SaddleBrooke Author Finalist for the CIPA Evvy Awards
SaddleBrooke resident author Thomas J. Mitchell has written Moscow Embassy; the Angara Club.
Inspired by true events, this is a powerful portrayal of one of the most controversial embassy projects in history, the construction of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia, from 1996 to 2000. Moscow Embassy: the Angara Club blends historical facts and vivid imagery to bring this novel to life.
It is the story of American construction workers who are recruited by the Russian KGB to plant listening devices and engage in other espionage activities while the new Moscow Embassy is under construction. U.S. intelligence agencies working in concert with Britain’s MI6 go to great lengths to neutralize the Russian threat. It is also a story of the men and women in the public and private sectors, the nomads who go from one country to the next, building these beautiful facilities for the U.S. government.
Moscow Embassy: the Angara Club is a finalist for a 2020 Colorado Independent Publishers Association (CIPA) Evvy Award. The Evvy’s are an acclaimed annual book award program which recognizes superior independently published books. The Evvy’s are judged by a panel of professionals on a qualitative scale of merit in dozens of distinct book categories.
What Online Book Club says about Moscow Embassy: the Angara Club by Deepa Pujari:
“What I liked most about this book is that although it is essentially a story of espionage with one organization trying to outwit the other, the author has managed to present the beautiful romance between JT Miller, a civil engineer working on the project and Irena Anarbekova, a beautiful Russian school teacher and KGB operative. Miller and Irena are both in a compromised situation, but they do not let this disrupt their love for each other. I also liked the way the author has described the personalities of each of his characters in the book. He has done complete justice in explaining the likes and dislikes of the characters, which brings them to life and enhances the reading experience. The story of “Coffee” told by Necdet’s father is particularly fascinating. The book also throws light upon the unique industry of embassy construction workers. The lives of these workers, their stories and tragedies, are highlighted in the book.
Online Book Club reviewer Deepa Pujari stated, “There is nothing I disliked about this book. The plot is streamlined, which keeps you glued to the book. The author has added realistic pictures of different locations in Moscow. These pictures help in imagining the scenes in the story and make it more engaging. The Russian culture, food, and lifestyle are portrayed well in the book.
“This book is beautifully written and professionally edited. It is full of suspense and romance that makes it hard to put down. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.”
Moscow Embassy: The Angara Club is available on Amazon or outskirtspress.com. Contact the author at [email protected] or pick up a copy of the book at the SaddleBrooke One clubhouse. Also look for Mr. Mitchell’s next novel coming out soon Malian Embassy: Rise of the Salafi-Jihadist.
Thomas J. Mitchell is a SaddleBrooke resident, world traveler, writer, musician, and fitness enthusiast. He has been involved in construction management of embassy projects for over 20 years.
John Floyd at Charles Beckner’s gravesite in Arlington National Cemetery
SaddleBrooke Author Wins Literary Contest
Sharon K. Miller
SaddleBrooke resident John Floyd’s recently published book, The Expendable, took top honors in the nonfiction category of the Arizona Author’s Association’s 2020 Literary Contest. Published by Trou de Lapin Press, The Expendable was also an Amazon number one new release this past August.
In this gripping story, told through the experiences of a young Navy corpsman, readers find themselves caught up in the harrowing events surrounding the greatest military defeat in the history of the United States—America’s loss of the Philippine Islands to the Japanese in the opening months of World War II. The Expendable is the true story of Patrol Wing 10, PT Squadron 3, and a Navy corpsman, CWO4 Charles Conrad Beckner, who was among those left behind when the U.S. Navy moved the fleet to the safety of Allied waters. Transferred to PT Squadron 3 as a machine gunner, Beckner was involved in the evacuation of General Macarthur, but was once again left behind with Japanese troops closing in. He, like many of his comrades-in-arms, refused to surrender.
The Expendable is based on Dr. Floyd’s close relationship with CWO4 Charles Beckner over four decades and on years of focused research on the early war in the Pacific. “Writing the book was an arduous process with a long learning curve,” he said. Although he had published two dozen scientific articles in peer-reviewed medical journals, creating a readable 500-page book demanded a different set of writing skills. “I’m happy with the final product, but there were many people who contributed along the way.” The ebook formatting and design was done by another SaddleBrooke resident, Sharon K. Miller (Buckskin Books LLC). Floyd’s primary editor, Wynne Brown (Wynne Brown LLC) acted as developmental manuscript editor and designed the print book interior layout and cover.
John Lewis Floyd, MD, is a retired physician and the son-in-law of the book’s central figure, CWO4 Charles Conrad Beckner. John and his wife Barbara, both USAF Veterans, live in SaddleBrooke and spend summers at their Colorado home. When not socially distancing and helping with the virtual education of a second-grade granddaughter, they also enjoy exploring far-flung corners of the world.
More information about The Expendable, including maps, family photos, and military images, is available at Dr. Floyd’s website, www.expendable.us.