Spotlight On Writers
James Howard
- Where do you originate from?
Thank you to the Spillwords team for considering me for this.
I come from a small town in south central Massachusetts called Oxford. It is located about 15 minutes south of the city of Worcester. With the exception of 12 years of service in the US Navy, I have lived my whole life here.
- What do you cherish most about the place you call home?
It is a quiet town with lots of history. Most notably it’s the birthplace and final resting place of Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross.
Oxford offers lots to do if you are the outdoors type, including fishing, hiking, and exploring what I like to call hometown hidden gems. We also get to enjoy all four seasons.
- What ignites your creativity?
I’m inspired by music, books, television, history, life, and nature.
I find a lot of my inspiration in the words and music of artists like Bruce Springsteen. His writing is such that you become a character in his songs. He was a huge inspiration on a piece I did entitled 2020 – A Paradox Of Americana. It’s not just rock music though, I also get inspiration from country, blues, hip hop, and anything that grabs me.
I find inspiration in the works of Ernest Hemingway and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hawthorne captured my imagination so much that I actually made a trip out to Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, Massachusetts, to visit his grave, along with other greats like Louisa May Alcott, Henry David Thoreau, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, who are all buried on what’s known as Authors’ Ridge.
I started writing not too many years ago when I became a member of The Society For International Hockey Research. They have a blog where members can research and write about anything hockey related. I figured I’d try my hand at it and got a couple of articles posted there. They also publish a research journal that goes more in-depth than the blog, and I set a goal to get published in that, which I did. There is an author I connected with through hockey by the name of Kevin Shea, whose writing is just so easy to read. He was my very first inspiration for writing because he made it seem so easy, which we all know it’s not. He was so helpful and still is.
A writer who has been featured on Spillwords by the name of Ernie Stricsek, whom I got to know personally, is another source of inspiration for me. The way he presents dialogues in his work is just amazing to me. A nice guy.
- Do you have a favorite word, and could you incorporate it into a poetic phrase?
Unfortunately, I do not have a favorite word. I do enjoy learning new words and trying to use them in my writing.
- What is your pet peeve?
Right now, my biggest pet peeve is seeing rights in America slowly being erased because politicians don’t like what artists/TV personalities say about them. This, of course, then becomes a talking point for their base. It is a very slippery slope that inevitably leads directly to censorship and losing freedoms for all. I’ve learned more from reading and listening to music than I ever have from a politician or a sycophant who blindly follows one.
- How would you describe the essence of James Howard?
This is tough for me. I’m not really very good at talking about myself. I rarely do it, and frankly, I don’t particularly care to do it either. But I’ll be as honest as I can.
I’m black and white with certain aspects of life, but mostly, I’m all over the map with most other aspects. My brain is constantly in motion.
I do like to think I have a caring heart. I take a very long time to trust others, but when I do, I do it to a fault until I can’t any longer. I have an uncanny ability to read people and figure out what they’re about, which is good and bad.
I love to do things by myself, whether it’s trout fishing, going to concerts, or even just taking a drive.
I have recently done more with some friends from work. They unknowingly have broken down some walls I had up and have shown me the value of friendship. That I’m very proud of.
I have a tendency to push people away, and at times I have done that with these guys, but have been able to push through that.
I spent many, many years being a loner, even as a child, but I know now that you need friendships to help take the edge off life.
I have a great girlfriend who has put up with a lot from me and has a way of bringing me back, whether it’s when I’m depressed, angry or whatever. She is great at grounding me and, as an avid reader herself; she is someone I can rely on for constructive criticism of my writing.
Back in January of ’25, we had a house fire that destroyed everything we had. The way family, friends, coworkers, and community came together to help us out through donations and just kind words really opened my eyes to the kindness that is still prevalent in the world. That went a long way in helping me to want to be a better person. To see things in a different light.
I’m not really sure if this gives any insight into who I am or what makes me – me. I guess I took a long-winded, roundabout way of saying maybe I don’t really know who I am, let alone how to describe my essence.
There are bits and pieces of me in everything I write. My piece Joey is probably the most personal piece I’ve written. I have another in the works now, but that’s still a ways away from being finished. That one is more personal than “Joey” and much harder to complete.
- Spotlight On Writers – James Howard - October 11, 2025
- Brothers - August 20, 2025
- Joey - March 2, 2025
