Insight to an Author

Let me tell you about myself. My books, my life, my inspiration.

 Like many authors, I wear more than one hat. I began grooming dogs and cats at the age of eleven and still own and operate my shop, THE CANINE BEAUTY SALON in Sun City, Calif.  At this time in my life, I am semi-retired in order to satisfy my new passion. Writing. I am 67 and a widow with a cat named, Sportster.

 In 2010, just for fun I enrolled in college creative writing course. It roped me in, hog-tied me, put me on the rotisserie, and now, three books later, I am still not done.  

In 2011 I published my first book, COAST TO COAST WITH A CAT AND A GHOST. It is a memoir of my adventure driving across the country alone in my motor home after the death of my husband accompanied by a stuffed doll and my cat. 

 The  reviews  praised the story as inspiring and  fed  my attraction – my compulsion - the  writing monkey on my back,  until now  I cannot stop.

I wrote my second book, GOING HOME WITH A CAT AND A GHOST (2012) as an experiment. I pooh-poohed the success of my first book. Anyone can write their own story, but can they make one up? That is the proof of a good writer, I said. The mystery-romance, GOING HOME WITH A CAT AND A GHOST portrays a widowed woman seeking a second chance for love as she travels, again,cross country in her RV to attend her 40^th high school reunion and reunite with her high school boyfriend. I tell my readers if I cannot meet a man, I will just make one up.

The reviews of these two books continue to spur me on as I struggle with my third novel, INVISIBLE HEROES, to be released in 2014. I weave the story of a dog that becomes a service dog for an Iraq veteran struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  Based on reality, I hope to bring attention to this serious issue facing our veterans today. Over twenty veterans a day commit suicide because of this disorder.

  My writing road for the future.

People struggling with their hardships inspire me. I hope to tell their stories and demonstrate that their conflicts and strife were not for naught.  When my husband was diagnosed with cancer, I did not know how I would get through it. I told my friend of my agony.  My friend said, “You will get through it, and then some day you will be able to tell someone else what it was like.”

I want my readers to close my book and say, “I can do it too.”

I try  use my talents and time to help others.

I love to give workshops on writing. I also love to travel in my RV with my cat.  And I love to write. I combine my three passions by going to RV rallies and offering my seminars which are well attended. RVers are an adventurous lot with many stories to tell. 20% percent of the population has thought about writing a book.  I know I did.

I travel, I teach, I write. What a life!

I hope you know me a little better. Thank you for listening.  Sportster and I  hope to meet you  somewhere along the road to writing.

Respectfully.

Judy Howard and Sportster

Judy Howard's Website

The Writings Of A Wandering Widow

Sportster's Blog:The Cat's Perspective of Reading, Writing, and Life

Sportster Likes Twitter:

Judy Howard on Facebook

Books and Audio Books on Amazon:

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CAN YOU HEAR IT?

So many things are happening and not happening. Where do I start?

Pahrump, Nevada

The most exciting events first.  COAST TO COAST WITH A CAT AND A GHOST and GOING HOME WITH A CAT AND A GHOST will soon be available as Audio Books. I am screeching around another learning curve in this literary journey that never has a dull moment. I thought traveling across country in my motor home was exciting, but this adventure runs a close second.

Creating is the most satisfying and inspiring part of being an author. I long to barricade myself (and Sportster) inside my motor home, or house, as the case might be, in order to write from dawn til dusk or, at times, from dusk til dawn.

Joshua Tree National Park

But other aspects of my profession require attention.  Like a pair of thugs, publishing and marketing rob me of my pleasures of writing and assault me with their responsibilities.

Creating Audio books is another undertaking I never imagined I would experience. Working with AUDIO BOOK CREATION EXCHANGE  and WWW.AUDIBLE.COM  has educated me in the ways of selecting the perfect narrator for my audio books. I am so excited to have Anne Johnstonbrown on my team.  

Sportster and I will keep you updated on the progress of the two audio books, COAST TO COAST WITH A CAT AND A GHOST and GOING HOME WITH A CAT AND A GHOST. Production has begun!!

In the meantime, please forward this to your friends and family. Sportster will be breaking the news as to what is NOT happening. Watch for his blog at.http://judyhowardandsportster.blogspot.com/

Florida's  powdery sands of the west coast.

SANTA BARBARA MUSINGS

Sportster and I have spent the last two weeks in beautiful Santa Barbara area. We rested our wheels at the Elks Lodge in Goleta, California. The first half of our visit included enjoying the amenities here – the exercise room and, after working up a good sweat, the sauna and hot tub. We also strolled in the serene, forested picnic area.

We were here to attend the Santa Barbara Writers Conference at the Hyatt. The facilities Winnebago offered may not have been superb to the Hyatt, but they offered my own pillow, coffee served while I lounged in my pj’s at no extra cost, and an outdoor patio to soak up the sunshine after the marine layer dissipated. Let’s see, $199.00 a night or $25.00 a night?  Oh, and did I forget to mention? Winnebago allows pets.  So there you have it. 

 Of course the second week was not leisurely. It was jam packed with education, inspiration, new friends and did I mention?  Education!  Authors, Editors, Workshop leaders, top notch speakers offered up with great service from the hotel staff and the conference volunteers. I met Fannie Flagg the author of FRIED GREEN TOMATOES, Catherine Ann Jones who wrote for TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL   and THE CHRISTMAS WIFE and Monte Schultz, the son of Charles Schultz, the creator of PEANUTS.

I met with agents as well in which four of the six wanted to see more of my work. Their publishing houses included Bantam Doubleday Dell, Simon and Schuster, St. Martin’s Press, and McMacmillan. These agents have represented John Updike, Louis L’Amour, and Tani O’Dell.

I had my picture taken with Gk Parish-Philp whose ten years of experience in online digital media products and brands led him to create Mp3.com and Stage6.com and participated on a panel moderated by Marla Miller with www.marketingthemuse.com. What a fantasic woman full of energy and information on marketing.

With the overwhelming wealth of knowledge I absorbed I hope to pass it along in some new workshops that will feature the bones of the story, character development, dialogue, and plot.

But now I am unwinding and soaking up the last of the salty air and the moist filled mornings before I head back to the real world from which I acquire the grist for my writing mill.
DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT SPORTSTER'S BLOG  - HIS TAKE ON THE SANTA BARBARA EXPERIENCE.

THE GOLETA PIER