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Randall’s Ramblings, September 25, 2016

Randall Krzak

The official beginning of autumn/fall passed by this week. Temperatures are also dropping, but still above the average for this time of year along the lake. Brilliant sunshine, clear blue skies have been the norm since my last ramble, with only the occasional drops of moisture. Long may it last, as I’m certainly in no hurry for the next season to descend upon us.

If you had a birthday this weekend, you’re in excellent company, beginning with our first celebrity:  William Faulkner, Nobel Prize-winning writer (The Sound and the Fury, Absalom, Absalom!); Barbara Walters, television news personality and interviewer; Kim Thompson, editor, publisher; co-founder of Fantagraphics Books; Gerolamo Cardano, mathematician, author of Games of Chance, the first systematic computation of probabilities; and Horace Walpole, author, creator of the Gothic novel genre.

Happy birthday wishes to everyone!

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

Discipline continues to be an important part of my writing so that I continue to make regular progress. Unlike some writers, who believe in setting daily or weekly goals of a specific number of words to write, what works for me is getting something down on paper (okay, on the computer screen) each day. It might be fifty words or it might be one five hundred, I think continued progress is more important that having to write to a target.

Sometimes, I’m adding new words to one or more of my works in progress. In other endeavors, it might be editing something that doesn’t seem to work. The one area I do pay attention to on a weekly basis is the chapter outlines I use. Even if I don’t make any written changes, my reviews help to keep me focused on where the stories are going. If I’ve made a detour for whatever reason, then modifications are made to the outlines.

My Work in Progress

With discipline being an important part of my onward progression, I’m please to say that I posted A Cartel’s Revenge, chapter seven, to the two subscription writing groups I use. I also added 250 words to A Malicious Affiliation, chapter three, which I hope to complete over the coming week.

All work on my short stories is on hold but I still need to finish reading the reviews and selecting recommendations, which help improve them. Eventually, I’ll finish the editing process. At this time, I don’t have any new short stories underway, but that’s okay as I want to concentrate on my novels.

Of course, completing the various requirements I had received from my publisher regarding The Kurdish Connection is still a weekly goal. The first chapter of A Malicious Affiliation will be included in the back of this book. During the past week I made changes based on the original twenty-four reviews and re-posted for further feedback. It’s already received thirteen new reviews; all indicating the changes are enhancing the story.

Next week I’ll resume including snippets from the latest chapters of A Cartel’s Revenge and A Malicious Affiliation.

Books I’m Reading

Last week, I described my thoughts regarding The Fourth Crusade (The Crusades, Book 1) by Mark Butler, but neglected to include the link, so it’s now included.  I read another book over the past week, The Seventh Island (Stone & MacLeish Thriller Series of Stories Book 1) by Gregory Stenson. The story begins with a scam in New York involving a millionaire and transitions to the Carribean, where Stone and MacLeish become embroiled in murder, mayhem, and some magic.

Toss in a woman who appears to be suffering from a schizophrenia disorder, a couple of thugs, a corrupt mayor and a police chief who appears to do whatever works for him, and you have a recipe for intrigue, terror, and suspense as each chapter seems to take the story in a new direction, with a hook or two to keep readers engaged. Should Stone and MacLeish abandon their successful business and leave the islands before one of them is killed? You’ll have to grab a copy of the book to find out.

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

I’ve expanded this section from being only about blogs that I follow but also introduce you to some new authors and a few writing sites. This week, I only had time to read through one but it’s well worth a read. Hope you’ll check it out!

Kanudra’s Blog – learn about the writing of Dawn Chapman. Follow her through her writing journey.

Writing Resources

With continued work on my publisher’s requirements and full steam ahead on my novels, I didn’t have any time left this week to do any research designed to aid my progression. Perhaps next time I’ll have something to share.

That brings us to the end of another ramble.  Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing.  If you have any suggestions on topics you’d like me to cover, just drop me a comment and I’ll be happy to do so. Until the next time, thank you for reading!

 

 

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Randall’s Ramblings, September 18, 2016

Randall Krzak

Another weekend is upon us. How fast the summer’s flown! Seems like it wasn’t that long ago the farmers were busy planting their fields. Now, they’re beginning to harvest their crops. An annual cycle, so vital to our survival.

Are there any birthday people out there this weekend? If so, you share your special day with the following:

William Carlos Williams, poet, playwright, essayist and writer who won a Pulitzer prize (Pictures from Brueghel and Other Poems); Ken Kesey, author (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Sometimes a Great Notion); Samuel Johnson, English lexicographer, essayist, poet and moralist; John Knowles, writer; won first-ever William Faulkner Foundation Award (A Separate Peace, 1961); and James Alan McPherson, author; first African American to win Pulitzer Prize for fiction (Elbow Room, 1978).

Happy birthday to all!

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

I mentioned last week that discipline is required so I maintain my ongoing works. I thought the week went well until someone passed an idea to me to explore for another novel. Yep–it’ll work. A temporary title has been selected Without Raising Their Hands and the premise is underway, but it will be some time before anything is available to read.

Stay tuned for more sneak peaks into my wacky world of creativity. You’ll read it first here.

My Work in Progress

Most of my time this week was spent reviewing the final chapters of a fellow writer who is preparing his manuscript for submission to his publisher. When time permitted, I continued work on the book description and fine-tuned the first chapter of A Malicious Affiliation, which will be included in the back of A Kurdish Connection when it’s published next year. Suggestions from twenty-four reviews have been incorporated into the chapter, which I hope to post this week on the subscription writing sites I use.

That’s all of the progress I made this week, as non-writing events required my attention. Hopefully during the upcoming week I’ll be able to return to writing.

Books I’m Reading

I read an interesting book this week, The Fourth Crusade (The Crusades, Book 1) by Mark Butler. Set in Spain and Italy, the son of a hero from the Third crusade, Ruggiero de Merafiza becomes a priest rather than following in his father’s footsteps.

The story culminates in attacks against villages surrounding Constantinople, before this city also becomes a target. Merafiza flees after partaking in the savagery and returns to tell the tale of Christians fighting against Christians to King Peter of Spain. A good read and look forward to future works from Butler.

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

I’ve expanded this section from being only about blogs that I follow but also introduce you to some new authors and a few writing sites. This week, I only had time to read through one but it’s well worth a read. Hope you’ll check it out!

J. I. Rogers – Author J.I. Rogers provides six-word story challenges for writers to explore.

Butterflies & Machineguns – Explore the musings of writer Tye Fields, a twenty-year-old college student.

Writing Resources

The first batch of homework requirements from my publisher were sent this week. Now, I’m working on the second have, things like dedications, acknowledgements, comments and blurbs. Here’s a couple of links to help you with writing dedications if you’re stuck:

https://www.scribendi.com/advice/dedication_examples.en.html

http://www.bpsbooks.com/BPS-Books-blog/bid/109450/How-to-Write-a-Dedication-A-Few-Pointers

That brings us to the end of another ramble.  Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing.  Until the next time, thank you for reading!

© Copyright 2016 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Randall’s Ramblings, September 11, 2016

Randall Krzak

It’s been fifteen years since the terrible attacks of September 11, 2001. I won’t dwell on this and leave it to others, but suggest a thought or two for those who somehow were impacted by this tragedy.

On to happier thoughts. Who are the birthday people this weekend? Let’s find out who in the writing world had a birthday. On September 10th, we have:  Carl Van Doren, historian and critic who won a Pulitzer Prize for Benjamin Franklin; Mary Oliver, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet; Stephen Jay Gould, paleontologist, biologist and writer of science books Time’s Cycle and The Panda’s Thumb; and Bill O’Reilly, TV host (The O’Reilly Factor), author.

If your birthday is on September 11th, you’re also in good company: James Thomson, Scottish poet; O. Henry, (William Sydney Porter), short story writer who wrote “The Gift of the Magi,” and “The Last Leaf; D.H. Lawrence, English novelist (Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Sons and Lovers); and Jessica Mitford, investigative journalist (The American Way of Death).

Happy birthday to all!

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

As I sit here with brilliant sunshine bouncing off my computer screen, my mind’s buzzing with possibilities for furthering my stories. It’s too easy to become lost in the myriad scenes, characters, and descriptions whizzing by, so I need to capture as many as I can for later use. 

Discipline is now called for so I can continue with my ongoing works; otherwise, I’ll never get anything finished. Good thing that I have three subgroups within my two writing groups to keep me on point. It’s like a kaleidoscope–a single point of light when I’m focused and a rainbow of flashing colors when my thoughts run wild.

My Work in Progress

I’ve mentioned in the past about having homework from my publisher that I must complete before we get into editing of The Kurdish Connection. So this week, rather than spend any time on A Cartel’s Revenge, I focused my energies, with some able assistance, on creating my author bio (two versions), the story description (two versions) and a logline. Not quite satisfied yet, so I’ll be doing a bit more tinkering over the next week, but these sections are well under way.

I also finalized my review of the twenty-four reviews of chapter one from A Malicious Affiliation, which will be included in the back of The Kurdish Connection as an introduction to the second novel in the Bedlam series. Once I complete my editing based on the feedback, I’ll ask my contacts to take another look.

I’ll also be doing the same process with chapter one of A Cartel’s Revenge, hoping I might be able to squeeze the chapter into the back of the book. I’ll also be creating book descriptions to be added in the front under upcoming works. At least that’s my plan, but will have to discuss some of this with my publisher.

I found out yesterday that my first sci-fi short story writing attempt, ‘Countdown to Extinction,’ received second honorable mention in the contest it was submitted to in one of my writing groups. There were forty entries, all sci-fi/alternate world, so I’m very pleased with the result. In fact, this is another story that I plan to expand into a novel.

Books I’m Reading

During the past week I read The Covert Messiah (The Jesus Thief Series, Book 4) by J. R. Lankford. I hadn’t read the first three in the series and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect jumping in with book four. There was sufficient backstory to quickly put me in the know so I didn’t feel there was a lot missing, but I’ll likely go back and start at the beginning.

A cloned Jesus, who had died eight years earlier re-appears, first in Italy and then take his ‘mother’ to Tanzania, to a small village where he makes his appearance known. Lankford does an excellent job in blending Christian and African spiritualism together to create a well written story. There is plenty of action and thought-provoking scenes throughout.

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

I’ve expanded this section from being only about blogs that I follow but also introduce you to some new authors and a few writing sites. This week, I only had time to read through one but it’s well worth a read. Hope you’ll check it out!

Roderick Will’s Refreshing Writings – Join Roderick on his journey to write a short story every day for a year. Packed with something for all, and good photography, too.

Writing Resources

With my ongoing homework form my publisher, I have plenty of resources to share. Today, I’ll point you towards a couple of links to help you with writing book dedications. Here are just a few of the links I’m now reading:

https://www.scribendi.com/advice/dedication_examples.en.html

http://www.bpsbooks.com/BPS-Books-blog/bid/109450/How-to-Write-a-Dedication-A-Few-Pointers

Once again, we’ve reached the end of another ramble.  Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing.  Until the next time, thank you for reading!

© Copyright 2016 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved.

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Randall’s Ramblings, September 4, 2016

Randall Krzak

I hope you’re having an enjoyable Labor Day weekend.

What’s the origin of Labor Day? Many states passed bills created a day to celebrate the social and economic successes of American workers. New York was the first state to make such a proposal, but in 1887, Oregon was the first to make it a law. The federal government finally became involved, and in 1894, Congress declared the first Monday in September as a national holiday. Enjoy the weekend!

If you’re birthday is this weekend, you’re in good company: Sarah Orne Jewett, author (Tales of New England, The Country of the Pointed Firs); Hugh Sidey, news correspondent and author (John F. Kennedy, President); Vicomte François René de Chateaubriand, French writer and chef (who gave his name to a style of steak); Mary Renault (Mary Challans), author who wrote about her wartime experiences (The Last of the Wine and The King Must Die); Richard Wright, novelist (Native Son); Craig Claiborne, food critic and cookbook author; Joan Delano Aiken, author of supernatural fiction and alternative history novels for children (The Whispering Mountain, Night Fall); Tommaso Campanella, Italian philosopher and poet (City of the Sun); and Arthur Koestler, Hungarian novelist and essayist( Darkness at Noon, The Ghost in the Machine).  Happy birthday everyone!

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

I don’t know if I’ll ever be truly successful with my writing, but I must say the journey thus far has been enlightening. A long-time friend and work colleague named Les suggested I try my hand at writing. I’m glad I listened to him!

Each week I learn something new to improve my stories, whether scene-related, characters, plot, and of course, applying the senses to everything. I’ve been fortunate to meet a number of writers and authors through the two subscription writing sites I use who have helped me further my meager abilities. Many thanks to all!

I think last week I said there would be another snippet from ‘A Cartel’s Revenge’:

Diego broke into a fit of laughter and grabbed the counter with both hands to stop himself from falling. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he asked, “Who did you hire to handle the attack?”

“My brother, Pedro. He either got carried away or paid me back for some previous slight. Olivia wants me to learn to shoot. I convinced here I was a rotten shot and might hurt someone.”

“What? You’re one of the best marksmen in Los Urabeños!”

“Sure, but I want to keep playing the bumbling husband to learn enough to take her down. In fact, I’m planning a little surprise.”

“What is the meaning of this? These are my people, and this is private—” A pistol slammed against the back of his head and silenced Alonzo’s protest. Someone tossed him into one of the trucks while soldiers set the buildings on fire. Red and orange flames reached for the sky as thick black smoke spiraled upward.

On a distant ridge, a man dressed in peasant clothes lowered expensive binoculars after Alonzo was led away. He chuckled as he picked up a backpack and disappeared into the brush.

Olivia, this is only the beginning. Soon you’ll beg for mercy.

Perhaps more next week.

My Work in Progress

Real-life requirements played an important part in my diminished writing time this week, yet I still made progress on the first draft of chapter seven of ‘A Cartel’s Revenge.’ All being well, I’ll post the chapter to my writing sites by the middle of the coming week so my reviewers can have a shot at it.

I spent most of my available time fine-tuning my short story, ‘Trek For Survival,’ so I can submit it for consideration for an anthology. Hope to have this completed during the coming week as well.

Of utmost importance is my continued progress on the various items my publisher will need for ‘The Kurdish Connection.’ I’ve completed a draft tagline and selected seven search terms. Doesn’t sound like much progress, but I had plenty of reading and research to complete as I worked on these areas. My bio will be coming up next.

Books I’m Reading

I also managed to read ‘Diablo Nights (Detective Emilia Cruz Book 3’ by Carmen Amato. Not sure how I ended up with book three since I haven’t read the first two, but it’s an oversight that will be corrected.

Carmen has created a great detective with Emilia, caught between demands of her personal and professional life. In this latest story, body parts and a potent drug descend on the tourist city of Acapulco, Mexico. Toss in corrupt politicians and authorities and it’s a perfect recipe for trouble. 

Emilia is a tough detective and uses her kick-ass approach to solve the latest crimes. Her normal partner is given other duties while she’s saddled with someone who used their influence to not only become a police officer but a detective without a single day on the force. But is there something more about the trainee than meets the eye? ‘Diablo Nights’ is an exciting read and if you’re into detective stories, grab yourself a copy and get involved.

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

I’ve expanded this section from being only about blogs that I follow but also introduce you to some new authors and a few writing sites. This week, I only had time to read through one but it’s well worth a read. Hope you’ll check it out!

Opinionated Woman – an interesting blog by C L Terry, the editor for the Toledo Bend Review Literary Journal.

Writing Resources

With my ongoing homework form my publisher, I have plenty of resources to share. Today, I’ll point you towards several links that will help you create the all-important keyword search terms. Here are just a few of the links I’m now reading:

https://writingbytheseatofmypants.com/2013/01/06/seo-keywords-for-fiction-authors/

http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2013/02/28/keywords-metadata-discoverability/

https://ebooksuccess4free.wordpress.com/2013/10/03/7-tips-for-amazon-keywords-and-best-selling-books/

https://kindlepreneur.com/how-to-choose-kindle-keywords/

Once again, we’ve reached the end of another ramble.  Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing.  Until the next time, thank you for reading!

© Copyright 2016 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

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Randall’s Ramblings, August 28, 2016

Randall Krzak

As the end of another August rapidly approaches, we’ve seen the high humidity finally break but it seems we have a rain shower every day. It’s been so wet the grass in front of the house (or the back as I haven’t gotten used to calling the part of the house facing the lake the front. For me, the road side has always been the front) is now about nine inches tall. Good thing I cut it two weeks ago!

If you’re celebrating a birthday this weekend, you are in good company: Theodore Dreiser, novelist (Sister Carrie); C. S. Forester, novelist and author of the Horatio Hornblower series; Ira Leven, author (Rosemary’s Baby, The Boys From Brazil); Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German poet, playwright, novelist (Faust); Leo Tolstoy, Russian novelist (War and Peace, Anna Karenina); Liam O’Flaherty, Irish novelist and short-story writer; and Roger Tory Peterson, author of the authoritative bird book (A Field Guide to Birds).

Happy birthday to all!

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

A few weeks ago I stepped outside of the box again. This time, it was to see if I could take the opening chapter of ‘A Cartel’s Revenge’, approximately 2,500 words, and whittle it down to less than 400.  Why would I do this? To enter a monthly one-page short story contest held by Wildsound Writing and Film Festival Review.

I figured it would be a good lesson in cutting out unnecessary wording. It wasn’t easy ,as I still wanted to maintain the essence of the chapter.  I must have, because after I sent last Sunday’s ramblings out, I received notification that my short story called ‘A Dangerous Occupation’ had been selected as a winner.

My story was performed by an actor and can be viewed below:

Needless to say, I was thrilled to find this out!

Next week, I’ll include more from ‘A Cartel’s Revenge.

My Work in Progress

Over the past week, I continued to concentrate of providing reviews for those who’ve been reviewing my work. I’ve also been applying what I learned with the short story contest to help a new writer one of the subscription writing sites to condense a story from eighteen to fifteen pages.

Chapter six of ‘A Cartel’s Revenge’ was posted this past week, with six reviews received thus far. Work also continued on chapter three of ‘A Malicious Affiliation’, but I didn’t make enough progress to be able to post.

I mentioned last tie that my sci-fi short story, ‘Countdown to Extinction’ was been entered in a contest held in memory of a novice sci-fi writer who passed away a week ago. She actually passed away over a year ago. The contest closed last weekend, but the winners haven’t been announced yet.

Books I’m Reading

This week I finished reading ‘Blood Tail (Lieutenant Beaudry Novels Book 1)’ by Michael Kent. If you like murder mysteries, grab yourself a copy and enjoy a fantastic read set in Montreal. Beaudry has a bad reputation with his boss and Internal Affairs–it seems every time he’s involved in the investigation of a crime, more bodies appear.

Meet Beaudry’s unlikely new partner and his even stranger new friends as he takes on various cases, each with its own special twist.  Mr. Kent’s writing is superb and just when I had a case figured out, something new would pop up and keep me guessing.

The only problem I had with ‘Blood Tail’ was it ended too soon! I can’t wait to read the next installment. I’m definitely adding Michael Kent to my list of favorite authors.

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

I’ve expanded this section from being only about blogs that I follow but also introduce you to some new authors and a few writing sites. This week, I’m returning to two favorites. Hope you’ll check out the links!

Cheeky Column – a great mixture of quotes and fantastic photography. Don’t forget to check the pull-down menu and read the author’s categories.

Quintessential Editor – writing tips for everyday writers.

Writing Resources

With the homework I have from my publisher, I have plenty of resources to share. Today, I’ll point you towards several links that will help you write an author’s bio. Here are just a few of the links I’m now reading:

https://litreactor.com/columns/no-one-cares-about-your-life-story-nine-tips-for-a-better-author-bio

Once again, we’ve reached the end of another ramble.  Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing.  Until the next time, thank you for reading!

© Copyright 2016 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved.

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Randall’s Ramblings, August 14, 2016

Randall Krzak

Our cats have been finding cool spots to hide during the past week. One of their favorite locations is our basement, where they find plenty of boxes to curl up in and sleep during the continued heat and humidity.  That’s fine during daylight hours, but when it becomes cooler in the evening they want to venture outside. We would like to oblige, but there are coyotes in the area so we keep them in during the evening as much as possible.

A couple of firsts happened this weekend in history. In 1892, the first issue of the Afro American newspaper was published in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1457, the German astrologer Faust published the first book printed.

If your birthday was this weekend, you’ve shared it with a few noted writers and authors: Lucy Stone, woman’s rights activist and founder of Woman’s Journal; Ernest L. Thayer, poet; Russell Baker, author and columnist; Danielle Steele, fourth-best selling author of all time; and Gary Larson, cartoonist (The Far Side).

Other notables include: Alfred Hitchcock, who directed over fifty films; Fidel Castro, Cuban revolutionary leader and president; Don Ho, Hawaii’s musician and singer; Dan Fogelberg, singer-songwriter; Steve Martin, comedian, actor, musician, and screenwriter; and Halle Berry, actress.

Happy birthday to all!

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

I never thought at my age I’d be given homework. While not specifically called that, my publisher sent me a list of things to work on so they’re taken care of when editing of ‘The Kurdish Connection’ begins. 

I’ve read through the list for a couple of days and yesterday I began research so I can provide the best possible responses. Over the next two months, I need to provide the following:

  • An attention grabbing headline, also called a hook or logline
  • A short, to-the-point description
  • A longer, more detailed description
  • An author bio
  • An edited version of the bio for the back of the book
  • A list of search terms or tags people might use to find my book online
  • The genre of my books using BISAC categories
  • Comments – blurbs from authors or other notables
  • Also by – listing of previous or upcoming publications
  • Dedication
  • Forward
  • Acknowledgments
  • First chapter of a forthcoming book

There are several other items, many optional, that I’ll have to consider after I tackle this group. I never realized how much had to go into putting a book together!

Here’s a bit more from ‘A Cartel’s Revenge:

An hour later, Pepe turned into a potholed parking lot at the rear of a seedy cantina called El Cerveza. “Go inside. Señor Días is waiting for you. I’ll be here when you finish your business.”

Alberto and Michael grabbed their packs from the rear of the vehicle and headed toward the bar’s entrance. A warped wooden door once painted red, rested against a brick, allowing patrons access without fighting through a barricade.

The three men hoisted their beer and drank a silent salute, not stopping until empty bottles landed on the table.

“One more cerveza and Pepe will drive us to my Bogota home so we might have our discussion in private. Too many ears are listening here.”

More next week.

My Work in Progress

It’s been another hectic week with plenty of life’s daily preoccupations to contend with. I spent more time returning critiques for those who’ve been reviewing my work than I did writing. 

However, I did manage to complete chapter five of ‘A Cartel’s Revenge’ and it’s now posted on the two subscription writing sites I use. One reviewer calls it the best chapter I’ve ever written, so that will be the bar for the remainder of the story.

During the coming week, I hope to begin chapter six and continue my research for chapter seven. In addition, I want to post chapter three of ‘A Malicious Affiliation’ but as least for now, ‘A Cartel’s Revenge’ is my priority.  Editing is also ongoing on my short stories ‘Trek for Survival’ and ‘Lakeside Retreat,’ which I want to complete by the end of the month.

Books I’m Reading

This week I finished reading an action-adventure story by Phillip Strang called ‘The Vane-Martin Conundrum.’ Non-stop action, intrigue, and plenty of backstabbing, set in Britain as Islamic State attempts to carve out areas of the country for themselves.

Two high-flying analysts, Vane and Martin, are called upon to anticipate upcoming targets after a series of explosions in easily accessible locations kill hundreds of people. This is only the first stage. A Royal Navy submarine is destroyed, but how? Vane and Martin work their magic as control of the political situation is in turmoil. An unlikely source, a killer in Belmarsh, becomes a pawn in the game as both sides try to overcome the over. Our analysts determine churches and police facilities will also be targeted, as the terrorists hone in on their ultimate target–the British prime minister. Get yourself a copy and have a roller-coaster ride through this exciting story.

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

Heartstring Eulogies – the writing of Sarah Doughty, who suffers from PTSD, depression, and anxiety.

Unmotivated Enthusiast – a different way to look at the world through the eyes of a high school student.

Writing Resources

With the homework I have from my publisher, I now have plenty of resources to share. Today, I’ll point you towards several links that will help you write an attention grabbing headline or tagline. Here are just a few of the links I’m now reading:

Writing a Killer Logline

How to Easily Write a Great Logline – The Write Practice

Writing Loglines that Sell

Once again, we’ve reached the end of another ramble.  Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing.  Until the next time, thank you for reading!

© Copyright 2016 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

 

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Randall’s Ramblings, August 7, 2016

Randall Krzak

We’re off to the races–racing against time to complete every outdoor task on this year’s agenda. The higher-than-normal humidity has made this a challenge. Good news though, two nearby empty lots were purchased last summer and the owners are planning to build this year.

We’ll be surrounded by building sites but with only two homes going up, the upheaval should be intense but brief. Their homes will complete the small cove we live on and bring new acquaintances, and one day, new friends.

Okay, who are the birthday people this weekend? If your special day was yesterday or today, you’ve joined a select few from the writing world: Alfred Lord Tennyson, English poet laureate; Richard Hoftstadter, historian with two Pulitzer prizes; Piers Anthony Dillingham Jacob, science fiction and fantasy author; and Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, author.

With a short list this weekend, I’ve added a few additional names which should be recognizable for their contributions to our lives: Alexander Flemming, Scottish bacteriologist who discovered penicillin; Lucille Ball, actress and comedian; Andy Warhol, pop artist; Louis Leakey, and anthropologist who believed Africa was the cradle of mankind. Happy birthday to all!

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

Here’s a bit more from ‘A Cartel’s Revenge:

The vehicle lurched forward as the man tried to reverse. Grinding the gears, he backed out of the parking spot, left the airport and headed away from the city on a winding, dusty two-lane road.

“Give me your passport. Forget Alberto. Your name is Abdul Rahman.”

Alberto handed over his Argentine passport. “Where are we going?”

“To the mountains. You will join other faithful traveling to al-Raqqah. No more questions.”

He leaned forward and whispered. “Good to see you, Abdul. Close call in Madrid, say what?”

“Call me Alberto here. We’ll save Abdul and Mahmood for other environs.”

“Gotcha. How many will we be recruiting this time?”

“None. We’re to organize training facilities for up to 150 men.”

“I don’t know anything about training. Why pick me?”

“I liked your style in al-Raqqah. You’re dedicated to the cause and with your European appearance and passport you’ll be able to travel easier than the others.”

From ‘Countdown to Extinction’:

“Three … two … one.”

The rocket sprang upward, inertia thrusting the red, white, and blue bullet into the sky. Slow at first, speed increased until the transport slipped through the exosphere into outer space.

Sam Rogers, better known to his friends as ‘Reckless Roger’ scrunched into his seat. Settled, he flipped the turbo switch, thrusting his chariot faster through the void toward his destination—Mars.

More next week.

My Work in Progress

It’s been a hectic week with plenty of life’s daily preoccupations to contend with but I finally completed editing of my short story, ‘Countdown to Extinction.’ I also wrote a short poem, my first, for a writing club. Look forward to reviews on ‘Ode to My Humans.’

Work also continued on chapter five of ‘A Cartel’s Revenge,’ but didn’t complete the chapter yet. Should be posted for review by the middle of this week. Editing is also ongoing on my other novel ‘A Malicious Affiliation’ and short stories ‘Trek for Survival’ and ‘Lakeside Retreat.’

Books I’m Reading

Late last week I began reading an action-adventure story by Phillip Strang called ‘The Vane-Martin Conundrum.’ My review won’t be posted until next week, but it’s a great story.

 I’ve identified a couple of more books to read. As soon as I finish, I’ll provide my thoughts to you.

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

I’ve expanded this section from being only about blogs that I follow but also introduce you to some new authors and a few writing sites. Hope you’ll check out the links!

Musings of a Mad Woman – Although nothing’s been posted during the summer, this provides an interesting look at things from one person’s perspective.

Channillo.com – Looking for something different to read? Check out the varied works by numerous authors, covering multiple genres provided through novels, short stories, poems, and more.

Writing Resources

I don’t have any new writing resources to share this week.  I hope to have something as soon as I resume my research, but it will likely be the end of August as I’m tying up various loose ends. Have an enjoyable weekend.

Once again, we’ve reached the end of another ramble.  Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing.  Until the next time, thank you for reading!

© Copyright 2016 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved.

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Randall’s Ramblings, July 31, 2016

Randall Krzak

As another month draws to a close, this one has gone out with a bang, or at least plenty of thunder, lightning, and wind-driven rain.  The storm began just after one a.m. and finally ceased before six a.m., with a few pauses during the period. Right now, it’s 63F/17C, which feels pretty good after the heat and high humidity of the past few days.

Time for birthday connections to the famous and not so famous. If your special day occurred yesterday or today, Happy Birthday to you. Here are the folks from the writing world who share July 30th and 31st:

Emily Bronte, author; William H. Gass, writer; C. Northcote Parkinson, historian and author; Primo Levi, Italian writer and scientist; and one everyone is sure to recognize: J.K. Rowling, author (Harry Potter). Congratulations to all.

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

Here’s a bit more from ‘A Malicious Affiliation’:

Khan Soo Chin paced back and forth in the Zhongnanhai waiting room. He glanced at his watch a second time.

He sat, added sugar to the tea provided by a servant and stirred. Soo dropped the spoon and pushed the tea and dim sum across the table. Despite the delectable aromas wafting from the dishes, which caused his empty stomach to rumble, he resisted the urge to partake.

Did they add something to the tea or food?

The ambassador stood and resumed pacing. His thoughts swirled as he searched for a way out of his current dilemma, which began two days ago.

“I realize there is a food shortage. Our factories no longer produce because there is no oil to keep them running. Our military might is teetering toward disaster. This is not my fault. The problem lies with our sworn enemy—America and their puppets in Seoul. We are peaceful, but America wishes for our death.”

“Yes, Supreme Leader.”

“Return to Beijing and request an immediate audience with that fat goat, Huang Fen. Get us oil.”

“Yes, Supreme Leader.”

“And, Soo, just because we grew up together, doesn’t mean I will accept failure. What will become of your family if something happens to you?”

From ‘A Cartel’s Revenge’:

Grabbing their drinks, they strolled toward AJ’s office. She shared the space with the other people in Lintstone’s meeting but had a coveted perk—her own office, not a cubicle.

 “Cozy office.” Javier glanced around the room—desk and chair, four-drawer safe, along with a small conference table and six chairs. A computer and three different-colored phones occupied the desk. A few framed certificates and diplomas, but no photographs or trinkets.  Efficient and impersonal.

“Taken years before I earned one. But I spend more time overseas each year than I do here.”

“I’m with you. Name a hotspot over the past fifteen years and I’ve been involved. Want to slow down a bit but still be active.”

Will be in your AOR within forty-eight hours. Request meeting for myself plus one to discuss possibility of Iranian freighter being used to transport Islamic State personnel to training camps in Panama and Colombia. Any local intel appreciated.

“Perhaps modify local to local/regional as they might possess additional data we can use. I assume the regional chiefs share knowledge on a regular basis.”

“Agree. Will make the change.” AJ’s brown eyes appraised Javier. “For a grunt, you’re alright.”

“For a civvie, you’re not bad, either.”

More next week.

My Work in Progress

I finally completed and posted the second chapter of ‘A Malicious Affiliation’. Within a short span of time, four reviews were completed and helping me with my journey.

Editing continued on my novel, ‘A Cartel’s Revenge’, as well as short stories ‘Countdown to Extinction’, and ‘Trek for Survival.’ Hope to complete at least one of the short stories this week and try to complete chapter five of ‘A Cartel’s Revenge.’

Books I’m Reading

This week I completed reading ‘Darius Odenkirk‘ by Rikon Gates. What happens when you combine a filthy-rich eccentric, a wannabe journalist, and a proper butler? You end up with a recipe for action, intrigue, and plenty of twists and turns.

Darius, the eccentric owner of Crecy House, is dying. Before leaving this world, he wants to share his story. A young, freelance journalist, trying to make a name for himself, is selected. Follow the journey back in time to when Darius first committed a crime (I won’t tell you what it was, you’ll have to buy the book) and why. Learn the real reason Joshua Wishaw was chosen to hear this incredible story. What about the butler? How does he fit in and what crime might he have committed? A gripping murder-mystery story worthy of your time.

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

I’ve expanded this section from being only about blogs that I follow but also introduce you to some new authors and a few writing sites. Hope you’ll check out the links!

Sideways Eight Series – Check out AJ Wallace’s website, learn about the author of ‘Mindfield‘ and other upcoming stories.

Oliver Chase – Learn about author Oliver Chase’s take on life.

Writing Resources

As I’m constantly seeking to improve my writing, this week I’d like to share a link for those who are writing, trying to publish, or market your work. While it’s a blog, it’s full of useful information to help writers. It’s now part of my online resources. Where do you find it? Check out The Creative Penn.

This brings us to the end of another ramble.  Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing.  Until the next time, thank you for reading!

© Copyright 2016 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved.

 

 

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Randall’s Ramblings, July 3, 2016

Randall Krzak

Happy Fourth of July to those celebrating! Hope everyone has an enjoyable weekend.

We have plenty of sunshine to begin our day, the lake is calm and glistening, with a pleasant 75F/24C temperature forecast. If it continues, we’ll get our kayaks out and enjoy the water.

This will be a short ramble due to the holiday weekend.  Regards to all.

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

Last week I provided a few line from my first venture into a futuristic/alternate world as I prepare a short story as a contest submission. I dubbed this, ‘Countdown to Extinction’. Here’s the final installment:

Sam walked around the impression, stopping at the drill bit. After running a short diagnostics program to ensure there weren’t any hidden issues, he instructed the MUA to resume drilling operations.

With a whirl and a roar, the bit sank into the rock and continued its trek.

By the time Sam reached the surface, a new communiqué arrived:

Cargo pods and transports ETA ten minutes.

Once the digger-bots commenced their tasks, he sat on his basalt perch and composed a voice message.

“Inbound vehicles arrived intact and on schedule. Drill operations proceeding according to Tasha’s plan. Recommend launching first wave of tankers.”

“Tasha, look. Our wild ideas saved Earth.” Sam pointed at the fleet of tankers returning to the planet, filled with life-saving water. “We did it!”

My Work in Progress

It’s been a busy week with my works in progress. ‘A Cartel’s Revenge’ remains on hold for the next week or so, pending critiques from a group called Round Table Pals, where we take turns reviewing three chapters written by the six participants. Once the group finishes, I’ll be making edits and continuing to write.

The first draft of my short story ‘Countdown to Extinction’ is now complete. I have about a month to polish the story before the submission deadline

The first chapter for the second book in the Bedlam Series, ‘A Malicious Affiliation’ is now complete and posted to the two subscription writing sites I use. In just a few days, II received eleven critiques. A couple of areas to tweak, but overall very positive feedback. Next week, I’ll include some snippets in my ramblings.

This week I also submitted a short story, ‘A Dangerous Occupation,’ based on ‘A Cartel’s Revenge,’ to the Thriller/Suspense Film and Screenplay Festival. Short submissions had to be 400 words or less.

Books I’m Reading

As part of my ongoing reading, I’ve switch to one of my favorite authors, Clive Cussler. I use his novels not only for reading pleasure but also as a sort of classroom text, where I analyze how certain scenes were created. Mr. Cussler teamed with Boyd Morrison to create ‘The Emperor’s Revenge (The Oregon Files). My comments will be posted next week, as I’m only about halfway through the book.

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

I’ve expanded this section from being only about blogs that I follow but also introduce you to some new authors and a few writing sites. Hope you’ll check out the links!

Philip Lloyd – a gifted and witty writer, published in more than 100 magazines in twelve countries. Philip also shares his knowledge learned over the years with other writers, helping them to expand their horizons.

Katzenworld – to follow up on the two blogs I highlighted last week regarding cats, here’s another  for cat lovers.

Writing Resources

I don’t have any new writing resources to share this week.  I hope to have something as soon as I resume my research. Have an enjoyable weekend.

Once again, we’ve come to the end of another ramble.  Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing.  Until the next time, thank you for reading!

© Copyright 2016 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved.

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Randall’s Ramblings, June 19, 2016

Randall Krzak

Happy Father’s Day to all fathers and fathers-to-be! Hope everyone has a great day.  I received a fantastic card from my son regarding Dad-speak, what they say and what they mean.  He knows I spend a lot of time reading, so I also received an Amazon gift card, which will be used to add more to my e-book collection.

This week’s ramble is a bit short as real-life activities are taking me away from the computer. I’ll try to make up for the shortfall next time.

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

As I announced last week, my first novel, ‘The Kurdish Connection’ is now under contract. Last week I submitted a short story, ‘Lakeside Retreat’ for possible inclusion in an anthology through http://writers-network.club. It’s in the hands of the editor now.

In an effort to expand my writing capabilities, I’m entering a short story contest through one of the subscription writing sites I used. The theme is futuristic/alternate world.  I don’t recall ever attempting some in the genre, so it will be a stretch to come up with something I think is worthwhile to submit. 

I’m tentatively calling this story, “Countdown to Extinction. Here’s a blurb:

Sam recognized the voice, but was surprised by the call. “Who’s calling?”

A chuckle passed through the air to Sam’s audio implant. “I’m sure you recognize my voice. For the record, I am Jesus Ali, Supreme Leader of the Earth Confederation.”

“Yeah, I remember you. You’re the one who scoffed at my idea about the center of Mars being a block of ice. I lost my job because of you and haven’t worked since.”

“Uh … yes. Can we put that aside?”

“Why should I? You ruined our lives. Tasha and I were happy, until you ….”

“Dr. Rogers. I’m sorry for what happened. Your theories were too outlandish to be considered viable. But now … you might be our only hope. Earth’s water is contaminated. Our scientists estimate we’ll run out of usable water in six months.”

“Beg.”

Perhaps more next week.

My Work in Progress

I finished the prologue for ‘A Cartel’s Revenge’ this week. However, rather than posting, I’m putting it aside. After reading the reviews for the first three chapters, I’m going to remove a couple of scenes from the first chapter and move them into the second and third. I’ll also expand upon other scenes. Once that’s finished, I’ll be ready to re-post.

I did manage some additional research and added a bit more to my outline for the second book in the Bedlam Series, ‘A Malicious Affiliation.’ All being well, by the end of June I hope to begin a draft of chapter one.

Books I’m Reading

I’m back to my norm book review after participating in the ‘Sunset Thriller’s beta review. Only finished fifty percent of the book I’m currently reading, so it’ll be next week before I provide my comments.

Blogs/Author Pages/Writing Sites I’d Like to Share

I’ve expanded this section from being only about blogs that I follow but also introduce you to some new authors and a few writing sites. Hope you’ll check out the links!

Suigeneris_Shahili – a unique perspective presented by blogger, Shaili Mitra.

Writing Resources

I don’t have any new writing resources to share this week.  I hope to have something new for next week as my research increases. Have an enjoyable weekend.

Once again, we’ve come to the end of another ramble.  Hope you’ve found something of interest or at least useful for your own writing.  Until the next time, thank you for reading!

© Copyright 2016 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved.