According to the calendar, spring is with us. Since the official date, we’ve had snow, rain, fog, wind, and finally sunshine. Plenty of winter birds twittering and I noticed quite a few robins have returned. What’s this all mean? Time to start clearing up after Mother Nature. Plenty of yard/garden work to do, some before the ground completing thaws while other endeavors will have to wait for the full thaw.
Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life
Over the past few weeks I think I’ve covered why I want to write and the journey that I’ve taken. Now, it’s time to share a few morsels from my stories.
The first morsel is from ‘The Kurdish Connection’ and ideally should have been released last week, closer to the March 16 anniversary of the attack on Halabja twenty-eight years ago, the backdrop for this novel. Here we go:
The ground shook with each artillery barrage; the screams of the injured mingled with the putrid stench of death and the billowing, acrid smoke. Breathing became difficult and many suffocated in the toxic air. Cries of grief over the mangled bodies of loved ones rose everywhere.
An aroma, not unlike sweet apples, and the pungent odor of rotten eggs spread across the city. Birds fell from the sky; small animals and later larger ones sank to the ground. Nothing and no one was spared—humans collapsed, never to move again.
My Work in Progress
Over the past week, I continued reviewing the various critiques I received on ‘The Kurdish Connection’ and adding recommendations into my manuscript. Chapter two is edited and now posted on the two subscription writings sites I use.
Work on ‘A Cartel’s Revenge’ moved along at a snail’s pace as I worked on the above chapter. Hopefully, I’ll finish the prologue and chapter four this week and post them.
As I mentioned before, I’ve created plots for three new stories and given them working titles. These will be follow-on stories in the Bedlam series, with ‘The Kurdish Connection’ being the first. Here’s the initial information regarding ‘Ultimate Escalation’:
Punjabi militants seek to distance themselves from Indian and Pakistani dominance and interference. With the dissolution of British India in 1947, families were ripped apart as the Punjabi region was split between the two countries. Limited attacks within each country caused further persecution and heartache.
The militants have no idea how to achieve their desires–until the appearance of Vladimir Aleksandr Nikolai, a disgraced Spetsnaz colonel. He offers the militants a means to spark a conflict between the two nuclear powers.
Russian subs sold on the black market and manned by Iranian and Russian sailors will surface off the coasts of the two countries and destroy Karachi and Mumbai. Propaganda machines will levy accusations against each country, leading to escalation of hostilities, pushing the countries to the brink of nuclear war.
The Bedlam organization fields their three teams to counter the violence and seek to restore calm before it’s too late. Will they be successful or will South Asia become a smoking ruin?
Books I’m Reading
Over the past week I completed reading ‘Mindfield‘ by A. Wallace. The first book in the ‘Sideways Eight’ series, it is quite simply, a must read for all thriller affenciendos. Someone’s kidnapping and murdering little girls. Charley, a FBI behavioral analyst is teamed with Special Agent Murphy, and they take us on a wild ride chasing an unknown villain. This story contains everything you’d want in a thriller: intensity, intrigue, twists and turns, and even a hint of a potential romance. Every time I thought I knew the identity of the killer, a new clue pointed elsewhere. Unlike many “who done it” plots, this one will keep you guessing to the very end. Well done and A. Wallace is now one of my favorite authors.
Next week I’ll give my views of ‘How Little We Know’ by John L. DeBoer.
Blog Posts I’d Like to Share
Every week I continue to skim through dozens of blogs, sometimes for enjoyment purposes and other times to help stimulate my creativity. Today, I’d like to share the following blogs with you. Both provide inspirational thought through prose and/or poetry. I hope you’ll find something of interest.
Jennifer Novotney – Jennifer is an English teacher and author, who shares her journey with us.
Kosmogonic – a variety of poems, with something for everyone.
Writing Resources
I don’t have any new writing resources to share with you this week. I’m still searching for something that will allow me to capitalize on the use of the senses. Hope to have an update for next time.
We’ve come to the end of another ramble. Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing. Until the next time, thank you for reading!
© Copyright 2016 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved.
Still waiting for Kurdish Connection and saw your intent of entering my old country for one of your next novels.
We are having a beautiful spring here. Check my posts Spring is in the air and Spring is in the air II.
Still working on Kurdish connection–it’s written, just editing now. Will check out your posts. Regards, Randy
A Cartel’s Revenge will be a must read.
One day.:)