Sunday, February 27, 2011

Micro Fiction 100 words

The next take was published in Alien skin magazine before it transformed. On the rare occasion I write in this genre. Micro Fiction is a nice way to explain a lot in a condensed form. Have you written any micro fiction of a 100 words you would like to share? drop me an e-mail and I'll post it up on my blog sometime. If not, hope you enjoyed the read, and have a great day.


Space craft - Copyright Jacquelie Howett 2011
 The Next Take
Micro Fiction

By Jacqueline Howett ©2010

My former lives, melted into a puddle of mercury.
In the next take, came magic.
I went with the flow. I merged comfortably into the new era with pierced body parts and tattoos. But I still tremble, knowing it took black holes of time to my rebirth.
I was crawling around on all fours for a time in my living room, separating myself from my sticky embryo. I became a wild nymph like cave creature, who had entered up through the earth where the sky greeted me as one. I spoke in tongues in the process of being born anew, in my developing metamorphosis, wiping the sticky slime from my eyes.
I touched my new form in the mirror. I was pleased.
As I evolved, I started wearing jeans lower on the hips.
A happiness came I had never known. With my first real freedom, I merged into your world.


Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Jacqueline Howett interviews guest author John Watson





Kindle edition $0.99 cents only.

I'm happy to announce we have author John Watson as our guest here today.

Q. Where do you come from?
A. I am from Los Angeles the inner city of Compton CA. But
   I was born in Springfield Illinois.

Q. What made you write this book?
A. I've always been big on the paranormal, sci fi, surrealism.
   It's interesting to see how much more depth you can get out
   of a book when you go beyond ourselves. I like how it
   makes the past and the future so much more accessible to me as
   a writer.

Q. Which authors have had a significant influence on your writing?
A. The two who had the most are Dickens and Baldwin. They’ve both shown
   a light on human disparity and the abuse of power. 

Q. Do you like to listen to any music while you write?
A. I love to listen to both music and sometimes a good talk show. On
   the talk show side, I listen to KTLK with Randy Rhoades
   and Tom Hartman. They are extremely knowledgeable and intense.

Q. What do you think of the changing world of electronic books?
A. I think that it's great for those who know how to use the net.
   There are so many great sites that could help a writer if you
   put your nose to the grind stone and study the sites. Be
   persistent with them.

Q. Do you have any other books you can talk about that you’re writing?
A. I am writing a book I call Mad. It's about a strange sister who
   puts her brothers in harms way, using dreams of her evil
   grandmother and using crazies on the streets.

Q. If there were three books you could only take to a desert island what
   would they be?
A. Richard Wright's The Outsider, Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Damn,
   and Baldwin's Another Country.

Q. What advice do you have to offer other aspiring authors out there?
A. If you're in school, don't drop out to write the great novel. Stay
   there and get those needed connections. Be around people who can
   help you get noticed. I'm definitely going back for that reason.

Q. Is there anything else you would like to say about your self and
   your work?
A. I would like for my name to be synonymous with the paranormal and
   social consciousness as well. I remain interested in how the country
   has changed since the days of Ronald Reagan and I would like to write
   fiction about the shift of attitudes his period brought about. I want
   to show how much less feeling we are towards fellow Americans.

Thank you John for visiting with us  today.

Q. How can readers find you and follow your progress?
Amazon $0.99 cents (Kindle eBook cover edition). This Child Will (Kindle Edition)
asin: B0036DE6E4     
http://www.amazon.com/This-Child-Will-ebook/dp/B0036DE6E4/ref=tmm_kin_title_0/187-7111522-2269054?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2
Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/34858 in various formats.
or
Goodreads - Book Club.
Product Description
A child with clairvoyant abilities is conceived during a sexual attack. The child's spiritual mentor; an antebellum slave has a mission to reform a militant extremists group now terrorizing a community. The story centers on confrontations between members of the extremist group and the clairvoyant as he carries out the spirit's orders. It comes to a climax when an antagonistic spirit/mentor, also a slave in his lifetime, manifests itself in the home of the once converted militant resulting in his return to militant behavior, hence his self-destruction.
Reviews
Though many of the main characters in this novel are disturbed, angry and violent, through his skillful story-telling the author shows us the root of their pain. --Customer review --Customer Review
Good observations into  human nature and good story telling is what curiously allows an extra glimpse into these characters thoughts, which transport you to the place in time, and entice you into the story to understand the depth of what they are feeling, making this book an enjoyable page turner with some insight into life in the 70’s. --Customer Review.

Here is a free excerpt from John Watson’s novel, This Child Will.

Chapter One
It was approaching twilight as Cherece Guiles sat at the bus stop waiting for the number fifty-five to take her from what always felt like the middle of nowhere to her apartment, not that far away, but still a rather lengthy walk. She recalled the length of time she had spent sitting in what was becoming a blistering chill when suddenly from out of nowhere, a woman dressed like a streetwalker appeared and sat down next to her. She recalled feeling the eyes of the woman looking at her before finally speaking a word.
“Do you have a cigarette, baby?”
Without a word or a second thought, Cherece reached inside of her purse and produced a pack,smacking it lightly to force one out. She turned her head as the prostitute took it. It was then when Cherece experienced what sounded like the voice of a woman in her head. She then turned to the streetwalker, Cherece with a puzzled expression.
“Did you say something, ma’am?”
The prostitute responded with nothing more than a sick, throaty laugh before standing up and sashaying away with cat-like grace.

It was immediately after her departure when the man named Bill entered into Cherece’s soon to be damaged life. He was, of course, polite and extremely well mannered there on Birmingnorth Avenue, a quarter of a mile south of where the assault would take place. From what she could remember, it did seem quieter than the norm in that part of the city. And now that she thought of it, he seemed to fit that quietness; white, humble, speaking to her with so much charm, so much sensitivity. She thought of his superior, assertive walk as he headed towards her, proud, unafraid of the place or of its people, how, judging from his ready smile she concluded that he was a stark contrast from those around him. There in a disheveled city, he stood, spotless in his sky blue, polyester, flair bottom pants and beige fly collar silk shirt, the fashion for the better part of the seventies. Something about him made him seem overtly contented, well bred, suburban in a city stereotypical in it’s blackness, uncommonly desolate for any place in America. People pushing shopping carts along the streets to transport their goods from the store to their home, stray dogs rummaging through the toppled trash barrels, and at least three or four liquor stores, all within a one-mile radius. Cherece always lived according to the lessons her elders taught her, one of which was not to trust the people in her home town of Holtsville, California, the hoodlums in their bandanas and khaki pants, the dregs who’d neglected life’s spiritual factor.
This man, however, was certainly not from here. He was too professional looking. He must have been an attorney or a judge in a court of law, someone just passing through to view how the inferior half struggled from one day to the next. He must have been a doctor or a college professor at USC or UCLA.
There was no doubt in this woman’s embarrassingly innocent mind that he was the true measure of a man, especially compared to all of this! She looked in the mirror across the room where, suddenly his image appeared, the mouth curling into a wry smile, the eyes childishly malicious, peering into her soul and somehow seeing all it lacked. The harsh sensation of fingernails clawing the small of her back left an indelible mental impression. And though it was far different from her first sexual experience, only three years earlier, it was easy to equate the two. He was also an older man, inexperienced in love, lacking in the passion she expected. But with him she could see herself as a gift, not the object of spite.
He said, “It’s a shame, miss, how we’re taught to disregard so many beautiful people of the world.” And he shook his head with a look of deep contemplation on his face.
“You know, I’m the type who can sense inner beauty, especially in a woman. If there’s a speck of it, I can sense it in a minute.”
He spoke, like a well-honed actor, the baritone, round and flowing. Cherece was his captive audience and she showed it in the light of her eyes. She showed it in her voice that became deeply sensual.
“Oh, so I guess you’re one of the good guys; that you’re on the side of us underdog minority ladies.
“I’m just more human than my daddy would have preferred, I guess.”
“But, Christ isn’t liberalism so yesterday?”
“Oh no, Miss, not for the aesthetic mind.” He let his eyes drape her body. “Yes sir, it is aesthetic,
indeed.” He waited for Cherece to turn her head before staring down at her perfect breasts and biting his lip. Her undulating hips fascinated him as the tight, black, woolen skirt accentuated their shape, like those he’d eyed around the clubs he frequented, looking for a female who’d managed to stray from the crowd. He looked down at her well-rounded thighs, like those of a trained runner. Yet this one would only run so far. He liked her platform; open toed shoes as well as the shape of her toes, short, feminine, well manicured. He relished the thought of a handful of that enormous Afro in his hands when the two of them were alone and there was no one to stop him. And, if she were the woman his criminal intuition said she was, that time would be soon. Cherece felt the mellowness of joy welling inside of her. She threw back her head and the laughter rang in the air.
“So, it seems we’re on the same wave length, ma’am.”
“My name is Cherece, baby. Stop calling me ma’am.” She laughed again. It was adorable, infectious, the most adorable and infectious laughter he’d heard from any of his prospective victims.
He said, “My name is Bill.”
“Oh, Bill. ‘Bill The Liberal’,” she laughed again.
“Okay, then, I’m a liberal. Maybe I should start by liberating you.
“Oh, so you’re going to liberate me, huh.”

 
Please note: If buying soft cover or hard copy books, they each were given different book covers. This Kindle version is only $0.99 cents.


 


Wednesday, February 16, 2011

My interview with Kipp Poe Speicher and other great sightings.

Jacqueline Howett is the author of The Greek Seaman. A seafaring novel, on Kindle and Smashwords.
I'm happy to announce I am being interviewed by Kipp Poe Speicher. Here's the link:  http://kippoe.blogspot.com/2011/02/jacqueline-howett-interview.html   So pop on by and check it out if you like.  Enjoy the read!



For Poetry lovers.

 I am a published poet this month in LSS - Long Story Short Magazine  with a poem titled: THERE'S NO BROKEN HEARTS HERE.
I guess I really should have had this one up for valentines day. Well, at least it is in the month of February. Just one thing, if you go visit over there to read my poem, don't bother to comment at that old contact e-mail, as it has been changed since to my new email which is now: jacquelinehowett@yahoo.com 

I tried contacting them about it, but got no reply.
Jacqueline Howett



The weather  here in Florida, is just so nice right now at 76/80's degrees that I am spending some extra time down on the beach. The whole week is going to be this way and warmer still at the weekend. Quite honestly its just what I needed to really break me away from the computer a little.



Yes, it looks this good!
I have been busy working on another book cover for a short story I hope to have up a little later, and with that I shall keep you posted.




Some interesting tid bits

Check out Beatties book Blog on all the latest Borders news with so many book stores closing.

http://beattiesbookblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/stop-press-borders-files-for-bankruptcy.html



A Free Book recommendation: This is one I'm reading now.


Book Description
From the luxury of San Francisco's famous hills to the wild freedom of the majestic snow-covered Sierra Mountains, BRIDGE TO HAPPINESS is the intensely dramatic story of one woman's life, the idyllic moments, her humanity, her love, and finally, the difficult road she must walk alone...to discover the strong woman she is destined to become. When March Randolph meets Mike Cantrell, she has no idea how her life will change, and how time will change her. For over three decades she and Mike forge a marriage, a family and a business together, helping to make snowboarding into a popular, worldwide winter sport, and raising four strong-willed and independent children into a adulthood, never once fearing the future won't be as golden as their past. In a heartbeat everything changes, and March and her family suffer a tragic change, one that drives a schism into her once perfect life, and will test the bonds of love and family far beyond any definition of recovery. Suddenly March is stuck in the past, unable to move forward, and only if she, alone, finds the strength and will to move on, can any of the Cantrells have a single, glimmer of hope at a new life of happiness. "Bridge To Happiness is a beautiful and poignant exploration of loss, love and unexpected opportunities. This book is for any woman who has ever loved and lost and dared to reach for happiness." Kristin Hannah, New York Times Bestselling Author of Winter Garden.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Spiced Coffee Break And Great Sighting. I'm happy to announce my new eBook.

 The Secret Passion of Twins, by Jacqueline Howett.  Now sold at Amazon Kindle.  New Short Story: eBook $0.99 cents.    
  They say twins know eachother's thoughts, but are these twins in denial of this while on vacation? When it comes to much needed love and there's only one man, in reality only one can have him. It may appear everyone's in denial as they live out a fantasy with deep and somewhat strange psycholigical consequences as they learn to let go of the guilt of a tragic family accident.
This is a Short Story that will really make you think!     
Buy from Amazon -Kindle    

Review from Amazon
This review is from: The Secret Passion of Twins (Kindle Edition)
You'll notice something about the writer's choice of words that locks the reader in and won't let him go. One of those talents all of us writers envy and seems to come so natural for Jacqueline Howett, though it is the result of years of writing in a number of different occupations.

For the lover of short stories, this is one you must experience as Mr's Howett writes with a modest elegance and compassion for these twin sisters; the one who was confined to the wheelchair and the one who was not. It will make you think of life's strange twists and turns and the inner strength it takes to sometimes adjust.

Jacqueline Howett is the author of The Greek Seaman, and Amorphous Angelic, Selected Poems, also available at Amazon Kindle.   

It is also available at Smashwords in various formats Here's the link
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/41423

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Nostalgia and the Authors journey across the pond.


Baxter Island, Maine
 As nostalgia goes, here is a poem I wrote when I first came to America.
Baxter island, Maine, USA 1988.
SANDS OF TIME

Traces of life revealed,
Smoothed over by a gentle tide,
Across sands and landscapes wide,
Reaching out across time,                                 
In silent echoes we hear.
From so far-- is felt so near.
How 'all life's' precious, my dear. 

         
Dec (c) 1988/9-2011. Jacqueline Howett
I wrote this poem. 'Sands of time,' to my entry into America, when I seemingly fled as if with my life from Old England in 1988, at the beginning of the first Arab invasion, not long after the Arabs became educated in London. And while running away from all that was Europe in change, (it was also the beginning of the computer era.) I was looking back across the channel from my new Cape Cod style home right on the water in Falmouth, Maine relieved yet somewhat puzzled this was New England. Baxter Island was at my doorstep. A beautiful untouched landscape on rock where I frolicked with my two Pekinese dogs I had brought with me. I wrote three sessions a day to my novels and carried some bread and salami sticks on my walks, a habit I still had from living as a writer/hermit in the mountains of North Wales, UK, but I still dressed in my crazy London fashions when on occasion I went out to dinner. I was still blind to what Mainers were wearing. My walks across a bridge from my house to Baxter Island, was a solitary place for the death, dumb and blind, and yet, I felt this is what I had done to Europe for a time.
From a seat bench I looked across the waters to Old England at my whole life that seemingly was vanishing.
So I kept looking across the pond. On the other hand, I didn’t want to forget all I had lived up to this point on the other side across these oceans, as I hadn’t fully understood it. So, in my silence I kept looking just like a puppy dog or the caped lady in the movie, the lieutenant’s woman. After all, it was my place of birth, my roots. But the spirits had by now already moved me on and mingled me in with new faces and places yet to see. However, I was allowed to look across the ocean. It was as if God felt amused by my expression and yearning feelings to something I coudn’t describe or quite fathom yet. I had moved house several times, left the state, then returned to live in Portland, Maine, but I always drove or biked back to look. This time I found another outlet to the sea on a small stretch of beach that looked over across the water at the Cape Cod house surrounded by water on every side where I use to live, just passed a section called Back bay. Once again, I would reflect upon the time factor moving me along from the past. The people that had come and gone in my life since then, and how I continued to write all through it what ever came my way. I could still see old England from there. How often I would return and look when I was out on my bike, and this was a carry on I did until I left Maine. It had become a part of me. I wanted to hold on to it for as long as I could. I have a funny feeling that this time Maine, I am never coming back.


But who really knows...
So you see, I now carry a little of that with me.

I have another poetry book coming soon, called Sands Of Time, This poem will the opening of the book. Here is a glimpse of the book cover. Although it has been mentioned before, I thought it fitted in well here to give it another mention.


Jacqueline Howett Author of The Greek Seaman and Amorphous Angelic, Selected Poems and The secret Passion of Twins, (a short story).

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Day 3 of The Greek Seaman, Free eBook - was a wonderful turn out.

Ereader News Today   ENT did a Free promotion today on my Free eBook. Its a wonderful site for Kindle lovers, so please check it out.

 Ereader News Today Here's another free Kindle book for you today. This one is free until February 12th. http://ereadernewstoday.com/free-kindle-


Get access to over 1 Million free (and very cheap) Kindle Books here: http://ereadernewstoday.com/free-kindle-books/
Here is the link to ENT's Facebook Page:  http://www.facebook.com/EreaderNewsToday

It has been a wonderful day for downloads. Near to 400 downloads so far. Many buying the eBook direct from their Kindles so as not to bother going over to Smashwords. Wow! Please consider these one's signed eBook copies. Facebook today has a been a fun day, talking to some ereaders who have downloaded my book,  and at Facebook's Kindle Amazon. I want to say thanks to you all for all the enthusiasm you have shown to read The Greek Seaman novel.

Jacqueline

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

PLEASE DOWNLOAD A FRESH COPY OF MY FREE EBOOK. Urgent anouncement!

Jacqueline Howett is the author of The Greek Seaman. A seafaring novel, on Kindle and Smashwords.


 Hi everyone. All of you who uploaded Free yesterday or this morning my novel, The Greek Seaman from Smashwords on to your gadgets, sony etc, or Kindle-(.mobi) please pick up a fresh copy. There was a font format problem that has now been fixed. Sorry for the inconvenience. I'm glad that is solved. I worked all morning and until 1.30 on solving that. Please contact me here or e-mail me if you see any further problems, so it can be fixed. But really, all the writing format should now be in the same font. I gave several a test run, but am not sure how PDF or Sony looks like, so I would sure be happy to get some feed back. I am also posting this message now over at Facebook. If you know anyone who downloaded a copy please let them know.


I want to say thanks to all you who have downloaded my novel, The Greek Seaman. Jacqueline.

All of you who intend to download a copy of my Free novel, remember this promotional offer ends on Saturday 12th 2011.


Here is the link to Smashwords to download my Free ebBook to your Kindle (.mobi) or gadget or computer.
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/21046



To read direct from the Smashwords screen in HTML click here:
http://www.smashwords.com/extreader/read/21046/1/the-greek-seaman


As for Amazon Kindle direct, I'm afraid Self published Indie author/Publishers don't get to hand out Free eBooks directly from Kindle, only via another venue. So Smashwords is playing its part here to bring Kindle books to everyone via another way. And ofcourse various other outlets. That means Kindle will be keeping my price for now at $0.99 cents the minimum price they will allow. I think this might also be for the Nook too at Barnes and Noble.  Funny, you can go through Smashwords, however and get the Kindle same down load Free.


Those of you interested in such debates and why only big dog publishers get that Free eBook privalige, here's a link  to Ben Metcalfe where they talk about that topic.

http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/2010/01/something-fishy-going-on-with-kindle-free-bestseller-ebooks/

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

The Greek Seaman is Free Until Saturday 12th February. Download it while you can!

Jacqueline Howett is the author of The Greek Seaman. A seafaring novel, on Kindle via Smashwords in various formats today.

Free novel! As of today, The Greek Seaman is a Free download until Saturday February 12th and is available in all formats, including kindle - (.mobi) from Smashwords. Check it out.

I'm still waiting for Amazon - Kindle and Barnes & Noble to place up the change on their own sites. Just click on the Smashwords link to get your copy sent to your gadget or computer. Enjoy!
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/21046

Please let all your Facebook, Tweets, and your Goodreads friends know of this Free offer, and please post them this link.

This is a promotion to get me up now some reviews.

Thanks. Jacqueline.

Description to The Greek Seaman novel.
What is an eighteen year old doing traveling on a massive merchant ship anyways, hadn't she gone to Greece on tour in a ballet as a dancer? These are questions Katy asks herself while traveling the high seas with Don, her chief officer who she marries. However, little do they know, a smuggling ring is also on board for this ride, on a blue diamond exchange, and when explosions and threats to sink the ship also happen, they must try to save themselves.