“Dreams do come true, if only we wish hard enough.
You can have anything in life if you will sacrifice
everything else for it.” - J.M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan
All About Me
Joe writes historical fiction based on Long Island’s varied and rich history. He has written a number of award-winning scripts including a science fiction/love/pirate tale set in the 1700’s about Captain Kidd’s wife Sarah. The plight of three Jewish boxers at a Nazi summer camp in Yaphank, NY, as World War II developed in Europe, was the basis for his award-winning script and first novella of the same name, “At the Corner of Hitler and Goering.” The dramatic accounting of the experiences of two Cuban refugees sponsored by the CIA and the Catholic Church as part of “Operation Pedro Pan” and sent to live at the Camp Hero Air Force Base in Montauk, NY during the Cuban Missile Crisis was the inspiration for his script, "Camp Hero," and the novella, "Dangerous Crossings."
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In 1700 New York City, the beautiful Sarah Kidd is an enigmatic figure. The wealthy wife of the notorious pirate Captain William Kidd possesses both riches and extraordinary mystical abilities. With the gift of vivid dreams and the power to summon valuable treasures to her hands, Sarah walks a fine line between fortune and fear, knowing that such gifts could lead to accusations of witchcraft and, if convicted, death.
Fast forward to 2026, where her descendant, Roberta Kyd Rousby, a talented artist and retired US Army Command Captain, discovers she has inherited more than just Sarah's sprawling estate at Three Mile Harbor on Long Island. Burdened by her new abilities and haunted by the echoes of her ancestor's past, Roberta finds herself drawn into a web of intrigue. Three Mile Harbor once believed to be a possible hiding place of Captain Kidd’s legendary treasures, is now home to a secret government research facility probing the mysteries of teleportation, dream physics, quantum cryptography, and the paranormal.
As Roberta navigates her newfound gifts, she becomes the focus of clandestine operations that could change the course of history. Will she harness Sarah’s powers to uncover the truth behind their family's legacy, or will she fall victim to the dark forces that seek to control her? Join Roberta on a thrilling journey of discovery, danger, and the magical intersection of past and present, where dreams may hold the key to unimaginable treasures—and perilous secrets.
Dealing a Blow to Nazi Ideology
In 1938, against a backdrop of the war in Europe, German Max Schmeling loses to the American Joe Louis in the first round of a fight at Yankee Stadium. After watching the defeat of his national hero to a "schwarze," and to Max Baer, a Jew, a few years earlier, Karl Seger decides to stage a boxing exhibition at Camp Siegfried, the Nazi youth camp he runs on Long Island, inviting three Jewish boxers, trainer Jackie and his proteges Ruby and Moe, to serve as sacrificial lambs in a display of German superiority.
For Seger, the exhibition is a way to advance his career and to restore his wounded pride and the pride of his people. For the Jewish boxers it is a chance to physically take a stand against anti-Semitism and deal a blow to Nazi ideology.
*****
Five-Star Bronze Winner for the Novella Category in the 2022 HFC Book of the Year contest
From the author of "At the Corner of Hitler and Goering"
The dramatic accounting of the experiences of two Cuban refugees sponsored by the CIA and the Catholic Church as part of "Operation Pedro Pan" and sent to live at the Camp Hero Air Force Base in Montauk, NY during the Cuban Missile Crisis was the inspiration for Kovler's script, "Camp Hero," and the novella, "Dangerous Crossings."
In the summer of 1965, Josh, an athletic fourteen-year-old Jewish boy from New York City, travels to Hendersonville, North Carolina. He spends this summer with four distant and culturally different cousins who invite him to participate in the teenage rural "Olympics."
These sports, all foreign to him, include shooting, rock skipping, horseshoe throwing, wood chopping, fishing, and mountain relay races. Living next to a white supremacist soldier returning from Vietnam and his brother, who is about to leave for Vietnam, Josh is exposed for the first time to a war that has yet to make the headlines. The police suspect these two brothers of stealing and killing family dogs in and around Hendersonville. As the police question them, Josh finds himself in mortal danger, and he experiences anti-Semitism at a level he hasn't seen before.
Book Excerpt
Excerpt from At the Corner of Hitler and Goering by Joseph Kovler
Suddenly, hundreds of people of all ages were on the street. Some were dressed
in German Stormtrooper uniforms. They wore brown shirts, brown boots, black ties,
swastikas on their sleeves, and Sam Browne leather belts positioned diagonally across
their chests.
There was rumbling on the tracks and then two blares from the train whistle and
squeals of the brakes. The crowd lined up facing the train platform. They raised their
right arms in a Nazi salute to the arriving passengers. A sign in the train window read
“CAMP SIEGFRIED EXPRESS”. People poured out of eight train cars.
A band played Das Deutschlandlied, the German National Anthem.
“Nazis,” said Moe.
Ruby said with disdain, “They’re so fakakta.”
“Nazis march in Bay Ridge and Bushwick. Seems like it’s every weekend,” said
Moe.
“In April, my father’s friend, Charlie—you know the anti-Nazi magazine guy—was
found beaten with swastikas carved into his back,” said Ruby. “My dad took my stickball
bat and stayed at his place for two nights.”
Seger walked through the crowd and shook Jackie’s hand. “Welcome, Jackie.
Welcome, boys.”
“This is Moe Leonard and Ruby Singer,” said Jackie. Seger shook their hands.
“Jackie pointed to the people in uniforms and the train. “What’s this about?” he said.
“We’ll all march to Camp Siegfried together. It’s not far,” Seger said.
Jackie clarified, “I meant what’s with the German uniforms?”
“At Camp Siegfried German-Americans celebrate their culture, their heritage. I
thought I told you.”
“You didn’t and it kinda pisses me off.”
“We’re one of a number of German-American camps,” Seger said undaunted.
“Where are the others?” Jackie asked.
“Camp Nordland and Camp Bergland in New Jersey, Camp Hindenberg in
Wisconsin, Camp Highland in upstate New York. We also have one in Pennsylvania,”
Seger answered.
“You’re kidding.”
Seger asked, “Why are you surprised? There are Italian clubs, Jewish clubs, and
Irish clubs. Thousands of people enjoy celebrating their cultures and their homelands.”
“What about the swastikas and the uniforms?”
“Just cultural stuff. Like your yarmulkes,” said Seger dismissively.
Jackie raised his eyebrows and stared at Seger.
Condescendingly Seger said, “I assume you’re still up for the big payday. Am I
correct?”
“Yeah, guess we are. No point putting the kibosh on that,” said Jackie.
“Money talks, doesn’t it?” said Seger.
Seger suddenly waved to people stepping off the train. “I see my in-laws. I’ll
catch up with you after the parade.”
Book Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Boxing Novella
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2023
I usually don’t leave reviews for historical novellas as it can be difficult for an author to fully illustrate the era and the culture of the era in such a short amount of pages, but this boxing novella set in 1938 New York City does it quite well. Author Joseph Kovler does a masterful job penning this story of two young Jewish boxers.
After Joe Louis defeated Max Schmelling in Yankee Stadium, a Nazi leader who has a camp in the city wants to exact revenge for the German boxer’s loss. Through the promise of a good payday, he brings the boxers and their uncle, who was a championship boxer and is now the trainer, to the camp. What follows is a tense story illustrating both the loyalty that Germans, even if they were in a foreign nation, had to Hitler and the Nazi Party and also what Jewish people faced when they had to confront Nazis. I won’t give away any more of the story, but it is one that you will finish fairly quickly.
I should also add that the boxing scenes in the story are quite good and you get a good insight into both the boxers and their corner personnel. Of course, as one might expect in this setting, there is more fighting and other actions that take place in the ring (and just outside it) than boxing. The overall story, whether in the ring, at the camp or elsewhere, is riveting and it is recommended for a quick read for those readers who are interested in boxing or World War II stories.
*****
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Historical Fiction
Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2023
4.5 rounded to 5 - This novella opened my eyes to some Nazi history that I was unaware of, especially history that occurred in the United States. The value I see in this book is that it is eye opening. It is very short - a quick read….which accounts for the characters not being overly developed. We are told only what we need to know. I would recommend this book. Thank you to BookSirens and the author for the opportunity.
