Tag: Michigan Wolverines

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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, 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, January 4, 2026

Randall Krzak

Hope everyone has a healthy and prosperous new year! All the best!!

The Michigan Wolverines (18) football team played Texas (13) in the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately, the Wolverines were upset 41-27. They finished the season at 9-4.

The Detroit Pistons had a somewhat bad week,  dropping two consecutive games, although they managed to win one. They are still in first place in the Eastern Conference’s Central Division with at 25-9 record, six games ahead of second place Cleveland who they play tonight. Hopefully, Detroit can get back to their winning ways!

The Michigan Wolverines basketball team continued their winning ways, beating the McNeese Cowboys 112-71 and the USC Trojans 96-66. The Wolverines are still ranked second in the nation and have a 12-0 record. Meanwhile, the Michigan State Spartans (9) split their two games, beating the Cornel Big Red 114-97, while losing to the Nebraska Cornhuskers 58-56. The Spartans are now 12-2.

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

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on January 4th, the 1st Sunday of 2026 and the first one in January. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Franciscus Aguilon, Belgian Jesuit physicist, mathematician and architect (book on Optics “Opticorum Libri Sex); Jakob Balde, German poet (Jephthe); Sir Isaac Newton, English physicist, mathematician and astronomer (Gravity, Laws of Motion); Paul-Louis Courier, (de Mere), French classical scholar and pamphleteer; Jakob Grimm, German philologist, folklorist and editor of “Grimm’s Fairy Tales; Louis Braille, French educator and inventor of a system of reading and writing for the blind; Isaac Pitman, English teacher and inventor of Pitman shorthand (Stenographic Soundhand); Casimiro de Abreu, Brazil, poet (Meus oito anos), novelist and playwright (Camoes e o jau); Svend Fleuron, Danish writer; Alfred Edgar Coppard, English short story writer (Black Dogs & Other Stories); Wilhelm Lehmbruck, German painter, poet and sculptor (Seated Youth); Max Eastman, American critic, essayist, and editor of The Masses; James Bond, American ornithologist and expert on birds of the Caribbean (Birds of the West Indies); C. L. R. James [Cyril Lionel Robert James], Trinidadian historian (The Black Jacobins), journalist, intellectual and socialist; Bobby Tulloch, Scottish ornithologist, and writer (Bobby Tulloch’s Shetland: An islander, his islands and their wildlife); Robert Lindsey Jr., American journalist and author (The Falcon and the Snowman, Ghost Scribbler); Gao Xingjian, Chinese-born French novelist and dramatist (Nobel laureate, 2000); Doris Kearns Goodwin, American historian and writer (Team of Rivals, No Ordinary Time); Alicia Garza, American writer and civil rights activist (co-founded #BlackLivesMatter); and Nabila Jamshed, Indian humanitarian, public speaker, and author (Wish Upon a Time – The Legendary Scimitar).

Any names familiar to you? There were three for me this week: Sir Isaac Newton, Jakob Grimm, Robert Lindsey, Jr. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Published Work

I found out on New Year’s Eve that Mission: Yemen is now on the semi-finalist list for the 2025 Chanticleer International Book Awards for Global Thrillers.

The finalists should be announced some time in late February. I’ll keep you posted.

My Work in Progress

I’ve gone back to a story I began a few years ago, Abydos. The first three chapters have been posted to one of the online subscription writing sites I use. So far, there have been twenty-one chapter reviews. As always, plenty of positive suggestions to improve my writing.

As a reminder, here’s what the story is about:

History professor Sylvie Burness and her husband, Charles Wilkie, a renowned Greek archaeologist, are seeking a new project after spending years cataloging Celtic sites throughout the United Kingdom.

Long fascinated with Egypt, Charles proposes an excursion to one of the lesser-known locations, Abydos, a historic city that played an important role in ancient Egypt. Sylvia agrees and together they plan their trip.

Unbeknown to them, an unethical antiquities group called Guardians of Shadows are using one of the Abydos temples as their hideout.

Will Sylvia and Charles be able to evade this group and escape with their lives or will they be entombed in Abydos for generations?

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, December 21, 2025

Randall Krzak

Our kittens thoroughly enjoy getting on the deck and watching the wildlife. It’s like having free baby sitting for them. Of course, they’re too rambunctious for our adult cat, Tommy, who likes the deck to himself.  This morning there were several deer visiting, but they scattered when the kittens appeared.

The Detroit Lions lost again last weekend, dropping their record to 8-6. They’re still in the hunt for a playoff spot must need to win their final three games and also get some help from other teams. They play Pittsburg (8-6) today. Hopefully, the Lions can bounce back.

The Detroit  Pistons played three games this week, winning two and dropping one. They are now 22-6, and still in first place in the Central Division of the NBA Eastern Conference with a 7.5 game lead over second place Cleveland. Their next game is Monday against Portland.

The Michigan Wolverines basketball team take their 10-0 record against the 4-8 LaSalle Explorers today. Michigan is still ranked 2nd in the NCAA rankings. Meanwhile, 9th ranked Michigan State upped their record to 11-1 yesterday when they beat the Oakland Golden Grizzlies 79-70.

