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Randall’s Ramblings, February 22, 2026

Randall Krzak

In the past, today would be celebrated as the birthday of George Washington, the first president of the United States. Now it’s celebrated as President’s Day, the third Monday of February, to recognize all presidents.

We’ve seen a rise in temperatures this week, hitting a high of 81 degrees on Friday. We also had a couple of brief downpours, and the pansies we planted last year are now producing seedlings.

The Detroit Pistons have come out of the All Star break picking up where they left off, winning two more games and increasing their record to 42-13. They are in first place in the Eastern Conference’s Central Division, seven games ahead of second place Cleveland.

The Michigan Wolverines briefly moved into first place in the NCAA rankings. Although they won another game this week, they lost 68-63 to 3rd-ranked Duke. The Wolverines are now 25-2 on the season. Meanwhile, the Michigan State Spartans, who had dropped to 15th in the rankings, improved their record to 21-5 with a win over UCLA.

“Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens. Most of my friends who are put on that diet have very pleasant careers.” — Ray Bradbury, WD. 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 February 22ns, the 8th Sunday of 2026 and the fourth and final one in February. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Rashi, French rabbi who wrote commentaries on the Talmud and Hebrew Bible; Tahmasp I, shah of Iran (1524-76) and author (Tazkire-i Shah); Louis-Georges de Bréquigny, French historian; Alexander Campbell, Scottish composer and writer (associate of Walter Scott); Arthur Schopenhauer, German philosopher (“The World as Will and Representation”) known for his philosophical pessimism; Józef Kremer, Polish philosopher, art historian and psychologist; Oskar Kolberg, Polish ethnographer, folklorist, and composer (Lud); James Russell Lowell, American poet, critic and diplomat (Biglow Papers); James Barnet Fry, American historian and Brevet Major General (Union Army); Robert Alexander Cameron, American soldier and newspaper publisher (Union Army); Francis Pharcellus Church, American editor and publisher (The New York Sun – “Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus”); Leon Vanderkindere, Belgian historian and mayor (Ukkel); Aldredo de Escragnolle Taunay, Brazilian writer (Inocencia), musician and politician; Karen Hulda Garborg, Norwegian playwright (Mot Solen/Eli; Jules Renard, French writer (Poil de Carotte; Zitkala-Sa, also known by her Anglicized and married name, Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, Native American (Yankton Dakota) writer, violinist, librettist (The Sun Dance Opera), educator, and political activist; Yme Schuitmaker, Frisian-Dutch potato merchant, actor, and playwright (Maerteblom (Snowdrop); Lysbet); Norman Lindsay, Australian artist and novelist (The Magic Pudding); Alfred Wikenhauser, German RC exegetist (John-Apokalyps); Hugo Ball, German playwright and social critic (co-founder Flametti, Dada); Robin G. Collingwood, English philosopher. historian (“The Principles of Art”; “The Idea of History”) and archaeologist (Roman Britain); Edna St Vincent Millay, American poet, dramatist and feminist (Harp Weaver-Pulitzer Prize); Victor Raúl Haya de la Torre, Peruvian politician and author (founder of Peruvian Aprista Party); Paul Van Ostaijen, Belgian-Dutch poet, writer and critic (Occupied City); George O’Hara, American silent era screenwriter and actor (The Sea Beast, The Grapes of Wrath); Giorgos Seferis [Georgios Seferiades], Greek poet (Nobel 1963); Seán Ó Faoláin [John Whelan], Irish short story writer (Murder at Cobbler’s Hulk); Stefan Lorant, Hungarian-American writer, photojournalist, filmmaker; Morley Callaghan, Canadian author and radio personality (Toronto Star, Native Argosy); Edward Robb Ellis, American diarist and journalist who is the most prolific diarist in the history of American letters with an estimated 22 million words; Jane Bowles, American writer; Wayne Booth, American literary critic; Edward Gorey, American author and artist (The Curious Sofa, The Gashlycrumb Tinies); Gerald Stern, American poet, (The One Thing in Life), essayist (Some Secrets), and educator; Paul Dooley, American character actor (Sixteen Candles; Strange Brew; Grace Under Fire), comedian, and screenwriter (The Electric Company); Jules van Neerven, Dutch economist, journalist, and editor (Limbourg Daily); oanna Russ, American sci-fi author (Hugo, Female Man, Alyx); Ishmael Reed, American author (Last Days of Louisiana Red); Felice Picano, American publisher, memoirist and novelist (The Lure, Like People in History); and Richard Greenberg, American playwright (Take Me Out, Three Days of Rain).

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 slowly continues on Temples of Abydos as multiple external activities are consuming most of my time. Over the past week, there was one additional chapter review, bringing the total to seventy. As always, plenty of positive suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s the next snippet:

Ali led them to the same vehicle he used the night before. “Our chariot awaits.”

Once everyone climbed inside, Ali tapped the dash. “We are at peace today. Our conveyance will take us where we want to go.”

As promised, the engine fired on the first try without the black smoke.

He pulled out of the parking spot and plunged into the traffic without a glance at other vehicles.

While some drivers blew their horns, most just gave way to another Cairo driver.

“It will take much longer to reach the warehouse than coming from the airport. Traffic is very bad, so I must go slow. However, the warehouse is exactly what we will need to prepare for our excursion to Abydos.”

“How is the money holding out?” Charles attempted to keep his hand away from the panic strap, although he did grab it from time to time. He kept working imaginary brakes whenever he thought they might collide with another vehicle.

“Your benefactor was most gracious with his funds. I have used no more than half of what he sent. Of course, I shall inform you right away if I need more.”

“Excellent.” Charles glanced at Sylvia. “I shall let him know in due course. After our visit to the warehouse, I’d like you to take us on a drive around the city and point out some of the tourist spots. We will want to visit some of them before we head to Abydos.”

“Yes, Professor. When would you like to put the charms of Cairo behind us?

“How soon can we be ready?”

“If I am not so mistaken, we could depart the day after tomorrow. If it is permitted, I would like to take Sylvia and Finley to the nearby pyramids.”

“Aye. Good idea. I wonder how much has changed since I was here five years ago?”

Many more tourists, along with those who prey upon them.” Ali slammed on the brakes as he blew the horn.

Ahead, a bus and a truck had collided, blocking both lanes. A horde of people surrounded both vehicles, yelling and shouting, with some making threatening gestures with their hands.

“I am thinking everyone should hold on.” Ali twisted the wheel, turning around in the narrow street. “We shall go a different way, as this could be blocked for many hours. Even longer if fights break out among the onlookers.”

He made a right at the first crossroad. Rows of three and four-story buildings lined each side of the street. Various shops, including pharmacies, family-owned grocery stores, and clothes merchants, occupied the ground floor of each building, with apartments on the upper ones.

“I think—”

An overloaded truck trundled through the next intersection, the load careening toward them. The driver ignored the horn of Ali’s smaller vehicle and continued by, forcing Ali to give way.

“Driving in Cairo can be challenging at the best of times. It is not for those with a faint heart.” He grinned. “But this is what makes Cairo a special place to live.”

For the next thirty minutes, Ali weaved and swerved around pedestrians, mopeds, and cards, the van rocking in time with his movements. He glanced in the rearview mirror. “Keep an eye on the car behind us—he might try to squeeze between us and the parked vehicles.” He shook his head. “That driver is crazier than I am.”

“Watch out!” Charles pointed through the windscreen as he mashed on the imaginary brakes at his feet. “Camels!”

Metal crunched and crumpled as Ali sideswiped a parked vehicle blocking part of the street. He managed to dodge the camels. “Whew! I thought I would be buying someone a camel.”

“What about the car you hit?” Charles jerked a thumber over his shoulder.

“It is the cost of doing business when parking on Cairo streets.” Ali shrugged. “Besides, the driver tried to park in a spot half the size of his vehicle. It is his fault.” He gestured forward. “Our turn will soon be upon us.”

* * *

Two teenagers grabbed the ropes attached to their camels. As they managed to calm the skittish animals, a car sped toward them.

“Hurry, Omar. They’re getting away!”

“Relax, Pisir. He gunned the green Ford Fiesta’s engine and aimed for a small gap between the lead camel and the car Ali sideswiped. Omar yanked the wheel, crashing into the rear side panel of the vehicle, which blocked part of the street.

Both men slammed forward with the impact, their heads meeting the dash.

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, February 15, 2026

Randall Krzak

February is rolling along as we head towards spring. The temperature are slowly improving, although it’s still around freezing at night. We’re receiving a good rain today, which we need as everything seems pretty dry. Will this start of turning things green? Will have to wait and see.

The Detroit Pistons won two more games this week, raising their to 40-13. As the NBA heads into their All Star break, Detroit is still in first place in the Eastern Conference’s Central Division, seven games ahead of second place Cleveland. I hope after the break they continue their winning ways.

The Michigan Wolverines (2nd in the NCAA rankings) beat Ohio State and Northwestern this week before they roared past UCLA 86-56 to up their record to 24-1. With first place Arizona falling yesterday, will Michigan become the new first place team? We should find out tomorrow. They have six more games before the Big Ten tournament.

Meanwhile, the Michigan State Spartans lost another game this week, falling to Wisconsin 92-71 and dropping their record to 20-5. Although they are currently ranked 10th in the NCAA rankings, they’ll likely drop a few places when the new poll is released.

“I’m out there to clean the plate. Once they’ve read what I’ve written on a subject, I want them to think, ‘That’s it!’ I think the highest aspiration people in our trade can have is that once they’ve written a story, nobody will ever try it again.”— Richard Ben Cramer. 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 February 15th, the 7th Sunday of 2026 and the third one in February. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Claude Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon, French satirical novelist (The Skimmer); Friedrich August Wolf, German philologist (Prolegomena); Jens Baggesen, Danish writer and linguist (Labyrinth); Abraham de Amorie van der de Have, Dutch theologist and poet; Demetrius Vikelas, Greek businessman and writer (first President International Olympic Committee 1894-1896); Alfred North Whitehead, British mathematician and philosopher (Adventures of Ideas); Halford John Mackinder, British geographer (Britain and the British Seas); Bannister Fletcher, English architect and architectural historian (A History of Architecture); Sax Rohmer [Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward], English author (Dr Fu Manchu novels); Sidney Gilliat, English screenwriter (Night Train to Munich) and director,; Ypk van der Fear, Dutch writer (Reade Runen); George Mikes, Hungarian-British writer and humorist (How to Be an Alien); Ian Ballantine, American publisher (Ballantine Books); Piet van Aken, Flemish writer (Klinkaart, Het begeren); Radha Krishna Choudhary, Indian historian and writer (History of Bihar); Herman Kahn, American, writer and military strategist (Thinking About the Unthinkable); Norman Bridwell, American author and cartoonist (Clifford the Big Red Dog); Gérard Chaliand [Gérard Tchalian], Belgian-French writer and geopolitical expert (Revolution in the Third World, A Global History of War); Paul Ekman, American psychologist known for his work on facial expressions (Telling Lies, Emotions Revealed); Susan Brownmiller, American activist and feminist author (Against Our Wills); Gregory Mcdonald, American mystery writer known for “Fletch”; Jack Tinker, British theater critic for the Daily Mail; Jo Clayton, American sci-fi and fantasy author (Irsud, Maeve, Star Hunters); Ian Heads, Australian sports journalist, commentator and author who was rugby league’s foremost historian (Rugby League Week); Douglas Hofstadte, American academic and writer; Art Spiegelman, American cartoonist (The New Yorker, 1992-2002), Pulitzer Prize winning graphic novelist (Maus), and editor (Arcade; Raw); Matt Groening, American cartoonist and writer (Life in Hell; The Simpsons; Futurama); Chrystine Brouillet, Quebec novelist (Chère Voisine); Josh Marshall, American journalist and blogger (Talking Points Memo); and Miranda July, American writer, actress, and filmmaker (You, Me, and Everyone We Know;; Kajillionaire).

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 slowly continues on Temples of Abydos as multiple external activities are consuming most of my time. Over the past week, there have been an additional eight chapter reviews, bringing the total to sixty-nine. As always, plenty of positive suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s the next snippet:

The following morning, Ali joined Charles, Isabella, and Finley for breakfast at the Blue Restaurant and Grill inside the Kempinski Hotel. When Ali entered, his eyes bulged as a hand shot to his chest. “Have I died and gone to heaven? One day here would feed my entire village for a full week.”

“Where is your village? Will we be able to visit?” Isabella buttered a warm croissant and set it on the plate next to her tea.

Ali waved a hand in a northwesterly direction. “It is not too far from Cairo. Sometimes the desert encroaches on the buildings as the sand shifts.” He laughed. “At one point, my ancestral home was no longer in the village, which created many difficulties.”.

“Finley laughed. “What happened?”

“My father, may the gods protect him from all evil, is the chieftain, although I do not know how much longer he will walk the earth. Tradition passed down through generations requires the chieftain to always reside in the village.” He is a very sagacious man—at least he was, but his mind is somewhat depleted. However, now he is in his ninetieth year. To solve the problem, he purchased a second house—this one in the middle of the village. So when the parameters of the village shifted one more, he moved back into the ancestral home. Either way, he always remains within the village, no matter what the desert does.”

Charles smiled. “I hope we meet your family while we’re here.”

“That is my plan.” Ali glanced toward the ceiling. “However, I do not want to tempt fate nor upset the guards. As you would say, we will play this by the ear.”

“I’d like to visit the warehouse you chose for our base.” Charles ran a hand over his blue cotton shirt and black trousers. “As you can see, I’ve shed my fancy travel clothes.” He laughed. “I see you have too, Ali.”

“I wore the fez and Bedouin clothes just to make an impression with Isabella and Finley.” Ali looked down. “This suit is more my style, but like you, I will wear something more suitable for our excursion. You are much more presentable now for me to take around Cairo. It is most inadvisable to be showing any wealth—it will mark you as a person for the thieves.”

“What about us staying here?” Isabella glanced at Charles. “Should we change hotels?”

Ali shook his head. “Many foreigners visit Cairo each year and stay in the best hotels without any known difficulties. It is when you travel around the city that bad things might happen. After today, Jabari or one of his team will be with us whenever we leave the hotel.”

“What about today?” Charles pursed his lips.

“Ah. He is busy making arrangements.” Ali patted his left shoulder. “Howsoever security is needed, I am armed.”

Charles finished his coffee. “Are we ready to go?”

“If you do not mind, Professor, I would like one more of these delicious pastries—or perhaps two, if they are not too filling.” Ali patted his taut stomach. “I must ensure my body has the proper food to keep me functioning at my normal high levels. Besides, I do not think I have tasted anything so good.”

Everyone laughed.

“I had the hotel put a hamper together to take with us.” Isabella smiled. There should be plenty of pastries, fruit, and sandwiches to tide us over.”

“Perfect.” Ali took a large bite of his pastry and washed it down with a cup of tea. “Two minutes shall pass when I am ready.”

At last, they stood and left the hotel.

Ali led them to the same vehicle he used the night before. “Our chariot awaits.”

Once everyone climbed inside, Ali tapped the dash. “We are at peace today. Our conveyance will take us where we want to go.”

As promised, the engine fired on the first try without the black smoke.

He pulled out of the parking spot and plunged into the traffic without a glance at other vehicles.

While some drivers blew their horns, most just gave way to another Cairo driver.

“It will take much longer to reach the warehouse than coming from the airport. Traffic is very bad, so I must go slow. However, the warehouse is exactly what we will need to prepare for our excursion to Abydos.”

“How is the money holding out?” Charles attempted to keep his hand away from the panic strap, although he did grab it from time to time. He kept working imaginary brakes whenever he thought they might collide with another vehicle.

“Your benefactor was most gracious with his funds. I have used no more than half of what he sent. Of course, I shall inform you right away if I need more.”

“Excellent.” Charles glanced at Isabella. “I shall let him know in due course. After our visit to the warehouse, I’d like you to take us on a drive around the city and point out some of the tourist spots. We will want to visit some of them before we head to Abydos.”

“Yes, Professor. When would you like to put the charms of Cairo behind us?

“How soon can we be ready?”

“If I am not so mistaken, we could depart the day after tomorrow. If it is permitted, I would like to take Isabella and Finley to the nearby pyramids.”

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, February 8, 2026

Randall Krzak

Last weekend’s snow disappeared by Tuesday as the temperatures rose. We did have some flurries on Thursday, but they didn’t amount to anything as they melted as soon as they hit the ground.  Even the wildlife visitors cut back on their appearances as they seem to be able to forage. The temperature is supposed to be in the upper 50s for a few days this coming week, before dropping back into the 40s.

The Detroit Pistons were busy this past week, dropping one game but winning three games to raise their record to 38-13. They’re still in first place in the Eastern Conference’s Central Division, seven games ahead of second place Cleveland. I hope they to continue to win and improve as the season moves forward.

The Michigan Wolverines moved back into second place in the NCAA rankings. They played on game this week, rolling over Penn State 110-69, to up their record to 21-1. The Wolverines play Ohio State this evening.

The Michigan State Spartans dropped to 10th in the NCAA rankings but returned to their winning ways last night by knocking off 5th-ranked Illinois in overtime 85-82. The Spartans are now 20-4 on the season.

“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 February 8th, the 6th Sunday of 2026 and the second one in February. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Théodore-Agrippa d’Aubigné, French soldier, historian and poet (Histoire Universelle / Universal History); Robert Burton, British writer and Anglican clergyman (The Anatomy of Melancholy); Samuel Butler, English poet and satirist (Hudibras); Gabriel Daniel, French Jesuit, historian and historiographer of France, appointed by King Louis XIV (History of France; harles-Jean-François Hénault, French writer and historian (A Chronological Abridgement of the History of France; Moritz Gottlieb Saphir, Austrian satirical writer and journalist; ohn Ruskin, English writer and art critic who championed Gothic Revivalist and the Pre-Raphaelites; Maxime Du Camp, French writer, traveler and early photographer (Les Buveurs de Cendres); Jules Verne, French novelist known as the “Father of Science Fiction” (Around the World in 80 days); Kate O’Flaherty Chopin, American writer; Theodor Lessing, German writer; Henry Roth, American writer (Call it Sleep); Elizabeth Bishop, American poet (North & South, Pulitzer Prize 1956); Henri Knap, Dutch journalist and writer (Per Ongeluk, De Weg naar Peruwelz); Lisel Mueller, German-American poet (Alive Together – Pulitzer Prize for Poetry 1997); James Deetz, American anthropologist and historical archaeologist (In Small Things Forgotten: The Archaeology of Early American Life); José Maria Sison, Filipino writer, poet, and founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (Philippine Society and Revolution); Averil Cameron, British historian; Pirzada Qasim, Pakistani poet and VC of Karachi University; Z’EV [Stefan Weisser], American poet, percussionist and sound artist; John Grisham, American writer (Client, Firm, Pelican Brief; Yucef Merhi, Venezuelan artist, poet and computer programmer (Poetic Clock; Quetzalcoatl 2.0.1.2.); and Bethany Hamilton,  American pro surfer (shark attack victim; author Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board).

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me this week: Jules Verne and John Grisham. 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 continues on Temples of Abydos as I’m dealing with multiple external activities. Over the past week, there have been an additional six chapter reviews, bringing the total to sixty-one. As always, plenty of positive suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s the next snippet:

A porter stepped forward, took the keycards from the receptionist, and gestured toward the elevators. “Right this way, please. You are in adjacent Madina deluxe suites. Both have balconies with views of the city. Your own butler is included, along with access to the executive lounge. My colleagues will bring your luggage to your suites, so we do not have to wait.”

They stepped off the elevator, and the porter took them to the first suite. He unlocked the door and handed the keycards to Charles before gesturing for them to enter. “There is a separate living room and bedroom. If you require anything during your stay, please let the butler know. Thank you for choosing the Kempinski.” He turned and left the suite.

Charles handed a keycard to Finley. “Guess you’re next door. Go check it out and see what you think.”

An hour after checking in, Charles, Isabella, and Finley entered the Osmanli Restaurant. The restaurant was decorated in oranges, creams, and yellows. A myriad of Turkish pottery, kilims, and ornaments clung to any available wall or shelf space. Featuring traditional Turkish meals derived from the Ottoman Empire, the various aromas of cooking meats and hot dishes permeated throughout the restaurant.

The maître d’ escorted them to a table overlooking the Nile River. A reserved placard indicated the table was for Professors Rennie, Burness, and Burness.

“Cool. May I keep the card?” Finley grinned. “I’ve never been called a professor before.”

Charles laughed. “Aye. Keep it and may it be an omen for the future.”

“Now you’re starting to speak like Ali.”

They laughed.

Charles glanced at the menu. “Shall I order for everyone, or do you want to choose your own?”

Isabella closed her menu. “Lead on, Professor.” She chuckled.

“Go ahead, Uncle Charles. I’m sure you won’t lead us astray.”

“I hope not.” He turned to the hovering waiter. “We’ll begin with the soğuk and sicak meze. For the main course, please bring Osmanlı karışik kebab. We’ll finish with baklava and Turkish coffee.”

“Very good, sir. And to drink?”

“Bottled water and one Coke.”

After the waiter departed, Charles turned to Finley. “We’re starting with the chef’s selection of cold and hot appetizers. Afterward, we’ll eat one of the house specials, a mixed kebab.”

“This is awesome! So this is how the rich live.”

“Don’t get too used to this.” A glint of a smile creased Isabella’s face. “After we acclimate to the Egyptian weather and begin our excursion, we’ll be sleeping in tents.”

* * *

Two men dressed in tan trousers and long-sleeved blue shirts sat at a nearby table. One held a cell phone in the air as if he was reading a text, but in reality, he was taking photographs of Charles, Isabella, and Finley.

The second man sneered. “More rich foreigners coming to rob us of our culture. Tarik will be pleased we spotted them.”

“Yes, Omar. The money you paid to the porter to keep us informed of new foreign arrivals and get their details was worth the expense. We shall keep an eye on them while they lavish in style and report back to Tarik.”

“Agreed, Pilis. When the time is right, we shall strike.”

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, January 11, 2026

Randall Krzak

We’ve been having milder temperatures lately, with plenty of showers, too.  The daytime temperature has been hitting the upper 60s/lower 70s. However, it won’t last for long as the forecast is for daytime temperatures to only make it into the mid-50s.

The Detroit Pistons split a couple of games this week and are now 28-10. The good news is they’re still in first place in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference, seven games ahead of second-place Cleveland. Hopefully, they will continue their winning ways!

The Michigan Wolverines lost their first game of the season, falling to Wisconsin, 91-88. They were in second in the rankings, but will likely drop when the new rankings come out. Meanwhile, Michigan State beat Northwestern this week, upping their record to 14-2.

“The writing of a novel is taking life as it already exists, not to report it but to make an object, toward the end that the finished work might contain this life inside it and offer it to the reader. The essence will not be, of course, the same thing as the raw material; it is not even of the same family of things. The novel is something that never was before and will not be again.” — Eudora Welty, WD. 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 11th, the 2md Sunday of 2026 and the second one in January. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

William Curtis, English botanist and publisher (Botanical Magazine); Antoine Schayes, Belgian historian, archivist and archaeologist; Bayard Taylor, American poet, travel author and diplomat; William James, American psychologist (The Principles of Psychology) and philosopher (Pragmatism); Gustav Falke, German author and poet (Der Mann im Nebel); Thomas Dixon, American white supremacist, novelist, playwright (The Clansman: A Historical Romance of the Ku Klux Klan); Antonio Beltramelli, Italian writer (Il Gargano); Elisabeth Achelis, American heiress, writer, and proponent of the 13-month World Calendar; Oswald de Andrade, Brazilian author (one of the modernist Group of Five); Hans Kirk, Danish writer (The Fishermen); Alan Paton, South African author (Cry, the Beloved Country, Too Late the Phalarope) and anti-apartheid activist; Ernle Bradford, English historian and writer; Fischer Black, American economist and one of the authors of the Black–Scholes equation; Mohammed Abed Elhai, Sudanese writer and academic and poet; John Piper, American theologian, writer (Don’t Watse Your Life; Love Your Enemies), and Baptist pastor; Terry Goodkind, American epic fantasy novelist (The Sword of Truth); and Marc Acito, American novelist, humorist and playwright known for “How I Paid for College”.

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 Published Work

The cover of Mission: Yemen is competing in the monthly competition held by http://www.allauthor.com.  It’s currently in the second 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 continues on Temples of Abydos. Over the past week, there have been an additional six chapter reviews, bringing the total to twenty-seven. As always, plenty of positive suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s the initial snippet:

Isabella “Isa” Wilkie lounged in a recliner in front of their wall-mounted fifty-five-inch television and flicked through the history and National Geographic channels. Not finding any programs of interest, she turned the television off. She picked up her cup of tea, weaved way through stacks of unopened boxes, and padded into the circular room off the kitchen, which they used as an office.

Now in her fortieth year, Isabella had shoulder-length chestnut brown hair and dark brown eyes, which mirrored her late mother’s. With a flawless complexion, she never needed makeup. Her smile always lights up a room when she turns it on. Her passion for history is only overshadowed by her love of animals and her disdain for injustice.

Her husband, Charles Rennie, sat in front of one of the two iMac twenty-seven-inch desktop computers positioned on adjacent desks. His long sandy blond hair was tied in a man-bun. Cheap reading glasses perched on his nose as he peered at the screen with his blue eyes. His once red beard was now peppered with gray.

“What are you looking at? I thought you were going to unpack some more boxes this evening.” A bemused expression creased Isabella’s face.

“Aye. For what we paid for this apartment, our belongings should have been unpacked for us.”

Isabella laughed. “If you hadn’t won twenty million pounds on the Lotto, we’d still be living in a three-bedroom terrace in a wee village instead of overlooking the East Sands and the Old Course.”

“True.”

Isabella sat in the empty chair at the other desk and placed her cup on a coaster. “So now that we’ve finished cataloging known Celtic sites throughout the UK, any thoughts on a new project?”

“Aye. Since I’ve been granted a year’s sabbatical from teaching medieval archaeology at St. Andrews, why don’t you request time off as well? I’m sure both the history and archaeology departments would benefit from whatever we choose to do. After all, we’re too young to retire.”

“I just wish they’d approved my Celtic program. Why should Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and the University of the Highlands and Island be the only universities doing this? After all, St. Andrews is Scotland’s oldest one.”

Charles chuckled. “Relax, Isabella. The dean and the faculty will come around to your way of thinking and set up your program.”

She finished her tea. “I suppose you’re right. What are you considering?”

“I was wondering if we should go to Gobekli Tepe in Turkey. However, I’m still pulled toward Egypt. You know my fascination with the area. Archeologists are still uncovering tunnels and shafts with the three-pyramid complex outside Cairo. Perhaps we could find a new one—even better, a new pharaoh.”

Isabella hid a grin as she shook her head. “Why not a lesser-known area? I’m sure we could find one and put our stamp on it.”

“Now you’re talking! Let’s get cracking.”

Isabella reached over and grabbed Charles’ man-bun. “Not so fast. I think it’s time for you to have another coffee. And make me a tea while you’re at it.”

“Do you want Jaffa Cakes or a Belvita Strawberry Softbake?

“Surprise me.”

Ten minutes later, Isabella called on Charles. “What’s taking so long?”

Charles entered the office carrying a tray. “The cats wanted food, so I took care of them.” He passed Isabella her tea and a package of Jaffa Cakes. “Here you go.” He sat and pulled up his search parameters. “There are a lot of places to consider in Egypt. I suggest we stay away from the more popular ones and see if we can find some obscure ones.”

“Aye. Great idea. I’ll take a look too.”

Forty-five minutes later, both Charles and Isabella leaned back in their chairs.

Charles drank his now cold coffee and grimaced. “I need a new coffee. Want anything?”

Isabella shook her head. “Oh, perhaps some trifle.” A smile lingered on her face. I do so love those creamy layers, the delicious spongey bits, fruits, and lovely abundance of sherry.”

“Aye. I can manage that. Be right back.”

When he returned, Isabella was typing an email. “Anything I can do to help?”

“No. I’m sending a note to the dean requesting a meeting tomorrow. Even though I haven’t been tenured as long as you have, they’ve let others have time off if they think the university will benefit.”

Charles smiled. “He’ll come through for you—I know he will.”

“Hope so.” She clicked send and returned to her Google search. “I’ve identified some interesting links, but so far I haven’t found anything that really stands out for me.”

“What did you find?”

Isabella turned to her screen. “I found some showing a comprehensive  list of sites on a worldwide basis. However, if you want to concentrate on Egypt for now, there are plenty of locations to choose from.” She scrolled through the different areas around the country.

“Wait a minute.” Charles raised a hand to stop her. “Back up.”

She did as instructed.

“I like the sounds of Abydos. Even with the tombs of the first pharaohs found there, it’s still an underrated location.” Charles grinned as he scooted to his computer and typed Abydos in his search engine. “Let’s see what else might be note-worthy. Ah. Abydos was a cult center for several deities, eventually leading to the rise of Osiris and the temple of Seti I and the temple of Ramesses II.” He turned to Isabella. “I think this is it—at least at first glance.”

“So what do we do now?”

“Well, first, you need to meet with your dean and arrange time off. With our newfound wealth, funding won’t be a problem. I’ll dig through my Egyptian contacts and see if there is someone who might be able to point us in the right direction.”

“Okay. Let’s call it a night and clear a few more boxes. I’ll feel better.”

Charles laughed. “Aye. If you insist.”

“I do.”

Two hours later, they called it a night.

Isabella headed to the bathroom.

“I’ll be right back. Just want to check something out.”

Isabella resumed reding the novel she kept on the bedside table. Shit the light button on the clock when Charles came into the bedroom. “Where’ve you been? Were you researching all this time or plotting what to do with the remainder of your Lotto winnings? It’s 3:30 in the morning.”

He grinned as he peeled off his clothes and climbed into bed. “Just making sure the temples of Abydos are right for us.”

“Are they?”

“Perfect. Nichty nicht.”

“Nicht.”

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, March 16, 2025

Randall Krzak

It’s been a dry and warm week, at least until early this morning when we were hit with a couple of thunderstorms. Tornadoes are in the forecast for the east of South Carolina. Meanwhile, during the week I did get a fair bit of yard work done, but will have to wait for things to dry out before doing any more.

Michigan and Michigan State played last Sunday. State won the game, 79-62 and upped their record to 26-5 while Michigan dropped to 22-9.  This was Michigan State’s 11th regular season championship under coach Tom Izzo, and they inched up to 7th in the Top Twenty-Five, while Michigan tumbled to 22nd.

Both teams played on the 14th in the Big Ten Conference Championship. State was the number one seed and played Oregon (8) while Michigan (3) played Purdue (6). State won their game and played Wisconsin (5), losing 77-74. Michigan beat Purdue 86-68 and went on to beat Maryland (2) 81-80.  Michigan will play Wisconsin on Sunday for the Big Ten Conference Championship.

The Detroit Pistons won one game this week, while dropping two. They’re are now 37-31, but still in contention for the Eastern Conference playoffs, as long as they return to winning ways.

I watched my first Detroit Tigers spring training game this week. They won 5-1. As of yesterday, they are  in 2nd place in the AL Central Division with a 9-9 record plus one tie.

“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.” – George Bernard Shaw. Compliments of https://press.barnesandnoble.com/bnpress-blog/inspirational-quotes-writing/.

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

Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft, Dutch historian and writer; Gerbrant Bredero, Dutch poet and playwright (Klucht van de Koe); Michael Franck, German composer, poet, and baker; Madame de La Fayette [Marie-Madeleine Pioche de la Vergne], French novelist (La Princesse de Clèves -1st historical novel in French); Bengt Lidner, Swedish poet (Medea, Yttersa Domen); Anna Atkins, English botanist, photographer and the 1st person to publish a book illustrated with photographic images; Peter Ernst von Lasaulx, German philosopher and writer; Ernest Feydeau, French author, friend of Flaubert (Fanny); Sully Prudhomme, French poet and the 1st winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1901; F. A. Forbes, Scottish author; Ethel Anderson, Australian poet; César Vallejo, Peruvian-French poet and novelist (Los Heraldos Negros; Trilce; Russia in 1931); Francisco Ayala, Spanish writer; Samael Aun Weor, Colombian writer; Sid Fleischman, American author, and screenplay writer (The Whipping Boy; Blood Alley: The Abracadabra Kid); Geoffrey Freeman Allen, English railway writer; Harding Lemay, American writer (head writer for soap “Another World”; Don Richard Carpenter, American writer (Hard Rain Falling); Don Richard Carpenter, American writer (Hard Rain Falling); Kate Worley, American comic book writer (Omaha the Cat Dancer); and Lauren Graham, American actress and author (Gilmore Girls, Parenthood).

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

Since I concentrated on outdoor work this week, I didn’t finish chapter sixteen of Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series. I’ll get it finished this coming week and post it to the two  online subscription writing sites I use. There were another eight reviews this week, bringing the total to 220. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s another snippet:

Five hours later, the three-vehicle convoy reached Panama City. Bob weaved through the crowded streets to the American embassy on Demetrio Basilio Lakas Avenue, Clayton. Rufus and Trevor followed.

“Sir, wake up. We’re here.” Bob blew the horn to notify the Panamanian guards of their arrival.

After Bob showed diplomatic ID to the guards, they opened the gate, and the three vehicles entered. Bob continued to the motor pool area, where the Suburban and the Toyota Land Cruisers were handed over to the maintenance team. He told the maintenance chief about Jim’s body.

Bob led CC and the others up the hill to the six-story chancery. Once again he showed his ID, this time to a Marine standing inside a bullet-resistant booth.

The Marine asked for CC, Evelyn, Rufus, and Trevor’s ID. Upon viewing Trevor’s, the Marine came to attention and saluted.

Trevor smiled as he returned the salute.

The Marine pointed to a table to the left of his booth. “Please sign in. Once you’ve done so, Bob can take you inside. Admiral Blakely and the ambassador will join you soon.”

Fifteen minutes later, Bob escorted them into a conference room adjacent to the ambassador’s office. Everyone grabbed a seat at the rectangle table for twelve as a steward brought in a trolley laden with tea, coffee, water, juice, and pastries.

After they had something to eat and drink, they relaxed until the door leading to the ambassador’s office opened.

In strode the ambassador, followed by Admiral Blakely.

Everyone jumped to their feet.

The ambassador laughed as he took his seat at the head of the table with the admiral seated next to him. “Welcome back from your excursion into the Darien. I’m Charles Sanderson, the ambassador to Panama, at least as long as the president allows me to be here. But you can call me Chuck.”

Everyone smiled at the ambassador, who resembled the fictional character used in the KFC commercials—white hair, a white goatee, black-rimmed glasses, and dressed in a white suit with a red bowtie.

“Aye, Ambassador. Thank you for the loan of the vehicles.” CC grinned. “I’m afraid we added a few dents and scrapes to them.”

“Don’t worry about it. Can’t be helped when you go into the jungle.” The ambassador turned to Admiral Blakely. “Richard, it’s your show, so please take over.”

The admiral nodded. “I’ll expect a full report by the end of the day. In the meantime, I want to inform you about your next assignment.” He glanced around the room, stopping when he reached Trevor. “At a request from Ambassador Sanderson, we will be sending Bedlam Bravo sans Trevor, back to Yaviza to keep an eye on the Embera-Wounaan.”

“I was asked by the Panamanian president if we could assist in supporting their indigenous tribes in the Darien given the recent increase in crime originating in the area.” Chuck stroked his goatee. “Since I concur with the president’s request, I tried to hoodwink Richard in providing support.”

“I spoke with Sir Alex and Harrison yesterday evening, and both agreed to the use of Bedlam Bravo for this mission.”

Trevor raised a hand. “Sir, if I’m not going with my team, who will lead them?”

“Good question. Sir Alex, Harrison, and I had a lengthy discussion about this. We’d like Rufus to take over as Bravo team lead on a temporary basis. August will assume command of the quick reaction force until Rufus returns.”

“Aye, Admiral.” CC gestured toward Evelyn and Trevor. “What do you have planned for us?”

“I spoke with the president of South Africa while you were running around the jungle. At last, he’s agreed to have Bedlam Delta positioned in the country. You’ll be meeting with the State Security Agency. The director general of the SSA will become the overseer for Bedlam Delta.” The admiral frowned as he glanced at Trevor again. “He’s driving a hard bargain as he wants a South African in charge of the team. You know what that means.”

“Understood, Admiral. We only have one experienced South African in our existing teams—Gerhard Badenhorst. I’m confident Gerhard is up to the task.”

The admiral nodded. “He’ll remain with Bedlam Bravo pending our finding a suitable replacement for him. In the meantime, our existing Bedlam team leaders will head to South Africa to establish the groundwork for setting up our newest team. I’ll speak with Gerhard and explain his promotion. Keep him posted as much as you can.”

“Aye, Admiral. Anything else?”

“As a matter of fact, there is, CC. We still need to discuss your transition to my deputy and your replacement as Alfa’s team lead.” The admiral shook his head. “We might need to go on a snatch-and-grab with the military and intelligence communities for volunteers.”

“Och aye, Admiral. Things have a way of working out.”

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, March 2, 2025

Randall Krzak

Wildlife continue to visit on a regular basis. In addition to an abundance of various birds and at least eight squirrels, wild turkeys are prevalent. We haven’t seen as many deer recently, but there were four on Thursday and five on Fridays. As it gets warmer, we expect to see our larger visitors decline.

As college basketball heats up with conference championships on the horizon, followed by March Madness, which begins on March 18th, Michigan State (ranked eighth in the Top Twenty-Five) and Michigan (ranked fifteenth) site atop the Big Ten standings with 14-3 conference records (23-5 and 22-6, overall, respectively). 

Both teams have three conference games remaining. Assuming each team wins the first two, this will set up an exciting rematch on March 9th, when Michigan travels to Michigan State for the finale. Meanwhile, Michigan State plays Wisconsin later today, while Michigan takes on Illinois.

Over the past week, the Detroit Pistons won three games while dropping another. There record is now 34-27.  They have twenty-one games remaining on their 2024/25 schedule and are currently 6th in the Eastern Conference.

We’re now getting some warmer temperatures, with highs getting into the lower 70s.  However, the forecast for the following week shows temperatures primarily in the lower-mid 60s. Most days will be dry, but there is a slight chance of rain a couple of days and even a thunderstorm.

“Step out of the history that is holding you back. Step into the new story you are willing to create.”
– Oprah Winfrey. 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 March 2nd, the ninth Sunday of 2025 and the first one for March. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Thomas Bodley, English diplomat and scholar (founder of the Bodleian Library); George Sandys, English colonist and poet; Camille Desmoulins, French journalist, pamphleteer and revolutionary leader (his oratory led to storming of the Bastille); Evgeny Baratynsky, Russian poet; Janos Arany, Hungarian epic poet (Toldi, Death of King Buda); Multatuli [Eduard Douwes Dekker], Dutch writer (Max Havelaar); Henry Beebee Carrington, American lawyer, professor, prolific author, and Brigadier General (Union Army); Carl Schurz, German-American journalist and Major General (Union Army); Herman Schaepman ‘the Doctor’, Dutch poet, Roman Catholic priest, theologian, and politician; Sholem Aleichem [Solomon Rabinowitz], Yiddish author and playwright (Fiddler on the Roof, Tevye the Dairyman); John Jay Chapman, American poet, and writer (Learning & Other Essays); Dr, Seuss, American children’s author (The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham); Godfried Bomans, Dutch humorist and writer and TV personality (Pieter Bas); David Goodis, American crime fiction writer; Tom Wolfe, American journalist and author (The Right Stuff); John Cornell, Australian screenwriter (Paul Hogan Show; Crocodile Dundee), and director (Crocodile Dundee II); John Irving, American short-story writer (The World According to Garp; The Cider House Rules); Peter Straub, American award-winning fantasy and horror author; Mark Evanier, American writer; Michael Salinger, American poet known for his Poetry Slam performances; Morioka Hiroyuki, Japanese science fiction writer; and Glenn Rubenstein, American writer and journalist.

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me this week: Dr. Seuss and John Irving. 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 finished chapter fourteen of Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series this week. It’s now posted to the two  online subscription writing sites I use. There were another eighteen reviews this week, bringing the total to 206. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s another snippet:

An hour later, Andres woke with a start. After glancing around and not spotting anyone, he donned his hat, rolled up the blanket, and mounted Shadow.  Soon he was back at the stables, turning Shadow’s reins over to the servant who brought out the horse earlier. “Gracias. Give him a good rub down and a portion of oats.”

“De nada, Jefe. I shall look after Shadow.” The servant took the reins and led Shadow away.

In a better mood, Andres returned to the hacienda. He walked along the veranda and entered through French doors into his office.

A servant appeared, holding a cup of coffee. “Did you enjoy your ride, Jefe? I thought you might like a drink to refresh you.”

“Gracias. Yes, the ride was worthwhile. I should do it more often. Has my guest arrived yet?”

“Sí, Jefe. He is meeting with Señor Juan at the moment. Shall I send them to you?”

“Sí, gracias.”

After the servant departed, he glanced around the room.  It was once the refuge of the previous owner. Its Brazilian cherrywood floor contrasted with the two walls lined with floor-to-ceiling oak bookcases. One day I should start reading the books.

A stack of hardwood in a stone fireplace waited to be ignited when the evening weather turned cool. The outer wall boasted glazed windows, with two sets of French doors opening onto the veranda. A massive portrait of his father seated on a brown quarter horse took center stage on the wall behind the desk. If only Padre could see me now.

His reminiscing was interrupted by a knock on the door. “Enter.”

Juan Guzman, Andres’ primary accountant, opened the door and stepped aside to let a short, stocky man with bowed legs enter.

They took easy chairs in front of Andres’ Italian-made oak desk.

“Jefe, this is Obasi Bankole, the deputy leader of Nigeria’s Black Shadow.”

Andres stood and shook hands with Obasi before the three men sat.

“I understand Black Shadow is looking to purchase cocaine from us.” Andres rubbed his upper lip, which was clean-shaven as was Obasi’s.

“Yes. I am authorized to arrange an agreement between our organizations.” Obasi smiled. “Of course, you must realize Africa is an impoverished continent compared to the Americas, so our purse strings are not as deep.”

Andres laughed. “I assume Juan gave you our initial price, which might be negotiable if terms can be reached.”

“Yes.” Obasi nodded as he lifted the briefcase he brought with him and extracted a document. He glanced at it before handing it to Andres. “As you can see, our leader, Mongo Abara, has proposed fifteen thousand dollars a kilo, if you can provide at least five hundred kilos to start.”

Andres turned to Juan. “What do you think? I know we can handle five hundred kilos without any difficulty. What about the price?”

“Jefe, I believe the best price we can do is eighteen thousand a kilo.”

Andres glanced at Obasi. “Will this work for you?”

Obasi shook his head. “I suggest sixteen thousand.”

“Hmm.” Andres stared at the ceiling. “Make it seventeen thousand and we have a deal. How would you like the cocaine delivered?”

“If I agree to seventeen thousand, we would like the merchandise delivered to one of our ships outside the Nigerian maritime border, which extends two hundred nautical miles from the coast.”

“Agreed. We would use a Panamanian-registered freighter for delivery. The initial funds must be sent to a bank of our choosing. Juan will help you with this. Future shipments can be paid to the ship’s captain for transferal to us.”

Obasi nodded. “Your terms are acceptable. Thank you.” He stood and reached out a hand.

Andres lumbered to his feet and shook the outstretched hand. “It will be our pleasure to do business with you.” He pushed a bell on the telephone console.

A servant appeared.

“Show Mr. Bankole to his vehicle por favor.” Andres turned to Obasi. “Do you require anything before your departure?”

“No.” Obasi glanced at his watch. “If I return to the airport now and depart, I shall be back in Nigeria this evening. Until we meet again.”

The servant escorted Obasi from the office.

 Andres turned to his accountant. “Keep a close eye on the progress with our new partner, Juan. If you find anything untoward, it might be necessary to contact someone in Miami to send a message. They’ll know just what is needed.”

Sí, Jefe.” Juan grinned. “My cousin’s friends are always looking to expand their influence. They will show these Black Shadow people not to mess with the CDG.” He drew an imaginary knife across his throat. “Otherwise, they shall become bait for the sharks.”

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 Rambling, February 23, 2025

Randall Krzak

The wild turkeys put in appearances almost every day during the past week. Most times, it was just a group of 15-20 females, but on a couple of occasions, they were accompanied by a tom.  While the females pecked at the ground, the gobbler remained in the background as if keeping watch over the group. They usually departed en masse about twenty minutes after arriving.

This week we received a list of our next participation in the local farmer’s market. We have eight confirmed dates (all Sundays) between the beginning of May and the end of August. In addition, we’re wait listed for the other Sundays. Some time during this period, we should also receive word about our inclusion for September through the end of the year.

On Wednesday and Thursday morning, we had a few snow flurries–no real accumulation except a bit in sheltered areas. However, the temperature was sufficient so even this accumulation didn’t hang around long. It was funny hearing people in the stores talk about the flurries as if a major storm was going to hit us. It didn’t.

Turning to college basketball, Michigan won last Sunday and moved up to 12th in the Top Twenty.  Michigan State also won on Tuesday, but slid to 14th. On Friday, the two teams played each other in Ann Arbor. Michigan State won, 75-62, raising their record to 22-5, while Michigan dropped to 21-6.

The Detroit pistons won their first game after the All-Star break. This was their 5th consecutive win, and they are now 30-26. They play again tonight.

“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” – Stephen King. 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 23rd, the eight Sunday of 2025 and the fourth and final one for February. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Samuel Pepys, English navy administrator and Member of Parliament famous for his Diary of the English Restoration period; Wilhelmus Schortinghuis, Dutch theologist (Profound Christianity); Richard Price, Welsh philosopher; John Walter II, English newspaper owner (who made The Times into an important newspaper, 1812-47); Herman Neubronner van der Tuuk, Dutch philologist (Tobasch’ Grammar); W.E.B. Du Bois, American civil rights activist, writer (Souls of Black Folk) and co-founder of the NAACP; B. Traven, German novelist (“The Death Ship”; “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre”) who is cloaked in mystery and whose identity, real name and birthplace is disputed; Erich Kästner, German writer; Mien van ‘t Sant, Dutch author (Mieke serial); William L. Shirer, American journalist and historian (Rise & Fall of 3rd Reich); Walter Allen, English writer and literary critic; Heinrich Schirmbeck, German author and activist (Das Spiegellabyrinth); David Wright, South African-British poet (Deafness: A Personal Account; Gery Florizoone, Flemish poet; Gerry Davis, British screenwriter (Dr Who); Jef Geeraerts, Flemish writer (Black Venus) and crime novelist; Donna J. Stone, American poet (Wielder of Words); Bernard Cornwell, English historical novelist; John Sandford, American novelist; and Doug Moench, American comic book writer known for his work on Batman and “Master of Kung Fu”.

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me this week: Bernard Cornwell and John Sandford. 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 finished chapter thirteen of Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series this week. It’s now posted to the two  online subscription writing sites I use. There were another seven reviews this week, bringing the total to 188. 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:

“Mis amigos, later today, I shall meet with a representative from a Nigerian group interested in purchasing more of our product as they try to increase their influence in Africa. I’ve been in discussion with them for several weeks, and yesterday, we reached an agreement.”

“Well done, Jefe.” Carlos grinned. “what will be our profit?”

“That is something we will settle during today’s negotiation. While we only receive about one thousand eight hundred dollars a kilo in Colombia, I hope to get at least half of what we earn in Estados Unidos, or about eighteen thousand a kilo.”

Diego rubbed his jaw. “B-But, J-Jefe, why the l-lower p-price?”

“Call this an introductory price.” Andres laughed. “When they realize the quality of our product, they will be willing to pay more, perhaps as much as twenty-nine thousand dollars a kilo.”

Carlos whistled. “Dios mío, Jefe!” We shall be richer than ever.”

“Sí and we shall give the church her due to worship God.” Andres clapped his hands.

A servant hovering in the background brought him fresh coffee.

After sipping on the hot brew, Andres glanced at his watch. “Felipe should be arriving soon from Yazivi to give us an update about the men he sent to deal with the outsiders.”

“J-Jefe, you m-mentioned last t-time that I w-would become the deputy j-jefe for Carlos and Felipe. W-When will I s-start?” As normal, Diesgo struggled with his words, caused by a stutter he developed in childhood.

“Do not worry, mi amigo.” Andres smiled. “After you discuss your duties with Carlos and Felipe, I shall pick a start state that is convenient to everyone.”

Diego nodded. “G-Gracias, J-Jefe.”

The door opened, and Felipe stormed in. He walked past the buffet and joined Andres and the others. “Sorry, Jefe. It took longer for me to return than I expected.”

“What happened?” Andres turned and waved a hand at the servant.

The servant brought a pot of coffee and an extra cup. After refilling Andres, Carlos, and Diego’s cups, he poured one for Felipe before returning to his station near the buffet.

Felipe took a sip of the steaming brew. “When I arrived at Yaviza, I expected to find our men were victorious.” He shook his head. “Much to my amazement, three of them were dead and the other three had suffered minor injuries. Arturo, the man I put in charge of the team, suffered the most serious injury, with a puncture near his heart. I brought him back with me, and he’s been taken to the hospital for treatment.” Felipe shrugged. “If he does not survive, there are other men who want to go.”

Andres crossed his arms as he grimaced. “So, who are these interlopers who dared to enter our territory?”

“I do not know, Jefe. But, they must be seasoned warriors.”

“Find out. This is an outrage, and their interference cannot be accepted.” Andres slammed a fist on the table, causing cups to spill. “I have an important meeting today. If details of this indignity were to get out, it might disrupt our expansión plans and make me a laughing stock among the other cartels.”

“Sí, Jefe.” Felipe started to rise.

“Sit.” Andres glared at Felipe. “I will tell you when to go. You must be famished. Eat first and return to Yaviza. Find out who dared to challenge us and get rid of them. If you must take additional men with you, do so.”

“Sí, Jefe. With your permission, I will arrange for more men to return with me. Afterward, I shall eat.”

Andres remained silent as he waved a hand in dismissal.

After Felipe departed, Andres glanced at Carlos and Diego. “Seems we have more work to do. I cannot believe Norteamericano federales are behind this. Must be someone else—perhaps their CIA?” Andres shook his head. “In any event, we must show we are powerful and not someone to be trifled with.” He jumped to his feet. “I’m going for a ride and will return in a couple of hours, in time for my meeting. You are dismissed. Adios.” He left the dining room, slamming the door behind him.

Carlos and Diego climbed out of their seats and echoed Andres’s farewell.  They looked at each other and shrugged.

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