Did That Really Happen?

Right before A Rose for Sergei was published, I found myself questioning if I had the courage to make my book public.  Our story is deeply personal; one I thought I would keep to myself forever.  My book was complete, it was edited, it was proofed, and it was approved by the Department of Defense prepublication office.  So what was the holdup?  Indecision!  I needed to make my decision about pushing that all mighty “send” button on my computer.  That one button approved my final copy of my book.  But still, for some reason, I hesitated.

After reading about certain events in Sergei Kourdakov’s autobiography, The Persecutor, some people have questioned, “Did that really happen?”  I understand that, his story does seem unbelievable.  I will admit that I’m one of those “show me” skeptical people.  However, having met Sergei in person and hearing his story first hand, I do believe that what he wrote about really did happen.  Enough so, that I wrote a book about our time together.  In defense of Sergei, I felt a responsibility to speak out because I knew his story to be true.

A few procrastinating days later, as I was getting ready for the day, thoughts were still racing through my mind—what on earth should I do, publish or not publish?  What happened immediately after my question is a scene right out of fiction books.  Somehow a tube of lip gloss on the bathroom vanity took a flying leap to the floor.  I was nowhere near it when it happened.  I didn’t bump it because I would have knocked over nail polish bottles to reach it.  It didn’t roll off because it was in the middle of two other tubes of lip gloss.  There was no explanation for what happened, and yet I saw the lip gloss flip off the counter.  Did that really happen? I wondered.  It is one of those strange happenings for which there is no possible explanation.  I had a good laugh and I have to admit it did lighten my spirits.  Shortly after that I went to my computer and pushed the “approve and send” button to publish my book.

A Bittersweet Love Story | The Persecutor & A Rose for Sergei

My book, A Rose for Sergei, is the story of my time together with Soviet defector Sergei Kourdakov.  It is a true story that I have kept to myself for over forty years.  I have been blogging for almost two years now, and I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I want readers to understand that my book is very different from my blog.  Whereas some blogs turn into a book, I have kept my blog and book separate.  You will see an entirely different side of Sergei in the book.  For that reason, I am offering my eBook at a special discount price for three days only this week.

I always appreciate it when someone posts a review on Amazon.  Quite simply, that is how people discover your book.  The following Amazon review describes A Rose for Sergei perfectly!

A bittersweet love story . . .

I truly enjoyed this book.  I found it be a bittersweet love story between a young American woman and a former KGB Agent who escaped a life he didn’t want and could no longer face.  It’s a true story of courage, sacrifice and belief….

What I loved most is this is a true story, however, it reads like Fiction.  I had to keep reminding myself, this is real…this happened.  I loved how the author made you feel like you were back in the early ‘70s when reading it.  True talent transports a reader to another world and that’s how it felt.

I could feel the fear.  I could feel the love.  I could feel the heartbreak.

—Review from Tara

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Amazon eBook Special Coming Soon!

A Rose for Sergei

Is Available for Just $1.00

On March 20 – March 22, 2015

Click here to purchase from Amazon!

Some Secrets are Meant to be Shared

On the back of the book cover for A Rose for Sergei it states:  “After more than forty years, K. Kidd shares this never-before-told story about Sergei Kourdakov.”  Some may find that statement hard to believe, but it literally means I never told anyone what it was really like to have known Sergei personally—to hear his story first hand, to laugh with him, to dance in his arms.  I never told anyone that I caught a glimpse of the pain from his past and his dreams of a new future in America.  I never told anyone, family or friends, how horrible it was to stand heartbroken in a Washington DC cemetery and say goodbye to Sergei.  He was only twenty-one.

I already know your next question.  Why did I keep it all to myself?  I think you have to understand that when Sergei and I met there was a little something called the “Cold War” going on at the time.  We dated during the era of the superpower struggle between the USA and the USSR.  People in both countries were frightened.  If I mentioned that I had met a Russian defector, some people walked away from me, especially after I said Sergei died from a tragic accident.  Then there were those who didn’t believe me.  I presume the whole story seemed too farfetched for them.  Thus, I learned it was best to keep our story to myself.  I didn’t talk about Sergei anymore.  I kept everything a secret.

Dreams are meant for sharing.  Secrets are meant for keeping.  But reality plays a trick on us sometimes.  The truth is that some dreams are meant for keeping, they are never realized.  And some secrets are meant to be shared.  When Sergei’s life story was being questioned I felt I needed to speak out for him, even after forty years.