“Genius gives birth, talent delivers. What Rembrandt or Van Gogh saw in the night can never be seen again. Born writers of the future are amazed already at what they’re seeing now, what we’ll all see in time for the first time, and then see imitated many times by made writers.”
– Jack Kerouac, 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 December 21st, the 51st Sunday of 2025 and the third one in December. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Leopold von Ranke, German historian who founded the modern concept of source-based history; Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, British Prime Minister (Tory: 1868, 1874-80) and writer; Lewis H. Morgan, American ethnologist (Systems of Consanguinity); Namık Kemal, Turkish journalist and political activist (Young Ottomans); Thomas Bracken, Irish-born New Zealand poet; James Lane Allen, American writer (Kentucky Cardinal); Isolde Kurz, German poet and short-story writer (Meine Mutter); Gustave Kahn, French symbolist poet and art critic; Albert Payson Terhune, American novelist (Lad, a Dog); an Łukasiewicz, Polish logician, philosopher, professor, and author; Amy Key Clarke, English mystical poet and writer; Oda Schaefer, German writer and journalist (Die Windharfe, Ladies Only); Vsevolod Vishnevsky, Russian playwright and journalist; Juan A de Zunzunegui y Loredo, Spanish writer; Anthony Powell, English novelist (Infants of Spring); Garmt Stuiveling, Dutch poet and literary (Poet in Love); Seichō Matsumoto, Japanese mystery writer and journalist; Eve Perrick, British journalist (The Daily Mail); John Boon, British publisher (Mills and Boon); Diana Athill, English writer and editor (Stet); Intizar Hussain, Urdu writer and columnist; Edward Hoagland, American essayist; and Quinta Brunson, American writer, producer and actress (Abbott Elementary).

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me this week: John Boon.. 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

The second edit pass on the manuscript for Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion is moving forward. Edits are based on reader feedback and make adjustments based on what I think works best.  There were another four new chapter reviews, bringing the final total to 351. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s the penultimate snippet:

Jubal panted with fear at the amount of blood that oozed from the man who was crushed between two mechanical carriages. Even with all the beatings and murders he’d witnessed, Jubal couldn’t remember someone screaming any louder than the man whose arm was so badly crushed.

Jubal wanted so desperately to keep from getting beaten or killed by going against the master’s wishes, but he took his carriage and his daughter to get the man to safety. He was sure to be killed for the theft and technical kidnapping of the master’s possessions and daughter.

Evie was always kind to Jubal. He knew her end goal was to bring down her father and free his people. He only hoped she had a plan now.

Jubal held up Finn’s head and poured more whiskey in his mouth in hopes it would kill some of the pain or at least keep him asleep long enough for Miss Evangeline to operate. Jubal learned Finn was a kind man who didn’t like the master any more than he did.

Jubal was still a young boy, but he hated Barnabas Latimer. When his father was killed in front of him by the master, he was only eight, but it sealed the contempt he held in his heart. It too was the first time Jubal formed opinions about a situation rather than obeying what he was told.

Jubal was only thirteen now and worried each day about what the end of his life might look like. It was bound and determined to come one day, considering his skin color; but even more, it was because he was a black male. He was undoubtedly the kind of person Latimer would take out his aggression on.

Jubal’s father didn’t do anything other than drop a hoe while working the fields, and that was the end of that. The very same tool to the back of the head brought a quick end to his father.

“Miss, what are we goin’ to do about the master?” Jubal looked at Evie, hoping for reassurance that he wasn’t going back there. He would do anything not to. His return would seal his fate.

“Once we get done here and Finn heals a bit so we can move him, I plan on getting all three of us out of Tankard Town; somewhere he can recuperate and we can get you to freedom.” Evie stared into the distance. “I can’t go home after all this. Latimer would likely beat me, and you would get far worse. I can’t allow that to happen to you.” Evie’s face softened before she redirected her attention to erecting something mechanical.

“Are you sure that we will be able to get out of here, miss?” Jubal glanced around. “Wherever here is.”

“This is a room I secured long ago for just this purpose,” Evie answered. “I have helped many a slave get to safety from this room.”

“I don’t be wantin’ you to tell me any of this, miss.” Jubal dabbed some sweat from Finn’s head. “Not until I be far gone from this place. I don’t want to know nothin’ that might be used against you if’in something happened. Understand? Your pa knows how to get what he wants from folks.”

“I understand, more than you might know.” Evie’s sad eyes searched Jubal’s. “I promise I will do everything in my power to make sure my father never lays a hand on you.”

Jubal nodded.

Evie checked the makeshift tourniquet on what was left of Finn’s arm. The bleeding finally stopped.

Jubal widened his eyes in awe. It was amazing how well she worked under pressure.

 Evie turned back to her small heap of metal.

“What are you buildin’?” He pointed at her creation.

“Something that will help our friend.” Her lips curved at the corners as she meticulously pieced together tiny cogs and wheels in precise order.

Jubal eyed the table, where Evie set out larger cogs and two spools of silver wire.

The contraption was made of parts from automatons.

Jubal had seen many things fashioned from the same components. Most of them were Miss Evangeline’s pet creatures. More villainous were contraptions that the master put together to spy on his people.

“I know if anyone knows what they be doin,’ it’d be you, Miss Evie.” Jubal smiled.

“Why, thank you,” she said. “I have never met anyone who appreciates what I do, nor my creations.”

A knock sounded at the door that sent Jubal into the air. He didn’t expect it nor want it. Immediately he worried they’d been discovered, which meant things would get worse for them.

They made sure to hide the carriage in the woods and take a private autostoker for the next part of their journey.

Evie told Jubal that the horses from the carriage would have known how to track their steps, which meant they must leave them behind. If this were someone who discovered their location, that meant they’d followed the pair all along.

“Wait.” Evie lifted a hand. She whispered, “If there is a third round of knocks, it will be safe to open it. If not, we need to stay put.”

The final snippet will be posted next week before I resume working on Temples of Abydos.

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, December 14, 2025

Randall Krzak

We had a visit a couple times this week from Tom turkey as his brood of six. As he strutted around, the hens got in line with his demands. Several deer also stopped by, but it seemed to be the squirrels who kept the interest of Leo and Lucy, our adopted kittens. They spent hours on the deck watching the squirrels run around.

The Detroit Lions won their latest game, beating the Dallas Cowboys and kept themselves in the hunt for a playoff spot. Today, they play the L.A. Rams, who are 10-3, while Detroit is 8-5. Detroit will need to win today and their final three games if they hope to play in the post season. Come on, Lions!

The Detroit Pistons upped their record this week to 20-5 by thrashing the Atlanta Hawks, 142-115. Detroit is now 5.5 games ahead of second place Cleveland and have the best record in the Eastern Conference. Their next game is Monday night against the Boston Celtics.

The eighteenth-ranked Michigan Wolverines football team will play on December 31st against the fourteenth-ranked Texas Longhorns in the Citrus Bowl. Both teams have 9-3 records. Look forward to watching!

The Michigan Wolverines basketball team is now ranked second. This week they won two more games, upping their record to 10-0. Will they move up in the rankings? Let’s hope so.  They play their next game is next Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Michigan State Spartans lost last weekend, dropping from 7th to 9th in the rankings. They improved their record to 9-1 with a win over the Penn State Nittany Lions. The Spartans play the Toledo Rockets on Tuesday and the Oakland Golden Grizzlies on Saturday.

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 December 14th, the fiftieth Sunday of 2025 and the second one in December. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Nostradamus, French astrologist and prophet (Les Propheties); Aphra Behn, English playwright and novelist (Oroonoko – one of earliest English novels); Giuseppe Valentini, Italian violinist, poet, and composer; Justus Möser, German statesman and writer; Juan Nicasio Gallego, Spanish poet and interpreter (El dos the mayo); Charles Wolfe, Irish poet; Salvador Díaz Mirón, Mexican poet (Los Cien Mejores Poemas); Jane Cowl, American actress and playwright (Smilin’ Through); Regina Ullmann, Swiss poet and writer; Paul Éluard, French communist and poet; Mária Szepes, Hungarian author (The Red Lion); Shirley Jackson, American writer (Road Through the Wall); Gerard Reve, Dutch writer (Evenings, Dear Guys); Jaun Elia, Pakistani scholar, poet and philosopher; Ellen Willis, American journalist and feminist; Boudewijn Büch, Dutch writer (The Madhouse) and television host (The World of Bodewijn Büch); Joe Toplyn, American comedic writer (Late Night with David Letterman); and Ewa Białołęcka, Polish writer.

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

The second edit pass on the manuscript for Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion is moving forward. Edits are based on reader feedback and make adjustments based on what I think works best.  There were another three new chapter reviews, bringing the total to 347. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s another snippet:

Evie wore a spectacular gown made of luxurious silk and lace. It was lavender and black and mimicked a dress she saw on holiday with her parents. She came home and immediately asked her dressmakers to make a copy of the one she saw, knowing they could duplicate the original.

The sleeves of her gown belled and came to the tips of her fingers. Her petticoats and hoops made the skirts billow to the point that they were wider than the average door. One of the few things she liked about being a Latimer was that she got to create anything she could dream, automatons and dresses alike. She wasn’t very fond of anything else attached to the name and cringed when it was used to alert her arrival.

After Felipe announced her and the cheers ended, she strolled inside where people offered shallow greetings, to which Evie smiled in return. She walked towards her parents, who were making small talk with more citizens Evie didn’t care to speak to. Most of the people in that room were just as bad as her father, or worse for associating with him. Many would return home to abuse their slaves and servants without batting an eye. Evie took a deep breath, ignoring the sense she was completely alone while in a room filled with guests.

Most of the men who ran in her father’s circle were reported to have beaten their wives and children, as well, but that wasn’t talked about as much as it should have been. Evie noted Sir Lafitte at her father’s side, as his wife Guinevere stood alongside them. She watched the stoic woman, noting the fear in her eyes.

Evie’s heart went out to the woman who lost a son a few years back. Guinevere’s ten-year-old drowned in the pond while taking a dip. Yet, in typical fashion, even this news was in hushed tones. Only those in their circle knew the truth, and they also understood not to speak a word of it. Most of them hid their dirty secrets.

“Sorry I was late, Mother.” For the first time Evie nearly cringed, thinking that she was not really her mother.

“Why, you insolent child,” Evie’s mother whispered in her ear. She quickly took an elbow to the ribs when Latimer saw the exchange.

Evie was sure not a soul saw him do it.

“Izabella.” Latimer’s cold eyes spoke volumes.

She tensed, giving Evie a flat smile.

It was then Evie noticed her mother—rather, her aunt–was moving gingerly, likely because of a recent beating she received, leaving her careful of her movements.

“Sorry, Father.” Evie bowed her head. “I went to mother’s quarters for this brooch. I had difficulty finding it.” While it was a lie, her father wouldn’t think anything of it.

“It is quite all right,” he growled. “Do be polite and say hello to Winslow and his lady.”

“How do you do, Sir Lafitte, Lady Gwen?” Evie curtsied.

Winslow Lafitte kissed her gloved hand.

“How nice to see you all grown.” Lafitte looked her over.

It sent a shiver of disgust down Evie’s spine.

“I would say you should have been chosen for wifehood by now, but your father tells me you are still unclaimed.”

“I take gentlemen callers on my own time, sir.” Evie nodded. “I don’t see where that would be any of your business.”

“Evangeline,” Izabella snapped.

“If you will pardon me,” Evie said. “I wish to go…” As she left them behind, she muttered under her breath, “Anywhere else but here.”

Once she was out of range, she glanced around the room, making sure she was also free from Felipe’s prying eyes, and made her way to the other side, praying she wouldn’t be noticed.

As the next song drifted through the ballroom, Evie glanced about, staring at the torrid crowd. There were so many tainted couples in the room, yet she wondered about their children. Were their flesh and blood too young to understand what their parents were capable of?

