The
Kurdish Connection
The
Bedlam Series Book 1
by
Randall Krzak
Genre:
Action, Adventure Thriller
KURDISH
SCAVENGERS UNCOVER A CACHE OF NERVE GAS IN IRAQ AND OFFER THEM TO
KURDISH FIGHTERS IN TURKEY. THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS BEDLAM ALPHA TEAM
MUST SECURE THE WEAPONS BEFORE THEY CAN BE USED.
In
their daily struggle for survival, Iraqi Kurdish scavengers uncover a
cache of chemical weapons. They offer the weapons to Kurdish rebels
in Turkey and Syria to assist in their quest to free an imprisoned
leader and create a unified homeland. After receiving a tip from an
unlikely source, the newly formed Special Operations Bedlam team is
called to arms. Can the team recover the weapons before it’s too
late?
“The
Kurdish Connection—a compelling read. A story of friendship, danger
and intrigue.”—Ann Everett, Amazon Best Selling Author.
“...
Randall's authentic voice adds a powerful push to keep a reader
turning the pages.” —Janet Taylor-Perry, author of The Raiford
Chronicles, The Legend of Draconis Saga, and April Chastain
Intrigues.
“Topical
- Engaging - Intriguing – Powerful ... A real page turner.”—Rikon
Gaites, author of Mummy's Little Soldier and Darius Odenkirk.
“...
Randall Krzak brings his wealth of experience living in this troubled
part of the world and his military knowledge to bear in this exciting
story...”—John L. DeBoer, author of When the Reaper Comes.
"...
a journey full of history, suspense, intrigue, and action...a MUST
READ for all!”—Les Stahl, Retired NSA Executive.
“...
Readers need to fasten their seatbelts for a fast-paced tale made
believable by a writer who knows what he’s writing about.”—Preston
Holtry, author of the Morgan Westphal mystery series and the Arrius
trilogy (forthcoming).
“A
behind the scenes story, ripped from today’s headlines deepening
the reader’s understanding of an ancient strife ... filled with the
sights and smells of the market place and secret meetings, the reader
is admitted to the secret heart, the desperate longings of those that
must fight and win, or see continued subjugation by their
masters...”—Oliver F. Chase, author of Camelot Games, Levant
Mirage, Blind Marsh, and Marsh Island.
Dangerous
Alliance
The
Bedlam Series Book 2
United
Nations’ sanctions are crippling North Korea. China has turned her
back on her malevolent partner. The North Korean military machine is
crumbling, unable to function. Oil reserves are minimal and the
government seeks new alliances.
Cargo
and tourist ships are disappearing along the Somali and Kenyan
coastline at an alarming rate. Speeches abound, but inaction
emboldens Al-Shabab to seek their next prize: Kenya. The terror
organization controls land but requires weapons.
Bedlam
Bravo team leader Colonel Trevor Franklin (Ret.) leads the small
international team into East Africa. Tempers flare as the team is
embroiled in a political quagmire. The axis must be stopped to avert
an international crisis but at what cost?
Carnage
in Singapore
The
Bedlam Series Book 3
Terrorist
groups such as Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah have flourished in
recent years with new recruits joining them and ISIS-affiliates at an
alarming rate. Blended operations by various Asian countries have
forced the groups to work together to identify a new operational
base.
They
seek an island nation to call home, one where they can plot against
countries who oppose their ideals. They found a target, a small
nation-state, perfect for their needs: The Republic of Singapore.
Before
anyone can respond, the ambassadors of the United States, Great
Britain, and Australia are kidnapped from their residences in
Singapore. Right index fingers of each victim are sent as a warning.
Any attempt to recover the ambassadors will result in the removal of
additional body parts.
Bedlam
Charlie team leader, Evelyn Evinrude, leads the group to rescue the
ambassadors and capture the local leaders of Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah
Islamiyah. Can Bedlam succeed or will events escalate, resulting in
more deaths?
**Releasing
Fall 2019!!**
I'm
a U.S. Army veteran and retired senior civil servant, spending thirty
years in Europe, Africa, Central America, and the Middle East. My
residency abroad qualifies me to build rich worlds in my
action-adventure novels and short stories. Familiar with customs,
laws, and social norms, I promote these to create authentic
characters and scenery.
My
first novel, The Kurdish Connection, was published in 2017, and the
sequel, Dangerous Alliance, was released in November 2018. Both
placed in the 2018 Global Thriller Book Awards sponsored by
Chanticleer International Book Awards, with The Kurdish Connection
finishing as a semi-finalist and Dangerous Alliance being selected as
one of seven first in category winners. I recently signed a contract
for the third novel in the series, Carnage in Singapore. Work on my
fourth novel in the series, Ultimate Escalation, is underway, as is
the first book in a new series, A Cartel's Revenge.
I
also penned A Dangerous Occupation, a winning entry in the August
2016 Wild Sound Writing and Film Festival Review short story
category.
I
hold a general Master in Business Administration (MBA) and a MBA with
an emphasis in Strategic Focus, both from Heriot-Watt University,
Edinburgh, Scotland. My wife, Sylvia, six cats, and I currently
reside in Dunfermline, Scotland. I'm originally from Michigan, while
Sylvia is a proud Scot.
In
addition to writing, I enjoy hiking, reading, candle making,
pyrography, and sightseeing.
GUEST POST
If you knew you'd die
tomorrow, how would you spend your last day?
With my wife, son, and pets.
Is there an writer which brain
you would love to pick for advice? Who would that be and why?
There are several—Clive
Cussler, Ian Rankin, and Brad Thor, to name a few. Why? There work as
inspired me and I’d like to learn more about their approach to
writing, research, and how they come up with their ideas.
What are your top 10 favorite
books/authors?
In no particular order, Tom
Clancy, Clive Cussler, Ian Rankin, Brad Thor, Vince Flynn, David L.
Golemon, Robert Crais, Jack du Brul, Dan Brown, and Mark Greany. It
would take too long to make a top-ten list of books but they would
all be from these authors.
How long have you been
writing?
I started fiction writing in
2011. Prior to that, I had thirty years experience doing expository
writing. They’re definitely different!
Do the characters all come to
you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write?
A few characters come to be
initially and as the story progresses new ones crop up.
What kind of research do you
do before you begin writing a book?
It depends. Sometimes, I use
physical books from a book store, but most of my research is done
online research.
Do you prefer to write in
silence or with noise? Why?
I grew up in a large family, so
noise doesn’t bother me. My preference is for silence or light
background noise—definitely not head-banging music!
Do you write one book at a
time or do you have several going at a time?
At the moment, I’ve actively
working on two novels, have two others in the beginning chapters, and
synopses for five more (if only there were more hours in the day!)
One of the novels I’m actively working on is the first in a new
series. The second one is my first attempt to coauthor a novel, which
seems to be working well. More details about my works-in-progress are
covered in my blog: www.randallkrzak.com/blog
which generally comes out on Sundays.
Pen or typewriter or computer?
I gave my typewriter away years
ago to someone who didn’t want a computer. I still use a
pen/pencil, but only when something spring to mind and I need to jot
it down. Otherwise, the computer is my friend. I can only imagine how
writers finished a manuscript when everything had to be typed!
A day in the life of the
author?
Unlike some authors who set daily
or weekly word count goals, it’s the quality of the words, not the
amount for me. I’m usually at the computer in the early morning
hours (early being a relative term, depending on individual
perspectives) for 2-4 hours. This will include writing, research,
reviewing any chapter feedback, which came in overnight, and editing.
For now, writing is still a hobby, but who knows what the future may
hold. The rest of the day is spent on other activities and I may or
may not do a bit more in the evening.
Advice they would give new
authors?
Research, write, edit. When you
finish, edit some more. Whether you plan to self-publish or seek a
traditional publisher, make your work as error-free as possible. But
above all, don’t give up—writing is a journey!
Describe your writing style.
I’m a plotter and keep things
barebones. What do I mean by a plotter? After I come up with a draft
synopsis, I build an outline to get me from the beginning to where I
anticipate the end to be. My outline is more fleshed out at the
beginning, tapering off toward the finale, as I know things will
change as I progress. I regularly review my outline and make changes
as necessary to keep me on point.
About barebones—you won’t
find pages and pages of narrative in my stories. In fact, I’d be
surprised if there is a full page anywhere before dialogue comes back
in. Some people have commented I seem to write screenplays. Perhaps
something to consider in the future.
What are they currently
reading?
I complete a novel about once a
week, sometimes sooner, depending upon the length. I just downloaded
five more novels to read, beginning with Five Weeks, by David P.
Perlmutter.
What is your writing process?
For instance do you do an outline first? Do you do the chapters
first?
I usually decided on a tentative
synopsis and then decide how I want to begin and end. An outline
follows to lead me through the story.
What are common traps for
aspiring writers?
Assuming you don’t make
mistakes and unwilling to listen to constructive criticism. It’s
hard to be objective about your own work.
What’s the most difficult
thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
Getting it right. Chapter
reviewers let me know if I have something wrong, and usually suggest
various options to make it right.
Do you believe in writer’s
block?
From time to time I’ve
experienced a slowdown, but when that happens I switch to another
work-in-progress and keep going forward. This helps me keep things
fresh.
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