Finalist - Writer Advice's Flash Travel Contest

Just received word that I have been selected as one of the nine nationwide Finalist in the Writer Advice’s Flash Travel Contest. https://www.writeradvice.com

I’m excited! Worked hard on this getting the original down to the “Flash” size requirement. I bet I made twenty (maybe more passes on the original).

Winner should be selected and notified by the 19^th of September. (Next week)

Topic: How-I-Spent-My-Summer-Vacation – from dream trips to hikes in the wilderness to space travel to luxury vacations to exploration gone awry – the protagonist’s take on what happened and why it matters.

https://www.writeradvice.com

Howard

Brazos Valley Book Festival

Check out the article in the Bryan Eagle from 16 May 2018!

Good discussion of former residents coming back to share their work with the community they grew up with.

Extracted from Eagle Article:

After having to reschedule twice, the Brazos Valley Book Festival is coming to Bryan on Saturday, bringing local and other Texas authors to the Palace Theater.

The purpose of the book festival -- one of about six put on by the Texas Association of Authors and the Book Festival Network around the state -- is to connect authors and readers.

"It's just kind of a homecoming," Ernie Lee said, noting his fellow Stephen F. Austin High class of '65 classmate Howard Hatfield will also be participating in the first Brazos Valley Book Festival.

Ernie Lee

Aspiring writers of all ages can leave the festival having met and interacted with best-selling and award-winning Texas authors.

The most difficult part about being an author, Lee said, is getting the word out about your books and getting that work into people's hands.

"Without book fairs around the state and country, that would be much, much more difficult," the Bryan native said.

For Hatfield, Saturday's festival will only be his second as an author. His first was in October in Austin, where he currently lives.

John Howard Hatfield

"This author thing is kind of new to me," he said. "I've written all my life, but never took it this far."

In addition to gaining more festival experience, Hatfield said, he enjoys talking with people, which he will get to do at the free festival.

"I am basically a storyteller, so I've been doing that all my life," he said.

"Basically my book is a collection of stories I used throughout my career to solve leadership problems. I just really enjoy talking. I meet people everywhere, and I sort of make them talk."

See the entire article at:

http://www.theeagle.com/news/local/book-festival-aims-to-connect-texas-authors-and-readers-while/article_d68ce1c5-3aa0-5592-8b23-efca173bc91b.html

Brazos Valley Book Festival

Saturday next (19 May 18), I will be working the Brazos Valley Book Festival in Downtown Bryan, Texas.

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to get out and interact with my fans and meet, greet and talk with the general public. I’m really looking forward to seeing what it’s like again plus having the thrill of telling some stories and hawking the book’

Come out and see us.

John Howard Hatfield

Brazos Valley Book Festival

Join me at the @BrazosValleyBF

May 19th at the Palace Theater in Downtown Bryan, TX

9 AM - 2 PM

 

 

There's a Moose in the Guard Shack!

 

Didja ever hear ‘bout…, or ya ain’t gonna believe this s&#t, but…

I searched for years for guidance that represented a better approach to solving the day-to-day problems consuming a leader’s time. Eventually, I realized I possessed the answer. During a staff meeting the light came on; I had experienced situations like the one being discussed—plus many we had previously encountered. I began to use my experience to solve new, but similar problems.

Throughout my career in the military and manufacturing, when presented with a troublesome situation, I gathered my staff and direct reports and said: “Guys let me tell you a story.” I would then relate the facts, details and circumstances from one of my experiences. Then we, as a group, would discuss it and our approach to solving our problem.

“There’s a Moose” is exactly that—stuff happens and stuff gets solved—a common sense approach from my experiences over a career in leadership. The adventures inside are all true. I know because I was there when they took place and often was the one to whom they took place. These are just some of those stories, what I learned and what I took away from them.

John Howard Hatfield is a retired materials management and manufacturing professional with over forty years in the military and manufacturing arenas. He spent time at sixty plus posts while in the military and has traveled to all fifty states (working in twenty-two of them). Howard earned a Masters from Central Michigan, a MS from the U.S. Army C&GS College, and a BBA from Texas A&M. He has more olive drab shirts than his wife wishes and enough hats to wear a different one every day of the year. He, his wife Patsy and his two dogs reside in Austin, Texas.

Looking forward to seeing you there.