Forty years ago, Sylvia and I were married in the Hilton Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya. Where has the time gone? After all the years, we can safely say, “We’ve done it!” We’ll be having a low-keyed day, but received a phone call from our son, which meant the world to us.
Last week, I mentioned that my two favorite college football teams, the University of Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State Spartans, were having subpar seasons. However, both teams won their games yesterday, with Michigan improving to 6-5, while State is now 5-6.
I made a mistake last week when I said the Kansas City Chiefs were 10-0. In fact, they were 9-0 and were beaten last Sunday. Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions improved their record to 9-1, rolling over Jacksonville 52-6. Fingers crossed the Lions improve to 10-1 today!
“All good books are alike in that they are truer than if they had really happened and after you are finished reading one you will feel that all that happened to you and afterwards it all belongs to you: the good and the bad, the ecstasy, the remorse and sorrow, the people and the places and how the weather was. If you can get so that you can give that to people, then you are a writer.” – Ernest Hemingway.Compliments of https://getfreewrite.com/blogs/writing-success/32-inspirational-hemingway-quotes-to-get-you-writing.
So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on November 24th, the fourth Sunday of the month. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).
Charles, Duke of Orléans, French poet; Juan de Jáuregui, Spanish poet, scholar and painter of the Spanish Golden Age; Laurence Sterne, Anglo-Irish novelist and satirist (Tristram Shandy); Thomas Dick, Scottish scientific teacher and writer; Ludwig Bechstein, German poet; Carlo Collodi, Italian author (The Adventures of Pinocchio); Frances Hodgson Burnett, British-American playwright and children’s author (“The Secret Garden”; “Little Lord Fauntleroy”); João da Cruz, Brazilian poet; Margaret Caroline Anderson, American publisher; Dale Carnegie, American writer and public speaker (How to Win Friends & Influence People); Cissy van Marxfield [Setske Beek-de Haan], Dutch author of children’s books; Paul Faucher, French author and pioneering children’s publisher (Père Castor); Ward Morehouse, American theater critic and newspaper columnist; Harry Kemelman, American detective author (rabbi-omnibus); Hotze de Roos, Dutch youth book author (Chameleon); Forrest J. Ackerman, American literary agent and writer who invented the term “sci-fi” (Famous Monsters of Filmland); Captain Stubby [Tom Fouts], American author and comedian (Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers); John Silverlight, British journalist (The Observer); Alun Owen, Welsh playwright and screenwriter (The Rise Affair, A Hard Day’s Night); William F. Buckley Jr, American conservative author and commentator (National Review, Firing Line); Ahmadou Kourouma, Ivorian writer; Spencer Johnson, American author (Who Moved My Cheese?); Eric Wilson, Canadian children’s author; Claudia Dreifus, interviewer/author; Jules Deelder, Dutch poet (T of Vondel); Spider Robinson, Canadian sci-fi author (3 Hugo, Callahan’s Secret); Gregory Pardlo, American poet (“Digest” – Pulitzer Prize for Poetry 2015); Marlon James, Jamaican writer (A Brief History of Seven Killings); and Thomas Kohnstamm, American writer.
Any names familiar to you? There were two for me this week: Dale Carnegie and William F. Buckley, Jr. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!
My Work In Progress
Editing of Mission: Yemen, Xavier Sear Thriller Book 2 is now underway. Chapters forty and forty-one were completed and posted to 
the two online subscription writing sites I use. Since my last blog post, the story has received another thirty-one chapter reviews, bringing the total to 630. Now the fun continues as I work through the reviews and pick out what I want to use to improve the story.
Here’s another snippet:
When Sear returned to the Rashid residence, Qasim and Malik sat in the kitchen. They dipped pieces of malawach into a bowl of shakshouka.
Qasim waved a soaked piece of bread at a platter holding mandi, pieces of grilled chicken with fragrant basmati rice. “Help yourself, Sear.”
He sat and studied the food. “Who made it?”
“Parvez, of course. But we supervised to ensure he didn’t add anything he shouldn’t.”
“In that case, pass over a plate.”
Malik filled a dish with the mandi and slid it across the table to Sear.
He followed the brothers, using some malawach as a spoon to scoop up the rice. He picked up a chicken leg and chewed. “Tasty. Has a slight tandoori flavor.”
The brothers nodded. Wasim picked up a leg and tasted it. “Yes, Parvez used a light coating of the seasoning.” He patted his stomach.
“So, how did your meeting with Tarik go?”
Qasim glanced at Malik.
He nodded, indicating he wanted Qasim to answer.
“Well, it was one of our normal hush-hush meetings with him. We met in a burned- out building, so no one he knew would recognize him or us. Tarik is trying to track down subversives who want to weaken or destroy the government. In particular, he’s searching for foreign operators.”
Sear nodded. “Makes sense. Does he think I’m one?”
“No.” Malik shook his head. “At least for now, he’s accepting our vouching for you. We explained you’re here to search for Sayyid Bashari’s missing daughter. He said as long as you stick to that and stay clear of anything which might be construed as subversive, you are free to remain in Yemen.”
“Good. The next time you speak with him, you can reassure him I want nothing to do with the strife between the Houthis and the Saudis. Once I recover Bashari’s daughter, I plan to leave on the first available flight.”
Malik grinned. “We shall make sure you find the daughter and leave, Sear. We would hate to have you in a Yemeni prison—no telling what you might say about us.”
“You guys are safe with me.” Sear spooned more rice into his mouth and chewed. “Anything to drink?”
Qasim passed over a jug and a glass. “Just almond milk. But, at least it’s cold.”
“Okay.” Sear poured a glass and downed it in a single gulp. “Excellent. So, what else do you have planned for today?”
Qasim took over. “We will join Tarik and some of his colleagues to search some properties in the Bir-al-Azab area of Old Town. He received information some foreigners are living in the area against the law.”
“Okay. After we finish, I’ll head back to the Bashari residence. I’m supposed to meet some of Bashari’s relatives later. They want to be involved in the search for Shatara. Since there are only the two of you and myself, I think we might need their help.”
“You can count on us, Sear. We will do whatever we can.” Malik glanced at his brother.
Qasim nodded. “I agree. Someone took her, and we must find them.”
Sear tightened his jaw. “Yes. And we must bring her back—alive.”
More next time.
My next novel will be Vendetta, the sixth story in my Bedlam series. The first chapter was completed and posted to the two subscription writing sites I use. In the short time since it was posted, there have been eight reviews. The cover is a filler, as the final cover won’t be done until the entire first draft is completed.
Here’s what Vendetta is about:
The Bedlam organization proceeded with their plans to create a fourth operational team, based in Pretoria, South Africa. The existing team leaders, Craig Cameron, Col Trevor Franklin ®, and Lady Evelyn Evinrude are sent to assist the designated advisor with team member selections.
What should be a routine deployment is anything but as they’re targeted by unknown assailants. Who or what organization is after them, and why?
While assisting with the creation of the new team and searching for those trying to eliminate them, Craig, Trevor, and Evelyn are given a new operational mission.
The Council of Vengeance, an extremist militant group seeks to overthrow the government of a country sympathetic to Western cultures and values. Extortion, bribery, kidnapping, and murder are part of the group’s modus operandi as they surge forward toward their objectives.
How will the Bedlam teams fare in the face of adversity? Or will the militants’ efforts be rewarded?
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 2024 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved
