A description of what my calling has produced

Senesis Word Publishing
104 Leeward Court  -  St. Augustine, FL 32084  904-687-1865
Nationwide cell phone:  574-265-3386 - email: senesisword@yahoo.com

 Publishing Services for Writers who choose to Self Publish  

May 26, 2015 - an update:

May 24, 2012

With this little booklet, I will try to explain what has become my passion and my last HURRAH so to speak. I am sharing this with each of you, to read if you wish. It has taken me more than ten years to reach where I am with this passion and it is my hope that I will continue to grow from my experiences. I also hope you will take the time to read the pages that follow this short letter.

Why I Write: I am a story teller, both fiction and memoirs: fabricated and remembered. My writing dreams are bigger than I could possibly be. That alone should help keep me young at heart and always thirsting for another day, even at my age. Some time back I told everyone on my email list that I discovered I was a writer, but I didn't say why. Each story, thought, idea, or memory that I put into words brings forth from the depths of my mind and imagination, more stories, more thoughts, more ideas, and more memories. I am deliciously excited by writing these things. It has become my  great passion, somewhat like this little phrase I wrote several years ago. Those in their youth, who can, dream. Those in their prime, who can, do. Those in their old age, who can, write. For many years I was an avid reader, devouring all kinds of literature. Once I started writing, my reading time gave way to mostly writing time. Writing is so much more rewarding. Certainly I would like my words to be read, but my main pleasure lies in the writing. I would write even if I knew no one would ever read my words.

So think about writing. If there is a story or memory in you, give it the wings of the written word. Who knows how many others you may touch.

—Howard Johnson, 2011

I am sending this to tell you about my writing and my own, new publishing company, Senesis Word.

Struggling with several kinds of publishing companies, agents and others for ten years taught me a great deal about this rapidly changing business. Actually, I have just scratched the surface. After two very expensive lessons, I dug in and learned a lot about what makes for a successful book. If you are not an established author or a celebrity or politician of some note, making a living writing is difficult, and for the inexperienced, virtually impossible. Having been engaged in this struggle, I decided to offer my services to others starting on the path I have already trod. As a result I started my own publishing company, Senesis Word, to provide development assistance to the many unpublished and unheralded writers struggling to have their words published, if only for friends and family.

My website, www.Ho2Jo.com, can provide much information about the services offered. The costs for these services are surprisingly low and depend on just how much the writer asks me to do. An estimate of the costs associated with any project will be provided free of charge.

As an active member of the Florida Writers Association and several other groups of writers, I know many really good writers who have never made a penny from their work. I also know a very few who have at least made some money. Still, they all say, “Don’t give up your day job until . . . .” There are, of course, those lucky, and usually hard working, writers who have cracked the best sellers lists. This can happen after being noticed for any number of unfathomable reasons. Knowing someone already successful in the business can give you a leg up. Even then, there are a number of very necessary steps one must take to turn one’s idea onto a finished book, and that’s before a single copy is sold. Should you have any interest, I can and would love to provide you with invaluable information, books and reports on writing for both newbies and experienced writers.

I have become a prolific writer and work hard to make my writing clear, interesting and compelling. I have three finished books published and three more that will soon be published, hopefully early in 2012. I have five more writing projects in stages from half finished to just started, and many more in the idea stage. Most, but not all of my fiction is hard science fiction. Hard science fiction is fiction in which the science behind the story is relatively accurate, possible—usually extrapolated from our current science—science pushed into the future—sometimes, far into the future. It is quite different from fantasy and there is no magic or suspension of the basic laws of physics, math, or chemistry. Sometimes fact catches up with fiction as new and real technologies replace previously fictional ones. From Jules Verne to Arthur C. Clark, SciFi imaginings have become later realities.

LATEST BOOKS PUBLISHED BY HOWARD JOHNSON:

DOUBLE JEOPARDY is the second book of the BLUE SHIFT Trilogy.  BLUE SHIFT, the first book, tells the story of the discovery of a star moving at ninety percent of the speed of light toward an intersection with the path our solar system is taking through the galaxy. This intersection will take place in approximately thirty years.

Dr Charlie Botkin, from Cal Tech, one of the worlds top authorities on high energy physics is asked for help in determining just what the effects of the star’s passing so close to the Earth might be. Shortly after the mysterious disappearance of his uncle C he becomes deeply involved in the ongoing task of predicting how close the star will pass, and what damage it might do. Working with the original group from Gemini, Crazy Charlie helps in their effort to keep the public calm. Armed with increasingly accurate projections of the path and possible effects of the ghost star, Charlie predicts there is a good chance it will pass with little or no effect on the Earth. In the midst of this, a new menace appears in the form of a large asteroid that is on a collision course with Earth. International cooperation on an unprecedented scale is organized to try to solve this unexpected new cataclysmic danger. Published, May, 2015

EARLIER BOOKS PUBLISHED BY HOWARD JOHNSON,

LISTED EARLIEST FIRST TO LATEST LAST

Blue Shift is my first book, a SciFi novel published in 2002. I received several rave reviews in newspapers, but sales were meager. That was mostly because of my inability to follow through on my publisher’s marketing plan. My wife, Barbara’s deteriorating health kept me from attending the speaking engagements and book publicity my publisher had arranged. The few book signings I did manage to have were quite successful. All told more than 400 books were sold, a very small number in the real world.

The story takes us from the big island of Hawaii to a Mohawk Indian reservation in upstate New York and back. The characters are mostly from the two very different groups of native Americans found there, Hawaiians and Mohawks. Using the new Gemini telescope on the island of Hawaii, astronomer Angus Thomas, a Mohawk Indian and popular pro football player, discovers a wayward star that threatens to destroy all life when it races past the Earth in about thirty years. Discovery of this inescapable menace unleashes snowballinig events that batter the former all-pro running back, his beautiful Hawaiian assistant, Lani Namahoe, their families and friends. This determined group of people battle ignorance, internal enemies and government agents as they deal with the discovery of this irresistible, unavoidable  menace that man is absolutely powerless to change or escape. Then they face the awesome responsibility of publicly announcing the probable end of life on Earth while struggling against forces that want to prevent them from doing so. Love, adventure, and intrigue heighten the anticipation of the growing threat of annihilation.

The book is still available from most popular book sources and from my website. An ebook form for the Kindle is available, with other formats coming in the near future. Also coming in the future will be the second and third books in the Blue Shift trilogy. Blue Shift II deals with the significant people and events during the twenty eight years between the conclusion of first Blue Shift and the near approach of the ghost star. Blue Shift III deals with the last two years as the star approaches and what happens as it passes through the solar system, the final conclusion of the trilogy. I hope to finish and publish Blue Shift II in 2012, and Blue Shift III in 2013.

My second book, Energy, Convenient Solutions, How Americans can Solve the Energy Crisis in Ten Years, is a non fiction book about energy. It is the culmination of ten years of my research into all manner of energy creation and use in a field where I have had considerable experience.

In the book I say, “We can replace all fossil fuels with renewable fuels and alternative energy sources within ten years and with relatively minor disruptions to present manufacturing and distribution systems.  Energy, Convenient solutions describes most of the existing and proposed energy systems, all within current technology and capabilities. Some of these proposed systems are quite unusual and recently announced. It provides many unique and workable, long-term answers to growing concerns about energy, the economy, and dwindling supplies of petroleum.  Adopting these new systems would improve our balance of trade, our economy, our job opportunities, and our technological presence while eliminating the CO2 problem, regardless of its importance. We no longer have the luxury of time. The growing economic/political menace is here, now, real, and dangerous. If we don’t act immediately, the consequences could be catastrophic.”

