59 ratings | 58 reviews | avg rating:3.98

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Sue

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Rebecca Vance

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K.A. Krisko

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Boyko Ovcharov

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Emma Jaye

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Jay Howard

Goodreads Author

Born

The United Kingdom

Member Since

February 2012

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/jay_howard

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Writing is a mixture of OCD and schizophrenia. Each time I finish a novel or short story I wonder why I put myself through so much hard work and frustration. But you know what they say about forgetting the pain of birth once you have the joy of holding your baby… I know full well that the characters in my head will insist I carry on. I hear their conversations, they drive me back to the keyboard. I hope you enjoying reading what I’ve transcribed.

I blame my husband. It’s all his fault for pushing me to actually finish and publish that first novel. I suppose his patience was wearing thin after so many years ;-) I haven’t asked him if he remembers any of the many swear words I invented when I was trying to master all the other skills I needed Writing is a mixture of OCD and schizophrenia. Each time I finish a novel or short story I wonder why I put myself through so much hard work and frustration. But you know what they say about forgetting the pain of birth once you have the joy of holding your baby… I know full well that the characters in my head will insist I carry on. I hear their conversations, they drive me back to the keyboard. I hope you enjoying reading what I’ve transcribed.

I blame my husband. It’s all his fault for pushing me to actually finish and publish that first novel. I suppose his patience was wearing thin after so many years ;-) I haven’t asked him if he remembers any of the many swear words I invented when I was trying to master all the other skills I needed in order to achieve a professional level of publication.

I am a very lucky woman. I am far from rich in worldly terms, but I am wealthy beyond measure in my family and friends. I have also been amazed at the generosity of other authors, who have taken time from their own busy lives to help me improve my craft. I suppose it’s rather appropriate that in publishing online I find I’ve made so many more friends online. What an amazing, vibrant world this interweb is.

I was born in Bedfordshire. My family moved to Wales when I was 11 and I am the only one of the clan to have left, first of all trying London for size. I have lived and worked in many places, as diverse as Gateshead, Berkshire, British Columbia and Alberta (I hold dual citizenship), settling in Somerset in 2002.

If you get the chance I can thoroughly recommend taking the 4 days needed to travel by train from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast of my other country. It's only by travelling by land that you can appreciate the vastness and diversity of Canada. Listen to the stories your fellow travellers will have to tell and you could well find yourself inspired to write too.

My debut novel, Never Too Late (Changes Book 1), was started when I was working in Jasper, Alberta. I have just published the sequel, New Beginnings (August 2012) and I have outlines for many more novels. I'm ready to spend time with new characters in new locations. I just have to decide which people to meet first... I didn't believe it when I heard other authors talking about their characters surprising them. I was firmly of the opinion that you create your characters and you will have control over their actions. Wrong! They are living, breathing people, with their own ideas about how their lives will pan out.

Writing and publishing have put me through a real rollercoaster of emotions. I'm still struggling to believe there are now thousands of people around the world who are reading my work. Darling husband of mine, what have you started? ...more

4 posts
Jay Howard's Blog

Anthology for charity

woohoo! It's up to #80 in the anthologies on Amazon.co.uk :)

What is? This book of shorts:

that I have just published on behalf of Saluki Welfare Fund. 100% of royalties go to helping the dedicated volunteers who care for and find new loving homes for Salukis who have fallen on hard times. Hopefully there will be a steady flow of income for these beautiful sighthounds who have stolen my heart. A Read more of this blog post »

8 likes · Like • 4 comments • flag

Published on March 04, 2013 15:14

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Combine Editions
Jay Howard’s books

Average rating: 4.22 · 128 ratings · 48 reviews · 14 distinct works

	Of Words and Water: 2013 by Jay Howard (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Ali Isaac, Kerry Dwyer 4.66 avg rating — 38 ratings — published 2013 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Herbs & Spices: Rubs, Blends and Mixes: An In-depth Guide to Creating Your Own Seasonings 4.08 avg rating — 25 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Never Too Late (Changes, #1) 3.62 avg rating — 21 ratings — published 2011 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Pork Cuisine: Recipes High on the Hog 4.10 avg rating — 10 ratings — published 2015 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Of Words and Water: 2014 by Jay Howard (Goodreads Author) (Editor/Contributor), K.A. Krisko (Goodreads Author) (Contributor), Kerry Dwyer (Contributor) 4.63 avg rating — 8 ratings — published 2014 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	As The Sun Goes Down 4.25 avg rating — 8 ratings — published 2013 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Similar Differences 3.80 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2014 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	New Beginnings (Changes, #2) 3.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2012 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Before the Hammer Falls: The Insider's Guide to Property Auction Success by Jay Howard (Goodreads Author), Piotr Rusinek it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Unforeseen Circumstances: A collection of insane stories to let your boss know why you won't be at work today. it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Series by Jay Howard

Changes (2 books)
by

Jay Howard (Goodreads Author)

