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Randall’s Ramblings, January 18, 2026

Randall Krzak

The number and variety of birds visiting has increased over the past couple of weeks. We’re also seeing more squirrels, wild turkeys and deer. Not sure why the change, but it’s great to see the wildlife!

The Detroit Pistons played two games this week, winning both of them. They’re now 30-10 on the season, in first place in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference, 7.5 games ahead of second-place Cleveland. Hopefully, they will continue their winning ways!

The Michigan Wolverines also played two games this week, winning both of them by ten points. Although they dropped to fourth in the NCAA rankings, they are now 16-1 on the season. Meanwhile, the Michigan State Spartans, ranked twelfth, improved to 16-2. Both teams play again on Tuesday.

“Making people believe the unbelievable is no trick; it’s work. … Belief and reader absorption come in the details: An overturned tricycle in the gutter of an abandoned neighborhood can stand for everything.” — Stephen King, WD (this quote is from an interview with King in the WD May/June 2009 issue). Compliments of https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/72-of-the-best-quotes-about-writing.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on January 18th, the 3rd Sunday of 2026 and the third one in January. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Antoine Houdar de la Motte, French playwright and poet; Montesquieu, French philosopher and writer (Letters Persanes); Peter Mark Roget, British lexicographer (Roget’s Thesaurus) and inventor (slide rule, pocket chessboard); William Henry Havergal, British composer, hymn writer, and Anglican clergyman; Johannes van Vloten, Dutch literary figure and theologist; Louis van Haecke, Belgian chaplain and author (Blood to Bridge); Jan Ferguut [Jan van Droogenbroeck], Belgian poet; Austin Dobson, English poet, critic and biographer; Ioan Slavici, Transylvanian-Romanian writer, founded the Young Romania Social and Literary Academic Society; Rubén Darío, Nicaraguan journalist, diplomat and poet; Paul Léautaud [Maurice Boissard], French writer and theatre critic (Petit ami); Gaston Gallimard, French publisher (Librairie Gallimard); A.A. Milne, English author of the Winnie-the-Pooh books; Arthur Ransome, English author, journalist and critic (Swallows & Amazons); C. M. Eddy, Jr., American writer; Hans H. Holm, Norwegian poet (Jonsoknatt); Jacob Bronowski, Polish-born British mathematician and science writer best known as the presenter of the BBC television series, The Ascent of Man; Charles Delaunay, French writer, magazine publisher (Le Jazz Hot), jazz musiclogist (Hot Discography), record label founder, and music promoter; William Sansom, English writer (Loving Eye); Arno Schmidt, German writer; James Crow, American geneticist and educator (Genetic Theories and Influences: Comments on the Value of Diversity); Gilles Deleuze, French philosopher (Difference and Repetition); Robert Anton Wilson, American sci-fi author (Trick Top Hat); Jon Stallworthy, English poet; Raymond Briggs, British children’s book author and illustrator (The Snowman; Fungus the Bogeyman); Anthony Giddens, English sociologist (theory of structuration), and prolific author; Bill Keller, American founding editor-in-cheif of nonprofit “The Marshall Project” and executive editor of “The New York Times”; Dave Attell, American writer and comedian (Captain Miserable, Insomniac with Dave Attell; and Binyavanga Wainaina, Kenyan author and journalist.

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me this week: A. A. Milne. 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

I found out on this week that Mission: Yemen is now on the finalist list for the 2025 Chanticleer International Book Awards for Global Thrillers. The 6-8 first in category winners and the genre grand prize winner will be announced on April 18th. Fingers crossed that Mission: Yemen becomes one of the first in category winners, or even better, the genre grand prize winner!

The cover of Mission: Yemen is still competing in the monthly competition held by http://www.allauthor.com.  It’s currently in the third round but in order to move forward, it’ll need your help.

If you like the cover and are so inclined, please go to the website and vote for it. Here’s the link: https://allauthor.com/cover-of-the-month/20355/.

Thanks in advance!

My Work in Progress

Work slowly continues on Temples of Abydos. Over the past week, there have been an additional nine chapter reviews, bringing the total to thirty-six . As always, plenty of positive suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s the next snippet:

Charles glanced out the office window at the West Sands, famous for the opening scenes of Chariots of Fire, as he waited for someone to answer the phone. He sipped from his first mug of coffee for the day while he counted the number of rings. After reaching ten, he gave up, and began to put the phone down when he heard a male voice.

“Hello. You have reached the Supreme Council of Antiquities within the Egyptian Ministry of Culture.”

“Hello. Could I speak with Ali?”

“It is I who is speaking. To whom do I have the indubitable pleasure of addressing?”

“This is Charles Rennie. We met about five years ago at an Egyptian symposium.”

“Ah, Professor Charles. How could I not forget my favorite Scotsman?”

Charles chuckled. I was the only Scot at the symposium.

“To what divination from the gods do I owe the pleasure of your call?”

Charles laughed. “I’m looking for a charismatic character, full of wit, and knowledgeable about Egyptian antiquities. Are you aware of any such individual?”

“As it so happens, I do. You are talking to the most charismatic—and witty Egyptian in the whole world.”

“Aye. Well, I’m taking a one-year break from teaching and want to explore some Egyptian sites. The first one I chose is Abydos.”

“It is most fortunate for you I am well-versed with the temples of Abydos and happen to be available. In fact, my boss said if I never came back, it would be too soon.” Ali burst into laughter. “I do not know how he would function without me to keep him in line. But, there is an important question I must ask.”

“What’s that?”

“Do you think you can afford me? My serious self comes with a modest price tag of seventy-two thousand Egyptian pounds a year, but I charge extra for wit and knowledge.”

“Aye. But how do you keep them separate?”

“It is in the knowing of what a client wants. After all, it takes much work to be my charming self, so why not charge for it?”

“What about a base salary of seven thousand Egyptian pounds a month plus expenses?

Ali laughed. “That appears to be a fair amount. But ten thousand Egyptian pounds would be even better. Toss in meals, and I will be your humble servant as long as you require. Mind you, I do eat a lot.”

“I’m sure we can accommodate you.” Charles chucked. Okay, ten thousand Egyptian pounds, which is just over one hundred fifty British pounds, My wife, Isabella, will be accompanying me, plus one of my nephews, Finley Burness, who wants to be an archaeologist. Can you arrange the necessary dig permits and extended visas for us from the ministry? What about workmen?”

“For the appropriate stipend, I can arrange anything you will require. There will be the usual modest fees plus my commission.”

“How much is your commission?”

Ali coughed. “Ten percent.”

“Hmm. A bit steep. Make it five, and we have a deal.”

“How about seven and a half?”

“Six—my final offer.”

Ali chortled. “Professor Charles, you are almost as good at bargaining as an Egyptian. I am happy to accept your gracious offer. At the first available opportunity, which will be today, I shall begin arranging vehicles, supplies, diggers, porters, and armed guards.”

“Why armed guards?”

“Since you were last in Egypt, there has been an increase in attacks at antiquity sites. Some people were kidnapped for ransom, and several were shot for no apparent reason.”

“I see. Aye, armed guards would be prudent.”

“I am glad you understand my thought processes, Professor Charles. When are you wanting to begin?”

“Isabella, Finley, and I will be in Cairo in three weeks as we need to time to arrange our visas and get requisite shots. Give me your email address, and I’ll send the details to you.”

Ali gave his address to Charles. “Upon receipt of your email, I will send you the account information for you to do a transfer of funds to me so I may begin preparations.”

“Aye. How much will you need?”

“It is, of course, up to your esteemed self, but I am thinking the princely sum of five thousand of your pounds will be sufficient for me to begin.”

“That much?”

“Yes, Professor Charles. Antiquity search is no stranger to price increases. Everyone wants more money. Of course, I shall only hire the very best, you can rest assured.”

“Very well. Anything else?”

“Yes. It would be prudent for you and Missus Professor, as well as your nephew, to learn which end of a weapon to point at nefarious individuals. It might make the difference between breathing and not.”

“Aye. I will enquire about what is available for the average person in Scotland, but I think it’s reserved for armed police officers and the military. If not, can I assume something will be arranged in Cairo?”

“On the grave of my father, I shall promise to teach all three of you. It is in my best self-interest to do so. After all, I am not wanting to join my ancestors just yet.”

Charles chuckled. “We will leave things in your capable hands, Ali. I shall send the flight details as soon as they are confirmed.”

“Excellent, Professor. I shall work with unbridled desire.”

Charles broke the connection. He’s still a character. Wonder what Isabella will think of him?

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 2026 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, November 9, 2025

Randall Krzak

After a long and valiant fight against asthma and a heart condition, Alfie was euthanized last Sunday at the University of Georgia. The plan was to give him a pacemaker this past Monday, but, with the greatest of regret, we had to let him go. Farewell, my gentle boy!

The Detroit Lions lost last weekend, dropping their record to 5-3. They’re still in second place in the NFC North Division. Today, they play the Washington Commanders. I hope they can bounce back!

The 7-2 Michigan Wolverines and the 3-6 Michigan State Spartans both had byes this week. Let’s see if they can keep things going next week!

“Who wants to become a writer? And why? Because it’s the answer to everything. … It’s the streaming reason for living. To note, to pin down, to build up, to create, to be astonished at nothing, to cherish the oddities, to let nothing go down the drain, to make something, to make a great flower out of life, even if it’s a cactus.” — Enid Bagnold. Compliments of https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/72-of-the-best-quotes-about-writing.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on November 9th, the forty-fifth Sunday of 2025 and the second on in November. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Paul Aler, French jesuit and poet (Gradus ad Parnassum); Mark Akenside, English poet and physician; Julie de Lespinasse, French aristocrat, hostess and writer; Elijah Parish Lovejoy, American newspaper publisher and abolitionist; Ivan Turgenev, Russian novelist, poet and playwright (Fathers & Sons); Matthias de Vries, Dutch linguist (spelling); Émile Gaboriau, French writer (father of the French detective novels); Emmanuel de Bom, Flemish author (Wrakken); Bohdan Lepky, Ukrainian writer and poet; Allama Iqbal, Indian philosopher and poet; Velimir Khlebnikov, Russian poet and playwright; Erika Mann, German-American author (Other Germany); (Hendrik) “Henk” van Randwijk, Dutch poet, WWII resistance fighter, journalist, and newsweekly editor-in-chief (Vrij Nederland, 1941-50); Tabish Dehlvi, Pakistani poet; Sir Alistair Horne, British historian and journalist (A Savage War of Peace: Algeria 1954–1962); Anne Sexton (née Harvey), American Pulitzer Prize-winning poet (Live or Die; The Awful Rowing Toward God); Imre Kertesz, Hungarian writer (Nobel Laureate 2002); Marian Christy, American author (Invasions of Privacy); American scientist, astronomer and author (Broca’s Brain, Cosmos, Contact) known for his research on extraterrestrial life; Ronald Harwood, South African playwright and screenwriter (The Dresser); Donald Trelford, English journalist and editor (Observer Newspaper 1975-93); Roger McCough, British poet (The Mersey Sound); Ti-Grace Atkinson, American feminist author; and Bill Mantlo, American comic book writer (Micronauts).

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me this week: Carl Sagan. 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

Work slowly continued  on my first edit pass of the manuscript for Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion based on reader feedback and make adjustments based on what I think works best. Since my last post, there were another eight new chapter reviews this week, bringing the total to 331. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s another snippet:

A knock sounded at the door of Latimer Manor.

Felipe Vanderbilt was escorted inside the study, where Latimer sat in an oversized, red velvet chair. “Good evening, Governor Latimer.

“Indeed, it is.” Latimer’s bright green eyes flicked to the man.

“I’ve news to share with you, sir.” Felipe lowered his gaze.

“What of it?” Latimer snorted slightly as his eyes weighed on Felipe, waiting for him to make eye contact again.

“There was an issue with the autostoker on Pawnee Street this evening.” Felipe swallowed, waiting.

“Was there?”

Felipe nodded.

“Well, handle it, then. I know you can do so without my direct intervention.” Latimer raised a brow and adjusted his cufflinks. He narrowed his beady eyes and fluffed the side of his straw-like hair, which seemed to be a bit yellower than usual.

Felipe knew better than to comment upon such matters. Everyone knew not to say anything of the like to the governor. Men that said less vanished without a trace or were beaten to an unrecognizable pulp.

“I don’t think you understand, Governor Latimer.” The man winced. No matter how he tried to speak to Latimer without betraying his fear, he failed miserably.

“What do you mean?” Latimer lifted his eyes, narrowing them even more upon Felipe.

“Your daughter was the catalyst for the incident, sir,” Felipe responded.

“Evangeline?” He snorted louder than he intended. “Are you quite sure of it?”

“One of your automatons spotted her yesterday in town around about the autostoker in question. It was the morning after she stayed with her friend, Rebecca Telford,  and attended her coming-out party.”

“What did she supposedly do to the stoker?”

“The report says she pulled a pin on the running mechanism that stopped it in its tracks,” Felipe said. “Sir.” He swallowed, pausing for effect.

“Yes…” Latimer drew out his word.

“She was with a man, sir.” Felipe shrunk, wondering if he was going to get a lashed back.

“And do we know this…” Latimer hissed like a snake as he stood to his feet. “Man?”

“No, sir,” Felipe said.

“Is… she… home?” Latimer snarled.

“I believe so, sir. Last report was that she was in the gardens with that servant girl of hers.”

“Stay here, Felipe.” He took to the door, rounding the house to the backside gardens. “Evangeline Elizabeth Latimer, front and center now,” he screamed. “You are dismissed,” he added with clenched teeth when he got close enough to Anna that she jumped.

Giving his daughter a terrified look, the slave scurried away, leaving Latimer alone with Evie.

“What is this about, Father?” Evie’s lips curved as she batted her eyes, dropping her gaze.

“Don’t father me, Evangeline. Where were you yesterday morning?”

“I-I w-was in t-town, sir.”

“And what did you do to one of my autostokers?” Latimer waited to see if she would tell him the truth.

“I took a pin from it, Father.” Evie stared at him with a look of innocence.

All it did was make him even hotter under the collar. He didn’t expect her to be honest, and now that she was, his face flushed. He was never known as the most genteel man, yet he curled his fists so hard his palms bled as he stood. He was the ruler of these parts and deserved respect.

“And your reasoning behind it?” He shot her a stoic look.

“I was angry at you, Father. It was so foolish of me to do such a thing,” she admitted.

 For half a second, his heart fluttered. “And why were you angry at me?”

“You sold my favorite horse, Father.”

Latimer stared at her, unable to determine if it were a lie or the truth. “Thomasina?”

“One and the same.” Evie crossed her arms.

“I don’t remember you ever giving two cares about that glue bag.” He scowled. “Why the disdain?”

“It wasn’t the horse at all, Father.”

When she stepped closer, he could read a small amount of anger in her eyes.

“There was one of my inventions in its saddlebag.”

“I didn’t get rid of her saddlebag, Evie!”.

“Oh, Daddy!” Evie turned, heading towards the stables, presumably to find whatever was in that bag.

“Evangeline!” He shouted again, causing her to jump and face him. “Where is the pin to my autostoker?”

“Here.” She pouted as she pulled the pin from her hair and handed it to him. “Will that be all?”

“No. There is something else.”

“What’s that?”

“Who was the man that you were with yesterday?”

She blushed. “I was going to keep him to myself for a while.”

“Give your father a clue, then. A name at least, or where you met him.”

“I met him at the coming-out.” Evie sighed. “His name is Jefferies, Thomas Jefferies.”

“Hmm.” He tried to recall anyone with that name but drew a blank. “This name does not strike a chord.”

