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Randall’s Ramblings, July 15, 2018

Here it is, the middle of July. How the weeks are passing by! Just yesterday, I noticed most of the corn in the surrounding fields seems to have shot up in just a couple of weeks. Tassels are swaying in the breeze, reaching out to the sun’s rays. Won’t be long before we’ll have locally-grown fresh corn to munch on!

Anyone out there have a birthday today? If so, here’s a few people from the writing world who share today with you. (compliments of http://www.onthisday.com/today/birthdays):

Clement Clarke Moore, US professor and author (‘Twas the Night Before Xmas); Thomas Bulfinch, mythologist (Bulfinch’s Mythology); Eduardo Gutiérrez, Argentinian author; Kunikida Doppo, Japanese writer; Walter Benjamin, German literature critic/writer; Rudolf Arnheim, German-born author; Ralph Hammond Innes, English author; Abraham Sutzkever, Yiddish language poet and memoirist; Robert Conquest, English historian and poet (The Great Terror); Iris Murdoch, novelist (Severed Head, Unicorn); Jiri Lederer, Czechoslovakia, journalist/dissident; Driss Chraïbi, Moroccan author; Larry Lamb, newspaper editor; Clive Cussler, American writer (Raise The Titanic, Sahara); Carmen Callil, publisher; Arianna Huffington, Greek-American author, syndicated columnist and creator of The Huffington Post; Kate Kellaway, English literary critic; and Jean-Christophe Grangé, French writer and screenwriter.

Recognize any names? I certainly did, including one of my favorite authors. Even if you didn’t spot any familiar names, I hope you have a great birthday and many more.

My Work in Progress

Dangerous Alliance, which recently placed fourth (3rd runner-up) in the 2018 Breakthrough Novel Awards, is under contract with Solstice Publishing. Over the past week, I’ve provided a few requirements as part of the pre-publication process, including my bio, a blurb, my dedication, social media links, and a photo. More to follow as things progress.

I continued to move forward on the third book in the Bedlam series, Carnage in Singapore. Chapters nine, ten, and eleven were posted to the two subscription writing sites I use. So far, Carnage in Singapore has received 168 chapter reviews, excellent sources for enhancing the story. I continue to spend a great deal of time doing research to ensure the story is as accurate as possible, keeping in mind it is fiction.

Books I’m Reading

As I mentioned last week, I’m reading faster than I can post my reviews. Here are comments on three of the latest novels I’ve read.

The Templar Heresy by James Becker is an interesting mix of historical facts and fiction. Why is the curator of the Baghdad Museum having everyone who gets in his way knocked off? The archeologists’ find appeared to be an empty room, except for a carved likeness of a man and a phrase. What did they signify?
Join Chris Bronson and his former wife, Angela, as they struggle to maintain a step ahead of those seeking the same answers. Travel through the Europe and the Middle East, surviving pitfalls and disappointment until reaching the ultimate prize. A great thriller.
The Chronicles of Aveline: Awakening by Ken Fry and Eeva Lancaster. An excellent story right from the first page. Aveline isn’t your typical girl growing up in a privileged family in England during the Crusades. As she grows, she spurns activities normally suited for ladies and learns how to use a sword, and a bow and arrow, both with deadly force.
A forbidden tryst ends in misery for Aveline and her lover, the son of the local earl. He’s banished to the Crusades while she’s tossed into a convent for their sins. Before long, Aveline escapes and begins her journey to join her love. This is a superb read. As I turned each page, I hoped Aveline would succeed in her quest. A captivating read, I finished the story in less than a day. I only regret–there wasn’t more to read!
Fire Arrow by Franklin Allen Leib. A whirlwind ride after the hijacking of an U.S. military aircraft. Forced to a former American base in Libya, the U.S. Navy responds. However, the terrorists are aided by Libya and their comrades-in-arms, the Russians.
A plot filled with high-velocity tension, realistic characters, and non-stop action. This is the first novel I’ve read by Franklin and it won’t be the last.

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

I’ve expanded this section from being only about blogs that I follow but also introduce you to some new authors and a few writing sites. However, with my work on Dangerous Alliance and Carnage in Singapore, I wasn’t left with much time to check out other sites. Perhaps next time.

This brings us to a close for another week. Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing and reading.  If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading.

© Copyright 2018 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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