To those who are getting into the spirit of things, Happy Halloween! Will you be trick-or-treating (or the related guising and souling), attending costume parties, carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, participating in divination games, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories, or watching horror films? Or will you let the night pass you by? Whatever is on your agenda, have a safe time!
After almost a week of constant rain, it’s great to wake up to dry conditions. Of course, I forgot the clocks went back last night. It didn’t matter, though. We’re still on ‘cat’ time–they were waiting for their breakfast.
Being from Michigan, I had quite an interest in the Michigan-Michigan State American football game played yesterday. It wasn’t available for viewing here, but a friend kept me updated with the scores. Must have been a fantastic game as it went down to the end, with Michigan State coming out on top!
Philippe de Vitry, French composer and poet; Caesar Baronius, Italian cardinal and historian; Denzil Holles, 1st Baron Holles, English statesman and writer; John Evelyn, English writer and diarist (Life of Mrs Godolphin); Christopher Anstey, English poet (The New Bath Guide); John Keats, English Romantic poet (Ode to a Grecian Urn); Hugh Boyle Ewing, American diplomat, author, attorney, and Brevet Major General (Union Army); Krišjānis Barons, Latvian writer; Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman, American writer (Revolt of Mother); Seerp Anema, Dutch poet and writer (Dutch Coasts); Napoleon Lapathiotis, Greek poet; B. H. Liddell Hart, English military historian and publicist (The Rommel Papers); Charles Drummond de Andrade, Brazilian poet (Claro Enigma); William H. McNeill, Canadian-born historian (Rise of the West); Dick Francis, British jockey and detective writer (Whip Hand, High Stakes); Charles Moore, British editor-in-chief (Sunday Telegraph); Neal Stephenson, American author; Arnaud Desplechin, French film director and screenwriter; and Joseph Boyden, Canadian novelist (Three Day Road).
Any names familiar to you? There were two for me: John Keats and Dick Francis. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one and many more to follow!
Work continued this week on Ultimate Escalation. Chapter seventeen is now finished and posted to the two online subscription writing sites I use. A total of thirty chapter reviews came in this week, bringing the total to 360. Definitely some busy reviewers!
Before daybreak the following morning, a small, motorized boat hugged the Pakistani shoreline and entered the Indus River Delta. A half-moon cast eerie shadows on the area notorious for its mix of swamps, streams, and mangrove forests. Vladimir, Vasily, Ajit, and four men armed with AK-47s remained alert for naval and army patrols. They cleared the delta and followed the twists and turns of the mighty waterway.
Easier for who? “If you say so.” He raised his brows as he glanced at Vasily.
With a tilt of his head, Vasily shrugged.
Hour after hour passed as they motored upriver. Once the sun rose, the temperature climbed, burning off the early-morning chill. The travelers remained silent, the peacefulness disturbed by the occasional calls of pigeons and parakeets and the continued putt-putt of the small engine.
As they approached Hyderabad, the pilot guided the boat toward a disused pier. Broken plants and tilted posts rocked as waves bounced against it. Two men dressed in brown shawal kameez and wearing multi-colored Sindhi caps waited on the small wharf.
Both men nodded before assisting the others out of the boat. Once the pilot departed, the eight men walked along a path trampled in the grass to a white pickup truck with a tarp stretched on a high frame across the cargo area. An armed guard sat next to the driver.
Ajit, Vasily, and Vladimir climbed under the tarp into the truck bed, followed by the others.
Vladimir opened the document to the photo page. Staring back at him, a picture taken over a year ago. He chuckled when he checked out his new name. “John Smith from Toronto, eh? Good thing my English doesn’t have a thick accent.” He doesn’t suspect we have access to multiple identities, but we’ll use these.
“What about patrol boats?” Vladimir glanced at Vasily.
I recently finished reading Extreme Prejudice: If you fear trouble, don’t get into trouble (A Lambeth Group Group Thriller Book 9) by Gordon Bickerstaff. As with all of Gordon’s thrillers, this one will keep you on the edge of your seat as you keep turning the pages to find out what happens. Join Zoe Tampsin and her compatriots as they try to squash a terrorist plot. Who will succeed? With a riveting plot, filled with plenty of twists and turns, as well as larger-than-life, if you’re a thriller aficionado, this one’s for you!
The nights are quickly drawing in and daylight is also taking its time appearing each morning. Such is the autumn! Leaves continue to fall and there’s rain most days. Fortunately, there were a couple of dry spells, thanks to the wind, where I was able to rake up most of the leaves and deposit them in the recycling container–no burning here!
Alban Butler, English Catholic priest and writer; Dorothea von Schlegel, German novelist (Florentin); Sarah Josepha Hale, American author (Mary Had a Little Lamb); August von Platen, German poet; Alexandra David-Néel, Belgian-French explorer and writer; Ernest Claes, Belgian author (Saints from Zichem); Delmira Agustini, Uruguayan poet (El Libro Blanco); Bibhutibhushan Mukhopadhyay, Bengali author; Moss Hart, American playwright (You Can’t Take it With You, Act 1); Marghanita Laski, English journalist and author (Victorian chaise-lounge); Denise Levertov, American poet and essayist (Joy Beneath the Skin); Gabriel Laub, Polish writer; Yordan Radichkov, Bulgarian writer and playwright (The Tied Up Balloon); Hubert Aquin, French Canadian novelist, political activist and editor; Norman Rush, American writer (Mating); and Dale Maharidge, American author (And Their Children After Them).
Any names familiar to you? I struck out this time. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one and many more to follow!
Despite a myriad of non-writing events to take care of this week, I still managed to complete and post chapter sixteen Ultimate Escalation. A total of twenty chapter reviews came in this week, bringing the total to 330.
Laughter broke out as Gerhard and Willie blushed.
Every team member grinned.
Someone knocked on the door and entered. A young man handed single sheets of paper to the admiral, Sir Alex, and Harrison and departed.
The three advisors read the brief note. Sir Alex and Harrison tilted their heads toward the admiral.