Publication of the book was followed by publication of numerous articles in trade publications in many fields related to energy. Numerous book reviews, most quite positive have been written and published since publication early in the fall of 2010. Most of the negative reviews focused on the comments made about politics, Islam, and the lack of a single definitive answer. Obviously these reviewers failed to recognize the power politics and politicians have over energy decisions, even though most are poorly informed on the subject. Anyone who doesn’t see the danger oil-rich nations can pose, and the financial drain this causes the western world are wearing blinders. As long as petroleum remains our primary energy source, these factors must be considered. The answer is not a single system, or technology, but a combination of many, some effective in one field, others in different fields and industries. The one-size-fits-all solution so adored by politicians and the media, is completely impractical. The obvious difficulties and expensive collapse of many companies developing radical new technologies is just one of the lessons we must learn.

The third one of my books, Words from the Lakeside, has just been replaced by two new books, Memoirs from the Lakeside, and Words from the Lakeside, are updated and expanded versions of the same book. See the next section for information about these books. 

Both  books are identical except for the titles. They are a combination anthology and collection of quips, quotes, poems, essays, letters, and memoirs. My contributions date from as early as the 1930s. Some quotes are from earlier times, dating as far back as before the Common Era.

Over many years I have collected a wide variety of sayings, letters, poems, and essays. All of the short stories and essays are my own work along with many of the sayings and other writings. In any case, the sources and authors are acknowledged except for those marked, unknown or anonymous. The memoirs are from my childhood and youth years around Lake Tippecanoe in Northern Indiana and continue to the present. Because of the variety from one liners to complete stories, both Lakeside books are ideal reads for a few minutes or for a relaxed hour. Many of the memoirs recall memorable happenings from a very full life. I have had a blast for a life with many contacts with wonderful and fascinating people—friends, relatives, and those sharing but a single moment. Many of these haunting experiences are shared within the pages of this book.Parts of the memoirs are very personal revelations. Most are fond memories of treasured experiences, often with loved ones. Some are memories that carry some unpleasantness, but that is just the way life happens.

There are quite a few new memoirs, not in the earlier books. I have simply expanded Words from the Lakeside into two books. This one contains all of the quotes and a greatly expanded number of memoirs.

I am a member of a group of memoir writers who meet for an hour and a half every Wednesday morning. Several members read their work during each meeting, then we all can comment. It is interesting to note that often one memoir will trigger a memory of a similar or related story in one or more of our minds. Almost every meeting, one reading will trigger a memory in my mind and prompt me to write a new memoir. The number of memoirs I have written as part of this group are now a part of this new book. I’m sure I have enough more memories to fill at least one more book of memoirs. It seems that each memoir I write prompts memories of other happenings worth writing about.

Starring, a completely new book, has just been released and is available through most book outlets. It was originally titled, Short Stories, Mostly SciFi. A fellow writer and member of the Science Fiction Novelists group, D. Keith Howington, suggested the title, Starring after seeing a copy of the cover of my book with the title, Short Stories, Mostly SciFi. Keith very graciously suggested this title and told me I could use it if I wanted to. Once I placed it on the cover, I immediately loved it and so I took him up on his offer. I will be sending him a copy from the very first printing of the final version.

From the text on the back of the book:This collection of mostly SciFi stories is taken partially from the collection, Howard Johnson says, “Hard science fiction is basically all fictional writing that uses extrapolation of real science—or actual science and technology expanded by the writer’s vision—as far into the future, or past, as his or her creative imagination can take us. It is based on what we can imagine technology of the future to be. Jules Verne was a pioneer in this type of fiction. Look at all the things he imagined that have actually come to pass.

“Several of these stories deal with not only our own advanced technology, but with that of alien species from other worlds, other galaxies, even other universes. Yet all stories deal with mostly very human foibles, problems, interactions with others, sometimes even alien intelligent species. Many of the settings are on other planets where things like the atmosphere, gravity, the native flora and fauna, can be quite different from here on our small planet. While many of the writers of science fiction are scientists, enjoyable SciFi stories should be written so those not based in the  sciences can understand and enjoy the action. Much of what we use every day would have been far out science fiction 50, 30, or even 20 years ago, the iphone for example. When I was young, I knew man would some day go to the moon. I never dreamed then that it would be in my lifetime. Our abilities and knowledge grow at an exponential rate. The time to the future is becoming increasingly compressed.”

The Crystal Feather is my second hard science fiction novel and is very different from the first one, Blue Shift. In 2008 an early manuscript of The Crystal Feather, was submitted in the Florida Writers Association Lighthouse novel contest along with more than a hundred others. The first several chapters and a synopsis were the submission requirements. I was surprised and elated when The Crystal Feather, entry took the first place prize. It has taken me three years to finish the novel which is now published and available in both print and ebook versions.

The story: Dr. Draxel Syl has a wild, off-Earth adventure with a drop-dead gorgeous lady named Leura Clauson. Reeling from this experience, he wanders about trying to learn what really happened, who Leura actually is, and what these strange happenings are about. This leads to his learning of and interacting with other humanoids from universes in other dimensions, actually other, parallel universes. In the process, he is abducted and transferred by “portal” to another part of our galaxy by a Segwah star ship captain. The Segwah are a humanoid species closely related to Humans, but from a different universe in a different dimension of space-time. The Scentar, another humanoid species, are from yet another universe in another dimension. The Scentar and Segwah have been at war with each other for millennia, invading each other’s universes and killing each other.

Drax, a principal gravity scientist of the Eegis project in Pasadena has inadvertently created a slowly growing rift or tear in the space-time fabric between the Human and Scentar universes. This tear, caused by one of his research projects at Eegis, could cause the two universes to fold into each other, annihilating both. While the Segwah are virtually identical to Earth’s Neanderthals, the Scentar are quite the opposite, slender and physically very beautiful by human standards. Both Scentar and Segwah have cultures very different from each other and from Humans as well. The Scentar are quite different in another way. There are twice as many females as males because each female birth is identical twins, while male births are always single.  This makes their culture and morality based on two female twins bonding with a single male, a very unusual family structure and related sexual morality.

Parts of this book, The Feudals, are about very controversial subjects, so must be read with an open mind. To those who are offended or think me crazy, I address the following quote from Angela Monet. 

“Those who dance are thought insane by those who can’t hear the music.”

The Feudals, is a collection of political essays: It is mainly about those I call “Feudals” because of their desire for a political system similar to the Feudal system of the middle ages in Europe. Please note: This book is not “politically correct.” Some of my words will probably  offend people with widely varying viewpoints.  I’m certain I have written something to offend everyone.  Let’s say I am an equal opportunity offender. These words represent many viewpoints, some quite controversial. They are not written deliberately to offend or insult, but to stimulate debate and interest in things we often choose to ignore. The final edition of the book is planned for release late in 2012.

This book is a collection of my own ideas, thoughts and concepts in the arena of politics. The conclusions and projections are based on frequently cited evidence. I refuse to believe, accept,  or trust the words of any person considered to be a politician or media personality. I do believe their actions and often hidden agenda. What they do is what they are and what reflects their agenda, not what they say or promise.

The book explores the actions and motives of those who mostly ignore the realities of rational people, finance, and the marketplace. These despots, mostly elitist intellectuals, use the emotions of class envy, hatred and racial tension to gain supporters. Their use of base emotions far overpowers rational thought in the minds of many voters. This book seeks to examine this irrational phenomenon. In these words are descriptions of those things I distrust:  hypocrisy, ignorance, snobbery, elitist intellectualism, closed minds, propaganda, political slavery and irresponsibility. I favor using emotions to enjoy love, the arts, people, and successes of any size. I also favor logical thought processes for making life decisions, especially political ones. I quote from one of my earlier writings, “Observe what politicians do and ignore what they say. Their words are seldom sheeted to the winds of truth.”

