Randall’s Ramblings

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Randall’s Ramblings, March 26, 2023

Randall Krzak

British Summer Time began today with plenty of sunshine and seasonable temperatures, although the clouds have rolled in. With a couple of windy and dry spells this week, we were able to start preparing the front flower beds for the upcoming season, but plenty more to do when it’s a bit warmer.

Here is today’s inspirational quote, especially for writers: “Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it’s the only way you can do anything really good.” William Faulkner. Compliments of https://getfreewrite.com/blogs/writing-success/55-motivational-writing-quotes.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on March 26th, the fourth and final Sunday of the month, compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/:

Nathaniel Bowditch, American mathematician, astronomer and author (Marine Sextant); Louise Otto-Peters, German suffragist, women’s rights movement activist and author (The Wandering Star); Ernst Engel, German statistician and economist (Law of Engel); Eliza Laurillard, Dutch vicar, poet and writer; Betsy Perk [Christina Elizabeth], Dutch journalist, writer and pioneer of the Dutch women’s movement; Edward Bellamy, American author (Looking Backward) and socialist; A. E. Housman, English poet (A Shropshire Lad); Robert Frost, American poet (Mending Wall, Road Not Taken); Duncan Hines, American restaurant guide writer (Out of Kentucky Kitchens); Jozef Arras, Flemish writer; Mahadevi Varma, Indian poet and freedom fighter; Betty MacDonald [nee Bard], American humor writer (The Egg and I); Tennessee Williams, American playwright (A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof); Elizabeth Jane Howard, British novelist (After Julius); G. Harry Stine, American science fiction writer; Gregory Corso, American beat poet (Happy Birthday of Death, Long Live Man); Colin Webb, British fleet street editor and journalist (Press Association); Erica Jong [Mann], American author (Fear of Flying); Bob Woodward, American author and investigative reporter (Watergate, CIA crimes); Patrick Süskind, German novelist and screenwriter (“Perfume: The Story of a Murderer”); Dorothy Porter, Australian poet (The Monkey’s Mask), librettist, (The Eternity Man), and lyricist (The Fiery Maze); Natsuhiko Kyogoku, Japanese writer (Mōryō no Hako); Martin McDonagh, Anglo-Irish playwright, screenwriter and film director (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri); Anaïs Mitchell, American singer-songwriter and playwright (Hadestown – 2019 Tony for Best Musical); and Ramy Youssef, American comedian, writer and director (Ramy).

Any names familiar to you? I did well this week with four: Robert Frost, Duncan Hines, Tennessee Williams, and Bob Woodward. 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

Slide1I recently completed chapter twenty-seven of Frozen Conquest and posted it to the two online subscription writing sites I use.

Reviews continue to trickle in. Since my last update, sixteen reviews have been added, bringing the total to 513.  As always, plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

Here’s another snippet:

“Just hacking into the email account of the bank’s president. I want to find out if there’s any reaction.” He pulled up the president’s email. “Yep, he’s panicking. Customers are trying to withdraw funds using various ATMs, and they’re getting notices their accounts are empty. When word gets out about the bank crashing, major currencies might go into a freefall, at least the Swiss franc, the euro, and the dollar. This could have a detrimental impact on inflation rates, something you wanted.

“Yes, yes. But when does the money get to my account?”

“Patience is a virtue, Mister Brown.” Emmanuel pointed to the lower screen. Once at zero, the numbers began to rapidly change, finally ceasing at ten billion dollars.

“I thought you said there was more money in that bank. Where’s the rest of it?”

“Yes, there is, but I wanted to do a second text to see if I could clean them out later if I’m interrupted.” He turned and snapped his fingers.

The subordinate who began the initial withdrawal nodded and began typing.

“The rest of the money will be on its way soon, Mister Brown. Before long, the Valkyrie Bank won’t have a penny in its accounts.”

“Excellent.” Brown stood and slapped Emmanuel on the back. “Keep at it. In the meantime, I’m going to send an email to the Washington Post.”

“Yes, Mister Brown.”

* * *

Brown returned to his office, logged into his computer, and stared at the keyboard. Did Emmanuel use his keylogging software and firmware on my computer? Brown shook his head as he began to type.

To: Editor-in-Chief, Washington Post

From: Nightmare

An open letter. Please publish this as soon as possible.

If you have paid any attention to the temporary outages in Albany and the major international stock markets, you will heed this final warning.

If I don’t begin seeing drastic changes related to the current climate crisis within fourteen days, what I did to the Valkyrie Bank AG in Liechtenstein will be like a human crushing a bug. I will begin shutting down all major G7 banks, taking their money for the good of humanity and the planet. The same will happen to the stock markets. Afterward, I’ll tackle any infrastructure attached to the internet.

As I previously told the G7 central banks, failure to comply will result in the destruction of your way of life as you know it. The world cries out for truth, and I will be the sword of justice.

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

Randall's Ramblings

Randall’s Ramblings, March 19, 2023

Randall Krzak

Happy Mother’s Day to those celebrating in the UK, Ireland, Nigeria, Guernsey, Jersey, and the Isle of Man. Enjoy your special day.

Last week’s cold snap continued into this week with several evening snow showers, only to have them melt the following day. Once things warmed up closer to seasonable temperatures, the rain returned, causing some minor flooding in areas. Today it’s finally dry, with the occasional outburst of sunshine through the overcast skies.

Here is today’s inspirational quote: “Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. (compliments of https://parade.com/973277/jessicasager/inspirational-quotes/)

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on March 19th, the third Sunday of the month, compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/:

Benedetto Varchi, Italian humanist and historian (Storia Fiorentina); Pedro Vaz Rego, Portuguese composer and poet; Tobias Smollett, Scottish writer, surgeon and critic (The Expedition of Humphry Clinker); Richard Francis Burton, English explorer and translator (Arabian Nights); William Allingham, Irish poet (The Fairies, Laurence Bloomfield in Ireland); Minna Canth, Finnish playwright (The Pastor’s Family) and social activist; Willem H. de Beaufort, Dutch historian and politician; Josef Albers, German-American artist, writer and teacher (Bauhaus professor, Homage to the Square); Liam O’Flaherty, Irish writer; Irving Wallace, American author (People’s Almanac, The Man); Kjell Aukrust, Norwegian author; Patrick McGoohan, American-born Irish actor, writer, and director (The Prisoner, Secret Agent/ Danger Man); Philip Roth, American novelist (Goodbye Columbus, Portnoy’s Complaint); and Bigas Luna, director/writer (Anguish).

Any names familiar to you? I struck out this week. 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

Slide1I recently completed chapter twenty-six of Frozen Conquest and posted it to the two online subscription writing sites I use.

Reviews continue to trickle in. Since my last update, forty-five reviews have been added, bringing the total to 497.  As always, plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

Here’s another snippet:

Brown pounded on the cleanroom door. “Let me in, dammit!” Moments later, a soft click indicated he could enter. He shoved the door open and marched to Emmanuel’s desk. “Well, did you start yet?”

“No, Mister Brown.” Emmanuel shook his head. “We expected you to return today, so I made the decision to wait for you.”

“Good. Let’s get started.”

Emmanuel stood. “Right this way.” He walked to an inner door and pushed it open.

Inside, three men sat on either side of the room in front of computers connected to multiple screens.

Emmanuel pointed to the first man and snapped his fingers.

The man pushed his chair back, and Emmanuel sat.

Another man offered a chair to Brown.

“Are you ready, Mister Brown?” Emmanuel gestured to the screens in front of him.

“Which bank are you going to target?”

“The Valkyrie Bank AG.”

Brown stroked his chin. “Never heard of it. Where the hell is it?”

Emmanuel smiled. “Liechtenstein.”

“I wanted you to hit a major bank, dammit. How many people are even aware of Liechtenstein? Why did you select a backwater bank instead of one from a G7 country?”

“This bank is an excellent one to test our procedures before tackling a major one.” Emmanuel grinned. “Besides, it’s Liechtenstein’s fourth latest bank with assets exceeding eleven billion Swiss francs or about eleven and a half billion dollars.”

“Harrumph. Very well. Proceed.”

Emmanuel turned and gave a thumbs-up to a subordinate. He faced Brown and gestured to the screen. “Watch the upper screen. See the balance listed?”

Brown nodded. “Yes. Three billion.”

“Keep watching. You should notice a change in a moment.”

The numbers blurred before stopping.

“Where did a billion go?”

Emmanuel pointed to the lower screen. “Should appear right about—”

The account balance changed from zero to one billion Swiss francs.”

“Whose account is that?”

“I created it as a temporary stop as we steal money from the rich and move it to a private account.”

“Who owns the private account?”

Emmanuel chuckled. “You do. However, before the money reaches your private account, there’ll be at least ninety hops around the world to hopefully confuse anyone trying to follow it.”

“Wow!” Brown grinned. “When the money gets in the account, can I use it?”

“Of course. Just like any funds in your other accounts. Before the money reaches you, it’ll be converted into multiple currencies but will end up in dollars.”

Brown beamed. “I knew there was a reason I hired you.”

Guess I won’t tell him about the few million I’ve siphoned off during the hops and currency exchanges. Must  look after myself—Brown won’t. “You hired me because I’m the best.”

Brown waved a hand in the air. “Just remember to keep doing my bidding, and we’ll get along fine.”

If Sawyer doesn’t keep protecting him, perhaps Brown can join Felix. “I always do what you want.”

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

Randall's Ramblings

Randall’s Ramblings, February 26, 2023

Randall Krzak

After several falls down the stairs and a couple of illnesses, I’m finally back on my feet. I still have intermittent pain in the right side of my back and down my right arm, but overall, I’m back to normal.

Over the past week , the weather has returned to normal patterns for this time of year: overcast with some spurts of sunshine, frigid winds, and cold days. There’s still been a couple of light frosts, but things are progressing toward spring. Even some of the flowers have already popped out to add their color to the dismal winter days.

Here is today’s inspirational quote: “When you have a dream, you’ve got to grab it and never let go.” — Carol Burnett (compliments of https://parade.com/973277/jessicasager/inspirational-quotes/

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on February 26th, the fourth and final Sunday of the month, compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/:

Christopher Marlowe, English poet and dramatist (Dr Faustus); James Hervey, English clergyman and writer; Victor Hugo, French author (Hunchback of Notre Dame, Les Miserables); John George Nicolay, German-American author (Abe Lincoln’s biographer); Carel Steven Adama van Scheltema, Dutch socialist poet; Stefan Grabinski, Polish writer; (Ivor Armstrong) I. A. Richards, British poet and influential critic (Meaning of Meaning); Julien de Valckenaere, Belgian poet; Vercors [Jean Bruller], French writer (Le Silence de la mer); Leela Majumdar, Bengali writer; George Barker, English poet (Calamiterror, Anno Domini); Hermann Lenz, German writer (Swabian Chronicle); Elisabeth Eybers, South African poet (That Woman & Other Verses); Theodore Sturgeon, American sci-fi author (Hugo, It, Caviar); Lucjan Wolanowski, Polish journalist, writer and traveller; Adriaan van Dis, Dutch author (Nathan Sid, In Africa); Phyllis Eisenstein, American sci-fi author (Sorcerer’s Son, Born to Exile); Elizabeth George, American novelist (Inspector Thomas Lynley mystery novels); and Michel Houellebecq, French novelist.

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me: Christopher Marlowe and Victor Hugo. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Publications

I’m please to announce Revenge has moved from the long list,  the short list, the semi-finals, and is now a finalist in the 2022 Chanticleer International Global Thriller Book Awards for high stakes suspense.

Needless to say, I’m thrilled. Of course, the competition to be selected as one of seven genre 1st Place Category winners will be extremely competitive. In addition to Revenge, there are another twelve novels on the finals list.  All be well, I’ll have further good news to share as the competition goes into full swing, with the 1st Place Category winners and Genre Grand Prize Division Winners being announced in late April. Watch this space!

My Work in Progress

Slide1Since my last update, I managed to complete chapters twenty-two and twenty-three. Over the past week, my writing has more or less returned to normal with completion of chapters twenty-four and twenty-five.

Over the past few weeks, reviews continued to trickle in. Since my last update, fifty-two reviews have been add, bringing the total to 452.  As always, plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

Here’s another snippet:

Everyone laughed.

The admiral’s phone rang. “Just a minute.” He spoke briefly into the handset before putting the call on speaker. “Jonny, I’m on a conference call with the rest of Bedlam. Could you please repeat what you said so everyone hears it?”

“Sure. I received an email from David Walliams, president of the World Bank. It was buried in my inbox and I didn’t see it, or I would have contacted you sooner. He forwarded a message he received from a concerned citizen of the world. I’m quoting the contents now: ‘Behold the beast, for he wants to destroy the world. He will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Seek him where glaciers abound.’ Hopefully, this is some use to you.”

“Thanks, Jonny. We’ll add it into the mix and see what comes out.”

“Glad to help. As you’re aware, the president is afraid of a world economic meltdown with this beast hitting stock markets and banks. What will come next—will he go after infrastructure?”

“I’ll keep you advised about anything we uncover. Anything else, Jonny?”

“That’s all just now, so I’ll let you get back to your call.” Jonny broke the connection.

“Well, Admiral, it looks like this citizen is helping to narrow our search parameters.” CC glanced at the ceiling as if he was reading something. “If memory served me correctly, glaciers are found at the two poles, Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Iceland. Guess we better start breaking out the cold weather gear.”

Trevor half-raised a hand. “When I was with the Paras, we trained in the French, Austrian, and Swiss mountains. They have a number of glaciers, too.”

“I want Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie to put together an action plan to cover these locations and begin a search for Matthew’s friend. I think locating him will be the best way to proceed. With the new name of beast to go with devil, I’ll have Matthew refine his searches. I still think this is pointing to one individual or group, but only time will tell.”

“Admiral, I think there might be someone who will be able to help us out.”

“Go ahead, Rufus.”

“Well, since CC mentioned the poles, it got me thinking. My cousin is currently on the RV Aquavit on her way to Antarctica with a team from the Scandinavian Protection Agency. Perhaps we could have her look around for us while she’s there?”

“Sir Alex and Harrison, what do you think? As you know, we normally don’t use outsiders, but this may be an appropriate time.”

“I agree, Richard.” Harrison wiped a hand over his hair as he yawned. “I think we can use any help we can find.”

Sir Alex nodded. “I concur.”

“It’s settled. CC, Trevor, and Evelyn, work with Rufus on an approach to his cousin. Rufus, what did you say his name is?”

Rufus smiled. “It’s Carina. She’s a cousin on my mother’s side of the family, but we’re in regular contact.”

“Okay, get your heads together and work something out. I want your proposal within forty-eight hours.”

Rufus grinned. “Yes, Admiral.”

The admiral glanced at the three connections. “Anything else at this time? If not, we’ll break and meet again as soon as we have plans put together.”

After a trio of negative responses, the admiral broke the connections.

“Admiral, I’ve been thinking about uses non-Bedlam resources. What would be the probability of getting one of our team members onto the RV Aquavit to lend a hand?”

“You know, CC, I was going to ask you what you thought about it. Good to know we think alike. Who do you suggest?”

“Aye. I was going to say me, but Trevor has more experience in cold climates than I do. Let me review the personnel files and see if there is anyone else on the teams I can suggest.”

“Get me a name by the end of the day, and we’ll see what we can sort out.”

“Aye, Admiral.”

More next time.

Promotions

The Kurdish Connection and Mission Angola are participating in the First in A Mystery/Thriller Series promotion, commencing February 27th and running through March 8th. This one only allowed two books per author and there are currently eighteen novels participating. Why not check it out? You might find your next new author.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/mysterythrillers1stinseries/r8vs7mulee

Dangerous Alliance, Carnage in Singapore, and Colombian Betrayal are completing in the Join The Rebellion promotion which runs through February 28th. This promotion covers Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, and Sci-Fi & Fantasy / Space Opera and there are eighty-five novels participating. Please drop in and see if there is anything that appeals to you.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/thydr12345/3ymzwgkm22

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

 

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Randall’s Ramblings, January 22, 2023

Randall Krzak

After a week of heavy frost and temperatures not climbing out of the upper 20s (negative celsius) it was a great surprise this morning, when I found out it was 40F/5C) and all the frost in sheltered areas had finally melted. Of course, with the colder temperatures we did have a fair amount of sunshine and now we’re back to the normal gray skies.

For those of you who were following me on Twitter, my new account is @rjkrzak1. Hope to see you there.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on January 22nd, the fourth and final Sunday of January compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/:

Francis Bacon, English statesman, Lord Chancellor (1617-21) and philosopher (Novum Organum); Richard Blackmore, English physician and writer; Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, German critic and dramatist (1st ever dramaturge); Lord Byron, English romantic poet (Don Juan); Ludger Duvernay, Canadian printer and publisher; Hermann Lingg, German poet and playwright; Ferdinand Christian Wilhelm Praeger, Dutch-British pianist, composer, composer, and writer (Wagner As I Knew Him); Constance Collier, British actress and writer (Rope, Stage Door, Whirlpool); Francis Picabia, French avante-garde artist, writer and typographist (Amorous Parade); Helen Hoyt, American poet; Charles Morgan, English writer (Fountain); Ben van Eysselsteijn, Dutch writer and playwright; Arkady Gaidar, Russian children’s writer; Robert E. Howard, American pulp fiction author (Conan the Barbarian); Carl F. H. Henry, American theologian and publisher; Harilal Upadhyay, Gujarati Author, Poet, Astrologist (Gujarat is a State of India); Herwig Hensen [Flor Mielants], Flemish poet and playwright; Piet Van Lishout, Flemish writer (Eva & I); Howard Moss, poet/editor (New Yorker); Tom Blackburn, writer; Joseph Wambaugh, American police writer (“The Onion Fields”); Joe Esposito, American author and friend of Elvis; Michael Cristofer, actor/writer (Little Drummer Girl); Francis Wheen, English writer & journalist; and Subhash Ram Prajapati, Nepalese writer.

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me: Francis Bacon and Lord Byron. 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

Slide1As i mentioned last time, in early January, I took a tumble down the stairs. I ended up seeing a sports massage therapist and have my third and final session tomorrow. In the meantime, my writing has been disrupted and not at my normal amount, but I have been back at it, with the first twenty-one chapters completed.

Since the last update,  there were another twenty-four reviews, bringing the total to an even 400. As always, plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

Here’s another snippet:

Maddie and Reginald climbed out of the Sno-Cat. After they pulled their tools and explosive packs from the cargo compartment, they trudged across the tundra to a line of stakes they had placed earlier in the day.

Breathless, Maddie dropped her tools onto the ice and gently sent the explosives down. “This is hard work, Reginald. I thought it would be easier—just drive up to a spot, drill a couple of holes, drop in the fireworks—and bang; you’re done.”

“In your dreams.” Reginald laughed. “The only thing easy about this job is picking our way across the ice back to the facility.”

As Maddie placed an explosive package into the first hole, she studied the terrain. Always peaceful, but there’s an underlying danger to being here. Satisfied with her placement, she moved to the next spot.

Without warning, the ice gave way.

Yeeeeah!

Maddie clawed at the surface as she slid toward the gaping chasm.

“Reginald! Help!”

Her feet dangled over the side as she tried to stop her momentum. She screamed again.

Just as she was about to disappear, two hands grabbed her.

“Hold on, Mad—”

Reginald tugged on the straps of her backpack, pulling her back from the chasm. “I—I got you.” He fell backward as he yanked her clear from impending death or serious injury.

Back on his feet, he inched Maddie further back from the hole until they were both a safe distance away.

Maddie threw her arms around Reginald. “Thank you so much for saving me. I thought I was going to die!”

“Aw shucks, Maddie. Can’t have you doing that.” Reginald grinned. “Besides, I’m enjoying being out here with you.” He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a squeeze. “You going to be okay?”

Maddie pulled out of the embrace and nodded. “Yes. It was a bit scary, but I’m okay now—thanks to you.”

“Think nothing of it. Besides, you’d try the same for me if the situation was reversed.”

“That’s true, but I still owe you.”  She adjusted her sunglasses and grinned. “Perhaps I can buy dinner tonight?”

He smiled. “You’re on.” He pointed to the next hole. “Ready to continue?”

More next time.

Promotions

Five of my novels (all but Revenge and Ultimate Escalation) are participating in the January Mayhem & Motives: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Reads. This one allows five books per author and there are currently 206. novels participating. Why not check it out? You might find your next new author.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/mysthrillsus-jan/x889tdt70j

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

Randall's Ramblings

Randall’s Ramblings, January 15, 2022

Randall Krzak

As we head into the second half of January, the mild temperatures are given way to cooler ones, with this morning starting with 40F/5C but it feels like 32F/0C. There are yellow warnings for ice and comments on the tv about snow heading our way.

