P.J. Howell's Blog

We’re a few weeks into the New Year… Is there still a fire in your belly from expectations to make this a “better year?” Or are you already starting to fizzle? I think that fizzle is caused from an ache for the comfort we left behind before starting our new routines. It could be the diet, new exercise routine, or a commitment to remove bad habits. Or maybe it’s the unknown territory while mapping out a plan to complete a big project. How many want to write that book, start that side hustle or fi...

When you see butterflies, what do they represent to you? Transformation and rebirth? Change and new beginnings? Freedom? When you see certain numbers, do they have a message for you? 11:11 Anna’s Awakening is a story that captures these meanings, in an unexpected way. Anna’s Awakening is a story about grief, relationships, secrets and lies, and what Anna must do to find the meaning behind the message before it’s too late. The eBook format of 11:11 Anna’s Awakening will be available for free from...

If you enjoy spooky ghost stories, and you haven’t yet had a chance to read the short ghost story penned by yours truly, you have a limited time to add the eBook to your library for free! 1313 Psycho Path is a short, spooky read that will give you just the right amount of scary vibes this Halloween season. Grab your free copy of the eBook beginning October 29th and for those who have too many plans this Halloween weekend and don’t want the fun to end, the sale will continue through November 2nd....

Jorja is back and the next release in the Jorja Matthews Mystery Series is now available! With Malicious Mischief is the 7th volume in the series and is available in both eBook and paperback formats. Curious what mysteries Jorja gets involved with this time around? Read on for the blurb… Good intentions leave a soul with no regret, but actions committed with malicious intent will cause others to suffer… The holidays and good cheer are what bookstore and coffee shop owner, Jorja Matthews, looks f...

Yes, I think my blog misses me. And I also miss my blog. It’s been a long time since I shared regular quarterly updates, and I was surprised when I checked to discover the last actual quarterly update was in December of 2021. Now, I’ll show myself some grace since I barely blogged in 2022 and I didn’t blog one bit in 2023. The main reason for that is because I was offered and decided to accept a job in December 2021 (there’s this little thing called…retirement), so that I went back to doing my b...

Who is ready for spring? Let’s see a show of hands… The months of January and February in the Pacific Northwest are by far my least favorite. If these months had a color, I’d consider them to be beige, because other than the highlight of the New Year, there’s just not that much to them. And yet, even though I consider them bland months, January and February can pack a wallop when it comes to winter storms. While the months surrounding the fall and winter holidays were mild, the past two months h...

It’s very cold right now in the PNW and when it stays this cold for any extended time, I just want to curl up under a blanket with a book. Besides wanting to snuggle up and read, I also begin to think about upcoming vacations and new areas I might want to visit and explore. Does this sound like you? Snuggling with a book is easy; taking little effort or money. Vacations, on the other hand, take planning and saving, and a whole lot of steps in between. But I’ve got you covered on both counts. If ...

Are you there Blog? It’s me…P.J. For the first time, ever, I took over a year off from blogging. A little more than a year, actually. I began my blog in December 2011, when I pushed down my fears and decided to share with all who cared that I had completed the draft of my first novel. Pushing against my introverted self, I continued to share about my writing and publishing journey on Blogger and I used the title and subtitle, “Awakened by Dreams to Write: the Journey of a writer who found the co...

Tomorrow is 11/11 and if you aren’t aware, I have a short story titled 11:11 Anna’s Awakening. If you’ve ever seen the same number over and over, you might be interested in this short story. If you haven’t had that experience, you still might be interested in meeting Anna, a woman who is grieving the loss of a child, trying to figure out her marriage with such a huge loss between them, and who begins receiving what she determines is some sort of message. But a message about what? And who is the ...

Looking for a fun, short, spooky read? Look no further! If you enjoy ghost stories, then 1313 Psyho Path will be a ghostly treat for you. And to top it off, rather than a trick, I’m offering you a treat and you can get your copy of the eBook for FREE! If you’re looking for a spooky story you can read through in one sitting, that’ll add to the holiday flavor that is Halloween, then don’t waste another minute. You can enjoy this short story about a group of teens, a spooky old house, and ghosts wh...