Friday the 13th

 

Superstitions

 

Friday the 13th, a notoriously frightful day, teeming with cryptic, mysterious, and fantastical Superstitions and Adages.

 

For the record, I am not a superstitious person. (Liar) The over-analytical gene I was born with does not invite such hogwash and hooey to the party inside my head, but I do avoid black cats. 

 

Let us begin, . . . Red sky in the morning, sailors warning. Red sky at night, sailors delight.  I suppose it means smooth sailing weather is ahead. This meteorological prognostication is probably more reliable than a local weather prognosticator. However, I think it might mean, red eyes in the morning, sailors are hungover. Red eyes at night, sailors are drunk and happy!  

 

Being a casino addict, I hear this one a lot – Beginners Luck. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t begrudge anyone who is lucky enough to rake money from the casino, but if you’re a harden gambler like me, hearing someone say they won because of Beginners Luck - it's really annoying.

 

A humorous one – Rub a rabbit’s foot for good luck.  Human imagination never ceases to amaze me. So, the person who came up with this one was no doubt a very creative person. Rubbing a rabbit’s foot or even carrying one around with you, on purpose, is pure gold. I feel you; we all do what we must to get through the day!

 

Garlic keeps the Vampires at bay

Knock on wood is a classic. It is meant to preclude/circumvent/thwart something bad from happening, and if there is no wood available to knock on, a person will knock on their own head or on a friend’s head. (Humans are very silly.)

 

Opening an Umbrella Indoors is believed to be very bad, and it will bring bad luck to all those who do so. No doubt, eventually, there will be a lawsuit brought before the courts, because the umbrella manufacturers did not stamp a warning label on the Umbrella that reads – DO NOT OPEN IN DOORS, BECAUSES IT CAUSES BAD LUCK. (I want to be in the court room on that day.)

 

Finding or Having a Horseshoe will bring you good luck. I believe it is highly unlikely anyone would find a horseshoe just lying around in the street nowadays. So, if you do find one, it probably will bring you good luck. Warning: make sure you never turn it upside down, because all the luck will run out!!!

 

At the end of every Rainbow is a Pot of Gold. I have done extensive field research on this one, and my findings prove it is 100% false, dammit!

 

The Wedding Veil Protects the Bride from the Evil Eye. I did not know this one until I met my ‘Greek’ wife. Her people are from the old country, and the ‘evil eye’ is big time juju with them. When I saw her father spit on my newborn son; supposedly meant to ward off evil, she had to stop me from punching him in the face!

 

A Sailor Wearing an Earring Cannot Drown. Well, if the earring was the size of a life-preserver then I might believe this one. Interesting fact though, the reason why old-time sailors wore a gold earring was to pay for their coffin and other funeral expenses, those without one; well, they probably just got tossed into the sea.

 

That’s all for now, folks. Be careful out there today, Friday the 13^th can be particularly dangerous if you’re not wearing a garlic necklace. I suggest we all stay indoors and hide under the covers.

 

-jk-  

Fantastic Book Review

 

I do not have many book reviews on Amazon, but not because I haven't sold a lot books; it's just that Amazon doesn't allow a book to be reviewed unless it was purchased from Amazon. Nevertheless, I am eternally grateful and humbled by the wonderful reviews I have received. 

Reviewed in Australia on January 28, 2026

Format: KindleVerified Purchase

Vanguard is a fantasy story namely about a naïve boy named Wajue. His world falls apart after he and his father is attacked by a monstrous bear and when tragedy strikes, leaving him injured and fighting for survival, he finds himself brought away from the safety of his hidden homeland and into the unforgiving land of Bovatha. Saved and healed by a mysterious half-elf woman who inadvertently brings down a fate upon him that was set since the day of his birth, Wajue must navigate a world filled with things he is truly unaccustomed to or understands - deceit and greed - and as he discovers more about himself, his companions and the world he is now part of, danger surrounds him.

The Good

Vanguard is surprisingly brutal. No character is safe, and the writer has the incredible ability to introduce you to many characters unique and likable before ending their lives. Some die of old age while others meet their demise suddenly in an attack. The most haunting was so unforeseen it was jarring, and at the hands of the Wajue himself - although through possession.

The narrative is compelling drawing you deeply into the worlds history and lore, and not shy to take the time to explain historic significance without falling into the pitfall of lore dumps. Kafka is skilled at writing dialogue and inner monologue and at times making me chuckle, especially when he describes men's thoughts on why some female characters act the way they do. What is highlighted is his ability to create complex characters’ ones that truly stay with you, even if they only remain for a few pages he takes the time to make you want to interact with them more, making their loss more heartbreaking.

The Bad

I don't really have much criticism. I have two more books within the series to read and I can see that Kafka has taken the time with editing and formatting. Even though the writing was fantastic and well thought out there were several part (namely Wajue's possession) that came out of nowhere and I was shocked the sudden transition of murder of his companion.

Overall

The Vanguard is a fantastic example of the quality you would find in an indie title. Why his work has not been picked up by a traditional publisher is beyond me but the setting, characters and the overall writing was a joy to read.

Wajue is the MVP of this tale and I haven't really had a main character whom I liked more than any other supporting character. His innocence is endearing with his ability as a warrior. Janus however is a close second and I love the relationship between the two. I was very surprised by her backstory.

If you have a love for a fantasy setting and enjoy a great beginning for a multi-book saga, Vanguard (Broke Fiction Book 1) is for you and I can't recommend it enough.

j/k

A Humbling Book Review

Touching one reader makes the effort worth while.

 

Book review - September 14, 2023

I didn't want it to end

I'm so glad that I discovered this series. I plan to read all the others.

As an adult reader, I could feel the excitement of endless possibility in the coming-of-age adventure. As a woman, I could not personally identify with the very horny female elves, but I enjoyed seeing them through Wajue, the main characters' eyes, who was a very typical teenage boy. The immersive world felt so developed that I recall the mechanics of the world as much as the characters.

 

 

The Beginning of an amazing adventure

The world building might slow the first few chapters for some, but it was absolutely worth letting it unfold at a more traditional pace. World building is where this story shines. Each culture, creature, and curse has been expertly crafted and delivered with expert storytelling skills.

I read one chapter every day and I felt as enthralled with Vanguard as I was back in the 1990s when someone first handed me a David Eddiings book when I couldn't find another from the Xanth series. If you want to feel like you did somewhere between picking up Tolkien, but before George RR Martin, this is that fantasy. It feels deeply rooted in an era sorely missed by many genre fiction readers.

Although some parts might offend sensitive readers, everything that initially bothered me was later revealed to be the consequences of the cruelty and curses of an evil source.

The author obviously loved crafting this story and I'm certain if you get past the cover art and some crafty misdirection, you'll have a memorable experience with this delightful approach to fantasy.

I am truly humbled.

j/k