The Crystal Feather (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780982911464)

HOWARD JOHNSON, a Chemical Engineering graduate of Purdue University, and late life writer says, "My life has been a blast. I spent my growing up summers in and around a small lake in northern Indiana where I developed a love of water and the outdoor life. I was and still am a part of a large, active, loving family. I enjoy all kinds of water activities. I am an avid fisherman, sailor, and water enthusiast, only giving up water skiing and competitive sailing when, in my mid-seventies, my failing balance forced me to. I raced small sailboats for more then fifty years including the fast and demanding Hobie 16. I raced sports cars for more than twenty years on many of the road courses in the country. During my racing, I had one spectacular accident where I flipped a Lotus 30, end-over-end at about 170 miles per hour and was virtually unscathed. (My fleeting claim to fame) I even raced power boats for a short time. I love music of many kinds and still sing in two choruses. My pride and joy is my family. With five fantastic and beautiful daughters and a son who is equally fantastic, an even dozen terrific grandchildren and two greats, I am supremely blessed. I have spent the last five years and as many more of the golden years as we can manage, with my marvelous and very dear lady, Daphne, who also boasts of six wonderful grown children, four ladies, two gentlemen, thirteen stupendous grandchildren and one great." Professionally, I spent a varied career, first in research and production. Then, after being in business with my father for twenty years, I returned to engineering. I spent a year in the Philippines and several stints in Hawaii doing engineering consulting work for the US Navy and Air Force. After retiring from engineering work in 1999 I started writing and soon was pursuing writing full-time. Most recently, my non fiction book about the future of energy, Energy, Convenient Solutions, was released and is now available in bookstores. My first novel, Blue Shift, was published in 2002 with sequels to follow. I live in St. Augustine, FL with Daphne Fox and Charlie, our friendly, furry, four legged child. We spend summers on Tippecanoe Lake in Northern Indiana, where I have spent more than 80 summers. Life has been unbelievably good to me."