Tag: thrillers

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Randall’s Ramblings, May 14, 2023

Randall Krzak

Happy Mother’s Day to those in the United States and India who celebrate today. Enjoy your special day!

We had better weather this week, making it easier to get outdoors and do some gardening. We cut the grass again and also managed a bit of pruning, as well as moving a few plants to better locations.  Saturday was a warm and sunny day, so we went for a walk in the nearby Devilla Forest.

“The greatest part of a writer’s time is spent in reading, in order to write. A man will turn over half a library to make a book.” – Samuel Johnson. 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 14 May, the second Sunday of the month. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/):

Timothy Dwight, American theologian; Friedrich von Raumer, German historian, travel writer (Italy and the Italians); Alexander Kaufmann, German poet; Kurt Eisner, German socialist politician, revolutionary and journalist (President of the People’s State of Bavaria 1918-19); Louis Verneuil, French playwright; Edgar Wind, German art historian; Hal Borland, American author; Herta Ryder, British literary agent; Heloise Bowles, (Cruse) American advice columnist (Hints from Heloise); Herbert W. Franke, Austrian writer; Barbara Branden, Canadian writer and lecturer; Byron Dorgan, American politician and author (Rep-D-ND, 1981-92, Senator-D-ND 1992-2011); George Lucas, American film director, screenwriter, and producer (Star Wars; Indiana Jones; American Graffiti); Karin Struck, German feminist writer; ens Sparschuh, German writer; Gillian [Marucha] Bradshaw, American sci-fi author (Hawk of May); Anne Clark, British poet and avant garde recording artist; and Eoin Colfer, Irish writer.

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me: George Lucas. 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

Slide1This week, I completed chapters thirty-seven and thirty-eight of Frozen Conquest and posted them to the two online subscription writing sites I use.

Another twenty-three reviews came in this week, bringing the total to 648.  As always, there are plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

Here’s another snippet:

“Admiral, I’ve made a decision on the places I could visit in Antarctica, which would give a plausible explanation for my participation with the SPA.” CC placed the printout in front of the admiral.

Highlighted in bold red were multiple locations. Two others were marked in green. “The red ones are the Soviet expeditionary cemetery, the Inexpressible Island Ice Cave, Shackleton’s Hut, the Terra Nova Hut, and Wilson’s Stone Igloo I mentioned to you before. The green ones are new—Scott’s Discovery Hut and the González Pacheco Shelter.”

“Will you survey all of them?”

“No. Only as many as needed to support my presence.” CC grinned. If we find what we’re looking for, I might not need to visit all of them to cover my movements. Of course, my interest in archaeology suggests I should stop at all of them.”

“Work together with Georgia and plot your itinerary. I’ll let Bertelot know you’re on the way. They should arrive in two to three days, so you’ll need a plan to get you from Ushuaia to their location in Antarctica. I’ll ask Bertelot for the coordinates, so we drop you at the right place.”

“Aye, Admiral. A question though. When you say drop, should I assume the plane will land somewhere, or will I use a chute?”

Both men laughed.

“CC, if you want to use a parachute, I’m sure something can be arranged. However, I was thinking of a more traditional arrival. It’ll also allow us to send some equipment and supplies with you.”

“Whew!” CC wiped the mock perspiration from his forehead. “Aye. I agree with the traditional arrival—been a long time since I jumped out of a plane. I think my parachuting days are long behind me—I hope.”

“We’ll make sure the Aquavit is docked somewhere before you begin the final leg of your journey.” The admiral waved a hand in dismissal.

More next time.

Promotions

The Kurdish Connection, Dangerous Alliance, Colombian Betrayal, and Revenge are participating in Revenge promotion, running until the end of May for Action & Adventure, Romance, and Sci-Fi & Fantasy / Urban Fantasy. There are currently sixty-six novels participating. Why not check it out?

https://books.bookfunnel.com/revengetales/idh13vx4rm

All of my novels are participating in May’s MAYHEM & MOTIVES: Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense Reads. There are 234 novels to choose from. Please stop in when you have a chance. You could find your next best author!

https://books.bookfunnel.com/mysthrillsus-may/34otud00o2

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, April 23, 2023

Randall Krzak

It’s been a pretty dry and sunny all week, until yesterday. The wind shifted and is now coming from the normal, bringing Arctic air to us and lowering the temperature. Right now it’s overcast and a light rain is starting to fall. Supposed to be cooler and wet over the next few days.

Tens of millions of phones will receive an emergency alert today as the government tests the system nationwide for the first time. At 3pm, a distinct sound and vibration will be accompanied by a message telling people a new service has launched that will “warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby”. It will last about 10 seconds, and Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden has assured people they can simply “swipe away” the notification. “Keep calm and carry on – that is the British way, and it is exactly what the country will do when they receive this test alert at 3pm today,” he said.