“It wouldn’t,” she said. “He is visiting from up north. You would like him, Daddy. He’s White Utopian Supremacy.”

“Very nice.” He was unsure if his one and only daughter was telling the truth.

“May I go now, Daddy?” She batted her eyelashes.

“Yes, dear.” Latimer closed the gap between them and kissed her cheek, holding out his hand.

She placed the pin on his palm.

He nodded for her to leave and watched as she walked towards the stables, the anger still bubbling under the surface of his relaxed facade before turning for the house. He didn’t think she was telling the whole truth.

He  entered his study. “”Felipe, here is the pin. Can you have it replaced?”

“Y-Yes, s-sir. R-Right away.” Felipe got to his feet and headed towards the door.

“One more thing, Felipe.” Latimer walked towards his friend. “Keep an eye on my daughter. If she so much as moves out of line, let me know. And find out what you can on a Thomas Jefferies. He would have been at that coming-out party two nights back.”

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 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall Krzak

I didn’t have an opportunity last Sunday to post my weekly blog. Sylvia and I, along with our three cats, made a trip to Maryland and Washington, D.C. for a much needed vacation and to spend time with our son. We’re back home now, which the cats greatly appreciate as they missed being on our deck where they spend a lot of time.

The Detroit Tigers are clinging onto first place in the American League Central Division, although they only have a 6.5 game lead over second place Cleveland. The Tigers are currently nineteen games above 500, with a 84-65 record, with about thirteen games left in the regular season. Go Tigers!

The Detroit Lions lost their first game of the 2025 NFL season, falling to the Green Bay Packers 27-13. Hopefully, the Lions can bounce back today against the Chicago Bears. 

The Michigan Wolverines began the 2025 NCAA football season ranked 14th. After losing last week to Oklahoma, they plummeted to 23rd. Hopefully, after yesterday’s resounding win against Central Michigan University 63-3, they’ll climb back up the rankings. 

The Michigan State Spartans aren’t ranked yet this year, but currently have a 3-0 record, beating Youngstown State University yesterday 41-24. Hopefully, they’ll make it into the rankings soon.

“We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.” — Ernest Hemingway. Compliments of https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/72-of-the-best-quotes-about-writing.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on September 14th, the thirty-seventh Sunday of 2025 and the second one in September. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Francisco Gómez de Quevedo, Spanish poet and writer; Gisbert Cuper, Dutch classicist and historian; Alexander von Humboldt, German naturalist and explorer (Kosmos); Theodor Storm, German judge and author (Immensee, Der Schimmelreiter); Hamlin Garland, American writer (Middle Border); Paul Fechter, German writer (Der Zauberer Gottes); Martin Dibelius, German theologist (Die Lade Jahwes); Anton Zischka, Austrian writer (Lebendiges Europa); Yi Sang, Korean author and poet (Dying Words, Wings, Child’s Bone); Pietro Germi, Italian actor, writer and director (Divorce Italian Style, The Facts of Murder); Robert McCloskey, American children’s book writer and illustrator (Make Way For Ducklings); Eric Bentley, British-American critic and writer (In Search of Theater); Mario Benedetti, Uruguayan journalist, novelist and poet; Davidson Nicol, Sierra Leonean diplomat and author; Michel Butor, French novelist and essayist; Martin Caidin, American aviation writer; Larry Collins, American writer; Allan Bloom, American philosopher and author (Closing of the American Mind); Hans Faverey, Dutch poet; Kate Millett, American feminist and author (Sexual Politics); Leo Ferrier, Surinamese writer (Atman); Bernard MacLaverty, Northern Irish writer (Grace Notes); Michael Lydon, American music journalist and a founding editor of Rolling Stone; Christian Petzold, German screenwriter and director (Afire, Transit); and Robert Ben Garant, American screenwriter and actor (Reno 991!).

Any names familiar to you? There weren’t any for me 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 found out last week that Mission: Yemen, Xavier Sear Thriller Book 2 is now on the long list for the 2025 Chanticleer International Book Awards in the Global Thrillers category. There’s plenty of competition to see who moves onto the short list. Stay tuned for an update when the short list is revealed.

 

 

 

My Work In Progress

I didn’t have a chance to continue  my first edit pass of the manuscript for Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion based on reader feedback and make adjustments based on what I think works best, but plan to be back at it this week. Since my last post, there were another nine new chapter reviews this week, bringing the total to 297. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s another snippet:

The cold metallic clang of Finley Harding’s boot hinges hitting the cobblestone echoed down the vacant street. He adjusted his thoracic harness and stepped away from the carriage with a look of concern. A smooth and well-crafted sign moved ever so slightly in the wind over the street. Tankard Town.  Finn shook his head. What a silly name for a part of the city that boasted more machinist shops than saloons. 

It was ridiculous, but it made Finn smile, not that anyone could see since the street was nearly vacant.

The autostoker extended its change plate, waiting for a fare. 

Finn dropped three coins into it as the engine’s hiss sent a warm fog into the cold, damp night and a chill down his spine.

 He watched the intricacy of the mechanism as the extended arm retracted into the stoker’s side. The gears engaged and the carriage began to rumble down the street. No driver, no passenger it rolled away as if magically transported. It was indeed a wonder.

 Finn patted his pocket and felt the letter that led him here. His friend, Marston Hayward, requested a meeting but was nowhere to be seen. What little patience Finn possessed, particularly in this situation, began to fray with his friend’s absence. After all, it was well past eleven. Finn frowned, his annoyance growing by the second.

This was nothing unusual.  Finn closed his eyes to get a hold of his emotions, pushing his annoyance down deep. He hated that part of him, but it was there, nonetheless.

The distant sound of hobnails on cobblestones redirected Finn’s attention to a small alley ahead on the right. A glint of shimmering metal hit him directly between the eyes, descending from the darkness so quickly it nearly blinded him. 

Finn tilted his head, shielding his face, and sniffed the air, wondering if some newly engineered automaton was now patrolling the streets.

There was no reek of oil that Finn associated with machines, not even the light hint fumes that evaporated off the creations and filled the air. There was a slight essence, though, almost like ladies’ perfume. It wasn’t easy to place, and there certainly were no ladies in sight.

Lurching slightly, Finn peered down the alley. “Hello? May I be of assistance?”

The light that stunned his vision vanished down the dimly lit alley. He disliked unexpected circumstances that distracted him from his purpose. They frustrated him when a mystery presented itself and he couldn’t give it all his attention. His bottom lip twitched. I’m curious about this meeting. What agenda would it present?

He knew there were several reasons why Marston might have wanted to see him. It was months since the two had communicated. They parted ways when the war ended. Now, here he was with a handwritten missive and a few odd occurrences that made him wonder.

 Finn knew the area enough to feel somewhat safe, but he didn’t want to stand and wait for Marston long. Instead, he hurried toward a bench made of cogs and parts of old machines and clocks. He ran a hand over it and smiled. It was a statement piece.

Once he sat, he reached into his long, brown duster. It wasn’t fancy in the least, but it was the best-looking coat he owned. He felt one of the many watch pieces that lined his pocket, and tinkered with an automaton, trying his hand at something micro, but he failed every time. When he felt the small notepad at the bottom of his pocket, he pulled it out, along with a pen.

He jotted notes on many occasions to help with his meetings and various reports. These were his observations and passions. Tonight, he pondered the true reason he was there. He read these notes one after another, recalling his horror and disgust.

May 18th, 1870

Thomas Ross, slave to Barnabas Latimer, was killed during a culling party where they lynched black men for doing little to nothing.

May 20th, 1870

Betsy Laurent, black woman, mother of three, was sold to a brothel owned by none other than Felipe Vanderbilt, Latimer’s best friend.

May 25th, 1870

A black man known only by the name of Cain disappeared three days ago. No one saw him leave or be taken. Possible runaway or potential lashing gone wrong. Also owned by Latimer.

Good for him. Finn hoped  the man escaped.

After the war was won by the South, many men, women, and children of color or mixed race went missing, were sold, or were killed every day. It was a nightmare.

Yes, I’m sure that’s what the meeting was bout. If I was discovered taking notes, I’d be punished, but I will find a way to take down Governor Latimer—one way of another.

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 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, February 16, 2025

Randall Krzak

There’s been a fair bit of rain this week, culminating in a thunderstorm this morning. The weather hasn’t stopped the wildlife from visiting. In addition to the normal  myriad of birds and squirrels, flocks of wild turkeys range from fifteen to twenty-four were in attendance on four days. Twice at dusk , eight deer also dropped in.

We attended our first local farmer’s market last Sunday since moving. Although shorter in length compared to the small business markets we participated in while living in Scotland, the three-hour event passed quickly. I sold three autographed copies of my novels, while Sylvia sold two of her poetry books and four of her laminated poetry sheets.  I’m not sure yet when we’ll be there next, but we did submit an application covering numerous dates for the rest of the year. We should find out our slots in the next couple of weeks or so.

As the NBA headed toward its annual all-star events, the Detroit Pistons kicked things into high gear, winning three games and upping their record to 29-26. I hope they continue their winning ways after the all-star game!

The Michigan State Spartans played two games this week, splitting the pair. They saw a slight slide in the Top Twenty-Five, going from 9th to 11th. Their record is now 20-5.  Meanwhile, the University of Michigan Wolverines played one game this week,  adding another win and moving their record to 19-5. They moved up to 20th in the Top Twenty-Five. Hopefully, they’ll add another game to the win column when they play this afternoon.

“Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.” – William Faulkner. Compliments of https://copyblogger.com/inspirational-quotes-for-writers/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on February 16th, the seventh Sunday of 2025 and the third one for February. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Orderic Vitalis, English-born French monk and chronicler (Historia Ecclesiastica); Giambattista Bodoni, Italian typographer (Bodoni), printer and publisher; Johann Wilhelm Heinse, German novelist and art critic of the Sturm und Drang period; Joseph Victor von Scheffel, German writer (Gaudeamus); Nikolai Leskov, Russian writer (The Tale of Cross-eyed Lefty from Tula and the Steel Flea; Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk), and playwright; Ernst Haeckel, German biologist (Causes of Evolution) and philosopher (Social Darwinism); Henry Adams, American historian and writer (Education of Henry Adams); Octave Mirbeau, French writer (Journal of a Lady’s Maid); William S. Scarborough, American linguist and author (Birds of Aristophanes); Elizabeth Craig, Scottish cookery book writer; Van Wyck Brooks, American literary historian and writer (Ordeal of Mark Twain); Albert Hackett, American actor, playwright and screenwriter (It’s A Wonderful Life; The Diary of Anne Frank); Hal Porter, Australian writer (Tilted Cross, Paper Chase); Arthur Crook, British editor (Times Literary Supplement); Bob Tadema Sporry, Dutch author; Hubert van Herreweghen, Belgian poet; Araucaria [John Galbraith Graham], British crossword compiler (The Guardian) and priest; Paul van ‘t Veer, Dutch journalist and writer (Het Vrije Volk); Peter Porter, Australian-British author and poet (Chair of Babel); Alfred Kolleritsch, Austrian poet and literary journalist; [Ervin] Aharon Appelfeld, Israeli writer (Blooms of Darkness; Badenheim), and holocaust survivor; Paul Bailey, English novelist and biographer; Richard Ford, American author (Sportswriter); Eckhart Tolle, German-born author (The Power of Now) and spiritual teacher; Dorus Vrede, Surinam poet (Otobanda; the Other Bank); Guy Gallo, American poet, playwright, and screenwriter (Under the Volcano); and Warren Ellis, British comic book writer (Red).

Any names familiar to you? There weren’t any for me 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

Work continues at a good pace on Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series, finishing chapter twelve and posting it to the two online subscription writing sites I use. There were another nineteen reviews this week, bringing the total to 181. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

As previously mentioned the cover is a filler, as the final cover won’t be done until the entire first draft is completed.  Here’s another snippet:

Around 03:00, Trevor was back in the OP. He munched on an energy bar and took a swig of water from his canteen. When he resettled himself, he used the AN/PSQ-20 Enhanced Night Vision Goggle (ENVG) to scan the perimeter. Hmm. Awful quiet. He picked up his radio and keyed the mic. He whispered, “Haggis, this is Black. Heads up. Jungle’s gone quiet. Expect visitors.”

***

In his tent, CC listened to Trevor and keyed his radio once to acknowledge the warning. Still dressed, CC dashed out of his tent, stopping at the other tents to pass the alert.

CC returned to the command tent, where he shoved his SIG Sauer pistol, and magazines for the pistol and his assault rifle in a rucksack, before donning his ATN PS31-2 night vision goggles.

Moments later, Evelyn and Rufus entered and did the same.

Bob joined them, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “What’s going on?”

“Get kitted up. Trevor said company is on the way.” CC grabbed several power bars and a full canteen and added them to his rucksack before heading outside.

“What?” Bob’s jaw dropped.

“Just do what we rehearsed earlier. Your designated station is here in the command tent.” Evelyn put a reassuring hand on Bob’s arm. “Rufus and I will follow CC. We’ll be ringed in a semi-circle between the command tent and the OP, so be careful if you begin shooting so you don’t hit one of us.”

Bob nodded before rushing to the corner and grabbing a rucksack CC made up for his earlier. He tipped over the table and took his position.

Evelyn nodded as she and Rufus dashed outside to their pre-arranged spots among the trees.

Craack! Craack! Craack!

Single shots woke the jungle.

The animals who made the jungle their home began screeching as they hurried away from the danger.

Rat-a-tat! Rat-a-tat!

CC, Evelyn, and Rufus strained with the NVGs as they searched for infiltrators.

“Incoming invaders!” Trevor spoke on the unified radio channel. “I’ve seen shots from at least four vectors.”

“Aye, Black. We’re ready.” CC removed the safety on his assault rifle as he prepared to take on their attackers.

A shadow, darker than the rest of the jungle, rose in front of CC.

With an automatic reflex, CC first a single shot.

The shadow screamed and dropped from sight.

More screams erupted as tracer fire lit up the jungle.

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 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, February 9,2025

Randall Krzak

Once again, we’ve had a myriad of wildlife visitors: squirrels, male/female cardinals, blue jays, pigeons, woodpeckers, black-capped chickadees, and deer. Another flock of wild turkeys also dropped in on Wednesday–twenty-two if my count was correct. The deer and the turkeys left after they ate, while the others remained behind, going after what was left.

There were mixed results for the Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State Spartans’ basketball teams again this week . Michigan moved back into the Top Twenty-Five at twenty-four after winning two more games and improving their record to 18-5.  Meanwhile, the Spartans dropped down to 9th in the Top Twenty-Five. They won one game this week, but lost a second one. Their record is now 19-4.

The Detroit Pistons continued on their march forward, now at 26-26. This is the most games they’ve won in a season since before the 2018-19 season. Hopefully, they’ll keep on winning, although they won’t match their most wins in a season, which occurred in 2005-06 when they won sixty-four games.

Last week, Frozen Conquest received a five-star editorial review. If you’re interested in checking it out, click on the title.

“And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” – Sylvia Plath. Compliments of https://copyblogger.com/inspirational-quotes-for-writers/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on February 9th, the sixth Sunday of 2025 and the second one for February. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Ali-Shir Nava’i, Timurid poet and writer (Mahbub ul-Qulub) considered a founder of early Turkic literature; Giambattista Andreini, Italian playwright and actor (L’adamo); Adriaan Kluit, Dutch scholar and historian; Susette Gontard (née Borkenstein), the beloved of German poet Friedrich Hölderlin and inspiration for Hölderlin’s novel Hyperion; Vasily Zhukovsky, Russian poet; Felix Dahn, German Historian, jurist and poet; Anthony Hope, British novelist and playwright (The Prisoner of Zenda); George Ade, American playwright, writer and humorist (Counsel Widow, Fables in Slang); Fran Saleški Finžgar, Slovene folk writer (Our Blood, Service Girls); Amy Lowell, American poet and critic (Patterns, Sword Blades & Poppy Seed); Jacques Bainville, French historian, essayist and journalist; James Stephens, Irish poet (Crock of Gold); Frederik Gerretson [Geerten Gossaert], Dutch poet and politician; Vital Celen, Flemish writer and scholar (Puppy Love); Larry Semon, American silent film actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (The Wizard of Oz (1925)); Charles Montgomery Monteith, Irish publisher (Faber & Faber – published “Lord of the Flies”; Brendan Behan, rish author and poet (Borstal Boy, The Hostage); J. M. Coetzee, South African novelist; Alice Walker, American novelist (The Color Purple, Meridian); Janet Issaca Ashford, American writer (Birth Stories); Mary Jo Duffy, American comic book writer and editor for Marvel and DC; and Tom Scharpling, American comedian and writer (Steven Universe, Monk).

Any names familiar to you? There weren’t any for me 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

Work continues at a good pace on Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series, although I didn’t finish chapter twelve as planned. There were another eight reviews this week, bringing the total to 162. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

As previously mentioned the cover is a filler, as the final cover won’t be done until the entire first draft is completed.  Here’s another snippet:

CC glanced at Evelyn and Rufus. “You two stay here and be our backup. Come running if you hear lots of shooting. CC shoved a magazine into his SA-8-2A assault rifle.

Trevor followed suit. “Ready, CC?”

“I was born ready.” CC chuckled. “Let’s go find out what’s what. I’ll take lead.” He stopped by the table and picked up a radio, clipping it to his belt. CC handed one to Trevor.

“Just remember, CC, you can’t use your bagpipes to lead us into battle.”

Everyone laughed.

“Aye, that’s why I left them at home.”

CC and Trevor left the tent, crouching as they maneuvered through the jungle in the direction of the OP.

After climbing over fallen trees, under low-hanging branches, and around rock croppings, they approached the OP fifteen minutes later.

Craack! Craack!

Periodic shots came from the OP as Bob fired into the jungle.

“Hey, Bob. Hold your fire—it’s CC and Trevor.”

“Come in.” Bob fired again. “I think the attackers fled, but I can’t be sure.”

“On our way.” CC entered the OP through an opening at the rear.

Trevor studied the surrounding jungle before following.

CC scooted in beside Bob. “What’s the situation, Bob?”

“Two men approached, weapons drawn. I shouted at them, and they began shooting. I returned first while Jim went for help. I might have winged one of the attackers, but I can’t be sure.” Bob glanced around. “Where’s Jim? Didn’t he come back with you?”

CC shook his head. “No easy way to say this—he’s dead. Appeared to be a heart attack, but a coroner will have to determine the cause of death. He grabbed his chest after entering the tent and fell to the ground. Evelyn checked for a pulse, but there wasn’t any.”

“Gee, willikers!” Bob sucked in a lungful of air and exhaled in small breaths. “I can’t believe it. We went through security training together, and he became my friend. We’re both from Virginia.” He shook his head. “What do we do now?”

“First thing is to find out if any targets are still around.” CC turned to Trevor. “Check it out.”

Trevor nodded and left the OP in silence.

Bob began to shake. “I-I’ve never been in a firefight before. How do you and Trevor deal with the danger and tension?”

CC laughed. “I’m sure Trevor will agree with me, but we both had butterflies in our stomachs and reacted the say way as you are. There isn’t any manual to teach you how to respond. Everyone’s experience different emotions and act in different ways. When Trevor returns, if the coast is clear, he’ll escort you back to camp. I’ll stay here and keep an eye on things.” CC shifted position so he had a better angle looking into the jungle.

Bob sat on the single camp chair in the OP and sighed. “I’m not cut out for this. I’d be better remaining in an embassy or consulate where things aren’t so dangerous.”

“Are you sure it’s any safer?” CC turned to look at Bob and grinned. “Several of our overseas facilities have been attacked, with some being overrun. Americans aren’t the best-like people in the world and the bad guys love to hit what they think might be soft targets—but not anymore.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

“Just ask Rufus about this. When he was in Peshawar, Pakistan, he was in charge of a QRF protecting the consulate. When the facility was attacked by the Taliban, he and his team were ready for anything.” CC shook his head. “They were fortunate the attackers blew themselves up before they breached the perimeter. Otherwise, Rufus and the others were perched on the consulate’s roof, waiting to strike.”

“Oh, wow! I’ll talk to him about how he and his men handled things. Many thanks, CC. You’ve calmed my nerves—at least a bit.”

The field isn’t ready for you—and might never be. CC shifted position again as he heard a noise from outside.

“What’s that noise?” Bob’s eyes widened.

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 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, January 19, 2025

Randall Krzak

I looked outside yesterday morning, expecting to see a few deer finishing off the corn . There weren’t any deer, but we did have other visitors. If I counted correctly, and I think I did, there were sixteen wild turkeys finishing off the corn and the squirrels’ food. It was great to see the turkeys as it was only the second or third time we’ve seen them since moving in last May.

The Detroit Lions played the Washington Commanders last night in the NFC Divisional playoffs. Detroit’s season ended with a 45-31 loss, while next Washington will play the winner of tonight’s LA Rams-Philidelphia Eagles game for the NFC Championship. It was disappointing to see the Lions stumble so close to the finish line, but now they’ll have to watch the rest of the season from the bench.

Last Sunday, Michigan and Michigan State won their basketball games, raising their records to 13-3 and 14-2, respectively Michigan is now ranked 20th in the Top Twenty-Five, while Michigan moved up to 12th.

They both played again during the week, with Michigan State improving to 15-2.  Michigan lost a heart-breaker at the buzzer in overtime when the score was tied 81-81. A Minnesota player sank a three-pointer to clinch the win. Michigan is now 13-4 and will likely drop out of the Top Twenty-Five. Both Michigan and Michigan State have games today.

“When you get in a tight place and everything goes against you till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the time and the place the tide will turn.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe. Compliments of https://www.aspiringwriteracademy.com/45-motivational-quotes-for-aspiring-writers.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on January 19th, the third Sunday of 2025. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

 

Noel Alexandre, French controversial theologian and historian; Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, French writer (Paul et Virginie); Isaiah Thomas, American journalist, editor and historian (Massachusetts Spy; Per Daniel Amadeus Atterbom, Swedish romantic poet (Blommorna (The Flowers), Lycksalighetens Ö (The Island of Bliss)) and historian (Svenska Siare och Skalder); Auguste Comte, French philosopher and father of sociology (A General View of Positivism); Edgar Allan Poe, American writer, poet and critic (The Pit and the Pendulum) considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre (Murders in the Rue Morgue); Carlos Guido y Spano, Argentine poet (Mexico, canto epico); Eugene Brieux, French playwright (Blanchette, Lesson Avaries); Gustav Meyrink, Austrian writer (The Golem); Hans Erich Blaich [Dr. Owlglass], German writer (Simplicissimus); Fráňa Šrámek, Czech poet, novelist, playwright, and anarchist; Boris Savinkov, Russian writer; Alexander Woollcott, American critic and short story writer (The Man Who Came to Dinner); Heinrich Schmidt-Barrien, German author (Moorkeerl); Phyllis Flowerdew, English school reading text author (Wide Range Reader series that sold over 7 million copies); Roh Ogura, Japanese composer and writer; John H. Johnson, African-American publisher (Negro Digest, Ebony, Jet); Patricia Highsmith [Plangman], American novel writer (Strangers On A Train; The Talented Mr. Ripley; The Price of Salt); Jean Francois Revel, French philosopher and author (Ni Marx ni Jesus); Nina Bawden, English author (“Afternoon of a Good Woman”, “Carrie’s War”); Libera Carlier, Flemish WWII resistance fighter, sailor, and author (Action Station Go!); Soumitra Chatterjee, Indian actor, playwright and poet (Satyajit Ray’s Apu Trilogy); Julian Barnes, English writer (Before She Met Me, The Sense of an Ending); and Edwidge Danticat, Haitian-American author.

 

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me this week:Edgar Allan Poe. 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

Frozen-Conquest-eBook-Cover-HRI found out this week that Frozen Conquest is now a finalist in the 2024 Chanticleer International Book Awards from the long list for global thrillers. There’s still plenty of competition, with fourteen other finalists in addition to Frozen Conquest, including David Wickenden, who has been a finalist in the past. Click on finalist to see the list.

First in category winners and category grand prize winners will be announced on April 5th.  Good luck to all the finalists as we wait for the end results.

 

 

My Work In Progress

Work continues on Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series. I posted chapter nine this week to the two subscription writing sites I use. There were another eight reviews this week, bringing the total to 128. Plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

As previously mentioned the cover is a filler, as the final cover won’t be done until the entire first draft is completed.  Here’s another snippet:

Five men sat around a pentagonal wooden table in the back room of Jake’s Bar. Faint music drifted in from the bustling main area, packed with patrons and prostitutes. Despite diverse backgrounds, the men shared a unified purpose: gaining control over drug dealing, smuggling, kidnapping, and extortion across the country.

This was their first meeting as the Council of Vengeance. Their faces were in shadow as the only light came from a flickering oil lamp centered on the table. Wisps of smoke curled upward from the lantern. A pitcher of Nigerian Legend stout sat near the lamp, with full glasses in front of each man. 

A waiter placed small dishes of chin chin or fried dough, akara or bean cakes, and fried plantain chips within easy reach. A separate dish held coconut candy, while a large platter had Nigerian suya. The spicy aroma of the beef shish kebabs wafted through the air.

The men remained silent until the waiter departed. They cast uneasy glances at the others as they were regular and deadly competitors—in a cut-throat business. To avoid drawing attention, they wore  Western-style jeans, multi-colored t-shirts, and a mixture of Nike and Adidas sneakers, as did many of the bar’s patrons.

Ten armed men leaned against the walls of the room, bulges in their clothing suggesting hidden weapons.

Mongo Abara, a heavy-set man with gray around his temples who served as the presumptive leader of the council, brought the meeting to order. He began speaking in Yoruba before switching to English. “E kaabo. My heart is joyful with the sight of my colleagues and competitors.”

Everyone nodded as they echoed Mongo’s welcome.

“After several weeks of negotiation, we are at last together to discuss how we will put an end to the violence we receive from the Nigerian authorities.” Mongo grinned. “Of course, we will continue to use whatever means necessary to achieve our collection objectives, including extortion, bribery, kidnapping, and murder.”

Everyone chuckled before sipping their beer.

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 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

 
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Randall’s Ramblings, September 17, 2023

Randall Krzak

It’s been a mainly wet week, with daytime temperatures ranging from 59-68F (14-20C). Nighttime temperatures were also lower, staying between 43-52F (6-11C) There was one day where it was dry enough so I was able to start raking up the leaves. Plenty more have fallen since then, but I’ll have to wait for another dry day to gather them up.

Over the past week, the price of gasoline (petrol) jumped another two pence, bringing it up to 1.56 a liter. However, the pound continued to weaken against the dollar, and the price of an equivalent U.S. gallon fell from $7.26 to $7.21. Meanwhile, the price of a liter of diesel increased to £1.58 a liter.

“Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom one can neither resist nor understand.” — George Orwell. Compliments of https://selfpublishing.com/writing-quotes/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on 17 September, the third Sunday of the month. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/):

Gilbert Burnet, Scottish philosopher and Bishop of Salisbury (History of the Reformation); Durastante Natalucci, Italian historian (specialized in history of Trevi, in Umbria); Gottlieb Rabener, German author (Vom Misbrauch of the Satire); Marquis de Condorcet, French enlightenment philosopher (Condorcet Method) and mathematician; Johann August Apel, German jurist and writer; Edward William Lane, British lexicographer and translator (One Thousand & One Nights); Émile Augier, French dramatist; Edouard Pailleron, French attorney, poet and stage writer; Clemens Baeumker, German historian (Patristischen Philosophie); Hans Müller, German music historian and writer; Owen Seaman, British poet and editor (Punch); Désiré Inghelbrecht, French composer, conductor and writer; Anton Hendrik Blaauw, Dutch botanist (Perception of Light); Gerald Hugh Tyrwhitt-Wilson, 14th Baron Bernes, British composer and novelist; William Carlos Williams, American physician and poet; Bastiaan de Gaay Fortman, Dutch historian and Justice of Curacao; Abel Herzberg, Russian-Dutch Jewish lawyer and writer (Persecution of Jews); Mary Stewart, British sci-fi author (Crystal Cave); Ken Kesey, American author (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest); Mischa de Vreede, Dutch poetess (Our Eternal Hunger); Albertine Sarrazin, French author (L’astragale, La Cavale); Robert Graysmith, American Zodiac killer researcher and author; Lawrence Anthony, South Africa, conservationist and author; Brian Andreas, American writer, sculptor, painter and publisher; Rami Saari, Israeli poet and translator; and Wendy Northcutt, American author of the Darwin Awards.

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me–Ken Kesey. 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

Mission- YemenThis week, I completed chapter thirteen  of Mission: Yemen, Xavier Sear Thriller Book 2. As always, it’s been posted to the two online writing sites I use. Reviewers provided another nineteen critiques arrived this week, bringing the total to 241. As always, they’ve provided plenty of recommendations for me to consider, and I’m always appreciative of the time and effort people put into reviewing my work.

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.

A light knocking on the door woke Shatara from a restless sleep. Who is that? First person not to barge in. She cleared her throat. “You may enter.”

She listened to a key turn in the lock before the door eased open.

A head peeped around the corner.

Aw, someone who seems younger than me. “Come in, please.”

A petite girl squeezed past the open door, adjusting her traditional Sana’ani, a curtain-style dress in black with red and green trim. Sequins adorned the garment. Upon her head, she wore an Al-Momq, a cotton cloth covering her head. Like the Sana’ani, it was in black but had red and white inclusions. Her long, black tresses flowed down her back. She set a tan canvas bag on the floor.

“As-salam alaykum. I am called Uzza Al-Hammadi. I will be your attendant while you visit us.”

Visit? Does she have any idea what’s going on? “Walaykum as-salam. I am Shatara. How old are you?”

She smiled. “I am twelve years old. Soon, I shall be ready for a husband.”

Shatara shook her head. She has no idea. “What do you have in the bag?”

Uzza glanced down. “A change of clothing for you.” She wrinkled her nose. “But first, you must clean up. I can smell you from here.”

“Yes, I was in a place where I couldn’t keep myself clean.” Shatara sniffed and seemed to recoil from her own body odor. “I hope you brought some shampoo.”

Uzza giggled. “Of course, Shatara. I brought you a shampoo soap bar, which is good for hair growth. It is made with cedarwood, lavender, and sweet orange.”

“Sounds lovely. Where can I clean up?”

Uzza pointed to the interior door as her face beamed. “We are blessed to have modern toilets. There’s one inside, along with a shower hose. Do you need my help?” She picked up the bag and pulled out a bar of soap, along with a square of cloth and a towel, and handed them to Shatara. “When you finish your cleansing, I will have your clothes laid out on the bed for you.”

“Why can’t I take the clothes with me?”

Uzza shook her head. “There isn’t any place to hang them, and they will get wet.”

“Oh.” At least I can protect my modesty with the towel. “Let me go now. I’ll feel better when I’m clean.”

“Oh, yes. And smell better, too.” Uzza covered her mouth as she blushed. “I am sorry if I have insulted you.”

“You’re correct. I’ll be back soon.” Shatara opened the bathroom door and stepped inside. In addition to the toilet, there was a small sink with a cracked mirror above it. In the corner, a hose was connected to two taps via a mixer tube. The water will flow across the floor. Oh, well. At least I’ll be clean again.

Shatara put the towel on the toilet seat, stripped off her clothes, grabbed the soap, and turned on the water.

“Oh!” A burst of cold water caused Shatara to shudder. She adjusted the taps, and the water warmed. “That’s better.” She scrubbed her entire body before lathering her hair. When she finished, she wrapped herself in the towel, knocked on the door, and entered the bedroom.

Uzza smiled. “How was it? I think you enjoyed your showering as I listened to you humming.”

“It was fantastic.” Shatara grinned.

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

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Randall’s Ramblings, July 16, 2023

Randall Krzak

It’s been a wet week, with rain almost every day. Sometimes there were light showers while at other times there were heavy downpours. Last night on the news during the weather segment, the announcer stated July was a wetter-than-normal month and it’s expected to continue for at least the next week.

“Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.” – Barbara Kingsolver. 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 16 July, the third Sunday of the month. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/):

Marc René, Marquis de Montalembert, French military engineer and writer; da B. Wells (-Barnett), American journalist, civil rights activist, and co-founder of the NAACP; George A. Birmingham, Irish clergyman and novelist; Lambert McKenna, Irish editor and lexicographer; Larry Semon, American silent film actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (The Wizard of Oz (1925)); Maurits Dekker, Dutch novelist and playwright (Merkteken; Boots In Jail); Edward Miller, British historian and Master (Fitzwilliam College Cambridge); Trevor Illtyd Williams, scientific writer; Shirley Hughes, English author and illustrator (Dogger); Anita Brookner, English novelist (Hotel du Lac) and art historian; Robert Sheckley, American sci-fi author (10th Victim, Mindswap); Lady Caroline Blackwood, British journalist and writer (The Last of the Duchess); Tom Rosenthal, British publisher and broadcaster; Marion Pitt, social worker/writer; Reinaldo Arenas, Cuban poet and novelist (Pentagonia); Esther Friesner, American sci-fi author (Witchwood Cradle); Tony Kushner, American playwright and screenwriter (Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes); Alexandra Marinina, Russian writer (Igra Na Chuzhom Pole); Johnny Vaughan, English writer and broadcaster (Capital Breakfast); and Will Ferrell, American Emmy and Raspberry Award-winning comic actor and writer (SNL, 1995-2002; Anchorman; Elf; Step Brothers); Larry Sanger, American co-founder of Wikipedia.

Any names familiar to you? There were three for me this week: Will Ferrell. 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

Mission- YemenThis week, I completed chapters three and four of Mission: Yemen, Xavier Sear Thriller Book 2. Both chapters have been posted to the two online writing sites I use. A further thirty-one reviews, bringing the total to fifty-one. 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.

Shatara scurried forward as a chunk of bread and an apple dropped through a slot. Moments later, the door inched open, and a fresh bucket of water was shoved inside before the door slammed shut.

She studied the stale bread. Larger than normal. Makes up for the bruised apple. Oh well. She broke off several small pieces of the crust and put them in the corner. Here, Bushra, you may eat when you are ready.

Shatara scooped dead flies from the top of the new water bucket. Stomach rumbling, she broke off pieces of the bread and dunked them in the tepid water before shoving them into her mouth. After finishing the bread, she bit into the apple. She shook her head at the bitter flavors while she savored the juice trickling down her parched throat.

After finishing her meager meal, Shatara leaned against the wall opposite the window. She could make out a few stars appearing, as well as a sliver of a new moon. They were soon blotted out. The sounds of the wind picking up whistled through the bars as sand splattered the outside of the building, as noisy as if it were a tropical storm.

She crept back to the water bucket and dipped her hand into the tepid liquid, cupping her fingers as she brought a small handful towards her mouth. After wetting her lips, she spat it out and returned to her blanket.

With the cooler breezes because of the approaching storm, she spread the chador across the blanket to give greater warmth. Before long, she fell asleep.

***

Shatara tossed and turned for hours. At one point, she reflected on her family. Tears formed as she thought of her parents and her brother, Zahid. I miss them so much. Will I ever see them again?

At long last, she drifted into a troubled sleep, the blanket and chador tight around her body.

***

The morning call to prayer woke her from a restless night. Body aching, she stretched to work out some of the kinks. What will today bring? Will Baba find me and take me home? She began her preparations for the Fajr, or the first prayer of the day.

“Aaaaaaaah!”

An ear-piecing screech filled the air, which was abruptly cut off.

What is happening? She dashed to the blanket and tugged on her chador.

Rather than the clip-clop sounds of the jailer, the measured footsteps of someone else echoed in the corridor.

Shatara hurried to don the chador.

The key turned in the lock, squealing as normal.

The door opened, and a man dressed in a white full-length loose-fitting garment with long sleeves known as a thobe and a red and white checkered kaffiyeh stepped inside. “Well? Are you ready? I demand your answer—now. Speak with great care, or it could be your undoing.”

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

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Randall’s Ramblings, May 22, 2022

Randall Krzak

All the flowers, plants, and shrubs which should be in bloom are now out, creating a fantastic color display. The rain has subsided a bit, but there’s been enough whereby I have to cut the grass on a weekly basis. Since our grassy area is so small, I use a push mower and I’m still done in less than an hour!

Over the past three weeks, the price of gasoline (petrol) has been creeping upwards. In early April, the Chancellor’s spring announcement saw a decrease in duty by five pence, reducing the price to £1.58 a liter. Now it’s up to £1.66, which makes it the equivalent of $7.99 for a U.S. gallon at the current exchange rate.  Fortunately, the dollar has strengthened against the pound. If the exchange rate was still where it was in March, it would be $9.80 a gallon!

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

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ~ Mark Twain

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on May 22nd, the fourth Sunday of the month:

Gérard de Nerval [Gérard Labrunie], French writer; Catulle Mendès, French poet; Arthur Conan Doyle, British author who brought Sherlock Holmes to life twice; August Cuppens, Flemish author (Limburgs Driemanschap); Alla Nazimova, Ukrainian-born actress, scriptwriter, and producer (Blood and Sand); Johannes R. Becher, German writer and politician; Robert Neumann, Austrian-British author (Waters of Babylon); Anne de Vries, Dutch teacher and writer (Bartje); Paul Viiding, Estonian poet; [Georges Prosper Remi], Belgian comic book creator (The Adventures of Tintin); Vance Packard, American journalist and author (The Hidden Persuaders); udith Crist, American film critic (TV Guide, Today); M. Scott Peck, American psychiatrist and writer (The Road Less Traveled); and Lucie Brock-Broido, American poet and academic (Noctuary).

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me: Arthur Conan Doyle. 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

6 Novels

My novels are participating in three Bookfunnel promotions this month:

THE USUAL SUSPECTS: Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense Reads group promo. There are 168 novels to choose from:

https://books.bookfunnel.com/b…

May the First Book – Mystery Thriller Suspense group promo. There are 44 novels in this one:

https://books.bookfunnel.com/m…

Please support author such as myself by checking out these promotions. Thank you.
 
 

My Work in Progress

Slide1While I’m still editing Ultimate Escalation in preparation to send it out to my beta readers, work continues on my next WIP, Frozen Conquest. The first chapter has been posted to the  two online subscription writing site I use and it received eleven reviews. I’ll be posting chapter two later in the week.

Here’s the first snippet from Frozen Conquest:

Walter Brown, the eighty-year-old founder and CEO of the privately held Diablo Corps, gazed out the office windows on the top floor of the company headquarters in downtown Miami. Although dwarfed by much taller buildings, Brown normally enjoyed the skyline view toward the ocean.

As one of the world’s richest men, he could have lived anywhere. Few knew his name, and even fewer could boast of meeting the recluse.

Rain lashed the windows as an intermittent storm disrupted the otherwise hot and sunny day. He turned back to a sixty-four inch-monitor. Blinking red and green lights signified his worldwide operations.

When his phone rang, he stabbed at the console and put the call on speaker. “What?”

“Sir, Reginald here. Both tests were completed.”

“Excellent Have the accountants arrived yet?”

“Yes, sir. They came yesterday and are getting acclimatized now. Several began work this morning, but ….”

“What’s wrong?”

“Uh … your nephew. He was caught on an ice floe after the second test. He’s still missing.”

Walter closed his eyes and pursed his lips. “Very well. Keep searching, but I doubt he’ll still be alive. However, my sister will want to give him a proper burial.”

“Yes, sir. When will you be returning?”

“I should finish what I need to do here by tomorrow morning. Expect me to arrive in the evening. Tell Chris to make sure everything is ready for me.”

“Yes, sir.”

Walter broke the connection and changed the monitor presentation. Blue lights signified the locations of major banking and investment institutions and the world’s leading stock exchanges. “Soon, we shall make our requirements known. If the G7 doesn’t bend to our demands, the might of Diablo shall disrupt their economies.”

He stepped to a self-service bar in the corner of his office and poured himself a large single malt whiskey. After taking a sip, he logged onto his computer and created a message:

To: The Chairmen and Governors of the G7 Central Banks

From: Nightmare

Stand by for my demands, which will be released soon. 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.

Perhaps another snippet next week.

The final chapters of Ultimate Escalation have now been uploaded to the two online subscription writing sites I use. My manuscript received another eleven reviews this week, bringing the total to 866. Slide1

Here’s the final snippet:

Raj finished his lunch at a nearby restaurant and returned to his office. When he entered, he spotted a note on the center of his desk: See me – J.

He left his office and headed to the basement. Raj knocked on a door at the far end of a dimly lit corridor.

It creaked open, and Jadallah stepped out. “Hello, Raj. Have you come to see my handiwork?” He wiped his hands on a bloodstained apron.

“If I must.” Raj wrinkled his nose at the smell emanating from the partially open door. “Tel me … did Vedant ever figure out you were planted on him because of his nationalist views?”

Jadallah shook his head. “Never. In fact, he thought we shared a common bond. Little did he know who my true employer was.”

“Well, he will be one of many who will face prison time or even death for plotting to break up India.” Raj gestured toward the door. “I suppose it is time.”

Jadallah stood aside and waited for Raj to enter.

“Oh my …” Raj paled before he bent over and vomited.

Jadallah handed him a towel. “Quite a sight, is he not? He was very strong, but everyone bows to my questioning. Wait until I tell you what I learned.”

Raj covered his mouth with the towel as he looked at their prisoner.

Chains held Benedikt against the wall; the ones connected to his arms caused him to stretch upward. Both his eyes were empty sockets. Burns covered most of his body while blood seeped from hundreds of tiny cuts. He moaned. “K-kill m-me.”

Raj turned to Jadallah. So what did he say?”

Jadallah grinned. “You will not believe this. Former Russian Spetsnaz soldiers, now working as mercenaries, have been helping the nationalists on both sides of the border. They have been behind the calls for Punjab to be reunited.”

“I must inform the Bedlam woman, Evelyn. She will know what to do with this information.”

Jadallah gestured toward Benedikt. “What about him?”

“Kill him if he is not already dead. Throw his body on a funeral pyre.”

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, March 7, 2021

Randall Krzak

We’ve had cooler temperatures over the past week, barely making into the lower 40s (mid teens, Celsius). For the most part, it’s been dry, which has been good so we could do some pruning of the hydrangeas, which stated to bud a couple of weeks ago. Normally, we get the pruning done before they bud, but with the recent mild weather, they decided to spring out.

A variety of spring flowers are now flowering. I don’t remember all of their names, but at least we’re seeing a variety of reds, yellows, and blues adding color around the house.

“There are two amazing places you can be. The nicest place to be is in someone’s thoughts. The safest place to be is in someone’s prayers. (Compliments of http://www.wisdomquotesandstories.com/)

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on March 7th. (Compliments of http://www.onthisday.com/today/birthdays)

Guillaume du Vair, French writer and thinker; Georg Neumark, German composer and poet; Ewald Christian von Kleist, German poet; Alessandro Manzoni, Italian poet/novelist (Betrothed); Frantisek L. Celakovsky, Czech poet (national anthem, folk song); Franz Grave von Pocci, German poet/composer (Der Alchemist); Matilde Serao [Tuffolina], Italian writer (Land of Cockayne); Paul Ernst, German writer; Vera Fjodorova Panova, Russian author (Sputniki); Greta Schoon, German poet; Leo Malet, French crime novelist (Nestor Burma novels); Stefan Kisielewski, Polish composer, writer and politician; Mochtar Lubis, Indonesian writer (Twilight in Jakarta); Kobo Abe, playwright (Woman, the Dunes); Jean-Paul Desbiens, Quebec writer and teacher; Georges Perec, French writer (Seire Noire, Retour a la bien-aimee); Harald Gerlach, German writer; Paul Preuss, American sci-fi author (Medusa Encounter, Starfire); Jürgen Theobaldy, German writer; Stanley Schmidt, American science fiction writer and editor; Robert Harris, British TV reporter, journalist and author (Fatherland, Enigma); Bret Easton Ellis, American writer (American Psycho); i Ai Yazawa, Japanese mangaka (manga author – Neighbourhood Story); and Amanda Gorman, American poet and activist who delivered the poem “The Hill We Climb” at President Joe Biden’s inauguration.

Anyone familiar to you? The only one I recognise is Amanda Gorman. We watched her delivery of her poem on inauguration day. 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!

My Published Work

All five of my novels are participating in a month-long Bookfunnel promotion called Chilling Reads  (99 cents or KU). My novels are all available through Kindle Unlimited. Mission: Angola is also participating in a separate promotion for New Releases – Mystery/Thriller. There are forty-two novels in this promotion, all of which have been released since October 2020. Please stop by–you might meet your next favorite author!

My Work in Progress

I still didn’t finish the next chapter of Revenge, the sequel to Colombian Betrayal as real-life requirements once again took precedence. Over the past week, there were another twenty-one new chapter reviews,  bringing the total number of chapter reviews to 372. Plenty of useful suggestions to improve my writing. I hope to get back to working on this novel this coming week.

Here’s this week’s snippet:

Alberto whacked Bennie across the face. “Estúpido! I didn’t tell you to follow them. You’re not trained in surveillance.” He glared at Bennie and stomped to his seat. “They could have heard you when you shouted, ‘Alberto, I found them!’”

Bennie’s head dropped to his chest as he gazed at the floor. “I-I did what I thought was right. You wanted me to find them.”

Alberto squeezed his hand into a fist. “Yes. But why didn’t you pay some kid on the street to find out where they went instead of doing it yourself? I gave you enough money.” Perhaps I made a mistake pulling him from the collapsed building and bringing him with me.

“I didn’t think.”

“You got that right. In the future, do just what I tell you and nothing else. Remember, Allah is judging us.” He gestured to the table. A small parcel wrapped in brown paper and tied with string sat in the center. “Keep taking photos of the targets from a distance. There’s more cash in the package—use it to hire two or three locals who know how to follow people. No more amateur stunts.”

“Yes, Alberto.” He reached for the parcel.

“Start moving your equipment to our new property. The address is written on the bottom of the package. Don’t return here—Walter will be the only one still using this location.”

Bennie nodded as he picked up the parcel. “I won’t let you down, Alberto.”

“I know you won’t.” Or you’ll meet Allah sooner than you expect.

More next time.

Books I’m Reading

I recently finished Act of War (Scot Harvath Book 13)  by Brad Thor. As with all of Brad’s stories, this is another riveting plot with plenty of action. Once again, Scot Harvath is embroiled in a struggle between good and evil as terrorists try to bring down the United States.With excellent descriptions, realistic characters, and Brad’s unique prowess, this is one not to be missed!

That’s all 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 and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2021 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved