Spotlight for Author, ​John Howell ~ Blog Tour

This is the third stop on what has been a fantastic tour as a Rave Reviews Book Club Spotlight Author. If you would like to be chosen for this honor you need to be a member. To find out how go to the website http://ravereviewsbynonniejules.wordpress.com/ and read all about it. You can also see all my tour stops listed under Spotlight Authors.

The first two posts on the tour described a little about me and my book My GRL. During this stop for which I am really grateful I hope to answer some questions that I get from readers about a number of subjects. I hope you find these interesting.

The first question I always get when I have not been able to avoid telling someone I am a full-time writer is what do you write? I have an inner desire to answer simply, “words,” but in all honesty the person deserves an honest answer. I usually say I write thriller fiction. The person probably takes one step back and says,”like Stephen King?” I wish I could say no, not like Stephen King, but I earn as much money. I don’t because it is simply untrue. I explain what Stephen Kings writes is usually horror and suspense. Thriller fiction is somewhat the same feelings but does not have frightening carnage scenes or monsters. Usually, real people are facing real dangers.

The second question is “are you published?” I tell them I am published and they can find my book on Amazon. There is a noticeable step backward as they look around the room for an escape route.

The third question (assuming the person stays close since they figure out I can’t make them buy a book) is about process. It is usually disguised as something like “how long do you write in a day?” I answer I write for about five hours in a day. My first priority is to my current novel. I usually begin writing after lunch (have things to do around the house AKA Honey do list). I put in at least one thousand words on my current WIP. Once I finish that hurdle, I’ll turn to my posts for my blog. Since I post about five days a week I have to stay on top of that so I don’t fall behind. I also write short stories for relaxation of when I’m stuck on a plot line. I find it productive to take my brain out of the problem and try for a new perspective.  This works well for me and also produces some other pieces to publish. I generally wrap the writing day with a final pass at the novel to set the writing up for another day. I find a couple of lines into what I want to write the next day keeps me from having to go back and read a bunch of words to remember where I was when I return. I also save my work in two places.

The fourth question is really the old plotter or panster question. (Do you write with a plan or by the seat of your pants?) Most don’t have those terms, but it comes down to wondering how much planning goes into a book.  I tell them I rough out a general idea of the story. I find the iPhone Notes section is really good for that purpose. I then concentrate on constructing the ending of the story in my mind and then putting it into the iPhone. Once I have a general idea and the rough ending I sit down with a blank screen and start pouring out my life writing the story. Using this unstructured method of building the story, I can use whatever twists and turns come up in the course of the writing to maximum advantage. I am not held to a story board and can pretty much let the story flow.

The final question is usually around the concept of free time as in “what do you do to relax?” I used to be able to say I work on my 1978 Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser; however I found a young person who loved it as much as I did and so I sold it to him. Now, all I do is ride a bike on the beach for eight miles and read. I know that sound pretty boring and if I could do both at the same time it would be a little more exciting. Since I write seven days a week I find free time to be at a premium. I can’t do without reading or riding. The FJ was being ignored so it had to go.

My GRL can be found:

US –  http://www.amazon.com/John-W.-Howell/e/B00HMRWO6C

Canada –  http://www.amazon.ca/My-GRL-John-W-Howell-ebook/dp/B00HV3QECW/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1406542498&sr=1-2

UK –  http://www.amazon.co.uk/John-W.-Howell/e/B00HMRWO6C

Australia –   http://www.amazon.com.au/My-GRL-John-W-Howell-ebook/dp/B00HV3QECW/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1406542498&sr=1-2

Barnes and Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-grl-john-w-howell/1118199518?ean=9781625530592

iBooks – https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/my-grl/id803503649?mt=11

Kobo – http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/my-grl

Martin Sisters Publishing http://www.martinsisterspublishing.com

I can be reached:

WEB: http://www.johnwhowell.com

E-mail johnhowell.wave@gmail.com