Randall's Ramblings

Randall’s Ramblings, September 24, 2023

We had one day this week where the daytime temperature made it to 65F (C). Otherwise, we ranged from 56-62F (13-19C). Meanwhile, the nighttime temperatures continued to drop, ranging from 43-49C (6-10C). For the most part, it’s been a mixed week, with plenty of rain and some cool breezes. As least one day was dry enough to get the fallen leaves raked up, but still more to come.

Over the past week, the price of gasoline (petrol) remained stable at £1.56 a liter. However, the pound continued to weaken against the dollar, and the price of an equivalent U.S. gallon stayed steady at $7.21. Meanwhile, the price of a liter of diesel increased to £1.59 a liter.

“The writing of a novel is taking life as it already exists, not to report it but to make an object, toward the end that the finished work might contain this life inside it and offer it to the reader. The essence will not be, of course, the same thing as the raw material; it is not even of the same family of things. The novel is something that never was before and will not be again.” — Eudora Welty. Compliments of https://selfpublishing.com/writing-quotes/.

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

Horace Walpole, British horror writer (Castle of Otranto); William Lisle Bowles, English poet (14 Sonnets); Ramón de Campoamor y Campoosorio, Spanish poet (Doloras); Cyprian Norwid, Polish painter, poet and playwright (Wanda); Frances Harper, African-American abolitionist, suffragist and writer (Iola Leroy); James St Clair Morton, American engineer, author, and Brigadier General (Union Army); Pieter Lodewijk Tak, Dutch journalist and politician (The Chronicle); S. R. Crockett, Scottish novelist (The Stickit Minister); Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz, Swiss writer (Le Petit Village); Herman Bouber, Dutch actor and playwright (Sailor’s Wives); F. Scott Fitzsgerald, American author (Great Gatsby, Zelda); Ham Fisher, American comic strip writer and cartoonist (Joe Palooka); Cao Yu, Huaju writer (Peking Man); Ian Serraillier, English children’s books author (The Silver Sword); Margarita Aliger, Russian poet (Zoja); Richard Hoggart, British author (The Uses of Literacy: Aspects of Working Class Life) and warden (Goldsmith’s College London; Ladislav Fuks, Czech writer; Józef Krupiński, Polish poet (Marsz żałobny); Brian Glanville, English journalist and football writer; John Brunner, Britsih sci-fi author (100th Millennium); Jim Henson, American puppeteer, artist, screenwriter and filmmaker, best known as the creator of ‘the Muppets” (Sesame Street, The Muppet Show); Yves Navarre, French writer (Le Jardin d’acclimatation); David Drake, American sci-fi author, veteran and lawyer (Cross the Stars, Rolling Hot); John Logan, American screenwriter and playwright (Gladiator); and Szilvia Molnar, Swedish writer.

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me: F. Scott Fitzgerald and Jim Henson. 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

Mission- YemenThis week, I completed chapter fourteen  of Mission: Yemen, Xavier Sear Thriller Book 2. As always, it’s been posted to the two online writing sites I use. Reviewers provided another twenty-four critiques this week, bringing the total to 265. As always, they’ve provided plenty of recommendations for me to consider, and I’m always appreciative of the time and effort people put into reviewing my work.

Here’s another snippet. Please keep in mind that since these are first-draft chapters, things will likely be changed once I get to the editing phase. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions to improve the story, please let me know.

“Understood.” Shatara studied the garment Uzza laid out on the bed. “What lovely clothes.” She reached down and ran a hand over a multi-colored zina. “I love the red and yellow colors in the dress. I just wish there was a version with short sleeves.”

Uzza giggled. “Would you dare to show your arms to someone not your husband?”

“Why not? In many parts of the world, women wear short-sleeved garments. In fact, they choose what they will wear.” Shatara sighed. “At least the green baggy trousers go well with the red, white, and yellow of the zina.”

“I choose the clothing myself.” Uzza grinned. “Later, I will bring you other zinas and Sana’anis. The prince says you may have three of each.”

I don’t want to insult her, as she is trying to help me, but her choice of colors is horrible. “Thank you so much.” Shatara pointed to the hijab. “Must I wear that?”

“Only if you are permitted to leave the building. I use one when I go outside, too.”

Shatara pursed her lips and sighed. “Okay.” She began to dress as her stomach rumbled. “I hope someone will bring food soon—I’m hungry.”

“While you were cleansing yourself, I opened the door and picked up the second container I brought with me. We shall eat together.” Uzza reached on the other side of the bed where she had hidden a wicker basket. “Look—I have a surprise for you. We shall dine on mutabaq, which are filled with scrambled eggs and cheese and some masoub. I made the bread myself and added bananas and honey as I made it.”

Shatara’s stomach rumbled again, this time louder. She laughed as she patted it. “My body is enjoying just hearing about the food.”

“Cook also gave me one zalabia each. I love these pastries and eat them whenever possible because they give me  energy.”

Shatara smile. “There are also fattening. Did you bring anything to drink?”

“Yes, mango juice.” She arranged the food on a small table at the foot of the bed. “Come, let us enjoy our first breakfast together.”

As they ate their breakfast, Uzza reached into the basket and pulled out a small parcel wrapped in brown paper. “This is for you from the prince.”

“What is it?” Shatara took the package.

Uzza smiled. “Open it and find out.”

“Okay.” Shatara wiped her hands on a piece of cloth Uzza handed her.

Uzza clapped her hands. “Hurry. I want to find out as no one told me what it was.”

“Just a minute.” Shatara untied the string holding the package together. Pulling back the now-loosened paper, she gasped. Inside, she found a book: The Poetry of Arab Women from the Pre-Islamic Age to Andalusia. “A book. I told al Mishara I loved to read.”

“What’s it about? Perhaps later, you will tell me what it says?” Uzza glanced downward. “I cannot read.”

“It’s a book of poetry by Arab women. I shall pick some and read them to you.”

“Thank you. I will enjoy that. I shall return before Asr, as we will pray together.”

“Where are you going?”

“The prince instructed me to seek him out after you were settled.” Uzza blushed. “I am not sure what he wants except a report on how you are doing. He’s very interested in you.”

“Yes, I know. He wants me to marry him, but I want to wait until I’m older and choose my husband.”

Uzza laughed. “What is wrong with being a wife to Prince al Mishari? I understand his family is rich, and he’s kind to his wives.” She stood and collected the dishes, putting them back in the basket. “I must go now.” She headed toward the door.

“Wait.”

Uzza turned. “Yes?”

“I just wanted to … say thank you. You have been very kind.”

“You’re welcome.” Uzza left the room, locking the door behind her.

Shatara settled on the bed, opened the book, and began reading.

Before long, she placed the tome next to her pillow, closed her eyes, and fell into a deep sleep.

She felt someone climb onto the bed but couldn’t see who it was because it was dark. Where is Uzza? She said she was returning before Asr prayers.

A man grunted before grabbing Shatara’s zina and ripping it from her body.

She screamed as she struggled against her attacker.

“Hold still. This won’t hurt a bit.” He pushed a cloth over her face. “Take a deep breath.”

Shatara continued to fight against the man’s attempts to hold the cloth tighter. She inhaled and coughed.

Moments later, she lay quiet, unmoving.

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, September 10, 2023

It’s been a mainly dry and partially sunny week, with daytime temperatures getting as high as 69-81F  (21-27C). However, last week’s cooler evenings have impacted on the leaves, at least on our birch trees. Most of the have yellowed and are starting to fall. Won’t be long and I’ll need to starting raking them up.

Over the past week, the price of gasoline (petrol) increased again, going up another penny, bringing it up to 1.54 a liter. However, with the pound weakening against the dollar, the price of an equivalent U.S. gallon fell from $7.33 to $7.26. Meanwhile, the price of a liter of diesel dropped to £1.565 a liter.

“Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom one can neither resist nor understand.” — George Orwell. Compliments of https://selfpublishing.com/writing-quotes/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on 10 September, the second Sunday of the month. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/):

Thomas Sydenham, English physician and author of “Observationes Medicae”; Hannah Webster Foster, American author (The Coquette; or, The History of Eliza Wharton); Charles Peirce, American scientist and philosopher known as “the father of pragmatism”; saac Kauffman Funk, American publisher (Funk & Wagnalls); Jeppe Aakjær, Danish poet and novelist (Bondens Søn); Georgia Douglas Johnson, African American poet and playwright (Autumn Love Cycle); Euphemia “Phemia” Molkenboer, Dutch author and poster artist; Berthold Altaner, German Catholic church historian (Patrologie), and educator; Carl Van Doren, American literary critic and biographer (“Benjamin Franklin” – Pulitzer Prize, 1939); Hilda Doolittle, American poetess (Imagist movement); Franz Werfel, Austrian-Bohemian novelist, playwright, and poet (Mirror Man, The Forty Days of Musa Dagh); Viswanatha Satyanarayana, Indian Telugu writer (Ramayana Kalpa Vrukshamu, Veyipadagalu); Georges Bataille, French writer; Toivo Pekkanen, Finnish writer (Wegwerkers); William Oliver Everson, American poet; Franfo Fortini [Franco Lattes], Italian poet; Miguel Serrano, Chilean author, diplomat and fascist (Esoteric Hitlerism); Lex van Delden [Alexander Zwaap], Dutch composer and writer (Canto della Guerra); Leo P. Kelley, American sci-fi author (Dead Moon, Vacation in Space); Bo Goldman, American Academy Award-winning screenwriter (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest; Melvin and Howard), and playwright; Mary Oliver, American poet (1984 Pulitzer Prize); Jared Diamond, American biologist and author (Guns, Germs and Steel); Stephen Jason Gould, American paleontologist and popular science writer; Neale Donald Walsch, American author (Conversations with God); Zhang Chengzhi, Chinese writer (History of the Soul); Gerry Conway, Marvel comics writer (Punisher); Chris Columbus, American film writer/director (Mrs Doubtfire, Nine Months); and Anurag Kashyap, Indian film director, writer, producer and actor (Gangs of Wasseypur, Satya, Black Friday).

Any names familiar to you? There weren’t any for me 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 Work In Progress

Mission- YemenThis week, I completed chapter twelve  of Mission: Yemen, Xavier Sear Thriller Book 2. As always, it’s been posted to the two online writing sites I use. A further twenty-one reviews arrived this week, bringing the total to 222. As always, there are plenty of recommendations for me to consider, and I’m always appreciative of the time and effort people put into reviewing my work.

Here’s another snippet. Please keep in mind that since these are first-draft chapters, things will likely be changed once I get to the editing phase. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions, please let me know.

Sear joined Wasim and Malik in the hotel’s dining room after Maghrib prayers. There were four other people in the restaurant, all locals based on how they were dressed. They sat at the same table, away from Sear and the others.

Wasim and Malik sat at a square table covered with a red and white checkered tablecloth. In the center were three unlit candles. Both men stood.

Sear chuckled and waved them back into their seats. “I’ll be looking over my shoulder to see who you’re rising for.”

A man wearing a stained apron approached. “Good evening, my friends. Dabir told you about me, yes?”

“Yes.” Sear nodded. “What should we call you?”

“Cook is sufficient, and if you enjoy the meal afterward, you may call me Chef.” The man cackled.

“Okay, Cook. Dabir says your sayadieh is excellent, so we want to try it.”

The cook grinned. “Of course, Sayyid. Might I suggest naqe’e al zabib, a raisin beverage for now, and after your meal, perhaps you might have qishr, a traditional Yemeni drink that we use instead of coffee because it is less expensive.”

Sear, Wasim, and Malik nodded.

“Excellent. I shall return soon with your meals.”

Ten minutes later, the cook returned with their meals. He served them and departed, returning with their drinks.

Lights flickered.

One of the other patrons pulled out a lighter and lit the candles on their table.

Sear followed suit as the lights flickered again.

The roar of low-flying aircraft shook the building and rattled the windows.

A bright light in the distance lit up the sky as the planes dropped bombs on part of the city before turning away.

Sear glanced at Wasim and Malik. “Someone’s getting hammered.” He continued to eat his fish and rice.

The brothers nodded.

Dabir rushed into the dining room and approached their table. “Is everyone okay?” He smiled. “Another Saudi-coalition raid on the city, no doubt.”

“How often does it happen?” Sear finished his fish and put his fork down.

“It seems like every night bombs go off, but some will be by those sacrificing themselves. Not often, but on occasion, we have a quiet evening. At least our part of the city hasn’t been targeted.”

A low-intensity rumble rolled through the sky, growing louder as aircraft returned once again.

“I hope you didn’t speak too soon.” Sear grinned. “Is there an air raid shelter?”

Dabir nodded. “Come this way. We do not want to tempt fate any more than necessary.” He handed out flashlights.

As Dabir led them through a doorway and down a flight of stairs into the basement, the whistling of falling munitions filled the air.

Ka-Boom! Ka-Boom!

“Hurry, everyone!” Dabir shined his light on the steps.

They joined the four locals huddled inside a room reinforced with steel girders as the building continued to shake.

Smash! Crunch! Crack! Tinkle!

Hotel windows broke under the concussion from the nearby explosions.

Why can’t I get a mission to a peaceful country?  Sear shook his head. Perhaps somewhere in the mountains, like a chalet overlooking Lake Lucerne, Switzerland?

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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September 3, 2023

Happy Labor Day weekend for those celebrating! It’s hard to believe the summer has shot past.  We’ve finally had a few consecutive sunny days and the temperature has made it into the low 70sF (21C). Gone are the early morning sunrises and late sunsets, and the evenings are cool enough now to put the heat on.

Over the past week, the price of gasoline (petrol) increased another penny, bringing it up to 1.53 a liter. With the current exchange rate, this kept an equivalent U.S. gallon at $7.33. Meanwhile, the price of a liter of diesel rose to £1.56.

Friday saw the start of our latest small business market, with today the final day. So far, I’ve sold ten autographed novels, while Sylvia has sold three of her poetry books, thirteen of her new poetry book marks, and sixteen of her laminated poetry sheets. Hopefully, today will be another good day!

“A book is made from a tree. It is an assemblage of flat, flexible parts (still called “leaves”) imprinted with dark pigmented squiggles. One glance at it and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, the author is speaking, clearly and silently, inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one another. Books break the shackles of time–proof that humans can work magic.” ― Carl Sagan. Compliments of https://selfpublishing.com/writing-quotes/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on 3 September, the first Sunday of the month. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/):

Adriano Banchieri, Italian organist, composer, poet, and monk; Francisco Acuña de Figueroa, Uruguayan poet (Toraidas); Sarah Orne Jewett, American author (Country of the Pointed Firs); ean Jaurès, French socialist (L’Humanité, Les Preuves); Wilhelm Bousset, German theologist and historian; Sally Benson, American writer (Meet Me In St. Louis); Willem Kooiman, Dutch theologist and church historian; Loren Eiseley, American anthropologist and natural science writer (The Unexpected Universe), and poet ((Another Kind of Autumn); Alison Lurie, American novelist (Pulitzer Prize – Foreign Affairs); John Robert Jones [John Dalmas], American sci-fi author (White Regiment, Lizard War); Cherry Barbara Grimm [Lockett], New Zealand sci-fi author (Nearest Fire); Caryl Churchill, English playwright; Eduardo Galeano, Uruguayan journalist and writer; Sergei Dovlatov, Russian writer; Mick Farren, English sci-fi author (Synaptic Manhunt, Citizen Phaid); Peter Morris, English historian of France; Spike Feresten, American television writer (Seinfeild); and Noah Baumbach, American, director, writer and filmmaker (The Squid and the Whale).

Any names familiar to you? There weren’t any for me 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 Work In Progress

Mission- YemenThis week, I completed chapter eleven  of Mission: Yemen, Xavier Sear Thriller Book 2. As always, it’s been posted to the two online writing sites I use. A further twenty-four reviews arrived this week, bringing the total to 201. As always, there are plenty of recommendations for me to consider, and I’m always appreciative of the time and effort people put into reviewing my work.

Here’s another snippet. Please keep in mind that since these are first-draft chapters, things will likely be changed once I get to the editing phase. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions, please let me know.

Footsteps of someone running echoed off the nearby buildings.

Sear turned, leading with his pistol. He relaxed when he spotted Dabir rushing toward them.

“Allah … be … merciful.” Dabir struggled to catch his breath. “And may His justice strike down those responsible.”

Sear stepped in front of him to block access to the scene. “Don’t look—he’s dead.”

Dabir strained to see around Sear. “Perhaps it is someone I know. Please let me take a look.”

“Okay.” Sear stepped aside. “Be it on your head.”

Dabir gasped. “I-I recognize that man from somewhere. Are you sure he’s dead?”

“Positive. The piece of metal poking into his chest extends through his body and out the back.”

“Oh. May Allah have mercy on him.” Dabir held prayer beds in his right hand. “The police will come soon—I called them. Of course, soon might be two or three hours, or even longer.” He glanced around. “They will ask fewer questions if you and your friends aren’t here.”

“Can we stay in my room?” Sear scratched his stubble.

“Of course.” He pulled two keys from his pocket and handed them to Sear. “These are for your friends. Their rooms are next to yours.”

Sear beckoned Wasim and Malik. “Let’s clear the area and go to my room.” He turned and headed toward the hotel.

The brothers followed him.

Once inside the hotel, they climbed the stairs.

Sear handed each of them a key. “Check out your rooms and make sure no one is inside.” He pointed to his door. “Join me afterward, and we’ll try to plot our next move. Bring a chair with you as there’s only one in the room.” He left the door open for them.

Minutes later, Wasim and Malik entered carrying chairs.

After handing out bottles of water, the three men sat.

“So, what do we know?” Sear, who had met both men when they worked at the American embassy as investigators for the regional security office, and he was assigned as a junior case officer, glanced at each one in turn.

 “I remember when we worked in the RSO office, Bashari gave a lecture to the American community about Yemen’s historical sites.” Malik pursed his lips. “I think at one time he served as Yemen’s cultural attaché.”

“Yes. I remember.” Wasim glanced at Malik. “He was assigned to the embassies in the UK, France, and Germany, before returning to Yemen. He’s continued his efforts to preserve Yemen’s heritage, in particular, with the UNESCO cultural world sites.”

Sear nodded. “Do either of you have any idea where he lives now?”

“Yes.” Malik shifted in his chair. “Not the specific property, but Borak said Bashari lived in the Haddah area of the city.”

“That’s where wealthy people live.” Wasim grinned. “One day, we’d both like to live there.”

Sear scratched his itchy facial hair. “Any way to find out the exact location?”

“I know someone in the Political Security Organization. Let me give him a call.” Malik yanked his phone from a pocket in his thobe. He punched in a number from memory after putting it on speaker. “Hello, Tariq. This is Malik. I have a favor to ask.”

A deep voice chuckled. “I told you before my sister isn’t ready for marriage.”

Both men laughed.

“I was supposed to meet with Abdullah Bashari, the archeologist, but I lost the paper with his number and address.”

“Yes, I know of him. Let me check.” Fingers clicking on a keyboard sounded through the speaker. “Ah. No phone number, but I have an address. I’ll text it to you.”

“Thank you, my dear friend.”

“No problem, but lunch is on you next time.” Tariq chuckled as he broke the connection.

Moments later, a ping sounded on Malik’s phone. He glanced at the text. “Haddah Street, in the al Khorafi residential area,  not far from the Jordanian embassy.”

“Excellent.” Sear smiled. “I think we should send someone with a note to tell Bashari I’m here and ready to meet with him.”

Wasim nodded. “I’ll do it.”

More next time.

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

© Copyright 2023 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved

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Randall’s Ramblings, July 9, 2023

Another week of mixed weather is behind us. We had plenty of showers with the occasional burst of sunshine. Now that we’re past the summer solstice, the nights are already coming in sooner and some evenings the temperature necessitated the use of the heat to keep the dampness at bay. At least right now, the sun is shining and we’re at 60F (16C).

“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers, you cannot be successful or happy.” – Norman Vincent Peale. 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 9 July, the second Sunday of the month. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/):

John of Saint Thomas [Juan Poinset], Portuguese theologist; Alexis Piron, French dramatist (La Métromanie); Johann Nikolaus Götz, German poet (Die Mädcheninsel); Ann Radcliffe, English Gothic novelist (The Mysteries of Udolpho, The Romance of the Forest); Johanna Schopenhauer, German writer and mother of Arthur Schopenhauer; Matthew Lewis, English novelist (The Monk); Johan Philip van der Kellen, Dutch stamp cutter, lithographer and writer; Franz Boas, German-American anthropologist and linguist (Mind of Primitive Man); Samuel Eliot Morison, American historian (Admiral of the Ocean Sea); Gerard Walschap, Flemish writer (Mary, Revolt in Congo); Barbara Cartland, English romance author (Camfield #69); Gerhard Pohl, German writer (Crazy Ferdinand); Beene Dubbelboer, Dutch writer (Secret Resistance); Mervyn Peake, British writer and illustrator (Gormenghast books); Oliver Sacks, English Neurologist and author (Awakenings); June Jordan, Caribbean-American playwright and poet (His Own Where); Hermann Burger, Swiss poet and writer; Glen Cook, American sci-fi author (Shadowline, Star’s End); Dean Koontz, American sci-fi author (Star Quest, Beastchild); Thomas Ligotti, American author (Songs of a Dead Dreamer); Fred Norris [Nukis], American comedy writer (Howard Stern Show), singer, guitarist, and actor; Paul Merton, British writer, actor and comedian (Room 101); Tim Kring, American writer and producer; Lars Gyllenhaal, Swedish author; and Masami Tsuda, Japanese manga author.

Any names familiar to you? There were three for me this week: Barbara Cartland, Dean Koontz, Paul Merton. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!

New Release

Frozen-Conquest-eBook-Cover-HRIn case you missed the notification, my eighth novel, Frozen Conquest, is now live on Amazon.

For anyone who is interested, here is the international buy link. Frozen Conquest is available in Kindle and paperback formats, and participates in Kindle Unlimited. https://books2read.com/u/bwNDVP

Here’s the blurb from the back of the book:

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 CEO wants 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?

My Work In Progress

Mission- YemenThis week, I completed the first two chapters of Mission: Yemen, Xavier Sear Thriller Book 2. Both chapters have been posted to the two online writing sites I use and they’ve received twenty reviews. As always, plenty of recommendations for me to consider.

Here is the first snippet. Please keep in mind that since these are first-draft chapters, things will likely be changed once I get to the editing phase. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions, please let me know.

Shatara scurried forward as a chunk of bread and an apple dropped through a slot. Moments later, the door inched open, and a fresh bucket of water was shoved inside before the door slammed shut.

She studied the stale bread. Larger than normal. Makes up for the bruised apple. Oh well. She broke off several small pieces of the crust and put them in the corner. Here, Bushra, you may eat when you are ready.

Shatara scooped dead flies from the top of the new water bucket. Stomach rumbling, she broke off pieces of the bread and dunked them in the tepid water before shoving them into her mouth. After finishing the bread, she bit into the apple. She shook her head at the bitter flavors while she savored the juice trickling down her parched throat.

After finishing her meager meal, Shatara leaned against the wall opposite the window. She could make out a few stars appearing, as well as a sliver of a new moon. They were soon blotted out. The sounds of the wind picking up whistled through the bars as sand splattered the outside of the building, as noisy as if it were a tropical storm.

She crept back to the water bucket and dipped her hand into the tepid liquid, cupping her fingers as she brought a small handful towards her mouth. After wetting her lips, she spat it out and returned to her blanket.

With the cooler breezes because of the approaching storm, she spread the chador across the blanket to give greater warmth. Before long, she fell asleep.

***

Shatara tossed and turned for hours. At one point, she reflected on her family. Tears formed as she thought of her parents and her brother, Zahid. I miss them so much. Will I ever see them again?

At long last, she drifted into a troubled sleep, the blanket and chador tight around her body.

***

The morning call to prayer woke her from a restless night. Body aching, she stretched to work out some of the kinks. What will today bring? Will Baba find me and take me home? She began her preparations for the Fajr, or the first prayer of the day.

“Aaaaaaaah!”

An ear-piecing screech filled the air, which was abruptly cut off.

What is happening? She dashed to the blanket and tugged on her chador.

Rather than the clip-clop sounds of the jailer, the measured footsteps of someone else echoed in the corridor.

Shatara hurried to don the chador.

The key turned in the lock, squealing as normal.

The door opened, and a man dressed in a white full-length loose-fitting garment with long sleeves known as a thobe and a red and white checkered kaffiyeh stepped inside. “Well? Are you ready? I demand your answer—now. Speak with great care, or it could be your undoing.”

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, July 2, 2023

4thofjulyHappy 4th of July to all of my American readers.  I hope everyone enjoys themselves, whether watching parades, fireworks, baseball games, joining friends and family for picnics and barbeques.

Have a safe and happy holiday!

Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens. Most of my friends who are put on that diet have very pleasant careers. ~ Ray Bradbury. Compliments of https://www.writerswrite.co.za/motivational-quotes-on-writing/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on 2 July, the first Sunday of the month. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/):

Samuel Penhallow, English-born American colonist and historian; Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock, German poet (Der Messias); George Law Curry, American newspaper publisher and Governor of Oregon; Henry Eugene Davies, American writer, public official, lawyer, and Major General (Union Army); Lily Braun, German feminist and socialist writer (Im Schatten Titanen); Hermann Hesse, German-Swiss novelist and poet (Steppenwolf, Nobel Prize for Literature 1946); Cor Hermus, Dutch actor, director and writer (Bleeke Bet, William of Orange, Jantes, A Mother); Tyrone Guthrie, British actor, producer, writer and director; Rex Alston, English sports broadcaster and author (BBC radio); H. G. Adler, German writer (The Journey); Diego Fabbri, Italian playwright and leader (Vatican movie bureau); Bert Decorte, Flemish poet; Pierre H. Dubois, Dutch literary and critic; Jean Craighead George, American writer (Julie of the Wolves); Eliseo Diego, Cuban poet; Wislawa Szymborska, Prowent, Polish poet referred to as the ‘Mozart of Poetry’ (Nobel 1996); Rick Besoyan, American singer, actor, playwright, composer and director (Little Mary Sunshine); Octavian Paler, Romanian writer, journalist; Pavel Kohout, Czech director and author (Poor Murderer); Ed Bullins, American playwright; Alexandros Panagoulis, Greek politician and poet; M[ichael] A[nthony] Foster, American sci-fi author (Gameplayers of Zan); Larry David, American actor, comedian and screenwriter (Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm); Terry Rossio, American screenwriter; Evelyn Lau, Canadian author; and Darren Shan, Irish children’s author.

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

New Release

Frozen-Conquest-eBook-Cover-HRI’m pleased to announce the release of Frozen Conquest.  Due to social account issues with hacking and/or unauthorised suspicious activity, I had to close my Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn accounts. As a result, I didn’t meet my publisher’s submission guidelines.

Since I have a number of local followers waiting for autographed copies of Frozen Conquest, I decided to self-publish it rather than wait until such time as I’m back on social media, which likely won’t be until January 2024. Here’s the back-of-the-book blurb:

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 CEO wants 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?

For anyone who is interested, here is the international buy link. Frozen Conquest is available in Kindle and paperback formats, and participates in Kindle Unlimited. https://books2read.com/u/bwNDVP

My Work In Progress

Mission- YemenI’ve started work on Mission: Yemen, book two in my Xavier Sear Thriller series.  Here”s what it’s about:

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

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

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

I hope to complete chapter one this week and get it uploaded to the two online subscription writing sites I use. More to follow 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

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, June 25, 2023

Most days during the past week we’ve experience plenty of sunshine, although Wednesday was a rainy day. That was okay as the ground needed a good soaking and that’s what we had. The temperatures have dropped a bit, but still made it to 72F (22C). The common hedge between us and next door has grown out of proportion, so it was a good time to give it a trim.

Doing it all the time, whether or not we are in the mood, gives us ownership of our writing ability. It takes it out of the realm of conjuring where we stand on the rock of isolation, begging the winds for inspiration, and it makes it something as do-able as picking up a hammer and pounding a nail. Writing may be an art, but it is certainly a craft. It is a simple and workable thing that can be as steady and reliable as a chore. ~ Julia Cameron. Compliments of https://www.writerswrite.co.za/motivational-quotes-on-writing/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on 25 June, the fourth and final Sunday of the month. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/):

Georges Courteline [Moineau], French playwright; Hans Marchwitza, German writer and communist; Kay [Katherine Linn] Sage, American painter and poet; I. D. du Plessis, South African writer and director (3rd World); George Orwell, British author (Animal Farm, Nineteen Eighty-Four); Philip Toynbee, British journalist and writer (Savage Days, Barricade); Dorothy Gilman, American mystery writer; Nicholas Mosley, British novelist, biographer and son of Oswald Mosley; Ingeborg Bachmann, Austrian author and poet (Gott von Manhattan); Eric Carle, American illustrator, collage artist, and writer of children’s books (The Very Hungry Caterpillar); Larry Kramer, American playwright and AIDS activist; Paul Nowee, Dutch writer of children’s and youth books (Eagle’s Eye); Marabel Morgan, American author (The Total Woman); A. J. Quinnell [Philip Nicholson], English writer (Man on Fire); Michel Tremblay, Canadian novelist and playwright (Les Belles-Sœurs); Labi Siffre, British singer-songwriter and poet (It Must Be Love); and Ariel Gore, American journalist and author.

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me: George Orwell. 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, my personal editing of Frozen Conquest continued. I’ve now gone through all 825 chapter reviews it’s received and incorporated the suggestions I wanted to use into the manuscript. I’ve also completed the third and fourth edit passes, and I’m a third of the way through the fifth one. I normally do seven edit passes, so I’m well on my way.

Here’s the penultimate snippet:

Douglas Walliams, president of the World Bank, rifled through the stack of 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?

Douglas opened the message labeled Beware and studied its contents.

To: Douglas 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.

Douglas 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. Douglas Walliams here. I received a strange email today. It might be from a crackpot, but with recent viable 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.”

Douglas listened to the classical hold music performed by an orchestra 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 and we’ll look into it.”

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

“You can share what you received with your counterparts in Japan, China, Germany, and the U.K., as they have the most voting power after the U.S. However, I recommend against sharing it with your executive directors and vice presidents. If I recall, that would push the word out to over fifty more people, and I think we should keep it contained—for now.”

“Understood.”

“Anything else, Douglas?”

“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.”

 

The final snippet will be provided next week.

Promotions

Dangerous Alliance, Colombian Betrayal, and Ultimate Escalation are participating in a Murders, Mysteries and the Paranormal promotion, running until the end of June for Mystery & Suspense / Paranormal, Mystery & Suspense / Thriller, and Mystery & Suspense / Women Sleuths. There are currently ninety-four novels participating. Why not check it out?

https://books.bookfunnel.com/murdermysteriespromo3/f3fke10rs2

All of my novels are participating in June’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-jun/nwprjw7ql4

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

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, June 18, 2023

Happy Father’s Day to all fathers around the world. I hope you enjoy your special day. This year, Father’s Day also coincides with the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year.

After the light rain we had last Sunday, Mother Nature decided we needed some more sunshine. Every day since has been filled with plenty of sun and the temperatures have soared into the upper 70s with a high of 79F (26C) on Wednesday. Heavy rain is predicted for late this evening as we appear to be returning to our normal weather patterns.

If you’ve ever felt blocked, or felt that you’re not good enough as a writer, check this out: We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master. ~ Ernest Hemingway. Compliments of https://www.writerswrite.co.za/motivational-quotes-on-writing/.

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

Ottaviano Petrucci, Italian printer; Gabriello Chiabrera, Italian poet; Thomas Overbury, English poet (A Wife) and essayist; Ivan Goncharov, Russian novelist (Oblomov); Pavel Annenkov, Russian literature historian (Zametsjatelnoje desjatileti); Edward Wyllis Scripps, American publisher who organized 1st US major chain of newspapers (The E. W. Scripps Company); José Trindade Coelho, Portuguese writer (Os Meus Amores); George Essex Evans, Australian poet; Philip Barry, American dramatist (Philadelphia Story); Raymond Radiguet, French journalist and writer (Le diable ouch corps); Sylvia Porter, American financial writer (Sylvia Porter’s Money Book); Bert Schierbeek, Dutch writer and poet (Cross Roads); Aster Berkhof [Louis Van de Bergh], Flemish writer (Furious Christ); Rex Collings, English publisher (Rex Collings); Tom Wicker, American columnist (covered assassination of JFK for NY Times) and author; John Phillipps Kenyon, English historian; James Bishop, English editor (deputy editor of The Times); Geoffrey Hill, English poet; Gail Godwin, American author (Perfectionists, Odd Woman); Russell Ash, British author (‘the human Google’); Chris Van Allsburg, American author and illustrator; William Randolph Hearst III, American publisher and editor; Richard Powers, American novelist (The Overstory – Pulitzer Prize for Fiction 2019); and Christopher Largen, American author.

Any names familiar to you? There were two for me: Sylvia Porter and William Randolph Hearst III. 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

Over the past week I’ve had more suspicious activity on my social media accounts. As a result, I have deleted by Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts, so this is the only way you’ll get updates from me for the foreseeable future. Once I set up new accounts, I’ll put a note here.

In the meantime, every Thursday I will send out a separate post dedicated to my published novels, which will include the blurb from the back of each book, any awards, and the latest mockup banners I’ve received from http://www.allauthor.com. Please share these posts with your mailing lists. Allauthor will also continue to issue their regular Twitter notifications.

My Work In Progress

Slide1This week, my personal editing of Frozen Conquest continued. I’ve now gone through all 810 chapter reviews it’s received and incorporated the suggestions I wanted to use into the manuscript. I’ve also completed the first two edit passes, and will begin the third one later today.

Here’s another snippet:

The Scandinavian Protection Agency had chartered the RV Aquavit as a floating platform for their venture to Antarctica, complete with an experienced crew and a scientific staff.

Carina and Gunner joined the rest of the six-person SPA team, which would conduct their experiments on the mainland. They entered the mess and found their teammates: Ailsa Dahl, a petite blonde project manager who was game for anything; Bertelot Gulbrandsson, the team leader and an engineer by training; Eggert Falkenberg, another engineer and a blond giant of a man with a quiet nature; and Rona Lundgren, a statuesque blonde well over six feet tall. Carina and Ailsa were climatologists while Rona was a meteorologist.

“Where did you two go? Checking out the sights—or each other?” Bertelot chuckled.

Carina’s face reddened. “If you must know, I was studying the landscape above the city. It’s the last time we’ll see anything but ice until we return.”

“Should have taken some photos to remind you.” Bertelot maintained a straight face.

Everyone laughed.

Rona stood. “Anyone for coffee? I’ll put on a fresh pot.”

After a round of “yes” from the rest of the team, she headed into the galley.

Another whistle blew.

A vibration ran through the deck as the engine engaged. The ship swung away from the pier, heading in a southerly direction.

Rona returned a few minutes later carrying a tray with a fresh pot of coffee and cups. After everyone had a refill, she raised her cup in the air. “Here’s to our next adventure—Antarctica, here we come!”

Eggert spoke in a deep bass voice. “I am looking forward to my first time on the ice. I have dreamed of this since I was a child.”

“Too bad you missed our Arctic excursion.” Carina smiled. “What a time to come down with chickenpox.”

“Yes, but it was a mild case since I was vaccinated as a child. They were a present from my niece.” He thumped his chest and coughed. “But I am in perfect shape now.” He coughed again.

“Take it easy, Eggert.” Bertelot grinned. “We don’t have a doctor aboard—just a nurse.”

“Is she attractive?”

Bertelot chuckled. “I guess you could say so. The nurse’s name is Tim.”

“Oh.”

Everyone laughed as they stood.

“See everyone here in about three hours.” Bertelot pointed at Rona. “We have a guest chef tonight.”

Rona touched a finger to her cheek. “Oh. Not sure about being a chef, but I make fantastic spaghetti and meatballs.”

“I’m heading out on deck. Anyone care to join me in bidding Ushuaia farewell?”

Ailsa nodded. “I’ll join you, Carina.”

More next time.

Promotions

Dangerous Alliance, Colombian Betrayal, and Ultimate Escalation are participating in a Murders, Mysteries and the Paranormal promotion, running until the end of June for Mystery & Suspense / Paranormal, Mystery & Suspense / Thriller, and Mystery & Suspense / Women Sleuths. There are currently ninety-four novels participating. Why not check it out?

https://books.bookfunnel.com/murdermysteriespromo3/f3fke10rs2

All of my novels are participating in June’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-jun/nwprjw7ql4

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

Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, June 11, 2023

After another week of dry weather,  we’re finally getting a light rain. Thank goodness, as we certainly need it since it’s been dry for a couple of weeks and the ground (and plants) need it.

Last weekend’s small business market was a great success. I sold seventeen of my autographed novels, while two of Sylvia’s poetry books and sixteen of her laminated poetry sheets went as well.  Both of us were greatly pleased with the results.

Stop trying to write sentences and start trying to write stories. ~ James Patterson. Compliments of https://www.writerswrite.co.za/motivational-quotes-on-writing/.

So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on 11 June, the second Sunday of the month. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/):

Barnabe Googe, English poet; Ben Johnson, English playwright and poet (Volpone, Alchemist); Anton Hildebrand, Dutch children’s book writer (Man in the Moon); George Wither, English writer (Abuses Stript and Whipt); J. H. Leopold, Dutch poet (translated Omar Khayyam); Alfred L. Kroeber, American anthropologist and author (Anthropologist looks at History); Renee Vivien, English-born poet, wrote in French; Edward Shanks, British poet and critic; Yasunari Kawabata, Japanese novelist (Thousand Cranes) and Nobel laureate (1968); Emil František Burian, Czech author and composer; Mary Lavin, Irish author (Tales from Bective Bridge); Hendrikus Berkhof, Dutch theologist (Church & Emperor; Irving Howe, American writer and critic (World of Our Fathers); Michael Meyer, English novelist and translator; William Styron, American novelist (Confess of Nat Turner, Sophie’s Choice); thol Fugard, South African anti-apartheid writer (Blood Knot); Christina Crawford, American actress and author (Mommie Dearest); Robert Munsch, Canadian children’s author (The Paper Bag Princess, Love You Forever); and Chris Rice, American contemporary Christian and folk music singer-songwriter (“When Did You Fall (In Love With Me)”), poet, and visual artist.

Any names familiar to you? There weren’t any this week for me. 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 began the hard work on Frozen Conquest — getting the manuscript ready to submit to my publisher. I’ll finish my first edit pass later today.

Frozen Conquest received twenty reviews this week, bringing the total to 801!  Once again, there are plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the continued support. I’ve gone through all the reviews for chapters 1-39 and made note of suggestions I want to incorporate into the story.

Here’s another snippet:

Rufus unlocked a cabinet, pulled out his laptop, and booted it. While they waited, he turned to the others. “I placed all the applications on here. Eight are prior military, while the other two are FBI agents looking for a career change.”

“Aye.” CC sipped his dark German beer. “We’ll give you our opinions, but in the end, the choice is yours.”

Rufus nodded. “Admiral Blakely said we should pick four people, for now, giving us a decent QRF staff as we could split into two three-person teams, if necessary, although I think eight would be better.”

Trevor glanced at CC. “Fully agree with you. However, in our recent team build, the admiral indicated changes would need to wait for additional funding.”

“Aye. If everything works out, we’ll get the necessary funding in the next budget.”

 “I recommend picking four people you want right away.” Evelyn sipped her white wine. “Choose two others as alternates—they can be added to the team when the budget is sorted.” She smiled. “Of course, it depends on how many meet the threshold for being offered positions.”

“Makes sense.” Rufus clicked on the first file and opened it. “I’ve blocked the names in case any of us know the applicants and might show inadvertent bias. For now, they’ll be known as one through ten.”

“Aye. Excellent idea.” CC scooted forward.

* * *

Over the next three hours, the five Bedlam personnel reviewed the files. Two were rejected outright due to a lack of operational experience. While well-trained, they were desk jockeys and never served in a high-tension environment.

They took a short restroom break and replaced their empty drinks.

Rufus led them outside for a breath of fresh air.

“Will you keep this place when you’ve assembled your teams?” Evelyn glanced at the other houses on the street.

Rufus nodded and pointed to two properties, both larger than their current abode. “Yes. Those houses over there each have three bedrooms. Each member will have their own bedroom but will share the common areas. Meanwhile, August and I will stay here. It’s only two bedrooms but plenty of space for us.” He yawned. “Shall we get back to it?”

Everyone agreed, and they returned inside.

After an additional two hours, they reached a decision: one, three, four, six, eight, and nine.

“Shall we uncover their names and faces to see if we know any of them?” Rufus unblocked the hidden information and stepped through the six applicants.

“Wait.” CC raised a hand. “Number nine—I recognize his photo and name. In my opinion, you don’t want him.”

“Any valid reason? He seems very qualified.” Rufus frowned.

“Aye. He’s qualified, but that’s not the problem. He resents authority from those he considers junior to his abilities. In Afghanistan, he killed an Afghan captain after a disagreement. Charges were never filed—I think the rest of his team didn’t want to deal with any repercussions as they could end up like the captain.”

CC gazed into each of their faces. “He also tried to kill an American army colonel looking into the Afghan captain’s death—me.”

More next time.

Promotions

Dangerous Alliance, Colombian Betrayal, and Ultimate Escalation are participating in a Murders, Mysteries and the Paranormal promotion, running until the end of June for Mystery & Suspense / Paranormal, Mystery & Suspense / Thriller, and Mystery & Suspense / Women Sleuths. There are currently ninety-four novels participating. Why not check it out?

https://books.bookfunnel.com/murdermysteriespromo3/f3fke10rs2

All of my novels are participating in June’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-jun/nwprjw7ql4

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

Randall's Ramblings, Uncategorized

Randall’s Ramblings, June 4, 2023

After  another week of dry weather, we’ve had to start watering some of the shrubs and flower pots so we don’t loose the plants. The forecast for the next week is mainly sunny days. We’ll see what happens.

The June small business market began on Friday. While the foot traffic was light in the mall, it did pick up yesterday and hopefully it will be good today. So far, I sold ten of my autographed novels, while Sylvia sold one of her poetry books and thirteen of her laminated poetry sheets.

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://www.writerswrite.co.za/motivational-quotes-on-writing/.

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

Apollon Maykov, Russian poet; Servaas Daems [Peeter Klein], Flemish writer (Lute & Flute); John Blair Scribner, American magazine and book publisher; Mabel Lucie Attwell, English children’s author and illustrator; Daan Boens, Flemish poet (Man who sold his Wife); Jacques Roumain, Haitian writer (Gouverneurs de la Rosée); Patience Strong [Winifred Emma May], English poet and journalist; Willy-August Linnemann, Danish writer and journalist; Maurice Shadbolt, New Zealand writer (Season of the Jew); Robert Fulghum, American author (All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten); Joyce Meyer, American Charismatic Christian author and speaker; Daniel Topolski, British writer and rowing coach; Charles Dickinson, American author (Waltz in Marathon); Wendy Pini, American comic book writer (Elfquest); and Paul Stewart, British writer (The Edge Chronicles, Far Flung Adventures).

Any names familiar to you? There was one for me: Patience Strong. 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 the final two chapters (forty-three and forty-four) of Frozen Conquest. As always, I posted them to the two online subscription writing sites I use. Now the hard work begins–getting the manuscript ready to submit to my publisher!

Frozen Conquest received seventy-one reviews this week, bringing the total to 781!  Once again, there are plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the continued support.

Here’s another snippet:

Brown’s phone rang. Another interruption. Don’t these people realize I’m busy? He picked up. “Yes, what is it?”

Sawyer Johnson, head of Brown’s security team, chuckled. “Sorry to bother you, Mister Brown, but you wanted to be notified when the new demolitions expert arrived.”

“Show him to my office in thirty minutes.” Brown glanced at the clock. “No, make it an hour.”

“Uh … sir, he’s a she. I mean, the bomb expert is a woman.”

“So? I still want to meet her.”

“Yes, sir.”

An hour later, Sawyer knocked on Brown’s door.

“Come in.”

Sawyer and a petite brunette with large brown eyes and shoulder-length hair stepped into Brown’s office. “Sir, this is Madeleine Fingerhut.”

Brown remained seated, reached over his desk, and shook hands with the young woman. He gestured toward a visitor’s chair.

Sawyer stood back and leaned against the door.

She took the seat. “Please, call me Maddie.” A timid smile creased her face.

Brown nodded. “Is this your first visit to Antarctica, Madeleine—I mean Maddie?”

“Yes. I find it hauntingly beautiful.”

“I remember thinking something similar when I first came here. Just remember when you’re outside, Antarctica is very dangerous, especially on the ice.”

“Yes, sir.” She smiled. “I’m looking forward to working here. If I may ask, what happened to your previous explosives expert? I understand his departure was rather abrupt.”

A thin smile creased Brown’s face. “I guess you could call it an abrupt departure—he blew himself up.”

“Oh!” Maddie’s right hand covered her mouth. “I’m so sorry.”

Brown shrugged. “What are you sorry for? Did you know Samson?”

“Oh … well … no.” Her face reddened. “That’s what people say at unexpected news.”

“Hmm.” Brown picked up a folder from his desk and extracted two sheets of paper. “You have a very interesting resume, working in various exotic places around the world.” I know that people say 1 page is good for a resume. If she has a REAL interesting resume, then turn it into a curriculum vitae – “Wow, interesting pictures! How many people died in that one?”, “Newspaper articles. Very good! How high was the rubble?” “You took out how much of the government? With only one blast! Impressive.” George

“Yes, sir. For the past six years, I’ve spent most of my time outside the U.S.”

“I see.” Brown rubbed his chin. “Any boyfriends, a husband, or significant other? Who’s your next of kin?”

Maddie shook her head. “No, sir. Why do you ask?”

“Never mind—not important.” He waved a hand. “Just wondered who we should notify if something should happen to you.”

Maddie gulped. “I-I shall take all necessary precautions when I’m working.”

“It’s not just the ice which is dangerous.” Brown stared at her. “Danger comes in many forms.” He stood and extended a hand. “Welcome to Antarctica. Do a professional job, and we shall get along just fine.” He turned to Sawyer. “Escort her around the premises and show her to her quarters.”

“Yes, Mister Brown.” Sawyer opened the door to allow Maddie to leave first.

“One more thing, Maddie.”

She stood. “Yes, Mister Brown?”

“Sawyer will point out areas that are off-limits to all but a select few employees. These areas are marked with skull and crossbones signs. For your own safety, never venture inside unless you are summoned. If you require entrance, Sawyer will escort you.” He studied her. “It could be very devastating—for you.”

More next time.

Promotions

Dangerous Alliance, Colombian Betrayal, and Ultimate Escalation are participating in a Murdrs, Mysteries and the Paranormal promotion, running until the end of June for Mystery & Suspense / Paranormal, Mystery & Suspense / Thriller, and Mystery & Suspense / Women Sleuths. There are currently ninety-four novels participating. Why not check it out?

https://books.bookfunnel.com/murdermysteriespromo3/f3fke10rs2

All of my novels are participating in June’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-jun/nwprjw7ql4

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

Randall's Ramblings

Randall’s Ramblings, April 9, 2023

Happy Easter to all who recognize today as a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day of his burial following his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD. (compliments of Wikipedia)

Weather-wise, it’s been a mixed week, although mainly dry with lots of sunshine. We were able to get more done in the front flower beds and made a start in the back. Still plenty more to do before thing are ready.

“There’s no such thing as writer’s block. That was invented by people in California who couldn’t write.” – Terry Pratchett 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 Easter Saturday, 8 April, compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/:

Phineas Fletcher, English poet; Johann Christian Gunther, German poet; Thaddäus Weigl, German-Austrian composer, publisher, and conductor; Dionysios Solomos, Greek poet of the Greek national anthem; Elizabeth Bacon Custer, American author, public speaker and wife of George Armstrong Custer; Margaret Ayer Barnes, American playwright and writer (Years of Grace); ohn R. Hicks, British economist (Value and Capital), (Nobel Memorial Prize for Economic Science 1972); Hans Scherfig, Danish artist and communist writer (Idealists, Stolen Spring); Helen Joseph, South African anti-apartheid activist and writer (Side by Side); John Fante, Italian-American author and screenwriter (Wait Until Spring, Bandini, Ask the Dust, Full of Life); Emil Mihai Cioran, Romanian born writer and aphorist; Glendon Swarthout, American novelist (Where The Boys Are; The Shootist); Frédéric Back, German-born Canadian short film director and screenwriter; Seymour Hersh, award-winning investigative reporter (NY Times); Eduard Visser, Dutch writer (Fyffes are now called Chiquita); James Herbert, English horror writer (The Rats); Christoph Hein, German writer and translator; Barbara Kingsolver, American novelist (The Poisonwood Bible); Jim Piddock, English actor, writer and producer (Best in Show); Craig Mazin, American scriptwriter and film director (Chernobyl, The Last of Us); and Nnedi Okorafor, Nigerian American writer (Binti books).

Any names familiar to you? There were two four me: Elizabeth Bacon Custer  and James Herbert. 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-eight of Frozen Conquest and posted it to the two online subscription writing sites I use.

Since my last update, fifteen reviews have been added, bringing the total to 528.  As always, plenty of good suggestions to improve my story and I’m greatly appreciative of the support.

Here’s another snippet:

 Carina stood at the stern of the ship, gazing out to sea. Nothing but darkness. She tugged her coat tighter around her to ward off the penetrating cold. She pulled her lined woolly hat down to cover the tops of her ears. I’m glad Rufus suggested this headgear.

She turned and worked her way along the aft side of the ship before returning inside. Joining her other team members, she scooted into an empty seat next to Bertelot. “Could I make my weekly satellite call now? Before we departed, my favorite cousin was hoping to land a new job, and I want to find out if he was successful.”

Bertelot sipped his Coke. “Okay. What job was he going for?”

“I’m not sure.” She tapped the side of her nose. “Something spooky, I think. He’s a former SEAL.”

Bertelot pulled the satellite phone from his backpack and handed it to her. “No more than fifteen minutes, or you’ll pay the extra.”

“C’mon, Bertelot.” Carina batted her eyes at him. “I’ll be as quick as possible.” She stood and headed toward the exit. “I’ll be right back.”

He laughed. “Sure you will.”

After zipping up her parks, which she had loosened when she joined the others, she donned her hat again and stepped back on deck.

Following the procedures Bertelot taught the team for using the phone, Carina located the appropriate satellite and punched a series of numbers. She smiled when the phone began ringing.

A male voice answered. “Hello?”

“Hi, Rufus. Carina here. How are you doing?”

 “Hey, Cuz. Glad to hear from you. Where are you calling from? Are you on your way to Antarctica?”

“Yes, and your recommendation about the woolly hat is already paying dividends.” Carina chuckled. “Too bad you couldn’t come with me, you being a SEAL and all.”

“Hardy har har! This SEAL doesn’t want to play with the seals you’ll meet. But, I suppose you’ll find it quite an adventure.”

“If you change your mind, I’ll talk with Bertelot, our team leader. So did you get the job you were after?”

“Yes. An admiral made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. The pay isn’t as good, but the potential growth is much better than being a contractor.”

“Can you tell me about it?”

“I can’t reveal much, Carina, but I’m now working on an American base in Germany.”

“Are you I charge?”

“Of the base—no. Of my unit? Yes. The only other thing I can mention is we’re a quick reaction team, so we can get sent anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice.”

“Even to Antarctica if I run into trouble?”

Rufus laughed. “as long as my boss gives me the word to go ahead.”

“I’m onboard the research vessel RV Aquavit, and we’re in the Southern Ocean. I better give you the Scandinavian Protection Agency’s number.”

“Already have it. When you called, I recognized you were using a satellite phone—impressive. Your number is in my phone’s log.”

“It’s not my phone, Rufus. It belongs to the SPA, and our team leader allows each of us one call a week, but only for fifteen minutes due to the cost. The one we’re using costs two dollars a minute.”

“Ouch. Pricey. I feel honored you chose to call me.”

Carina chuckled. “You’re my only living relative, so who else would I call? I don’t have a boyfriend—at least right now.” She sighed. “I better go for now. Take care, Rufus. Speak to you next week.”

“Sure thing, Cuz. Watch out for those seals—and the penguins.”

More next time.

Promotions

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

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