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Randall’s Ramblings, June 22, 2025

Randall Krzak

Happy Belated Summer Solstice and Happy Summer! Friday was the longest day and shortest night in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s also the first official day of summer.

The past week has seen temperature continue to rise into the low nineties with high humidity. There has been a few thunderstorms and showers, sometimes both. Unfortunately, the rain doesn’t seem to temper the humidity. The next week is supposed to see ever hotter temperatures, approaching 100 degrees. Starting today and for at leas the next eight days, it’ll feel like it’s 101-106. Yikes!

The Detroit Tigers had a mixed week, with only two wins and four  losses, bringing their record to 48-30. Fortunately, the other teams in the American League Central Division didn’t fare much better, so Detroit still has an eight game lead over second place Cleveland. Fingers crossed that the Tigers can roar back this coming week!

“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” – Robert Frost. Compliments of https://getfreewrite.com/blogs/writing-success/55-motivational-writing-quotes.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on June 22nd, the twenty-fifth Sunday of 2025 and the fourth one in June. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Jacques Delille, French poet and translator (The Gardens’: A Poem); Henry Rider Haggard, British author (King Solomon’s Mines, She, Dawn); Frank Damrosch, German-American author and music teacher (founded NY Musical Institute of Musical Art, later Julliard); Franz de Backer, Belgian writer (White Enemy; Ruben’s Daughter); Erich Maria Remarque, German novelist (All Quiet on the Western Front); Willem Jacobus du Plooy Erlank (Eitemal), South African poet and professor in Afrikaans and Dutch literature at the University of Stellenbosch; Anne Morrow Lindbergh, American author and aviator (Gift from the Sea); Lilo Hardel, German writer; Cicely Saunders, English nurse, physician and writer who founded the first modern hospice; Abbas Kiarostami, Iranian author and director (Under the Olive Trees, Close Up, Taste of Cherry); Octavia E. Butler, American sci-fi author (Hugo, Wild Seed); Danny Baker, English writer and radio DJ; and Dan Brown, American author of thriller fiction (The Da Vinci Code).

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me this week: Erich Maria Remarque and Dan Brown. 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

This week, I’ve been busy editing chapters in the manuscript of Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion based on reader feedback. All chapters are now posted to the two online subscription sites I use. There were eight new chapter reviews this week, bringing the total to 246. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s another snippet:

Mary Todd Lincoln, a native of Kentucky, clutched the newspaper in her hand. She reread the article before tossing the paper in the fire, turning to one of her closest friends, black seamstress Elizabeth Keckley. “I cannot believe the audacity of that newspaper. Imagine saying my stepbrother died at the hands of my husband’s mercenaries. Instead, they paint me as a vulgar person trying to mimic European fashions. Little do they know my heart still belongs to the South.”

“Which stepbrother were they referring to, Mary?”

“Samuel. He joined the Confederate Army when the war began and served in the 24th Louisiana Infantry.” She wiped tears from her eyes. “He was killed in action at the Battle of Shiloh.”

Elizabeth stepped forward and took Mary’s hands. “I am so sorry for your loss.”

A look of steely determination crossed her face. “I must do what I can to help the South, even if it means going behind Abraham’s back.”

“What will you do?”

Mary shook her head. “I do not know—yet. I will never betray my husband or the Union. But there must be something I can do for the brave Confederate soldiers. Perhaps ‘Wild Rose’ may have an answer.”

“But, Mary, isn’t Rose Greenhow still in the Old Capitol Prison?”

May nodded. “Yes, she is. However, Abraham let it slip one evening that Rose will be exchanged for several Union prisoners of war. I believe her network is still operational, so there might be someone who can help us.”

“I think I know just the person.” Elizabeth smiled.

“Who?”

“Me.”

“What are you saying, Elizabeth?”

“Mary, I carry messages for you to President Davis, if that is your wish.”

“I-I must think about this. I couldn’t bear to lose you.”

More next time.

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

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, June 15, 2025

Randall Krzak

Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers. Did you know there are several countries where father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June.  In addition to the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, India, and Mexico celebrate today. The use of the third Sunday in June was inspired by a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd in 1910, who wanted to honour her father, a single parent who raised six children. She believed that just like Mother’s Day, fathers too deserved recognition. June was chosen because it was the birth month of Sonora’s father. compliments of https://www.fluorescentstudios.in/blogs/fluorescent-stories. I hope all fathers have an enjoyable day!

The past week has seen temperature in the upper eighties with high humidity. There has been thunderstorms and showers almost every day or evening; sometimes both. Unfortunately, the rain doesn’t seem to temper the humidity. Another thunderstorm is predicted for this afternoon. 

The Detroit Tigers continue their winning ways, with four wins and two loses this week, bringing their record to 46-26. As a result, they are now nine games ahead of second-place Minnesota in the American League’s Central Division. Keep going, Tigers!

“Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.” – Barbara Kingsolver. Compliments of https://getfreewrite.com/blogs/writing-success/55-motivational-writing-quotes

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on June 15th, the twenty-fourth Sunday of 2025 and the third one in June. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Hiob Ludolf, German orientalist (Historia Aethiopica, Grammatica Aethiopica); François-Xavier Garneau, French Canadian notary, poet, and historian (Histoire du Canada / History of Canada; Konstantin Balmont, Russian writer; Ramon Lopez Velarde, Mexican poet (La Sangre Devota); Wilbert Awdry, British Anglican cleric and children’s writer (Thomas the Tank Engine); Cees Bantzinger, Dutch cartoonist and illustrator; Hilda Terry [Theresa Hilda D’Alessio], American cartoonist (Teena) and first female member of the National Cartoonists Society; Saul Steinberg, Romanian-American cartoonist and illustrator (The New Yorker); Marshall Field IV, American newspaper publisher (owned Chicago Daily News); Amy Clampitt, American poet (The Kingfisher); Erland Josephson, Swedish actor, dramatist and author (The Sacrifice, Utflykt); aime Sabines, Mexican poet (Tarumba, Maltiempes); Ray Coleman, British author (biographies of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Brian Epstein, and Phil Collins), and music journalist (Melody Maker); Brian Jacques, British author; Xaviera Hollander [de DeVries], Dutch call girl, brothel keeper, and author (The Happy Hooker); Robert Keppel, American detective and author (Signature Killers); and Adam Rapp, American playwright and author (Red Light Winter).

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

This week, I’ve continued editing chapters in the manuscript of Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion based on reader feedback. All chapters are now posted to the two online subscription sites I use. There were eighteen new chapter reviews this week, bringing the total to 238. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s another snippet:

President Lincoln stared at the man seated in front of his desk. “I issued a war order in January authorizing the Army of the Potomac to launch a unified attack against the Confederacy under your command. Why have you not done this?”

General George McClellan cleared his throat. “I—I, Mister President, may I remind you that at the time, I recommended a two-month postponement before I attacked Richmond.”

“You overstep yourself, sir. Of course, I remember. However, the two months have passed, and I’m unaware of any movement toward the Confederate capital.” Lincoln stood and gazed through the curtains outside. “I’m disappointed that the insurgent leader still roams as a free man.”

Lincoln sighed as he returned to his desk, picked up a letter, and handed it to General McClellan. “Sir, you try my patience. Do as I order in that letter, or you shall be replaced forthwith.”

“Yes, Mister President.” McClellan jumped to his feet and saluted. “By your leave, sir.” He dashed from the room.

***

Latimer stood on the banks of Newport News, Virginia. He glanced at the crowd of Confederate supporters assembled to witness the first naval engagement between ironclad ships and shook his head. They’re liable to be victims if the ships miss each other and the rounds fly through the air.

He launched one of his birds and directed it toward a scuttled Union frigate, the U.S.S. Merrimac, now rechristened as the C.S.S. Virginia.

The battle ensued between a new Union ironclad ship, the U.S.S. Monitor, and the Virginia. Smoke filled the air, blocking sight of the two ships.

Latimer’s bird circled the Monitor, taking photos of the revolving turret housing two eleven-inch Dahlgren guns. These blasted away at the Virginia, firing its three nine-inch Dahlgren bow guns.

Later, when Latimer retrieved his bird and developed the film, he found neither ship had caused much damage to the other. After hours of shelling, both ships retreated, with the Monitor heading to the Union-held Fort Monroe while the Virginia steamed toward her home port at the Gosport Naval Yard in Portsmouth.

Although Latimer’s bird did record hits on the Monitor’s armored pilothouse, it was still battle-worthy. “Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat!” He continued to study the image of the Virginia and found it had suffered some damage with a number of loosened armor plates and a riddled smokestack, which reduced her speed but she was still ready for a fight.

Stepping to the tent flap, Latimer opened it. “Lester, come here.”

Lester stepped inside the tent. He lost the lower part of his left arm in the First Battle of Bull Run to a Yankee cannonball. Still short of his eighteenth birthday, assisting Latimer was his way of remaining in the fight against the Yankees. “Yes, suh?”

“Please begin loading the wagon. As soon as my new images are dry, I want to head to Richmond and give them to President Davis.”

“Yes, suh. Right away.”

More next time.

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

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

 

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Randall’s Ramblings, June 8, 2025

Randall Krzak

It’s hard to believe, but exactly fifty-two years ago today, I graduated from high school. Where have all the years gone?

It’s been getting warmer each day over the past week, hitting 91 degrees before a thunderstorm came into the area last night and cooled things a little bit. More rain and another thunderstorm is predicted for today, along with high winds.

The Detroit Tigers played seven games this week, winning four and dropping three. Their record is now 42-24. Despite a lack luster week, they’ve clung onto first place in the American League Central Division, with a seven-game lead over 2nd place Minnesota. For now, Detroit also has the best record in MLB. Go Tigers!

“I get a lot of letters from people. They say, ‘I want to be a writer. What should I do?’ I tell them to stop writing to me and get on with it.” – Ruth Rendell. Compliments of https://getfreewrite.com/blogs/writing-success/55-motivational-writing-quotes.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on June 8th, the twenty-third Sunday of 2025 and the second one in June. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Robert Schumann, German pianist, composer (Humoresque), and music critic (Neue Zeitschrift für Musik – New Journal for Music); Charles Reade, English novelist (Cloister & Hearth); ohn G. Bennett, British scientist and author; H. J. Friedericy, Dutch author (Last General); Albe [Renaut A. Joostens], Flemish writer (Andalusian Diary); Gerrit Cornelis Berkouwer, Dutch theologist (Dogmatic Studies); Marguerite Yourcenar, French-American novelist (Memoirs of Hadrian, The Abyss); Brian Coffey, Irish poet (Avent); Aleksandr Tvardovsky, Russian poet and editor in chief (Novyj Mir); John W. Campbell, American sci-fi writer (Moon is Hell); David Cox, British medievalist, historian and mountaineer; Kurt Barthel [KuBa], German writer and political activist; Gwen Harwood, Australian poet (The Lion’s Bride); Malcolm Boyd, American Episcopal Priest, author and civil rights activist; Kate Wilhelm, American fiction author (Hugo Award: Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang); Ivan V. Lalić, Serbian poet; Hans G. Helms, German writer and composer; Elizabeth A. Lynn, American sci-fi author (Watchtower, Red Hawk); Sara Paretsky, American crime writer (V. I. Warshawski novels); and Scott Adams, American cartoonist (Dilbert) and author.

Any names familiar to you? There wasn’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!

Cover Reveal

I received the cover for Mission: Yemen this week from http://www.darngoodcovers.com and I’m very thrilled with it. Within the next month or so, Mission Yemen will go live on Amazon. In case you’ve missed it in the past, here’s what will be on the back of the paperback:

Xavier Sear is thrust into a new adventure when he accepts an under-the-table assignment from a longtime friend and former boss, Ron Vincent. A former CIA operative, Sear takes on any and all missions that appeal to his sense of justice.

Abdullah Bashari, a retired Yemeni geologist who dabbles in archeology is embroiled in the bitter struggle between the Houthis and the government. He reaches out for help to save his family. A wealthy man, he offers to reveal a damaging secret Saudi Arabia is trying to keep hidden.

Life-threatening danger abounds as Sear visits Yemen and creates a plan to help Bashari’s family escape. However, Hussein Khan al Mishari, a young Saudi prince, threatens to undo Sear’s intervention in pursuit of his own deadly game. Who will be victorious?

My Work In Progress

This week, I’ve been busy editing chapters in the manuscript of Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion based on reader feedback. All chapters are now posted to the two online subscription sites I use. There were twenty-seven new chapter reviews this week, bringing the total to 220. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s another snippet:

Latimer processed the latest images taken by two of his birds. He shook his head as he began counting Confederate soldiers being led away. “Must be over six hundred.” He wiped the tears from his eyes. “I must get word to President Davis.” He prepared a dispatch for the president and called for a rider.

***

Minor skirmishes continued between the Union and Confederate soldiers. The first year of the war came to a close as snow fell.

Latimer pulled his coat tighter, trying to ward off the extreme cold. He stood and stomped his feet to warm himself as he glanced around his temporary lodgings with the Confederate troops. Opening the tent flap, Latimer launched one of his birds. Might as well get some images for President Davis.

The bird soared above the bivouac.

Latimer directed it over the camp, bringing it back to him after several photographs were taken. He processed the film and studied the results.

Some soldiers were busy with close-order drills pushed on them by their officers. Others stood around small fires trying to warm themselves.

Latimer sat at his small writing desk and wrote a letter.

Dear Mister President,

I enclose several images of our brave Confederate soldiers as they endure the winter hardships. Cold, deep mud, rain and snow are their constant companions. Their silent response to the conditions bring me to tears. These are tears of pride as our men’s dedication to the cause does not waver.

Yours respectively,

Latimer

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

Continue reading “Randall’s Ramblings, June 8, 2025” →

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Randall’s Ramblings, May 18, 2025

Randall Krzak

On Thursday morning about two a.m., I happened to look out the window of the back bedroom. There were seven deer grazing in the moonlight. Although their coats are brown at this time of year, they appeared to have silvery coats in the moonlight. It was a great treat to see.  On Saturday morning, just before eight a.m., there were deer foraging. Tommy, one of our three rescue cats, was busy watching them from our enclosed deck when a loud clap of thunder disturbed the calm setting. Like a bolt of lightning, Tommy scampered inside and ran into the garage to hide. He didn’t re-appear for at least an hour. Poor Tommy! Is this where the term, scaredy-cat, came from?

The Detroit Tigers played another six games over the past week. They won four of them and lost last twot. Their record is now 30-16. Not only are they on top of the American League’s Central Division with a four game lead over Minnesota, right not they have the best record in the MLB. Go Tigers!

“Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them. ” – Ralph Waldo Emerson. Compliments of  https://getfreewrite.com/blogs/writing-success/55-motivational-writing-quotes.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on May 18th, the twentieth Sunday of 2025 and the third one in May. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Omar Khayyám, Persian mathematician (cubic equations), astronomer (Jalali calendar, basis of the Persian calendar), poet (quatrains), and philosopher; Stefano della Bella, Italian printmaker; Nicolas-Marie-Charles Barbier de la Serre, French soldier, invented the use of raised dots for writing (Louis Braille later used); John Wilson, Scottish writer and literary critic; Sydir Vorobkevych, Ukrainian composer, poet, newspaper editor, and Orthodox priest; William Heinemann, English publisher (Heinnemann); Franiska [Franny] zu Reventlow, German writer and feminist; Ernst Wiechert, German writer (The Simple Life); Gunnar Gunnarsson, Icelandic writer (The Church on the Mountain); Rudolf Carnap, German American philosopher (German Logical Positivist); Juan José Domenchina, Spanish poet and interpreter (sombra desterrada); Michael Berry, Baron Hartwell, British newspaper proprietor, journalist and editor in chief of the Daily Telegraph (1954-85); Charles Wintour, English journalist (The Evening Standard; Francois Nourissier, French journalist and writer (Un petit bourgeois; La crève); Barbara Goldsmith, American author (Little Gloria…Happy At Last); Fred Saberhagen, American sci-fi author (Book of Swords; Berserker stories); Olzhas Suleimenov, Kazakh poet, writer and anti-nuclear activist (Nevada-Semipalatinsk); W. G. Sebald, German-born writer (Austerlitz); Stuart Gannes, American writer (Fortune); and Diane Duane, American sci-fi author (Door into Fire).

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

All gears are going full steam as progress with Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion continues. All chapters are now posted to the two online subscription sites I use. There were twenty-eight new chapter reviews this week, bringing the total to 136. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s another snippet:

In mid-July, Brigadier General Beauregard brought his horse to a halt near the bivouac his men had laid out. He jumped off and tossed the reins to an aide before strolling into his command tent.

Several men sitting around the able jumped to their feet.

He waved them to their seats as he studied a map of the Manassas area. He pointed. “I want a defensive position laid out along the south bank of the Bull Run River. We’ll guard a stone bridge on the left, since we’re only about twenty-miles from Washington.” Beauregard glanced around the table. “Where’s Brigadier General Kirby Smith? Hasn’t he arrived yet with the 4th Brigade?”

A tall, thin man with thick busy chops extending to either side of his mouth, stood. “Sir, I’m Colonel Francis Bartow. General Smith is still with Brig. Gen. Joseph Johnston and the other brigade commanders. They will arrive within twenty-four hours.”

Beauregard nodded. “Thank you. How come you’re already here?”

The general wanted me to support Colonel. J. E. B. Stuart’s arrival. He brought about three hundred Virginian cavalrymen with him.” He pointed toward the tent’s entrance. “They are bivouacked out yonder.”

“Excellent.” Beauregard glanced at the others. “Gentlemen, you are dismissed. See to your commands and prepare for battle. We shall attack the Yankees as soon as General Johnston arrives. I expect the Yankees will outnumber and outgun us, but our Southern ingenuity and our bull-headedness will see us win the battle.”

After the officers departed, a civilian remained seated. “Excuse me, General. President Davis asked me to speak with you.”

“And you are?”

The man stood. “Sorry, General. I’m Barnabas Latimer. I’ve designed some machines—I call them automatons—which you might find of some interest.”

The general waved Latimer to a seat and sat across from him. “I did hear a rumor about this. Can you show me?”

Latimer nodded. “Of course, General.” He picked up a pouch and extracted a ten-inch by ten-inch image.” I used one of my machines to capture your arrival.” He slid the image across the table.”

As Beauregard studied the image, his jaw dropped. “How in tarnation did you manage this, Latimer? I didn’t spot anyone following me.”

Latimer reached back into the pouch and extracted a palm-sized bird from it. The bird sat on the table chirping and flapping its wings before taking flight, flying around the tent before landing near the general’s hand.

“Sir, you are a genius!” Beauregard chuckled. “How many of these critters do you have?”

“I made six, General, along with some mice.”

The general nodded. “With your—what did you call them?”

“Automatons.”

“With your automatons, we’ll be able to track the Yankees and learn their plans.”

“Yes, General. Except, I need to be nearby to control them and print out what they capture with their onboard cameras. To do this, I shall require a tent, some supplies, and an assistant.”

The general rubbed his hands together. “Give me a list of what you require and you shall have it.”

More next time.

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

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, May 4, 2025

Randall Krzak

Mother Nature decided to give the forecasters a break. We were supposed to have multiple thunderstorms overnight-only had one brief storm. Supposed to be a rain-free day today, and I hope that bears out as we’ll be at a local farmer’s market.

The Detroit Pistons won gave five of their best-of-seven series with the New York Knicks, but lost game six, ending their season. Hopefully, Detroit will bounce back when the new season begins.

The Detroit Tigers played seven games over the past week, winning four of them. Their record is now 21-13, and they are still in first place in the American League Central Division, with a game and a half lead over Cleveland.

“You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it.” – Octavia E. Butler. Compliments of https://getfreewrite.com/blogs/writing-success/55-motivational-writing-quotes.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on May 4th, the eighteenth Sunday of 2025 and the first lone in May. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Richard Graves, English writer; Friedrich Arnold Brockhaus, German encyclopedia publisher; Horace Mann, American educator, author, abolitionist and politician who pioneered public schools; William H. Prescott, American historian; Joseph Whitaker, British publisher (Whitaker’s Almanac); Mynona [Salomo Friedlaender], German-Jewish philospher and writer (The Creator); Ramiro de Maeztu, Spanish writer (Don Quixote & Celestine); Wilhelm Lehmann, German writer; J. W. F. Werumeus Buning, Dutch poet (Daily Bread); (Nicolaas) “Cola” Debrot, Dutch lawyer, doctor, author and politician (Governor of the Netherlands Antilles, 1962-70); Lincoln Kirstein, American writer and impresario; Jeroom Verten [Jozef Frans Vermetten], Flemish playwright; Emmanuel Roblès, Algerian-French novelist and playwright (Lesson Hauteurs); Jane Jacobs, American-Canadian author and urbanologist (The Death and Life of Great American Cities); Peter Blum, Afrikaan poet (Capricorn; Gerlind Reinshagen, German novelist, children’s book author, and playwright (Himmel und Erde (Heaven and Earth)); Carlos Monsiváis, Mexican writer and political activist,; Amos Oz, Israeli author (My Michael); Robin Cook, American physician and novelist; Monika van Paemel, Belgian writer (Accursed Fathers); Narasimhan Ram, Indian journalist (The Hindu); Graham Swift, British author (Waterland, Last Orders); and Ishita Bhaduri, Indian (Bengali) poet.

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

Things are moving forward with Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion. The first twenty-three chapters are now posted to the two online subscription sites I use. There were eighteen new chapter reviews this week, bringing the total to ninety-eight. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s the first snippet:

In the spring of 1848, Johann Spreckler, a tall, thin man in his early thirties,  maintained a small workshop in the Jura mountain region of Switzerland. A watchmaker by trade, his true passion was trying to create completely mechanical animals and machinery. Using the tools and parts from his trade, he developed the inner workings of life-size mice that would move about his worktable with amazingly realistic movements.

In his delight, he shared his little toy mouse with his friend, Carl Ludden. His friend was astounded at the machine.

The shiny brass rodent moved about the desktop but, eventually ran off the edge and crashed to the floor.

“I must find a way to control the movement,” Johann said.

That was where his troubles began. For ten years he worked late into the night after his shop closed, trying to develop a mechanism to control his various machines. If he was to control the workings of his creations, he needed a power source other than winding the mechanism as you would a clock.

One night, Johann was overcome by fatigue and rested his head on his workbench. In a dream, he saw the materials needed to create not only a power source, but a signal that would give the machines the ability to move on their own naturally. When he awoke before dawn he set about forging the materials needed to create the power source.

It took another three years for the ‘accumulator’ to be perfected. To his amazement, the creatures took on near-perfect behaviors. They no longer ran off the edge of his bench, but would scurry about the floor avoiding chair legs, hopping onto the rugs. To Johann’s astonishment, the smaller versions would crawl up his sleeve and rest on his shoulder while he worked. Something magical, even mystical occurred in the accumulator’s wiring.

Johann didn’t understand what he had created but was thrilled at the results.

He thought his toys to be innocent fun. He prepared a dozen mice, a small palm-sized bird that would fly about the room, and a miniature man who would sweep the floor with a small straw broom. He planned to offer his wondrous toys for Christmas.

In his shop, he allowed two of the mice to scurry over the counter.

The bird sat on the shelf chirping and flapping its wings. Without any command, it would take flight, circle the room, and come back to the shelf.

When a customer reacted, Johann would proudly tell them the creatures were for sale and quote the price. To his utter and complete disappointment, no one was interested, and in a lot of cases, the customers were terrified of his creatures and fled the store.

The snow was drifting and piled against the front of Johann’s watch shop the morning the mayor, the town elder priest and a rich landowner came into the shop.

From their scowls, Johann knew it wasn’t a cordial visit. He welcomed them. “Good morning, gentlemen.”

It was at that moment the bird lifted from the shelf and looped around the shop.

The priest made the sign of the cross.

The landowner turned to the mayor. He whispered, “See, what did I tell you?”

“Where did you get that creature?”

Johann smiled broadly. “I made him.”

“How can a man create something that is alive?” the priest asked.

‘It does imitate a bird, but I would not say it was alive. After all, it doesn’t eat, drink, or breathe.”

“Satan is the ultimate imitator,” the priest replied. “He has his way of imitating all things that are true and pure in God’s creation.”

“How did you learn to make these creatures?” the mayor asked.

Johann didn’t fully reflect on the way his answer would sound.  “It came to me in a dream.”

The priest turned to the major. He spoke in a soft voice. “De profundis clamavi ad te. (Evil calls for help from evil).”

“Do you renounce Satan and all his work and ways?” The landowner acted as if he was performing an exorcism.

“I think you misunderstand my work gentlemen. I am a watchmaker. The toys are but machines. Is a clock or watch a thing of the devil?” Johann tried to hide his fear of where the conversation was going.

The priest could barely contain his anger. “All day long they distort my words. All their thoughts are against me for evil.”

“I am not evil. I am a simple watchmaker and inventor. Why do you see me as doing something against God? He doesn’t enter into this work. I have made innocent toys.”

The landowner slapped his hat against his palm. “To lead children astray. To remove God’s creation with imitations.”

“This will not do,” the mayor said. “I cannot let this distraction from the Church go on in my city. I order this shop closed. I will send the chief magistrate to lock and secure it.”

“You can’t!” Johann protested.

“I can and I have,” the mayor snapped.

More next time.

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

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, April 27, 2025

Randall Krzak

It’s been another wet week, with mainly light rain, although there were a couple of thunderstorms. I still managed to get some painting done on our shed, which hadn’t seen a lick of paint in years as the wood was weather beaten. Now it looks pristine.

Over the past week, the Detroit Tigers played six games, winning four and losing two and raised their record to 17-10, the best in the American League. They’re currently in first place in the Central Division, with a game and a half league over second place Cleveland.

The Detroit Pistons played two more games in their best-of-seven against the New York Knicks, splitting the games. The Knicks are 2-1 up against the Pistons, with game four scheduled for later today.

“Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them. ” – Ralph Waldo Emerson. Compliments of https://getfreewrite.com/blogs/writing-success/55-motivational-writing-quotes.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on April 27th, the seventeenth Sunday of 2025 and the fourth and final one in April. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Mary Wollstonecraft, English writer and feminist (A Vindication of the Rights of Woman), mother of Mary Shelley; Alfred Julius Becher, Austrian journalist and composer; Herbert Spencer, British philosopher (Social Statics) and sociologist; Gerben Colmjon, Frisian linguist and publisher; Jules Lemaître, French critic and dramatist; ohan Skjoldborg, Danish writer (Dynaes-Digte); André Baillon, Belgian-French author (Un homme si simple); Hubert Harrison, West Indian-American writer and freedom fighter; Walter Lantz, American cartoonist (Woody Woodpecker’s creator); Frank Belknap Long, American writer (Rim of the Unknown); Cecil Day-Lewis, Irish poet (British Poet Laureate 1968-72) and detective writer (Nicholas Blake); Julian Stryjkowski, Polish journalist and writer known for his radical leftist leanings; Yórgos Theotokás, Greek novelist (Leonís); Muriel C. Bradbrook, English writer (That Infidel Place); Georges Dargaud, French publisher (Astérix, Tintin); Franz Weyergans, Belgian writer and translator (Les Gens Heureux); Albert Soboult, French historian; John Alfred Scali, American journalist and diplomat; Edwin Morgan, Scottish poet (At Eighty); Martin Gray, Polish-born American writer, holocaust survivor; John Burningham, English author and illustrator of children’s books (Mr Grumpy’s Outing; August Wilson, American Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright (Fences; The Piano Lesson); and Russell T. Davies, Welsh TV writer and executive producer (Doctor Who, Queer as Folk).

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

My Work In Progress

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

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

I’ve posted the first twenty chapters to the most active of the two online subscription writing sites I use. The posts are coming faster than my readers normally critique, but so far the story has received  eighty chapter reviews. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.

Here’s a bit more about the story.

Chapter one begins with Johann, a Swiss watchmaker. His hobby is creating completely mechanical animals and machinery. The chapter closed with my moving to North Carolina, where he sets up his watchmaking shop. He is visited by Barnabas Latimer, who spots Johann’s mechanical animals and is intrigued, as he envisions a use for them in the pending American Civil War.

Chapters two through six are a whirlwind run through the war, showing how Latimer uses his cunning to create additional animals and machinery to aid the South. We meet Union Captain Finn Harding (hence the title, Harding’s Challenge) in chapter four. In chapter six, the war comes to and end with a twist.

The remainder of the story centers around Latimer (who turns out to be an evil man), Finn Harding, and Latimer’s daughter Evie. Finn and Evie meet in chapter seven and it turns out they have something in common: hatred for Latimer. As story unfolds, they plot Latimer’s demise, become romantically linked. I had planned to post the first snippet today, but it’s delayed until next week.

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

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, April 20, 2025

Randall Krzak

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

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

“Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations.” – Ray Bradbury. Compliments of https://press.barnesandnoble.com/bnpress-blog/inspirational-quotes-writing/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on April 20th, the sixteenth Sunday of 2025 and the third one in April. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

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

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

My Published Work

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

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

My Work In Progress

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

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

I’ll post the first snippet next week.

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

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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

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Randall’s Ramblings, March 6, 2025

Randall Krzak

We had plenty of rain and thunderstorms at the beginning of the week, but more thunderstorms are forecast for today, along with hail. The past couple of days the temperatures rose into the upper 80s, making it feel quite steamy.

Michigan State lost to Auburn 70-64 in the NCAA Elite Eight, ending their season. Perhaps next year they’ll go all the way!

Meanwhile, the Detroit Pistons have been splitting games, with their record now 43/35. They’re still on track to make it to the post season, and are currently in the sixth and final position for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. There are only a few games left in the regular season, so they’ll still be in the playoffs.

After losing the first three games of the MLB season, Detroit has bounced back and are currently 4-4. Despite a .500 record, they are in first place in the American League Central Division, with Kansas City, Cleveland, and Minnesota all a game behind with 3-5 records. Chicago is in the bottom of the division with a 2-6 record.  Detroit and Chicago play again today.

“The secret of it all is to write… without waiting for a fit time or place.” – Walt Whitman. Compliments of https://press.barnesandnoble.com/bnpress-blog/inspirational-quotes-writing/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on April 6th, the fourteen Sunday of 2025 and the first one for April. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Johann Kuhnau, Bohemian composer (Biblical Sonatas), kapellmeister, novelist, and lawyer; Jean-Baptiste Rousseau, French playwright and poet (Sacred Odes & Songs); James Mill, Scottish philosopher and historian (History of British India); John Pierpont, American poet (Airs of Palestine), Unitarian minister, abolitionist and reformer; Aaron Bernstein, German Jewish writer (Young Germany; Alexander Herzen, Russian writer; Aasmund Olavsson Vinje, Norwegian poet and journalist (Travel Memories from Norway 1860); Johann Scheler, Belgian librarian and man of letters; Joseph Medill, Canadian newspaper editor, owner and politician (co-owned Chicago Tribune, Mayor of Chicago 1871-73); Karl Binding, German jurist whose writings were used to justify the Holocaust; Joseph Lincoln Steffens, American muckraker and investigative journalist (Shame of the Cities); Erich Mühsam, German author and political anarchist; Daniel Andersson, Swedish poet and writer (Svarta Ballader); Willis Hall, British screenwriter and dramatist (Torn Curtain; Billy; Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure); ohn Pepper Clark, Nigerian poet (A Decade of Tongues; Mandela), playwright (Song of a Goat), and magazine editor (The Horn), often published as J.P. Clarkl Homero Aridjis, Mexican poet and novelist (Mirándola dormir, The Child Poet); Hans W Geissendorfer, German director, writer and producer (Lindenstrasse, Soliloquy, In the World You Are Afraid); Jack Canfora, American playwright; and Ilan Hall, Israeli-American chef, producer and writer (Food to Get You Laid, Knife Fight and Guy’s Grocery Games: All-Star Invitational).

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

My Work In Progress

I completed chapter seventeen of Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series this week. It’s now been posted to the two online subscription writing sites I use. There were another six reviews this week, bringing the total to 235. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s another snippet:

After Mongo and Akin departed, Obasi turned to the others. “Black Shadow is one of the largest groups in Nigeria. Some call us criminals, but like Robin Hood, we take from the rich and give to the poor—ourselves.”

Everyone laughed.

“As you probably surmised, Mongo is the leader of Black Shadow, and I am his deputy. We engage in drug dealing, smuggling, kidnapping, and extortion across the country and are a prime target for Nigerian law enforcement and intelligence organizations.”

“Cool!” Musa blushed.

Obasi glanced at Musa. “You’re right. It is cool—and also dangerous. We met not long ago with the leaders of the four groups we are in competition with and have formed an alliance called the Council of Vengeance. Your roles at UNIBEN will be to push our influence with the student body and faculty and find like-minded individuals who think like we do. We want to create chaos between those targeting us and have them chasing their own tails.”

“Count me in.” Ibrahim pursed his lips. “I know just the person to target—my father. He’s a member of the National Intelligence Agency and tries to get me to spy on other students.”

Obasi nodded. “Yes, he and others like him will make excellent targets. While we’re concentrating on UNIBEN, where Black Shadow started back in the seventies, the other members of the Council of Vengeance will be doing the same in different cities.” He drained his chapman. “Together, we shall create mass mayhem as we continue to flourish.”

***

Freedom Park

Lagos

At the same time as Mongo and Obasi’s meeting took place at the Euphoria Lounge Bar, two other members of the Council of Vengeance met at the Freedom Park in Lagos.

Kelechi Bello, leader of the Renegade Kings, and Chinaka Zabu, the leader of the Crimson Fangs, sat at a table in the deserted picnic area.

Each man brought one armed guard with them.

Kelechi studied Chinaka’s face. “Since you wanted to meet, I assume you feel the same about Mongo’s Council of Vengeance as I do.”

“Yes.” Chinaka nodded. “It sounds like a good idea. However, what if this is a ploy by Mongo to expand his operations by preying on us? I propose we go along with what he wants, but we must be vigilant and watch for anything that might be our undoing.”

“You speak wise words for someone new to our way of life.” Kelechi tilted his head. “I agree with your sentiments. But what should we do if we catch Mongo or his Black Shadow trying to distract us and take over?”

Chinaka laughed. “I can think of only one solution—death.”

“So be it.”

More next time.

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

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, March 30, 2025

Randall Krzak

We’re seeing temperatures mainly in the upper 60’s and mid 70’s as we move into Spring. It’s been mainly sunny for the past week, although we had plenty of clouds throughout yesterday. Today, we’re supposed to have a couple of showers and possibly a thunderstorm before we zoom into the lower 80’s at the end of the coming week.

The NCAA’s March Madness continued this week with the University of Michigan losing their Sweet Sixteen game to Auburn 78-65, so that finishes their 2024-25 season. Meanwhile, Michigan State scooted past Ole Miss 73-70 to move into the Elite Eight where they’ll play Auburn later today. The winner will move into the Final Four.

The Detroit Pistons are now 42-32. Right now, they’re still in the top six in the conference and will continue into the playoffs if they can win several of their remaining games.

The Detroit Tigers opened their MLB regular season on March 27th against the LA Dodgers. I was able to watch two of the three games. Unfortunately, Detroit lost all three. What a bummer!

Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations.” – Ray Bradbury. Compliments of https://press.barnesandnoble.com/bnpress-blog/inspirational-quotes-writing/.

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

Jethro Tull, English agricultural writer; John Hawkins, English writer (A General History of the Science and Practice of Music; Life of Samuel Johnson); Anna Sewell, English author (Black Beauty); John Fiske [Edmund Fisk Green], American historian and philosopher; Paul Verlaine, French lyric poet (Sagesse; Clair de lune; Hombres); Franz Oppenheimer, German sociologist and economist (The State); Sean O’Casey, Irish playwright (Juno and the Paycock); Melanie Klein, Austrian-British author and child psychoanalyst (object relations theory); Erwin Panofsky, German-American Jewish art historian and iconologist (Early Netherlandish Painting); Jean Giono, French writer (World Chant); Heinz Risse, German writer; Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay, Bengali writer (Satyanweshi, Tungabhadrar Tirey); Ernst Gombrich, Austrian-English art historian (The Story of Art); Herbert Asmodi, German writer and actor; Milton Acorn, Canadian poet; Ingvar Kamprad, Swedish eccentric businessman (founder of IKEA) and author (The Testament of a Furniture Dealer); om Sharpe, English historian and author (Riotous Assembly, Want); Graeme Edge, British rock drummer, and poet (Moody Blues – “The Dream”; “Morning Glory”); Gerrit Komrij, Dutch poet/essayist (Happy Schizo); Ryszard Kotla, Polish travel writer and activist, tour guide, journalist, academic teacher, engineer; and Piers Morgan, English newspaper editor and TV personality (Daily Mirror, CNN).

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me this week: Anna Sewell andPiers Morgan. 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 had hoped to complete chapter seventeen of Vendetta, the sixth novel in my Bedlam series this week, but ran out of time. There were another thee reviews this week, bringing the total to 229. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s another snippet:

That same evening, Mongo left his house and strode toward the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door Coupé parked in the driveway. He nodded at the armed guard who held the back door open and ducked as he entered.

The guard handed Mongo a sealed envelope. “This came by messenger.”

“E se, Akin.”  Mongo thanked his bodyguard in the Yoruba language.

Akin showed a toothless grin, the result of a beating at the hands of the authorities, before closing the door and hopping into the front passenger seat.

Mongo studied the handwriting on the envelope. Don’t recognize the writing. Wonder who it’s from?  He pulled an obsidian letter opener from a map pocket on his door and slit the envelope. He replaced the letter opener and pulled out a sheet of paper.

Beware! Things might not be as they seem. Eyes are watching over you. Take all precautions if you want to live.

The handwritten note was unsigned.

“Hmm.” Mongo stuffed the note back in the envelope and shoved it next to the letter opener.

“Where to, sir?” The driver glanced in the rearview mirror.

“Huh?” Mongo glanced at his watch. Still early, but some of the students should already be there. “Oh, take me to Euphoria.”

“Very good, sir.” The driver started the vehicle and pulled out of Mongo’s driveway. He turned left and weaved his way down the hill. They continued through the city, bright with neon signs and billboards. Thirty minutes later, the driver stopped in front of the Euphoria Lounge Bar.

Akin hurried out of the front seat and assisted Mongo out of the back.

“Akin, check inside and see if Obasi has arrived. If he has, signal to me.” Mongo glanced around before strolling toward the entrance.

Moments later, Akin stuck his head out the entrance door and waved.

Mongo climbed the single step and entered the bar.

“Obasi is at a table in the rear.” Akin pointed. “There are four others with him.

“They’ll be students who wanted to meet with me away from the university. Take up your normal position and keep an eye on them—just in case.”

“As you command, sir.” Akin led Mongo to the table before moving to the bar, where he sat on a stool facing the room.

Obasi and the others stood while Mongo took the final empty seat. “We are a small group tonight, Mongo. However, there are others who want to meet you—perhaps next week.”

Mongo nodded to a waitress who set a glass in front of him.

“Sir, would you like anything else?”

“No. Thank you.”

The waitress smiled at him as she departed.

“Mongo, you know my sister, Yoruba.” Obasi gestured to the woman sitting next to him. “Let me introduce the others. From her right, going around the table, are Musa, Ibrahim, and Ovie. You might recognize them as they”

The three men grinned as they each half-raised a hand as Obasi called out their names.

“Welcome, everyone. I apologize for cancelling the W National Park excursion, but something unexpected came up.” Mongo sipped on the drink the waitress had brought him. “I expected more interest based on comments made in my classes.” He shook his head. “Oh, well. Can’t be helped—anything could have arisen for the others as it did for me. In any event, I had planned to pick four people to function as field agents to increase our organization’s membership.

Yoruba raised a hand. “Will you do the excursion on another day?”

“Yes, of course. I had planned to have everyone swear an oath of secrecy and go through an initiation. We’ll skip the initiation for now, but to continue to hear more about us, you will need to swear an oath.” Mongo glanced at the four students, who appeared eager to proceed.

“If you’re ready, repeat after me. I, state your name, do swear upon pain of torture or even death to abide by the rules governing the organization to which I pledge my allegiance. I will never divulge what I know to any outsiders.”

The students looked at each other.

“Mongo, why such a serious oath?” Musa shook his head. “This seems like a skit from a movie, not a real-life vow.”

“If you cannot take the oath, you’re welcome to leave—now.” Mongo glared at Musa. “This is a dangerous business, and we do not take anything for granted.”

“No-no.” Musa raised his hands as if to ward off an attack. “I was just voicing my opinion.”

Mongo smiled. “Opinions are always welcome as long as the person providing them obeys the rules.”

“Understood, Mongo.” Musa lowered his head. “I am sorry if I offended you.”

Mongo glanced at Obasi. “No worries. If you’re ready, let’s do the oath.”

Everyone stood and repeated the words spoken by Mongo.

When they finished, Mongo and Obasi clapped.

The waitress returned with a tray of drinks. After setting one in front of each person, she departed.

“Welcome to the Black Shadow.” Obasi grinned as he raised a glass of chapman. “To the enrichment of those seeking to gain forbidden knowledge.”

Everyone reached for their glasses, raised them, and took a drink.

“Ugh. What is this?” Ovie grimaced.

Mongo chuckled. “Chapman. I didn’t want to use alcohol for toasting such an important event. As Obasi said, ‘Welcome to the Black Shadow.’”

“When will we learn more?” Yoruba took a swig of her drink.

Mongo glanced at his watch as he stood. “It’s getting late for me as I have another important engagement this evening. Obasi will fill you in.”

More next time.

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

© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

 

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Randall’s Ramblings, March 23, 2025

Randall Krzak

We’re now officially in Spring. The trees continue to bud, while the daffodils are now past their best, and lawns are turning green. Not a good time for those with seasonal allergies!

The NCAA’s March Madness kicked off this week, with sixty-four team vying to move forward. My two teams are both in the South bracket and have started out with wins. Michigan (5) beat UC San Diego (12) 68-65 in round one, while Michigan State (2) slammed Bryant (15) 81-62.

Michigan continued in round two with another win, this time over Texas A&M (4) 91-79. Michigan State plays New Mexico (10) in round two this evening.

Michigan is now in the Sweet Sixteen, were they’ll face Auburn (1). All being well, Michigan State will move into the Sweet Sixteen as well.

The Detroit Pistons are now 39-32, with five regular season games remaining. Right now, they’re still in the top eight in the conference and will continue into the playoffs.

The Detroit Tigers played six Spring training games this week, splitting 3-3. They are now 12-12, but still in second place in their division. They’ll begin the regular season on March 27th against the LA Dodgers.

 “When all else fails, write what your heart tells you. You can’t depend on your eyes, when your imagination is out of focus.” – Mark Twain. Compliments of https://press.barnesandnoble.com/bnpress-blog/inspirational-quotes-writing/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on March 23rd, the twelth Sunday of 2025 and the fourth and final one for March. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).

Jeronimo de Bosch Kemper, Dutch sociologist and historian (Statistic yearbook); Alekey Pisemski, Russian novelist and playwright (A Bitter Lot); Eduard Schlagintweit, German writer; Uchimura Kanzō, Japanese religious writer and pacifist (How I Became a Christian); Roger Martin du Gard, French novelist (Les Thibault, 1937 Nobel Prize for Literature); Frank Sargeson [Norris Frank Davey], New Zealand short story writer and playwright; Akira Kurosawa, Japanese director and screenwriter who was posthumously named “Asian of the Century” in the “Arts, Literature, and Culture” category (Rashomon, Drunken Angel, Seven Samurai, Ran); Francis Berry, British poet and academic (Shakespearean scholar); Jimmy Edwards, British comedy writer and actor (Take It From Here, Whack-O!); Barry Cryer, British comic, writer (The Kenny Everett Show; Ross Abbot; The Two Ronnies), and actor (All You Need Is Cash); Alan Bleasdale, English author, playwright and scriptwriter (Are You Lonesome Tonight); Kim Stanley Robinson, American sci-fi author (Mars Trilogy); Gary Whitehead, American poet; Mitch Cullin, American novelist (A Slight Trick of the Mind); Judith Godrèche, French actress (The Man in the Iron Mask; L’Auberge espagnole), and novelist (Point de côté); Randall Park, American comedian, writer, and actor (Fresh Off the Boat); and Jayson Blair, American journalist and 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

I completed chapter sixteen 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 six reviews this week, bringing the total to 226. As always, plenty of suggestions to improve my writing.

Here’s another snippet:

Evelyn glanced around the otherwise empty office. “Ahem. We’d like to make some flight reservations, please.”

Dolores eased her glasses over her eyes as she continue to blow bubbles. “Where to and when, hon?” She spoke with a New York accent.

“Well, my dear. If you could pull yourself away from your bubble blowing, we’d like to book three tickets from here to Johannesburg.”

Dolores frowned as she spit her gum into a wastepaper basket. “Don’t get uppity with me, hon, or I’ll find flights that take the longest to arrive.” She smirked. “Come back in a day or two, and I might have something for you.”

“Ahem. Our trip is rather urgent.” Trevor introduced himself. “I am Colonel Trevor Franklin, Retired. Lady Evelyn and I are on our way to meet with South African officials who requested the meeting.”

“Spaz. And I suppose Miss Smart Mouth here is the queen of England.”

“Not quite, hon. But I am a cousin of the king.”

“So? Unless the ambassador tells me to kiss your butt, you’ll wait like everyone else.”

“Perhaps we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot.” Evelyn glanced at Trevor as if to keep him quiet. “It’s imperative that we depart as soon as possible.”

Dolores popped a new piece of gum in her mouth and chewed. “Well, hon. Since you sorta apologized for your rude behavior, I’ll see what I can do.” She pulled her keyboard closer as she squinted at the screen. “You said Joburg, right?”

Evelyn bit back a retort, electing to give the woman the benefit of the doubt. “Yes, but I suspect it will be listed as Johannesburg.”

Dolores began blowing bubbles as she used two fingers to peck at her keyboard. “No direct flights.” She continued to type, tilting her head. “It looks like you won’t be able to depart for at least a week. All the economy seats out of Tocumen are booked.”

“That won’t work.” Evelyn sighed. “What about business class or first class?”

Dolores used a long fingernail painted bright red to pop a bubble. “Hon, no one, and I mean no one, gets a business class ticket without the ambassador’s prior authorization.” She laughed. “I’ve been here ten years, and I’ve never booked a first class ticket—not even for the ambassador.”

“Well, our boss authorized us to travel ASAP, even if it meant the higher-priced tickets.”

“What your boss says has no merit in this office, hon. You might as well get used to the idea you’re not going anywhere right away.”

Evelyn sighed as she pulled her Hyperion encrypted cellphone from a back pocket. Thumbing through her contact list, she selected the number she wanted and dialed, turning on the speaker phone.

Moments later, a high-pitched female voice answered. “Gosh, Lady Evelyn. It’s so great to hear from you. What can I do for you?”

“Hello, Georgia.” Evelyn chuckled. “How soon can you get CC, Trevor, and me to Joburg?”

“CC called earlier and told me to expect to hear from you, so I dug right in. I have you booked first class, which Admiral Blakely authorized, for tomorrow morning, departing at 09:30 for Washington Dulles. After a brief layover, you’ll fly to London. Here’s where it gets tricky—you’ll have a twelve-hour delay before your flight to Johannesburg.”

“Not a problem, Georgia. We can spend the day with Sir Alex. What’s the overall flight time, including layovers?”

“Let’s see.” The clatter of Georgia’s fingers on her keyboard echoed through the speaker. “Tomorrow’s Tuesday. You’ll reach South Africa on Thursday morning. The total number of hours for your trip is—holy smokes! It’ll take thirty-nine hours. I’ll arrange for transportation from Joburg to the embassy in Pretoria. CC said you’ll be meeting with Hendrik Webster, the director general of the State Security Agency, so I’ll request the embassy set up an appointment with him.”

“Many thanks, Georgia. You’re a gem.”

“Just doing my job, Lady Evelyn. Although I do wish I was going with you. I’ve always wanted to visit Kruger National Park and the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. By the way, each ticket costs just over fourteen thousand five hundred dollars.”

Evelyn laughed. “Both locations are on my bucket list. Perhaps one day we can visit them together. Glad we’re not paying for the flights, although I could use my AMEX Black Card.”

“That would be a trip of a lifetime—save your card to cover our personal flights.” George chuckled.  “I just sent the flight info to your phones.”

Pings came from Evelyn and Trevor’s phones.

“Just came in, Georgia. Many thanks.” Evelyn glanced at Trevor, who gave her a thumbs up.

“Anything else I can do for you today, Lady Evelyn?”

“No, that’s all. Thanks again for your help. Talk with you soon.” Evelyn broke the connection, put the phone back in her pocket, and faced Dolores. “You could learn a lesson or two from Georgia on how to deal with customers.”

Dolores popped more bubbles but didn’t reply.

Evelyn turned and walked out of the office, followed by Trevor.

As they walked along the corridor, Trevor chuckled. “I expected some resistance from the travel office as they always think they’re a law onto themselves. Good job in dealing with her.”

“Typical plebian. Let’s find CC and Rufus. As Robin Williams once said, “How about you and me blow this Popsicle stand?”

They both laughed as they entered the almost-empty canteen.

CC and Rufus sat at a table in the corner, nursing coffee cups. They stood as Evelyn and Trevor approached.

“I see you got things sorted.” CC tapped his shirt pocket from where his phone protruded. “The canteen is about to close. Why don’t we head to the hotel, get checked in, and find a place for dinner?”

Evelyn nodded. “You know how to talk a girl off her feet. Lead the way, my shining knight.”

Rufus stuck a finger in his throat as if he was going to puke.

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.

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