Tag: my work in progress

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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, 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

Continue reading “Randall’s Ramblings, April 20, 2025” →

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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