Here we are at the beginning of another month. Doesn’t seem all that long ago we were celebrating the new year. At least we’re getting more daylight we day, although there is a drawback to that.
Our smallest cat (she’s been with us since September 2013) thinks dawn means food. Even though there is always munchies and fresh water, as soon as it starts getting light, she jumps up on the bedroom window ledge and plays with the blinds until she gets what she wants.
Of course, she’s not alone–another cat is waiting at the top of the landing. As soon as they both realize I’m heading downstairs, it’s a race to see who makes it into the kitchen first. I always lose!
The inclement weather continues to push our building works back. The builder hopes to finally make a start tomorrow, but we’ll see. Right now the forecast is cloudy with the occasional outbreak of sunshine.
Because the 29th of February only comes around every four years, today’s birthday list will include yesterday’s birthdays as well as today. Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on February 29th and March 1st. (Compliments of http://www.onthisday.com/today/birthdays):
February 29th: Edward Cave, English printer (Gentlemen’s Magazine); John Byrom, English poet and the inventor of shorthand; Robert Bage, English writer (Criticism by Peter Faulkner) Patricia [Anne] McKillip, American sci-fi author (Fool’s Run); Jirō Akagawa, Japanese novelist (Ghost Train); Tim[othy] Powers, American sci-fi author (Last Call, Declare); Gonzalo Lira, Chilean-American novelist;
March 1st: Johann B. Schup, [Schuppius], German poet and historian; Gheorghe Asachi, Romania, writer/humanist/politician; William Dean Howells, American novelist/critic/editor (Atlantic); Lytton Strachey, English biographer and critic (Benson Medal 1923); Moriz Seeler, German writer and producer; Pol le Roy, Flemish author/novelist/writer (Stroom); Ralph Waldo Ellison, American writer (Invisible Man, Shadow & Cast); Robert Lowell, American poet/pacifist (Lord Weary’s Castle, Near the Ocean); Richard Wilbur, 2nd US Poet Laureate (Ceremony, Walking to Sleep); William M Gaines, publisher (MAD Magazine); Kuczka Péter, Hungarian writer and editor; Robert Clary [Widerman], French-American actor, published author, artist and lecturer (LeBeau-Hogan’s Heroes); Judith Rossner, author (Looking for Mr Goodbar); Camille E Baly, St Maartens poet (Sonny); Jean-Edern Hallier, writer; Michael J[oseph] Kurland, American sci-fi author (Infernal Device); Franz Hohler, Swiss writer; and Steven Barnes, American writer.
Recognize anyone? Ralph Waldo Ellison certainly stands out for me. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one and many more to follow!
New Release!
I’m please to announce the release of Colombian Betrayal, the first novel in my Bruce & Smith thriller series. So what’s it about?
Colombian Betrayal tears the cover off the drug trade and exposes the death, and violence behind the twisted connections between governments, revolutionaries, terrorists, and drug lords.
Watch as an unholy alliance is formed when the profits of a Columbian drug lord Olivia Moreno, begin disappearing and deadly new international competitors appear on the horizon.
Moreno, head of the Barranquilla Cartel, strikes a deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Little does she know she is signing her own death warrant! FARC has a group wanting a foothold in South America—the Islamic State, and she is in the way.
On the run, Moreno is captured by a CIA team. She spins a tale to use her money and manpower to destroy ISIS in an effort to save herself. Laws and rules of engagement are meaningless to Moreno, her life and her family are her only concern. Will the CIA leader fall for her offer?
Will team leader AJ Bruce strike a deal to turn the tables on Islamic State? Can she stop them from launching an attack on the United States? Or will she be too late?
Is it worth trading control of Afghanistan’s poppy fields with Moreno as a reward for her cooperation? Or is Bruce playing her in an attempt to double-cross her and kill two birds with one stone?
Get your copy today, and watch this high stakes game of kill or be killed.
The Kindle version of Colombian Betrayal are on pre-order until March 30th, while the paperback is available now across the Amazon network. Sign up for my newsletter and perhaps you’ll be one of twenty readers to receive a Kindle copy!
Work is also continuing on my next novel, Xavier Sear: Angola. This week, chapter three through six were posted to the two online subscription writing sites I use. Although only posted for a short time, Angola has already received thirty-nine chapter reviews. Plenty of good advice from my faithful reviewers to provide as good a story for you as possible.
Stay tuned for the first snippet of Angola. I hope to bring it to you next time, but as everyone knows, plans can be disrupted.
Books I’m Reading
This week I read Prequel to the Firesnake: Plan8 Slaves by Rayner Ye. It’s an interesting story, which is sure to have you putting on your thinking caps.
Find out where it all began in a fast-pace read. Is this a sign of things to come? Will humankind evolve to such a level where we live on different planets, each creating their own legends. What about time travel? Is it a case of when not if, for traveling into other dimensions? This is an exciting series and well worth grabbing this one to explore what could be!
This brings us to a close for this 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 2020 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved
