‘Blue Heaven’s Tent’ inspired by her grandfather’s military service
A former Lakeview resident, with family still living in the Logan County area, has published her first book this spring, a historical fiction novel that follows the struggles of a family separated by the Berlin Wall in Communist East Germany.
Markie Doczi’s book, Blue Heaven’s Tent (Wipf & Stock Publishers), tells the story of Klaus Franke, whose life is changed forever when he wakes one morning to find himself separated from his family by barbed wire.
Now trapped in Communist East Germany in 1961, Klaus grows increasingly desperate to escape as the barbed wire develops into the infamous Berlin Wall. Meanwhile, his wife, Gerda, is stuck in West Berlin raising their two children as a single parent. When Klaus is thrown into political prison, Gerda waits to hear – but fears to learn – of her husband’s fate.
Doczi, who grew up in Athens, Ohio, said her book was inspired by an incident that her grandfather told her about from his service with the U.S. Air Force in the early 1970s, which included a tour in Germany.
“When I was a kid, my grandfather (aka Gramps) told me a story, which ultimately led to this novel…
“He visited the Berlin Wall one day, and met a man there who had been separated from his family ever since the night the barbed wire went up. He told my grandfather that he visited the wall every Sunday, because it was as close as he could get to his loved ones. That man, though I do not know his name, inspired Klaus Franke — the protagonist of Blue Heaven’s Tent.”
While her family of characters are fictional, they fit the mold of many German families after the wall went up, the author said.
“I also placed the Frankes’ home close to the wall, which enabled me to incorporate many true events that took place there into the lives of my characters. Essentially, I used this fictional family to tell the real stories of many.
“On a personal note, I also incorporated many dates and scenarios from my own life into the lives of my characters. For example, Klaus and Gerda’s anniversary is Oct. 26, because this is my real-life anniversary; and several humorous interactions between the two are based on my own marriage.”
Doczi said the title for her novel comes from an old German lullaby, which the protagonist’s wife sings to their children. One of the lines in that lullaby is, “Do you know how many stars are in blue heaven’s tent?”
In 2019, she published her original collection of poetry, Beneath the Old Oak Tree. She currently lives in Middleport with her husband and stepdaughter. Doczi has many hobbies, including cooking, painting, and reading – but said writing has always been her passion. She is currently working on a magical realism piece about Greek methology, and noted that additional historical fiction books will likely be on the horizon, as this is her favorite genre.
Blue Heaven’s Tent is available at wipfandstock.com, and other online booksellers.