3.63 avg rating — 24 ratings

Jay is Currently Reading

Jay Howard is currently reading

A Sea Change

by Annette A. Reynolds (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Dec 01, 2012 10:03AM

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Goodreads Librari...: Combine Editions / B&N Link Help	21	185	Sep 03, 2012 06:50PM
Basically Books!: ARR # 54 - NEVER TOO LATE by Jay Howard	7	93	Sep 20, 2012 05:34AM
UK Amazon Kindle ...: Self Challenge. Jay-me's second challenge - 2012 - Our Authors	74	100	Jan 27, 2014 12:08AM
Review Group: GROUP 25	249	117	Apr 09, 2014 05:21AM
UK Amazon Kindle ...: * Our Authors' Blogs, Facebook and Twitter links Be Sure to Add Your Blog to the Group Blog Ring!	421	826	Jul 07, 2021 12:26AM

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Jay’s Quotes

“What pillow can one have like a good conscience?”
― John Steinbeck, Tortilla Flat

tags: conscience, pillow, sleep

27 likes

“And the little screaming fact that sounds through all history: repression works only to strengthen and knit the repressed.”
― John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath

tags: repression, strength

1625 likes

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”
― Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

tags: better-life-empathy

18095 likes

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.”
― George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons

tags: read, readers, reading, reading-books

34779 likes

“He was mastered by the sheer surging of life, the tidal wave of being, the perfect joy of each separate muscle, joint, and sinew in that it was everything that was not death, that it was aglow and rampant, expressing itself in movement, flying exultantly under the stars.”
― Jack London, The Call of the Wild

tags: joy, life, nature

1236 likes

More of Jay’s quotes…

Jay’s Friend Comments

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message 10: by Larry

Dec 05, 2016 01:53PM

Hi Jay! I finally got some health problems ironed out and decided to get back on GR. I just wanted to say Hi and hope you're doing well.

reply | flag

message 9: by Lara

Jul 18, 2016 09:47PM

Hello Jay.
Reading your wonderful reviews, I would like to ask you about reviewing my latest novel.
Through the Baltic Looking-Glass

reply | flag

message 8: by Larry

Apr 24, 2013 05:43PM

Jay, I have a question. After reading Perverse, some readers have put o their 'to read list' my first novel, "Today I Am A Man". How do they get the novel - do they purchase it or is it up to me to send them a file? No one has approached me per se.

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message 7: by Jay

Oct 21, 2012 07:22AM

Wow, Engelia, that must mean your name is totally unique, how thrilling!

I suggest you put these links in here:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...
and ask for feedback. I'll take a look myself in a week or so when I've had chance to catch up on a bunch of other stuff.

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message 6: by Jay

Sep 18, 2012 03:12PM

That's brilliant news, JoAnn, as we're just forming up Group 3 (I'm amazed - that many people reviewing already!). These are the threads to watch, but please join in the discussions and playful threads too :)
This one to register for a reviewing group:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...
This one for the group you'll be in:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...
cheers
Jay

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message 5: by JoAnn

Sep 18, 2012 01:07PM

Hello Jay,
Guess you'd be the best person to let know I'm caught up on my reading commitments and ready to read for someone. Of course I would like to have my book read too. It's a historical novel,"Yet Another Fallen Star" Just let me know please.
JoAnn

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message 4: by Jay (last edited Sep 18, 2012 12:22PM)

Sep 18, 2012 12:21PM

Hi Gloria,
You use exactly the same word as I did when I first joined GR - fumbling. That's just how it felt to begin with. I didn't have a clue! One thing I found very quickly was how friendly and helpful the members are. Never feel a fool for needing to ask a question.

you are in review group 2, so that's the thread to watch. You are reviewing Ali's book first, so follow the link I posted, friend her and sort out getting her book. You don't have to wait until the start date.

Anything you want to know, post in the group threads or PM me :)

Enjoy!

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message 3: by Gloria

Sep 17, 2012 09:47PM

Whoops, I mean Review Group 2, not 3.

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message 2: by Gloria

Sep 17, 2012 09:44PM

Hi, Jay,
Glad to have you as a friend. I'm fumbling my way along, figuring how to be part of the review group. So I guess I'm part of Review Group 3? So far as I know, September 22 sounds OK for beginning a review.

I'm part of an online writers group where we critique novels--not continuously, but I'm anticipating having one of mine critted, which means I'd be busy for about 4 weeks simultaneously critiquing. Not sure when that will happen.

I guess you know the mechanics of our reviewing here and can lead me through, and then I'll be less of a fumbler as we proceed.

Again, thanks.

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message 1: by Jay

Sep 15, 2012 02:11AM

No cookies I'm afraid, Susan, but I bake a mean chocolate cake if you want a slice :)
And you can probably tell from my bookshelves that I'm one of those people who move a 2nd time and find I still have boxes packed from the previous move!

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