the truth, and you have no more information than when you arrived. At worst, he will tell you a lie, and you now have a choice to order or leave. (Gotta wonder why you came here in the first place)

8 When others can hear you, do not negatively comment on the neighborhood. If you do, at best everyone will ignore you. At worst, you will have offended Little Bubba, who just happens to be the POA president and local gang lord. (I guess that answers the question about your missing tires when you return to your car now on cement blocks)

7 When others can hear you, do not ask the butcher if he has any better cuts of meat. If you do, at best he will say that all his cuts are on display. At worst, he will be offended at the implication of poor quality and explain to everyone in line you are obviously not a judge of good meat. (Better than being chased around the store by a half-crazed man with butcher knife)

6 When others can hear you, do not discuss your plans for the evening. If you do, at best you’ll sound like an idiot. At worst, the local cat burglar who followed you here will make note of the hours of your absence from your house.

5 When others can hear you, do not complain about your neighbors. If you do, at best those that hear have no idea who you or your neighbors are. At Worst, those that hear are relatives of your neighbors and are now approaching you with malice in their eyes. (As a side note they are all members of the Dingle Brothers kickboxing team.)

4 When others can hear you, do not answer the question “how you doing?” with anything but “fine.” If you do, at best your story will sound a notch south of pathetic. At worst, you will come home to a ringing phone, and it will be your mother calling to find out what is the problem. (If it was that bad you should have told her. Right?)

3 When others can hear, do not try to impress them with your knowledge of anything. If you do, at best you will sound pompous. At worst, the person hearing you will be an expert in the area on which you are pontificating and be quick to point out how wrong you are. (Man, who was to know that guy was an oenophile?)

2 When others can hear you, do not try to get a better price on a car. if you do, at best the sales person will try to direct you to an office. At worst the sales person will announce loudly that the car is below cost now and can’t take one more penny off. (Imagine that. The price is $100.00 over the sticker.)

1 When others can hear you, do not try to talk the police officer out of a ticket. If you do, at best you have guaranteed the officer will write one up. At worst, you might be the cause of a call for backup and a charge of trying to bribe an officer. (Your offer of “Ten Bucks” for the Policeman’s Ball ticket was a little out of line.)

Sunday – Fifty-Two Views of the Gulf

February 14, 2016February 13, 2016 ~ John W. Howell ~ 30 Comments

I have a confession to make. This week’s photo was taken on Friday Morning instead of Saturday. I am out-of-town and could not get a shot on Saturday morning. I am happy to report the weather is about the same. You can see that the walkover is beginning its movement to the beach. Those pieces of equipment are there to handle the wood and poles. Also, there are nine new poles that have been buried since my last photo on Thursday. The view of the Gulf is definitely obscured by the construction. The other item taking up the view is an RV that has been parked on the beach for a week. The police have not done anything and the thing should have been moved four days ago. Ah, the joys of having precious tourists squat wherever they want. Happy Valentine’s Day to all.

Last week’s photo

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt “Tire”

February 13, 2016February 12, 2016 ~ John W. Howell ~ 41 Comments

Stream of Consciousness Saturday time again. This week’s prompt is “Tire.” Linda Hill has authorized the use to be a prefix, suffix or part of a word. Wahoo the use is up to us. If you would like to participate, go to Linda’s site. http://lindaghill.com/2016/02/12/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-feb-1316/ Here is my contribution.

“Retire? What the hell for?”

“Now come on. We’ve talked about this. It’s time.”

“Time for what? Time to lay my burden down you sayin’?”

“Yeah I’m saying. Time for you to check out. To take it easy. To give up your position.”

“What you’re sayin’ sounds illegal boss.”

“For heaven’s sake. I’m just worried about you is all. You’re gonna drop over dead on this job, and I think you ought to take some time for yourself.”

“I never planned on retirement. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself.”

“You could do some fishing.”

“I’d rather die than go out on a boat.”

“How about woodworking?”

“No tools and besides I’m sure I would take off a finger.”

“How about painting?”

“Allergic to paint.”

“Sculpture?”

“Hammer and chisel? Oh yeah, I see broken bones now.”

“What do you like to do on your days off?”

“I read and drink beer.”

“So you can read and drink beer then.”

“I can only do that for a couple of hours.”

“But you like to read right?”

“I sure do.”

“Why don’t you become a writer?”

“I guess I couldn’t hurt myself with a pen right?”

“There you go. I think we have found the perfect thing for you to do. Now, how about it. Time to retire?”

“Nope.”

“Nope? Why not?”

“I don’t know how to write.”

“Oh please. You don’t have to know how to write. You just write.”

“You think?”

“Sure. There are millions of writers.”

“Man. I can see it now. From tire store manager to writer. I’ll bet I sell a million.”

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF

February 12, 2016February 11, 2016 ~ John W. Howell ~ 30 Comments

Friday has arrived. Only about twelve more hours until margarita time. It has been a rewarding week. Got into the fourth book edits after a long rest from that document. WHAT WAS I THINKING WHEN I WROTE THAT? is a question I have asked quite a few times. I actually finished the rough draft of the manuscript in May of 2015. There are a few places where I can’t really recall what mindset caused me to write a particular passage the way it came out. Whatever it was my edit brain now has to correct my artist brain output. I guess we all get into this situation now and then. I don’t know about you but sometimes I read some of my stuff and wonder who wrote it. I guess that’s what happens when you are on the run to finish something. When you are in the moment to come back later and read what you’ve written can be a surprise. This is the subject of my JohnKu today.

Words in Black and white,

Laid out emotionally. . .

Author is surprised.