“You Hauled Me Off to Jail….”

The title for this post seems a little out of character for my blog.  After you finish reading everything you’ll understand why I chose it.  Other than the fact that this title makes a very powerful statement, it is also very revealing.

I recently met author Greg Scott on a Goodreads website while following a discussion thread about book advertising.  After volleying ideas on this open forum, Mr. Scott posted a very interesting story he had heard while on a mission trip to Stovpiagy, Ukraine, in August 2005.  His account mirrored what happened to Sergei Kourdakov.  I was momentarily stunned.

Following is an excerpt from this posted discussion:

“It was our last day and we were getting ready to head back to Kiev and the airport and home.  Tima was one of our interpreters and we all bonded during this trip.  Tima’s father was a Christian pastor during Soviet times, when Christianity was illegal.

A former KGB agent visited Tima’s father’s church.  The former agent met Tima’s dad and asked about a young pastor he’d met in the same church 15 years earlier – so that would have been around 1990.  He wanted to meet that pastor and apologize for hauling him off to jail and beating him.

Tima’s dad said he’d been the pastor at that church for the past 20 years.  The former agent said, “This is not possible – I hauled off a young pastor.”  Tima’s dad said, “I was a young pastor 15 years ago.  You hauled me off to jail and beat me.”

The former KGB agent apologized and asked for forgiveness.”

— Greg Scott

* * *

Greg Scott is the Author

of

Bullseye Breach

Anatomy of an Electronic Break-In

A story ripped from the headlines about yet another major data breach.

Except this time, the good guys fight back.

A Captivating Story That Imagination Could Not Invent . . .

I’ll admit to being a diehard fan of romance books.  When it comes to selecting a book to read, “Romance” is always my first choice.  However, there are times I’ll switch over to Mystery/Thriller, Memoir, and Autobiographies.  But Sci Fi?  Never!

It’s true what they say about “never say never.”  Something you never, ever thought you would do...you end up doing.  Following is my accidental journey into Science Fiction.  I joined an Indie Authors Group on GoodReads, a website for authors and people who love to read.  After reading some helpful marketing suggestions from Owen, a successful writer and experienced author, I decided to contact him directly.

Owen R. O’Neill is a Science Fiction writer.  He’s also a physicist and amateur historian who spent most of his career in the intelligence community.  I was looking for some marketing ideas for A Rose for Sergei, and I had a hunch that my true story about a Soviet KGB defector might capture his interest.  As busy as he was, Mr. O’Neill responded to my inquiries with patience and good advice, for which I’m grateful.  He even took the time to read my book.

Thank you, Mr. O’Neill, for the wonderful review for A Rose for Sergei:

“Moving and trenchant, this memoir about a most unexpected encounter that led to an improbable romance at the height of the Cold War is both heartrending and heartwarming.  Told in a straightforward and unflinching style, Ms. Kidd chronicles her relationship with Soviet defector Sergei Kourdakov in prose that is immediate, unaffected, and poignant.  It is a captivating story that imagination could not invent, but two hearts did.”

Highly recommend. – Owen R. O’Neill, Author

I absolutely love his last sentence...a captivating story that imagination could not invent, but two hearts did.  I don’t know about you Mr. O’Neill, but I have a feeling there’s a “Romance Writer” in you yet!

* * *

Unbeknownst to Mr. O’Neill, I took a look at his first book in the Loralynn Kennakris series, The Alecto Initiative, co-authored by Jordan Leah Hunter.  I read the description on Amazon and was intrigued.  I ventured further, baby steps mind you, to read the first chapter on the Amazon site.  From there I was hooked.  And then I bought my first ever Science Fiction book!  To my surprise, I will be finishing the series.  It’s that good!  To find out more about this series and other books, I recommend you check out Pleiades Web Press.  Included in the “recommended” section on this website is another write-up by Mr. O’Neill for A Rose for Sergei.

A Simple Tale of Love and Loss | Sergei Kourdakov

A few weeks ago I received a message on GoodReads from a book blogger in India offering to review my book.  It’s always wonderful to hear from readers . . . surprisingly so when the reader is a recognized blogger.  Book bloggers are inundated with review requests; it’s understandable and typical to never hear back from them.  Needless to say, Jan’s request to review my book definitely made my day!

A voracious reader and talented writer herself, Jan’s review for A Rose for Sergei brought out some very interesting points. As you read part of her review below, please note that “Sam” was the nickname given to me by co-workers.

Review:

“Throughout the book I had to keep reminding myself that this story is not a work of fiction but a real life account, for such was the writing.  The writer, Ms. Kidd, transported me to her world back in the 70s through her compelling writing.  Needless to say, the characterization was perfect.  She never ventured into telling about the person that Sergei was before defecting.  That is the best part of the whole book.  She simply didn’t give room for the readers to judge Sergei for the person that he was before defecting.  Sergei and Sam are poles apart, yet they find love.  The fact that Sergei was a . . .”

“A humorous, profound and simple tale of love and loss.”

Rating:  8/10

To find out Jan’s shocking discovery, skip over to her personal blog A L'OUEST (Post date:  June 8, 2015).  You will not want to miss her interesting and humorous take on A Rose for Sergei.

Thank you Jan (Shree Janani) for your wonderful review!

Optimistic . . .

I love wearing nail polish.  It’s a great professional look for the workplace, and it completes any outfit you’re wearing.  I recently purchased a hot pink nail polish that caught my attention.  I like the color as much as I like the name on the bottle, “Optimistic.”  A great name.  Optimistic . . . positive, bright, cheerful, and confident!

Thinking about being optimistic reminded me of a comment a co-worker made a few years ago.  He said, “I like that you look at the world through rose-colored glasses some times.  You don’t see that very often anymore.”  Little did my friend know how accurate he was with that statement.  I would later write about that very subject in my book about Sergei Kourdakov.

I do tend to look on the brighter side of things, I’m usually optimistic.  It is a choice.  In my book, A Rose for Sergei, you can tell this has always been a part of who I am.  Even though Sergei said people were following us, I overlooked his concerns and kept the focus on our time together.

Excerpt from A Rose for Sergei:

Fall 1972

“Somewhere in the depths of my mind I realized that Sergei was preparing me for something I didn’t have the courage to face.  Instead I chose to look at the world through rose-colored glasses, a view that things were better than they really were.”

Courage, Love & Destiny

A Rose for Sergei

A True Story of Courage, Love & Destiny

Amazon eBook Special

Only .99 cents May 14-17, 2015

  

Take advantage of this eBook special from Amazon.  A Rose for Sergei is available for only .99 cents for the next few days.  On May 18th the price will return to $3.99.

For those of you that don’t have a Kindle, my friends tell me that the larger Smartphones are the perfect size for reading eBooks.  To quote one friend, “I barely use the iPad anymore because my iPhone 6plus is a good size to read books.  And lighter and much more portable.”

Reviews!  I am always glad when someone leaves a review on Amazon and/or GoodReads.  Thank you, Suzanna for your five-star review.  Below is a shortened version of her review for A Rose for Sergei:

I Couldn’t Put This Book Down!

A Rose for Sergei is written through the eyes of a young woman who met a strong, dashing Russian man while working in DC.  There was an instant attraction, but little did she realize….  Was he a dangerous spy?  Was he truly a changed man?

This TRUE STORY gives readers a rare glimpse into the last few months of Sergei Kourdakov’s life before his mysterious and tragic death.  It’s a gripping story, filled with sweet moments, laughter, and ultimately heartache.

– Review by Suzanna

VE Day 70th Anniversary

On the 70^th anniversary of VE day, the majority of the visitors watched the WWII planes fly by from the crowded streets of Washington DC.  I watched from Arlington cemetery, standing beside my mother’s and father’s grave marker.  I stood in a sea of never ending white marble headstones amongst the deceased who gave their lives for our freedom.  I whispered a quiet prayer of thanks to those military heroes.  They are not forgotten.  My father, Colonel Edward W. Kenny, was one of those heroes.

My father was a career Air Force Officer and Fighter Pilot who served in WWII, the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis and Vietnam.  In WWII he crash landed his bullet-riddled P-47 Thunderbolt and walked out of the wreckage with a broken back.  In 1954 he won the Bendix Air Trophy Race, flying the F-84 Thunderstreak and setting a world speed record of 616.2 miles per hour.  In 2013, after a long and happy retirement, my father suffered heart failure at age 89.

During the 70th Anniversary flyover in DC there was one plane that didn’t fly in formation; it kept circling around the cemetery.  Each time it passed I waved both hands joyously over my head.  During one loop the plane banked hard to the right, and I could see into the cockpit.  It was still quite far away but I was pretty sure at that angle that the pilot spotted me.  At least that’s what I would like to think.  Because the next thing I knew the pilot of that WWII plane turned and flew directly over me.

It was something my father would have done.

Shielding my eyes from the sun

 as a WWII plane comes into view.

The Persecutor vs. Forgive Me, Sergei

The movie Forgive Me, Sergei raised a lot of questions for me when I watched it.  For those who are familiar with Sergei Kourdakov’s life, you may have heard or read there were parts of the movie that criticized Sergei’s book, The Persecutor.  The movie ended up convincing the director, and many viewers, that Sergei’s story was a lie.  From what I understand, this wasn’t the original intention of the movie, but it was the outcome.  And the damage is done.

This film motivated me to write A Rose for Sergei.  I wanted to offer a different point of view and try to show you that maybe…just maybe, the movie got some of Sergei’s story wrong.  How easy it is to talk negatively about someone who is no longer here.  How easy it is to think that no one would care if you did.

I recently talked with an American woman who had lived in the Soviet Union in the 1980’s.  When I was introduced, my host mentioned I wrote a book about a Soviet defector.  The conversation became very interesting at that point.  I asked the woman what was the one thing that stood out the most in her mind about having lived in Russia.  “The Russians controlled the outcome of everything,” was her candid response, “Americans saw only what they wanted us to see.”  I wasn’t intending to monopolize the conversation, but her comment made me want to learn more.  “I have a question,” I asked.  “So, if a film maker made a movie in Russia, would the outcome of that movie be controlled?”  Her answer was yes.

In the movie Forgive Me, Sergei there are scenes in Russia where people were directly asked about Sergei Kourdakov.  In each case, the answer was the same, “No, I don’t believe that happened.  That never happened.”

Why am I not surprised by their answers?