About me...
I am the author of historical fiction inspired by real events, where love, resilience, and sacrifice meet against the backdrop of war. My writing journey began with poetry—too personal to share openly—so I shifted to romance novels, where I could explore emotions and stories while keeping a little distance from my personal life.
After spending five years living and working in Serbia, I discovered the story of Lepa Radić—a seventeen-year-old Yugoslav Partisan who faced the Nazis with unyielding courage. Her bravery became the spark for my writing, inspiring me to blend historical accuracy with deeply human stories that honor the strength and sacrifice of ordinary people in extraordinary times.
Before becoming a novelist, I served over twenty years in law enforcement both nationally and internationally, from United Nations missions in Haiti and Kosovo to advising the Ukrainian National Police. Those experiences taught me about endurance, courage, and the quiet ways people resist and survive. These lessons shape every character and story I write.
I hope my books offer readers a window into the past, filled with the complexity of human emotions and the power of hope. Thank you for joining me on this journey.
My friend Mr. Gvozdic taught me how to make rakija, the traditional brandy featured in this book. He was a remarkable man, and it was my honor to pay tribute to him by including his name in the story.
My dear Serbian friends (pictured left and bottom), with whom I’m still in touch today. I drew on their first or last names for several characters in the book. At the top is my good friend from Germany, with whom I traveled through numerous cities across Serbia and Montenegro.
Above: Partisan
I am sitting at the desk of Josip Broz Tito, the legendary leader of the anti-fascist Partisan resistance during World War II and later the long-time president of socialist Yugoslavia.
In the two photos below it, I am wearing an old-style double-breasted greatcoat (mentioned in this book) with red piping and epaulettes. During WWII in Yugoslavia, these long wool coats with red piping and shoulder boards were typically worn by Partisan commanders aligned with Tito’s forces. The design was later carried over into the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA).
Above: My parents, who traveled to visit me while I was in Belgrade, Serbia. Below: What originally brought me to the Balkans — the United Nations Mission in Kosovo.
Above: Chetnik
General Draža Mihailović, a Royal Yugoslav Army officer, led the Chetnik movement during World War II. Though his legacy is complex and controversial, he is remembered in the U.S. for his role in Operation Halyard in 1944 — the daring rescue operation that saved more than 500 downed American airmen over Yugoslavia (mentioned in this book).
Before You Look Further
A Gentle Warning
Some readers prefer to imagine the characters entirely on their own. If that’s you, this is a good place to stop.
What follows are photos of friends who inspired several of the characters in this story. Their personalities, in many ways, helped give these pages a heartbeat.
The US Army Air Corps recruits were modeled after the real-life friends shown above.
Left photo: Triston and Kenneth.
Middle photo: John (on the right).
Right photo: John and Jose.
The U.S. Army Air Corps instructors were modeled after the real-life friends pictured above. Left: Sgt. Martino (left) and Sgt. Kring (right).
Middle left: Corporal Johnson (on the right).
Middle right: Corporal DeMarco (on the left).
Right: Lt. Howard (on the left).
Chief Boehme (left) and his wife Jaimee were modeled after the real-life friends pictured above (real names used). No words in a story could ever do justice to how extraordinary these two people are in real life. Chief Boehme was the kind of leader you’d walk through fire for without question, and his wife Jaimee was the kind of woman you’d lay your uniform jacket over a puddle for. They are both true class acts.
Above: One of my dear friends, Marko, was the first Serbian to befriend me. At first, his intention was to do me great harm—to avenge the death of his best friend, who was killed during the American bombing of Serbia. But instead, we grew close and remained friends until his death. He inspired the character in this book known as Captain Marko Patrić.
A little more on John—We've been close friends for over twenty-five years. We started as friends in our hometown in Chatham, New York, then became police officers and squad partners in Raleigh, North Carolina. Years later we worked together as organized crime investigators in Kosovo, Serbia. It only made sense that he would inspire one of the main characters in this story. Here he is with his wife, Nena, who is originally from Serbia.
The character of Markus Kröger, the German soldier in the story, was inspired in part by my good friend from Germany shown above, along with the previous photograph mentioning travels through Serbia and Montenegro together.
My wife, my rock and constant support, Commander Lt. Col. Daniela Natalia Teixeira, whose courage and struggles as a leader echo throughout this story and helped shape the quiet strength and leadership reflected in Lepa Radić. (She also inspired the cover design for Book One.)
And of course, I could never forget the real-life Lepa Radić, whose courage and sacrifice inspired the heart of this story.