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Randall’s Ramblings, March 26, 2023

Randall Krzak

British Summer Time began today with plenty of sunshine and seasonable temperatures, although the clouds have rolled in. With a couple of windy and dry spells this week, we were able to start preparing the front flower beds for the upcoming season, but plenty more to do when it’s a bit warmer.

Here is today’s inspirational quote, especially for writers: “Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it’s the only way you can do anything really good.” William Faulkner. 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 March 26th, the fourth and final Sunday of the month, compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/:

Nathaniel Bowditch, American mathematician, astronomer and author (Marine Sextant); Louise Otto-Peters, German suffragist, women’s rights movement activist and author (The Wandering Star); Ernst Engel, German statistician and economist (Law of Engel); Eliza Laurillard, Dutch vicar, poet and writer; Betsy Perk [Christina Elizabeth], Dutch journalist, writer and pioneer of the Dutch women’s movement; Edward Bellamy, American author (Looking Backward) and socialist; A. E. Housman, English poet (A Shropshire Lad); Robert Frost, American poet (Mending Wall, Road Not Taken); Duncan Hines, American restaurant guide writer (Out of Kentucky Kitchens); Jozef Arras, Flemish writer; Mahadevi Varma, Indian poet and freedom fighter; Betty MacDonald [nee Bard], American humor writer (The Egg and I); Tennessee Williams, American playwright (A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof); Elizabeth Jane Howard, British novelist (After Julius); G. Harry Stine, American science fiction writer; Gregory Corso, American beat poet (Happy Birthday of Death, Long Live Man); Colin Webb, British fleet street editor and journalist (Press Association); Erica Jong [Mann], American author (Fear of Flying); Bob Woodward, American author and investigative reporter (Watergate, CIA crimes); Patrick Süskind, German novelist and screenwriter (“Perfume: The Story of a Murderer”); Dorothy Porter, Australian poet (The Monkey’s Mask), librettist, (The Eternity Man), and lyricist (The Fiery Maze); Natsuhiko Kyogoku, Japanese writer (Mōryō no Hako); Martin McDonagh, Anglo-Irish playwright, screenwriter and film director (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri); Anaïs Mitchell, American singer-songwriter and playwright (Hadestown – 2019 Tony for Best Musical); and Ramy Youssef, American comedian, writer and director (Ramy).

Any names familiar to you? I did well this week with four: Robert Frost, Duncan Hines, Tennessee Williams, and Bob Woodward. 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

Slide1I recently completed chapter twenty-seven of Frozen Conquest and posted it to the two online subscription writing sites I use.

Reviews continue to trickle in. Since my last update, sixteen reviews have been added, bringing the total to 513.  As always, plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

Here’s another snippet:

“Just hacking into the email account of the bank’s president. I want to find out if there’s any reaction.” He pulled up the president’s email. “Yep, he’s panicking. Customers are trying to withdraw funds using various ATMs, and they’re getting notices their accounts are empty. When word gets out about the bank crashing, major currencies might go into a freefall, at least the Swiss franc, the euro, and the dollar. This could have a detrimental impact on inflation rates, something you wanted.

“Yes, yes. But when does the money get to my account?”

“Patience is a virtue, Mister Brown.” Emmanuel pointed to the lower screen. Once at zero, the numbers began to rapidly change, finally ceasing at ten billion dollars.

“I thought you said there was more money in that bank. Where’s the rest of it?”

“Yes, there is, but I wanted to do a second text to see if I could clean them out later if I’m interrupted.” He turned and snapped his fingers.

The subordinate who began the initial withdrawal nodded and began typing.

“The rest of the money will be on its way soon, Mister Brown. Before long, the Valkyrie Bank won’t have a penny in its accounts.”

“Excellent.” Brown stood and slapped Emmanuel on the back. “Keep at it. In the meantime, I’m going to send an email to the Washington Post.”

“Yes, Mister Brown.”

* * *

Brown returned to his office, logged into his computer, and stared at the keyboard. Did Emmanuel use his keylogging software and firmware on my computer? Brown shook his head as he began to type.

To: Editor-in-Chief, Washington Post

From: Nightmare

An open letter. Please publish this as soon as possible.

If you have paid any attention to the temporary outages in Albany and the major international stock markets, you will heed this final warning.

If I don’t begin seeing drastic changes related to the current climate crisis within fourteen days, what I did to the Valkyrie Bank AG in Liechtenstein will be like a human crushing a bug. I will begin shutting down all major G7 banks, taking their money for the good of humanity and the planet. The same will happen to the stock markets. Afterward, I’ll tackle any infrastructure attached to the internet.

As I previously told the G7 central banks, failure to comply will result in the destruction of your way of life as you know it. The world cries out for truth, and I will be the sword of justice.

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 2023 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings,December 25th, 2022

Randall Krzak

Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad! Joyeux Noël! Frohe Weihnachten! Buon Natale! Prettige Kerstdagen! Feliz Natal! Wesołych Świąt! Felicem Natalem Christi!

I hope everyone has a safe and joyous Christmas!

 

We had an excellent Christmas market at the Kingsgate shopping centre in Dunfermline. A total of 138 autographed novels sold, as well as forty-three of Sylvia’s poetry books and 199 of her laminated poetry sheets. I didn’t keep an accumulated total of her new bookmarks, but just in the last five days of the market sixty-eight sold. One lady said she was putting them next to place settings to give to her friends when they came for dinner.

Over the past two weeks, motorists received an early Christmas present with the price of gasoline (petrol) dropping from £1.58 a liter to £1.47. With the current exchange rate of $1.205, this makes the equivalent cost of a U.S. gallon $6.72, 7.35, a drop of sixty-two cents!

