HAPPENINGS PAST AND FUTURE

The best part of my week was meeting Mario Borrego and his service dog, Sierra. Mario, a Navy veteran who served two tours in Iraq, suffers from PTSD. I had the privilege of meeting Mario and Sierra at the Wilson Creek Winery which hosted the luau. Money from the event was donated to The Canine Support Team, an organization which raises and trains dogs for service and therapy  work.

The Canine Support Team awarded Sierra to Mario only five weeks ago and already Mario lauds the dog’s services and that he has been able to cut back on the medications he takes for his PTSD.



Mario and Sierra,..a veteran and his American Service Dog, a team for life..



 

Sierra, Mario Borrego's service dog, greets one of the youngest Luau participants.



This is Penolope, need I say more?





 

The Glen Avon Library in Jurupa Valley, Riverside County 
The Book Fair at the Glen Avon Library was well attended by local authors exhibiting their books as well as nearby residents who came to meet the authors. The Friends of the Library knew how to host an event. A lunch bag from Subway Sandwiches was a delightful surprise as well as many homemade goodies, cookies, carrot and lemon cakes served with coffee and iced tea. I was treated so well I offered to perform one of my workshops in the future.

Only one half of Kay Murphy can be seen. (Sorry Kay) Her books, TAINTED LEGACY and her newest, THE DOGS WHO SAVE ME  sold well at the fair. Kay and Lynne who sat on either side of me were teachers for the Jurupa Valley School District.

Terry Lee Marzell author of "Chalkboard Champions"  penned  stories that are inspiring and motivational of dedicated and gifted teachers working with disadvantaged students.

Lynne Spreen proudly presents her first book, Dakota Blues.



Vickie Hitt displays her art alongside her husband ,author, Jim Hitt.


This week is filled as well with a speaking engagement at the Lioness' Club meeting on Thursday night, Sept. 20th at 6pm. and a workshop on story structure at the Inland Empire California Writers Club meeting at the Ovitt Ontario Library in Ontario on Saturday at 10am Sept. 22. Everyone is welcome to attend whether you are a member or not.
Oh, yes and Sportster and I will be grooming dogs at the Canine Beauty Salon, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Have a great week!

 

BOOK SIGNINGS AND VETERANS

My calendar is full this month. I am so excited about all of the events coming up.

First and most exciting, I will have the privilege of meeting a veteran and his service dog. I am excited and nervous and honored to have the opportunity. The meeting will be my introduction to this expanding and critical social issue I want to write about. I am nervous because as a writer, it has been said we constantly suffer inadequacy issues.

Although I battle these demons, I am in love with my new career and it is too late to back out now. The affair began with my first book, COAST TO COAST WITH A CAT AND A GHOST. It was fun and almost easy, perhaps because I was ignorant of the road ahead, of publishing and marketing.

But I am on that road now and  cannot turn back. I compare it to my experience of driving across Lake Ponchartrain on the long, long bridge. I was terrified, amazed, and swore I would never do it again. Well, I still may never drive across that bridge again in a motor home, but I couldn’t restrain from writing my second book, GOING HOME WITH A CAT AND A GHOST and now …my third? I can’t believe it!

INVISIBLE HEROES has captured my heart only thirty-three pages in. The aspects of the story are three fold, all issues of importance.

Working Dogs: We are all familiar with dogs for the blind, but there is so much more that dogs are capable of.

Prison Rehabilitation: An issue we all wish for but cynically think is impossible. Dogs fit in here too.

Disabled Veterans: An issue that began with the first war ever fought, now of monumental proportions, and our beloved dogs are contributing to the healing process with phenomenal success.

It may I have strayed from the subject of upcoming events, but at all of these events will have information about these issues and ways you can help.

Thursday,September 13th at 6 pm. I will be selling and signing books at this event. $2.00 of every sale will be donated to  The Canine Support Team. Come out and meet the Volunteers and the service dogs too.

Mark Saturday, September 15th at 2pm. on your schedules.Click on the link below  for another great event for book lovers.  The Book Fair will have many local authors present to sell and sign their books. Meet the authors!

GLEN AVON REGIONAL LIBRARYhttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Glen-Avon-Regional-Library/104887107880


September 12th. And the link below is a movie debuting at the new Loma Linda Hospital on the I-215 in Murrieta, Ca.  Again meet the Canine support Team and watch the touching movie, SHELTER ME, that will inform, educate and warm your heart.


http://shelterme.com/

Finally on Saturday September 29  from 2pm. to 5pm. come to the Hemet Mall on Florida Ave. and help celebrate the Grand Opening of a new bookstore, THE BOOK WAREHOUSE.
More local authors will be in attendance.
(Note the bookstore opens on the 4th but the Book Fair will be on the 29th.)

VOTE ON THE NEW COVER

These are design mock ups of the cover. What do you think?


OPTION # 1 - CORN FIELD

Please help me decide on the cover for GOING HOME WITH A CAT AND A GHOST.

Vote for  Option # 1

or

Option # 2


OPTION #2 - WINDING ROAD

UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS

.

Everything is happening. As you see the manuscript for GOING HOME WITH A CAT AND A GHOST has met Sportster’s inspection and is ready to go to press. If all goes well, we will have the book on line by the end of October.

Sportster takes a rest while I do my book tour.

Wednesday, AUGUST 22, 2012: And I am really excited about my interview with Peter Fishetti from the Press Enterprise Newspaper. It will appear in Wednesday’s book review section on August 22^nd. Be sure to watch for that! Of course if you miss it, I will be posting the entire interview on my website.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2012: This Saturday I’ll be heading to Beautiful and cool Mt Baldy located twelve miles north of Ontario, California.  I will be one of six who will be sharing our expertise in the writing and publishing world at the “Above The Clouds Writers Conference.” The fee is $40.00 for the entire conference and includes lunch.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2012: I will be attending the Book Fair at the Glen Avon Library and available to sign copies of the books you have purchased. I hope to see you there.

Jeri Westerson
Jeri Westerson
Jeri and I enjoyed lunch and discussed the writing woes of marketing and the joys of creating. Jeri was our guest speaker at our meeting of The Inland Empire California Writers Club. She was humorous and entertaining as she informed us of the myths of medieval life. She has five books out. I bought her latest book, TROUBLED BONES. And I discovered Jeri is practically a neighbor. She lives in Menifee, Ca.

The club is hosting a conference at the Mt. Baldy Lodge in beautiful, cool Mt. Baldy Lodge, http://www.mtbaldylodge.com/It is one day for $40.00 packed with workshops, lunch and the featuring Mike Foley as the keynote speaker.
I will be presenting my workshop, "Have you ever thought about writing?"SEMINAR DESCRIPTION

Have you ever thought about ……?

Writing your memoirs?  Writing about your travels?  Writing and, even publishing a book?

This seminar will inspire and motivate you. Just bring paper and pen.

Judy Howard, published author of the book, COAST TO COAST WITH A CAT AND A GHOST  and her new book, GOING HOME WITH A CAT AND A GHOST, will lead you through the process and possibilities of writing for fun or profit.

1.        YOU WILL learn how Judy got started on her exciting journey.

2.        YOU WILL participate in a hands-on writing exercise that will amaze and activate your creative juices.

3.        YOU WILL receive informational handouts to take home.

4.        YOU WILL receive helpful critique following the writing exercise.

Sign up for this enlightening seminar and begin your adventure. Share all those fascinating stories that need to be told to your family and the world.

Judy Howard

Jhoward1935@gmail.com

www.sportsterandme.com

951-544-3046

Inland Empire California Writers Club

SPORTSTER'S DEBUT

Yes. Sportster got his way. Our new, revised book trailer now features a cat and a ghost.

UPCOMING EVENTS

I have lots of announcements today.

Sorry for the short notice on this first one. This should be a valuable workshop if you are having trouble getting organized. It is scheduled for  TOMORROW , Saturday, August 4th at 10:00 am in Temecula.  click on the link for more info.

• Have you been looking for a way to organize the material, ideas and structure of your stories? Learn to use Scrivener software for authors through James Eggebeen's presentation on this highly customizable organizational too. Organize novels, novellas, short stories, theses, presentations and more. James has effectively used this tool writing both his novels and finds it useful in both writing and revising. I hope to add a Scrivener banner under our sponsors section, but you can visit LiteratureandLatte.com so see the homepage and or download the software. There is no fee for this seminar, but please bring a snack to share and make sure to RSVP so I can procure enough coffee.
  
  

_http://www.meetup.com/Fiction-Writers-Workshop/events/71663572/?a=cr1_grp&rv=cr1rp&rv=cr1

This conference, Above The Clouds, is a must for writers on a tight budget (Isn't that all of us?) ..and what a great venue! ...in the cool mountain air of Mt. Baldy.

I will be giving a workshop in the morning on the similarity between memoirs and fiction.There will be many more valuable workshops and the keynote speaker will be Mike Foley,Professor from UC Riverside.

Don't forget the minimal price of $40.00 includes lunch. Contact me for a registration form.

jhoward1935@gmail.com 

SEMINAR DESCRIPTION

Have you ever thought about ……?

Writing your memoirs?  Writing about your travels?  Writing and, even publishing a book?

This seminar will inspire and motivate you. Just bring paper and pen.

Judy Howard, published author of the book, COAST TO COAST WITH A CAT AND A GHOST  and her new book, GOING HOME WITH A CAT AND A GHOST, will lead you through the process and possibilities of writing for fun or profit.

1.        YOU WILL learn how Judy got started on her exciting journey.

2.        YOU WILL participate in a hands-on writing exercise that will amaze and activate your creative juices.

3.        YOU WILL receive informational handouts to take home.

4.        YOU WILL receive helpful critique following the writing exercise.

Sign up for this enlightening seminar and begin your adventure. Share all those fascinating stories that need to be told to your family and the world.

Judy Howard

Jhoward1935@gmail.com

www.sportsterandme.com

951-544-3046

And finally, mark September 15th on your calendar. I will be attending  the Glen Avon Library Book Fair. My good friend S. Kay Murphy will also be present with her newest book, THE DOGS WHO SAVED ME.The profits of her book will be donated to local shelters.


http://rivlib.info/glen-avon-library/