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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, 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

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Randall Krzak

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Work In Progress

I found out last week that Mission: Yemen, Xavier Sear Thriller Book 2 is now on the long list for the 2025 Chanticleer International Book Awards in the Global Thrillers category. There’s plenty of competition to see who moves onto the short list. Stay tuned for an update when the short list is revealed.

 

 

 

My Work In Progress

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

Here’s another snippet:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

May 18th, 1870

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

May 20th, 1870

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

May 25th, 1870

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

Good for him. Finn hoped  the man escaped.

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

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

More next time.

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

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, April 20, 2025

Randall Krzak

Our son flew in Friday morning for a short visit. While he had to return to Washington, D.C. on Easter Sunday, it was still great to spend a couple of days with him.

The Detroit Tigers are clinging to a slim lead in the American League’s Central Division, with a record of 13-8. Meanwhile, The Detroit Pistons lost the first game in a seven-game series to the New York Knicks. The Pistons won an incredible 30 games more than in the previous year, ending the regular season with a 44-38 record.

“Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations.” – Ray Bradbury. 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 April 20th, the sixteenth Sunday of 2025 and the third one in April. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

William Bartram, American naturalist and writer (1st naturalist to document tropical forests of Florida in “Bartram’s Travels”); Aloysius Bertrand, French poet (Gaspard de la Nuit – Gaspard of the Night), and playwright; Dinah Craik, English writer (John Halifax, Gentleman); Hermann Bang, Danish writer; Robert Lynd, Irish writer and critic (Pleasures of Ignorance); Hermann Ungar, Moravian writer; Martinus Nijhoff, Dutch poet and linguist; Soewarsih Djojopoespito, Indonesian writer (Toe the Line); Richard Hillary, Australian Spitfire pilot and author (The Last Enemy); Paul Van Buren, American theologist (Theological Explorations); Peter S. Beagle, American novelist and screenwriter (The Last Unicorn); Jan Cremer, Dutch writer (I, John Cremer); Pilar Miró, Spanish screenwriter and director (Wether; Beltenebros); Joni Evans, American publisher (Simon & Schuster, Random House); Ian Watson, British sci-fi author (Book of Being, Whores of Babylon); Andrew Tobias, American journalist and author (The Best Little Boy in the World); Sebastian Faulks, British novelist (The Girl at the Lion d’Or); Wim Drees, Dutch philosopher, editor (Zygon – Journal of Religion & Science) and professor (Leiden University); and Pete Correale, American comedian, writer, and broadcaster.

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

I found out this week that Frozen Conquest, the fifth novel in my Bedlam series, was one of the winners in the 2024 Chanticleer International Book Awards in their Global Thrillers category. This marks the seventh consecutive year that one of my novels was awarded first place.

Frozen Conquest also received a five-star editorial review from Chanticleer Reviews. Here’s the link if you’re interested in reading the review.

My Work In Progress

I’ve put work on Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series, on hold to concentrate on Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion.

This is the first novel in a three-volume series that I’m collaborating with Michael Maxwell, the author of over thirty novels. It combines action, romance, and sci-fi in an alternate reality of the American Civil War. All being well, the first novel will be released in the fall and compete in the 2025 Chanticleer Internal Book Awards in their Laramie Awards for Americana, Western, Pioneer & Civil War, North American Historical Fiction.

I’ll post the first snippet next week.

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

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, January 19, 2025

Randall Krzak

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Published Work

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

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

 

 

My Work In Progress

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Everyone nodded as they echoed Mongo’s welcome.

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

Everyone chuckled before sipping their beer.

More next time.

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

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

 
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Randall’s Ramblings, January 12, 2025

Randall Krzak

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

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

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

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

“Write while the heat is in you. The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with. He cannot inflame the minds of his audience.” – David Thoreau.  Compliments of https://www.aspiringwriteracademy.com/45-motivational-quotes-for-aspiring-writers

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on January 12th, the second Sunday of 2025. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

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

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

My Published Work

Frozen-Conquest-eBook-Cover-HRI found out this week that Frozen Conquest has moved from the 2024 Chanticleer International Book Awards from the long list for global thrillers and is now on the short list. There’s plenty of competition as all members of the short list slug it out to make it onto the semifinalist list. Afterward, the competition will heat up as the finals, first in category winners, and category grand prize winners are still to come. Fingers cross that Frozen Conquest continues to move forward in the competition!

My Work In Progress

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

Here’s the final snippet:

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

“Enter.”

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

She fell into the room.

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

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

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

“B-But, Prince Hussein, he raped me!”

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

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

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

Sami opened his mouth to speak.

