Tag: global thrillers

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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, January 12, 2025

Randall Krzak

Snow flurries started at about 11:30am on Friday. They became heavier and started to cover the ground in sheltered areas. By 11:45, a local grocery store sent out a text saying they were closing at 12:00 because of the snow.

This was the first snow we’ve seen since moving to South Carolina last May. By 1:30 pm, the unprotected areas were turning white, with 1-3 inches of snow predicted by 11:pm. We ended up with about an inch, but later in the evening the snow turned to rain, covering everything with a coat of ice. Even though it was melting (at least in our area) by lunchtime on Saturday, many local churches either restricted services for today or cancelled them entirely.  No more snow is forecast for the foreseeable future.

The Detroit Lions roared past the Minnesota Vikings 31-9 last Sunday, upping their record to a franchise best 15-2. They ended up top of the NFC North, grabbed the top seed for the NFC and gained a bye for next week when the playoffs begin with wild cards. They’ll also keep home field advantage. They’re still waiting to hear who their opponent will be on January 18th or 19th, depending upon the outcome of this weekend’s wildcard games.

Michigan State moved up two places in the men’s basketball Top Twenty-Five, and are now in 16th position. Meanwhile, Michigan moved back into the Top Twenty-Five and are currently number twenty-four. Both teams played games this week and won. Michigan State is now 13-2, while Michigan is 12-3. They both play again today.

“Write while the heat is in you. The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with. He cannot inflame the minds of his audience.” – David Thoreau.  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 12th, the second Sunday of 2025. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Charles Perrault, French author and fairy tale writer (Tales of Mother Goose); Jacob Michael Reinhold Lenz, Baltic German poet and dramatist (The Soldiers); Erik Gustaf Geijer, Swedish historian and poet (Natthimmelen); Gideon Brecher, Austrian physician and Jewish writer; Louise Sophie Blussé, Dutch author; Jan Theodoor Beelen, Dutch-Belgian bible scholar; Francois Coppee, French poet; Marika Stiernstedt, Swedish author (Ulla Bella); Jack London, American writer and socialist (Call of the Wild); Ferenc Molnar, Hungarian American playwright (A Pal Utrai Fiuk) and novelist (The Paul Street Boys); Jakob Jud, Swiss linguist and etymologist; Alfred Rosenberg, German Nazi official who wrote Nazi idealogue “The Myth of the Twentieth Century”; Charles Moeller, Belgian theologist (Humanism et saintete); Martin Agronsky, American journalist (1952 Peabody, 1961 DuPont-Columbia); Paul Jarrico, American writer; Yao Wenyuan, Chinese literary critic and politician (member of the Gang of Four); Alain Teister, Dutch writer; Helmut Eisendle, Austrian writer; Jacques Hamelink, Dutch writer and poet (Cold Unrest); William Nicholson, English writer; Haruki Murakami, Japanese writer (Norwegian Wood); Charles Faulkner, American motivational speaker and author; Walter Mosley, American novelist; Rockne S. O’Bannon, American screenwriter; Lasana M. Sekou, Caribbean poet and author (The Salt Reaper); Joe Quesada, American comic book writer; François Girard, French Canadian film director and screenwriter; Heather Mills, English model, activist and writer (Out on a Limb); David Mitchell, English novelist (Cloud Atlas; and Issa Rae, American actress, writer and producer (Insecure).

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me this week: Heather Mills. 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 has moved from the 2024 Chanticleer International Book Awards from the long list for global thrillers and is now on the short list. There’s plenty of competition as all members of the short list slug it out to make it onto the semifinalist list. Afterward, the competition will heat up as the finals, first in category winners, and category grand prize winners are still to come. Fingers cross that Frozen Conquest continues to move forward in the competition!

My Work In Progress

Mission- YemenEditing of Mission: Yemen, Xavier Sear Thriller Book 2 continues at a good pace.  As always, I’ve been working hard going through the 648 reviews, and have finished picking out what I think will improve the story from all of them.

