hey,Β isΒ thatΒ SEBASTIANΒ STANΒ iΒ sawΒ goingΒ forΒ aΒ walkΒ inΒ SIERRAΒ SPRINGS?Β no,Β itβsΒ justΒ THEODOREΒ PETROV,Β aΒ THIRTY-NINEΒ yearΒ oldΒ HISTORYΒ TEACHERΒ ATΒ COYOTEΒ VALLEYΒ HIGHΒ SCHOOLΒ fromΒ SAINTΒ PETERSBURG,Β RUSSIA.Β Β HEΒ identifiesΒ asΒ CISΒ MANΒ andΒ BISEXUAL.Β theyΒ seemΒ +ARDENTΒ andΒ -FICKLE,Β alwaysΒ remindingΒ meΒ ofΒ well-lovedΒ booksΒ withΒ weatheredΒ spines,Β highlightedΒ passagesΒ andΒ colorfulΒ tabsΒ stickingΒ outΒ the.Β theyβreΒ mostΒ frequentlyΒ seenΒ atΒ BOOKTOWNΒ BOOKSΒ goingΒ onΒ aboutΒ THEIRΒ LETTERBOXΒ MOVIEΒ RANKINGΒ SYSTEMΒ andΒ thatβsΒ okayΒ becauseΒ itβsΒ beenΒ theirΒ thingΒ forΒ FIVEΒ YEARS.Β youβreΒ goingΒ toΒ loveΒ them!Β Β
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FULLΒ NAME:Β theodoreΒ maksimΒ petrovΒ .Β NICKNAMES:Β theoΒ (Β preferredΒ )Β &Β teddyΒ (Β friendsΒ /Β familyΒ onlyΒ unlessΒ youΒ wantΒ toΒ beΒ kickedΒ )Β .Β BIRTHPLACE:Β saintΒ petersburg,Β russiaΒ .Β AGE:Β thirty9Β .Β SEXUALITY:Β bisexualΒ .Β MARITALΒ STATUS:Β singleΒ (Β 1Β failedΒ engagementΒ ripΒ )Β .Β SPOKENΒ LANGUAGES:Β englishΒ (Β fluentΒ ),Β russianΒ (Β fluentΒ ),Β germanΒ (Β fluentΒ ),Β &Β italianΒ (Β conversationalΒ )Β .Β PROFESSION:Β historyΒ teacherΒ atΒ coyoteΒ valleyΒ highΒ schoolΒ &Β publishedΒ non-fictionΒ authorΒ .Β EYEΒ COLOR:Β blueΒ .Β HEIGHT:Β 6'0"Β .Β HAIR:Β brown . BIRTHDAY: january 4th . WRITING CLAIM: erik larson
bornΒ toΒ coyoteΒ valleyΒ nativeΒ johannaΒ caldwellΒ andΒ russian-bornΒ airplaneΒ pilotΒ maksimΒ petrov,Β theoβsΒ existenceΒ wasnβtΒ necessarilyΒ aΒ plannedΒ eventΒ asΒ muchΒ asΒ itΒ wasΒ aΒ completeΒ surpriseΒ toΒ theΒ maximumΒ degree.Β johannaΒ wasΒ bornΒ andΒ raisedΒ inΒ theΒ meadowΒ toΒ aΒ well-to-doΒ familyΒ andΒ raisedΒ asΒ aΒ goldenΒ girlΒ withΒ dreamsΒ largerΒ thanΒ whatΒ theΒ cityΒ couldΒ hold.Β collegeΒ rollsΒ aroundΒ andΒ johannaΒ isΒ burstingΒ atΒ theΒ seamsΒ toΒ leaveΒ california
johannaΒ doesΒ moreΒ thanΒ leaveΒ california,Β sheΒ findsΒ herselfΒ inΒ anΒ overseasΒ programΒ inΒ saintΒ petersburgΒ toΒ studyΒ architectureΒ whereΒ alongΒ theΒ wayΒ sheΒ meetsΒ recentlyΒ appointedΒ airlineΒ captainΒ maksim.Β theΒ twoΒ areΒ onΒ andΒ offΒ inΒ theΒ yearsΒ ofΒ johannaΒ gainingΒ herΒ degree,Β notΒ soΒ muchΒ mentioningΒ herΒ boyfriendΒ toΒ herΒ parentsΒ backΒ homeΒ inΒ coyoteΒ valleyΒ duringΒ visits.
fastΒ forwardΒ toΒ johannaΒ walkingΒ acrossΒ theΒ stageΒ toΒ getΒ herΒ aΒ degreeΒ withΒ aΒ barelyΒ showingΒ bumpΒ thatΒ wouldΒ growΒ toΒ becomeΒ theo.Β herΒ parentsΒ areΒ surprisedΒ andΒ argumentsΒ areΒ frequent,Β butΒ johannaΒ staysΒ inΒ russiaΒ toΒ startΒ herΒ makeshiftΒ familyΒ withΒ maksimΒ allΒ whileΒ layingΒ theΒ groundworkΒ ofΒ herΒ futureΒ inΒ design.
theodoreΒ maksimΒ petrovΒ isΒ bornΒ daysΒ intoΒ theΒ newΒ yearΒ ofΒ 1986,Β namedΒ afterΒ johannaβsΒ fatherΒ andΒ predominantlyΒ raisedΒ byΒ hisΒ motherΒ andΒ hisΒ grandparentsΒ onΒ hisΒ fatherβsΒ side.Β hisΒ parentsΒ neverΒ marryΒ butΒ seemΒ happyΒ enoughΒ toΒ youngΒ theo,Β butΒ thenΒ again,Β itΒ couldΒ beΒ saidΒ thatΒ hisΒ fatherΒ wasΒ oftentimesΒ flyingΒ planesΒ elsewhereΒ whileΒ hisΒ momΒ workedΒ andΒ pickedΒ himΒ upΒ fromΒ theΒ careΒ ofΒ hisΒ grandparentsΒ mostΒ days.
theoΒ wasΒ bubblyΒ kidΒ growingΒ upΒ andΒ definitelyΒ aΒ mommaβsΒ boyΒ dueΒ toΒ theirΒ closenessΒ andΒ timeΒ moreΒ spentΒ togetherΒ thanΒ withΒ hisΒ father.Β notΒ toΒ sayΒ theoΒ didnβtΒ likeΒ hisΒ father,Β butΒ onlyΒ seeingΒ himΒ threeΒ daysΒ aΒ weekΒ definitelyΒ leftΒ moreΒ toΒ beΒ desired.
upΒ untilΒ theΒ ageΒ ofΒ 7,Β russiaΒ isΒ allΒ ofΒ whichΒ theoΒ knowsΒ withΒ onlyΒ everΒ hearingΒ aboutΒ coyoteΒ valleyΒ whenΒ hisΒ motherΒ bringsΒ upΒ herΒ ownΒ childhood.Β theoΒ neverΒ trulyΒ knowsΒ whatΒ wentΒ downΒ betweenΒ hisΒ parentsΒ (Β asΒ theoΒ grows,Β heΒ canΒ inferΒ thereΒ wasΒ anotherΒ womanΒ β¦Β anotherΒ kidΒ thatΒ hisΒ fatherΒ splitΒ timeΒ betweenΒ allΒ theΒ whileΒ flyingΒ acrossΒ russiaΒ justΒ byΒ whisperingsΒ ofΒ hisΒ maternalΒ grandparentsΒ ),Β butΒ nextΒ thingΒ heΒ knowsΒ heβsΒ tearfullyΒ sayingΒ goodbyeΒ toΒ hisΒ fatherΒ andΒ grandparentsΒ andΒ satΒ nextΒ toΒ hisΒ motherΒ onΒ theΒ nextΒ flightΒ outΒ ofΒ saintΒ petersburgΒ toΒ coyoteΒ valley
johannaβsΒ reappearanceΒ inΒ coyoteΒ valleyΒ withΒ aΒ sevenΒ yearΒ oldΒ theoΒ byΒ herΒ sideΒ leavesΒ littleΒ questionΒ toΒ everyoneΒ thatΒ sheΒ hadΒ aΒ kidΒ thatΒ noΒ oneΒ knewΒ about.Β especiallyΒ inΒ theΒ wayΒ herΒ parentsΒ neverΒ spokeΒ ofΒ theo.Β theoΒ withΒ theΒ sameΒ blinkingΒ blueΒ eyesΒ andΒ waveΒ ofΒ brownΒ hairΒ asΒ hisΒ mother.
thereβsΒ anΒ adjustmentΒ periodΒ asΒ theoΒ settlesΒ intoΒ lifeΒ inΒ coyoteΒ valley,Β hisΒ charismaticΒ andΒ vibrantΒ selfΒ backΒ inΒ russiaΒ thatΒ earnedΒ himΒ manyΒ friendsΒ becameΒ aΒ pastΒ versionΒ ofΒ himself,Β nowΒ moreΒ reservedΒ andΒ reticentΒ toΒ thoseΒ aroundΒ him.Β hisΒ accentΒ madeΒ himΒ theΒ subjectΒ ofΒ teasingΒ fromΒ hisΒ classmates,Β resultingΒ inΒ himΒ turningΒ inwardΒ andΒ focusingΒ onΒ academicsΒ asΒ aΒ result.Β atΒ least,Β untilΒ hisΒ motherΒ pushedΒ himΒ toΒ beΒ socialΒ andΒ makeΒ moreΒ friendsΒ byΒ signingΒ himΒ upΒ forΒ theΒ localΒ boysΒ soccerΒ league
forΒ aΒ whileΒ itΒ wasΒ justΒ theoΒ andΒ hisΒ motherΒ livingΒ inΒ anΒ apartmentΒ downtown.Β thenΒ theΒ occasionalΒ nightΒ ofΒ hisΒ motherΒ droppingΒ himΒ offΒ atΒ hisΒ grandparentβsΒ houseΒ forΒ whatΒ theoΒ wouldΒ comeΒ toΒ learnΒ asΒ hisΒ motherΒ puttingΒ herselfΒ outΒ thereΒ andΒ datingΒ again.Β theoβsΒ feelingsΒ areΒ uncertain,Β butΒ heΒ findsΒ solaceΒ inΒ callingΒ upΒ hisΒ grandparentsΒ backΒ inΒ russiaΒ andΒ talkingΒ toΒ themΒ inΒ russian
whileΒ heΒ bobbedΒ inΒ betweenΒ keepingΒ upΒ hisΒ gradesΒ andΒ takingΒ partΒ inΒ theΒ localΒ boysΒ soccerΒ league,Β theoΒ wouldΒ excelΒ inΒ bothΒ hisΒ academicsΒ andΒ hisΒ athleticΒ careerΒ throughoutΒ highΒ school.Β thoughΒ himΒ fallingΒ theΒ wrongΒ wayΒ duringΒ anΒ awayΒ gameΒ causedΒ aΒ dislocatedΒ kneeΒ andΒ putΒ anΒ endΒ toΒ anyΒ furtherΒ competitiveΒ soccer
itΒ wasΒ throughΒ thisΒ thatΒ whenΒ theoΒ hadΒ extraΒ timeΒ toΒ devoteΒ toΒ whateverΒ elseΒ nowΒ thatΒ soccerΒ practiceΒ andΒ gamesΒ wereΒ outΒ ofΒ theΒ picture,Β heΒ beganΒ toΒ pickΒ upΒ moreΒ booksΒ thatΒ heΒ couldΒ readΒ forΒ fun. itΒ wasΒ anΒ accident,Β really,Β whenΒ heΒ pickedΒ upΒ hisΒ grandfather'sΒ historicalΒ non-fictionΒ bookΒ aboutΒ theΒ titanicΒ thatΒ sparkedΒ theo'sΒ interestΒ inΒ learningΒ moreΒ aboutΒ differentΒ historicalΒ eventsΒ thatΒ interestedΒ him
whileΒ theoΒ alwaysΒ knewΒ thatΒ heΒ wantedΒ toΒ pursueΒ anΒ educationΒ degreeΒ fromΒ hisΒ knackΒ forΒ tutoringΒ hisΒ fellowΒ classmates,Β thisΒ cementedΒ hisΒ desireΒ toΒ teachΒ historyΒ specifically.Β followingΒ theΒ tenacityΒ ofΒ hisΒ mother,Β theoΒ appliedΒ toΒ dukeΒ universityΒ allΒ theΒ wayΒ overΒ onΒ theΒ eastΒ coast,Β toΒ whichΒ heΒ gainedΒ acceptanceΒ andΒ wouldΒ continueΒ onΒ toΒ doubleΒ majorΒ inΒ educationΒ andΒ history
itβsΒ inΒ hisΒ finalΒ yearΒ ofΒ collegeΒ gaining his master's degree thatΒ theoΒ managesΒ toΒ getΒ theΒ historicalΒ non-fictionΒ bookΒ he spentΒ hisΒ collegeΒ yearsΒ writingΒ (Β theΒ devilΒ inΒ theΒ whiteΒ cityΒ byΒ erikΒ larsonΒ )Β publishedΒ whereΒ itΒ wouldΒ goΒ onΒ toΒ steadilyΒ growΒ himΒ aΒ fanbaseΒ beforeΒ randomlyΒ gainingΒ popularityΒ andΒ salesΒ twoΒ yearsΒ after publication. from there he wouldΒ secureΒ aΒ 4Β bookΒ dealΒ withΒ penguinΒ randomΒ house
afterΒ graduation,Β theoΒ staysΒ inΒ northΒ carolinaΒ toΒ beginΒ hisΒ teachingΒ careerΒ whileΒ alsoΒ beginningΒ toΒ writeΒ hisΒ secondΒ novelΒ (Β thunderstruckΒ byΒ erikΒ larsonΒ ).Β heΒ staysΒ inΒ northΒ carolinaΒ untilΒ heβsΒ 26Β andΒ hearsΒ newsΒ thatΒ hisΒ motherΒ hadΒ gottenΒ intoΒ a carΒ accident.Β withΒ a long roadΒ ofΒ recovery ahead,Β theoΒ movesΒ backΒ toΒ coyoteΒ valleyΒ toΒ helpΒ hisΒ grandparentsΒ takeΒ careΒ ofΒ hisΒ mother.Β heβsΒ inΒ townΒ forΒ nearlyΒ threeΒ years ( much longer than he planned ) whenΒ heΒ eventually takesΒ anΒ openΒ teachingΒ positionΒ inΒ san diegoΒ onceΒ hisΒ motherΒ isΒ fullyΒ healed
duringΒ thoseΒ three yearsΒ theoΒ accidentallyΒ fellΒ intoΒ aΒ superΒ seriousΒ relationshipΒ thatΒ remindedΒ himΒ aΒ lotΒ ofΒ theΒ storiesΒ hisΒ motherΒ toldΒ himΒ of theΒ firstΒ fewΒ monthsΒ togetherΒ with his father. serious enough where it led to an unfulfilled engagement and empty promises. andΒ tbh,Β itΒ wasΒ mainlyΒ aΒ fearΒ thatΒ heΒ wasΒ movingΒ tooΒ fastΒ andΒ gettingΒ tooΒ seriousΒ intoΒ thisΒ relationshipΒ thatΒ heΒ tookΒ theΒ jobΒ inΒ san diegoΒ andΒ moved.Β soΒ ripΒ toΒ thatΒ exΒ bcΒ nowΒ iΒ imagineΒ thingsΒ areΒ awkwardΒ withΒ himΒ nowΒ backΒ inΒ town again
despiteΒ theΒ incomeΒ ofΒ beingΒ aΒ teacherΒ andΒ theΒ earningsΒ fromΒ his now threeΒ successfulΒ books,Β theoΒ wantedΒ toΒ slowΒ downΒ fromΒ cityΒ lifeΒ afterΒ fourΒ andΒ aΒ halfΒ yearsΒ ofΒ beingΒ inΒ san diegoΒ andΒ wasΒ ableΒ toΒ buyΒ himselfΒ aΒ cozyΒ houseΒ inΒ sierraΒ springs as he begins to write his fourth book ( the splendid and the vile by erik larson ).
he now teaches history at the local high school, trying his best to impress his students with his enthusiasm for all aspects of history ( he teaches both american and world history ) and getting them to appreciate it. thereβs humor somewhere with his still present russian accent that his students find funny as he teaches them american history, but as long as they pay attention is what he tells himself
overall,Β theoΒ isΒ someoneΒ whoβsΒ veryΒ charismaticΒ andΒ extroverted,Β thrivesΒ bestΒ whenΒ heβsΒ aroundΒ otherΒ peopleΒ andΒ socializing.Β heΒ viewsΒ knowledgeΒ asΒ somethingΒ everΒ growingΒ andΒ attainable,Β oftenΒ encouragingΒ notΒ onlyΒ hisΒ studentsΒ butΒ hisΒ friendsΒ toΒ pickΒ upΒ aΒ bookΒ orΒ watchΒ aΒ documentaryΒ onΒ somethingΒ theyβveΒ neverΒ knewΒ aboutΒ before.Β heΒ valuesΒ theΒ relationshipsΒ ofΒ thoseΒ closeΒ toΒ him,Β thoughΒ trueΒ vulnerabilityΒ andΒ beingΒ seenΒ fullyΒ asΒ whoΒ heΒ isΒ isΒ somethingΒ thatΒ terrifiesΒ him.Β asΒ aΒ result,Β heΒ dodgesΒ aroundΒ fullyΒ talkingΒ aboutΒ hisΒ feelingsΒ orΒ howΒ heβsΒ doingΒ sinceΒ talkingΒ aboutΒ himselfΒ forΒ longΒ makesΒ himΒ uncomfortable.Β itβsΒ somethingΒ heβsΒ workingΒ onΒ withΒ aΒ therapistΒ butΒ itβsΒ stillΒ aΒ workΒ inΒ progress.
itβsΒ alsoΒ partΒ ofΒ theΒ reasonΒ heΒ andΒ hisΒ mostΒ seriousΒ exΒ brokeΒ upΒ β¦Β thatΒ andΒ theoΒ ranΒ offΒ toΒ san diegoΒ withΒ hisΒ tailΒ betweenΒ hisΒ legs.Β theoΒ lovesΒ baking,Β goingΒ forΒ morningΒ runsΒ orΒ dailyΒ yogaΒ classes,Β andΒ stoppingΒ byΒ theΒ localΒ coffeeΒ shopΒ toΒ eitherΒ readΒ orΒ workΒ onΒ theΒ latestΒ draftΒ ofΒ hisΒ newΒ bookΒ he'sΒ writing.Β travelingΒ isΒ aΒ topΒ priorityΒ forΒ him,Β thoughΒ anyΒ travelΒ whetherΒ itΒ beΒ workΒ relatedΒ forΒ bookΒ toursΒ orΒ conferencesΒ isΒ usuallyΒ confinedΒ toΒ theΒ summerΒ time,Β asΒ notΒ toΒ takeΒ offΒ tooΒ muchΒ timeΒ duringΒ theΒ schoolΒ year.Β beingΒ aΒ teacher,Β theoΒ canΒ beΒ anyoneβsΒ biggestΒ supporterΒ inΒ gettingΒ themΒ toΒ believeΒ fullyΒ inΒ theirΒ ownΒ potentialΒ andΒ achievingΒ theirΒ goals.Β