Tag: mystery

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, March 2, 2025

Randall Krzak

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

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

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

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

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

“Step out of the history that is holding you back. Step into the new story you are willing to create.”
– Oprah Winfrey. Compliments of https://copyblogger.com/inspirational-quotes-for-writers/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on March 2nd, the ninth Sunday of 2025 and the first one for March. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

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

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me this week: Dr. Seuss and John Irving. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

My Work In Progress

I finished chapter fourteen of Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series this week. It’s now posted to the two  online subscription writing sites I use. There were another eighteen reviews this week, bringing the total to 206. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s another snippet:

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Sí, gracias.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A servant appeared.

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

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

The servant escorted Obasi from the office.

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

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

More next time.

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

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, February 16, 2025

Randall Krzak

There’s been a fair bit of rain this week, culminating in a thunderstorm this morning. The weather hasn’t stopped the wildlife from visiting. In addition to the normal  myriad of birds and squirrels, flocks of wild turkeys range from fifteen to twenty-four were in attendance on four days. Twice at dusk , eight deer also dropped in.

We attended our first local farmer’s market last Sunday since moving. Although shorter in length compared to the small business markets we participated in while living in Scotland, the three-hour event passed quickly. I sold three autographed copies of my novels, while Sylvia sold two of her poetry books and four of her laminated poetry sheets.  I’m not sure yet when we’ll be there next, but we did submit an application covering numerous dates for the rest of the year. We should find out our slots in the next couple of weeks or so.

As the NBA headed toward its annual all-star events, the Detroit Pistons kicked things into high gear, winning three games and upping their record to 29-26. I hope they continue their winning ways after the all-star game!

The Michigan State Spartans played two games this week, splitting the pair. They saw a slight slide in the Top Twenty-Five, going from 9th to 11th. Their record is now 20-5.  Meanwhile, the University of Michigan Wolverines played one game this week,  adding another win and moving their record to 19-5. They moved up to 20th in the Top Twenty-Five. Hopefully, they’ll add another game to the win column when they play this afternoon.

“Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.” – William Faulkner. Compliments of https://copyblogger.com/inspirational-quotes-for-writers/.

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

Orderic Vitalis, English-born French monk and chronicler (Historia Ecclesiastica); Giambattista Bodoni, Italian typographer (Bodoni), printer and publisher; Johann Wilhelm Heinse, German novelist and art critic of the Sturm und Drang period; Joseph Victor von Scheffel, German writer (Gaudeamus); Nikolai Leskov, Russian writer (The Tale of Cross-eyed Lefty from Tula and the Steel Flea; Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk), and playwright; Ernst Haeckel, German biologist (Causes of Evolution) and philosopher (Social Darwinism); Henry Adams, American historian and writer (Education of Henry Adams); Octave Mirbeau, French writer (Journal of a Lady’s Maid); William S. Scarborough, American linguist and author (Birds of Aristophanes); Elizabeth Craig, Scottish cookery book writer; Van Wyck Brooks, American literary historian and writer (Ordeal of Mark Twain); Albert Hackett, American actor, playwright and screenwriter (It’s A Wonderful Life; The Diary of Anne Frank); Hal Porter, Australian writer (Tilted Cross, Paper Chase); Arthur Crook, British editor (Times Literary Supplement); Bob Tadema Sporry, Dutch author; Hubert van Herreweghen, Belgian poet; Araucaria [John Galbraith Graham], British crossword compiler (The Guardian) and priest; Paul van ‘t Veer, Dutch journalist and writer (Het Vrije Volk); Peter Porter, Australian-British author and poet (Chair of Babel); Alfred Kolleritsch, Austrian poet and literary journalist; [Ervin] Aharon Appelfeld, Israeli writer (Blooms of Darkness; Badenheim), and holocaust survivor; Paul Bailey, English novelist and biographer; Richard Ford, American author (Sportswriter); Eckhart Tolle, German-born author (The Power of Now) and spiritual teacher; Dorus Vrede, Surinam poet (Otobanda; the Other Bank); Guy Gallo, American poet, playwright, and screenwriter (Under the Volcano); and Warren Ellis, British comic book writer (Red).

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 continues at a good pace on Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series, finishing chapter twelve and posting it to the two online subscription writing sites I use. There were another nineteen reviews this week, bringing the total to 181. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

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

Around 03:00, Trevor was back in the OP. He munched on an energy bar and took a swig of water from his canteen. When he resettled himself, he used the AN/PSQ-20 Enhanced Night Vision Goggle (ENVG) to scan the perimeter. Hmm. Awful quiet. He picked up his radio and keyed the mic. He whispered, “Haggis, this is Black. Heads up. Jungle’s gone quiet. Expect visitors.”

***

In his tent, CC listened to Trevor and keyed his radio once to acknowledge the warning. Still dressed, CC dashed out of his tent, stopping at the other tents to pass the alert.

CC returned to the command tent, where he shoved his SIG Sauer pistol, and magazines for the pistol and his assault rifle in a rucksack, before donning his ATN PS31-2 night vision goggles.

Moments later, Evelyn and Rufus entered and did the same.

Bob joined them, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “What’s going on?”

“Get kitted up. Trevor said company is on the way.” CC grabbed several power bars and a full canteen and added them to his rucksack before heading outside.

“What?” Bob’s jaw dropped.

“Just do what we rehearsed earlier. Your designated station is here in the command tent.” Evelyn put a reassuring hand on Bob’s arm. “Rufus and I will follow CC. We’ll be ringed in a semi-circle between the command tent and the OP, so be careful if you begin shooting so you don’t hit one of us.”

Bob nodded before rushing to the corner and grabbing a rucksack CC made up for his earlier. He tipped over the table and took his position.

Evelyn nodded as she and Rufus dashed outside to their pre-arranged spots among the trees.

Craack! Craack! Craack!

Single shots woke the jungle.

The animals who made the jungle their home began screeching as they hurried away from the danger.

Rat-a-tat! Rat-a-tat!

CC, Evelyn, and Rufus strained with the NVGs as they searched for infiltrators.

“Incoming invaders!” Trevor spoke on the unified radio channel. “I’ve seen shots from at least four vectors.”

“Aye, Black. We’re ready.” CC removed the safety on his assault rifle as he prepared to take on their attackers.

A shadow, darker than the rest of the jungle, rose in front of CC.

With an automatic reflex, CC first a single shot.

The shadow screamed and dropped from sight.

More screams erupted as tracer fire lit up the jungle.

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

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, February 9,2025

Randall Krzak

Once again, we’ve had a myriad of wildlife visitors: squirrels, male/female cardinals, blue jays, pigeons, woodpeckers, black-capped chickadees, and deer. Another flock of wild turkeys also dropped in on Wednesday–twenty-two if my count was correct. The deer and the turkeys left after they ate, while the others remained behind, going after what was left.

There were mixed results for the Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State Spartans’ basketball teams again this week . Michigan moved back into the Top Twenty-Five at twenty-four after winning two more games and improving their record to 18-5.  Meanwhile, the Spartans dropped down to 9th in the Top Twenty-Five. They won one game this week, but lost a second one. Their record is now 19-4.

The Detroit Pistons continued on their march forward, now at 26-26. This is the most games they’ve won in a season since before the 2018-19 season. Hopefully, they’ll keep on winning, although they won’t match their most wins in a season, which occurred in 2005-06 when they won sixty-four games.

Last week, Frozen Conquest received a five-star editorial review. If you’re interested in checking it out, click on the title.

“And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” – Sylvia Plath. Compliments of https://copyblogger.com/inspirational-quotes-for-writers/.

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

Ali-Shir Nava’i, Timurid poet and writer (Mahbub ul-Qulub) considered a founder of early Turkic literature; Giambattista Andreini, Italian playwright and actor (L’adamo); Adriaan Kluit, Dutch scholar and historian; Susette Gontard (née Borkenstein), the beloved of German poet Friedrich Hölderlin and inspiration for Hölderlin’s novel Hyperion; Vasily Zhukovsky, Russian poet; Felix Dahn, German Historian, jurist and poet; Anthony Hope, British novelist and playwright (The Prisoner of Zenda); George Ade, American playwright, writer and humorist (Counsel Widow, Fables in Slang); Fran Saleški Finžgar, Slovene folk writer (Our Blood, Service Girls); Amy Lowell, American poet and critic (Patterns, Sword Blades & Poppy Seed); Jacques Bainville, French historian, essayist and journalist; James Stephens, Irish poet (Crock of Gold); Frederik Gerretson [Geerten Gossaert], Dutch poet and politician; Vital Celen, Flemish writer and scholar (Puppy Love); Larry Semon, American silent film actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (The Wizard of Oz (1925)); Charles Montgomery Monteith, Irish publisher (Faber & Faber – published “Lord of the Flies”; Brendan Behan, rish author and poet (Borstal Boy, The Hostage); J. M. Coetzee, South African novelist; Alice Walker, American novelist (The Color Purple, Meridian); Janet Issaca Ashford, American writer (Birth Stories); Mary Jo Duffy, American comic book writer and editor for Marvel and DC; and Tom Scharpling, American comedian and writer (Steven Universe, Monk).

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 continues at a good pace on Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series, although I didn’t finish chapter twelve as planned. There were another eight reviews this week, bringing the total to 162. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

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

CC glanced at Evelyn and Rufus. “You two stay here and be our backup. Come running if you hear lots of shooting. CC shoved a magazine into his SA-8-2A assault rifle.

Trevor followed suit. “Ready, CC?”

“I was born ready.” CC chuckled. “Let’s go find out what’s what. I’ll take lead.” He stopped by the table and picked up a radio, clipping it to his belt. CC handed one to Trevor.

“Just remember, CC, you can’t use your bagpipes to lead us into battle.”

Everyone laughed.

“Aye, that’s why I left them at home.”

CC and Trevor left the tent, crouching as they maneuvered through the jungle in the direction of the OP.

After climbing over fallen trees, under low-hanging branches, and around rock croppings, they approached the OP fifteen minutes later.

Craack! Craack!

Periodic shots came from the OP as Bob fired into the jungle.

“Hey, Bob. Hold your fire—it’s CC and Trevor.”

“Come in.” Bob fired again. “I think the attackers fled, but I can’t be sure.”

“On our way.” CC entered the OP through an opening at the rear.

Trevor studied the surrounding jungle before following.

CC scooted in beside Bob. “What’s the situation, Bob?”

“Two men approached, weapons drawn. I shouted at them, and they began shooting. I returned first while Jim went for help. I might have winged one of the attackers, but I can’t be sure.” Bob glanced around. “Where’s Jim? Didn’t he come back with you?”

CC shook his head. “No easy way to say this—he’s dead. Appeared to be a heart attack, but a coroner will have to determine the cause of death. He grabbed his chest after entering the tent and fell to the ground. Evelyn checked for a pulse, but there wasn’t any.”

“Gee, willikers!” Bob sucked in a lungful of air and exhaled in small breaths. “I can’t believe it. We went through security training together, and he became my friend. We’re both from Virginia.” He shook his head. “What do we do now?”

“First thing is to find out if any targets are still around.” CC turned to Trevor. “Check it out.”

Trevor nodded and left the OP in silence.

Bob began to shake. “I-I’ve never been in a firefight before. How do you and Trevor deal with the danger and tension?”

CC laughed. “I’m sure Trevor will agree with me, but we both had butterflies in our stomachs and reacted the say way as you are. There isn’t any manual to teach you how to respond. Everyone’s experience different emotions and act in different ways. When Trevor returns, if the coast is clear, he’ll escort you back to camp. I’ll stay here and keep an eye on things.” CC shifted position so he had a better angle looking into the jungle.

Bob sat on the single camp chair in the OP and sighed. “I’m not cut out for this. I’d be better remaining in an embassy or consulate where things aren’t so dangerous.”

“Are you sure it’s any safer?” CC turned to look at Bob and grinned. “Several of our overseas facilities have been attacked, with some being overrun. Americans aren’t the best-like people in the world and the bad guys love to hit what they think might be soft targets—but not anymore.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

“Just ask Rufus about this. When he was in Peshawar, Pakistan, he was in charge of a QRF protecting the consulate. When the facility was attacked by the Taliban, he and his team were ready for anything.” CC shook his head. “They were fortunate the attackers blew themselves up before they breached the perimeter. Otherwise, Rufus and the others were perched on the consulate’s roof, waiting to strike.”

“Oh, wow! I’ll talk to him about how he and his men handled things. Many thanks, CC. You’ve calmed my nerves—at least a bit.”

The field isn’t ready for you—and might never be. CC shifted position again as he heard a noise from outside.

“What’s that noise?” Bob’s eyes widened.

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

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, February 2, 2025

Randall Krzak

There’s been plenty of wildlife visitors this week. Last Sunday, a flock of wild turkeys came. If I counted correctly, there were thirty in the flock. A couple days later, a slightly smaller flock appeared, numbering twenty-five. Finally, on Friday, there were twenty-two turkeys, with an eight deer escort. Of course, the birds and squirrels are here each day.

There were mixed results for the Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State Spartans’ basketball teams. Michigan did fall out of the Top Twenty-Five as expected. They did win two games this week, improving to 16-5. Meanwhile, the Spartans moved into 7th in the Top Twenty-Five, but they won’t remain there when the next poll is released. They won one game this week, but lost the second one. Their record is now 18-3.

The Detroit Pistons also had a mixed week, winning once but dropping two games. They are even at 24-24. Hopefully, they’ll keeping adding to the win column.

“Just know that everyone’s writing is terrible. Until it’s not. No one’s stuff is right immediately. You gotta work it. Refine it. Shape it. Spend time with it. It’s a relationship. Between you and what comes from you. Not easy. Gonna be terrible before it’s not. And that’s okay.”  – Ava DuVernay. Compliments of https://copyblogger.com/inspirational-quotes-for-writers/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on February 2 , the fifth Sunday of 2025 and the first one for February. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Anna Roemers Visscher, Dutch poet; Gabriel Naudé, French librarian and scholar, personal librarian to Cardinal Mazarine, assembled his Bibliothèque Mazarine; Christian Gottfried Thomas, German composer, publisher, and musicologist; Hans E Schack, Danish politician and writer (Phantasterne – Fantasy); Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav, Slovak poet; Havelock Ellis, English physician and social reformer who studied sexual behaviour (Psychology of Sex; Curtis Guild, Jr., American politician, journalist and soldier, 43rd Governor of Massachusetts (1906-09; Annette Kolb, German author (Small Fanfare) and pacifist; Christian Gauss, American professor and writer (Phi Beta Kappa award namesake); James Joyce, Irish novelist and poet (Dubliners, Ulysses, Finnigan’s Wake); Aldo Palazzeschi [Giurlani], Italian writer (I cavalli bianchi); Kurt Baschwitz, German-Dutch sociologist and journalist (Du und); Carroll Righter, American columnist and astrologer to the stars; Buzurg Alavi, Iranian writer (Panjah va sih nafar, Namal’ha); Ayn Rand [Alisa Zinov’yevna Rosenbaum], Russian-American author, screenwriter and philosopher who developed the philosophical system of “Objectivism” (Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead); Bernardas Brazdzionis, Lithuanian poet, editor and critic; Evert Werkman, Dutch journalist (Het Parool); Xuân Diệu, Vietnamese poet; James Dickey, American poet, novelist and lecturer (Deliverance, Buckdancer’s Choice); Liz Smith [Mary Elizabeth], American journalist and gossip columnist known as “The Grand Dame of Dish” (WNBC, NY Daily News); Nydia Ecury, celebrated Afro-Dutch writer, translator and actress (Kantika pa Mama Tera); Judith Viorst, American author; Thomas M. Disch, American sci-fi author (Genocides, 102 H-Bombs); and Ina Garten, American author and TV cooking show host (Barefoot Contessa, Food Network).

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me this week: James Joyce and James Dickey. 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 continues at a good pace on Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series. I posted chapter eleven this week to the two subscription writing sites I use. There were another thirteen reviews this week, bringing the total to 154. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

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

“Hmm.” Andres closed his eyes as he stared at the ceiling. Carlos is right—I forgot about El Padre’s venture into the Darien which the rest of the Gaitanistas admired. If he hadn’t sent me to the los Estados Unidos to attend university, I would have remembered. But I can’t let Carlos think he’s in control.

When he opened his eyes, Andres studied his manicured hands before staring at Carlos. “Gracias for the reminder. I had forgotten El Padre’s efforts when the Gaitanistas began taking advantage of the Darien. So, if there are no objections, we will proceed with expanding our distribution center in Yaviza, but I also want to further explore putting a second facility in La Palma.”

Carlos and Diego glanced at each other. They both nodded.

“S-Sí, Jefe.” Diego grinned. “We both a-agree with your p-plan. W-Who will you put in c-charge of the new f-facilities?”

Andres put his hands together in a church steeple pose, his elbows resting on the table. “I wish Felipe was here to provide us with his opinions. However, since he’s at Yavizi more than either of you, I think he should be the one in charge.”

“But, Jefe, I have been with you longer.” Carlos shook his head. “Does not my seniority and loyalty count for anything?”

I knew he was hoping to be put in charge at Yavizi. “Of course, Carlos. You shall be responsible for setting up operations in the La Palma área.”

“What? Excuse me, Jefe. Gracia for this honor.”

I doubt he thinks it’s an honor, but I must establish my authority, especially with Carlos as he has friends in high places within the organization. Andres nodded. “This will be an important undertaking. Should you succeed, there will be ample other opportunities in the future.”

“Sí, Jefe.”

Andres turned to Diego. “Do not think I have forgotten you, my friend. I appoint you as the deputy jefe for both locations. You will work with Felipe and Carlos to sort out the details for your appointment.”

Diego beamed at the news. “I-It is a great h-honor you have b-bestowed on me, Jefe. I cannot thank you enough.”

Andres waved a hand in dismissal. “You are both being rewarded. Doing a respectful job will be the thanks I deserve—and respect. I—”

The dining room door opened, and a tall, thin man with short-cropped black hair entered. “Sorry, I am late, Jefe. I shall explain.” He gestured toward the buffet. “May I eat first?”

Andres nodded. “Welcome back, Felipe. Grab your food and join us.” Andres turned to the lone servant still in the room. “Bring more coffee, por favor.”

The servant nodded. He brought a new pot of coffee and a cup. After refilling Andres’ cup, he filled the others, putting the new cup in front of Felipe’s seat.  Afterward, he departed.

Felipe sat and began to eat, shoveling a large forkful of eggs and beans into his mouth. After he finished chewing, he sipped his coffee. “Jefe, I was late because our facility near Yavizi might be under surveillance. One of the Embera-Wounaan working for us spotted some foreigners in the area. Since there aren’t any roads beyond Yavizi, it’s difficult to move around. However, the man said there were three vehicles. Other members of the Embera-Wounaan had helped clear a path for the foreigners to set up a camp.”

Andres tilted his head. “Any contact with these intruders?”

“Sí, Jefe.” Felipe took another bite of his food and washed it down with more coffee. “The Embera-Wounaan took two of our men to where he had spotted the foreigners. They have several tents set up, including a command tent of some type. Our men spotted three foreigners, with one man in an observation post away from the camp. This man began shooting, so our men responded before disappearing into the jungle. They came back to our facility and reported to me.”

Andres nodded. “What happened next?”

“I warned Carlos I would be late for today’s meeting. Afterward, I requested six armed men return to Yavizi on the plane that brought me. They have orders to infiltrate the foreign camp, and, if possible, take one of them hostage.” Felipe grinned. “I assumed you would approve of this, Jefe.”

“Of course.” Why are things always going against what I want? “Anything else?

“Sí, Jefe. Once they kidnap one of the foreigners, they are to take care of the others. As the Americans say in some of their movies, they are to ‘dispatch them with extreme prejudice.”

Everyone laughed.

“B-But, Jefe, what if th-these men are Norteamericano f-federales?”

Andres shrugged. “It matter not. Whether they are federales or another cartel trying to encroach on our territory, they will learn the same lesson—El Tapon del Darien can be a dangerous place, one where they might lose their lives.”

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

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, January 26, 2025

Randall Krzak

This week the variety of wildlife visiting us increased. For the first time, we saw two hairy woodpeckers (I think), an Eastern bluebird, and twenty-one wild turkeys. While the turkeys have visited before, we haven’t had this number.  While we’ve heard the woodpeckers before, this was the first time they were close enough to the house to see them. We continue to have regular visits from eight deer, along with squirrels, crows, pigeons, sparrows, cardinals, and blue jays. It’s always interesting to check out our visitors.

I continue to follow the Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans’ basketball teams. Both team played twice during the past week. Michigan one their first game in overtime, but lost the second one. They are now 14-5, and currently listed as 21st in the Top Twenty-Five, but with the loss will likely lose their position. Michigan State won both of their games, improving their record to 17-2. They are now ranked eighth in the Top Twenty-Five.

With the Detroit Lions faltering at the end of the season, I’ve started following the Detroit Pistons.  The Pistons had an abysmal record last year (2023-24), finishing 14-68. They are already 23-22 this year.

“Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s the determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal – a commitment to excellence – that will enable you to attain the success you seek.” – Mario Andretti. 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 26th, the fourth Sunday of 2025 and the last one for January. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Florent Chrestien, French writer; Claude Adrien Helvétius, French controversial philosopher (On the Mind); Achim von Arnim [Ludwig Joachim von Arnim], German Romantic poet and writer (Des Knaben Wunderhorn); Rufus King, American newspaper editor, politician and Brigadier General (Union Army); Mary Mapes Dodge, American children’s author (St. Nicholas Magazine), editor and writer (Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates); Samuel Hopkins Adams [Warner Fabian], American journalist and muckraker (Average Jones); Edward Sapir, American linguist and anthropologist (North American Indian languages); Charles Scribner III, American book publisher; lya Ehrenburg, Russian Soviet war correspondent, writer (The Fall of Paris; The Thaw; People, Years, Life), editor, and poet; Menno ter Braak, Dutch writer (Carnaval of the Citizens); Romney Brent, Mexican-American actor and writer (Dinner at the Ritz); Kaye Webb, English writer and publisher (Puffin Club); Philip José Farmer, American sci-fi writer (Riverworld); John Logan Gorlay, British journalist and editor; Michael Bentine, English author and comedian (Reluctant Jester, The Goons); Claude Ryan, Quebec newspaper editor; Farman Fatehpuri [Syed Dildar Ali], Urdu scholar, linguist, critic and author; José María Valverde, Spanish philosopher, poet and translator (La espera, Historia de la literatura universal); Roger Landry, Canadian businessman and newspaper publisher (La Presse); Angela Davis, African American activist, author and professor; Christopher Hampton, Portuguese playwright (Oviri, Hotel du Lac); Jonathan Carroll, American author; and Shannon Hale, American author.

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

My Work In Progress

Work continues on Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series. I posted chapter ten this week to the two subscription writing sites I use. There were another thirteen reviews this week, bringing the total to 141. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

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

Andres López, the local leader of the Gaitanistas in Necoclí, paced the veranda of Hacienda Los Urabeños. It was named in honor of a former name for the Gaitanistas. As one of the nephews of the group’s leaders, he held his role with passion and power—both dangerous in his quest to one day become the primary boss.

He flicked the butt of his Cuban cigar over the railing as he continued to pace, running his hands through his long, black hair. He turned as he sensed someone opening a door from inside the hacienda.

One of Andres’ servants held the door open. “Excuse me, Jefe. Breakfast is ready por favor.”

Andres nodded and entered, walking along the inner hallway to the dining room. As he approached, the aroma of the buffet breakfast set his stomach rumbling.

Two of his underlings stood as he took his seat at the head of the table.

Andres motioned for them to sit. “Buenos días, Carlos and Diego.”

The men returned the salutation. “Good morning, Jefe.”

Andres gestured to an empty seat. “Where is Felipe? I thought he would be joining us.”

“Sí, Jefe.” Carlos Ramírez frowned. “We received a message he hadn’t returned from El Tapon del Darien yet. It seems there is a problem near the plant.”

“What sort of problem?”

“It is unclear, Jefe.” Diego Sánchez shrugged. “One of the Embera-Wounaan assisting us reported an issue, but we have not learned the details.”

Andres sighed as he rubbed the jagged scar on his left cheek, the result of a mishap in his youth. “If the Darien weren’t such an excellent place to hide some of our drug-smuggling operations, I would propose we vacate the area. However, we are making a fortune from this business and by charging an entry and transiting tax on the migrants who want to cross into Panama.”

A servant filled a plate from the buffet with beans, rice, and eggs and set it in front of Andres.

A second servant brought Andres a glass of mango juice and a cup of Café San Alberto.

As he drank from the glass, this signaled to the others they could help themselves at the buffet. They stood and filled their plates before rejoining Andres.

Only the sound of the men eating and drinking filled the room as conversation ceased.

Once he finished his breakfast, Andres pushed away his plate and reached for the coffee. After sipping to check the temperature, he smiled and leaned back in his chair, holding the cup.

Even though they hadn’t finished eating, Carlos and Diego followed standard protocol when in Andres’s presence and stopped eating.

The two servants, who had remained in the background, refilled coffee cups and glasses They cleared away the dirty dishes and left the dining room.

Andres cleared his throat. “We must decide soon on where we will push forward with my plan to increase our drug supply distribution center toward the eastern edge of the Darien Gap. I still think La Palma would be the logical choice, given it has a decent-sized population, so we would be able to hire additional men if needed.”

“Sí, Jefe.” Carlos glanced at Diego as if seeking reassurance. “There is an airport outside the town. If memory serves me, it’s called Miraflores Airport. Your advice is always well-intended. However, I propose Yaviza as the better location. Your father established our initial center outside the city to take advantage of access to the Chucunaque River when the population was larger than La Palma. Today, the towns are about the same size. Beyond Yavizi to the east, the roads are paved, making it easier to transport our product into Panama City. La Palma does not have such access. There is also an airstrip near Yaviza.”

“Hmm.” Andres closed his eyes as he stared at the ceiling. Carlos is right—I forgot about El Padre’s venture into the Darien which the rest of the Gaitanistas admired. If he hadn’t sent me to the los Estados Unidos to attend university, I would have remembered. But I can’t let Carlos think he’s in control.

When he opened his eyes, Andres studied his manicured hands before staring at Carlos. “Gracias for the reminder. I had forgotten El Padre’s efforts when the Gaitanistas began taking advantage of the Darien. So, if there are no objections, we will proceed with expanding our distribution center in Yaviza, but I also want to further explore putting a second facility in La Palma.”

Carlos and Diego glanced at each other. They both nodded.

“S-Sí, Jefe.” Diego grinned. “We both a-agree with your p-plan. W-Who will you put in c-charge of the new f-facilities?”

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


Uncategorized

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

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, January 5, 2025

Randall Krzak

HapppyNewYear

Happy New Year!

Hope everyone has a fantastic, prosperous, and healthy 2025!

Starting on New Year’s Day, we’ve seen eight deer outback enjoying the corn we put down for them. Every day, we also see  six squirrels eating and playing tag. On Thursday, they were joined by a seventh one, about half the size of the others. It wasn’t playing but spent time checking out the available goodies.

The unranked Michigan Wolverines defeated the 11th-ranked Alabama Crimson Site in the ReliaQuest Bowl on New Year’s Eve, 19-13. While Michigan’s season wasn’t one of it’s best with a 8-5 record, there were two highlights: the win over Ohio State 13-10 and beating Alabama.

This week, the Michigan Wolverines basketball team improved its record to 11-3, although they are still outside the top twenty-five teams. Meanwhile, the 18th-ranked Michigan State Spartans continued their winning ways and now are 12-2.

The Detroit Lions defeat SF 40-34 for their 14th win of the season. Sunday evening’s game pits the 14-2 Lions against the 14-2 Vikings for bragging rights. If Detroit wins they take their division and the NFC crown. If Minnesota wins, they take the division and NFC crown. Both teams will be in the playoffs by virtue of their records.

“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 5th, the first Sunday of 2025. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Jean Baptiste Say, French economist (Political Economics); André Henri Constant van Hasselt, Belgian poet (La Belgium); Khristo Botev, Bulgarian poet and nationalist revolutionary; Gustaf af Geijerstam, Swedish author (Boken om Lillebror); Humbert Wolfe, Italian-born British poet; Anne Morrison Chapin, American playwright, actress, (The Wild Westcotts), and screenwriter (The Sailor Takes A Wife); Hendrik Algra, Dutch teacher, journalist, historian, and politician (ARP); Paula Ludwig, Austrian-German poet; Dorothea “Stella” Gibbons, English author (Cold Comfort Farm); Anton Ingolic, Slavic author (After Splavih, After Prelomu); Simon Harcourt Nowell-Smith, British bibliophile; Friedrich Dürrenmatt, Swiss playwright and novelist (The Physicists, The Visit); Robert L. Bernstein, American publisher (Random House); William De Witt Snodgrass, American poet under the pseudonym S. S. Gardons; Umberto Eco, Italian philosopher and author (Name of the Rose); Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, Kenyan writer; Michael O’Donoghue, American writer and performer (Saturday Night Live, Scrooged); Terenci Moix, Spanish writer; and Ioan Petru Culianu, Romanian historian.

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

Mission- YemenEditing of Mission: Yemen, Xavier Sear Thriller Book 2  is well underway. I received a total of 648 chapter reviews. As of last night, I’ve gone through  595 of them, leaving fifty-three more to check over.

Here’s the penultimate snippet:

Badr glanced at his watch as he turned toward the door. Dabir!”

No answer.

“Dabir. Where are you?”

Out of breath, Dabir dashed into the dining room. “Sorry, Sayyid Badr. I was helping Cook with a food delivery.”

“Bring us more qishr.”

“At once, Sayyid.” Dabir rushed to the kitchen.

Ten minutes later, Dabir returned, pushing a cart. In addition to three cups of the raisin drink, there was a plate of dates and a covered serving dish. Dabir placed mugs in front of Badr and Usamah before setting the dishes on the table.

“What is this?” Usamah pointed to the cover dish.

“I-I brought more of the sambusas you enjoyed before. I thought you might like to snack on them.”

Usamah nodded. “Shukran.”

Dabir pushed a hand into his pocket and fingered his Ruger LCP Max. Before removing his hand, he let go of the pistol. Not sure which is better—try to shoot them or add some poison to their food?

“Sit down, Dabir.” Badr pointed to an empty chair. “Are you not going to drink with us?”

“If permit, yes.” Dabir took the remaining cup from the cart as he sat.

Usamah pushed the plate of sambusas closer to Dabir. “Help yourself.”

“Shukran, Sayyid Usamah.” Dabir picked up one of the pastries. Good thing I did not add any poison yet. They seem to be reading my mind.

“So, Dabir, what is the latest information about the American?” Badr glanced at his brother. “I understand someone fired a shot at Sear before everyone was ready.” Badr glared at Dabir. “Was that you?”

Dabir paled as he sucked in a lungful of air. “N-No, Sayyid Badr. I just drove the vehicle and was not involved in the attack.”

“Hmmm.” Badr rapped a beat on the table with his knuckles. “You do realize if anyone attempts to warn Sear and the others, they will be dealt with—under the most extreme punishment I can think of.”

Dabir swallowed. “Yes, Sayyid Badr. I promise you I will not do anything against your wishes.”

“Good. So what is the latest?”

“I-I h-heard from Parvez. He was here earlier. He said his contact in the NSB asked for an update on Sear. He also wanted to know what you and Usamah were planning.”

Badr raised a brow as he glanced at Usamah. “What did you tell him?”

“I told him I knew nothing about what you and Usamah are doing. He also mentioned he was involved in the kidnapping of Shatara and Zahid and that some Saudis are mixed up with this, too.”

“The Saudi link is interesting, but I am already aware of this.” Badr rubbed the side of his nose. “I must think about what you should say to Parvez. It must be plausible but not be in any way linked to what we are really doing.”

Usamah laughed. “As a British journalist coined back in the 1800s, we must come up with a red herring to keep them looking elsewhere.”

Badr nodded. “A good idea. We must give this some thought before Dabir speaks again with Parvez. In the meantime, I want to—”

A low rumbling shook the building as Saudi planes once again returned to Sana’a.

“Come, quick! We must go to the shelter.” Dabir rushed out of the room and down the stairs to the basement, followed by Badr and Usamah.

Ka-boom! Ka-boom!

Windows shattered as vehicle alarms sounded outside. The earth seemed to shift as Saudi jets dropped their lethal cargo.

Dabir cringed and coughed as dust filled the reinforced rooms. Are we to be doomed to die here?

I’ll post the final snippet next week and begin concentrating on Vendetta.

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 seven chapters are now finished and posted to the two subscription writing sites I use. There were another thirteen reviews this week, bringing the total to ninety-eight.

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 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved Continue reading “Randall’s Ramblings, January 5, 2025” →

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, December 22, 2024

Randall Krzak

A belated Happy Winter Solstice to everyone. Yesterday marked the shortest day of the year and the astronomically beginning of winter.

This coming week marks Christmas and the start of Hannukah. Hope everyone enjoys the holiday season. We certainly will, as our son arrived on Christmas Eve for a few days.

The University of Michigan Wolverines loss another game this week, dropping their record to 8-3. They also dropped in the rankings fourteenth to twenty-four. Meanwhile, the Michigan State Spartans won two games, improving their record to 10-2, and climbing one spot in the rankings to twentieth. Michigan’s next game is today, and Michigan State doesn’t play again until the 30th.

In the NFL, the Detroit Lions lost their second game of the season, dropping their record to 12-2. At the same time the Minnesota Vikings won another game, improving to 12-2. At this point they are tied in the NFC North, with three games each to play before the regular season comes to an end.  Detroit is still top of the division, due to an earlier win against Minnesota. They play each other again on the 5th of January. Detroit plays Chicago today. I hope they can repeat their earlier win against the Bears.

“A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.” – E.B. White (1899-1965) American writer. 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 22nd, the fourth Sunday of the month. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Jean Racine, French dramatist (Phèdre, Athalie); Johann J Dillenius [Dillen], German botanist (Historia Muscorum); Hermann Samuel Reimarus, German philosopher and writer; Johann Sebastian Welhaven, Norwegian poet; Justin M’Carthy, Irish politician and novelist (Miss Misanthrope); Mark Rutherford [Hale White], English writer; Erich Schaeder, German theologist (Theocentric Theology); František Xaver Šalda, Czechoslovakian literary critic; Edwin Arlington Robinson, American poet (Richard Corey); Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, Italian-French prose writer, novelist, poet, and dramatist (Futurism e Futurista); Mikha`il Na’imah, Lebanese playwright; Nikolay Semyonovich Tikhonov, Russian poet and writer; Kenneth Rexroth, American poet and translator & critical essayist (Birds in the Bush); Anthony Barber Doncaster, English bookseller; Calder Willingham, American novelist and scriptwriter; Lee Salk, Russian-American child psychologist and author; Charles de Lint, Canadian sci-fi author (Moonhear, Mulengro, Yarrow); Heather Donahue, American writer and actress; Chris Adler, American writer; and Brian A. Alexander, American screenwriter and director.

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me this week: Lee Salk . 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 slush pile to the long list for global thrillers. There’s plenty of competition as all members of the long list slug it out to make it onto the short list. Afterward, the competition will heat up as the semi-finals, finals, first in category winners, and category grand prize winners are still to come.

In a separate announcement, Frozen Conquest is now a finalist in the 2024 Global Book Awards for action-adventure. It’s joined by Ultimate Escalation. The gold, silver, and bronze medals winners will be announced on December 28th.

My Work In Progress

Mission- YemenEditing of Mission: Yemen, Xavier Sear Thriller Book 2  is well underway. Since my last blog post, three more more reviews have trickled in as most of my faithful readers have already provided their input, so the total is now  645.  As always, I’ve been working hard going through the reviews, and have picked out what I think will improve the story from 465 of them, leaving 180 more to check over.

Here’s another snippet:

Sear sipped on the tea provided by Qadir and studied the faces of Bashari and his brothers. They aren’t faking. Zahid didn’t run away like I thought. They are really concerned about who might have kidnapped him.

Bashari turned to Sear. “What should we do now?”

“We need to wait to see if my colleagues learned anything from Tarik that might help us pinpoint a location for Shatara. It’s possible the same people took Zahid, which would make things easier for us.” Sear pursed his lips. “Otherwise, we will have a daunting task in front of us. However, I won’t rest until we recover your children.”

A half-smile creased Bashari’s face. “Thank you, Sayyid Sear. Your words are a comfort to me. But I am realistic. I know it will not be easy to do this.”

“I have located other missing people in the past where it seemed impossible to do so. I plan to be successful this time, too.” I just hope Shatara and Zahid are still in Yemen and not squirreled away by human traffickers.

Qadir returned carrying a folded, sealed envelope. With shaking hands, he gave it to Bashari.

He broke the seal and reached inside. Bashari pulled out a photograph and collapsed back in his seat, letting the picture fall to the floor.

Sear picked it up and stared at a photo of Zahid with a bloody nose and a black eye. Next to Zahid’s head was an Al-Bayyinah newspaper from Aden with the current date. Is he in Sana’a or Aden? Sear shook his head as he handed the photo to Bashari’s brothers.

He turned to Bashari. “Contact Yasmin’s late husband’s brothers and notify them. They can begin scouring Aden.” He turned to Omar and Rahman. “Bring your sons here. We can’t wait any longer—we must commence our search of the city—as soon as possible.”

More next time.

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 fivechapters are now finished and posted to the two subscription writing sites I use. There were another nineteen reviews this week, bringing the total to seventy-one.

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 2024 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

Continue reading “Randall’s Ramblings, December 22, 2024” →

Uncategorized

Randall’s Rambling, December 15, 2024

Randall Krzak

I found out this week that the Michigan Wolverines (7-5) will play the Alabama Crimson Tide (9-3) on 31 December in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Needless to say, I’ll be recording and watching this one along with plenty of the other bowl games, especially those in the College Football Playoffs.

With the college football season over except for the upcoming bowl games, my attention at the collegiate level has switched to basketball. Michigan is currently 8-2 and ranked fourteenth in the nation, while the Michigan State Spartans have a matching record and are ranked twenty-first. They play again on the 17th, and Michigan’s next game is on the 18th.

Today will be big game for the Detroit Lions. They take their 12-1 record up against the Buffalo Bills (9-3) in Detroit. Throughout their franchise history, Detroit has never won thirteen games in a single season. Fingers crossed, they’ll rewrite the history books today!  I’ll also be watching the Minnesota Vikings take on the Chicago Bears Monday night as the Vikings are nipping at the Lions’ heels with a 11-2 record.

“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  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 15th, the third Sunday of the month. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Charles Cowden Clarke, English editor and Shakespearean critic; Henry Charles Carey, American economist (Principles of Poli Economy); Edmond Picard, French-Belgian lawyer and writer (La forge Roussel); Emilio Jacinto, Filipino poet and revolutionary; Ferdinand Hardekopf, German writer and journalist; Hans Carossa, German writer; Pieter Geyl, Dutch historian (History of the Dutch Tribe); Artturi Leinonen, Finnish journalist and writer (Kati); Maxwell Anderson, American dramatist (Winter Set, High Tor); Betty Smith, American novelist (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn); Nicholas P. Dallis, American psychiatrist and comic strip writer (Rex Morgan, M.D.); Muriel Rukeyser, American poet (The Book of the Dead); Isabel Crook (née Brown), Canadian-British anthropologist, author (Prosperity’s Predicament), and professor (Beijing Foreign Studies University. 1947-81); Shan-ul-Haq Haqqee, Pakistani Urdu linguist and writer; Ida Haendel, Polish-British-Canadian child prodigy violinist, teacher, and author (Woman with Violin); Edna O’Brien, Irish novelist and short story writer (The Country Grils; Girl with Green Eyes; Casualties of Peace); Elaine Barkin (née Radoff), American composer, educator, music writer and editor (Perspectives of New Music, 1964-85); (Thomas) “Tim” Conway, American Emmy Award-winning comic actor and screenwriter (McHale’s Navy; The Carol Burnett Show, 1975-78; The Apple Dumpling Gang); Donald Woods, South African journalist, anti-apartheid activist and author (Biko; Asking for Trouble); John Sladek, American sci-fi author (Tik-Tok, Bugs); Michael KIng, New Zealand historian and author (Penguin History of New Zealand); J. M. DeMatteis, American comic book writer; and Rohini, Indian actress, screenwriter and director (Stri).

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

My Work In Progress

Mission- YemenEditing of Mission: Yemen, Xavier Sear Thriller Book 2  is moving along nicely. Since my last blog post, three more more reviews have trickled in as most of my faithful readers have already provided their input, so the total is now  643.  As always, I’ve been working hard going through the reviews, and have picked out what I think will improve the story from 374 of them, leaving 269 more to check over.

Here’s another snippet:

Sear followed the others as Abdullah and Yasmin led the way through the house.

Each time they entered another room, Yasmin glanced around in apparent panic. “Zahid. Where are you?” She clutched Abdullah’s arm when there wasn’t a response.

As they reach the last room of the house, Sear pointed toward another door. “Where does that lead?”

Abdullah turned to see what Sear was referring to. “Outside. We installed that years ago to make it easier for Shatara and Zahid to enter the courtyard without disturbing us.”

“I understand.” Sear tried the handle.

The door opened.

Along one edge of the frame, a reddish-brown smudge cascaded down the wood.

Sear knelt and examined the frame, wiping his hand across the smudge. He stood and rubbed his fingers together before raising them to his nose. “Blood.”

“Oh!” Yasmin gasped.

Sear pushed the door wide and rushed down four steps into the courtyard. He glanced around and pointed to additional smudges leading away from the house. “Can’t be certain, but it appears someone took Zahid this way.”

Omar and Rahman rushed past Sear and around the corner, brandishing their weapons.

“Here!” one of them shouted.

Sear yanked out his pistol and hurried to join Abdullah’s brothers.

The main compound gate stood open.

In the sand outside the gate, tire tracks and footprints marked the passage of three people and a vehicle.

The three men raced into the street, looking both ways.

No vehicle in sight.

Omar ran to the right, toward the nearest cross street. His arms flailed as he came to a stop. He bent over, panting. Looking both ways, he shook his head and trudged back to Rahman and Sear. “No sign of anyone. What do we do now?”

Rahman clamped his hand on his brother’s shoulder. He glanced at Sear and frowned. “We must inform Abdullah and Yasmin. This is something I do not relish doing, but it must be done.”

Sear pursed his lips as he tucked his SIG Sauer away. “While you talk with them, I’ll return to the Rashid residence and wait to speak with my colleagues. They joined their PSO contact and a few of his colleagues to search some properties in the Bir-al-Azab area of Old Town where foreigners might be living outside the law.” He sighed. “It’s time to stop wasting time and amp up the search for Shatara and Zahid.”

More next time.

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

The cover is a filler, as the final cover won’t be done until the entire first draft is completed.  I’ll begin posting snippets of this story soon.

Here’s the first snippet:

Evelyn stared at the corpse without a hint of emotion. She nudged the body with her foot to ensure the person was dead and not faking. Satisfied, she scanned the area for additional intruders before holstering her SIG Sauer P226.

Snap!

She spun, yanking out her pistol as she sought the source of the noise.

“Whoa!” CC raised his hands. “I’m on your side, remember?”

Evelyn grinned. “You should know better than to sneak up on anyone, especially a woman living on the edge.” She chuckled. “And one who beats you every time in the kill house.”

“Aye.”

She returned her weapon to its holster as she limped forward.

“I see your leg hasn’t improved any.”

Evelyn shrugged. “Can’t do anything about it, but I can still keep up with you.”

“Aye.” CC chuckled. “C’mon, let’s find the others and clear the area. The admiral, Sir Alex, and Richard will be waiting for an update on the secure system.”

“Lead on, Sir Galahad.”

He bowed and pointed. “That way, my fair lady.”

Evelyn smothered a laugh as they worked their way through the dense foliage.

Snap! Snap!

Evelyn and CC turned, pulling their pistols as they did so.

They chuckled.

A mother coatimundi and two babies waddled out from under the thick foliage. They scurried past Evelyn and CC, heading underneath additional bushes.

CC gestured. “Where do you suppose—”

Crack! Pop! Crack!

Static burst from CC’s radio. He pulled it from his belt and keyed it. “This is Haggis. Come again?”

“Ha … this is …”

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 2024 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, December 8, 2024

Randall Krzak

Neither of my NCAA teams, the Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State Spartans, had football games over the weekend. In fact, Michigan State is finished until the 2025 season begins. While Michigan eked out enough wins (7-5) to warrant a bowl game, the selections haven’t been announced yet.

I forgot the Detroit Lions were playing on Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers. It was shown on Amazon Prime and then replayed the following day, where I was able to watch it. The game seesawed, making it unclear who would be victorious. The score was tied 31-31 with two seconds remaining, when Detroit kicked a thirty-five yard field goal to clench the victory and improve to 12-1. The win guaranteed a playoff spot, but with four games to go and Minnesota at 10-2 behind them, anything can happen, although I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Detroit to continue their winning ways.

“There is no rule on how to write. Sometimes it comes easily and perfectly; sometimes it’s like drilling rock and then blasting it out with charges.” – Ernest Hemingway. Compliments of https://getfreewrite.com/blogs/writing-success/32-inspirational-hemingway-quotes-to-get-you-writing.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on December 8th, second Sunday of the month. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Horace, Roman Republican poet (Odes); Jan Althuysen, Frisian vicar and poet (Frisianche rymlery); Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, Norwegian author “Pa Guds Veje” and Nobel laureate 1903; Georges Feydeau, French playwright (La Dame de Chez Maxim’s); Padraic Colum, Irish novelist and poet (Collected Poems); Hervey Allen, American writer and poet (Anthony Adverse); James Thurber, American humorist, playwright, and cartoonist (Men, Women & Dogs; The Male Animal; The Secret Life of Walter Mitty); Kitty Muggeridge, British author and translator; Richard Llewellyn, Welsh novelist (How Green Was My Valley); Nikos Gatsos, Greek poet and lyricist; Jura Soyfer, Austrian political journalist and cabaret writer; Delmore Schwartz, American poet, short story writer and critic (Shenandoah); Ernest Lehman, American screenwriter (North by Northwest); George Scheuer, Austrian writer and journalist; Carmen Martín Gaite, Spanish author; Joachim Fest, German historian and journalist (Hitler biography, Speer: The Final Verdict); Ulric Neisser, America psychologist (Intelligence: Knowns and Unknowns, Bell Curve task force head); Goffredo Parise, Italian writer (Il padrone); John Morressy, American sci-fi author (Starbra;t; Greymantle; Kingsbane); Jim Morrison, American singer-songwriter (The Doors) and poet; John Banville, Irish novelist and journalist (2005 Booker Prize for “The Sea”); Kati-Claudia Fofonoff, Skolt Sámi poet and writer; Roscoe Nance, American sportswriter (USA Today; Mississippi’s first African American sportswriter at mainstream newspaper); Bill Bryson, American British author (Notes From a Small Island); and Ann Coulter, American author, political commentator, and attorney.

Any names familiar to you? There were five for me this week: James Thurber, Ernest Lehman, Jim Morrison, Bill Bryson, and Ann Coulter. 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

Editing of Mission: Yemen, Xavier Sear Thriller Book 2  continues at a good pace. Since my last blog post, image eight more more reviews have trickled in as most of my faithful readers have already provided their input, so the total is now  640. I’ve been working hard going through the reviews, and have picked out what I think will improve the story from 274 of them, leaving 366 more to check over.

Here’s another snippet:

Yusuf corkscrewed to a stop, facing back the way they came.  Black rubber patches marked where he drove. Yusuf put the vehicle in park, raised his feet, and kicked out the remnants of the shattered windshield. He turned to Wazir. “Do the same on your side while I check on Prince Sami.”

Wazir nodded and replicated Yusuf’s actions.

Before long, the windshield was gone—replaced by a slight breeze.

Yusuf climbed into the back beside the prince. He checked his wound—blood flow was diminishing. He reached into the cargo area and pulled out an emergency trauma kit, which they always carried in the event of hostilities.

He yanked out a bandage, removed the protective wrapper, and slapped it over the prince’s wound.

“Owe! Be careful, will you?”

“Sorry, Prince Sami. I want to ensure you’re okay.”

“I am, thanks to you and Wazir recommending I wear the bullet-resistant vest.” Prince Sami fingered two holes in the vest and located the bullets underneath. “Without this, you’d be taking my body to my brother.” He moved his shoulder and winced. “The area where the bullet  perforated near my shoulder blade hurts.”

Yusuf chuckled. “At least you are still counted among the living, Prince Sami. Praise be to Allah.”

“Yes.” The prince winced again as he shifted his body. “Now what?”

Yusuf glanced out the back window. No one coming—yet. He heard gunfire in the distance. He began to climb back into the driver’s seat. “We better get moving—someone is bound to discover what happened to us.” He grinned. “Wazir and I were lucky, or perhaps it was Allah’s intervention. Three bullets passed between us and only managed to hit you.”

“Where to now?”

“We will continue our journey to Sana’a.” He reached under the seat and pulled out three pairs of plastic goggles. He passed one to Wazir, tossed another to Prince Sami, and donned the third pair. “We learned long ago to bring these glasses with us. We will need them as the wind will whistle through the remains of the windshield, making it difficult to see without them.”

Wazir pointed behind them. “I fear a vehicle is coming. We better go.”

“Agreed.” Yusuf engaged the automatic transmission and sped down the road as fast as the conditions allowed. He fishtailed over the ruts and bumps but managed to keep heading north.

The vehicle behind slowed and soon turned around.

“We are in the clear, Yusuf.” Wazir gestured behind them.

“Yes, but what will we face in front of us? Will there be more Houthi bandits?” Yusuf shook his head.

As the road undulated through the mountains, Yusuf drove as fast as he dared, keeping one eye on the highway in front of them and the other on his rearview mirror.’

Wazir climbed in the back and reached into the cargo area. “Anyone for water?” He passed out bottles as he climbed back in front. He broke the seal on his and took a deep drink. “How much longer to Sana’a?”

“Less than an hour.” Yusuf pursed his lips. “We will be in Hezyaz within fifteen minutes. Prince Hussein’s residence is another twenty-one kilometers beyond.”

As they approached Hezyaz, the topography changed. There were more buildings butting against the road and additional traffic. In the distance, they spotted the Hezyaz power station, which provided some of Sana’s much-needed electricity.

Many of the two and three-story buildings were constructed of unpainted cement blocks, while others were whitewashed or painted in pastel shades. Cell towers dotted several of the taller buildings.

Other structures were damaged as a result of Saudi aircraft attacks on the capital.

As they approached 48th Street, Yusuf slowed.

Ahead of them, four vehicles blocked the intersection. Standing behind them were six armed men. Each wore once-white thobes and Western-style jackets. Stuck in their waistbands were the traditional Yemeni daggers. They held AK-47s.

One of the men motioned Yusuf to a stop.

Yusuf complied and turned to Wazir. “What do they want?”

“Perhaps more money or to find out if we support their cause. It is always the same.” Wazir shrugged.

The leader approached, his weapon aimed toward Yusuf. “Salam alaikum.”

Yusuf nodded. “Wa alaykum as-salam. How may we help you?”

“We are looking for traitors to the Houthi cause.” He stared first at Yusuf, then at Wazir.

“I think I recognize you.” The leader aimed his AK-47 at Yusuf’s head. “God is Greater, Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse on the Jews, Victory to Islam.”

Both Yusuf and Wazir recited the Houthi slogan.”

The man frowned and aimed his weapon at Prince Sami. “Does he not support our cause?”

“Please, he is a visitor from outside Yemen. He does not know our ways.”

The man grunted as he continued to stare at Prince Sami.

After several tense moments, the leader motioned for them to continue. “Teach your friend our ways. We might not be so generous next time.”

Yusuf nodded and pulled through a gap that opened between the vehicles.

Wazir pointed ahead to the left. “There’s the Yemeni-Chinese Friendship Hospital. Should we take Prince Sami and have his wound looked at?”

“No.” Yusuf shook his head. “It is too close to the Houthi roadblock. Better to head straight to Prince Hussein’s and have someone treat him.

“Okay.” Wazir pulled out his cellphone and dialed Prince Hussein’s number.

Perhaps more next time.

Vendetta Draft CoverAs previously mentioned, mynext novel will be Vendetta, the sixth story in my Bedlam series. The first three chapters are now finished and posted to the two subscription writing sites I use. There were another fifteen reviews this week, bringing the total to forty-three.

The cover is a filler, as the final cover won’t be done until the entire first draft is completed.  I’ll begin posting snippets of this story soon.

Here’s the revised description in case you haven’t seen it:

The Bedlam organization proceeded with their plans to create a fourth operational team, based in Pretoria, South Africa. The existing team leaders, Craig Cameron, Col Trevor Franklin ®, and Lady Evelyn Evinrude are sent to assist the designated advisor with team member selections.

What should be a routine deployment is anything but as they’re targeted by unknown assailants. Who or what organization is after them, and why?

While assisting with the creation of the new team and searching for those trying to eliminate them, Craig, Trevor, and Evelyn are given a new operational mission.

The Council of Vengeance, controlled by an extremist militant group, seeks to overthrow the Nigerian government through a culture of urban violence, political corruption, and juridical impunity. Extortion, bribery, kidnapping, and murder are part of the group’s modus operandi as they surge forward toward their objectives.

How will the Bedlam teams fare in the face of adversity? Or will the militants’ efforts be rewarded?

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