“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 23 April, the fourth Sunday of the month. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/):

Julius Caesar Scaliger, Italian-French physician and scholar (On the Subtlety of Things); Georg Fabricius, German poet, historian and archaeologist; William Shakespeare, English poet and playwright (Romeo and Juliet; Macbeth: Hamlet); Friedrich von Hagedorn, German poet (Versuch einiger Poem); Thomas Wright, English antiquarian and writer; James Anthony Froude, English historian and novelist (The Nemesis of Faith); Edwin Markham, American poet (1st winner of American Acad of Poets Award 1937); Simon Abramsz, Dutch teacher and writer (For the Young Ones); Arthur Moeller van den Bruck, German historian (The Third Reich); Marcel L’Herbier, French director and screenwriter (El Dorado); Minus van Looi [Benjamin van der Voort], Flemish writer; Richard Huelsenbeck, German Dada writer; Ngaio Marsh, New Zealand detective writer and producer; Margaret Kennedy, English novelist (The Constant Nymph); Edwin Erich Dwinger, German writer (General Vlassov); Halldor Laxness, Icelandic writer (Nobel 1955); Maurice Druon, French writer and journalist (Prix Goncourt); Avram Davidson, American sci-fi author (Hugo, Peregrine: Primus, Rork!); James Kirkup, English travel writer, poet and novelist (African in Greenland); Colin Welch, British political journalist and critic of Enid Blyton’s Noddy series; J. P. Donleavy, American novelist (Ginger Man, Onion Eaters); Okke Jager, Dutch theologist, writer and poet; George Steiner, French-American literary critic and educator; Jim Fixx, American jogger and writer (Jim Fixx on Running); Victoria Glendinning, British author (Edith Sitwell A Unicorn Among Lions); Bill Hagerty, British editor (People); Richard Monaco, American sci-fi author (Grail War, Final Quest); Pascal Quignard, French author (Les Ombres); Pierre Labrie, Canadian poet; and Yana Gupta, Czech actress and author (How To Love Your Body And Get The Body You Love).

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me: William Shakespeare. 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

Slide1This week, I completed chapters thirty-one and thirty-two of Frozen Conquest and posted them to the two online subscription writing sites I use. Based on my outline, which was last updated on 7 April, there will be a total of forty-chapters when the initial manuscript is completed.

Twenty-eight reviews came in this week, bringing the total to 580.  As always, there are plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

Here’s another snippet:

Chris slouched in his chair, alternating between twiddling his thumbs and cracking his knuckles. Why can’t Matthew figure out Diablo from the beast and the devil? We used to play word games like this all the time. If I weren’t  afraid of Emmanuel catching me, even on the Dark Web, I’d come right out with it. Would he break the code? It’s not complicated.

He sighed as he leaned forward and grabbed his Dr. Pepper. Guess I’ll check Google for some other synonyms. Perhaps Matthew will pick up on these. His fingers flew over the keyboard as he ran a series of searches.

Nope. Nope. Nope.

At last, Chris smiled. Don’t have any idea if these will work, but these are the best I can find: Lucifer and Beelzebub. He scooted closer to the keyboard, logged onto his Dark Web email account, and began typing a coded message.

He reread the message a final time to check his conversion. Chris made a couple of corrections before reaching toward the send key.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Chris swallowed as he hurried to send the email before rushing to the door and unlocking it.

Emmanuel stood in the corridor. “Can I come in?”

“Sure.” What’s he want? Is he on to me? Chris opened the door wide and gestured for Emmanuel to enter. After reclaiming his seat, he nodded. “Have a seat, Emmanuel. What can I do for you?” He dabbed a trickle of perspiration from his forehead.

“Can’t a fellow coworker drop by and say hi?” Emmanuel grinned. “After all, we both work for the same tough monster—I mean master.”

A low chuckle escaped from Chris. “I supposed you’re right. It can be difficult to keep on top of everything Brown wants—especially since he changes his mind all the time.”

“Got that right. I had my team hack into a small bank the other day and took most of their money. He complained because he wanted us to hit a big bank—even though we did as he said before he flew back to Miami. I wish he’d just stay there.”

Chris sighed. “I suppose we’re stuck with him—at least until our contracts expire.”

“I guess.” Emmanuel grimaced. “I have a touchy subject to discuss with you.”

Oh-oh. He’s definitely on to me. Chris nodded.

Emmanuel sighed. “It’s like this. In addition to my hacking duties, I’m supposed to keep an eye on what everyone else is doing with their computers.”

“Even Brown?”

“Except for him.” Emmanuel chortled. “As if he’d catch on I was perusing his activities. I think the original Pong game was too difficult for him.”

“What about the other hackers? Won’t they catch on?”

Emmanuel smiled. “Why do you think I picked people who aren’t as smart as me? Of course, Felix put one past me, but he’s been taken care of. Can’t have anyone trying to take over.”

“Of course.” Why’s he telling me this?

“Anyway … I’ve been checking  employees’ use of the Dark Web. Most of the staff aren’t using it—just me, Sawyer—and you.”

More next time.

Promotions

The Kurdish Connection, Dangerous Alliance, Colombian Betrayal, and Revenge are participating in Revenge promotion, running until the end of May for Action & Adventure, Romance, and Sci-Fi & Fantasy / Urban Fantasy. There are currently sixty-six novels participating. Why not check it out? You might find your next new author.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/revengetales/idh13vx4rm

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, February 26, 2023

Randall Krzak

After several falls down the stairs and a couple of illnesses, I’m finally back on my feet. I still have intermittent pain in the right side of my back and down my right arm, but overall, I’m back to normal.

Over the past week , the weather has returned to normal patterns for this time of year: overcast with some spurts of sunshine, frigid winds, and cold days. There’s still been a couple of light frosts, but things are progressing toward spring. Even some of the flowers have already popped out to add their color to the dismal winter days.

Here is today’s inspirational quote: “When you have a dream, you’ve got to grab it and never let go.” — Carol Burnett (compliments of https://parade.com/973277/jessicasager/inspirational-quotes/

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on February 26th, the fourth and final Sunday of the month, compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/:

Christopher Marlowe, English poet and dramatist (Dr Faustus); James Hervey, English clergyman and writer; Victor Hugo, French author (Hunchback of Notre Dame, Les Miserables); John George Nicolay, German-American author (Abe Lincoln’s biographer); Carel Steven Adama van Scheltema, Dutch socialist poet; Stefan Grabinski, Polish writer; (Ivor Armstrong) I. A. Richards, British poet and influential critic (Meaning of Meaning); Julien de Valckenaere, Belgian poet; Vercors [Jean Bruller], French writer (Le Silence de la mer); Leela Majumdar, Bengali writer; George Barker, English poet (Calamiterror, Anno Domini); Hermann Lenz, German writer (Swabian Chronicle); Elisabeth Eybers, South African poet (That Woman & Other Verses); Theodore Sturgeon, American sci-fi author (Hugo, It, Caviar); Lucjan Wolanowski, Polish journalist, writer and traveller; Adriaan van Dis, Dutch author (Nathan Sid, In Africa); Phyllis Eisenstein, American sci-fi author (Sorcerer’s Son, Born to Exile); Elizabeth George, American novelist (Inspector Thomas Lynley mystery novels); and Michel Houellebecq, French novelist.

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

My Publications

I’m please to announce Revenge has moved from the long list,  the short list, the semi-finals, and is now a finalist in the 2022 Chanticleer International Global Thriller Book Awards for high stakes suspense.

Needless to say, I’m thrilled. Of course, the competition to be selected as one of seven genre 1st Place Category winners will be extremely competitive. In addition to Revenge, there are another twelve novels on the finals list.  All be well, I’ll have further good news to share as the competition goes into full swing, with the 1st Place Category winners and Genre Grand Prize Division Winners being announced in late April. Watch this space!

My Work in Progress

Slide1Since my last update, I managed to complete chapters twenty-two and twenty-three. Over the past week, my writing has more or less returned to normal with completion of chapters twenty-four and twenty-five.

Over the past few weeks, reviews continued to trickle in. Since my last update, fifty-two reviews have been add, bringing the total to 452.  As always, plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

Here’s another snippet:

Everyone laughed.

The admiral’s phone rang. “Just a minute.” He spoke briefly into the handset before putting the call on speaker. “Jonny, I’m on a conference call with the rest of Bedlam. Could you please repeat what you said so everyone hears it?”

“Sure. I received an email from David Walliams, president of the World Bank. It was buried in my inbox and I didn’t see it, or I would have contacted you sooner. He forwarded a message he received from a concerned citizen of the world. I’m quoting the contents now: ‘Behold the beast, for he wants to destroy the world. He will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Seek him where glaciers abound.’ Hopefully, this is some use to you.”

“Thanks, Jonny. We’ll add it into the mix and see what comes out.”

“Glad to help. As you’re aware, the president is afraid of a world economic meltdown with this beast hitting stock markets and banks. What will come next—will he go after infrastructure?”

“I’ll keep you advised about anything we uncover. Anything else, Jonny?”

“That’s all just now, so I’ll let you get back to your call.” Jonny broke the connection.

“Well, Admiral, it looks like this citizen is helping to narrow our search parameters.” CC glanced at the ceiling as if he was reading something. “If memory served me correctly, glaciers are found at the two poles, Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Iceland. Guess we better start breaking out the cold weather gear.”

Trevor half-raised a hand. “When I was with the Paras, we trained in the French, Austrian, and Swiss mountains. They have a number of glaciers, too.”

“I want Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie to put together an action plan to cover these locations and begin a search for Matthew’s friend. I think locating him will be the best way to proceed. With the new name of beast to go with devil, I’ll have Matthew refine his searches. I still think this is pointing to one individual or group, but only time will tell.”

“Admiral, I think there might be someone who will be able to help us out.”

“Go ahead, Rufus.”

“Well, since CC mentioned the poles, it got me thinking. My cousin is currently on the RV Aquavit on her way to Antarctica with a team from the Scandinavian Protection Agency. Perhaps we could have her look around for us while she’s there?”

“Sir Alex and Harrison, what do you think? As you know, we normally don’t use outsiders, but this may be an appropriate time.”

“I agree, Richard.” Harrison wiped a hand over his hair as he yawned. “I think we can use any help we can find.”

Sir Alex nodded. “I concur.”

“It’s settled. CC, Trevor, and Evelyn, work with Rufus on an approach to his cousin. Rufus, what did you say his name is?”

Rufus smiled. “It’s Carina. She’s a cousin on my mother’s side of the family, but we’re in regular contact.”

“Okay, get your heads together and work something out. I want your proposal within forty-eight hours.”

Rufus grinned. “Yes, Admiral.”

The admiral glanced at the three connections. “Anything else at this time? If not, we’ll break and meet again as soon as we have plans put together.”

After a trio of negative responses, the admiral broke the connections.

“Admiral, I’ve been thinking about uses non-Bedlam resources. What would be the probability of getting one of our team members onto the RV Aquavit to lend a hand?”

“You know, CC, I was going to ask you what you thought about it. Good to know we think alike. Who do you suggest?”

“Aye. I was going to say me, but Trevor has more experience in cold climates than I do. Let me review the personnel files and see if there is anyone else on the teams I can suggest.”

“Get me a name by the end of the day, and we’ll see what we can sort out.”

“Aye, Admiral.”

More next time.

Promotions

The Kurdish Connection and Mission Angola are participating in the First in A Mystery/Thriller Series promotion, commencing February 27th and running through March 8th. This one only allowed two books per author and there are currently eighteen novels participating. Why not check it out? You might find your next new author.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/mysterythrillers1stinseries/r8vs7mulee

Dangerous Alliance, Carnage in Singapore, and Colombian Betrayal are completing in the Join The Rebellion promotion which runs through February 28th. This promotion covers Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, and Sci-Fi & Fantasy / Space Opera and there are eighty-five novels participating. Please drop in and see if there is anything that appeals to you.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/thydr12345/3ymzwgkm22

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, January 22, 2023

Randall Krzak

After a week of heavy frost and temperatures not climbing out of the upper 20s (negative celsius) it was a great surprise this morning, when I found out it was 40F/5C) and all the frost in sheltered areas had finally melted. Of course, with the colder temperatures we did have a fair amount of sunshine and now we’re back to the normal gray skies.

For those of you who were following me on Twitter, my new account is @rjkrzak1. Hope to see you there.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on January 22nd, the fourth and final Sunday of January compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/:

Francis Bacon, English statesman, Lord Chancellor (1617-21) and philosopher (Novum Organum); Richard Blackmore, English physician and writer; Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, German critic and dramatist (1st ever dramaturge); Lord Byron, English romantic poet (Don Juan); Ludger Duvernay, Canadian printer and publisher; Hermann Lingg, German poet and playwright; Ferdinand Christian Wilhelm Praeger, Dutch-British pianist, composer, composer, and writer (Wagner As I Knew Him); Constance Collier, British actress and writer (Rope, Stage Door, Whirlpool); Francis Picabia, French avante-garde artist, writer and typographist (Amorous Parade); Helen Hoyt, American poet; Charles Morgan, English writer (Fountain); Ben van Eysselsteijn, Dutch writer and playwright; Arkady Gaidar, Russian children’s writer; Robert E. Howard, American pulp fiction author (Conan the Barbarian); Carl F. H. Henry, American theologian and publisher; Harilal Upadhyay, Gujarati Author, Poet, Astrologist (Gujarat is a State of India); Herwig Hensen [Flor Mielants], Flemish poet and playwright; Piet Van Lishout, Flemish writer (Eva & I); Howard Moss, poet/editor (New Yorker); Tom Blackburn, writer; Joseph Wambaugh, American police writer (“The Onion Fields”); Joe Esposito, American author and friend of Elvis; Michael Cristofer, actor/writer (Little Drummer Girl); Francis Wheen, English writer & journalist; and Subhash Ram Prajapati, Nepalese writer.

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me: Francis Bacon and Lord Byron. 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

Slide1As i mentioned last time, in early January, I took a tumble down the stairs. I ended up seeing a sports massage therapist and have my third and final session tomorrow. In the meantime, my writing has been disrupted and not at my normal amount, but I have been back at it, with the first twenty-one chapters completed.

Since the last update,  there were another twenty-four reviews, bringing the total to an even 400. As always, plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

Here’s another snippet:

Maddie and Reginald climbed out of the Sno-Cat. After they pulled their tools and explosive packs from the cargo compartment, they trudged across the tundra to a line of stakes they had placed earlier in the day.

Breathless, Maddie dropped her tools onto the ice and gently sent the explosives down. “This is hard work, Reginald. I thought it would be easier—just drive up to a spot, drill a couple of holes, drop in the fireworks—and bang; you’re done.”

“In your dreams.” Reginald laughed. “The only thing easy about this job is picking our way across the ice back to the facility.”

As Maddie placed an explosive package into the first hole, she studied the terrain. Always peaceful, but there’s an underlying danger to being here. Satisfied with her placement, she moved to the next spot.

Without warning, the ice gave way.

Yeeeeah!

Maddie clawed at the surface as she slid toward the gaping chasm.

“Reginald! Help!”

Her feet dangled over the side as she tried to stop her momentum. She screamed again.

Just as she was about to disappear, two hands grabbed her.

“Hold on, Mad—”

Reginald tugged on the straps of her backpack, pulling her back from the chasm. “I—I got you.” He fell backward as he yanked her clear from impending death or serious injury.

Back on his feet, he inched Maddie further back from the hole until they were both a safe distance away.

Maddie threw her arms around Reginald. “Thank you so much for saving me. I thought I was going to die!”

“Aw shucks, Maddie. Can’t have you doing that.” Reginald grinned. “Besides, I’m enjoying being out here with you.” He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a squeeze. “You going to be okay?”

Maddie pulled out of the embrace and nodded. “Yes. It was a bit scary, but I’m okay now—thanks to you.”

“Think nothing of it. Besides, you’d try the same for me if the situation was reversed.”

“That’s true, but I still owe you.”  She adjusted her sunglasses and grinned. “Perhaps I can buy dinner tonight?”

He smiled. “You’re on.” He pointed to the next hole. “Ready to continue?”

More next time.

Promotions

Five of my novels (all but Revenge and Ultimate Escalation) are participating in the January Mayhem & Motives: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Reads. This one allows five books per author and there are currently 206. novels participating. Why not check it out? You might find your next new author.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/mysthrillsus-jan/x889tdt70j

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, December 4th, 2022

Randall Krzak

We’ve lucked out this week. While there’s been some rain, overall, it’s been a good week weather-wise. However, the temperature has rarely made it to the mid 40s (F) (6C) and snow is forecast for today. While the forecast calls for minimal snow, who knows what may happen?

On a positive note, the price of gasoline (petrol) dropped another penny this week. So we’re now at £1.58 a liter. With the current exchange rate of $1.23, this makes the equivalent cost of a U.S. gallon $7.35, an increase of six cents from last week.

The Small Business Christmas market began on the 28th of November. We had a good week–Sylvia sold sixteen of her poetry books and fifty of her laminated poetry sheets, while I sold forty-six of my novels. The market continues today and hopefully we’ll have another good day.

While there were a number of college football conference championships televised this weekend, I was disappointed the Big Ten championship game between Michigan and Purdue wasn’t one of them. At least Michigan went on to win 43-22, for their second straight title. They are currently ranked number two in the College Football Playoffs.

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

“Life is made up of special moments which make it worth living. There are many cherished moments that are missed due to stress and fast pace of daily living. We must slow down and remember how precious it is to be alive and to love.”

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on December 5th, the first Sunday of the month: Heinrich Meibom, German historian and poet; Jean Chapelain, French writer and poet (La Pucelle); Thomas Carlyle, Scottish essayist and historian (The French Revolution); Ernest Panckoucke, French publisher (Horatius); Rainer Maria Rilke, Bohemian-Austrian poet and novelist (Ana, The City, Duino Elegies); Dimitur Poljanov [Popov], Bulgarian poet (Iron Poems); Katharine Susannah Prichard, Australian novelist (Black Opal); Fritiof Nilsson Piraten, Swedish writer (Bombi Bitt Och Jag); Nikolai Tichonov, Russian writer (against Pasternak); Douwe Hermans Kiestra, Frisian farmer and writer; A. L. Rowse, British author and historian; Cornell Woolrich, American writer (El Angel Negro); Jo Boer, Dutch painter and author (Catharina & the Magnolias); Ely Jacques Kahn, Jr., American writer; Ray Robinson, American magazine editor and biographer (Lou Gehrig); and Ursula Krechel, German writer (Shanghai far from where).

Any names familiar to you? I recognized one: Thomas Carlyle. 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’ve completed chapter twenty of Frozen Conquest but haven’t uploaded it to the two online subscription writing sites I use. There were another twelve reviews this week, bringing the total to 353. As always, plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

I won’t be posting a snippet today as I need to head to the market.

 

 

 

 

Promotions

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 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 November 27th, 2022

Randall Krzak

Mother Nature has taken pity on us. After more than a week of heavy rain and flooding, the showers this week have been intermittent and the sun’s even put in a few appearances. Most of the leaves are now on the ground, at least those I haven’t raked up yet, and the trees are looking sparse. Looks like we’ll have plenty of sunshine to start the day.

On a positive note, the price of gasoline (petrol) dropped another two pence this week. So we’re now at £1.59 a liter. With the current exchange rate of $1.21, this makes the equivalent cost of a U.S. gallon $7.28, a an increase of three cents from last week.

314406296_10158973055860983_8797277709281824198_nTomorrow the Small Business Christmas Market begins and runs through Christmas Eve. If you happen to be in the Dunfermline, Fife area during this period, why not stop into the Kingsgate and see what’s on offer. There’ll be plenty of gifts to choose from as well as a mixture of goodies to sample. Hope to see you there!

The number of American college football games shown on Saturday increased to seven. This weekend, there were four from the Southeastern Conference, three from the PAC-12, and none from the Big Ten. As always, I recorded all of them. I was really disappointed the clash between Michigan (11-0, 3rd in the College Football Playoff) and Ohio State (11-0, 2nd in the CPF) was shown.  While it was close at halftime with Ohio State leading 20-17, Michigan kicked it into high gear and went on to win 45-23. Go Blue!

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

“Focus on good thoughts and good things will happen. Stay positive. Think positive. Do positive.”

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on November 27th, the fourth and final Sunday of the month:

John Murray II, Scottish publisher (publisher Lord Byron); Aleksey Apukhtin, Russian poet and friend of Tsjaikovski; Jose Asunción Silva, Colombian poet (Nocturno III); Charles A. Beard, American historian (American Continentalism); Jatindramohan Bagchi, Indian (Bengali) poet; Władysław Orkan [Franciszek Ksawery Smaciarz], Polish author (Nowele Zebrane); Pedro Salinas, Spanish writer (Generation of 1927); Giovanni Battista Angioletti, Italian author (Il giorno del giudizio); Fredric Warburg, British publisher (Animal Farm) and author; L. Sprague de Camp, American sci-fi author (Goblin Tower, Hand of Zei); James Agee, American author (African Queen, Death in Family); Elaine Greene, literary agent; Ole Sarvig, Danish writer and critic (Limbo, Glem Ikke); John Maddox, British science writer and editor (Nature); Vladimir Maksimov, Russian writer and dissident; Gail Sheehy, American author (Hustling); Nicole Brossard, French Canadian poet; Kathryn Bigelow, American director, producer and writer (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty); and Kevin Henkes, American children’s book writer/illustrator (Caldecott Medal).

Any names familiar to you? I recognized one: Kathryn Bigelow. 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 completed and posted chapter nineteen of Frozen Conquest to the two online subscription writing sites I use. There were another eighteen reviews this week, bringing the total to 341. As always, plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

Here another snippet:

Liam and Winston lifted the unconscious Ailsa from the floor and tossed her on a bed.

They straightened her body and put a pillow underneath her head.

“Good enough. Start placing the GSM bugs—they all have built-in batteries, so just make sure they’re hidden. The cabin’s small, so the bugs should pick up every conversation.” Winston located Ailsa’s cellphone and tried to access it.

Locked.

He picked up her hand and swiped her fingers across the phone. I’m in. “I’ll download the spyware app to her phone. She’ll never know it’s there.”

“Should I put a bug in the bathroom, too?”

Winston shrugged. “Why not? No telling what we’ll hear.”

Moments later, Liam stepped from the bathroom. “Done. Now what?”

“Let’s get out of here. We’ll go back to our cabin and check the connections.”

* * *

Carina’s eyes flicked from her watch to the companionway expecting Ailsa to appear at any moment.

“Something the matter?” A bemused smile etched across Gunner’s face.

“Yes. After Ailsa and I went out on deck, she said she was going back to the room to retrieve her camera so she could take some group shots.” Carina glanced at her wrist again. “It’s been  almost thirty minutes—she should be with us by now.”

“Perhaps she needed to use the toilet.”

“For that long?” Carina shook her head as she stood. “Something’s wrong. I’m going to check on her.”

Gunner drained the last of his coffee. “Wait a minute. If something strange is going on, I’d feel better accompanying you.”

“Thank you.”

* * *

Gunner and Carina left the rest of the team and made their way to Ailsa’s cabin.

Carina reached for the door handle.

“Wait!” Gunner pointed. “Look. The door isn’t shut. Let me go first in case someone other than Ailsa is inside.”

Carina stepped aside.

He edged the door open and peeked inside. Not seeing anyone, he entered.

“Holy smokes! Carina—it’s Ailsa. Something’s happened.”

Carina rushed into the cabin, stopping by the edge of the bed.

Gunner had gone to the other side and cradled Ailsa’s head in his arms.

She started to stir. “W-What happened?”

More next time.

Promotions

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 146 novels participating.

https://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

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, November 20th, 2022

Randall Krzak

New Release!

Ultimate Escalation cover artI’m pleased to announce the release of Ultimate Escalation by Solstice Publishing.

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?

Mother Nature decided we needed rain this week–lots of it! Numerous areas around the county of Fife hasflooding experience severe flooding. The photo is compliments of The Scottish Sun showing the River Eden. We were fortunate as our area is slightly elevated and there aren’t any rivers/streams nearby. What a mess for those trying to get where they need to be!

Looks like strikes are going to impact on most people. Teachers, paramedics, academics and university staff, postal workers, and train drivers are all set to walk out in a space of seven days. Nurses, radiographers, and physiotherapists are also set to strike while firefighters will be balloted on strike action. Those who answer the 999 calls (911 in the U.S.) will also be striking.

On a positive note, the price of gasoline (petrol) dropped another penny this week. So we’re now at £1.61 a liter. With the current exchange rate of $1.19, this makes the equivalent cost of a U.S. gallon $7.25, a an increase of one cent from last week.

The number of American college football games shown on Saturday remained at five. This weekend, there were two from the Southeastern Conference, one from the Atlantic Coast Conference, and one from the Big Ten. As always, I recorded all of them. The Big Ten game featured Michigan playing Illinois, which was a real nail-biter as Michigan kicked a winning field goal with nine seconds remaining. The final score was 19-17 and Michigan is still undefeated at 11-0. Meanwhile, Michigan State lost to Indiana 39-31. with Michigan increasing their record to 10-0 with a 34-3 win. Meanwhile, Michigan State defeated Rutgers 27-21.

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

“Focus on good thoughts and good things will happen. Stay positive. Think positive. Do positive.”

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on November 20th, the third Sunday of the month:

Abraham de Wicquefort, Dutch diplomat and historian; Avvakum, Russian Orthodox archpriest and writer; Thomas Chatterton, English poet (Christabel); Josiah Royce, American philosopher (Conception of Immortality); Selma Lagerlof, Swedish author and Nobel Laureate (The Wonderful Adventures of Nils); Willem Vliegen, Dutch journalist and chairman (SDAP); Gerard Wilhelm Kernkamp, Dutch historian and editor (Groene Amsterdammer); Franz Pfemfert, German journalist and writer; Yevgenia Ginzburg, Russian writer; Pauli Murray, African American poet and civil rights activist; Nadine Gordimer, South African author (July’s people, Nobel 1991); Don DeLillo, American author (Underworld); Viktoriya Tokareva, Russian playwright; Haseena Moin, Pakistani television drama writer and Urdu playwright; Rachid Mimouni, Algerian author; and Sheema Kalbasi, Iranian born poet.

Any names familiar to you? I struck out 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 managed to do some more on Frozen Conquest. Chapter nineteen is almost read to post to the two onlineSlide1 subscription writing sites I use. There were another six reviews this week, bringing the total to 323. As always, plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

Here another snippet:

Brown stepped off the executive elevator and breezed past his secretary without a word. He walked into his office, sat, and thumbed through the mail. Nothing worthwhile here—why do I receive so many requests for money—everyone knows I never provide funds to cold requests. Waste of my time and theirs.

Helen slid into the room and placed a cup of coffee on Brown’s desk. “Sir, just a reminder about the board meeting in an hour.”

He sipped his coffee. Perfect. “Why do you think I came back from Antarctica? If I didn’t need to be here in person, I could have stayed there.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Helen, did you give any further thought to being with me all of the time? I’d make it worth your while.”

“Sorry, sir. I’m not too fond of the cold. Now, if you move your operations to a hot climate, I’ll take you up on the offer.”

Brown shook his head. “Can’t blame me for trying. You’re the best employee I’ve ever had.” Even if she does spurn my advances.

“Thank you, Mister Brown.” Helen blushed.

“I better prepare for the meeting. Remind me when I’m ten minutes late—we’ll let the other squirm. I want you to take notes as normal.”

“Yes, Mister Brown.”

* * *

As instructed, Helen waited until after the meeting was scheduled to start before knocking on Brown’s door. She pushed it open.

Empty.

Puzzled, she headed to the board room. Once inside, she slid into her usual chair, placing her tablet in front of her, ready to take notes.

“About time.” Brown glared at Helen. “Now we can start.” He glanced around the room at his vice presidents: marketing & promotion, finance & banking, consumer services, mining, energy, technology, and construction. He pursed his lips. “Where the dickens is Wendy? I made it clear I wanted her report on efforts to increase our share of global insurance regarding risk management.”

A timid hand popped up. “Mister Brown, she couldn’t make it today. One of her children is home with the measles.”

“Harumph. Very well.” He turned to a woman with blond hair and green eyes. “Rachel, what is the status of siphoning off two percent of all profit from each business segment?”

Rachel swallowed. “I-I met with everyone yesterday. We should start seeing a line item in the books for individual segments by the end of the month.” She gulped. “However, we can only manage one percent at such short notice.”

Brown slammed a fist on the table. “Why is it so difficult? Just move the money as soon as possible. I want the amount increased to five percent by the end of the year. Call the line item Project Green Earth.”

“Y-Yes, Mister Brown.”

More next time.

Promotions

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 146 novels participating.

https://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, November 13th, 2022

Randall Krzak

It’s been a mild week, with daytime temperatures 10-15 degrees above normal averages for this time of year. Still a mixture of clouds, sunshine, rain, and wind, but overall, it’s been a reasonable week. I was able to get outside twice to rake up leaves as the wind is doing its job in bringing the rest down.

There was another decrease in the price of gasoline (petrol) this week, dropping two pence. So we’re now at £1.62 a liter. With the current exchange rate of $1.18, this makes the equivalent cost of a U.S. gallon $7.24, a an increase of twenty cents from last week. The Automobile Association is calling on the chancellor not to increase fuel duty, which was dropped five pence a liter in April. We should find out in his autumn statement this week. If he does raise it, price will increase the dollar equivalent to $7.46. Only time will tell.

The number of American college football games shown on Saturday remained at ftive. This weekend, there were two from the Southeastern Conference, one from the Atlantic Coast Conference, and one from the Big Ten. As always, I recorded all of them. The Big Ten game featured Michigan playing Nebraska, with Michigan increasing their record to 10-0 with a 34-3 win. Meanwhile, Michigan State defeated Rutgers 27-21.

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

“No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress. You are still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying.”

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on November 13th, the second Sunday of the month:

Árni Magnússon, Icelandic scholar and collector of manuscripts (Arnamagnæan Manuscript Collection); Charles Simon Favart, French dramatist; William Shenstone, English poet; Esaias Tegnér, Swedish writer (Frithjof’s Saga); Caroline Lamb, English aristocrat, author (Glenarvon); Edward John Trelawny, English traveler and author (Adv of Younger Son); John Wolcott Phelps, American abolitionist, author and Brigadier General (Union Army); Peter II, prince-bishop of Montenegro (1830-51) and poet (The Ray of The Microcosm); Ignacio Manuel Altamirano, Mexican author (El Zarco); Robert Louis Stevenson, Scottish author (Treasure Island); Ariadna Tyrkova-Williams, Russian writer and feminist; Josef Kjellgren, Swedish writer (Guldkedjan); Paul de Vree, Flemish author (Between Doubt & Tears); William Bradford Huie, American writer and publisher; Inez van Dullemen, Dutch author; Nico Scheepmaker, Dutch columnist and poet; Garry Marshall, American TV writer (The Dick Van Dyke Show), TV producer (The Odd Couple; Happy Days; Laverne & Shirley), and film director (Pretty Woman; Runaway Bride; The Princess Diaries); Gérald Godin, French Canadian poet and politician; Ronald Shusett, author (Project Mankind); Edwin “Rick” Bakker, Dutch author: Rick’s Report, AIDS Diary; Thilo Timothy Newman, writer (Freejack, Alien); and Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Dutch author.

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me: Robert Louis Stevenson. 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. We’re closing in on the publication date. I’m currently going through the PDF file the editor-in-chief sent me for the third, and hopefully, the final time.

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

I’ve resumed work on Frozen Conquest. Chapter eighteen was posted this week to the two onlineSlide1 subscription writing sites I use. There were another fifteen reviews this week, bringing the total to 317. As always, plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

Here’s another snippet:

Felix approached Emmanuel’s door with apprehension. Wonder what’s up that he needs my help when he talks with security? He rapped his knuckles on the door.

“Come in.”

“You wanted my help?”

Emmanuel waved to a chair. “Take a seat. Sawyer will be joining us in a few minutes.”

“Uh. I thought we were going to his office.” Felix shut the door and sat in front of Emmanuel’s desk.

“That was the plan, but it’ll be easier here.”

“Okay, whatever you think is best.” Why’s he staring at me?

“How are you settling into the job, Felix? This must be quite a transition for you after heading up your own team.”

Felix shrugged. “You know how it is—need to go where I’ll make the big bucks so I can retire early.”

“That’s why I took Brown’s offer. I want to set up my own business in the future because I don’t want to answer to anyone.” Emmanuel chuckled.

“That’s too much of an effort for me to take on. I always work better under a boss—but one who gives me freedom to complete jobs on a timely basis without interference.”

Emmanuel nodded. “Understood. I—”

Someone knocked and opened the door.

In came Sawyer, the head of Brown’s security. He nodded at Felix as he sat in the chair next to him. “So what’s up, Emmanuel, that requires my assistance?”

“I believe we have a security breach.” He glanced at Felix. “An unknown individual is apparently using clandestine means to communicate outside the organization even everyone signs the nondisclosure agreement saying they understood such communication is forbidden.”

Felix swallowed. I’ve only sent one message through the dark web. How did Emmanuel find out?

“I’m pretty tied up doing some special projects for Brown, so I thought Felix would be the perfect candidate to help you out.”

“I-I am?” Felix glanced between the two men.

“Sure. Next to me, you’re the best person on the team.” Emmanuel smiled. “What do you think, Sawyer?”

“It’s your call, but if you’re satisfied with Felix lending a hand, I have no problem. Speaking of hands, I need some assistance on the ice with a Sno-Cat. I skidded off the frozen path, and the machine was stuck. Could you both give me a hand? With three of us, it should only take a few minutes. The rest of the security team is tied up, or I’d get them to help me.”

“Sure thing, Sawyer.” Emmanuel stood. “Felix and I will get our gear together and meet you outside in ten minutes.”

“Excellent. We’ll take one of the larger machines in case we need to tow the other one back.”

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, the three men climbed into a Sno-Cat, with Sawyer being the wheel. “Should take about twenty minutes to get to the stuck machine. Hang on, as I’m going to use a shortcut over the ice.”

Maneuvering off the normal path, Sawyer gunned the engine as they bounced over the icy terrain.

“Is that your machine up ahead?” Emmanuel pointed to a dark smudge on the horizon. “You were well off the beaten path.”

Sawyer laughed. “Brown pays me well to search for alternate routes around crevices. It’s exciting work but can be a bit dangerous.”

As they approached the abandoned Sno-cat, Sawyer pointed to the left of the machine. “If you look closely, you can see there’s a crevice not far from where I got stuck. I was trying to go around it when my little accident happened.” He parked behind the first machine.

The men climbed out of their warm Sco-cat and inspected the other one.

Felix pointed to the left side. “Looks like some damage—something fell off.” He glanced around and spotted a red and white piece of metal near the crevice. “There it is.” He slogged through the snow toward the damaged part.

As he bent down to retrieve it, he slipped on the ice.

“Wait a minute, Felix. I’ll help you.” Sawyer stepped next to Felix. “Here, take this rope and tie it around your waist. I’ll hold you while you step closer.”

Felix did as instructed and inched his way forward. He began to turn toward Sawyer.

A dark shape hit Felix on the shoulder, propelling him toward the crevice. “Hey! What are—”

Sawyer gave Felix a final shove, and he fell through the thin ice.

Iaaaaaahh!

Perhaps another one next week.

Promotions

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 145 novels participating.

https://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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