Here’s this week’s quote: “Christmas is most truly Christmas when we celebrate it by giving the light of love to those who need it most.” Ruth Carter Stapleton.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on December 5th, the fourth and final Sunday of the year:

William Collins, English poet (Ode to Simplicity); Dorothy Wordsworth, English poet, diarist and sister of William Wordsworth; Alexandros Rhizos Rhankaves, Greek poet and statesman; Alfred Kerr [Kempner], German-British writer; Rebecca West [Cicely Isabel Fairfield], English author (Meaning of Treason); Herman Jan Scheltema [NEM Pareau], Dutch jurist and poet; Cab Calloway, American singer, bandleader (“Minnie the Moocher”; “The Jumpin’ Jive”), writer, radio host, and actor (The Blues Brothers); Quentin Crisp, English author; Henri Nannen, German journalist (Der Stern); Daniel Devoto, Argentine folklorist, musicologist, and poet; Carlos Castaneda, Peruvian-born American author and mystic (Eagle’s Gift, Fire From Within); Salah Jaheen, Egyptian poet and cartoonist; and Lex Hixon, religious teacher/author.

Any names familiar to you? I recognized one: Dorothy Wordsworth. 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

Slide1The Kingsgate was too cold inside to doing much writing. However, I finally managed to type of chapter twenty of Frozen Conquest and upload it to the two online subscription writing sites I use. Since the last update,  there were another twenty-one reviews, bringing the total to 374. As always, plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

Here’s another snippet:

Chris decoded Matthew’s latest message:

 I need more guidance. My latest Google search on Beware the Devil showed over one hundred eighty million hits. My boss says we can protect you, but we need to know your location.. Please advise.

He pursed his lips as he pondered his response. How much can I reveal? I think Sawyer is getting suspicious. He logged back onto his dark web account and began typing:

Cannot reveal any more about the devil except look at alternative words. Must add a log or two to the fire as I’m always cold. You’ve seen the attacks thus far—more to follow, so don’t delay.

After encoding the message, Chris hit send. Hopefully, he can figure out where I’m at and who is behind the attacks. He picked up his empty coffee mug and headed out of his office in the direction of the canteen.

When he entered, the snack bar was almost empty. He filled his mug, grabbed a chocolate brownie, and stopped by the cashier. Once he paid, he turned.

“Hey, Chris.”

“Uh. Hi, Sawyer. How are things going in the security world?”

Sawyer shrugged. “Same ol’, same ol’. Do you have a minute?”

“Sure.” Chris pointed to a table against the wall. “Will this do?”

After they sat, Chris turned to Sawyer. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

“Well, this is kinda delicate. As Brown’s main aide, you have access to personnel records, right?”

Chris nodded. “But as head of security, you do too.”

“Yes, but …. Each time someone accesses the files, a digital tracker makes note of it.”

“So, what’s the problem?” What’s he after?

“As I said, it’s delicate. I missed out earlier with someone because of Samson’s involvement. Can you scan Madeline’s file and check her personal information? I’m particularly interested in whether she’s married or has a significant other in her life.”

Ah! He must be falling for her. “Yes, I suppose I can do this, considering your position. However, you can’t tell anyone I did this—everyone would be after me.”

“Many thanks, Chris.” Sawyer stood and stuck out his hand. “Don’t let anyone know I’ve taken a personal interest in her.”

Chris rose and shook Sawyer’s hand. “Of course.” But it’ll be useful to have this over his head if I ever need his help.

He bought another coffee refill before returning to his office. Chris checked his dark web account. Nothing. He then logged onto his Diablo email. One from Brown:

Prepare for my return—probably tomorrow.  Is our new explosives expert ready to calve the final section? Ask Emmanuel for a status report—he’s late with yesterday’s update, and he’s not responding to my emails.

More next time.

Promotions

Five of my novels (all but Revenge and Ultimate Escalation) are also participating in a Mayhem & Motives: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Reads. This one allows five books per author and there are currently 170 novels participating.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/mysthrillsus-dec/d9iyggtt1rhttps://books.bookfunnel.com/mysthrillsus-nov/4nmgssn0ek

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 2022 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, October 30th, 2022

Randall Krzak

As October draws to a close, we’ve had another week full of rain, wind, and clouds, with the occasional outbreak of sunshine. There was a dry period which lasted long enough for me to cut the grass (perhaps the last time this autumn) and rake the fallen leaves. However, with the wind and rain you wouldn’t know I had cleaned up the leaves as more have fallen. Today we’re off to the warmest start of the week at 56F (13C).

There was another increased in the price of gasoline (petrol) this week, climbing two pence. So we’re now at £1.67 a liter. With the current exchange rate now $1.16, this makes the equivalent cost of a U.S. gallon $7.51, an increase of thirty-one cents from last week.

The number of American college football games shown on Saturday remained five. This weekend, there were two from the Southeastern Conference, two from the Atlantic Coast Conference, and one from the Big Ten. As always, I recorded all of them. The Big Ten game featured Michigan against Michigan State. Because it was already 12:30 a.m. in the UK before the game started, I’ll watch it today.

Here’s this week’s quote (Compliments of http://www.wisdomquotesandstories.com/):

“Life is like a roller coaster. It has its ups and downs. But its your choice to scream or enjoy the ride.”

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on October 30th, the fifth and final Sunday of the month:

Enrico Caterino Davila, Italian writer (Storia delguerre civili Francia); Paul Pellisson, French writer; Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Irish playwright (The Rivals, The School for Scandal) and Whig MP; André Chénier, French poet killed during French Revolution; Philippe-Joseph Aubert de Gaspé, French Canadian writer; Rinse Posthumus, Frisian writer and poet; Elizabeth Madox Roberts, American poet and novelist (The Time of Man); Lena Christ, German writer (The Rumplhanni); Ezra Pound, American poet (Cantos); Zoe Akins, American playwright (Pulitzer Prize for Drama 1935); Georg Heym, German writer; Jan Romein, Dutch historian (Low Countries at Sea); Kostas Karyotakis, Greek poet; Albert Rice Leventhal, American publisher (Little Golden Books); Sol Tax, American anthropologist (founded the journal Current Anthropology); Miguel Hernadez Gilabert, Spanish poet (Viento del Pueblo); Ágota Kristóf, Hungarian writer (The Notebook); Robert Caro, American journalist and biographer (Lyndon B. Johnson); and Dmitry Muratov, Russian journalist (Novaya Gazeta, 2021 Nobel Peace Prize).

Any names familiar to you? While I didn’t recognize the name of the publisher of the Little Golden Books, I certainly remember them! Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

Coming Soon!

Ultimate Escalation cover artIn case you missed it, I can now reveal the cover of Ultimate Escalation, which will be released by Solstice Publishing. The editing process with the assigned editor has been completed and the manuscript has been returned to the editor-in-chief for her final review before being published.

Here’s the blurb:

Punjabi militants seek to distance themselves from Indian and Pakistani dominance and interference. With the dissolution of British India in 1947, families were ripped apart as the Punjabi region was split between the two countries. Limited attacks within each country caused further persecution and heartache.

The militants have no idea how to achieve their desires–until the appearance of Vladimir Aleksandrovich Nikolaev, a disgraced Spetsnaz colonel. He offers the militants a means to spark a conflict between the two nuclear powers.

Russian subs sold on the black market and manned by Iranian and Russian sailors will surface off the coasts of the two countries and destroy Karachi and Mumbai. Propaganda machines will levy accusations against each country, leading to escalation of hostilities, pushing the countries to the brink of nuclear war.

The Bedlam organization fields their three teams to counter the violence and seek to restore calm before it’s too late. Will they be successful, or will South Asia become a smoking ruin?

My Work in Progress

Slide1I’ve resumed work on Frozen Conquest and posted chapter seventeen to the two online subscription writing sites I use.

The sixteen posted chapters received another sixteen reviews this week, bringing the total to 295. As always, plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

I’ll be skipping the snippet again this week but will bring you another one next time. One thing I have done is changed the name of one of the minor characters. Instead of David Walliams, he will now be known as Douglas Walliams.

In case you missed the blurb, here it is:

An international criminal gang, known as Diablo Corps, plans a series of devastating attacks to take over the G7 countries unless their demands are met. Secure in their hidden headquarters in Antarctica, they possess the means to disrupt the leading world economies. The Diablos want what other power-hungry people want—more power.

Will the G7 bend to the will of these rogues or will evil triumph? Diablo Corps believes their previous infiltration of the international banking system and world stock exchanges will allow them to risk all on a single gamble.

The Scandinavian Protection Agency joins forces with Bedlam to thwart the efforts of the group and restore faith. Will Antarctica become a smoking ruin or will the world suffer an economic meltdown?

AbydosI also continued working on Temples of Abydos. Chapter six was posted to the two online subscription writing sites I use and chapter seven is almost finished. This week there were another fourteen reviews, bringing the total thus far to sixty-three.

Here’s the blurb:

History professor Sylvia Burness and her husband, Charles Wilkie, a renowned Greek archeologist, are seeking a new project after spending years cataloging Celtic sites throughout the United Kingdom.

Long fascinated with Egypt, Charles proposes an excursion to one of the lesser-known locations, Abydos, a historic city that played an important role in ancient Egypt. Sylvia agrees and together they plan their trip.

Unbeknownst to them, an unethical antiquities group called Guardians of Shadows are using one of the Abydos temples as their hideout.

Will Sylvia and Charles be able to evade this group and escape with their lives or will they be entombed in Abydos for generations?

Promotions

This month The Kurdish Connection and Dangerous Alliance will be participating in a Kindle Unlimited Thriller Series Starters promotion. Only two books per author, and there are currently forty-eight participating.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/ku_thriller_series/t7qp6i4ek8

Five of my novels (all but Revenge) are also participating in a Mayhem & Motives: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Reads. This one allows five books per author and there are currently eight-five novels participating.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/mysthrillsus-oct/utj2oamorr

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 2022 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, October 23rd, 2022

Randall Krzak

It’s been another week of rain, rain, and rain, with the occasional outbreak of sunshine. Last week’s rainbows were replaced with patch fog. Today looks like it might be brighter and stay dry, which would be a good thing so I can rake up the fallen leaves before they start to rot. Oh, the joys of autumn!

Over the past couple of weeks there have been warnings on the television about the possibility of power outages this winter, particularly during cold spells. It was suggested for people to prepare. I ordered four battery-operated lanterns online as the local DIY stores were out. My order was supposed to be delivered today, but I received an email informing me there was a delay with no anticipated delivery date provided.

After a few weeks with a slight downward trend in the price of gasoline (petrol) we had two three-pence increases this week, one on Tuesday and the other on Friday. So we’re now at £1.65 a liter. With the current exchange rate now $1.13, this makes the equivalent cost of a U.S. gallon $7.20, an increase of forty-eight cents since the last time I mentioned this.

The number of American college football games shown on Saturday has returned to five. This weekend, there were two from the Southeastern Conference, two from the Atlantic Coast Conference, and one from the Big Ten. As always, I recorded all of them. The Big Ten game was between Penn State and Minnesota, and I’ll watch this one tonight. Both Michigan and Michigan State were idle this week, giving both teams an extra week to prepare for their upcoming showdown next weekend (which will be televised here).

Here’s this week’s quote (Compliments of http://www.wisdomquotesandstories.com/):

“′Classic′ – a book which people praise and don’t read.” ― Mark Twain

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on October 23rd, the fourth Sunday of the month:

Juan de la Cueva, Spanish dramatist; Benjamin Constant [de Rebeque], French politician and writer (Adolphe); Adalbert Stifter, Austrian author (Nachsommer); Robert Bridges, English poet (Testament of beauty) and British Poet Laureate (1913-30); Neltje Blanchan, American nature writer; Harvey Penick, American golfer, coach, author (World Golf Hall of Fame); Ned Rorem, American composer and author (Sky Music); Vasily Belov, Russian author, poet and playwright (Business as Usual, Everything’s Ahead); Michael Crichton, American novelist (Andromeda Strain, Congo, Looker) and filmmaker (Jurassic Park, ER); Nick Tosches, American writer (bio of Jerry Lee Lewis); Laurie Halse Anderson, American writer (Speak) and Meghan McCain, American columnist, author, and TV host.

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me: Michael Crichton and Meghan Mccain. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

Coming Soon!

Ultimate Escalation cover artIn case you missed it, I can now reveal the cover of Ultimate Escalation, which will be released by Solstice Publishing. I received the second edit pass of my manuscript from one of their editors. After going through his suggestions and making changes, it’s now back with him.

Here’s the blurb:

Punjabi militants seek to distance themselves from Indian and Pakistani dominance and interference. With the dissolution of British India in 1947, families were ripped apart as the Punjabi region was split between the two countries. Limited attacks within each country caused further persecution and heartache.

The militants have no idea how to achieve their desires–until the appearance of Vladimir Aleksandrovich Nikolaev, a disgraced Spetsnaz colonel. He offers the militants a means to spark a conflict between the two nuclear powers.

Russian subs sold on the black market and manned by Iranian and Russian sailors will surface off the coasts of the two countries and destroy Karachi and Mumbai. Propaganda machines will levy accusations against each country, leading to escalation of hostilities, pushing the countries to the brink of nuclear war.

The Bedlam organization fields their three teams to counter the violence and seek to restore calm before it’s too late. Will they be successful, or will South Asia become a smoking ruin?

My Work in Progress

Slide1I’ve resumed work on Frozen Conquest. I didn’t quite finish chapter seventeen but hope to do so this week.

The sixteen posted chapters received another eight reviews this week, bringing the total to 279. As always, plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

I’ll be skipping the snippet this week but will bring you another one next time. One thing I have done is changed the name of one of the minor characters. Instead of David Walliams, he will now be known as Douglas Walliams.

AbydosI also continued working on Temples of Abydos. Chapter six is almost ready to post to the two online subscription writing sites I use. This week there were another five reviews, bringing the total thus far to forty-nine.

Here’s the blurb:

History professor Sylvia Burness and her husband, Charles Wilkie, a renowned Greek archeologist, are seeking a new project after spending years cataloging Celtic sites throughout the United Kingdom.

Long fascinated with Egypt, Charles proposes an excursion to one of the lesser-known locations, Abydos, a historic city that played an important role in ancient Egypt. Sylvia agrees and together they plan their trip.

Unbeknownst to them, an unethical antiquities group called Guardians of Shadows are using one of the Abydos temples as their hideout.

Will Sylvia and Charles be able to evade this group and escape with their lives or will they be entombed in Abydos for generations?

Promotions

This month The Kurdish Connection and Dangerous Alliance will be participating in a Kindle Unlimited Thriller Series Starters promotion. Only two books per author, and there are currently fifty participating.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/ku_thriller_series/t7qp6i4ek8

Five of my novels (all but Revenge) are also participating in a Mayhem & Motives: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Reads. This one allows five books per author and there are currently eight-five novels participating.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/mysthrillsus-oct/utj2oamorr

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 2022 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, October 16th, 2022

Randall Krzak

It’s been another week of typical autumn weather: clouds, rain, wind, occasional bursts of sunshine. We even had a couple of rainbows this week. I almost forgot: plenty of chilly weather, too. I don’t think we hit 60F (15C) at all.  The leaves keep falling en masse, but I need to wait for a sunny day to rake them up as it’s too difficult when they’re soaked.

This evening, I’ll be getting my annual flu shot along with my fourth Covid injection. Oh joy!

Once again the number of college football games shown were reduced–this time to two, instead of the normal five. With the Major League Baseball division races underway, this will continue for some time. The two games shown were both from the Southeastern Conference. I did see some of the highlights of the Michigan-Penn State game, with Michigan increasing their record to 7-0 as a result of beating Penn State, 41-17. Michigan is one of nine remaining undefeated teams in college football. Meanwhile, Michigan broke a four-game losing streak, upending Wisconsin 34-28.

Here’s this week’s quote (Compliments of http://www.wisdomquotesandstories.com/):

“The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.” ~ Mark Twain 

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on October 16th, the third Sunday of the month:

Charles Coypeau Dassoucy, French poet and singer; Albrecht von Haller, Swiss experimental physiologist, biologist and author (Acadamy of Science); Noah Webster, American lexicographer (Webster’s Dictionary); William Buell Sprague, American clergyman and author; Ferdinand van der Haeghen, Flemish librarian/bibliography; Oscar Wilde, Irish playwright and novelist (Importance of Being Earnest, The Picture of Dorian Gray); Camille Looten, Belgian priest/literature historian; J. B. Bury, Irish historian; Pieter J Kromsigt, theologist/publicist (Troffel & Sword); Helge Rode, Danish poet/essayist; Armin T Wegner, writer; Eugene O’Neill, American playwright (Desire Under the Elms-Nobel 1936); Cecile de Brunhoff, French storyteller; Dino Buzzati, Italian writer (The Tartar Steppe); Roger Vailland, French author (Drôle de jeu, La loi) and screenwriter; George Turner, Australian author; Kathleen Winsor, American writer; Günter Grass, German writer, playwright (The Tin Drum) and Nobel Prize laureate (1999); Paul Monette, American writer and LBT activist; and Marc Levy, French novelist.

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me: Noah Webster and Oscar Wilde. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

Coming Soon!

Ultimate Escalation cover artI can now reveal the cover for Ultimate Escalation, which I received this week from Solstice Publishing. I also received the first edit pass of my manuscript from one of their editors. After going through his suggestions and making changes, it’s now back with him.

For those who might have missed it, here’s the blurb:

Punjabi militants seek to distance themselves from Indian and Pakistani dominance and interference. With the dissolution of British India in 1947, families were ripped apart as the Punjabi region was split between the two countries. Limited attacks within each country caused further persecution and heartache.

The militants have no idea how to achieve their desires–until the appearance of Vladimir Aleksandrovich Nikolaev, a disgraced Spetsnaz colonel. He offers the militants a means to spark a conflict between the two nuclear powers.

Russian subs sold on the black market and manned by Iranian and Russian sailors will surface off the coasts of the two countries and destroy Karachi and Mumbai. Propaganda machines will levy accusations against each country, leading to escalation of hostilities, pushing the countries to the brink of nuclear war.

The Bedlam organization fields their three teams to counter the violence and seek to restore calm before it’s too late. Will they be successful, or will South Asia become a smoking ruin?

My Work in Progress

Slide1I’ve resumed work on Frozen Conquest and hope to post chapter seventeen this week to the two online subscription writing sites I use.

The sixteen posted chapters received another five reviews this week, bringing the total to 271. As always, plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

Here’s the next snippet:

David Walliams, president of the World Bank, rifled through the stack of postal mail dropped off by his secretary. Nothing worth reading. He switched on his computer and skimmed his new messages. Routine, routine. Why can’t I receive something exciting?

He deleted the spam and filed trivial reports in their respective folders. The one-word subject of the next message from an unknown email address piqued his interest. What’s this?

 

David opened the message and studied its contents.

To: David Walliams, World Bank President

From: A concerned citizen of the world

 

Behold the beast, for he wants to destroy the world. He will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Seek him where glaciers abound.

 

David scratched his chin. Is this some kind of a joke? Why send it to me? He picked up the phone and dialed.

A deep male voice answered after the first ring. “Hello.”

“Hey, Jonny. David Walliams here. I received a strange email today. It might be from a crackpot, but with the threats against the stock markets, I thought you might be interested.” He forwarded the message to Jonny. “Just sent it to you.”

“Got it. Hmm. Just a minute—I’ll be right back.”

David listened to the classical hold music while he waited.

Moments later, Jonny came back on the line. “Sorry about that. I wanted to compare what you sent me with some earlier information that came in. I just forwarded your email to an organization already looking into this issue. If you receive anything else, just send it to me.”

“Will do, Jonny. Should I be worried?”

“You can share it with Japan, China, Germany, and the U.K., as they have the most voting power, not including the U.S. However, I recommend against sharing it with your executive directors and vice presidents. If I recall, that will push the word out to over fifty more people, and I think we should keep it contained—for now.”

“Understood.”

“Anything else, David?”

“Not today. We need to arrange another outing on the Chesapeake.”

“As soon as a quiet period appears on my schedule, I’ll let you know.”

More next time.

I also continued working on Temples of Abydos. Chapters four and five were posted to the two online subscription writing sites I use. This week there were another seventeen reviews, bringing the total thus far to forty-four.

Here’s the blurb:

AbydosHistory professor Sylvia Burness and her husband, Charles Wilkie, a renowned Greek archeologist, are seeking a new project after spending years cataloging Celtic sites throughout the United Kingdom.

Long fascinated with Egypt, Charles proposes an excursion to one of the lesser-known locations, Abydos, a historic city that played an important role in ancient Egypt. Sylvia agrees and together they plan their trip.

Unbeknownst to them, an unethical antiquities group called Guardians of Shadows are using one of the Abydos temples as their hideout.

Will Sylvia and Charles be able to evade this group and escape with their lives or will they be entombed in Abydos for generations?

Promotions

This month The Kurdish Connection and Dangerous Alliance will be participating in a Kindle Unlimited Thriller Series Starters promotion. Only two books per author, and there are currently fifty participating.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/ku_thriller_series/t7qp6i4ek8

Five of my novels (all but Revenge) are also participating in a Mayhem & Motives: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Reads. This one allows five books per author and there are currently eight-five novels participating.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/mysthrillsus-oct/utj2oamorr

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 2022 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

 

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, May 29, 2022

Randall Krzak

It’s been a mixed week with rain, clouds and sunshine, sometimes all at the same time. For the past couple of days, though, there hasn’t been any rain. However, the wind shifted and is coming from the north, making it difficult for the temperature to get into the mid-50s. At least the blooms are continuing to pop out and of course, the grass needs a cut every week.

Over the past week, the price of petrol jumped five pence a liter. Now it’s up to £1.71, which makes it the equivalent of $8.33 for a U.S. gallon at the current exchange rate. This is a jump of thirty-four cents a gallon since last week.

Here’s this week’s quote (Compliments of http://www.wisdomquotesandstories.com/):

“Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on May 29th, the fifth and final Sunday of the month:

Johann Heinrich von Mädler, German astronomer (published the most complete map of the Moon of the time, Mappa Selenographica, 4 vol. with Wilhelm Beer); G. K. Chesterton [Gilbert Keith], English writer (Man Who Made Gold); Oswald Spengler, German historian and philosopher (Decline of West); Erwin Finlay-Freundlich, British astronomer (theory of relativity); Alfonsina Storni, Argentine poet (La inquietud del rosal); George L. Funke, Dutch botanist (Flower Physiology); Ronald Russell, British journalist, author and Conservative politician; Sebastian Shaw, British actor, director, playwright and poet (High Season, Ace of Spades, Caste); T. H. White, English novelist (England Have My Bones) and author of the King Arthur novels; Desmond Shawe-Taylor, British critic and writer (co-author of The Record Guide); Neil R. Jones, American sci-fi author (Space War, Twin Worlds); Jan Hanlo, Dutch poet (Go to the Mosque); David Jenkins, Welsh librarian (National Library of Wales); Dick Hillenius, Dutch biologist and writer; Paul R. Ehrlich, American biologist and author who founded the group Zero Population Growth; and André Brink, South African writer (Dry White Season).

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me: T. H. White. 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

Slide1Work continued this week on my next WIP, Frozen Conquest. The second chapter has been posted to the  two online subscription writing site I use. So far, the two chapters have received nineteen reviews, some from long-standing reviewers while others came from new people.

Here’s the next snippet:

Walter Brown, the eighty-year-old founder and CEO of the privately held Diablo Corps, gazed out the office windows on the top floor of the Diablo headquarters in downtown Miami. Although dwarfed by much taller buildings, Brown normally enjoyed the skyline view toward the ocean.

As one of the world’s richest men, he could have lived anywhere. Few knew his name, and even fewer could boast of meeting the recluse.

Rain lashed the windows as an intermittent storm disrupted the otherwise hot and sunny day. He turned back to a sixty-four inch-monitor. Blinking red and green lights signified his worldwide operations.

When his phone rang, he stabbed at the console and put the call on speaker. “What?”

“Sir, Reginald here. Both tests were completed.”

“Excellent Have the accountants arrived yet?”

“Yes, sir. They came yesterday and are getting acclimated now. Several began work this morning, but ….”

“What’s wrong?”

“Uh … your nephew. He was caught on an ice floe after the second test. He’s still missing.”

Walter closed his eyes and pursed his lips. “Very well. Keep searching, but I doubt he’ll still be alive. However, my sister will want to give him a proper burial.”

“Yes, sir. When will you be returning?”

“I should finish what I need to do here by tomorrow morning. Expect me to arrive in the evening. Tell Chris to make sure everything is ready for me.”

“Yes, sir.”

Walter broke the connection and changed the monitor presentation. Blue lights signified the locations of major banking and investment institutions and the world’s leading stock exchanges. “Soon, we shall make our requirements known. If the G7 doesn’t bend to our demands, the might of Diablo shall disrupt their economies.”

He stepped to a self-service bar in the corner of his office and poured himself a large single malt whiskey. After taking a sip, he logged onto his computer and created a message:

To: The Chairmen and Governors of the G7 Central Banks

From: Nightmare

Stand by for my demands, which will be released soon. Failure to comply will result in the destruction of your way of life as you know it. The world cries out for truth, and I will be the sword of justice.

More next time.

The final chapters of Ultimate Escalation have now been uploaded to the two online subscription writing sites I use. My manuscript received another seven reviews this week, bringing the total to 873. Slide1

The editing process is going well. I just started my third edit pass through the manuscript, which currently stand at 77,926 words. I’ve decided that six of my foreign characters will not use contractions when they speak, to separate them from those who do.

Now it’s a case of checking for missing or incorrect punctuation, misspelled or incorrect words, and making adjustments to anything else I think needs a tweak. I’m on schedule to send the manuscript to my beta readers by the middle of June. Depending upon their feedback, I’ll be submitting it to my publisher the beginning of August.

Book Promotions

6 Novels

My novels are participating in two Bookfunnel promotions this month:

THE USUAL SUSPECTS: Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense Reads group promo. There are 168 novels to choose from:

https://books.bookfunnel.com/b…

May the First Book – Mystery Thriller Suspense group promo. There are 44 novels in this one:

https://books.bookfunnel.com/m…

Please support author such as myself by checking out these promotions. Thank you.
 

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 2022 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

 

Randall's Ramblings

Randall’s Ramblings, May 1, 2022

Randall Krzak

Happy May Day! May April’s showers bring May flowers. We didn’t have a lot of rain throughout April, but the final day did bring us a steady but light rain all day. Hopefully, we’ll see the benefits soon.

An update on Sylvia’s condition. Although the consultant had anticipated Sylvia’s procedure was going to be on Tuesday, the specialist actually doing the operations told he on Monday he was heavily backlogged and would refer her to a colleague at a different hospital and she was discharged.She’s now scheduled to have the procedure this coming Tuesday, May 3rd. Fingers crossed it takes place and gives her what she needs!

Here’s this week’s quote (Compliments of http://www.wisdomquotesandstories.com/): “Staying quiet doesn’t mean I have nothing to say, it means I don’t think you’re ready to hear my thoughts.”

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on May 1st, the first Sunday of the month:

Joseph Addison, English essayist and poet (co-founder of The Spectator); Aleksey Stepanovich Khomyakov, Russian poet; José Amador de los Ríos, Spanish historian and poet; José de Alencar, Brazilian writer (O Guarani); Guido Gezelle, Flemish priest and poet; Laza Lazarević, Serbian writer (Prvi put s ocem na jutrenje) and psychiatrist; Conrad Weiss, German writer and poet (Tantum dic verbo); John Evans, English cricket batsman (1 Test) and author (‘The Escaping Club’); Ignazio Silone, Italian novelist (Fontamara, Pane e vino); Antal Szerb, Hungarian author and historian; Giovannino Guareschi, Italian writer (Don Camillo, Peppone); Yiannis Ritsos, Greek poet and political activist; Joseph Heller, American novelist (Catch-22, 1963 Arts & Letters Award); Terry Southern, writer; Sergio Infante, Chilean poet and writer; and Wes Anderson, American director and writer.

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me: Joseph Heller. 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

6 Novels

My novels are participating in three Bookfunnel promotions this month:

May Mayhem: A Kindle Unlimited Promo group promo. There are 105 novels to choose from:
https://books.bookfunnel.com/m…

THE USUAL SUSPECTS: Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense Reads group promo. There are 168 novels to choose from:

https://books.bookfunnel.com/b…

May the First Book – Mystery Thriller Suspense group promo. There are 44 novels in this one:

https://books.bookfunnel.com/m…

Please support author such as myself by checking out these promotions. Thank you.

My Work in Progress

Slide1As I mentioned last week, the final chapter of Ultimate Escalation was completed. I’m currently working my way through the myriad of reviews from the two online subscription writing sites I use.

My manuscript received another forty-one reviews this week, bringing the total to 765.

Here’s another snippet:

The sounds of heavy traffic woke Mishka. He glanced out the window, watching a motorcycle with a family of five passing by. “You forgot to wake me.”

Bikram shook his head. “We have not yet reached Amritsar, sahib. Perhaps ten more minutes. Do you want to stop by the Golden Temple? It is the most important shrine for the Sikhs.”

“Perhaps another time. I think—” Mishka grabbed onto the door handle to steady himself as the truck rocked while passing a cluster of people on bicycles.

“Yes, sahib?”

“I think we might have to leave India in a hurry after we complete our mission.”

“Many things to visit in India, sahib. I will be happy to be your guide—for a small fee.”

Mishka laughed. “We shall see.”

Bikram turned onto a side street, packed with trucks, cars, and rickshaws. Dozens of pedestrians scooted between the vehicles, tempting fate as they headed toward their destinations. Three and four-story buildings, with stores on the ground floors, hugged both sides of the street, display stands erected on the sidewalks to attract buyers. Multi-colored signs covered the storefronts, beckoning consumers inside. Vehicle horns, people shouting and laughing, and the scent of cooking food wafted through Mishka’s window.

“One day, sahib, a ring road around Amritsar will be completed. For now, we must work our way through the outskirts of the city until we reach the road leading to Vedant’s property. From there, it is only a few kilometers.”

Twenty minutes later, Bikram made another turn onto a divided highway. Traffic heading into Amritsar was heavy, but few vehicles traveled in the outbound direction.

Bikram blew his horn and swerved to miss another motorbike bearing multiple passengers. “We will soon arrive, sahib.”

“Excellent.” Mishka studied the family clutching to one another as they sped by. “How often do those overloaded motorcycles end up in accidents.”

“Many times each day. They are a hazard but no worse than stray livestock on the streets.”

Buildings gave way to farmland as they continued out of Amritsar. Bikram pointed to the right. “See those buildings in the distance? That is where we are going.”

“Did I catch a glimpse of a sign for a business?”

“Yes, sahib. The farm is used as a getaway for people who want to escape from city life. It is closed right now, so we could use it for our purposes.” Bikram chuckled. “I am aware you will be paying the fee for all of the buildings. Did you not know this?”

Mishka pursed his lips. “Vedant did mention something about it, but we’ll take care of the finances later.”

Bikram slowed and turned onto a narrow lane. The second truck followed. “We are here, sahib. First, I will take you to one of the stone cottages where you and your men will stay. Our supporters will use two of them to make signs and banners, and those not from this area will sleep in the other two.”

“What about the big house?”

“That is where we will eat out meals and meet to discuss whatever you think is of importance.” Bikram gestured to the first cottage. “You will be in this one. In the evening, when there is a slight breeze, it is very pleasant on the rooftop terrace to enjoy a sunrise or sunset.”

Mishka laughed. “You sound like an advertising man.”

“It is my duty, sahib, to support the family.” Bikram stopped in front of the building. We shall unload your equipment before going for something to eat.”

Another 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 2022 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

Randall's Ramblings

Randall’s Ramblings, January 23, 2022

Randall Krzak

It’s been another breezy, damp and dreary week–for the most part, with temperatures struggling to get to 46F/8C. There were a couple of afternoons where the sun ventured out and we took advantage both times to go for a walk in a nearby park/play area. At least we’re starting to see the days slightly extend in length! In the meantime, all we can do is make the best of it. At least the dreaded ‘s’ word is staying away!

Here’s this week’s quote (Compliments of http://www.wisdomquotesandstories.com/): “You decide every moment of every day who you are and what you believe in. You get a second chance every second.”

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on January 23rd, the fourth Sunday of the new year. (Compliments of http://www.onthisday.com/today/birthdays):

Friedrich von Matthison, German poet (Adelaide); Christian A. Vulpius, German novelist & dramatist (Rinaldo Rinaldini); Stendhal [Marie Henri Beyle], French writer (Le Rouge et de Noir, a Chartreuse de Parme); Herbert Bedford, English author and composer; Herbert David Croly, American author (Promise of American Life); Oton Zupancic, Slovenian poet (Zimzelen pod Snegom); Freda Utley, British scholar & author; Joseph Nathan Kane, American non-fiction writer & journalist (Famous Firsts); Konstanty Ildefons Gałczyński, Polish poet (Zielona Ges); Dusan Kostic, Serbian writer; Walter M. Miller Jr., American sci-fi author (Hugo, View from Stars); Derek Walcott, Caribbean poet (Omeros), Nobel Prize for Literature 1992; Gatewood Galbraith, American author & attorney; and Elvira Lindo, Spanish writer & journalist.

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

My Published Work

6 Novels

All of my novels are participating in a Terrifying New Year promotion, running from now until the end of January. With 118 novels available, there’s bound to me something to catch your interest.

In addition, The Kurdish Connection, Colombian Betrayal, and Mission: Angola are participating in a first-in-series promotion for mysteries and thrillers. There are sixty-four novels in this one.

My Work in Progress

Slide1This week I posted chapter twenty-three of Ultimate Escalation to the two online subscription writing sites I use. My manuscript received another seventeen reviews, bringing the total to 509. As always, plenty of suggestions to enhance my writing.

Here’s another snippet:

Vladimir tilted his head. “Earlier, I started to ask about your crew when we were interrupted by the presence of the Americans.” He glanced upward. “How did you pick your crew?”

“The Russians are all experienced with the Lyre class before the submarines were decommissioned.  Rather than being trained so they could be deployed on another class, they were abandoned by the navy. Since the Iranians had already trained in Russia, it didn’t take long to provide the necessary guidance to work on the Negodyay. Of course, they aren’t involved in driving the submarine nor with the armaments.”

Chug! Chug! Chug!

“What’s that, Comrade Captain?” Wide-eyed, Mishka point toward the sound.

“Nothing to worry about. Just one of the many supertankers transiting the straits. If there was a potential for danger, the sonarman would alert us.” Pushkin chuckled as the sub shifted downward. The helmsman is adjusting our depth to ensure we won’t be involved in an accidental collision.”

Mishka kept staring upward as the sound of the tanker faded. “Do accidents happen often?”

“On occasion.” Pushkin shrugged. But not to us.”

They moved forward, stopping by the periscope station. “Would you like to take a look?” Pushkin gestured toward the controls.

“Da.” Vladimir stepped closer.

“Watch what I do.” Pushkin demonstrated, turning in a complete circle before stepping back. He tapped a control. “Hold this button if you want to focus on a particular ship.

Vladimir took over, mimicking what Pushkin showed them. “A great way to sneak up on your enemy.” Vladimir stepped aside, allowing Mishka a turn. What armaments do you carry?”

“The Negodyay has six torpedo tubes. There is storage space for eighteen to twenty torpedoes or the same number of cruise missiles. We have a mixture of both. In addition, we always carry a dozen mines.”

Vladimir pursed his lips. Can you hit an inland target?”

“Depends on the distance from the submarine. Our missiles can travel as far as six hundred sixty kilometers.”

“What if I wanted you to sink a ship?”

“Not a problem if we’re within fifteen kilometers for our torpedoes, but closer for the mines, which are usually placed in the projected path of the target.” Pushkin snapped his fingers. “Would you like a demonstration?”

“What? Here?” A grin spread across Vladimir’s face. “Da!”

Pushkin returned to the periscope and performed another search. “A perfect opportunity to cause confusion and mayhem.”

“What did you find?”

“Have a look—two Iranian patrol boats.” He stepped aside.

Vladimir scratched his head. “But what if you miss?”

Pushkin shrugged. “We acquired several American MK67 anti-ship mines a couple of years ago. We’ll use one on each boat. If any identifiable debris is found, the Americans will be blamed.”

“Captain, you’re full of surprises.” Vladimir glanced at Mishka. “What do you think?”

Mishka nodded. “Any opportunity to show America in a negative light is a good one, Vova. I say do it.”

More next time.

Books I’m Reading

I recently finished reading Feathers, the newest release by Blair Howard. Another riveting plot by a master storyteller.  Detective Kate Gazzara is embroiled in a  cat and mouse game with a deadly killer, who always seems to be a step ahead. As with all of Blair’s novels, this one is full of twists and turns. Combined with larger-than-life characters, this one will keep you turning the pages. Heartily recommended.

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 2022 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

Randall's Ramblings

Randall’s Ramblings, October 24, 2021

Randall Krzak

The nights are quickly drawing in and daylight is also taking its time appearing each morning. Such is the autumn! Leaves continue to fall and there’s rain most days. Fortunately, there were a couple of dry spells, thanks to the wind, where I was able to rake up most of the leaves and deposit them in the recycling container–no burning here!

Here’s this week’s quote (Compliments of http://www.wisdomquotesandstories.com/): “I value the friend who for me finds time on his calendar, but I cherish the friend who for me does not consult his calendar.” ~ Robert Brault

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on October 24th, the fourth Sunday of the month. (Compliments of http://www.onthisday.com/today/birthdays):

Alban Butler, English Catholic priest and writer; Dorothea von Schlegel, German novelist (Florentin); Sarah Josepha Hale, American author (Mary Had a Little Lamb); August von Platen, German poet; Alexandra David-Néel, Belgian-French explorer and writer; Ernest Claes, Belgian author (Saints from Zichem); Delmira Agustini, Uruguayan poet (El Libro Blanco); Bibhutibhushan Mukhopadhyay, Bengali author; Moss Hart, American playwright (You Can’t Take it With You, Act 1); Marghanita Laski, English journalist and author (Victorian chaise-lounge); Denise Levertov, American poet and essayist (Joy Beneath the Skin); Gabriel Laub, Polish writer; Yordan Radichkov, Bulgarian writer and playwright (The Tied Up Balloon); Hubert Aquin, French Canadian novelist, political activist and editor; Norman Rush, American writer (Mating); and Dale Maharidge, American author (And Their Children After Them).

Any names familiar to you? I struck out this time. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one and many more to follow!

My Published Work

6 Novels

During October, Colombian Betrayal and Mission: Angola are participating in a promotion of the first books in a mystery or thriller series. I could only include two, so The Kurdish Connection missed out. There are thirty-eight books in this Kindle and paperback promotion, so why not stop by?

My first five novels are also participating in a Mystery & Suspense, Mystery & Suspense / Paranormal, and Mystery & Suspense / Thriller promotion, which runs until the middle of November. Revenge wasn’t released in time to join this one. There are eight-one novels participating in this promotion, so you’re bound to find something of interest.

And, finally, Revenge is participating in a promotion for Mystery & Suspense / Suspense and Romance / Suspense books released in October and November 2021. There are nineteen to choose from.

My Work in Progress

Slide1Despite a myriad of non-writing events to take care of this week, I still managed to complete and post chapter sixteen Ultimate Escalation.  A total of twenty chapter reviews came in this week, bringing the total to 330.

Here’s another snippet:

Admiral Blakely scanned the faces of those sitting around the table or against the back wall, smiling as he watched the mounds of food disappearing from plates almost as if by magic. Hungry group, but they did well. He cleared his throat. “As some of you surmised, we designed this exercise to test how the three full teams would function as a single unit.”

“Aye, Admiral. Trevor, Evelyn, and I expected you would try something during our conference.” He made air quotes as he said conference. “However, we didn’t expect it to happen on the first day.”

“What better way to test your abilities to work together than calling a drill right away?” He raised a finger and pointed at Gerhard and Willie. “Some of you might have been under the impression this would be a drinking competition.”

Laughter broke out as Gerhard and Willie blushed.

“An excellent lesson to show we’re never off duty, so everything in moderation.” The admiral raised his brows. “Saying that, your performance today met our expectations.”

Every team member grinned.

“We wanted a somewhat realistic scenario to test your response as well as personnel here at Bedlam. Georgia and her folks surpassed themselves in making this exercise reasonable.”

“Aye, Admiral.” CC glanced at Trevor and Evelyn. “Sir, it’s an interesting scenario, but as soon as we entered the District of Columbia, it became apparent this was an exercise. If it had been real, Bedlam-One, Hunter-One, Hunter-Two would have been challenged. Our pilot didn’t mention it, so I think we relaxed a bit. Even so, our chopper’s brush with a fake missile and the simulated crash were realistic. So was the response by the emergency personnel.”

“If I might add, Admiral, the alert notification and departure from the conference site went as one would expect.” Trevor rubbed the scar on his temple. “I won our bet—CC and Evelyn expected some type of drill tomorrow, while I thought you’d try to be clever and arrange for one today.”

“We debated over which day to proceed, knowing you’d be anticipating something. Anyway—”

Someone knocked on the door and entered. A young man handed single sheets of paper to the admiral, Sir Alex, and Harrison and departed.

The three advisors read the brief note. Sir Alex and Harrison tilted their heads toward the admiral.

“Good thing we didn’t have any injuries during your training session. Two independent sources provided the Intelligence Community with limited details of a meeting held in Dubai yesterday. Seems several former Spetsnaz personnel are expanding their private business operations.” The admiral turned to the Bedlam team leaders. “CC, Trevor, and Evelyn. Pick an individual from your respective teams—they’re heading to Dubai. Their assignment—find out what mischief former Colonel Vladimir Aleksandrovich Nikolaev and his band of misfits are planning, so we can disrupt their activity.”

He gazed at the operatives. “Keep in mind, this is a recon mission. Your rules of engagement will not include a strike against Nikolaev and his men—at least until we find out what they’re up to.”

The admiral pushed back his chair and stood while everyone jumped to their feet. “I’ll expect those names in an hour. We’ll be in my office. In the meantime, everyone else enjoy your remaining downtime. The conference is hereby cancelled. See Georgia for billeting information. That is all.”

More next time.

Books I’m Reading

I recently finished reading The Lair of Anubis (The Project Book 20) by Alex Lukeman. Nick and Selena are embroiled in another battle to preserve relics from the past, this time the lost tomb of Alexander the Great.  Since I haven’t read the previous books in the series, I thoroughly enjoyed this nonstop action-packed adventure. If you haven’t read any of Alex’s books, here’s another author to check out. I’ll be heading back to the beginning of the series to find out how it all began!

That 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 2021 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved