Red Notice | Forgive Me, Sergei

I just finished reading Red Notice by Bill Browder.  His true story about high financial dealings in Russia is a real page turner.  His explanation about the fall of communism to capitalism to the rise of oligarchs is a rich history lesson.  At the end of the book, Mr. Browder writes about Russia today:  “A place where lies reign supreme.  A place where two and two is still five, white is still black, and up is still down.  A place where convictions are certain, and guilt a given….  This is Russia today.”

The end of his book made me immediately think about the documentary film Forgive Me, Sergei and the scenes that were filmed in Russia—the parts where every Russian interviewed claimed that Sergei Kourdakov was a fraud.  I was unconvinced.  Especially when Sergei’s “brother” talked about him.

Sergei Kourdakov told everyone publicly that his brother was dead.  In a quieter moment with me, he reflected that he hadn’t seen his older brother or heard from him since he was a little boy and that he was sure his brother had been killed.  Yet, in the documentary the person claiming to be Sergei’s brother never mentioned that fact.

There are some excellent parts in the documentary film.  And there are parts that should be considered carefully.  I wouldn’t write-off Sergei Kourdakov’s book “The Persecutor” based solely on the movie.

A Rose for Sergei | Book Promotion

A Rose for Sergei

by K. Kidd 

Sergei Kourdakov is a real person.  Alone at a young age, he was raised in Soviet orphanages.  In that oppressive environment, he learned that only the strong survive—leading him to become the strongest and the best at whatever he did.  Sergei’s job in the Russian police was to inflict terror on Christians.  He defected when he could no longer face the life he was leading.  He was incredibly strong and jumped ship when his Russian trawler was off the coast of Tasu Sound, Canada.  He barely survived his treacherous swim in the stormy ocean.  Sergei and I met a year later, at my Federal Government office in Washington DC, and that’s where my story begins.

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Excerpts from Reviews:

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

—Lynn via Amazon

“I absolutely loved this story.  It is a true story.  From the very first chapter the story just grabs you and keeps your interest.  In Russia sending a red rose to someone means their heart is bleeding for you….  It is such an emotional story.  You will become attached to the characters.”

—Erin via justagirlkindling

Click Here to Purchase ebook from Amazon!

Sergei Kourdakov - They Are Looking For Me!

I was seventeen when I started working for the Federal Government in Washington DC.  My book, A Rose for Sergei, is the true story of a young woman…me, searching for independence and a career.  At age twenty-one that journey ended up surpassing my desire for mystery and intrigue when I met Sergei Kourdakov, a handsome Soviet KGB defector.

Excerpt from A Rose for Sergei:

Fall 1972

Sergei was so different from anyone I had ever met, let alone dated.  He was a Russian defector whose past history with the KGB was nothing to take lightly.  It was serious business, and the element of danger was not lost on me.

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We grabbed our coats and headed out the door.  Before I could close and lock the door, Sergei told me to wait a minute.  As we both stood on the landing, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a book of matches.

“What do you need matches for?”  I was puzzled.

“I always carry them,” Sergei informed me.  “Look, I will show you.”

He carefully pulled off a good match and then reached up and placed it at the top of the door as he slowly closed the door.  He was tall enough to easily place it there so it was barely visible.  I could not see it at all.

“This way, we will know if anyone came in while we were gone.”  He spoke under his breath, “I do this all the time.”

I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was serious, and a sense of fear slowly crept over me.

“Who is going to come in, Sergei?”  I whispered gravely.  “Who?”

“People from my country.  They are looking for me,” he said firmly.

Then he smiled down at me, threw an arm over my shoulder, and held me close as we walked down the stairs to my car.  The pit in my stomach gradually softened, but the idea of Russians breaking into my apartment did not sit well with me at all.

Blame It On The Blizzard | Investigating Sergei Kourdakov

There was a lot of snow to shovel out of our driveway this week—over 40 inches.  Snowbound for five days means extra time for internet browsing, which can be okay.  I found some books for my to-read list, and sparkly jewelry to pin on my “Have a Heart” board on Pinterest.  I blame the idle hours online on the Blizzard of 2016 (aka Snowzilla) that hit the east coast.  At least we had electricity.

That snow-stuck-at-home internet searching also led to finding some pretty harsh comments about Soviet KGB defector Sergei Kourdakov, author of The Persecutor.  Some proclaim that Sergei and his book are all a lie.  Those beliefs are exactly the reason why I wrote A Rose for Sergei.  Those beliefs are why I told a story that I kept to myself for over forty years.  Those beliefs are why I finally had to speak out.

I’ve mentioned it before in my blog—that Sergei’s background was thoroughly checked out by government agencies.  I don’t think that fact sinks in with some people, or that they fully understand what “checked out” implies.  Investigating Sergei’s background was not a simple call to the KGB to ask them to verify Sergei’s employment.  Sorry, I’m being facetious.  I wonder if people have any idea what that type of investigation entails.  The INTEL, or intelligence gathering, was ongoing and the information received corroborated Sergei’s story.  Over the course of several months the facts maintained their integrity.  Sergei Kourdakov was telling the truth.

Red Sparrow | A Rose for Sergei

I recently finished reading Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews.  It’s a fiction spy vs. spy thriller.  Mr. Matthews, a former CIA operative, gives you an inside peek at clandestine goings on in the world in his award winning first novel.  He had me at espionage.  I’ve always loved mystery and intrigue.

One of my favorite lines from Red Sparrow:

“We cannot have foreign diplomats harmed on the streets, even if they are meeting with Russian traitors,” said Egorov with a snort.  “The FBI will start mugging our officers in Georgetown if this happens again.”

—Jason Matthews

This passage caught my attention because of my own true story, A Rose for Sergei, about meeting and dating Soviet KGB defector Sergei Kourdakov.  Sergei’s cautious actions were very similar to the people in Red Sparrow.  I wasn’t completely surprised at some of the things Mr. Matthews talked about because of where I used to work.  His book, however, was an eye-opener for me concerning all the foreign agents strolling around.  My heart raced when I read how they stealthily conducted surveillance.

My take-a-way from his book?  I now realize why I never noticed anyone following Sergei and me, even though Sergei warned me.  I wasn’t trained in that area, but Sergei was.  He knew.  My heart-stopping moments when reading Red Sparrow?  I also now know why Sergei Kourdakov always insisted that I drive, and why he slid out of view in the car seat whenever we went out.

Red Sparrow is an incredible read, one that I can highly recommend.  Excellent book Mr. Matthews!  You gave this writer the chills.

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Available from Amazon!

Sergei Kourdakov - January 1

In the early morning hours of January 1, even in my deepest sleep, I’m startled awake.  It is the same time each year.  And I know.  Sometime after midnight, forty-three years ago, a shot was fired and Sergei Kourdakov fell to the floor.  One fatal gunshot wound to the head.  I was more than 2000 miles away at the time, but uneasiness had nagged me during the days leading up to that very night.  Did I by some means sense that, when we parted for the holidays, it would be the last time I would ever see Sergei alive?  I block those memories from my mind each year, or at least I try to do that, as I prepare for the holidays.  But somehow those thoughts find me.  I don’t think I’ll ever truly know what happened that night.

A Rose for Sergei - A Story That Will "Stay With You"

Ereader News Today is one of the leading eBook promotion sites – they help authors reach millions of new readers.  I was thrilled when I found out that A Rose for Sergei was selected to be featured on ENT on December 18.  Over the weekend many new readers discovered my heartfelt story about Sergei Kourdakov.  On Saturday, A Rose for Sergei climbed to the Amazon US #4 ranking in: Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Historical > Europe > Russia.  Of course those numbers change hourly, and in the blink of eye they’re gone…replaced by the next book making its way into readers’ homes.  For this self-published author, seeing that ranking on Amazon was truly an unexpected and wonderful holiday surprise.  I thank all of you who purchased my book, and I hope you enjoy reading A Rose for Sergei.  Sharing my story with someone, and/or writing a review is the best compliment I can receive.

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Thank you, Cookie, for this wonderful “Five-Star” review you posted on Amazon:

“I LOVED this book and read it in two days.  It is a remarkable story about two young people who were in love and how miracles and fate played a part in each of their lives.  Have some kleenex ready at the end.  This story will definitely "stay with you" after you read it.  It's a wonderful story and well-worth reading - I highly recommend it.  I'll be reading Sergei's book, "The Persecutor" next.  Thank you for writing this story, K. Kidd!”

—Cookie