For those of you who follow me on Twitter, my account was hacked and it’s been closed. I’ll be creating a new one over the coming week.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on January 15th, the third Sunday of January compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/:

Susanna van Baerle, Dutch poet/wife of Geeraert Burns; Giovanni Vincenzo Gravina, Italian writer and jurist; Jean-Jacques Barthélemy, French writer and numismatist; Eugène Sue, French novelist; Nathaniel Parker Willis, American writer, editor and founder of the American Monthly Magazine; Johannes V. Jensen, Danish novelist and poet (The Fall of the King; Nobel Prize for Literature, 1944); (Abraham) A. Merritt, American magazine editor and sci-fi author (The Moon Pool; Burn, Witch, Burn!); Elmer Diktonius, Finnish poet, composer, and musicologist (Janne Kubrik; Stenkol); Abram Hill, African-American playwright & author (American Negro Theater); Joy Adamson, Austrian naturalist and author (Born Free); C. W. Ceram, German/ journalist & author (March of Archaeology); Thorleif Schjelderup, Norwegian author & ski jumper; Bernt Engelmann, German writer; Ernesto Cardenal, Nicaraguan Catholic priest, politician, poet, and writer; Jamiluddin Aali, Pakistani poet & writer; Qurratulain Hyder, Indian Urdu novelist & writer; Sawako Ariyoshi, Japanese writer (Compound Pollution, Doctor’s Wife); Eddie Shah, English businessman & publisher (Today, Post); Susan Vreeland, American author (The Passion of Artemisia); Nancy Kress, American science fiction writer; Edward Hirsch, American poet; and Kazushige Nojima, Japanese video game writer.

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me: Joy Adamson. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Publications

I’m please to announce Revenge has moved from the long list to the short list in the 2022 Chanticleer International Global Thriller Book Awards for high stakes suspense.

Needless to say, I’m thrilled. Of course, the competition to move into the semi-finals will be extremely competitive. In addition to Revenge, there are another eighteen novels on the short list.  All be well, I’ll have further good news to share as the competition goes into full swing, with the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners being announced in late April. Watch this space!

 

 

 

In early January, I took a tumble down the stairs. I ended up seeing a sports massage therapist and see him again tomorrow. In the meantime, my writing has been disrupted and not at my normal amount. I hope to get back into my regular routine this coming week.

Promotions

Five of my novels (all but Revenge and Ultimate Escalation) are participating in the January Mayhem & Motives: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Reads. This one allows five books per author and there are currently 206. novels participating. Why not check it out? You might find your next new author.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/mysthrillsus-jan/x889tdt70j

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

 

 

 

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings,December 25th, 2022

Randall Krzak

Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad! Joyeux Noël! Frohe Weihnachten! Buon Natale! Prettige Kerstdagen! Feliz Natal! Wesołych Świąt! Felicem Natalem Christi!

I hope everyone has a safe and joyous Christmas!

 

We had an excellent Christmas market at the Kingsgate shopping centre in Dunfermline. A total of 138 autographed novels sold, as well as forty-three of Sylvia’s poetry books and 199 of her laminated poetry sheets. I didn’t keep an accumulated total of her new bookmarks, but just in the last five days of the market sixty-eight sold. One lady said she was putting them next to place settings to give to her friends when they came for dinner.

Over the past two weeks, motorists received an early Christmas present with the price of gasoline (petrol) dropping from £1.58 a liter to £1.47. With the current exchange rate of $1.205, this makes the equivalent cost of a U.S. gallon $6.72, 7.35, a drop of sixty-two cents!

Here’s this week’s quote: “Christmas is most truly Christmas when we celebrate it by giving the light of love to those who need it most.” Ruth Carter Stapleton.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on December 5th, the fourth and final Sunday of the year:

William Collins, English poet (Ode to Simplicity); Dorothy Wordsworth, English poet, diarist and sister of William Wordsworth; Alexandros Rhizos Rhankaves, Greek poet and statesman; Alfred Kerr [Kempner], German-British writer; Rebecca West [Cicely Isabel Fairfield], English author (Meaning of Treason); Herman Jan Scheltema [NEM Pareau], Dutch jurist and poet; Cab Calloway, American singer, bandleader (“Minnie the Moocher”; “The Jumpin’ Jive”), writer, radio host, and actor (The Blues Brothers); Quentin Crisp, English author; Henri Nannen, German journalist (Der Stern); Daniel Devoto, Argentine folklorist, musicologist, and poet; Carlos Castaneda, Peruvian-born American author and mystic (Eagle’s Gift, Fire From Within); Salah Jaheen, Egyptian poet and cartoonist; and Lex Hixon, religious teacher/author.

Any names familiar to you? I recognized one: Dorothy Wordsworth. 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

Slide1The Kingsgate was too cold inside to doing much writing. However, I finally managed to type of chapter twenty of Frozen Conquest and upload it to the two online subscription writing sites I use. Since the last update,  there were another twenty-one reviews, bringing the total to 374. As always, plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

Here’s another snippet:

Chris decoded Matthew’s latest message:

 I need more guidance. My latest Google search on Beware the Devil showed over one hundred eighty million hits. My boss says we can protect you, but we need to know your location.. Please advise.

He pursed his lips as he pondered his response. How much can I reveal? I think Sawyer is getting suspicious. He logged back onto his dark web account and began typing:

Cannot reveal any more about the devil except look at alternative words. Must add a log or two to the fire as I’m always cold. You’ve seen the attacks thus far—more to follow, so don’t delay.

After encoding the message, Chris hit send. Hopefully, he can figure out where I’m at and who is behind the attacks. He picked up his empty coffee mug and headed out of his office in the direction of the canteen.

When he entered, the snack bar was almost empty. He filled his mug, grabbed a chocolate brownie, and stopped by the cashier. Once he paid, he turned.

“Hey, Chris.”

“Uh. Hi, Sawyer. How are things going in the security world?”

Sawyer shrugged. “Same ol’, same ol’. Do you have a minute?”

“Sure.” Chris pointed to a table against the wall. “Will this do?”

After they sat, Chris turned to Sawyer. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

“Well, this is kinda delicate. As Brown’s main aide, you have access to personnel records, right?”

Chris nodded. “But as head of security, you do too.”

“Yes, but …. Each time someone accesses the files, a digital tracker makes note of it.”

“So, what’s the problem?” What’s he after?

“As I said, it’s delicate. I missed out earlier with someone because of Samson’s involvement. Can you scan Madeline’s file and check her personal information? I’m particularly interested in whether she’s married or has a significant other in her life.”

Ah! He must be falling for her. “Yes, I suppose I can do this, considering your position. However, you can’t tell anyone I did this—everyone would be after me.”

“Many thanks, Chris.” Sawyer stood and stuck out his hand. “Don’t let anyone know I’ve taken a personal interest in her.”

Chris rose and shook Sawyer’s hand. “Of course.” But it’ll be useful to have this over his head if I ever need his help.

He bought another coffee refill before returning to his office. Chris checked his dark web account. Nothing. He then logged onto his Diablo email. One from Brown:

Prepare for my return—probably tomorrow.  Is our new explosives expert ready to calve the final section? Ask Emmanuel for a status report—he’s late with yesterday’s update, and he’s not responding to my emails.

More next time.

Promotions

Five of my novels (all but Revenge and Ultimate Escalation) are also participating in a Mayhem & Motives: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Reads. This one allows five books per author and there are currently 170 novels participating.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/mysthrillsus-dec/d9iyggtt1rhttps://books.bookfunnel.com/mysthrillsus-nov/4nmgssn0ek

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 2022 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, December 4th, 2022

Randall Krzak

We’ve lucked out this week. While there’s been some rain, overall, it’s been a good week weather-wise. However, the temperature has rarely made it to the mid 40s (F) (6C) and snow is forecast for today. While the forecast calls for minimal snow, who knows what may happen?

On a positive note, the price of gasoline (petrol) dropped another penny this week. So we’re now at £1.58 a liter. With the current exchange rate of $1.23, this makes the equivalent cost of a U.S. gallon $7.35, an increase of six cents from last week.

The Small Business Christmas market began on the 28th of November. We had a good week–Sylvia sold sixteen of her poetry books and fifty of her laminated poetry sheets, while I sold forty-six of my novels. The market continues today and hopefully we’ll have another good day.

While there were a number of college football conference championships televised this weekend, I was disappointed the Big Ten championship game between Michigan and Purdue wasn’t one of them. At least Michigan went on to win 43-22, for their second straight title. They are currently ranked number two in the College Football Playoffs.

Here’s this week’s quote (Compliments of http://www.wisdomquotesandstories.com/):

“Life is made up of special moments which make it worth living. There are many cherished moments that are missed due to stress and fast pace of daily living. We must slow down and remember how precious it is to be alive and to love.”

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on December 5th, the first Sunday of the month: Heinrich Meibom, German historian and poet; Jean Chapelain, French writer and poet (La Pucelle); Thomas Carlyle, Scottish essayist and historian (The French Revolution); Ernest Panckoucke, French publisher (Horatius); Rainer Maria Rilke, Bohemian-Austrian poet and novelist (Ana, The City, Duino Elegies); Dimitur Poljanov [Popov], Bulgarian poet (Iron Poems); Katharine Susannah Prichard, Australian novelist (Black Opal); Fritiof Nilsson Piraten, Swedish writer (Bombi Bitt Och Jag); Nikolai Tichonov, Russian writer (against Pasternak); Douwe Hermans Kiestra, Frisian farmer and writer; A. L. Rowse, British author and historian; Cornell Woolrich, American writer (El Angel Negro); Jo Boer, Dutch painter and author (Catharina & the Magnolias); Ely Jacques Kahn, Jr., American writer; Ray Robinson, American magazine editor and biographer (Lou Gehrig); and Ursula Krechel, German writer (Shanghai far from where).

Any names familiar to you? I recognized one: Thomas Carlyle. 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

Slide1I’ve completed chapter twenty of Frozen Conquest but haven’t uploaded it to the two online subscription writing sites I use. There were another twelve reviews this week, bringing the total to 353. As always, plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

I won’t be posting a snippet today as I need to head to the market.

 

 

 

 

Promotions

Five of my novels (all but Revenge) are also participating in a Mayhem & Motives: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Reads. This one allows five books per author and there are currently 170 novels participating.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/mysthrillsus-dec/d9iyggtt1rhttps://books.bookfunnel.com/mysthrillsus-nov/4nmgssn0ek

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 2022 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings November 27th, 2022

Randall Krzak

Mother Nature has taken pity on us. After more than a week of heavy rain and flooding, the showers this week have been intermittent and the sun’s even put in a few appearances. Most of the leaves are now on the ground, at least those I haven’t raked up yet, and the trees are looking sparse. Looks like we’ll have plenty of sunshine to start the day.

On a positive note, the price of gasoline (petrol) dropped another two pence this week. So we’re now at £1.59 a liter. With the current exchange rate of $1.21, this makes the equivalent cost of a U.S. gallon $7.28, a an increase of three cents from last week.

314406296_10158973055860983_8797277709281824198_nTomorrow the Small Business Christmas Market begins and runs through Christmas Eve. If you happen to be in the Dunfermline, Fife area during this period, why not stop into the Kingsgate and see what’s on offer. There’ll be plenty of gifts to choose from as well as a mixture of goodies to sample. Hope to see you there!

The number of American college football games shown on Saturday increased to seven. This weekend, there were four from the Southeastern Conference, three from the PAC-12, and none from the Big Ten. As always, I recorded all of them. I was really disappointed the clash between Michigan (11-0, 3rd in the College Football Playoff) and Ohio State (11-0, 2nd in the CPF) was shown.  While it was close at halftime with Ohio State leading 20-17, Michigan kicked it into high gear and went on to win 45-23. Go Blue!

Here’s this week’s quote (Compliments of http://www.wisdomquotesandstories.com/):

“Focus on good thoughts and good things will happen. Stay positive. Think positive. Do positive.”

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on November 27th, the fourth and final Sunday of the month:

John Murray II, Scottish publisher (publisher Lord Byron); Aleksey Apukhtin, Russian poet and friend of Tsjaikovski; Jose Asunción Silva, Colombian poet (Nocturno III); Charles A. Beard, American historian (American Continentalism); Jatindramohan Bagchi, Indian (Bengali) poet; Władysław Orkan [Franciszek Ksawery Smaciarz], Polish author (Nowele Zebrane); Pedro Salinas, Spanish writer (Generation of 1927); Giovanni Battista Angioletti, Italian author (Il giorno del giudizio); Fredric Warburg, British publisher (Animal Farm) and author; L. Sprague de Camp, American sci-fi author (Goblin Tower, Hand of Zei); James Agee, American author (African Queen, Death in Family); Elaine Greene, literary agent; Ole Sarvig, Danish writer and critic (Limbo, Glem Ikke); John Maddox, British science writer and editor (Nature); Vladimir Maksimov, Russian writer and dissident; Gail Sheehy, American author (Hustling); Nicole Brossard, French Canadian poet; Kathryn Bigelow, American director, producer and writer (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty); and Kevin Henkes, American children’s book writer/illustrator (Caldecott Medal).

Any names familiar to you? I recognized one: Kathryn Bigelow. 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

Slide1I completed and posted chapter nineteen of Frozen Conquest to the two online subscription writing sites I use. There were another eighteen reviews this week, bringing the total to 341. As always, plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

Here another snippet:

Liam and Winston lifted the unconscious Ailsa from the floor and tossed her on a bed.

They straightened her body and put a pillow underneath her head.

“Good enough. Start placing the GSM bugs—they all have built-in batteries, so just make sure they’re hidden. The cabin’s small, so the bugs should pick up every conversation.” Winston located Ailsa’s cellphone and tried to access it.

Locked.

He picked up her hand and swiped her fingers across the phone. I’m in. “I’ll download the spyware app to her phone. She’ll never know it’s there.”

“Should I put a bug in the bathroom, too?”

Winston shrugged. “Why not? No telling what we’ll hear.”

Moments later, Liam stepped from the bathroom. “Done. Now what?”

“Let’s get out of here. We’ll go back to our cabin and check the connections.”

* * *

Carina’s eyes flicked from her watch to the companionway expecting Ailsa to appear at any moment.

“Something the matter?” A bemused smile etched across Gunner’s face.

“Yes. After Ailsa and I went out on deck, she said she was going back to the room to retrieve her camera so she could take some group shots.” Carina glanced at her wrist again. “It’s been  almost thirty minutes—she should be with us by now.”

“Perhaps she needed to use the toilet.”

“For that long?” Carina shook her head as she stood. “Something’s wrong. I’m going to check on her.”

Gunner drained the last of his coffee. “Wait a minute. If something strange is going on, I’d feel better accompanying you.”

“Thank you.”

* * *

Gunner and Carina left the rest of the team and made their way to Ailsa’s cabin.

Carina reached for the door handle.

“Wait!” Gunner pointed. “Look. The door isn’t shut. Let me go first in case someone other than Ailsa is inside.”

Carina stepped aside.

He edged the door open and peeked inside. Not seeing anyone, he entered.

“Holy smokes! Carina—it’s Ailsa. Something’s happened.”

Carina rushed into the cabin, stopping by the edge of the bed.

Gunner had gone to the other side and cradled Ailsa’s head in his arms.

She started to stir. “W-What happened?”

More next time.

Promotions

Five of my novels (all but Revenge) are also participating in a Mayhem & Motives: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Reads. This one allows five books per author and there are currently 146 novels participating.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/mysthrillsus-nov/4nmgssn0ek

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 2022 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, November 20th, 2022

Randall Krzak

New Release!

Ultimate Escalation cover artI’m pleased to announce the release of Ultimate Escalation by Solstice Publishing.

Here’s the blurb:

Punjabi militants seek to distance themselves from Indian and Pakistani dominance and interference. With the dissolution of British India in 1947, families were ripped apart as the Punjabi region was split between the two countries. Limited attacks within each country caused further persecution and heartache.

The militants have no idea how to achieve their desires–until the appearance of Vladimir Aleksandrovich Nikolaev, a disgraced Spetsnaz colonel. He offers the militants a means to spark a conflict between the two nuclear powers.

Russian subs sold on the black market and manned by Iranian and Russian sailors will surface off the coasts of the two countries and destroy Karachi and Mumbai. Propaganda machines will levy accusations against each country, leading to escalation of hostilities, pushing the countries to the brink of nuclear war.

The Bedlam organization fields their three teams to counter the violence and seek to restore calm before it’s too late. Will they be successful, or will South Asia become a smoking ruin?

Mother Nature decided we needed rain this week–lots of it! Numerous areas around the county of Fife hasflooding experience severe flooding. The photo is compliments of The Scottish Sun showing the River Eden. We were fortunate as our area is slightly elevated and there aren’t any rivers/streams nearby. What a mess for those trying to get where they need to be!

Looks like strikes are going to impact on most people. Teachers, paramedics, academics and university staff, postal workers, and train drivers are all set to walk out in a space of seven days. Nurses, radiographers, and physiotherapists are also set to strike while firefighters will be balloted on strike action. Those who answer the 999 calls (911 in the U.S.) will also be striking.

On a positive note, the price of gasoline (petrol) dropped another penny this week. So we’re now at £1.61 a liter. With the current exchange rate of $1.19, this makes the equivalent cost of a U.S. gallon $7.25, a an increase of one cent from last week.

The number of American college football games shown on Saturday remained at five. This weekend, there were two from the Southeastern Conference, one from the Atlantic Coast Conference, and one from the Big Ten. As always, I recorded all of them. The Big Ten game featured Michigan playing Illinois, which was a real nail-biter as Michigan kicked a winning field goal with nine seconds remaining. The final score was 19-17 and Michigan is still undefeated at 11-0. Meanwhile, Michigan State lost to Indiana 39-31. with Michigan increasing their record to 10-0 with a 34-3 win. Meanwhile, Michigan State defeated Rutgers 27-21.

Here’s this week’s quote (Compliments of http://www.wisdomquotesandstories.com/):

“Focus on good thoughts and good things will happen. Stay positive. Think positive. Do positive.”

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on November 20th, the third Sunday of the month:

Abraham de Wicquefort, Dutch diplomat and historian; Avvakum, Russian Orthodox archpriest and writer; Thomas Chatterton, English poet (Christabel); Josiah Royce, American philosopher (Conception of Immortality); Selma Lagerlof, Swedish author and Nobel Laureate (The Wonderful Adventures of Nils); Willem Vliegen, Dutch journalist and chairman (SDAP); Gerard Wilhelm Kernkamp, Dutch historian and editor (Groene Amsterdammer); Franz Pfemfert, German journalist and writer; Yevgenia Ginzburg, Russian writer; Pauli Murray, African American poet and civil rights activist; Nadine Gordimer, South African author (July’s people, Nobel 1991); Don DeLillo, American author (Underworld); Viktoriya Tokareva, Russian playwright; Haseena Moin, Pakistani television drama writer and Urdu playwright; Rachid Mimouni, Algerian author; and Sheema Kalbasi, Iranian born poet.

Any names familiar to you? I struck out this week. 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

I managed to do some more on Frozen Conquest. Chapter nineteen is almost read to post to the two onlineSlide1 subscription writing sites I use. There were another six reviews this week, bringing the total to 323. As always, plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

Here another snippet:

Brown stepped off the executive elevator and breezed past his secretary without a word. He walked into his office, sat, and thumbed through the mail. Nothing worthwhile here—why do I receive so many requests for money—everyone knows I never provide funds to cold requests. Waste of my time and theirs.

Helen slid into the room and placed a cup of coffee on Brown’s desk. “Sir, just a reminder about the board meeting in an hour.”

He sipped his coffee. Perfect. “Why do you think I came back from Antarctica? If I didn’t need to be here in person, I could have stayed there.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Helen, did you give any further thought to being with me all of the time? I’d make it worth your while.”

“Sorry, sir. I’m not too fond of the cold. Now, if you move your operations to a hot climate, I’ll take you up on the offer.”

Brown shook his head. “Can’t blame me for trying. You’re the best employee I’ve ever had.” Even if she does spurn my advances.

“Thank you, Mister Brown.” Helen blushed.

“I better prepare for the meeting. Remind me when I’m ten minutes late—we’ll let the other squirm. I want you to take notes as normal.”

“Yes, Mister Brown.”

* * *

As instructed, Helen waited until after the meeting was scheduled to start before knocking on Brown’s door. She pushed it open.

Empty.

Puzzled, she headed to the board room. Once inside, she slid into her usual chair, placing her tablet in front of her, ready to take notes.

“About time.” Brown glared at Helen. “Now we can start.” He glanced around the room at his vice presidents: marketing & promotion, finance & banking, consumer services, mining, energy, technology, and construction. He pursed his lips. “Where the dickens is Wendy? I made it clear I wanted her report on efforts to increase our share of global insurance regarding risk management.”

A timid hand popped up. “Mister Brown, she couldn’t make it today. One of her children is home with the measles.”

“Harumph. Very well.” He turned to a woman with blond hair and green eyes. “Rachel, what is the status of siphoning off two percent of all profit from each business segment?”

Rachel swallowed. “I-I met with everyone yesterday. We should start seeing a line item in the books for individual segments by the end of the month.” She gulped. “However, we can only manage one percent at such short notice.”

Brown slammed a fist on the table. “Why is it so difficult? Just move the money as soon as possible. I want the amount increased to five percent by the end of the year. Call the line item Project Green Earth.”

“Y-Yes, Mister Brown.”

More next time.

Promotions

Five of my novels (all but Revenge) are also participating in a Mayhem & Motives: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Reads. This one allows five books per author and there are currently 146 novels participating.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/mysthrillsus-nov/4nmgssn0ek

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 2022 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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