Here’s the final snippet:

Yusuf dragged Uzza through the corridor, up the steps, and along another hallway to Prince Hussein’s office. He knocked on the door.

“Enter.”

Upon hearing Prince Hussein’s command, he shoved Uzza against the door and opened it.

She fell into the room.

Yusuf grabbed her arm and dragged her to a chair in front of Prince Hussein’s desk.

Prince Sami stood behind his brother. He bent over and whispered in Hussein’s ear.

Hussein nodded as he crossed his arms. “I gave you as a gift to my brother, who wants to make you his first wife. As is normal in our customs, I shall provide a  to you on Sami’s behalf. You shall receive one thousand gold coins and ten acres of our family’s land in Saudi Arabia. In addition, Sami will arrange for a new house to be built where you both shall live. You will also receive several heirlooms from the al Mishari family—these will be decided later. ” Hussein pursed his lips. “Of course, if we knew your family of origin, you might have received more. However, since you are from the streets, that is all I am prepared to offer. Do you accept?”

“B-But, Prince Hussein, he raped me!”

Hussein turned to his brother. “Is what she said true?”

“I guess.” Sami shrugged. “But she was a temptress and deserved to be punished.”

“Not by you, as she is in my household.” Hussein glowered at his brother. “You are not to touch her again in any manner until the katb al-kitab. During your ceremony, as the acting sheikh of the al Mishari family, I will lay out the terms of the marriage, and you both shall sign the contract.”

Sami opened his mouth to speak.

“Do not say a word. This is my decision, and you will abide by it. Do you understand?”

“Yes, brother. I shall do as you say.”

Hussein turned to Uzza. “You will remain with Shatara for the time being and continue to look after her. Do not attempt to escape, or you will be punished.”

Uzza wiped tears from her eyes. “Yes, Prince Hussein.”

He turned to Yusuf. “Take her back to Shatara.”

“Yes, my prince.”

Hussein waved a hand in dismissal. After Yusuf and Uzza departed, Hussein gestured to a chain in front of his desk. “Sit.”

Sami frowned as he sat. Rubbing his shoulder, he grimaced. “I hit her, but it was a reflex reaction after she dug her fingers into my wound. It started bleeding again, and I had to put a new bandage on it. She also kicked me in the groin and I almost vomited.”

“I understand the reflex action, but why did you rape her? We found you plenty of willing partners.”

Sami shrugged. “Yes, you did find others, but none appealed to me as much as Uzza.”

“Be as it may, keep your mind on business, not pleasure. I need you to oversee something for me.”

“What is it?”

Hussein pulled a letter from a desk drawer and slid it across to Sami. “I received this warning this morning:”

My dear Prince Hussein,

Beware. I understand the National Security Bureau is getting closer to you. In addition, there is another element involved—searching for two children of Abdullah Bashari. If you know anything about the children, I recommend you distance yourself.

Remember, my friends and I shall do our best to forestall efforts by the  NSB and this other group, but you must work quicker to advance Saudi interests. Otherwise, we might not be able to continue our support.

A friend.

No more information will be posted about Mission: Yemen until it heads out to beta readers, most likely in March.

Vendetta Draft Cover

While going through the reviews of Mission: Yemen, I’m also working on Vendetta, the sixth story in my Bedlam series. The first eight chapters are now finished and posted to the two subscription writing sites I use. There were another twenty-two reviews this week, bringing the total to 120.

As previously mentioned the cover is a filler, as the final cover won’t be done until the entire first draft is completed.  I’ll post another snippet of this story 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, November 19, 2023

Randall Krzak

At last! After six consecutive days of overcast skies and drizzle or rain, Mother Nature has taken pity on us as there’s a glimmer of sunshine to start today, and at least it’s not raining–although it’s in the forecast. It’s been too wet to get outside and clean up the fallen leaves, so hopefully, we’ll get a couple of consecutive dry days so I can do this as it doesn’t take long for the leaves to start rotting.

The Consumer Price Index dropped again last month, now down to 4.7 percent, which is better than the September rate of 6.3 percent. As with the Fed goal to get inflation down to two percent, the Bank of England wants to do the same for the UK.

There was another decrease in gasoline (petrol) prices this week, with a further two pence shaved off the price to £1.47 a liter. However, with the current exchange rate, the equivalent price of a U.S. gallon rose slightly to $6.91, and increase of three cents. Meanwhile, diesel dropped two pence a liter to £1.57, but with the exchange rate, this actually led to an increase of seven cents a gallon to $7.40.

Global-Thrillers-2015

I received good news yesterday. Ultimate Escalation, which is competing for the 2023 Chanticleer International Global Thriller Book Awards, has move from the slush pile to the long list. There’s still a long way to go in the competition, with the short list, the semi-finals, the finals, the announcement of the seven first in category winners, and the genre grand prize winner.  The final results won’t be announced until 20 April 2024 at the annual Chanticleer Authors’ Conference, but I’ll keep posting as Ultimate Escalation moves through the competition.

“I have been successful probably because I have always realized that I knew nothing about writing and have merely tried to tell an interesting story entertainingly.” — Edgar Rice Burroughs. 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 November 19th, the third Sunday of the month. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Lieuwe van Aitzema, Dutch historian (Matters of State & War); Mikhail Lomonosov, Russian scholar and poet; Wilhelm Dilthey, German philosopher (Das Leben Schleiermans); Karel van den Oever, Flemish author and poet (Geuzenstad); Fernand Crommelynck, Belgian playwright (Le Cocu Magnificent); Allen Tate, American poet (Mr Pope & Other Poems),; Anna Seghers [Netty Reiling], German author (The 7th Cross); Jack Schaefer, American author (Shane); Luc Tourneir [Christian J. H. Engles] Netherland-Curaçaon poet, artist, and doctor; (Emmanuel) “Emil” Braginsky, Soviet Russian screenwriter (The Irony of Fate); Zygmunt Bauman, Polish-born sociologist (Modernity and the Holocaust); Sharon Olds, American poet (“Stag’s Leap” – Pulitzer Prize for Poetry 2013); Peter Aykroyd, Canadian actor, comedian, and writer (SNL, 1980; PSI Factor); Sam Hamm, American screenwriter (Batman); Charlie Kaufman, American screenwriter (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind); Michael Wilbon, American sports analyst (The Washington Post; Ryukishi07 [real name unknown), Japanese mystery writer (When They Cry series); and Barry Jenkins, American director and writer (Medicine for Melancholy, Moonlight).

Any names familiar to you? There weren’t any for me this time. 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 finished chapter twenty of Mission: Yemen, Xavier Sear Thriller Book 2, and posted it to the two online subscription writing sites I use.

Reviewers provided another seventeen critiques this week, bringing the total to 400. 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 to improve the story, please let me know.

Sear pulled through the arch of the Rashid property and parked underneath an awning near an ornate door. The men climbed out of the Noah, pulling out their luggage.

A young man, dressed in a traditional thobe, bowed toward Sear.” Welcome, Sayyid. I am Parvez, the caretaker and sometimes cook. Sayyid Bashari told me to expect your arrival.” Parvez smiled. “Please, follow me.” He led them inside the two-story, whitewashed building with black trim around the windows.

Sear glanced around as they entered. “Parvez, is anyone else living here right now?”

He shook his head. “With the demise of Sayyid Rashid, I am the only one. Why do you ask?”

“Just a feeling I have.” Sear smiled to alleviate any worries Parvez might have. I think he’s lying—my bullshit meter is on overdrive.

Parvez led them along a narrow corridor devoid of furnishings and fixtures into a large, well-lit divan.  Two red and white sofas and four armchairs filled most of the living room, with several round hand-carved tables and two coffee tables arranged around the seating.

Pervez gestured toward the furniture. “If you will be seated, I shall bring you black tea with mint and qahwa, Arabic coffee. I prepared some Yemeni snacks for you after Sayyid Bashari told me you were coming.”

“Just the tea and coffee, for now, Pervez.” Sear patted his stomach. “It’s not that long since Bashari fed us.”

“As you wish. They will be ready when you are hungry.” He turned and left the room.

After Parvez departed, Sear turned to Wasim and Malik. “What do you think?”

Malik rubbed his chin. “I think he is trying to be friendly, but I do not believe he is sincere and cannot be trusted.”

“I agree.” Wasim smiled. “as the RSO used to say, ‘he’s slimy.’”

Sear chuckled. “My thoughts exactly. We’ll need to keep an eye on him.”

“When we meet with Tarik, we should mention Pervez and have Tarik check him out.” Wasim pursed his lips. “We cannot be too careful.”

Sear nodded. “Agreed. I—”

Pervez returned to the divan, pushing a trolley. He set the tea and coffee service on one of the coffee tables, placing a plate of dates next to it. “I know you said you were not hungry, but in the Arab world, we say dates help to rejuvenate the body.” He turned to Sear. “What would you like to drink?”

“Coffee.” Sear studied the young man. “How long have you worked for the Rashid family?”

Pervez twisted his lips into a smile. “They took me in about three years ago. Before that, I lived with some of the homeless in the old part of the city.” He shrugged. “Without their generosity, I would have joined with Allah as so many of the poor have done.”

He served tea to the brothers. “If there is nothing further you require, I shall return to my duties.” He pointed to an old-fashioned bell on the wall, a gold-colored rope attached to it. “The Rashid family found this on one of their excursions. Pull the cord, and I shall hear it.” He turned and departed.

Wasim stood.

“Here are you going?” A look of amusement creased Sear’s face.

“I am going to wander around our new home. Perhaps, I might learn something of interest.”

Malik stood.

“I supposed you’re going to help your brother?” Sear grinned.

“No. I’m going to find a toilet.”

Both men departed, leaving Sear to his thoughts. Plenty of subterfuge going on. I think I can trust Malik and Wasim, but everyone else bears watching. He poured himself some more coffee, now almost cold.

Twenty minutes later, the brothers returned.

Sear glanced at their faces. “Learn anything?”

Wasim shook his head. “Nothing of any use, but I did overhear Pervez talking to someone on the phone. I could not make most of it out, but he did mention you by name.”

“Hmm. Time for me to wander.” Sear left the divan, wandering through the various hallways and rooms of the property. No sign of Pervez. Where did he go?

Sear turned at the sound of a voice, which seemed to come from above. Is he on the roof? If so, why? He walked along the corridor, checking the rooms. All locked. He tried the final door.

It opened to reveal a set of stairs.

Sear pulled out his pistol and climbed the stairs, one at a time, so he didn’t make any noise. When he reached the roof, he eased another door open and stepped out.

Spotting Pervez heading toward him, Sear ducked behind an air conditioning unit. After Pervez passed his hiding place, Sear stepped out behind him. “Who were you talking to?”

Parvez jumped as he shoved the phone into his pocket. “Uh. No one, Sayyid.”

More next time.

I’m also working on a new project as a co-author with Michael Maxwell, the author of over thirty novels. The tentative title is The Great Rebellion – Finn Harding Book One.  It’s a romantic alternate history of the American Civil War. I recently completed a new chapter two and sent it to Michael for approval, which came quickly. Now, I’m busy with a new chapter three.

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, November 21, 2021

Randall Krzak

After a week of mild temperatures and wind, clouds, and rain, with only the occasional glimpse of the sun, we woke up to a bit of frost on the car this morning. Clear skies with a temperature of 40F/4C should make it a pleasant day overall–hope to clear up some of the fallen leaves before we get more rain or worse.

I watched the Michigan State-Ohio State game last night. Both teams had 9-1 records going into the game. What a crushing defeat for Michigan State, 56-7. All I can ask is: how did Ohio State lose a game earlier in the year? Next weekend, it’ll be Michigan vs. Ohio State. I’ll still back Michigan, but who knows what will happen?

Here’s this week’s quote (Compliments of http://www.wisdomquotesandstories.com/): “Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goals.” ~ Henry Ford

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on November 21st, the third Sunday of the month. (Compliments of http://www.onthisday.com/today/birthdays):

John Bale, English bishop and anti-catholic playwright (Kynge Johan); Charles Scribani, Flemish jesuit and author; Catharina Questiers, Dutch poet (Friend of Abandoned Child); Carlo Innocenzo Fragoni, Italian poet; Voltaire [Francois-Marie Arouet], French writer, philosopher and playwright (Candide); Petrus Augustus de Génestet, Dutch vicar and poet; Arthur Quiller-Couch, Cornish novelist and editor (The Oxford Book Of English Verse 1250–1900); Franz Hessel, German writer; Harold Nicolson, English diplomat and author (Good Behaviour); Jim Bishop, American journalist and author (The Day Lincoln was Shot); Elizabeth George Speare, American author (The Witch of Blackbird Pond); Christopher Tolkien, British author and son of J. R. R. Tolkien; Marilyn French, American author (The Women’s Room); Richard Marcinko, American author; Tina Brown, British journalist (New Yorker, Tattler); and Alec Brownstein, American author, director.

Any names familiar to you? I knew one–Voltaire. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you had a great one!

My Published Work

6 Novels

And, finally, Revenge is participating in a promotion for Mystery & Suspense / Suspense and Romance / Suspense books released in October and November 2021. There are nineteen to choose from. Today is the final day of the promotion, so if you don’t hurry, you’ll miss out.

I found out this week that Mission Angola: Xavier Sear Thriller Book 1 has moved from the slush pile to the long list in the 2021 Chanticleer International Book Awards in the Global Thrillers category. Twenty novels are vying to make the short list. Will keep you posted.

Coming Soon!

ComL-8c(1)No, this isn’t my book. Rather, it’s Sylvia’s debut poetry book. Released under the pen name of Sylvia Grace, Colours of My Life is a collection of Sylvia’s poetry and prose and wraps up with a couple of short stories, including one about Christmas, which is appropriate for a book being released at this time of the year. Encouraged by a myriad of people who purchased her laminated poetry sheets and have asked whether she would put her work in a book, she’s finally taking that step.

Here’s the synopsis:

Colours of My Life is a collection of poetry and prose inspired by my experiences and the world around me—people, animals, nature. Some poems will make you smile, others may touch your emotions and bring tears—embrace them. Gather your inner strength and enjoy the moment. Awaken your feelings and you, too, can rise again.

The paperback cover is now ready. As soon as Sylvia does a couple more content tweaks, Colours of My Life will be available across the Amazon network in Kindle Unlimited, Kindle, and paperback formats.

My Work in Progress

Slide1Work continued this week on Ultimate Escalation, but I’m still not done with the latest chapter as my writing time was devoted to working on Sylvia’s book.  A total of fourteen chapter reviews came in this week, bringing the total to 402. Definitely some great comments to mull over!

Here’s another snippet:

“Good morning!” A heavy-set man dressed in a stained shalwar kameez and black sandals struggled to his feet under the Arabic gum tree and lumbered toward them. “Are you ready for our journey?”

“Umar, this is Vladimir and Mishka.” Ajit motioned toward the Russians. “They will be your passengers. Will you explain how they will be hidden?”

“But of course.” Umar waddled toward the vehicle. “I will drive the truck while you will remain in a space above the cab.” He walked to an area behind the driver’s compartment and reached into a small slot. With a click, a panel opened, revealing a ladder. Grabbing a rung, he turned and grinned. “Follow me to your temporary home.”

One by one, Umar, Vladimir, and Mishka climbed the ladder and squeezed into the dark compartment.

Umar flicked a small switch, bathing the area in a dim glow. There was sufficient height to sit, but they wouldn’t be able to stand. “All the comforts of home—plenty of blankets to cushion you during the trip.” He pointed to four small holes in the ceiling. “Air vents.” He twisted around and gestured to a funnel taped to a hose. “For urination. It will fall onto the road. There are plastic bags in the corner for defecation, but these will have to remain inside with you.”

Ajit stuck his head in the opening. “Here is food and water.” He pushed in two small bags. “When you are ready, we will close the compartment and move Umar’s cargo to keep you hidden.”

“If there is an emergency, how do we escape?” Vladimir rubbed his chin.

“I forgot.” Umar twisted his body again, so he faced the far side of the compartment. “There are four latches. Pull them toward you to unlock them. Use your feet and push—a panel will open so you can get out. Use this only as a last resort. Hidden and scared is much better than revealing yourselves and being killed.”

“How do we communicate with you?” Mishka glanced around. “I see a small speaker, but nothing else.”

Umar nodded. “When you speak in a loud voice, your voice will come through. Do not do this if we are stopped. Others will be able to hear you, too.”

Vladimir nodded. “We are ready to go.”

“Excellent. It will take us about fifteen minutes to move the cargo into position. There will be two planned stops for fuel and pay tolls. Tonight, you will be in Peshawar.”

Vladimir and Mishka placed their pistols and ammunition in handy access positions and used the blankets to create makeshift beds.

“Well, Mishka. Our journey continues.”

“Da. As the American soldiers say in the war movies, ‘Hurry up and wait.’ We might as well get comfortable.”

“Agreed. I just wish we had some vodka, black bread, and dumplings.” Vladimir dug into the food bag Ajit provided. He pulled out a samosa. “Want one?”

Mishka laughed. “Da.”

More next time.

Books I’m Reading

I recently finished reading an advanced copy of Hit and Run: Hit and Run – Harry Starke Genesis 7 by Blair Howard. As with all of Blair’s novels, this one will keep you guessing until the final page. It was great to see Harry and Kate head to Florida for this one, even if the case began thirty-five years ago. Will there be anyone left to know what really happened?

There are plenty of suspects to go around, but who really killed three bicyclists and severely injured another one? What was the motive? You’ll have to grab a copy to find out as I don’t like to give plots away. However, this one will have you staying up late and turning the pages to find out if Harry and Kate can solve the mystery. Another superb story from a master storyteller!

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 2021 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, April 18, 2021

Randall Krzak

We’re finally seeing an end to the morning frosts (I hope) and temperatures are climbing back into normal springtime ranges. There’s been plenty of sunshine each day, and with sunrise and sunset earlier and later, respectively, things are brightening up.

All of the plants and flowers we put in the flowerbeds have survived the frost, although the tips of our existing hydrangeas had some damage. The grass has been treated to its semi-annual weed and feed mixture. Plenty of color to make things more appealing.

Here’s this week’s quote (Compliments of http://www.wisdomquotesandstories.com/): “Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you. Not because they are nice, but because you are.”

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on April 18th. (Compliments of http://www.onthisday.com/today/birthdays)

Thomas Middleton, English playwright (A Game at Chess); George Colman the Elder, English dramatist; Pieter ‘t Hoen, Dutch journalist and patriot (Neder-Rhijn); George Henry Lewes, English philosophical writer (Life of Goethe); Henry Clarence Kendall, Australian poet (Bell Birds); Antero Tarquínio de Quental, Portuguese poet (Beatrice); Richard Harding Davis, American journalist and author (Soldiers of Fortune, The King’s Jackal); Oskar Ernst Bernhardt, German author (In the Light of Truth: The Grail Message); Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, Croatian writer (The Brave Adventures of Lapitch); Vicente Sotto, Filipino politician and author (Sotto Law, Republic Act No. 53); Clara Eggink, Dutch poet (Life with J C Bloem); Stephen Longstreet, American writer (All or Nothing); Joy Davidman, American poet, writer and wife of C. S. Lewis; Cliff Hillegass, American publisher (Cliffsnotes); Leif Panduro, Danish writer (‘k Have varnish on traditions); Raf de Linde [Raphael van Hecke], author (Vaarwel on Gertrude); Samuel P. Huntington, American political scientist (The Clash of Civilizations); Kathy Acker, American experimental novelist (Blood and Guts in High School); and Keith DeCandido, American sci-fi author (Star Trek).

Were any names familiar to you? While Cliff Hillegass’ name wasn’t familiar, I certainly used his Cliffnotes in a variety of classes when I was a student.  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

I received great news last week. Colombian Betrayal is now a semi-finalist in the 2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards in the Global Thrillers category. Colombian Betrayal will now compete with thirteen other novels for the finalist positions. There’s been a slight change in the progress to the final announcements. The finalists of the sixteen categories will be announced over three days, April 22nd-24th. The Global Thrillers will be announced the evening of April 22nd, so hopefully, I’ll have good news to share next week.

This year, there will be five first place winners and one grand prize winner, which will now be announced on June 5th. Fingers crossed my novel becomes one of the finalists and continues its journey!

My Work in Progress

This week I completed chapters thirty of Revenge, the sequel to Colombian Betrayal. Its now posted on the two online subscription writing sites I use.

Over the past week, there were another twenty-three new chapter reviews, bringing the total number of chapter reviews to 472. Plenty of useful suggestions as always to improve my writing.

Here’s this week’s snippet:

“Many thanks, AJ. Let’s hope they find Heidi soon.” Alive.  “While everyone’s getting settled in, I want to establish some routine. Every Monday and Friday, we’ll meet here for about an hour or so. Monday’s will be to discuss any new business and events from the weekend, while Friday will be used to catch up on what’s happened during the week. Any questions?”

“Yes.” Sam glanced at the others before directing her attention toward Javier. “What if something urgent comes up?”

Javier nodded. “Good point. We can always hold impromptu meetings when they’re needed. As we progress and become a more cohesive team, we can make adjustments.”

He opened the iPad and read for a few moments. “Okay, team. We have our first overseas client, compliments of the DEA.”

“Who gets the assignment?” Wilder “Wild” Harris swiped his hands through his thick, brown hair.

“There’ll be four. The team lead will be one of the Snakes, but I don’t know which one yet—depends on who can break away from their normal duties and use some of their accumulated leave.” Javier gazed at the eager faces. “Sam, Wild, and TJ—you’re up. Cesar, I’ll talk to you later—something separate for you.”

“All right!” Sam and Wild high-fived.

TJ pursed his lips and focused an intense stare on Javier. “So, what’s the job? I assume the mission is drug-related, but where?”

Javier grinned. “Have any of you been to Bermuda? Your contact will be a Doctor Cedric Yates. He’s aware of an American drug smuggler using the island as a transit point to push his produce into Florida and would prefer the U.S. deal with him. Not enough volume to interest DEA since they’re stretched to breaking point, so they contacted us.”

“The team leader will be here tonight.” Javier turned to Sindee. “Set up flights, hotels, and two rentals for three days from now. Plan everything for a ten-day vacation—things will be adjusted based on what the team uncovers.”

Sindee nodded. “What about visas? Can we get them in time?”

Javier shook his head. “I checked last night. Not needed for visits of less than six months.”

“I’ve arranged a specialist training program for you. Not long—two days at the Farm.” AJ glanced at Sam, Wild, and TJ. “You’ll get a day of personal security and a day on the pistol and rifle ranges.” AJ chuckled. “Rest up—you’ll need it as the instructors will try to grind you down.”

“Any questions?” Javier surveyed his team. When no one spoke up, he nodded. “Back to work.”

More next time.

Books I’m Reading

I recently finished reading Legend: An Event Group Thriller by David L. Golemon. Imagine searching for a relic surrounded by a legend, only to find out the item is real and protected by a living beast!

David’s story contains vivid descriptions, multiple subplots, and plenty of characters, including the formidable Major Jack Collins and his deputy, Lieutenant Commander Robbie Everett. Will they encounter the beast and rescue a missing archeological team? There’s plenty of action in this one, so get ready for a real page turner!

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