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Randall’s Rambling’s, July 17, 2016

Randall Krzak

Yesterday afternoon, we were treated to a horizon filled with sailboats–the annual sailboat race from Port Huron to Mackinac Island. According to a note from the Associated Press, 214 boats were participating this year.  While we have a ringside seat, the boats were too far from shore to make much out other than the myriad sail colors. Still, it’s always a site to behold.

If your birthday was yesterday or today, congratulations and may you have many more. Notable personalities with birthdays on July 16th and 17th include: Ida Bell Wells, journalist; Anita Brookner, writer; Dag Solstad, Norwegian novelist and playwright; Eric Stanley Gardner, detective writer and creator of Perry Mason; Donald Davie, English poet and literary critic; James Purdy, writer; and Laszlo Nagy, Hungarian poet.

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

Last week, I provided snippets from my ongoing novel, ‘A Malicious Affiliation’. I’ll provide more next time, but today I’d like to share from my latest short story, ‘Trek For Survival’:

The Cessna 182 single engine plane circled around Mount Kilimanjaro. Jomo Matu, the owner of Matu Explorations, beamed with pride as he veered around the mountain while his three passengers snapped away.
 
As the aircraft began to rotate, Jomo worked the controls to return to a gentle glide, perspiration breaking out across his forehead as muscles tightened, his face in a grimace as he fought a losing battle. The plane pitched downward, throwing Jomo forward. His head met the windscreen, almost knocking him out.

“Our Father who ar—” Marc prayed while Maddison and Michael closed their eyes and held hands.

 
 The wing slammed against the side of the mountain, ripping away and putting the plane into an uncontrolled slide away from Jomo’s intended landing zone. Tail first, the craft shot over the edge of a small cliff and flipped over.
More next week.

My Work in Progress

Another busy week with work outdoors taking priority over writing. No further progress on ‘A Cartel’s Revenge’, although the three chapters I’ve posted on my two subscription writing sites have received a total of seventy-five reviews for me to sift through.

I completed the first draft of ‘Trek For Survival’ and will be editing for the remainder of the weekend before posting to the two writing sites for review.  Based on discussions with one of my stalwart reviewers, I’m also considering using the story as a basis for a longer work, either a novella or a novel.

‘Trek For Survival’ will be submitted for consideration in an anthology being organized through http://writers-net.club.  The club is always looking for new members, so click on the link and check them out.

Editing of my short story ‘Countdown to Extinction’ continued, but at a slow pace. It will be submitted to a contest next month. Didn’t have any time left over to work on ‘A Malicious Affiliation’ but hope to be back at the manuscript next week.

 

Books I’m Reading

I received a copy of ‘Camelot Games’ for an advanced read. Won’t spill the beans as the author is still working with his editor, but it’s a winner!

I’m also scurrying to finish reading two other novels, recently completed by fellow writers on one of the subscription sites before the stories go to editors.

Watch this space for upcoming news about these novels!

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

I’ve expanded this section from being only about blogs that I follow but also introduce you to some new authors and a few writing sites. Hope you’ll check out the links!

Kerry J. Donovan – If you haven’t stopped by to read Kerry’s website, you’re missing out on some great works by a superb crime and thriller author. He recently released ‘The Collection’, a selection of dark stories and flash fiction.

Stellar Animals – who says pictures don’t tell a thousand words? Check out this collection of cats, dogs, and other animals.

Writing Resources

I don’t have any new writing resources to share this week.  I hope to have something as soon as I resume my research, but it might be the end of August as I’m tying up various loose ends with the short stories. Have an enjoyable weekend.

Once again, we’ve reached the end of another ramble.  Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing.  Until the next time, thank you for reading!

© Copyright 2016 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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Randall’s Ramblings, July 10, 2016

Randall Krzak

Was your birthday yesterday or today? If so, according to historynet.com yesterday you shared a birthday with Ann Radcliffe, an English novelist; Dorothy Thompson, journalist; Oliver Sachs, author; and June Jordan, poet and author.

Notables born on July 10 include: Marcel Proust, French novelist; Saul Bellow, writer; Alice Munro, Canadian writer; Jeremy Herman, songwriter; and Arlo Guthrie, folk singer.

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

Last week, I mentioned I’d begin including snippets of ‘A Malicious Affiliation’, the second novel in my Bedlam Series. The story begins in Port Rashid, Dubai:

Intelligence indicated at least ten terrorists kidnapped seven people, threatening to kill them if the ship’s owners didn’t meet their demands. The ship was in port between cruises, with most crewmembers enjoying time with their family and friends.

Trevor moved forward, flipped him over, and secured his wrists with plastic zip ties.

“Where are the hostages?

“Go to hell.”

The guy tried to spit on Trevor, who shove a gag into his mouth, and secured his ankles.

“Don’t go away, mate.”

The assailant kicked at Koning’s head but missed. A paralyzing blow to the man’s thigh dropped him. Koning grabbed the assailant in a chokehold, pressing on the carotid artery until he collapsed.

After securing his hands and feet, Koning prodded the man until he regained consciousness.

“No dossing (sleeping). Where are the hostages?”

“Huh?” The man shook his head.

“Ag man (oh man). Are you dof (stupid)? Where are the hostages?”

Koning grabbed the man and propelled him into the wall, knocking him out.

“Lekker dux (sweet dreams).”

More next week.

My Work in Progress

Another busy week with yard work taking priority over writing. No further progress on ‘A Cartel’s Revenge’, although the three chapters I’ve posted on my two subscription writing sites have received a total of sixty-four reviews for me to sift through.

Editing of my short story ‘Countdown to Extinction’ continued. It will be submitted to a contest next month. Didn’t have any time left over to work on ‘A Malicious Affiliation’ but hope to be back at the manuscript next week.

I did begin a short story, ‘Trek For Survival’, which will be submitted for consideration in an anthology being organized through http://writers-net.club.  The club is always looking for new members, so click on the link and check them out.

Books I’m Reading

Two weeks ago, I returned to one of my favorite authors, Clive Cussler. I use his novels not only for reading pleasure but also as a sort of classroom text, where I analyze how certain scenes were designed. Mr. Cussler teamed with Boyd Morrison to create ‘The Emperor’s Revenge (The Oregon Files).

Another masterful stroke by Mr. Cussler, as the story leaps through history to modern times and an attempt by a Russian man and his daughter to make billions by electronic robbery. The story begins with an arranged escape from an island prison and an unplanned death. Prior to his imprisonment on the island, the man escaped from Russia with a massive treasure, apparently lost through the years.

The Corporation, led by Juan Cabrillo, is quickly mired in events as the Russian woman siphons their funds from a bank account. I enjoyed the tension and fast pace of this story, and like most of Mr. Cussler’s works, the ‘good guys and gals’ win, although they paid a heavy price, the death of one of their own.  If you’re a Cussler fan, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this one, too.

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

I’ve expanded this section from being only about blogs that I follow but also introduce you to some new authors and a few writing sites. Hope you’ll check out the links!

Kevin Brown Poetry – A Northern Irish poet in Belfast, Mr. Brown writes romantic poetry. Enjoy the journey.

Her Dog’s Blog – Over the past couple of weeks I introduced blogs related to cats. It’s only fair I share something with our canine lovers.

Writing Resources

I don’t have any new writing resources to share this week.  I hope to have something as soon as I resume my research. Have an enjoyable weekend.

Once again, we’ve come to the end of another ramble.  Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing.  Until the next time, thank you for reading!

© Copyright 2016 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved.

 

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Randall’s Ramblings, July 3, 2016

Randall Krzak

Happy Fourth of July to those celebrating! Hope everyone has an enjoyable weekend.

We have plenty of sunshine to begin our day, the lake is calm and glistening, with a pleasant 75F/24C temperature forecast. If it continues, we’ll get our kayaks out and enjoy the water.

This will be a short ramble due to the holiday weekend.  Regards to all.

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

Last week I provided a few line from my first venture into a futuristic/alternate world as I prepare a short story as a contest submission. I dubbed this, ‘Countdown to Extinction’. Here’s the final installment:

Sam walked around the impression, stopping at the drill bit. After running a short diagnostics program to ensure there weren’t any hidden issues, he instructed the MUA to resume drilling operations.

With a whirl and a roar, the bit sank into the rock and continued its trek.

By the time Sam reached the surface, a new communiqué arrived:

Cargo pods and transports ETA ten minutes.

Once the digger-bots commenced their tasks, he sat on his basalt perch and composed a voice message.

“Inbound vehicles arrived intact and on schedule. Drill operations proceeding according to Tasha’s plan. Recommend launching first wave of tankers.”

“Tasha, look. Our wild ideas saved Earth.” Sam pointed at the fleet of tankers returning to the planet, filled with life-saving water. “We did it!”

My Work in Progress

It’s been a busy week with my works in progress. ‘A Cartel’s Revenge’ remains on hold for the next week or so, pending critiques from a group called Round Table Pals, where we take turns reviewing three chapters written by the six participants. Once the group finishes, I’ll be making edits and continuing to write.

The first draft of my short story ‘Countdown to Extinction’ is now complete. I have about a month to polish the story before the submission deadline

The first chapter for the second book in the Bedlam Series, ‘A Malicious Affiliation’ is now complete and posted to the two subscription writing sites I use. In just a few days, II received eleven critiques. A couple of areas to tweak, but overall very positive feedback. Next week, I’ll include some snippets in my ramblings.

