Pieces of Me

By Janie Howard

This book is a collection of fiction and nonfiction short stories and poems written by Janie Howard.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Janie Howard
• Release date: Oct 15, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310443213

Janie Howard

Hi everyone! Welcome to my world! My name is Janie Howard. I'm originally from Atlanta, Georgia, but lived in Florida for many years. January 2014 was the beginning of a new start for me. I moved back home to Georgia and now live in Canton with my family. It's been quite an adjustment, but exciting too. I'm happy to be back home again and having the chance for a new life with new adventures.I enjoy reading and writing- fiction and nonfiction. I enjoy writing nonfiction because it gives me the opportunity to interview people to see what their thoughts and opinions are on different subjects. I'm into the paranormal and I like to hear about other people's personal experiences with spirits and with the unexplained. The paranormal isn't just about ghost hunting. There is the human factor also. It's about the history of people, places and the histories of families. Every family has its own stories to tell and I love to hear those stories. Writing fiction is enjoyable to me because it gives me the chance to stretch my brain and create my own worlds. Creating the people that live in those worlds lets my imagination fly. They can be anything and they can do anything. It's all about freedom, folks.I am a retired school bus driver of nine years with Alachua and Marion County, Florida. I attended and graduated from the Long Ridge Writers Group program. My article, "Overlooked", was about bus driving and was published as a special feature in the Ocala Star Banner on November 28, 2004. I attended and graduated with honors from Rasmussen College in Ocala, Florida with an Associates Degree of Science in Criminal Justice/Psychology. I have written for the Yahoo! Contributor Network and some of my work was published on Yahoo Voices.

Book preview

Pieces of Me

By Janie Howard

Published by Janie Howard at Smashwords

copyright 2014 Janie Howard

All Rights Reserved

Smashwords Edition Statement

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person,please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hardwork of this author.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my good friend, Savvy Schmidt, who reminds me everyday of the endless possibilities in my life now and that I should never settle for second best or for less than what I want.

Table of Contents

About this Collection

The Wolf and Me

Ghost Dance

Across the Line

First Class

The Storm

The Fight

Crossing the Divide

A Friend Says Good-bye

A Visit at the Hospital

Mama Goes Home

In Memory of Mr. Phil

Guitar Man

The Native in My Heart

Spirit Man

Reflections of Me

Life as We’ve Known It

Prince of Men

Cemeteries: The History of a Nation

Jessie’s Great Escape

Acknowledgements

About Janie Howard

Connect with Janie Howard

About This Collection

This book is a collection of fiction short stories, nonfiction short stories and poetry.

There are many people who inspired the stories and poems within this book. Some of the poems were written for specific people while others were dedicated to a certain person. The Wolf and Me was written for my friend, Dire Wolf, and is dedicated to him. The Guitar Man, was written for and is dedicated to my hero and friend, CJ Roberts. The Prince of Men, was written for a friend in Tunisia, Dali Chalbi, and is dedicated to him. The poem, The Native in My Heart is dedicated to my cousin, Tammy Dison, because she loved the poem so much. The Native man that the poem was written for will forever remain a mystery. Another person I want to mention is my good friend, Jstn Green, whose sense of humor, advice and friendship means the world to me and has kept me going on those days when I felt like giving up. Thank you for the honest opinions and for listening to me vent. You rock!

The book cover was designed and created by my brother, Tom Rager.

The Wolf and Me

Eyes as dark as the midnight sky,

I feel his approach the time grows nigh.

We run in my dreams, the wolf and I,

Connected in spirit till the day we die.

We run in the night in search of peace,

Always together, the wolf and me.

We search for a place that we can call home,

Cursed forever to always roam.

We run in the night over hills and streams,

Always searching, the wolf and me.

There once was a time when we were called brother,

Today we are only considered a bother.

Will there again be a place for us,

In a world full of chaos, greed and bloodlust?

Running in the night through forests and streams,

Forever alone, the wolf and me.

Ghost Dance

Ella Mae Woods sat with her head in one hand, while the fingers of her other drummed on the table at Shelton's Ice Cream Parlor. The jukebox in the corner played a Charlie Daniels song, The Devil Went Down to Georgia, as she glanced toward the door for the fourth time.

That boy is always late. She blew the bangs out of her eyes and glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. He should have been here 30 minutes ago.

She shifted her eyes from watching the door and the clock, to the elder man who wiped down the table next to her.

Is everything okay, Ella Mae? Fayne Shelton asked. You've been sitting at that table for over 30 minutes and you're looking fit to be tied.

Lamar asked me to meet him here at noon. He said he had to ask me something.

Humph, Fayne Shelton said. He bent over to wipe chocolate syrup off a chair leg. That boy will be late for Judgment Day.

Ella Mae laughed. Mr. Shelton knew how to make someone feel better. Union City was a small southern town, but everyone for miles around frequented the ice cream parlor. Fayne Shelton took the time and listened when someone needed to talk.

This wouldn't have anything to do with the dance at the school tomorrow night, would it? he asked with a smile.

Every year, the Union City Christian School held their annual spring dance for the students. This year the theme was a southern cotillion, where all the girls would dress up like southern belles and the boys like southern gentlemen. Ella Mae was excited about the dance, but no one had asked to be her escort. She hoped that Lamar would be the one and she wondered if that was why he had asked her to meet him at the ice cream parlor.

Just as she was about to answer Mr. Shelton's question, the door flew open and banged against the wall. All heads turned as a boy, tall for his age of 14, with wild blonde hair, stumbled through the doorway. Lamar Sherman's blue eyes scanned the room and rested on Ella Mae.

He negotiated his way toward the table. Ella Mae, I'm sorry I'm late. Mama dragged me to the school with her this morning. She told me I had to help decorate or I couldn't go to the dance. He frowned.

"You know