Kathleen Hegedus

An American fighter pilot; a Hungarian farmer's daughter; for the rest of the world the end of the war meant peace, but in Eastern Europe the trouble was just beginning. Clouds Over Markota is a semi-biographical historical fiction, part war story, part love story, a glimpse of life in rural Hungary during the oppressive communist years.

Not only is this novel historical fiction but it also has its own history. As a survivor of the Hungarian Revolution and an immigrant from Hungary, my father worked on this manuscript for years, but left it unfinished when he passed away. My research for this novel led me to rent an apartment in Budapest, walk the narrow streets that the Soviet tanks once rolled down, and visit the little town of Markota. Clouds Over Markota is essentially fiction, but the characters are composites of real people I met while travelling in Hungary, and the political events are true to history.

"An engrossing account of daring and hope, epitomizing the noblest of instincts... doing the right thing in the face of terrifying consequences. The authenticity of this story of a family living in a rural Hungarian village, thrust into the midst of battle in the dying days of the Second World War, who chose to save the life of an enemy pilot despite the probability of immediate execution if caught, seizes the reader's attention from the outset and does not let go until the inspiring ending. A great read, written with passion and pace..." (Clouds Over Markota Reader)

Kathleen Hegedus holds a Master of Arts degree from California State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alberta. Her studies in creative writing include numerous writing courses and a writing mentorship with the University of Toronto.