“Might I have this dance?” A low voice sounded as Evie spun to face the man, finding a familiar face.

“Finn!” Evie’s eyes lit up. “What are you doing here? How?”

“I had to figure out a way to see you again.”  Finn smiled, leading Evie to the dance floor. “You look beautiful, Evie.”

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, December 7, 2025

Randall Krzak

There’s been more squirrels visiting than we’ve seen for some time. Same with the birds, deer, and turkeys. I suppose it’s due to the colder temperatures. The kittens we adopted certainly are enjoying the visitors as they spend time on our enclosed deck checking them out. One squirrel even ventured onto the deck railing and one of the kittens ran to the screen to investigate. The squirrel seemed to sense the kitten couldn’t get any closer and it continued to eat the bird seed we left for our visitors.

The Detroit Lions defeated the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday evening, roaring past them 44-30. Their record improved to 8-5, and are still in the hunt for a NFC wildcard playoff spot. Of course, they probably need to win their remaining games to do this as NFL.com only gives them a 54 percent chance of making it.

The Detroit Pistons played four games in the past week, winning three and losing one. They still have the best record in the Eastern Conference, with a 19-5 record and are in first place in the Central Division, 5.5 games ahead of second place Cleveland.

The third-ranked Michigan Wolverines extended their winning record to 8-0 with a convincing win over Rutgers, 101-60. This is the third consecutive game in which Michigan scored 100 or more points. Meanwhile, the seventh ranked Michigan State Spartans suffered a defeat at home to Duke, 66-60, taking their record to 8-1.

“Genius gives birth, talent delivers. What Rembrandt or Van Gogh saw in the night can never be seen again. Born writers of the future are amazed already at what they’re seeing now, what we’ll all see in time for the first time, and then see imitated many times by made writers.”
– Jack Kerouac, Writers Digest. 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 December 7th, the forty-ninth Sunday of 2025 and the first one in December. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Abū-Sa’īd Abul-Khayr, Persian mystic and poet; Allan Cunningham, Scottish poet and author; Johann Nestroy, Austrian actor, singer and playwright (Judith und Holofernes); Otto Ammon, German anthropologist and sociologist (schedelmetingen); Paul Adam, French writer (La Bataille d’Uhde); Svetolik Ranković, Serbian writer (Forest King); Johan Huizinga, Dutch culture historian (Homo Ludens); Willa Cather, American Pulitzer-Prize winning author (One of Ours; My Ántonia); Akiko Yosano, Japanese poet (Tangled Hair); Heywood Broun, American journalist (1st President of American Newspaper Guild); Joyce Cary, Anglo-Irish writer (House of Children); Jacques Gans, Dutch author and journalist; Leigh Brackett, American sci-fi author (Ginger Star); Tatamkhulu Afrika, South African poet and writer; Noam Chomsky, American linguist (founded transformational grammar), philosopher and political activist; Kumar Shahani, Indian writer and director (Kasbam Tarang, Maya Darpan); James Tate, American poet (Pulitzer Prize 1992); Nikola Wapzarow, Bulgarian poet and writer; and Mohamed Diab, Egyptian screenwriter and director (Cairo 678, Marvel’s Moon Knight).

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

The second edit pass on the manuscript for Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion is now underway. Edits are based on reader feedback and make adjustments based on what I think works best.  There were another three new chapter reviews, bringing the total to 344. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s another snippet:

Izabella flinched as she peered around the ballroom. Where on earth was Annabelle? Being a hostess and having to chase down her daughter and Annabelle was the most nightmarish debacle that Izabella ever found herself in the middle of. Both girls were thorns in her side.

She pondered whether anyone would recognize her family dynamics were unlike anything they allowed the public to perceive. In truth, Izabella felt a bit sorry for her niece from time to time, but it was much better to remain silent.

The repercussions of telling anyone what happened to her sister were terrifying. Still, Izabella didn’t regret the favor she received by showing loyalty and respect to the man she called her husband. He possessed a degree of handsomeness, even as callous as he was. The luxury in which Izabella found herself living was nothing to dismiss either. She could, on a technicality, be a slave.

The only real drawback to her agreeable life was living as Evangeline’s mother. The one reprieve from restless nights, caring for the wailing infant Evie, was in having her handmaiden. Izabella was not an evil woman, and she would never allow anyone to imply it. Still, the welling of guilt gnawing at the back of her mind left a shadow that crept up, attempting to stifle her words. While it terrorized her, it also taught Izabella the value of silence.

How easy was it to remain unassuming if one merely slipped into the shadows and minded their manners? If she didn’t choose to do so on her own, her husband would have made sure by other means that she was silenced.

Peculiar was the most fitting word for her daughter; but as she considered it, what else could she have expected? A smile plastered across her face, and the beauty of her visage was the only thing Izabella ever needed. As she saw it, her sister’s belligerence and stupidity were her problems and no one else’s.

If she possessed any sense at all, she would have long ago learned to use the beauty she was blessed with to beguile gentlemen.

Izabella and Vivien were fools to think their beauty, paired with a sharp tongue, would be sufficient to stay safe. And most assuredly in Tankard Town, in the heart of the Confederacy, no less. Though, as Izabella moved through the parlor, she could not help but wonder how differently things may have gone if Abraham Lincoln hadn’t been exiled. If only the North had prevailed.

But they hadn’t, and Izabella’s wits were the thing that kept not only her but her niece safe. Who was anyone to judge her for doing the best with what she was given? Still, the way Annabelle regarded her was like a nagging itch in the back of her mind. Izabella wrung her hands. Somehow, in some way, the girls put two and two together.

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, November 30, 2025

Randall Krzak

I didn’t have a chance to complete last Sunday’s post as we were dealing with the second loss of a pet this month. Hope, our fifteen-year-old who we adopted back in 2014, had a gastro-intestinal carcinoma and was euthanized. She joined Alfie, who lost his fight with a heart condition on November 3rd.

We’ve given a home to two feral kittens who were born on August 22nd. They’re live wires, until they tucker themselves out. We’ve named the boy, Leo, and the girl is Lucy.  So far, Tommy our feral from Michigan who has been with us since 2017, doesn’t seem to impressed with the newcomers, but he should settle down eventually.

There’s been plenty of wildlife visitors this week: deer, wild turkeys, squirrels, and birds. The kittens are enjoying watching them on the deck!

The Detroit Lions lost to the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving Day, dropping their record to 7-5. They’re still in the hunt for a post-season playoff position, but need to win the rest of their games and hope for some help from other teams.

The Detroit Pistons saw their thirteen-game winning streak snapped as they lost two games. They won last night and are still in first place in the Eastern Conference’s Central Division, with a 16-4 record.

The Michigan Wolverines lost to the Ohio State Buckeyes 27-9, dropping their record to 9-3, while Ohio State remains undefeated. The Wolverines are out of the college playoff picture, but will still be invited to a bowl game.

Meanwhile, the Michigan State Spartans upped their record to 4-8 with a 38-28 win over Maryland. Unfortunately, the Spartans are not bowl-eligible this year as a minimum of six wins are needed.

Each writer is born with a repertory company in his head. Shakespeare has perhaps 20 players .… I have 10 or so, and that’s a lot. As you get older, you become more skillful at casting them.” —Gore Vidal. Compliments of https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/72-of-the-best-quotes-about-writing.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on November 30th, the forty-eigth Sunday of 2025 and the fifth and final one in November. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Veronica Gambara, Italian poet; Philip Sidney, English Elizabethan era poet (Arcadia) and soldier; Louis-Sébastien Le Nain de Tillemont, French ecclesiastical historian; Johnathan Swift, Irish author and satirist (Gulliver’s Travels, A Modest Proposal); John Toland, Irish rationalist philosopher; Hermann Kurz, German poet and novelist (Schillers Heimatjahre); Louise-Victorine Ackermann, French poet (works characterized by a deep sense of pessimism); Theodor Mommsen, German historian and scholar (A History of Rome) who won the 1902 Nobel Prize in Literature; Henri Ernest Baillon, French botanist (History of Plants); Mark Twain, American author (Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer); József Kiss, Hungarian literary (Zsido Dalok); John McCrae, Canadian physician, soldier and poet (In Flanders Fields); Lucy Maud Montgomery,Canadian author (Anne of Green Gables), Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister (Conservative: 1940-45, 1951-55) during World War II, and writer (Nobel Prize in Literature, 1953); John Tasker Howard, American composer and music historian; Corneel Goossens, Flemish literary figure and art historian; Jacques Barzun, French author (The House of Intellect); Robert Lax, American poet (The Circus of the Sun; The Peacemaker’s Handbook); Anne Wadman, Dutch writer who wrote in Frisian (Fioele & faem, Smearlappen); Robert Evett, American composer, writer, editor, and music critic; oan Ganz Cooney, American educational television writer and producer (co-founder of the Children’s Television Workshop; Sesame Street); Adeline Yen Mah, Chinese-American writer (Falling Leaves) and physician; David Mamet, American playwright (Speed the Plow, House of Games); Sergio Badilla Castillo, Chilean poet; Keith Giffen, American comic book writer and artist (Legion of Super-Heroes, Justice League); Joël Champetier, French Canadian science fiction author (La Taupe et le Dragon; Survie sur Mars); Daniel Keys Moran, American sci-fi writer (The Great Wheel of Existence); David Nicholls, English novelist and screenwriter (One Day); Chris Weitz, American screenwriter and director (About a Boy, The Golden Compass); and David Auburn, American screenwriter, theatre director and playwright (Proof; Summer, 1976).

Any names familiar to you? There were three for me this week: Johnathan Swift, Mark Twain, and Winston Churchill. 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 my last post I’ve completed the first edit pass on the manuscript for Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion based on reader feedback and make adjustments based on what I think works best. I should finish the first of six/seven edit passes over the next week. There were another eight new chapter reviews, bringing the total to 341. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s another snippet:

“I am making an assembly in the ballroom. I would like for you to join us there.” Izabella stared her down, lifting her chin a bit too high.

“But of course, mistress. I will be there momentarily.” Anna replied with a curtness that came out rather abrupt. At least, far more than she anticipated.

“What was that, Annabelle?” Izabella’s mouth twisted as her hard eyes narrowed. The woman looked slightly miffed as her finely contoured brow instantly perked above her right eye.

Anna bowed, avoiding Izabella’s challenging stare, lowered her head and curtsied. “I will be there in haste, Madam Latimer. Most certainly,” Anna murmured.

“Humph. See that you do, or else I might have to see to your disciplining.” Izabella scoffed as she glanced down at her. Her fairer skin seemed to tinge as her cheeks flushed.

Anna knew better than to lift her chin, or else the tines of Izabella’s beautifully cut Marquis Diamond might meet her cheek and leave a nasty cut. Worse, she would be made to clean the mess and suffer the ridiculing of someone who would be in her same position if it weren’t for the governor.

Anna wanted more than anything to spit out her thoughts but knew better than to do anything of the sort. Risking Evie would be selfish, and it was something she couldn’t bring herself to do. No matter how angry Izabella might have made her, betrayal was beneath her, and Anna waited patiently as the woman shuffled her petticoats.

Something large and black suddenly darted across the floor, just adjacent to the door, and Izabella immediately froze in place.

“Ah! Good God!” Izabella’s hand flew up to her chest as her jaw dropped. “What on earth is that?”

Anna glanced where Izabella pointed, her lips curving into a slight grin upon realizing what it was.

“It would appear your daughter has been building automatons again, Madam Latimer,” Anna remarked.

“But what is it?” she hissed. “Oh, my heavens!” She stepped back with a frown. “Is that a mouse?” She groaned as she pointed at the creature again. “Hurry, remove it! Ugh, what did that refinery teach her? This is not ladylike!” But, Izabella knew full well, it was the tutoring of her husband that gave rise to Evie’s menagerie of automaton animals.

Each statement found Anna hiding the smile that twitched at the edges of her lips. She bit back a chuckle. Izabella’s fear of a mouse, even a mechanical one, was just enough to soothe the pain of Anna’s position—at least for the time being.

Following her mistress’s request, Anna scooped up the mechanical creature and looked it over.

“Indeed, mistress. It is a mouse. Or maybe a rat?” Her eyes widened.

“Oh! No, please! Stomp it! Get rid of it!” Izabella turned and laid a hand on her forehead, groaning in disgust. “Whatever you do, I never wish to see the creature again.”

“I will get rid of it hastily, madam.” Anna headed toward the door.

Izabella exhaled with a sigh so loud she might have heard it from the servants’ quarters.

“Oh, I swear this house will be the death of me. God, deliver me from this world of calamity!”

Once the door closed, Anna rolled her eyes, thinking the woman knew nothing of calamity, but still smiled at Evangeline’s newest creature. Its arrival was perfect timing, and Anna wondered if there was any way Evie could have operated it from a distance. Could Evangeline be that innovative? That intelligent?

Anna took the mouse and placed it into her apron pocket, determining that she would hold onto it. How could she destroy something that brought her both a smile and peace at a moment she so sorely needed it?

How could she destroy something that was made by the hands of her sister?

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, November 16, 2025

Randall Krzak

A few deer are continuing to make an appearance, usually before seven a.m. One day this week, there were also fourteen wild turkeys. It’s always great to see the wildlife!

The Detroit Lions beat the Washington Commanders 44-22 to raise their record to 6-3. They play the Philadelphia Eagles tonight. Fingers crossed, Detroit will continue to win.

The Michigan Wolverines kept their playoff hopes alive when they kicked a field goal with time expiring to squeak past the Northwestern Wildcats24-22. The Wolverines are currently 18th in the NCAA rankings, with a 8-2 record. Their next opponent is the Maryland Terrapins.

In a battled between two teams who haven’t won a Big Ten Conference game this year, the Michigan State Spartans lost to the Penn State Nittany Lions 28-10, dropping their record to 3-7, with all seven losses against Big Ten opponents.

In a surprise start to the NBA season, the Detroit Pistons are currently in first place in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference with a 11-2 record. Will this be the year they return to the form of old?

“Cheat your landlord if you can and must, but do not try to shortchange the Muse. It cannot be done. You can’t fake quality any more than you can fake a good meal.” — William S. Burroughs. Compliments of https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/72-of-the-best-quotes-about-writing.

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

Joost van den Vondel, Dutch poet and dramatist (Jephtha), often regarded as the greatest writer in Dutch; Abraham Alewijn, Dutch poet and playwright (Puiterveense Helleveeg); Jean-Baptites Le Rond d’Alembert, French enlightenment philosopher and mathematician (Encyclopédie); Peter Andreas Heiberg, Danish author and philologist; Petronella Moens, Frisian author and feminist; Étienne Pivert de Senancour, French author (Obermann); Louis-Honoré Fréchette, Canadian poet; Henri Bosco, French author and poet (Gogol); George S. Kaufman, American playwright (This is Show Business); George Seldes, American investigative journalist; Guo Moruo, Chinese scholar and writer; Eduard Bagritsky, Russian-Soviet poet and journalist (South-West); Michael Arlen [Dikran Kouyoumdjian], British author and scriptwriter (An American Verdict); Joan Lindsay, Australian author (Picnic at Hanging Rock); Warren Sturgis McCulloch, American neurophysiologist and psychiatrist (“A Logical Calculus of the Ideas Immanent in Nervous Activity” with Walter Pitts); Anton [Tom] Koolhaas, Dutch author (Gekke Witte); ohn Whiting, British actor, dramatist and critic (PT Raiders, The Devils, The Good Companions); Betty Hicks, American golfer, author (US Open runner-up 1948, 54); Jose Saramago, Portuguese writer, novelist (Blindness, The Gospel According to Jesus Christ) and Nobel laureate; Renate Rubinstein, German-Dutch author and columnist (Tamar); Chinua Achebe, Nigerian poet and novelist (Things Fall Apart, Christmas in Biafra); Robert Nozick, American philosopher (Anarchy, State, and Utopia); Jane Lazarre, American novelist and essayist (The Mother Knot, Beyond the Whiteness of Whiteness); Hugo Dittberner, German writer; Ebby Thust, German boxing promoter and writer; Bonnie Greer, American-British playwright and critic; John Swartzwelder, American television writer (The Simpsons); Paula Vogel, American playwright (How I Learned to Drive, Mother Play); Piero Falchetta, Italian archivist (Biblioteca Marciana; Robin McKinley, American writer (The Hero and the Crown); Andrea Barrett, American novelist (Servants of the Map); Tahir Shah, British travel writer and explorer; Craig Arnold, American poet (Made Flesh); and Danny Wallace, British author.

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 continued  on my first edit pass of the manuscript for Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion based on reader feedback and make adjustments based on what I think works best. I should finish the first of six/seven edit passes over the next week. Since my last post, there were another four new chapter reviews this week, bringing the total to 335. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s another snippet:

Anna gathered the items needed for Evie’s tea, unsure of why she wanted a meeting with her, especially out of the house, but it intrigued her nonetheless. She never knew much of family, yet Evie was as close as it came to being a sister. Anna truly appreciated how Evie was attempting to make her father pay for his transgressions.

Having Evie take care of Master Latimer was inspiring, to say the least, especially since he was the one who killed her parents. Anna wasn’t any older than two and a half, so the memory was colored by stories she heard. While she knew of the man’s horrid sins, what she didn’t know was why. But then again, no one knew why Latimer did anything. He was a driven man, and money, power, and evil was at the root of it all.

Once in the gardens, Anna organized the table with great detail. One of her many talents was making things look flawless, even though she never learned proper etiquette. She had, however, seen Evie’s style and grace for long enough that some of it had rubbed off on her. With Evie and even Missus Latimer, mostly, there were few repercussions should something go wrong. With the master, that was not the case. He expected perfection and perfection alone. If not, there was hell to pay.

Both Anna and Evie knew what her father would do to either of them should they not follow his orders. Evie would be beaten and locked in her room. Even worse, Anna could die at his hands.

Anna checked her reflection in the back of a spun silver spoon and smiled before laying one in its place. She was a beautiful young woman, only nineteen. Her chocolate skin glowed, and her raven black hair was beautifully pulled into a bun. On the nights she let it down, it flowed around her face like a frame. Her eyes were the oddest mix of blue and hazel. She squinted, struggling to remember her mother’s eyes, but failed. She’d been told, though, that her mother’s were the same. Anna sighed. She hoped she got something from her mother.

When she was old enough, she asked the others about her parents. She clung to every answer, holding each detail dear to her heart, including the fact that she had her mother’s eyes. While no one knew why they were killed, they were happy to pass on the good things her parents did and the kind of family they were, despite living in slavery.

Coming back to the task at hand, Anna placed various scones, black cherry jelly, and tea on the table. They were all the things Evie would like; most of them were her favorites since she was a child.

 “Anna.”

She heard a voice behind her and spun to find Evie. “How nice to see you.”

When Evie leaned in to hug her, Anna allowed it but wasn’t quite sure if she should return the affection. Evie hugged her before, but it was a habit, as decorum was at the forefront of everything in society. Hugs were usually reserved for deaths, sad times, and times of critical news, like when Evie alerted Anna that Mama Patti was sold.

“What is this about, miss?” Anna wondered if something was wrong. Besides, there was no need for niceties, as time was of the essence for the risk of being discovered.

Evie sat in one of the chairs. “I need to speak to you about something, but I need to make sure that we don’t have any listening ears at all. Only you and me. Understood?”

“I can assure you of that. Your mother be talkin’ with the staff, and your father be on the other side of the fields tending to one of the men over there, likely.” Anna’s voice dropped, not wanting to overstep.

“Likely beating him to a pulp,” Evie finished the thought as Anna’s eyes filled with sadness.

“Yes, that.” Her mouth flattened.

“So, will you sit with me, please?” Evie waved to the free chair. “I don’t know how long we have to talk, so I want to get to this said quickly.”

“I understand,” Anna said. “Would you like to eat?”

“Yes, please. I am famished after a series of horrid dreams last night.”

“Dreams, miss?”

“They were more like memories that came while I was asleep, and there was no other choice but to live through them all over again.”

“I’m so sorry, miss. I hate that so much for you, but I likely have some of those same thoughts and memories, just seeing them from the other side. What would you like to eat?”

“I can serve myself today,” Evie said. “And you can eat as well. Today you are my guest. What I have to say may or may not come as a shock. But if it doesn’t, I will be surprised.” Evie topped a nearby scone with jam, took a bite, and moaned in delight.

“All right,” Anna whispered.

“I was given some documents yesterday from a trusted source. Some of them are originals, and some are only copies, but I think he did the best he could with was available.”

“Alberto?” Anna wrinkled her brow.

“You know?” Evie’s lips parted in awe.

“I know Alberto has been snooping around and collecting things he intended on giving you, but I don’t know what they are or what they say.” Anna moaned as she took a bite of buttered toast. The house butter tasted so much better than what she was ever allowed. She took a moment to inhale the smell before tasting its goodness. To make the butter by hand was one thing but getting to try it on hot toast was another.

“It’s good, isn’t it?” Evie smiled.

“It is,” Anna admitted. “I have never tasted it before.” She looked down in shame before changing the subject. “Now, tell me. What is it that you have found out?”

Evie glanced over her shoulder to make sure they were still alone. “The best I can do is give you a math problem to see if it makes sense to you. Then I can show you the documents I have hidden.”

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, November 9, 2025

Randall Krzak

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Work In Progress

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

Here’s another snippet:

A knock sounded at the door of Latimer Manor.

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

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

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

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

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

“Was there?”

Felipe nodded.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“What did she supposedly do to the stoker?”

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

“Yes…” Latimer drew out his word.

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

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

“No, sir,” Felipe said.

“Is… she… home?” Latimer snarled.

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

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

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

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

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

“I-I w-was in t-town, sir.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

“You sold my favorite horse, Father.”

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

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

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

“It wasn’t the horse at all, Father.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

“No. There is something else.”

“What’s that?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

She placed the pin on his palm.

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

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

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

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

More next time.

This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, October 26, 2025

Randall Krzak

At last! We’ve seen three deer a couple of times this week. I think most days, they’re comig either before the sun comes up or after it goes down.  The leaves are also starting to turn. There’s one tree that is now a blaze of gold–not sure what type of tree it is and we only have one, but it’s spectacular-looking!

Alfie, our long-haired cat from Scotland, has been in intensive care all week. He came home yesterday with a big bag of meds–nine to be precise. I think I can take him off the appetite stimulate as he’s eating at home just fine and starting to groom himself. He’s still not out of the woods with his heart problem, but the vet said he could come home as he’s now breathing on his own. Fingers crossed that he continues to improve.

The Detroit Lions Detroit beat Tampa Bay on Monday night, 24-7, raising their record to 5-2. They’re currently in second place in the NFC North Division and have a bye this week.

The Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State Spartans played each other last time. The Wolverines came out on top, 31-20, and raised their record to 6-2. Meanwhile, The Spartans dropped to 3-5. Hopefully, the Wolverines will move up the rankings from 25th.

My Published Work

I found out this week that Mission: Yemen, Xavier Sear Thrill Book 2 is now on the 2025 Chanticleer International Book Awards short list for Global Thrillers. Needless to say, I’m thrilled.

Of course, there is plenty of competition to see who makes it onto the semi-finalists list. Not sure when that will be announced, but will let everyone know when it is.

“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 October 26th, the forty-third Sunday of 2025 and the fourth and final one in October. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Ahmad Baba, Islamic jurist and writer (biographical dictionary of the Mālikī); Dimitrie Cantemir, Romanian historian and Monarch of Moldova (1710-11); Karl Leonhard Reinhold, Austrian philosopher (elementary philosophy); Charles Sprague, American banker and poet (Curiosity); Karl Weinhold, German sociologist (founder of Journal of the Association of Folklore); Napoleon Hill, American writer and philosopher (Think and Grow Rich); Mark Aldanov, Russian-French writer and critic (Novy Zhurnal); Runar Schildt, Finnish writer (Segrande Eros); Miloš Crnjanski, Serbian poet (Seobe); John S Knight, American journalist and publisher (Knight Newspapers); Karin Boye, Swedish writer (Kallocain); Sorley MacLean, Scottish poet (Poems to Eimhir and Other Poems); Stuart J. Byrne, American sci-fi author (Star Man, God Man); an Wolkers, Dutch sculptor and novelist (Turks fruit (Turkish Delight); Kort Amerikaans (Crew Cut)); John Arden, English novelist and playwright (Left Handed Liberty); Ulrich Plenzdorf, German writer (Die neuen Leiden des jungen W.); Demetris Th. Gotsis, Greek poet and author; Trevor Joyce, Irish poet (The Poems of Sweeny Peregrine); Andrew Motion, English poet (British Poet Laureate 1999-2009); and Jennifer Roberson, American sci-fi author (Shapechangers, Sword-Maker).

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 continued  on my first edit pass of the manuscript for Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion based on reader feedback and make adjustments based on what I think works best. Since my last post, there were another four new chapter reviews this week, bringing the total to 323. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s another snippet:

Evie retrieved the things she left in the woods, made her way back home, and headed to her room via the service door, which was not uncommon. It’s how she often visited her favorite people in the manor.

After she got to her room, Evie looked for the items she took to the Telford’s the night before. She found a few things hidden under her bed and sighed. As instructed, they were delivered, and Anna stored them out of sight.

With the thought of Anna, she wondered how she could have the discussion she needed with her newly discovered sister. She wanted to right away, but doing so in the house could be dangerous. At the very least, they needed to be outside.

Anna appeared in her doorway. “Do you need anything, miss?”

“Could you set up tea in the garden tomorrow for two?”

“Yes, Miss.” Anna started to leave.

 “Anna, you will be my second.” Evie waited for her to face her. “I have a few things I would like to discuss with you, if that is alright?”

“Yessum, miss. That sounds right nice.” Anna smiled as she left.

Evie grinned at seeing her sister so happy. She supposed that deep down, there was something more there all along. Now that she knew the truth, it only strengthened the bond.

She headed towards her bed to lie down for a bit, but before she could, she set Prissy on the table and picked up the mantis. She placed the critter on her bed and let it work its magic. The mantis was nearly six inches long and much heavier than Prissy. The clockwork creature moved side to side across the bed, turning down the covers.

For something so small, the mantis posed amazing strength and could do miraculous things. It was one of Evie’s favorite creations. Sure, she could have pulled her covers back herself, but she enjoyed giving the automaton creations a chance to shine. After the mantis finished, she plucked him up and set him back where he belonged.

Evie laid down on her bed and smiled. This luxury was her favorite, and the only good part about being Barnabas Latimer’s daughter. She clapped her hands together, and mechanical creatures of varying kinds and uses crawled out of nowhere. Most were small, like the kitten that picked up her shoes or the dog that licked the carpets clean. But then there were the bigger ones:  the tigress that walked back and forth by her doorway to guard her. There was even a massive chimp that swung around, closing the curtains.

They all played to her comfort level. In the middle of all this wonder, Evie was at home. It wouldn’t matter where she was. As long as they were with her, she was happy. They were her friends. Each had a name, and while her mother suggested they were senseless creations, they all had a purpose. It was those times she wondered if her mother new of her father’s armory of creatures meant of evil.

Within seconds, a drug-like lull of sleep blanketed over Evie. The sensation was warm and cozy, and while she liked the moments just before slumber, the dreams were soon to follow.

A little girl sat on a grand staircase. Her friend, Anna, was screaming in the distance. That was the first time Anna received a beating that she knew of. Evie was only four, barely old enough to understand what was happening. 

Why was there so much blood and screaming?

A couple, two slaves, from what she could tell, were murdered. But by whom? Was it her father? Why did he kill them just right then and there? She was crying. Oh my. Was she the reason why? Did her daddy think Mr. and Mrs. Wingland were hurting her?

Father said it was all in the name of war, but the little girl didn’t know what war was, to begin with. 

The image went away and drifted into something else.

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