Circus Bim Bom: A Cold War Adventure
By Cliff Lovette
Soviet circus performers arrived in America hoping to build cultural bridges. Instead, they became unwitting pawns in a Cold War game of international intrigue.
When the first privately owned Soviet circus arrived in 1990 in America as the Soviet Union disintegrated, its elite performers expected to build cultural bridges through spectacular shows. Instead, this prestigious troupe faced a perilous journey through Cold War America.
Circus director Yuri had to navigate treacherous waters where American mobsters, Soviet agents, and political forces circled like predators. Young aerialist Anton dreamed of becoming a clown against his family’s wishes, while forbidden romances and unexpected connections bloomed between Soviet performers and Americans who saw past the ideological divide. As high-stakes conspiracies threatened to tear the circus family apart, they had to choose between the authoritarian chains of home and the uncertain promise of freedom.
As the Ringmaster reminds us, “The best Soviet stories are like vodka—they burn with suffering, intoxicate with conflict, keep you stewing in reflection, and yearning for your heart’s desire.” This genre-bending tale explores whether human connection can transcend ideology—and whether storytelling can bridge the divides that separate us.
Publication Date: 1st March 2026
Publisher: Bim Bom Books
Print Length: 478 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction / Romantic Adventure / Political Intrigue
An interview with author, Cliff Lovette.
Tell us about yourself and your writing journey.
I’m a storyteller in my bones. I first realized this in a smoke-induced haze at Tufts University in the late ‘70s, spinning fantastic yarns for friends—all made up— sounding plausible at first, then going off the deep end. How far could I go before someone said, “That’s one of Cliff’s BS stories, isn’t it?”
Ironically, Circus Bim Bom’s slightly satirical narrator, The Ringmaster, swears by the Russian storytelling creed: “Don’t let truth ruin great story.” Naturally, I made the Russian part up.
Fast forward to 1991. I was the lowest attorney on the totem pole at an entertainment law firm in Atlanta. I got the clients no one else wanted. In walks this long-haired, seasoned road manager named Bobby Liberman. Just finished a tour. He told me the unlikely story of a Soviet circus he’d road-managed—a privately owned circus from behind the Iron Curtain, KGB handlers watching every move, mobsters threatening their freedom, and impossible choices that would change lives forever. It was the sort of fantastical story I would have made up, except it was true.
I started collecting everything: articles, legal documents, original performance programs. I interviewed former Soviet performers. Over the years, as I moved from practice to practice and home to apartment, I purged my belongings—but never parted with what became several banker’s boxes of circus materials.
Fast forward to the pandemic. My best friend had just learned he had stage four pancreatic cancer. He urged me—no, badgered me—to finally write the novel. That was six years ago.
I’m a storyteller first, writer second. That identity permeates Circus Bim Bom. I’ve created character avatars and embedded music and video links to immerse readers in the Cold War era. The story didn’t need embellishment. It was too fantastic on its own.
What was the hardest part about writing this book?
Getting started. I carried this story in my head and in banker’s boxes for 30+ years. Who was I to write a novel? I’d spent my career as an entertainment lawyer— negotiating contracts, not crafting prose. Imposter syndrome hit hard. I had to rustle up the courage to learn an entirely new craft at an age when most people aren’t looking for new mountains to climb.
Then came the isolation. Law is collaborative—negotiations, conference calls, war rooms. Writing is you and a blinking cursor. No one to bounce ideas off. No one to tell you if a scene works or falls flat.
Once I settled on The Ringmaster as narrator and captured his voice, momentum took over. Creative ideas ambushed me on long walks. Characters materialized in the shower. There was no looking back. But summoning the courage to begin after 30 years of “someday”? That was the hardest part.
Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?
The Ringmaster. He’s my narrative voice, my co- conspirator, and frankly, the character who gave me permission to write this book.
When I first encountered The Ringmaster in my imagination, he arrived fully formed—teal top hat, stylized mustache, that knowing glint in his eye. He announced his creed immediately: “Don’t let truth ruin great story.” At first, I thought he was giving me license to embellish. But as I wrote, I realized he was offering something deeper.
He tells readers: “I may embellish for dramatic effect, or perhaps because my memory is tricky beast. But I stand by the essence of what I have to say. Besides, as ringmaster, my duty is to unbind your expectations, master your incredulity, and trade in illusions.”
That’s exactly what I needed to hear. I’d carried this story for over thirty years, worried about getting every detail right. The Ringmaster freed me to pursue emotional truth over documentary precision—to honor the essence of what happened while crafting a tale worth telling.
He also does the heavy lifting I couldn’t do as a straight narrator. He breaks the fourth wall, challenges readers’ assumptions, and weaves The Ringmaster between past and present with a wink. He makes the satirical commentary land. He earned my trust, and I hope he earns readers’ trust too—even when they suspect he’s not telling them everything.
What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
This is a duology, so the full answer unfolds across both books. But I can tell you what I hope readers carry with them from this first installment. Question your assumptions. About history. About “enemies.” About the people you think you know. We all belong to tribes—nations, political parties, religions—that shape how we see the world. But as Joshua Horkheimer explains during a pivotal Seder dinner, malevolent leaders manipulate our need to belong, stoking fear and hatred to maintain control. Individuals can choose differently. They can reframe their loyalties, reclaim their identities, confront their biases.
Understand the Butterfly Effect. History isn’t shaped by great men alone, but by ordinary people and their daily lives—the butterfly wings of countless small decisions. A chance encounter, a moment of kindness, a choice to see someone as human rather than “other”—these ripple outward in ways we can’t predict. Our circus performers’ lives intertwine with global events because that’s how history actually works.
And trust the power of storytelling. As Joshua tells our circus performers: “Stories speak to where our emotions reside, where our wounds fester, and where our prejudices harden. While our rational minds erect barriers of fear and mistrust, stories burrow beneath those defenses. Their true power lies in the subtext—what resonates beneath the surface of the narrative.”
Those who reject hatred are planting seeds for peace. Every movement starts with someone willing to believe change is possible.
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What Makes This Novel Different
Circus Bim Bom offers an innovative multimedia reading experience. The novel includes 45+ YouTube links to period music, historical speeches, and cultural moments embedded throughout—readers can listen to the actual songs characters dance to as they waltz, and watch Reagan's Brandenburg Gate speech as it's referenced in the text.
The companion website (www.bimbombookclub.com) extends the story beyond the page:
• Character Avatars: 25+ talking video introductions where characters speak directly to readers
• Re-Imagined Circus Posters
• Book Club Experience: Interactive forums, live chat, and community discussions
• Historians Room (under construction): A space for Cold War history buffs to fact-check the novel, explore primary sources, and debate historical accuracy
Cliff Lovette
Father, storyteller, and dog lover living in Sandy Springs, Georgia, with London curled at his feet. Circus Bim Bom: A Cold War Adventure is the first book in his debut duology, followed by Circus Bim Bom: The Great Escape.
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