Howard Owen is a novelist and journalist living in Fredericksburg, Va. His 10th novel, "Oregon Hill," was published in July of 2012. Publishers Weekly, in the pre-publication review, calls it "a warm and witty crime novel," adding "the deft and surprising plot builds to a satisfying ending. Readers will hope that Willie will soon return in a sequel." Struck by either an epiphany or a midlife crisis, Owen wrote his first novel, "Littlejohn," in 1990. The first draft took him about 100 days. At the time, Owen was sports editor of a daily newspaper. He is now business editor of The Free Lance-Star in Fredericksburg. He has never taken a sabbatical, adhering instead to a schedule that includes about an hour a day for writing or revising. He finds that it is possible to do great things with an hour a day, every day.He is married to Karen Van Neste Owen, Viewpoints editor of the Free Lance-Star and his sweetheart of 42 years. He grew up near Fayetteville, N.C., on the edge of his grandfather's farm. He likes Paris, the Washington Redskins, snowy days when he doesn't have to drive to work, steamed crabs, Smithfield ham, North Carolina barbecue, bourbon and water, cold long-neck Miller High-Lifes on a hot summer day, other people covering Dylan songs, movies that surprise him and the company of good friends.