This week I also submitted a short story, ‘A Dangerous Occupation,’ based on ‘A Cartel’s Revenge,’ to the Thriller/Suspense Film and Screenplay Festival. Short submissions had to be 400 words or less.

Books I’m Reading

As part of my ongoing reading, I’ve switch to one of my favorite authors, Clive Cussler. I use his novels not only for reading pleasure but also as a sort of classroom text, where I analyze how certain scenes were created. Mr. Cussler teamed with Boyd Morrison to create ‘The Emperor’s Revenge (The Oregon Files). My comments will be posted next week, as I’m only about halfway through the book.

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

I’ve expanded this section from being only about blogs that I follow but also introduce you to some new authors and a few writing sites. Hope you’ll check out the links!

Philip Lloyd – a gifted and witty writer, published in more than 100 magazines in twelve countries. Philip also shares his knowledge learned over the years with other writers, helping them to expand their horizons.

Katzenworld – to follow up on the two blogs I highlighted last week regarding cats, here’s another  for cat lovers.

Writing Resources

I don’t have any new writing resources to share this week.  I hope to have something as soon as I resume my research. Have an enjoyable weekend.

Once again, we’ve come to the end of another ramble.  Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing.  Until the next time, thank you for reading!

© Copyright 2016 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved.

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Randall’s Ramblings, June 19, 2016

Randall Krzak

Happy Father’s Day to all fathers and fathers-to-be! Hope everyone has a great day.  I received a fantastic card from my son regarding Dad-speak, what they say and what they mean.  He knows I spend a lot of time reading, so I also received an Amazon gift card, which will be used to add more to my e-book collection.

This week’s ramble is a bit short as real-life activities are taking me away from the computer. I’ll try to make up for the shortfall next time.

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

As I announced last week, my first novel, ‘The Kurdish Connection’ is now under contract. Last week I submitted a short story, ‘Lakeside Retreat’ for possible inclusion in an anthology through http://writers-network.club. It’s in the hands of the editor now.

In an effort to expand my writing capabilities, I’m entering a short story contest through one of the subscription writing sites I used. The theme is futuristic/alternate world.  I don’t recall ever attempting some in the genre, so it will be a stretch to come up with something I think is worthwhile to submit. 

I’m tentatively calling this story, “Countdown to Extinction. Here’s a blurb:

Sam recognized the voice, but was surprised by the call. “Who’s calling?”

A chuckle passed through the air to Sam’s audio implant. “I’m sure you recognize my voice. For the record, I am Jesus Ali, Supreme Leader of the Earth Confederation.”

“Yeah, I remember you. You’re the one who scoffed at my idea about the center of Mars being a block of ice. I lost my job because of you and haven’t worked since.”

“Uh … yes. Can we put that aside?”

“Why should I? You ruined our lives. Tasha and I were happy, until you ….”

“Dr. Rogers. I’m sorry for what happened. Your theories were too outlandish to be considered viable. But now … you might be our only hope. Earth’s water is contaminated. Our scientists estimate we’ll run out of usable water in six months.”

“Beg.”

Perhaps more next week.

My Work in Progress

I finished the prologue for ‘A Cartel’s Revenge’ this week. However, rather than posting, I’m putting it aside. After reading the reviews for the first three chapters, I’m going to remove a couple of scenes from the first chapter and move them into the second and third. I’ll also expand upon other scenes. Once that’s finished, I’ll be ready to re-post.

I did manage some additional research and added a bit more to my outline for the second book in the Bedlam Series, ‘A Malicious Affiliation.’ All being well, by the end of June I hope to begin a draft of chapter one.

Books I’m Reading

I’m back to my norm book review after participating in the ‘Sunset Thriller’s beta review. Only finished fifty percent of the book I’m currently reading, so it’ll be next week before I provide my comments.

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

I’ve expanded this section from being only about blogs that I follow but also introduce you to some new authors and a few writing sites. Hope you’ll check out the links!

Suigeneris_Shahili – a unique perspective presented by blogger, Shaili Mitra.

Writing Resources

I don’t have any new writing resources to share this week.  I hope to have something new for next week as my research increases. Have an enjoyable weekend.

Once again, we’ve come to the end of another ramble.  Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing.  Until the next time, thank you for reading!

© Copyright 2016 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved.

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Randall’s Ramblings, June 12, 2016

Randall Krzak

According to the calendar, yesterday was still considered a spring day. The temperature didn’t seem to care what date was on the calendar. We reached eighty-eight degrees Fahrenheit (31.1C), worthy of any summer’s day. Our cats and Tyson, the boxer dog, were flaked out, even inside with the air conditioning chilling the rooms.

Falling in line with this year’s topsy-turvy weather, today’s forecast is sixty-five degrees. I woke up about five a.m., to a reddish glow across the horizon, waves lapping at the shore. At least at the moment, there’s brilliant sunshine with nary a cloud in the sky. Long may it last!

A follow-up to last week’s comments regarding the local ‘no-kill’ shelter’s annual event: I mentioned three of the four dogs looking for homes were adopted by attendees. I’m pleased to report the fourth one found a home this week.

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

I’m very pleased to report ‘The Kurdish Connection’ my first novel in the Bedlam series, is now under a publishing contract with Moonshine Cove Publishing, LLC.  Needless to say, I’m delighted and look forward to working with publisher Gene Robinson and his team!

No further snippets from ‘The Kurdish Connection’ at this time, but I’d like to share a few lines from a short story, ‘Lakeside Retreat’, which I finished yesterday:

Angry clouds hovered over the lake, changing the deep azure surface to a cold gray. A cool breeze picked up speed, skimming across thirty miles of water, chasing whitecaps to the shore. Lightning bolts crackled, expanding the air. Thunder rumbled, growing in volume, as the lightning intensified.

“Ma, you alright?” Cecil Cardinal wrapped a wing around his wife as they huddled on branches of a Scotch pine.

“Yes, Pa. Stop frettin’.” Caitlyn spread a wing across her stomach. “Junior’s kickin’. Must be the storm.”

“I told you, we should go further inland during these storms.” Cecil shook his head to clear the raindrops now falling through the branches.

“Yes, Pa. But I wanted more seeds from the green feeder.”

“Cheapskate human. It’s spring, so we don’t get the good seed. He bought the economy stuff.”

“Now, Pa. At least he makes sure there is plenty to eat.”

***

The deer pushed through a final line of trees. They reached the bottom of the embankment and paused, listening. Ahead of them, a long black ribbon often filled with life-taking danger.

“Now, children, pay attention.” Willow Whitetail pointed with a paw. “We must cross the cordon. What should we do first?”

“Stop,” Winter said, beating her brother to the first instruction.

“What else?”

“Look and listen.” Woodstock glared at Winter.

“Show me.” Willow waited as her children stepped forward to do her bidding.

“Okay, Momma,” they chimed together.

“Let’s do it.”

Willow and the children reached the middle of the black expanse when twin beams of light dazzled them, bringing them to a halt in mid-stride. They stood, mesmerized, as a strange rumbling increased in volume.

“Run, children, run!” Willow screamed at Winter and Woodstock. They bounded to safety as she stood her ground.

My Work in Progress

This week, I concentrated my writing on ‘Lakeside Retreat’ for possible inclusion in an anthology organized by the Writer’s Network Club. The theme is nature, and as indicated above, I chose the birds and animals that surround us to be my cast. Or did they choose me? Will keep you advised of this story’s progress.

I didn’t have a change to continue my in-depth research for the second book in the Bedlam Series, ‘A Malicious Affiliation.’ Hope to continue this week. Likewise, I had little time for adding to ‘A Cartel’s Revenge’ but plan to post a prologue and perhaps chapter four to the two subscription writing sites I use for initial critiques.

Books I’m Reading

I completed my review of another book written by one of the ‘Sunset Thrillers’ beta group. Since this is unpublished material, I won’t be providing any public feedback, but once the story’s available to everyone, I’ll be happy to do so. Now, I’m putting my notes together to provide to the writer. This will conclude the initial teaming of the ‘Sunset Thrillers’.

I’m back to my regular reading and reviewing of published books and will share a new review next week.

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

I’ve now expanded this section from being only about blogs that I follow but also introduce you to some new authors and a few writing sites. Hope you’ll check out the links!

Kenton Woods – Check out Kenton Woods’s blog and follow his journey as a writer and his outlook on life.

Tracey Clark – Tracey provides a peek into her second book in the Finders Keepers series. The first book, ‘Shocking Finds‘, is already available through Amazon.

Writing Resources

I don’t have any new writing resources to share this week.  I hope to have something new for next week as my research increases. Have an enjoyable weekend.

Once again, we’ve come to the end of another ramble.  Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing.  Until the next time, thank you for reading!

© Copyright 2016 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved.

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Randall’s Ramblings, June 5, 2016

Randall Krzak

Here we are in June, trees are in bloom, and  gardeners and farmers are busy with necessary planting and the weather’s better.  Yesterday, our local ‘no-kill’ animal shelter had a daylong charity event. In addition to sponsoring an ‘ask the vet’ booth and providing two hundred forty bottles of water and four cases of soft drinks, we put up a canopy and took along crafts and other things to raise additional funds. The outpouring of volunteer support was fantastic to see, at times there seemed to be more volunteers than visitors.  That said, I’m sure they did well with their primary annual fundraiser, and three dogs were adopted on the spot.

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

Quiet on the news front regarding contacts with publishers. Perhaps this coming week will provide something exciting. At least, I can hope.

A bit more from ‘The Kurdish Connection’:

By early afternoon, they found a pleasant spot at the base of several large boulders to rest and eat the goat cheese and cucumber sandwiches provided by the hotel. Fatigue caught up with them from all the climbing, but they wanted to finish their Zelve excursion in one day.

Willie stopped in his tracks and turned around.

“Ya smell that?”

Aiden grinned, recognizing the familiar aroma. “Come on, Willie, lead us on, eh?”

“Let’s head down the path between the trees.”

They rambled along, heads twisting from side to side. Willie kept muttering, “Stronger, stronger—the nose knows!”

In front of them, a dozen foreigners leaned against various rock formations and a few trees, looking like Woodstock rejects. Music played in the background while they passed around joints and wine bottles.

An elderly woman approached Dersim as he returned to his vehicle. She held out her wrinkled, arthritic hands. “This is all I own of value. My husband’s—the Turks killed him.” On one palm lay a gold watch; on the other, six small gold coins, still attached to red ribbons, customary gifts given to couples on their wedding day.

My Work in Progress

This week, I concentrated my writing on a short story for possible inclusion in an anthology organized by the Writer’s Network Club. The theme is nature. I won’t provide any details yet, but will have the story completed within a couple of weeks.

I’ve also commenced in-depth research for the second book in the Bedlam Series, which I’m calling ‘A Malicious Affiliation.’  Here’s my initial synopsis:

United Nations’ sanctions are crippling North Korea. China has turned her back on her malevolent partner. The North Korean military machine is crumbling, unable to function. Oil reserves are minimal and the government seeks new alliances.

Cargo and tourist ships are disappearing along the Somali and Kenyan coastline at an alarming rate. Speeches abound in the United Nations, but inaction emboldens Al-Shabab to seek their next prize: Kenya. The terror organization controls land but requires weapons.

Soon after Bedlam Bravo is called upon to disrupt their plans, a VIP’s son is kidnapped while on a Peace Corps mission. Can they manage to disrupt the North Korean-al-Shabab axis and save the kidnapped son?

Team leader Colonel (retired) Trevor Franklin leads the small international team into East Africa. Tempers flare as the team is embroiled in a political quagmire. The axis must be stopped to avert an international crisis but will it be at the expense of the VIP’s son?

Books I’m Reading

I completed my review of another book written by one of the “Sunset Thrillers’ beta group. Since this is unpublished material, I won’t be providing any public feedback, but once the story’s available to everyone, I’ll be happy to do so. Now, I’m putting my notes together to provide to the writer and moving to the last book of the group.

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

I’ve now expanded this section from being only about blogs that I follow but also introduce you to some new authors and a few writing sites. Hope you’ll check out the links!

Lonely Blue Boy – written by Juan Sendison, who shares his poetry and thoughts with us.

Sacha Black – an interesting collection of writing tips and news by Sacha.

Writing Resources

I don’t have any new writing resources to share this week, although you might find something of interest in Sacha’s blog.  I hope to have something new for next week. Have an enjoyable weekend.

Once again, we’ve come to the end of another ramble.  Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing.  Until the next time, thank you for reading!

© Copyright 2016 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved.

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Randall’s Ramblings – May 29, 2016

Randall Krzak

People around the United States are gathering with friends and family to enjoy the three-day weekend. Parades, parties, picnics, etc., are the agenda. Many know that Memorial Day is a time to honor our war dead. Cemeteries will be ablaze with small flags placed near the graves of those who served our country.

Borne out of the Civil War, Memorial Day is a good time to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. We should honor not only those who wore a uniform, but the countless men and women who served this country with honor and distinction in civilian roles and lost their lives doing so. 

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

I had exciting news this week. Of the many submissions I sent out in April, a publishing house contacted me requesting I send them the full manuscript. According to their website, ninety percent of submissions don’t make it past the initial query stage.

My manuscript will be sent to them tomorrow, after I finish a bit of fine-tuning and making sure the format is adjusted to their requirements.  Fingers crossed!

A bit more from ‘The Kurdish Connection’:

Ismet glared at Ben as Abdel translated. He unbuttoned his shirt to expose the purple-red scarring extending from his neck to his waist. Separate scars covered part of his face and around his right eye. As he stood, Ismet trembled, gasping for breath.

The rest of the day passed without incident; Ben learned MSF procedures and assisted with patients. He dealt with an elderly man in severe pain who needed a dentist, not a doctor, a young boy who fell and scraped an elbow and both knees, and a teenager looking for a magical cure for zits.

The man glanced around and lowered his voice. “My cousin can take you to Zakho. It’d be much faster, four hours. Special price for you, only two hundred thousand Iraqi dinars. If you pay with dollars, one hundred fifty.”

Be quicker, but can the ‘cousin’ be trusted or is this a set-up to rob a naïve foreigner? Jake shook his head. “No thanks, mate. I’m in no hurry. Curious about the length of the trip, but I’ll take the bus.”

More next week. If you’d like to read compete chapters, check out channillo.com.

My Work in Progress

Critique reviews of  ‘The Kurdish Connection’ continued this week. As always, I found excellent recommendations to improve the story.  My review is now complete through chapter eighteen. This past week I finished editing chapters fifteen and sixteen, and they’re re-posted to the two subscription writing sites I use. I also hacked away at chapter seventeen, a mission status report, and reduced it the wording to orders sent to the Bedlam team.

I began writing a short story for possible inclusion in an anthology organized by the Writer’s Network Club. The theme is nature. I won’t tell you want my story is about, yet, but the tentative title is ‘Lakeside Survival’.

Books I’m Reading

I completed my review of a book written by one of the “Sunset Thrillers’ beta group. Since this is unpublished material, I won’t be providing any public feedback, but once the story’s available to everyone, I’ll be happy to do so. Now, I’m reviewing another group member’s work.

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

I’ve now expanded this section from being only about blogs that I follow but also introduce you to some new authors and a few writing sites. Hope you’ll check out the links!

Oliver Chase’s Take on Life – a selection of short stories presented by Oliver, author of Levant Mirage, which I reviewed last week.

Miss Sissinghurst – a blog featuring advice and inspiration from writer and master gardener Vita Sackville-West.

Writing Resources

I don’t have any new writing resources to share this week as time ran out.  I hope to have something new for next week. Have an enjoyable Memorial Day weekend.

Once again, we’ve come to the end of another ramble.  Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing.  Until the next time, thank you for reading!

© Copyright 2016 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved.

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Randall’s Ramblings – May 22, 2016

Randall Krzak

Dare I tempt fate? Shh. We’ve had sunshine for the past week with temperatures ranging from 58 to 70.  Being on one of the Great Lakes, that’s good enough for this time of year. We continue to host a bevy of visitors in our apple tree, from blue jays, cardinals, to Baltimore orioles, rose-breast grosbeaks, and a pair of hummingbirds. Even a small squirrel partakes of the culinary delights waiting for our friends.

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

It’s been quiet on the writing front this week–no publishing house rejections (or offers). In the meantime, writing continues as and when external requirements allow.

Last week I mentioned joining channillo.com and posting chapters. I now have fourteen followers and three subscriptions. Off to a good start!

A bit more from ‘The Kurdish Connection’:

“We always anticipated something like this.” Afran rubbed at the patch over an eye lost in a Turkish attack the previous year.

“I agree—back home too much talk but no action.” Dersim continued in a whisper. “This is why some of the money from selling our goods will be given to help them.”

This was the first of many discussions regarding their support of the PKK freedom fighters, or as the Turkish government referred to them–terrorist.

An elderly woman approached Dersim as he returned to his vehicle. She held out her wrinkled, arthritic hands. “This is all I own of value. My husband’s—the Turks killed him.” On one palm lay a gold watch; on the other, six small gold coins, still attached to red ribbons, customary gifts given to couples on their wedding day.

Shades of ebony, crimson, and gold gave way to a deepening cobalt sky as the sun’s rays burned away the night. A lone golden eagle circled high above, scanning the ground in search of food.

“I used to sell brass, copper, carpets, other tourist things. Foreigners said my prices too cheap. Someone called me Charlie—I thought good name for business—Cheap Charlie’s.”

“What happened to your store?”

“Sold stuff too cheap, go out of business.”

More next week. If you’d like to read compete chapters, check out channillo.com.

My Work in Progress

I continued reviewing critiques and the “Sunset Thrillers” beta group feedback of ‘The Kurdish Connection’. As always, I found excellent recommendations to improve the story.  My review is now complete through chapter seventeen. This past week I finished editing chapters thirteen and fourteen, and they’re re-posted to the two subscription writing sites I use. Work on chapter fifteen is well underway and I hope to have it completed and posted this evening.

I also continued editing my submission for a Strongest Start Book Competition, ‘A Cartel’s Revenge’. Chapter one is now completed and posted.

Books I’m Reading

During the past week I finish reading ‘Levant Mirage‘ by Oliver F. Chase. This is a fast-pace and exciting read.  U.S. Army Major Adam Michaels‘ life is a roller-coaster ride, wealthy, divorced, a promising career shattered because of a battlefield mistake. On the brink of being forced out of the military, terrorists have Adam in their sights. The terrorists figured a way to use technology developed by Adam and two others in a forgotten life to threaten billions of people. Even the two who helped develop the technology aren’t what they seem. A riveting story that’s hard to put down once you begin reading.

I’m also reading a book written by one of the “Sunset Thrillers’ beta group. Since this is unpublished material, I won’t be providing any public feedback, but once the story’s available to everyone, I’ll be happy to do so.

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

I’ve now expanded this section from being only about blogs that I follow but also introduce you to some new authors and a few writing sites. Hope you’ll check out the links!

Sideways Eight Series – by AJ Wallace. I introduced AJ and her first novel, ‘Mindfield‘ a few weeks ago, but want to remind readers of this up and coming author.

James Radcliffe – Check out the blog of James Radcliffe–musician, writer, and spoken word artist. He donates a percentage of his profits to a charity helping orphaned children in Nepal.

Writing Resources

A writing colleague suggested two books to me this week:

The Scene Book – by Sandra Scofield. The author provides advice on creating more effective scenes.

Making a Scene – by Jordan Rosenfeld. Learn the fundamentals of constructing a strong scene and how character, plot, and dramatic tension function without the overall framework.

Once again, we’ve come to the end of another ramble.  Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing.  Until the next time, thank you for reading!

© Copyright 2016 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved.

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Randall’s Ramblings – May 15, 2016

Randall Krzak

The weather has been up and down along Lake Huron this spring. On Thursday, the temperature reached 76 degrees. Last night, we had frost warnings, and even though the sun is brightly shining at the moment, the forecast is calling for rain and/or snow showers. The rain, sure we can always use some. Snow, no thanks. Ugh!!

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

On Friday, I received a nice “no thank you” email from a publishing house, indicating my work was read with great interest but they felt they couldn’t represent me. They further stated they have to think very carefully before taking on new writers and there are always multiple factors involved in the decision.

At least someone took the time to respond, which is appreciated, even if the answer was no. While I would have liked to know what factors were involved in their decision, that’s an impossible request as publishing houses deal with thousands of submissions.

Will this deter me from writing? Of course not. Why should it? This is part of the journey and I’ll keep sending submissions as I strive to improve my craft.

A bit more from the Kurdish Connection:

“Oh, but he’s got nice black hair and those eyes—brown and dark like the best coffee beans.”

“But his nose. You see its shape? Broken more than once if you ask me.”

Jake rubbed his nose after the last comment and the two women turned to face the front of the bus. Nothing wrong with my nose. Got in the way of too many kicks before I mastered Tae Kwon Do.

Whipping out a long knife, the man reached over and grabbed the clerk’s arm.

“Give me the information—or lose the arm.”

The clerk gasped and grabbed a piece of paper.

“Not so hard, was it? Forget you saw me.” With a last wave of the knife, the man disappeared into the night

Aiden and Willie met in the Kelebek Cave Hotel’s lobby before morning prayers finished. They sat on padded benches and leaned against thick cushions with small hand-carved tables nearby. A waiter brought them Turkish coffee with extra milk and sugar.

In front of them, a dozen foreigners leaned against various rock formations and a few trees, looking like Woodstock rejects. Music played in the background while they passed around joints and wine bottles.

More next week. If you’d like to read compete chapter, check out channillo.com (more about this later in this post).

My Work in Progress

With ‘The Kurdish Connection’ being my first novel, my energies are concentrated on making this story the best I can produce.  This week I received excellent feedback from the other three members of the “Sunset Thrillers” beta group. Honest opinions, telling me what worked for them and what didn’t, and the reasons behind their comments.

I continued reviewing critiques of ‘The Kurdish Connection’. As always, I found excellent recommendations to improve the story.  My review is now complete through chapter fifteen. This past week I finished editing chapters eleven and twelve, and they’re re-posted to the two subscription writing sites I use. Work on chapter thirteen is underway and I hope to have it completed and posted by mid-week.

Editing of the first three chapters of ‘A Cartel’s Revenge’, which will be my submission for a Strongest Start Competition being held by one of my writing sites, continued at a slow pace this week due to external factors.

Books I’m Reading

I finished reading ‘The Jungle (The Oregon Files Book 8)’ by Clive Cussler and Jack Du Brul, two of my favorite authors. As with all of the plots in the Oregon Files, Mr. Cussler and Mr. Du Brul have created a roller coaster ride for the reader. While Captain Juan Cabrillo’s Corporation completes the mission as normal, a crew member’s capture and close escape from death was intense. Even Captain Cabrillo faced certain death or injury from a suicide bomber.  I thoroughly enjoyed the ride through the myriad of twists and turns, so the reader is left trying to decipher who is behind the problems facing the Corporation. Through in a spy or two and it’s a masterful work. 

As with their other books, these are just for my reading pleasure but to also study craft techniques, which I can apply to my own work. So in this case it was work and personal time, rolled into one.

I’m currently reading ‘Levant Mirage’ by Oliver F. Chase, and will provide a review next week.

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

I’ve now expanded this section from being only about blogs that I follow but also introduce you to some new authors and a few writing sites. Hope you’ll check out the links!