Days of the High Morning Moon is a completely new and different type of novel for me. A suspense thriller, it explores a planned crime that leads to unplanned murder on Lake Tippecanoe in northern Indiana. Having grown up there, I am very familiar with the locale and all of the places in the book. They are very real places one can visit and see. Of course, the characters and situations are all fictional.

Among the folklore of some native American Algonkians, there is a belief that the five days when the moon is high in the sky near mid morning, are days of big troubles. This moon is called Wakiapah Tibik-kìzis in the local Algonquian dialect. This translates roughly into High Morning Moon. The danger rises with the gibbous moon, two days before the half moon of the third quarter and continues for the two days after. During this period, the worst day is the middle one when the half moon stands at the zenith at sunrise. Many researchers think this belief originated around women’s menstrual period.  During these days, believers will not plant any crops, hunt, fight wars, or conduct any business. They will, however, defend themselves if attacked.

The story takes place around labor day in modern times during these days when the morning moon rides high. Its locale is in an area of Indiana rich in the lore and history of the Algonquian tribes, mainly Miami and Potawatomi. An unlikely mix of characters lead a retired Chicago homicide detective on a confusing set of activities. Ragan Yoder grew up on the lake as did I. He returned to his boyhood home when he retired, but was soon the principal homicide detective in Kosciusko County where much of the action takes place. His home is the home my parents built in 1958 where I lived for more than twenty-five years. That makes it easy for me to describe in the book.

I started this book on a whim when Daphne and I were in Hawaii. That’s where I took the photo that makes up the cover. If history is any indicator, it will take me two years to finish the story. I must say that so far it has been a great pleasure writing such a different and plausible story so unlike the hard science fiction I usually write. Also, it seems to be progressing much quicker than my previous works. As of this moment, the book is nearly completed. Only the final few chapters need to be finished and a final edit of the entire book completed. Maybe I’ll finish and publish it in 2015. Only time will tell.

I have also created a large number of small booklets on many different subjects. This one, Genesis 2012, is the current version of the booklet I use with my lecture, Science and Religion, a Revelation.

Do you have a story or stories to tell? I’ll bet you do.

Each of us has stories to tell, stories that should be told that others would love to read, especially family members. We all know how to write. We write letters, emails, we tell people jokes and little stories about our experiences. Not all of us can be writers. That’s just a simple fact. However, many of you could write about things you would like to pass on to your children and grandchildren, things about you that you would like for them to know. My grandfather, George Dickinson told me many stories of his life growing up and as a young man. My father and mother did the same. I remember but a tiny portion of those stories. I would love to be able to read all of them, but they didn’t write them down. Some of theses stories are imbedded in my memoirs. I do not want to deny my grandchildren access to the stories of happenings in my life so I have written and collected many memoirs. These are the little stories I would tell people about things that happened, significant things, things my progeny might like to know about before they were born or while they were very young. Not all of these are pleasant or happy stories for there are dark times in all of our lives. Still, time helps lessen the memories of trauma, physical and emotional. I therefore urge you to write. Write the stories of your life. Tell your as yet unborn descendants about your life so they will know you.

I remember just a few stories my parents told about my dad’s parents and about my sisters before I was born. To me my paternal grandparents are virtually unknown other than those few stories and a few photos. How wonderful it would have been if they had written about their childhoods and lives. I would then at least known something of my ancestry. As it is they are merely names ad faces frozen at an advanced age. How did they meet? What about their parents? A hundred years from now, who will know anything about those ancestors just two generations back? If you write about your life, they will be able to learn at least some part of who you were, what you did, and how you lived your life. Think about it.

Should you make the decision to write, I would be pleased to offer help and instruction, mainly so you won’t have to make the mistakes I have already made. Writing memoirs can be an exciting and rewarding experience and provide your family with valuable and permanent information.

CONTACT:  Howard Johnson - Senesis Word Publishing

104 Leeward Court  -  St. Augustine, FL 32084  904-687-1865

Nationwide cell phone:  574-265-3386 - email: senesisword@yahoo.com

To read my description of how my calling came to be, see the next entry.