Tag Archives: J.F. Holmes

Weekly Update

Rob’s Update: Venturing to Carry

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Week 45 of 2019

Greetings all

It’s been a good week here. I wrote over 8000 words overall, which is more than I’ve been able to crank out in a week in a while. I’m definitely regaining the rhythm I had in the spring.

The big chunk of writing was major progress in None Call Me Mother. I broke the 70k mark today, and I made progress in multiple threads. Some days it’s a fight to get words going on one thread, but today, the writing prompted me to make sure I filled in a blank in another, which led to another.

That’s always fun.

I also added 800 or so words to Here Must We Hold. This was my submission for Trouble in the Wind, the next entry in the Phases of Mars series of alternate military history. Unlike Far Better to Dare and In Dark’ning Storms, this story is set in Anglo-Saxon England. I am pleased to announce that it has been accepted and these new words were actually historical notes.

For a moment, writing those notes, I sort of felt like Bernard Cornwell. That was fun too.

Tonight it’s puttering around the house, watching the Blues play, and drinking Beer Barrel Bourbon. It’s actually one of my favorite bourbons and I’ve been frustrated because I couldn’t find it. Tonight, I was disappointed not to see it yet again. Then I started looking at all the choices, trying to figure out something to try.

Turns out they changed not just the label, but the bottle shape as well. I probably just didn’t see it… again and again. But I have some now, and guess what? Good bourbon is yet more fun.

Y’all have a good week.

Current Playlist Song

The dulcet tones of John Kelly, Bernie Federko, and Darren Pang calling the Blues game. It’s 2-2 in the 3rd at the moment.

Side note: I’ve been a fan of the Blues since, frankly, a terrifying moment in the Kiel Center in 1988 or so. I never really thought anything about them going into last year’s playoffs. A friend of mine who’s a big hockey fan said before they won their first series that he actually thought they had a real chance. I thought he was crazy. He might have been, but one Stanley Cup later, he’s my kind of crazy.

Quote of the Week

In 534 on this day, Justinian published his law code. It’s one of the great legal documents of history. Here’s the first section.

“The Emperor Justinian to the Senate of the City of Constantinople. Those things which seem to many former Emperors to require correction, but which none of them ventured to carry into effect, We have decided to accomplish at the present time with the assistance of Almighty God; and to diminish litigation by the revision of the multitude of constitutions which are contained in the Three Codes; namely, the Gregorian, the Hermogenian, and the Theodosian, as well as in those other Codes promulgated after them by Theodosius of Divine Memory, and by other Emperors, who succeeded him, in addition to those which We Ourselves have promulgated, and to combine them in a single Code, under Our auspicious name, in which compilation should be included not only the constitutions of the three above-mentioned Codes, but also such new ones as subsequently have been promulgated.”
– Justinian (Codex Justinianeus, Preface)

News and Works in Progress

  • None Call Me Mother (70,029)
  • CB (8,418)
  • AFS (8,088)

Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions

Upcoming Events

Spotlight

This week’s spotlight is once again on J.F. Holmes and his new shared world, JTF 13. You can find his interview here: https://robhowell.org/blog/?p=1814 and JTF 13: Origins at: https://www.amazon.com/ORIGINS-Joint-Task-Force-Anthology-ebook/dp/B07YR4QR18/.

Today’s Weight: 392.4

Updated Word Count: 189,665

Shijuren Wiki: 874 entries

Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.

Have a great week, everyone.

Rob Howell

Currently Available Works
Shijuren
Four Horsemen Universe
Short Stories

If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org

Weekly Update

Rob’s Update: O It’s Tommy This, an’ Tommy That

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Week 44 of 2019

Greetings all

From a writing standpoint this was a 2 steps forward, 1 step backward kind of week. I went through a significant chunk of None Call Me Mother and cleaned it up.

I also did some plotting and figured out yet one more piece of the puzzle to get all the actors in the final scene.  I expect to see a huge step next week.

I’ve also started an editing project that I’ll talk more about in December.

We’re working on the house, as I often do in November. We got rid of carpet in our great room and have been laying bamboo flooring. The carpet was original, 1983 vintage, and it had seen more than a few battles.

Going to try and knock out a few more words tonight, so I hope everyone has a good weekend.

Current Playlist Song

Instead of music, I worked on this while watching Chris and Sheellah showing old pictures on their weekly CKP Facetime session. If you’re a fan of the Four Horsemen Universe, the Fallen World, or anything put out by Chris Kennedy Publishing, it’s a great way to interact with them.

Quote of the Week

This week’s quote comes from Kipling in honor of Veteran’s Day. Here’s the whole poem: https://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/tommy.html.

O it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, go away”;
But it’s “Thank you, Mister Atkins”, when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it’s “Thank you, Mister Atkins”, when the band begins to play.
– Rudyard Kipling, Tommy

News and Works in Progress

  • None Call Me Mother (63,637)
  • CB (8,418)
  • AFS (8,088)

Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions

Upcoming Events

Spotlight

This week’s spotlight is on J.F. Holmes and his new shared world, JTF 13. You can find his interview here: https://robhowell.org/blog/?p=1814 and JTF 13: Origins at: https://www.amazon.com/ORIGINS-Joint-Task-Force-Anthology-ebook/dp/B07YR4QR18/

Today’s Weight: 394.4

Updated Word Count: 187,467

Shijuren Wiki: 874 entries

Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.

Have a great week, everyone.

Rob Howell

Currently Available Works
Shijuren
Four Horsemen Universe
Short Stories

If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org

Interviews

Interview: J.F. Holmes

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Greetings all

This week’s interview is with J.F. Holmes. He is a really talented military science fiction author and editor. He’s just released the first of a large shared project called JTF 13. I’m really looking forward to seeing how that universe evolves. I especially love its tagline: “They hold the line… between heaven and hell.

Interview: J.F. Holmes

Rob Howell’s Interview Questions

Irregular Scout Team One: Missions
Irregular Scout Team One: Missions

What is your quest?

My quest is to tell the story. I have a boundless imagination, fueled by Tolkien and Asimov, and there are dozens of stories running through my head at any time. Show me an object and I will, on the spot, make up a story about it. So I guess you can say that I need to get it all out.

What is your favorite color?

1968 Ford Green, as painted on a Mustang. I like to tell a story by character interaction and character action. I hate information dumps; I’d rather know by what a person does or says.

What is the average flying speed of an unladen paint brush?

Well, one thing I’ve learned is to follow the Soviet Army doctrine. Reward success, starve failure. If I write a book that maybe I loved but didn’t do well in the market place, then I doubt I’ll ever do a follow up.

Valkyrie Rebellion
Valkyrie Rebellion

What are the powers of your personal Holy Hand Grenade?

Small unit interaction and combat. Both of which are about the people involved in them, nothing else. How do they feel? What emotions are driving their actions? When people ask me about Irregular Scout Team One, I tell them that it’s not about the post apocalyptic world, it’s about the Team.

Lightning Round

  • Favorite Muppet? Kermit. Deep down he’s a smart ass.
  • Your Wrestler Name? Couch Potato
  • And Signature Wrestling Move? Intellectual bafflement. (Rob’s Note: “From the top rope!!!”)
  • Favorite Weird Color? 1968 Ford Green
  • How Will You Conquer the World? I already have, by bringing the world down to my size.
  • What Cartoon Character Are You? Bugs Bunny.
  • Best Present You’ve Ever Received? My Executive Vice President of Happiness for my company, AKA my significant other, Karen. And my two sons, who are good, decent men.
  • What Do You Secretly Plot? Novels. Many Novels.
  • Favorite Sports Team? NY Yankees. Since I was small kid growing up in Long Island.
  • Cake or Pie? Cake.
  • Lime or Lemon? Chocolate
  • Favorite Chip Dip?  Buffalo Ranch
  • Favorite Musical Performer We’ve Never Heard Of? Count Hans Von Haffenpepper, who invented the electric glockenspiel in 1734. A man way ahead of his time.
  • Whisky or Whiskey? I gave up drinking at aged 21 when I realized it made me do really stupid stuff.
  • Favorite Superhero? Superman
  • Favorite Weird Color? 1968 Ford Green
  • Steak Temperature? Well.
  • Favorite 1970s TV show? Battlestar Galactica
  • Best Thing From the 80s? EVERYTHING. You children do not know what the awesomeness of the 1980’s was. And Madonna.
  • Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall? Thanks, now that song is stuck in my head. (Rob’s Note: You’re welcome)
  • Favorite Pet?  My neighbor’s dog.
  • Best Game Ever? D & D, Axis & Allies, Red Storm Rising, TACOPS
  • Coffee or Tea? Tea
  • Sci-Fi or Fantasy? Sci-Fi
  • Brought to you by the letter ___? Q, because Q invents all kinds of cool stuff
JTF 13: Origins
JTF 13: Origins

What question(s) would you like to ask me? 

What is best in life?

Rob’s Answer: To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women!

Second best: Being paid to write stories in the tradition of Robert E. Howard, J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert Heinlein, and so many others. 

Tell me again where we can find your stuff? 

And where can we find you?

So far only Libertycon this year.

Do you have a creator biography?

J.F. Holmes is a retired Army Senior Noncommissioned Officer, having served for 22 years in both the Regular Army and Army National Guard. During that time, he served as everything from an artillery section leader to a member of a Division level planning staff, with tours in Cuba and Iraq, as well as responding to the terrorists attacks in NYC on 9-11.

From 2010 to 2014 he wrote the immensely popular military cartoon strip, “Power Point Ranger”, poking fun at military life in the tradition of Beetle Bailey and Willy & Joe.

His books range from Military Sci-Fi to Space Opera to Detective to Fantasy, with a lot in between, and in 2017 two are finalists for the prestigious Dragon Awards. As of August 2017, Mr. Holmes has eighteen books and two novellas published.

In 2018, he launched Cannon Publishing, www.cannonpublishing.us specializing in anthologies and works from up and coming authors.

Final question for you: What should I have asked but did not? 

You should have asked if I had any any idea what I was getting into? My answer: No.

Thanks to John for taking the time to answer my questions.

If you have any suggestions or comments about this interview format, let me know so I can keep tweaking it.

Also, thanks to you for reading. If you’re interested in any of the other interviews I’ve done, you can find them all here: https://robhowell.org/blog/?cat=326. If you are a creator, especially an independent creator, and you want to be spotlighted in a future interview, email me at rob@robhowell.org.

Finally, if you want to join my mailing list, where I’ll announce every interview, as well as what’s going on in my life, go to www.robhowell.org and fill out the form (Name and Email Address) or drop me an email and I’ll add you.

Have a great day.

Rob Howell

Weekly Update

Rob’s Update: The World is Loaded

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Week 9 of 2018

Greetings all

Sorry that I’m a day late on my update. I was exhausted last night from not sleeping well the previous two nights, and I just went to bed early.

However, it was a pretty good week of writing with both Brief Is My Flame and None Call Me Mother. I mentioned last week that I had an epiphany and realized I needed to go about something backwards. I’ve cleaned up Brief Is My Flame, which sent 1000s of words to None Call Me Mother, but I have also broken the 40k barrier. Major progress there.

This despite a week focused on helping my sweetie through a major work thing. That’s done, and we’re going to take a mini-vacation starting tonight. We’ll ramble our way to Minneapolis generally on the blue highways.

If you don’t know the term blue highways, it comes from a book by the same name. It’s an amazing book, on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Highways-Journey-into-America-ebook/dp/B006BAW16O/. I just finished re-reading it, as a matter of fact.

We’ll see how much work I get done this week as we ramble. My sweetie has been working hard to get over this hump, and I want her to have a good time. I do have some sections just jumping out, though, so when I get opportunities, I’ll be productive.

This past week, I also went through and cleaned up my list of potential conventions. It’s something I’ve needed to do for a while, but part of that is because my sweetie kinda wants to know when I’ll be gone ahead of time. Shocking, I know. Anyway, I’ve added a number of upcoming events on that list. I have several others that I’m waiting on confirmation. Most of 2018 should be mapped out soon.

Now I’d better pack.

Current Playlist Song: Stop! by Jane’s Addiction. This is the opening song on Ritual de la Habitual, and it is one of my top five albums of all time. The radio song, Been Caught Stealing, is the one mediocre song on the album and Three Days might be may favorite song ever.

Quote of the Week

Quite possibly my favorite comedian provides this week’s quote:

I busted a mirror and got seven years bad luck, but my lawyer thinks he can get me five.
– Steven Wright

News and Works in Progress

  • TAV (1144)
  • AFS (2681)
  • Brief Is My Flame (40676)

Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions

Upcoming Events

Spotlight

J.F. Holmes has his Dragon award nominated Invasion, Book I: Resistance ebook for free on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0716YCLH4.

Today’s Weight: 386.2

Updated Word Count: 16796

Shijuren Wiki: 741 entries

Four Horsemen Wiki: 170 entries

Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.

Have a great week, everyone.

Rob Howell
Author of the Shijuren-series of novels

Currently Available Works

If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org