We had a great visit with our son, but as normal, it was way too short. He’s back in Washington, D.C now, but he’ll be back again at Christmas. We already miss him!
The past three days were the latest small business market at the local mall. We did very well. I signed nineteen copies of my books, while Sylvia sold eighteen of her laminated poetry sheets, eight of her bookmarks, and four of her poetry books. The next market isn’t until the 1st of September, and we’re already looking at adding some additional bookmarks to the table.
“A book is made from a tree. It is an assemblage of flat, flexible parts (still called “leaves”) imprinted with dark pigmented squiggles. One glance at it and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, the author is speaking, clearly and silently, inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one another. Books break the shackles of time–proof that humans can work magic.”
― Carl Sagan. Compliments of https://www.inc.com/glenn-leibowitz/50-quotes-from-famous-authors-that-will-inspire-yo.html.
So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on 30 July, the fifth and final Sunday of the month. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/):
Giorgio Vasari, Italian painter and art historian (Vasari’s Lives); Samuel Rogers, English poet (Italy, a poem); Emily Bronte, English novelist (Wuthering Heights); Helena Blavatsky, Russian occultist, philosopher, and author (co-founded Theosophical Society); Richard Haldane, British viscount and lord-chancellor (Life of A Smith); Thorstein Veblen, American economist (Theory of the Leisure Class-1899); Robert R. McCormick, American editor and publisher (Chicago Tribune); Blanche Knopf, American publisher, president of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. and wife of publisher Alfred A. Knopf Sr.; Jacques de Kadt, Dutch politician and writer (Fascism is War!); Salvador Novo, Mexican writer and poet; C. Northcote Parkinson, English historian (Pursuit of Progress); Karl Guttmann, Austrian-Dutch playwright and director (Albee/Pinter); Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin, MBE, TD, Irish journalist, author, sports official (6th President International Olympic Committee 1972-80); Berniece Baker Miracle, American writer (My Sister Marilyn) and half-sister of Marilyn Monroe; William H. Gass, American novelist and philosopher (Omensetter’s Luck); Peter Trevenen Thwaites, British Brigadier General and playwright (Love or money); Tony Lip [Frank Anthony Vallelonga], American author and actor (Sopranos, Donnie Brasco, Good Fellas); Patrick Modiano, French novelist (Nobel 2014); and Deacon Lunchbox [Timothy Tyson Ruttenber], American poet and performance artist.
Any names familiar to you? There was one for me this week: Emily Bronte. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!
My Published Work – Promotions
The Kurdish Connection, Dangerous Alliance, Colombian Betrayal, Mission: Angola, and Frozen Conquest are participating in a Thrillers and Suspense promotion through the end of August. There are seventy-eight Mystery & Suspense, Mystery & Suspense / Thriller, and Romance / Suspense novels to choose from, so when you have a moment or two, please check it out.
My Work In Progress
This week, I completed chapter six of Mission: Yemen, Xavier Sear Thriller Book 2. As always, it’s been posted to the two online writing sites I use. A further twenty-three reviews came in this week, bringing the total to ninety-six. As always, plenty of recommendations for me to consider.
Here’s another snippet. Please keep in mind that since these are first-draft chapters, things will likely be changed once I get to the editing phase. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions, please let me know.
Sear waited until several passengers had disembarked before following. The intense heat hit him as he left the plane. When they entered the one-story terminal building, the heat only slightly dissipated.
Holding up the temporary UN credentials he had been given by Vincent, he nodded to an official near the exit.
The man glanced at the documents and at Sear’s face before waving him on.
Outside again in the oppressive heat, Sear searched for a taxi. He spotted two yellow and white vehicles parked near a taxi sign, with the drivers leaning against the doors. On top of each car was a yellow sign with black Arabic script indicating they were taxis.
Sear, who spoke Arabic, Farsi, Turkish, French, and Spanish, approached them. He spoke in Arabic. “Salam Alaikum.”
Both men responded. “Wa Alaykum as-salam.”
“Do you know the Al Bilad Hotel?”
The first driver shook his head.
The second one nodded and smiled. “Yes, I know where it is, Sayyid. I will take you.”
Sear climbed into the back seat of the taxi, breathing through his mouth to avoid the stench of something rotten inside. He rolled down the window as they departed, and the breeze of the moving vehicle seemed to help with the smell.
The driver kept looking in the rearview mirror. “Sayyid, are you here for business? Not too many tourists come to Sana’s right now because of the fighting.”
“Yes. I’m here to assist a friend.”
“Yes, Sayyid. If you need to find your way around the city, I am Cemal, and I will take you.”
“Shukran.” Sear smiled. “My friend is from Sana’a, so I will be in good hands.”
“Understood, Sayyid.”
Sear pulled out his cell phone and checked for messages. There were two:
Meet you at the hotel. Bringing your favorite weapon. Malik
On my way to the hotel, accompanied by a representative of your friend. Wasim
Sear grinned. Great. Things are falling into place. I’ll feel better being armed. Assume Wasim is bringing someone who knows how to contact Bashari. After acknowledging both texts, he slipped the phone into his pocket and gazed out the window.
More next time.
This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. 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 and hope you drop in again.
© Copyright 2023 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved
