How do you reconcile a
decision you made in the past when the world erupts in war, threatening the
life of someone you love and believe you were protecting?
Adrian Mazurek immigrated to the United States from Krakow, Poland,
14 years ago and is now a successful violin soloist and concertmaster of The
Eleventh State Symphony Orchestra in New York. But despite his outward success,
Adrian is inwardly harboring a shameful secret, one he has not revealed to
anyone.
However, that is about to change. Adrian plans to propose marriage
to Suzanne, but he knows he must tell her the truth about his past before doing
so. Riddled with guilt and shame, Adrian can barely look at himself in the
mirror. How can he look Suzanne in the eyes and tell her that he left his
infant son, Simon, in the care of his aunt and uncle in Poland 14 years ago? If
only confessing the truth to Suzanne was the most difficult part.
Adrian soon learns that Germany has invaded Poland and World War II
has begun. Fearing the Germans will learn that his son is of Jewish heritage,
Adrian must do something to ensure Simon's safety. But what? And will Suzanne
stand by his side or will she turn away because of his deceit?
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Fred
Raymond Goldman graduated from Western Maryland College in Westminster, MD (now
McDaniel College) in June 1962 with a B.A. in psychology. In 1964, he earned an
M.S.W. degree from the University of Maryland School of Social Work.
Most of
his career was devoted to the Jewish Communal Service. He served as the
administrator of Northwest Drug Alert, a methadone maintenance program at Sinai
Hospital in Baltimore, where he also became the community’s reference point for
steering drug abusers to Jewish resources. The work focused on helping
individuals achieve abstinence, receive counseling, and find employment.
Following
this role, Fred was hired as Assistant to the Director of Jewish Family
Services in Baltimore.
The final
position in his professional career was with Har Sinai Congregation, a Jewish
Reform synagogue in Baltimore, where he served as Executive Director for 23 years
before retiring in October 2005.
In
retirement, Fred pursued his interests in hiking with The Maryland Hiking Club,
exploring nature, and volunteering at The Irvine Nature Center, where he guided
schoolchildren on nature hikes and assisted in the Center’s nature store.
Writing
had been an interest since childhood, though Fred did not pursue it seriously
until retirement. Beginning with children’s books, he became a member of the
Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Association. Among the works he wrote
were Vera and the Blue Bear Go to the Zoo, Never Bite an Elephant
(And Other Bits of Wisdom), The Day the School Bus Drivers Went on
Strike, If You Count, and The Day the School Devices Went on
Strike. Although these works were never published, Fred hopes that if the CONCERTO
books gain recognition, opportunities for these earlier works may follow.
The
journey of writing the CONCERTO companion books began after Fred
noticed a note on the local library bulletin board announcing the formation of
a writer’s group led voluntarily by a local author. Joining the group with nine
others, he learned the essentials of writing—maintaining the protagonist’s
point of view, building tension toward a climax, rewriting, and developing
complex characters with flaws, peculiarities, and unique personalities.
Over four
years, Fred devoted significant time to writing, researching, rewriting, and
submitting the manuscript. Originally one book titled The Auschwitz
Concerto, the project was later divided into two volumes and
self-published. For a time, the title The Box was also considered.
Encouragement
from the teacher and fellow writers in the group played a pivotal role in
shaping the novels, as Fred also contributed to the successes of others through
critique and support.
In the Author’s
Notes, Fred explains the purpose of making the books available to the
public. Before embarking on the project, he knew little about the Holocaust
beyond its staggering toll of nine million lives and its place as one of
history’s darkest chapters. In writing the novels, he not only gained deeper
knowledge of history and human suffering but also developed a heightened
awareness of current issues that demand attention. As he notes, what affects
one group of people has the potential to affect all of us.
Author Links:
Author Page on Publisher’s Website: https://www.historiumpress.com/fred-goldman
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Fred-Raymond-Goldman/author/B0C2QMBZ9X
