Happy Belated Summer Solstice and Happy Summer! Friday was the longest day and shortest night in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s also the first official day of summer.
The past week has seen temperature continue to rise into the low nineties with high humidity. There has been a few thunderstorms and showers, sometimes both. Unfortunately, the rain doesn’t seem to temper the humidity. The next week is supposed to see ever hotter temperatures, approaching 100 degrees. Starting today and for at leas the next eight days, it’ll feel like it’s 101-106. Yikes!
The Detroit Tigers had a mixed week, with only two wins and four losses, bringing their record to 48-30. Fortunately, the other teams in the American League Central Division didn’t fare much better, so Detroit still has an eight game lead over second place Cleveland. Fingers crossed that the Tigers can roar back this coming week!
“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” – Robert Frost. Compliments of https://getfreewrite.com/blogs/writing-success/55-motivational-writing-quotes.
So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on June 22nd, the twenty-fifth Sunday of 2025 and the fourth one in June. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).
Jacques Delille, French poet and translator (The Gardens’: A Poem); Henry Rider Haggard, British author (King Solomon’s Mines, She, Dawn); Frank Damrosch, German-American author and music teacher (founded NY Musical Institute of Musical Art, later Julliard); Franz de Backer, Belgian writer (White Enemy; Ruben’s Daughter); Erich Maria Remarque, German novelist (All Quiet on the Western Front); Willem Jacobus du Plooy Erlank (Eitemal), South African poet and professor in Afrikaans and Dutch literature at the University of Stellenbosch; Anne Morrow Lindbergh, American author and aviator (Gift from the Sea); Lilo Hardel, German writer; Cicely Saunders, English nurse, physician and writer who founded the first modern hospice; Abbas Kiarostami, Iranian author and director (Under the Olive Trees, Close Up, Taste of Cherry); Octavia E. Butler, American sci-fi author (Hugo, Wild Seed); Danny Baker, English writer and radio DJ; and Dan Brown, American author of thriller fiction (The Da Vinci Code).
Any names familiar to you? There were two for me this week: Erich Maria Remarque and Dan Brown. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!
My Work In Progress
This week, I’ve been busy editing chapters in the manuscript of Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion based on reader feedback. All chapters are now posted to the two online subscription sites I use. There were eight new chapter reviews this week, bringing the total to 246. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.
Here’s another snippet:
Mary Todd Lincoln, a native of Kentucky, clutched the newspaper in her hand. She reread the article before tossing the paper in the fire, turning to one of her closest friends, black seamstress Elizabeth Keckley. “I cannot believe the audacity of that newspaper. Imagine saying my stepbrother died at the hands of my husband’s mercenaries. Instead, they paint me as a vulgar person trying to mimic European fashions. Little do they know my heart still belongs to the South.”
“Which stepbrother were they referring to, Mary?”
“Samuel. He joined the Confederate Army when the war began and served in the 24th Louisiana Infantry.” She wiped tears from her eyes. “He was killed in action at the Battle of Shiloh.”
Elizabeth stepped forward and took Mary’s hands. “I am so sorry for your loss.”
A look of steely determination crossed her face. “I must do what I can to help the South, even if it means going behind Abraham’s back.”
“What will you do?”
Mary shook her head. “I do not know—yet. I will never betray my husband or the Union. But there must be something I can do for the brave Confederate soldiers. Perhaps ‘Wild Rose’ may have an answer.”
“But, Mary, isn’t Rose Greenhow still in the Old Capitol Prison?”
May nodded. “Yes, she is. However, Abraham let it slip one evening that Rose will be exchanged for several Union prisoners of war. I believe her network is still operational, so there might be someone who can help us.”
“I think I know just the person.” Elizabeth smiled.
“Who?”
“Me.”
“What are you saying, Elizabeth?”
“Mary, I carry messages for you to President Davis, if that is your wish.”
“I-I must think about this. I couldn’t bear to lose you.”
More next time.
This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.
© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved
This week, I began the editing process for Xavier Sear: Angola. As of today, there’s been 484 chapter reviews from the two online subscription writing sites I use, an increase of nineteen in the past week.