Write Your Book With Me – Dr. Douglas W. Cooper, Ph.D., a former Harvard professor, is a professional writing coach and author who’s put together an excellent guide to helping writers of all skill levels. We first met through the Writers Network Club, and I thought I’d share his information with you today.

Channillo.com – A digital publishing platform for serialized literature. Since its launch on March 30, 2015, hundreds of writers have joined Channillo to publish their work in categories such as fiction novels, short stories, essays, columns, journal entries, and poetry. The prologue and first chapter of ‘The Kurdish Connection’ are published here, with a new chapter being posted each Friday.

Writing Resources

I don’t have any new writing resources other than Dr. Cooper’s link above to share this week as time ran out.  I hope to have something new for next week.

Once again, we’ve come to the end of another ramble.  Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing.  Until the next time, thank you for reading!

© Copyright 2016 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved.

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Randall’s Ramblings – May 8, 2016

Randall Krzak

First and foremost:  Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers and mothers-to-be.  Hope your men are taking good care of you on your special day.  The weather’s been great all week here and we’ve started Mother’s Day with brilliant sunshine.

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

This is the second time I’ve tried to write my ramblings today.  I was about to hit save when Shadow, one of our cats, decided to jump from the floor and landed on the keyboard. Despite every possible effort to recover what I wrote, whatever combination of keys he landed on ensured that nothing was found.  So, here we are, thirty minutes later, and I’ll begin again. Shadow’s outside in the sunshine, which is what he wanted.

I completed my final submission to a publishing house, at least for now.  I’m concentrating on editing and fine-tuning my manuscript.  Later this week I’ll be attending an online conference meeting with the other members of my group to receive their assessment of my writing. I’m looking forward to the session.

During the past week I also received feedback from three editors who reviewed the first 4,500 words of my manuscript. I received some good advice, which is always helpful, but also disagreed with some recommendations as I felt they changed the context of the story. I’m sure all writers go through this and it’s part of the journey.

A bit more from the Kurdish Connection:

When he entered the canteen, Jürgen sat at a table in the corner, remnants of three boiled eggs center stage on his plate as he spread jam on his toast. He wiped a hand across his beard to shake loose any crumbs as CC approached. “Guten morgen. Are you ready for another exciting day?”

Jürgen worked on what turned out to be a T-pillar, believed to be near the center of the structure, about fifteen feet high, with a circumference of twelve feet. As Jürgen cleared away soil and debris from the sides of the pillar, he spotted a figure. “Gott im Himmel! Might be a lizard.”

As the men climbed back up the hill, CC spotted a slender, dark-haired man. Dressed in baggy pants, loose-fitting shirt, and floppy hat, he appeared to be another Turkish worker, but the backpack slung over his shoulder seemed out of place. He turned in a circle as if trying to gather his bearings, and rushed away. CC kept an eye on the man until he disappeared.

Once they arrived in Al-Bab, Dave drove around to show Ben various areas of the flourishing city of 150,000 inhabitants. Leaving the M4 and entering the city, the streets became narrow, crammed with trucks, buses, cars, with occasional donkey-drawn carts and wandering pedestrians. Whitewashed buildings jostled for space, with small stores embedded among apartment blocks

Across the street, a short, thin man dressed in a black didashah, with a red and white shumaq huddled in the shadows, watching and waiting. He adjusted the shumaq around his neck to keep the evening chill at bay. Where are the foreigners?

More next week.

My Work in Progress

I continued reviewing critiques of ‘The Kurdish Connection’. As always, I found excellent recommendations to improve the story.  My review is now complete through chapter fifteen. This past week I finished editing chapters nine and ten, and they’re re-posted to the two subscription writing sites I use. Work on chapter eleven is underway and I hope to have it completed and posted by next Sunday.

Editing of the first three chapters of ‘A Cartel’s Revenge’ began this week, as this will be my submission for a Strongest Start Competition being held by one of my writing sites.

Books I’m Reading

This week I began reading ‘The Jungle (The Oregon Files Book 8)’ by Clive Cussler and Jack Du Brul, two of my favorite authors.  As with their previous book, I’m looking to read a good thriller and also analyze the plot, characters, and scene, so I can improve my writing.

Next week I’ll provide a review of this book. I’ll also resume reading lesser-known authors, and have three books waiting for my attention.

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

I’ve now expanded this section from being only about blogs that I follow but also introduce you to some new authors and a few writing sites. Hope you’ll check out the links!

The Porcupine Quill – An excellent article by publisher Tim Inkster providing advice to writers. The article is under the About Us tab.

Creative Indie with Derek Murphy – Derek provides a wealth of information based on his own experiences to help writers.

Writing Resources

I don’t have any new writing resources to share this week as time ran out and I was unable to devote and research efforts.  I hope to have something new for next week.

Once again, we’ve come to the end of another ramble.  Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing.  Until the next time, thank you for reading!

© Copyright 2016 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved.