My first attempt at writing this week’s post was wiped out by a four-legged creature jumping on the keyboard. I’ve tried to resurrect as much as possible.
After weeks of high temperatures and plenty of sunshine, Mother Nature decided we needed a bath. It began with a twenty-minute thunderstorm on Friday evening, followed by periodic showers throughout the evening. Saturday saw the occasional shower, all much needed by local farmers and those with vegetable gardens. Now the temperatures are more moderate, but it does look like another shower might be on its way. Correction: Just glanced outside and we have another gentle rain falling.
Anyone out there celebrating 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):
Mikhail Shcherbatov, Russian philosopher and writer; Victor Schoelcher, French writer (abolitionism); Karolina Pawlowa, writer; Emma Lazarus, poet (“New Colossus” – on the base of Statue of Liberty); David D Salas, Antillian writer (Josefina); Lucien Febvre, French historian (Un destin: Martin Luther); Oskar Maria Graf, German writer; Stephen Vincent Benét, American author; Amy Vanderbilt, American authority on etiquette (Complete Book of Etiquette, Complete Cook Book); Shaista Suhrawardy Ikramullah, Pakistani politician, diplomat and author; Tom Robbins, American author (Even Cowgirls Get the Blues); Paul Schrader, director (Blue Collar) and writer (Taxi Driver); S. E. Hinton, American author; Steve Albini, American writer, recording engineer and musician (Big Black, Rapeman, Shellac); Don Van Natta, Jr., American journalist; and Lauren Booth, British journalist.
Recognize anyone? I certainly did, but not as many as in past weeks. Even if you didn’t spot any familiar names, I hope you have a great birthday and many more.
My Work in Progress
Nothing new to report about Dangerous Alliance as I’m waiting for the manuscript to come back from the editor. I did notice I’m wearing out some letters on the keyboard (A, S, N, L), which I guess isn’t too surprising given the amount of writing and editing I’ve been doing.
I’m making good progress on the third book in the Bedlam series, Carnage in Singapore. Despite missing a couple of days this week because of external events, chapters twelve, thirteen, and fourteen were posted to the two subscription writing sites I use. So far, Carnage in Singapore has received 202 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’ve mentioned the past couple of weeks, I’m reading faster than I can post my reviews. Here are comments on two of the latest novels I’ve read.
Apocalypse (The Harry Starke Novels Book 13) by Blair Howard. The latest adventure in Harry Starke’s life is just as appealing as the earlier ones. When radicals plan to set off a tactical nuclear bomb, an FBI acquaintance turns to Harry to help find the man involved in smuggling the terrorists into the country. As with Blair’s other novels, this one is filled with numerous twists and turns, with familiar characters and new ones, all attempting to recover the bomb before it’s too late? An excellent read which will keep you glued to the edge of your chair!
The Secret of the Stones: A Sean Wyatt Archeological Thriller (The Lost Chambers Trilogy Book 1) by Ernest Dempsey. A superb blend of historical facts, modern-day characters and a plot with excellent twists. This is the first novel by Ernest that I’ve read, but it won’t be the last. A captivating story from beginning to end as someone tries to uncover the mystery Sean is searching for before he figures out the numerous riddles. This novel is stuffed with plenty of suspense and mystery, making for a delightful read. Will the end result change civilization as we know it? You’ll need to grab a copy to find out.
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.
Bernard Jan – Check out the musings of author Bernard Jan, who writes his stories in English and Croatian.
C. M. Baker Design – Cara is a Navy veteran with a degree in graphic design. Browse through her book covers and when you’re ready for her assistance, give her a shout.
This brings us to a close for another week. I hope you found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing. 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
A new twist to the dog ate my homework excuse😃
LOL! Not the first time this cat has done it, but usually I have things saved before he appears.:)
I think it’s their curiosity. My dog stands up on his hind legs with his front paws on the key board trying to check what I am looking at on the screen. Once he realizes that there is no food, his interest wanes.
I agree. We used to have a cat who would stretch up from the floor and put his front paws on the table, as if he was just checking things out.
Hi Randall, Thanks for including my Twitter in your newsletter! 🙂 Enjoy your Sunday, Bernard JanLook for Me Under the RainbowA World Without Color http://www.bernardjan.com @BernardJanWorld”Share what you love with those who appreciate it.”
Glad to help out!