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

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

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

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

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

“Yes, my prince.”

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

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

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

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

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

“What is it?”

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

My dear Prince Hussein,

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

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

A friend.

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

Vendetta Draft Cover

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

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

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

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, December 29, 2024

Randall Krzak

This morning we were awakened by an emergency signal from the cell phone, warning that our area was under a tornado warning. It’s over now, lasting thirty-five minutes, but there are still wind gusts and heavy rain forecast for the next hour or so.

Happy New Year to all as we approach the beginning of 2025! May everyone have a healthy and prosperous new year!

The University of Michigan Wolverines didn’t play this week, but they dropped out of the top twenty-five rankings. They play again this evening.  The Michigan State Spartans also didn’t play, but their 10-2 record was sufficient for this to climb another two spots in the rankings to eighteenth. They play again tomorrow night.

The Detroit Lions beat the Chicago Bears last Sunday, raising their record to 13-2, the first time in franchise history that they’ve won thirteen games in a single season. I’m hoping they’ll continue their winning ways tomorrow night when they play San Francisco.

“The only limits to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt. 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 December 29nd, the fifth and final Sunday of the month. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Francisco de Moncada, 3rd Marquis of Aitona, Spanish diplomat, soldier, and writer; Sir Archibald Alison, 1st Baronet, Scottish historian (History of Europe); Albert Pike, US attorney, soldier, writer, and freemason (Brigadier-General in the Confederate Army); Adam Badeau, American author, Union Army officer, and diplomat; Elisabeth of Wied [pseudonym Carmen Sylva], Queen consort of Romania and poet; om Weir, Scottish climber, author and broadcaster (The Scots Magazine, Weir’s Way); Charles L. Harness, American sci-fi author (Paradox Men, Wolfhead); Robert Ruark, American writer (Something of Value); Dobrica Cosic, Serbian writer and President 1992-93); William Gaddis, American novelist; Forough Farrokhzad, Iranian pre-eminent poet and film director; Brigitte Kronauer, German author (The Scheik of Aachen); Paul Rudnick, American screenwriter and playwright; and Danny R. McBride, American actor, writer, and producer.

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 results of the 2024 Global Thriller Awards were announced yesterday. Frozen Conquest was the sole finalist (fourth place) for the action-adventure category, while Ultimate Escalation won the bronze medal for the suspense-political category. Needless to say, I’m thrilled!
Awards

 

 

 

 

 

My Work In Progress

Mission- YemenEditing of Mission: Yemen, Xavier Sear Thriller Book 2  is moving along nicely. I only expect two or three more reviews, but with this being Christmas week, the total remained at 645.   As always, I’ve been working hard going through the reviews, and have picked out what I think will improve the story from 505 of them, leaving 140 more to check over. I didn’t get through as many as I had planned, but our son was here this week, so writing and editing took a back seat.

Here’s another snippet:

Sear glanced at the tray of snacks Qadir carried and waved him away. He sipped on his qishr as he studied the faces of the others.

Abdullah sat next to Yasmin and held her hand, his face unreadable.

From time to time, Yasmin sniffled as she wiped tears away with a hand-embroidered cotton cloth.

Omar and Rahman sat on a sofa opposite Abdullah and Yasmin. Their faces were a total mask, not betraying any emotions.

In response to a ping, Rahman picked up his phone from the table next to the sofa. He showed it to Omar, who nodded.

“That was a text message from one of my sons.” A smile glimmered across Rahman’s face. “Our sons will be here soon.”

Sear cleared his throat as he looked at his watch. “Excellent. It’s still early, so once they arrive, we can begin our hunt for Shatara.” He looked at Abdullah and Yasmin. “We’ll do everything we can to bring her home—and Zahid, too.”

Abdullah half-raised a hand and gave a brief smile to Sear’s words.

A chime sounded throughout the house.

Moments later, Qadir returned to the living room, accompanied by four young men.

The first two approached Sear. A young man with a scraggly beard, wearing a stained thobe and worn sandals, pointed to himself. “I understand you’re going to search for my cousins, and we want to help. I am Majid. Omar is our father.” He pointed to his double, dressed like he was.” This is my twin brother, Naji. We know the city as we’re both taxi drivers.”

Naji smiled. “Yes. Our taxis are old but reliable Peugeot 504 four-door saloons.”

Sear shook hands with both men. “Welcome to the party. We’ll need your knowledge of the city, so shukran for joining us.”

Naji and Majid stepped aside, finding seats on another sofa.

Two tall men with bulging muscles stepped forward, one slightly taller than the other. The taller man spoke first. “I am Timin, and this is my younger brother, Usman. Our father is Rahman. We also want to help and we both drive Toyota Tundra pickups. Our work as vendors in one of the markets allows us to meet people from all over the city. We will begin asking questions.”

Usman turned to Abdullah. “Uncle, do you have photographs of Shatara and Zahid we can show to customers? Perhaps someone might have spotted them.”

Abdullah nodded. “Yes.” He turned to Yasmin. “Bring some pictures they can use.”

She stood and left the room without a word.

“We now have plenty of people to begin canvassing the city.” Sear pursed his lips. “I suggest we break into three teams. Omar, you and your sons will be team one. Rahman, you, Timin, and Usman will be the second team. Qasim and Malik will join me, and we’ll be team three.”

Abdullah glanced at his brothers. “What about me?”

“Stay by the phone.” Sear crossed his arms. “The kidnappers might call, and even if they don’t, Yasmin needs your support. If we find something noteworthy, I’ll come and get you.”

Abdullah frowned. “I suppose you are correct, Sear. However, I would rather be searching for my daughter and son.”

“I understand.” Sear uncrossed his arms. “I promise if we find out anything at all, I’ll call you.” Just hope we don’t find any bodies.

“Okay, but I still think I should be with you.”

“No, it’s better for you to give Yasmin the support she requires.”

At that moment, Yasmin returned, holding a large envelope. “Here are all the photographs I could find of Shatara and Zahid. “She handed it to Sear. “Please bring back my children.”

He took the envelope and peered inside before nodding. “I promise we shall leave no stone unturned to find them.” Sear turned toward the others. “Let’s go.”

The penultimate snippet will be posted next week.

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

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 after I finish posting snippets for Mission: Yemen.

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 2024 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

 

 

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Randall’s Ramblings, August 13, 2023

Randall Krzak

Not much change over the past week with our local weather patterns. We still have below normal temperatures and rain/showers on most days. We did have a brief reprieve for about forty-eight hours when the temperature hit 72F (22C) with only one shower. Right now, we have overcast skies with more showers in the forecast, and the temperature is 59F (15C).

It took several months for the price of gasoline (petrol) to drop from a high of £1.67 a liter which we experienced in October 2022 to £1.41. Over the past three weeks, the price began increasing again, and is now up to £1.48 liter. With the current exchange rate, this make an equivalent U.S. gallon $7.10. The price is expected to  increase further.

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

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on 13 August, the second Sunday of the month. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/):

William Caxton, English printer and translator, 1st to print in the English language (Histories of Troy); William Wotton, English theologian and scholar; John Dyer, Welsh painter and poet, (Grongar Hill); Nikolaus Lenau, Hungarian-German poet (Faust, Die Albigenser); Vladimir Odoevsky, Russian philosopher & writer; Joseph Alberdingk Thijm, Dutch poet (Dietsche Warande); Goldwin Smith, English historian and journalist; Rodolphe Bresdin, French visionary engraver and lithographer (Le Bon Samaritain); Rudolf Georg Binding, German songwriter and writer (Legenden Der Zeit); William Alexander Craigie, Scottish lexicographer (Skotlands Rimur); Jacqueline Reyneke van Stuwe, Dutch author; Howard Marks, British drug dealer and author (Mr Nice); Tom Perrotta, American novelist (Little Children); Amélie Nothomb, Belgian writer (Fear and Trembling); Will Clarke, American novelist (The Neon Palm of Madame Melançon); Kamila Shamsie, Pakistani British writer (Home Fire); and Ibram X. Kendi, American author and anti-racist activist.

Any names familiar to you? There weren’t any for me this time. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Published Work

Frozen-Conquest-eBook-Cover-HRThis week, Frozen Conquest received its second Amazon review–another five star!  Here it is:

Awesome Cold Thriller

From his Antarctica-based outpost an arrogant billionaire, whose real motivation is power, hacks into the world’s banking systems and threatens anarchy. I’m on my second reading; great book.

Many thanks, Des, for taking the time to leave a review.

My Work In Progress

Mission- YemenThis week, I completed chapter eight  of Mission: Yemen, Xavier Sear Thriller Book 2. As always, it’s been posted to the two online writing sites I use. A further nineteen reviews came in this week, bringing the total to 133. As always, plenty of recommendations for me to consider.

Here’s another snippet. Please keep in mind that since these are first-draft chapters, things will likely be changed once I get to the editing phase. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions, please let me know.

Prince Hussein Khan al Mishari, a minor member of the House of Saud, crossed his arms as he stared at Shatara. “So, what is your answer?”

She stared at him before lowering her head. “Sir, I … I cannot marry you—at least not yet. I am only sixteen. I had hoped to wait until I was more than eighteen like my mother did.”

“Nonsense.” He waved a hand to dismiss her response before recrossing his arms. “Most females in Yemen marry before they are eighteen, some as young as eight or nine. Why should you be any different?”

She glanced at the dirty stone walls and floor of her prison before pointing to the waste bucket in a corner. “Sir, it is hard for me to contemplate my future with anyone when I’m kept in such horrible conditions. Even the rats refuse to eat the food I am given.”

“Sabberny ya rabb.” al Mishari shook his head. “I definitely need Allah to give me the patience to deal with you.”

“Someone kidnapped me off the street at least three weeks ago. I’m  the one who needs the fortitude to handle this situation.” She wiped her hand down the chador. “As you can see, this is dirty, and so are my clothes underneath. This never happened at my home. I’m also bored—there’s nothing to do but pray. Can’t I have a book or two?”

“You are a very impertinent, young lady.” He glared at her. “It is clear you were not taught proper manners by your parents.”

“They did so—they just believe in allowing my brother and me to express ourselves. Although they are Muslim, they’ve experienced life in other cultures and have an open mind to how things should be.”

He frowned. “Well, if you were my daughter or one of my wives, you would be taught to show proper respect.” He shook his head again. “It might be easier for both of us if you sign the document.”

“No. I told you before I would not lie about my father and sign your false statement condemning him. Nor do I want to marry you.”

al Mishari glanced around the cell. “Perhaps you would have a different opinion of me if you were kept in better surroundings. I do admit this is rather bleak.”

Shatara smiled. “At least you are showing some common sense. But I would rather be back in Haddah, enjoying my family’s mansion.”

He tapped a finger against his lips. “When I first came to Sana’a, I acquired a number of properties. I shall arrange for two of my men to move you late this evening when the streets are quiet.”

“Where will they take me?”

“It is not important where you will be as you will still be under guard at all times. We will speak later” He turned and opened the door. After locking it, he marched away.

More next time.

My Published Work – Promotions

The Kurdish Connection, Dangerous Alliance, Colombian Betrayal, Mission: Angola, and Frozen Conquest are participating in a Thrillers and Suspense promotion through the end of August. There are seventy-eight Mystery & Suspense, Mystery & Suspense / Thriller, and Romance / Suspense novels to choose from, so when you have a moment or two, please check it out.

Frozen Conquest and Colombian Betrayal are participating in an August ebook sales, deals & steals for mystery, suspense, thrillers and mayhem. Only two titles were allowed per author. There are fifty-eight books to check out in this one.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/mystery-romance2/6e3yxv7hc5

Here’s another promotion, called Vengeance. The Kurdish Connection and Dangerous Alliance are two of the sixty-nine participating titles.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/r…

And, finally, all of my novels are involved in a Heart-Pounding Reads promotion. There are 119 novels to choose from in this one.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/h…

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

© Copyright 2023 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, August 6, 2023

Randall Krzak

The days and weeks keep rolling by. Here we are already in August–where has the summer gone?  Despite the calendar ticking over, we’re still getting plenty of rain and lower-than-normal temperatures. However, the forecasters are predicting we’ll be receiving above average temperatures soon.

“In my later years, I have looked in the mirror each day and found a happy person staring back. Occasionally I wonder why I can be so happy. The answer is that every day of my life I’ve worked only for myself and for the joy that comes from writing and creating. The image in my mirror is not optimistic, but the result of optimal behavior.” — Ray Bradbury. Compliments of https://selfpublishing.com/writing-quotes/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on 6 August, the first Sunday of the month. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/):

François Fénelon, French Roman Catholic theologian and writer (Playing for Time); Luc de Clapiers, marquis de Vauvenargues, French writer; Alfred Tennyson, British Poet Laureate of Great Britain (The Charge of the Light Brigade); Thomas Alexander Browne, Australian writer (Robbery Under Arms); Fernando Canon, Filipino revolutionary general, poet, and the Philippines 1st National Chess Champion; Paul Claudel, French poet and playwright (L’Otage-1909); Emanuel Querido, Dutch author and publisher (N.V. Em. Querido Uitgeversmaatschappij); Charles Fort, American writer and researcher (specialized in anomalous phenomena); Louella Parsons, American gossip columnist; Scott Nearing, American sociologist, pacifist and author (The Good Life); John Middleton Murry, English poet and literary critic (Between Two Worlds); James Lees-Milne, English writer and architectural historian; Christa Reinig, German poet and writer (Idleness is the Root of All Love, The Tightrope Walker); J[anet] O[pal] Jeppson [nee Janet Asimov], author (2nd Experiment); Norman Wexler, American screenwriter; and Piers Anthony Dillingham Jacob, UK, sci-fi author (Chthon, Phthor).

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me this week: Alfred Tennyson. 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-HRThis week, Frozen Conquest received its first Amazon review–a five star!  Here it is:

If searching for a fun read full of action, adventure, and intrigue, Mr. Krzak’s Frozen Conquest is a must choice. The story moves quickly and for those who like clues, a few of those gems for you, too. Oh, did I mention humor? The author efficiently slides that in there rather cleverly I might add.

As I read the story, what came to mind is how fragile security is. At any given moment scammers, plotters, villains are out there seeking to destroy and disrupt lives. And for counterpoint are those zealously seeking to prevent evil from conquering in the end.

Most of us go through our daily lives without much thought to it. So much is out of our direct control with the advances in technology and methods of warfare.

Even better, hopefully, the author writes a sequel to further explore the character of Mr. Brown. He’s kind of an enigma. Does he do what he does to save humanity and the planet, or, for more selfish motives? I highly recommend this gem. Enjoy.

Many thanks to Cherry Blossom for this review!

My Work In Progress

Mission- YemenThis week, I completed chapter seven  of Mission: Yemen, Xavier Sear Thriller Book 2. As always, it’s been posted to the two online writing sites I use. A further eighteen reviews came in this week, bringing the total to 114. As always, plenty of recommendations for me to consider.

Here’s another snippet. Please keep in mind that since these are first-draft chapters, things will likely be changed once I get to the editing phase. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions, please let me know.

“Ah, yes, Sayyid Sear. We have been expecting you.” The man lifted a key from beneath the counter and pushed it toward Sear. “Don’t let the condition of our fine hotel fool you. For over two years, Sayyid Vincent has paid for every room, and he mandated the condition he wanted the hotel in to keep prying eyes away. Some of the rooms are occupied from time to time by people like you, while others use this as a transit point away from the fighting.”

Sounds like Vincent. “Shukran. Where is my room?”

“One floor up. There aren’t any rooms on the ground floor. However, there is an outside exit near your room.” The man pulled a small package from under the counter. “Vincent said you might need this.”

Sear nodded. “What is your name, so I can tell Vincent how helpful you’ve been?”

The man smiled and dipped his head. “My name isn’t important, but my parents called me Dabir.”

“Nice to meet you, Dabir. I’ll go to my room and relax. I’m expecting two visitors.”

“Yes, Sayyid. One of them was here earlier with the package from Vincent.”

Must have been Malik. “Shukran. I will speak with you later.”

Dabir pointed. “Take the stairs to the first floor, and your room is to the right.”

Sear picked up the package and headed to the stairs. When he reached his room, he used the old-fashioned skeleton key to unlock the door. Inside, a single bed, a small chest of drawers, and a bedside table. He opened an interior door and stuck his head inside. Whoa! Someone forgot to clean this. Worse than using a hole dug along the Zambezi River.

His phone beeped. He pulled it out and glanced at the text.

We’re on the hotel’s street—three motorcycles. Be outside in three minutes.

Sear responded, shoved his phone in his back pocket, and opened the package.

Excellent. A SIG Sauer P-226, three magazines, and a holster. I won’t feel naked. He attached the holster to his belt and loaded the pistol, putting the other two magazines in a small backpack he pulled from his carryon luggage. Satisfied he was ready, Sear left the room and headed through the side exit.

Outside once again, Sear headed to the street and looked both ways. From the right, he spotted three motorcycles and a car heading in his direction.

As the vehicles approached, the car nudged the rear motorcycle.

The motorcyclist swerved out of the way.

The car pulled alongside.

Boom!

More next time.

My Published Work – Promotions

The Kurdish Connection, Dangerous Alliance, Colombian Betrayal, Mission: Angola, and Frozen Conquest are participating in a Thrillers and Suspense promotion through the end of August. There are seventy-eight Mystery & Suspense, Mystery & Suspense / Thriller, and Romance / Suspense novels to choose from, so when you have a moment or two, please check it out.

Frozen Conquest and Colombian Betrayal are participating in an August ebook sales, deals & steals for mystery, suspense, thrillers and mayhem. Only two titles were allowed per author. There are fifty-eight books to check out in this one.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/mystery-romance2/6e3yxv7hc5

Here’s another promotion, called Vengeance. The Kurdish Connection and Dangerous Alliance are two of the sixty-nine participating titles.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/r…

And, finally, all of my novels are involved in a Heart-Pounding Reads promotion. There are 119 novels to choose from in this one.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/h…

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

© Copyright 2023 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved