Czech Mate

A female journalist battles the aftermath of social and personal revolution, arming herself with humour, friendship and love

About the Book

Early in the 1990s, the Czech Republic was changing, desperately trying to enter a western capitalistic lifestyle. But the change was slow motion compared to the turbulent life of a young female journalist trying to do it all – end her first marriage, mother two kids, while drowning in lots of work. One could also say – divorcing chin first, pulling new jobs while juggling old jobs, surrounding herself with loyal friends, and marrying a new man, the love of her life, who was – ooohh my god! – a foreigner… how scandalous!

She is forced to fight with old traditional thinking, the socialistic school system, and a judgemental society. But she is never alone – with the help of her faithful friends, family and a refreshing dose of humour, she finally wins her life game of Czech Mate. And finally, a fresh start. Canada – here they come!

If you enjoyed this book, try the prequel:  Somersaults.

Excerpt from the book

‘After a sleep of what seemed only a few minutes, the phone rang. I reached behind my head, found the telephone receiver and hoarsely said, “Yes?”

“I’m in a jam,” the other end whispered.

“Everyone is in a jam. Who am I talking to?”

“Ivana. I can’t talk aloud. Yesterday, actually this morning, I returned home and didn’t even have time to take off my shoes when my old man yelled at me: ‘Where were you?! And don’t tell me you were at Vaclava’s place, because she just called.’”

“Shit!” I was never a good strategist.

“I was told you told him I wasn’t at your place.”

“Clever boy. And were you?”

“I was, but I left early. Because I missed him so much.”

“So that’s OK; I told him the same thing. Next time you expect to be with me, at least tell me about it, so I won’t call when you are with me.”

I smashed down the receiver and went to make myself a coffee. I had hardly taken five steps when I stumbled over someone’s prostrate body. Dead body; crossed my mind. They snapped Melnek’s neck and left him on my carpet. Now he will stay here until I pay 10,000 crowns. When I pay they will snap my neck to prevent me ratting on them.

I knelt down beside the dead body, turned it, and at last reality dawned on me. This dead body had long blonde hair and snored like a bricklayer.’

“Czech Mate:  Don’t Shoot the Journalist” by Mira Mackis available to purchase in paperback from Amazon.co.uk at:

This book is also available to download in e-book format from:

The book will soon be available in Audio format.

Press/Media Contact Details:

New Generation Publishing
Tel. 01234 712 064
E-mail: [email protected]

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Somersaults

A stubborn girl and young woman swims through chameleonic Socialism and its velvet funeral

About the Book

There are somersaults and there are somersaults. Physically … no big deal. Lots of people can do them. This book is about the other kind of somersaults – through life. In this case, from a little girl plunked into the mid-fifties in socialist Czechoslovakia to a rebel at school with beliefs twisted and turned by social storms. Then in 1968, her family lives through morphing into socialism with a human face, the consequent invasion of the Warsaw Pact armies, and ultimately, the Russian occupation. And eventually, for many ordinary people, the reality of the so-called Velvet Revolution of 1989.

When the girl grows into a young woman, she fights with traditions and old thinking. Plenty of humour, the discovery of limits, many sides of the same coin, the power of friendship, stepping into worlds of taboo, and challenging one’s own fear – every somersault has consequences. Intimate, funny, honest.

If you enjoyed this book, try the sequel:  Czech Mate.

Excerpt from the book

‘When a ring from the front gate jarred our thoughts, I could not believe that life on the street could break through our doors and walls, wanting to get inside.

“Go and have a look from the window and see who it is,” mum sent dad. Until then, we had never locked the door and our visitors normally didn’t bother delaying themselves with pressing a bell. Some of them didn’t even stop before opening the bathroom or toilet door whenever they turned up to make us happy with their presence.

“A soldier,” father commented from the window. He hesitated for a moment then energetically stepped from our living room towards the front door.

“I hope you are not going to open it,” mum jumped up from the typewriter causing the smaller photo-frames to lurch and with a crash, hit the desktop.

“Of course I’m going to open it. I’m going out. After all, we don’t have to hide like mice.”

“He has a sub-machine gun,” mum called out to dad and caught the sleeve of his sweater.

“He has it on his back, not in his hands,” answered dad. “If he wanted to shoot, he wouldn’t ring the bell. Girls, go into the kitchen; I’m going out.”’

“Somersaults:  Through the Keyhole” by Mira Mackis available to purchase in paperback from Amazon.co.uk at:

This book is also available to download in e-book format from:

The book will soon be available in Audio format.

Press/Media Contact Details:

New Generation Publishing
Tel. 01234 712 064
E-mail: [email protected]