Clearwater Companion: Bible Notes: Andrej

Andrej Borysko Yakiv Kolisnychenko (Fecker or Fecks) is one of the most enduring characters of the Clearwater and Larkspur series, and he began life as someone else.

As part of my online Clearwater Companion, a guide to the series with notes and other material that I didn’t use in the books, I am putting up a transcript of my bible notes. My ‘bible’ being the main notebook(s) in which I record character and other details so, in theory, I don’t contradict myself later. Today, I’m going to share my notes on Fecker, as he became known in ‘Deviant Desire.’

He started out as Andy, an East End lad, an Artful Dodger to Silas’ Oliver, but I soon realised that a) he wasn’t an Artful Dodger (if anyone, that was Silas) and b) he shouldn’t be an Eastender but an immigrant, and he shouldn’t be gay but straight. There were so many nationalities living in London’s East End at the time of the story, (1888) that the chances are, Silas’ best mate would be from abroad. So, I made him Russian, then German, then settled on Ukrainian, because it was slightly more unusual. As the stories progressed, so did his background because he was a character that formed as I went, rather than being one who arrived on the page fully formed. Creating as you go like this necessitates a well-kept bible, and I’m not always very good at keeping notes, so some of Fecks’ details got lost in my memory, which is one reason we never know exactly how old he is.

As the series progressed, so I wanted to understand more about him and Silas and how they met, and that’s how the prequel, ‘Banyak & Fecks’ came about. Now, after finishing two series during which Fecks goes from fleeing the Russian army in Ukraine, to moving into Academy House as an Austrian Baron, I realise that he is the backbone of both series. All 18 books are really only about him, except they are not, and he is only in the distance in some, while at the forefront of others. He’s my shadow character, the one whose life changes in an epic fashion though mainly in the background as we follow the lives of the others.

Still… Enough rambling. Below are my basic notes, and there are not many of them.

Andrej when he believed he was descended from the Cossacks, hence the long hair. This is one of the depictions created by my cover designer, Andjela, and it captures Fecker’s nobleness and stature.

Andrej Borysko Yakiv Kolisnychenko (Fecker or Fecks)

I have to admit that Fecks always had a vague timeline, and no-one is sure of his exact age, including himself. I wrote an outline of his life when writing ‘Banyak & Fecks’, and some of the dates below do not now correspond with what is in the books. However, what is in the books is as accurate as it can be. In Fecks’ case, there are notes from my bible and from other files.

From the bible.

Andrej Borysko Yakiv Kolisnychenko, “Fecker” or “Fecks” nickname.
Born 1867. Ukrainian. Born around Easter.
In 1888, is 19, fix-foot-two (later six-foot-four), blond, long hair, built like a docker.
Strong, Blue eyes, on streets since 14 (1883), straight, quiet, loyal, wars a greatcoat, generous, dopey, doesn’t swim.
Can understand English and speak it okay, but chooses not to.
‘Big everywhere’ (massive dick).
Silas’ stone, taken from burnt house, was Danylo’s.
Khanjali, Fecker’s knife.
Shuska, Cossack sword.

From my other notes:

Born in March 1867

He thinks he is about 19, as does Silas, but he is actually 21 in 1888, and doesn’t know his exact birthday. He thinks it is around Easter as he remembers celebrations near his birthday and thought they were for him.

He was born inland from Odessa, towards Kiev, in the Mykolaiv region. (Serbka.)

Family

Parents                        Father Borysko 1840 to 1878 (Turkish War)                                    Mother 1842 to 1869 (childbirth)
Poor farmers with five children:
Danylo                        1859 possibly still alive
Vladsylav                    1861 to 1879
Alina                           1864 to 1876
Andrej (Fecker)          1866 (?)
Daria                           1869 possibly still alive

His Names and meaning.

Andrej                         Andrew, manly, masculine
Borysko                      Fight/Battle
Yakiv                           James, Jacob, supplant
Kolisnychenko            The longest Ukrainian surname I could find, lol.

Mykolayiv Region

The boundless fields of Pobuzhzhya and Ingul River region, green vineyards and wonderful flowering gardens under bottomless blue sky is Mykolayiv land.

The agriculture is the leading industry of the regional economy. Mykolayiv Region makes significance payment in strengthening of the country, producing almost seven percents of cereals and sunflower, three percents of gross milk production. The production of cereals and sunflower per capita in the region exceeds the proper indexes on average in Ukraine by three times as well as milk – 10 percents. (wiki)

 YearAge Real ageEvents
1867 0Fecker born Andrej Borysko Yakiv Kolisnychenko Danylo aged 8 (1859), Vladyslav aged 6 (1861) Alina aged 3 (1864)
1868 1 
186902Daria born – mother died in childbirth Compulsory education introduced in Russia
187013Father remarried much younger girl, Fecks considers her mother
187124 
187235 
187346Fecker compulsory schooling. Farm working. Horses a particular love
187457Poverty
187568Danylo general conscription
187679One sister died (Alina, aged 12 at hands of Russian soldiers)
1877810Vlad general conscription
1878911Fecker taught fencing by older brother Danylo and other military roles – tough life, local land skirmishes, learnt to look after himself. Father died, mother left with younger sister Daria, brother away so Fecker left alone to cope with farm.
18791012Vlad killed in a battle in Turkish War/Balkans; dad dead, step-mum and sister gone, other sister dead and then Danylo goes missing after Turkish War. (Possibly to turn up later in a story?)
18801113Fled Ukraine made his own way across Europe, through Austria-Hungary (Moldova, Romania) Working where he could, fighting off abuse and mistreatment when he joined a traveling group of circus horsemen. Killed a man who was trying to rape him and fled towards Hungary
18811214Across Hungary and Slovenia, working, looking after horses, taken in by an older woman and family Left there when woman’s husband returned from war, mad and angry.
18821315Arrived Italy. Crossing towards Med coast, had first experience of sex for sale. Stowed away on a ship not knowing where it was bound. He probably caught the ship in Genoa, but can’t remember the name of the place. Was discovered at sea and able to stay thanks to sexual favours; learnt his trade. Arrived in London in the autumn
18831416Met Silas (book one) Renting
18841517Renting/dock work
18851618Renting/dock work
18861719Renting/dock work
18871820Renting/dock work
18881921Deviant Desire – moves to Clearwater House

Feck appears on more than one cover:

Fecks & Banyak
On a charger on his way to rescue damsels in distress.
Fecks is 2nd from the right, between Prof Fleet (centre) and Will Merrit.

Some Notes About Andrej (Fecker)

The Clearwater Companion

I am Andrej Borysko Yakiv Kolisnychenko, and no-one can rob me of my name.

Banyak & Fecks, Chapter one

Andrej Borysko Yakiv Kolisnychenko

Starting with the prequel, Andrej is the first character we meet in the Clearwater series, and ending with The Larkspur Legacy, he is the last to leave the stage. You could say that the entire series of 18 books charts his life because he appears in or is mentioned in every book. Although he rented when he had to, Andrej is one of the few straight characters in the series, and I have to admit, he is one of my favourites.

He started out as a lad from the East End called Andrew or Andy, and was to be Silas Hawkins’ sidekick, but as soon as he appeared in the first chapter of Deviant Desire, I knew he had to be more interesting than an Oliver Twist to Silas’ Artful Dodger. As there were so many immigrants in London at that time, particularly the East End, I decided to make him German, then Russian… then thought, no, something nobler and with more history, so Ukrainian. I wanted a big, strapping, everybody-loves-him straight man to be Silas’ unlikely best friend, and thus, Andrej was born.

I gave him such a long and complicated name because I wanted to make a comedy moment out of it (when Thomas or Tripp has to announce him to Archer), but also, so I could show how much Silas thinks of him because he can pronounce it perfectly.

One of the books I am particularly proud of is ‘Fallen Splendour’, in which Fecker features prominently. In one scene, he is telling Archer of the tragedy of his family back in Ukraine, and it’s a levelling moment for Archer and an important one for Fecks. I had a few tears as I wrote it, and I had different tears at the end of the book too, and all because of this hulking but very fit, loveable, plain-talking straight man.

Clearwater Companion Notes

Here are my initial notes about Andrej, one of the mainstay characters of the Clearwater Mysteries. Some of these facts changed over time, particularly Fecks’ year of birth, because he doesn’t know it. He only knows the family celebrated it around Easter time.

Born in March 1867 (?)

He thinks he is about 19, as does Silas, but he is actually 21 in 1888, and doesn’t know his exact birthday. He thinks it is around Easter as he remembers celebrations near his birthday and thought they were for him.

He was born inland from Odesa, towards Kyiv, in the Mykolaiv region https://mfa.gov.ua/en/about-ukraine/info/regions/19-mykolaiv

Mykolayiv Region

The boundless fields of Pobuzhzhya and Ingul River region, green vineyards and wonderful flowering gardens under the bottomless blue sky is Mykolayiv land.

Agriculture is the leading industry of the regional economy. Mykolayiv Region makes significant payments in strengthening the country, producing almost seven per cent of cereals and sunflowers, and three per cent of gross milk production.

Family

Parents                       
Father Borysko 1840 to 1878 (Turkish War)

Mother 1842 to 1869 (childbirth)

Poor farmers with five children:

Danylo            1859 possibly still alive
Vladsylav        1861 to 1879
Alina                1864 to 1876
Andrej          1866 (?)
Daria               1869 possibly still alive

 YearAgeReal ageEvents
1867 0Fecker born Andrej Borysko Yakiv Kolisnychenko Danylo aged 8 (1859), Vladyslav aged 6 (1861) Alina aged 3 (1864)
1868 1 
186902Daria born – mother died in childbirth Compulsory education introduced in Russia
187013Father remarried a much younger girl, Fecks considers her mother
187124 
187235 
187346Fecker compulsory schooling. Farm working. Horses a particular love
187457Poverty
187568Danylo general conscription
187679One sister died (Alina, aged 12 at hands of Russian soldiers)
1877810Vlad general conscription
1878911Fecker taught fencing by older brother Danylo and other military roles – tough life, local land skirmishes, learnt to look after himself. Father died, mother left with younger sister Daria, brother away so Fecker left alone to cope with farm.
18791012Vlad killed in a battle in Turkish War/Balkans; dad dead, step-mum and sister gone, other sister dead and then Danylo goes missing after Turkish War. (Possibly to turn up later in a story?)
18801113Fled Ukraine made his own way across Europe, through Austria-Hungary (Moldova, Romania) Working where he could, fighting off abuse and mistreatment when he joined a travelling group of circus horsemen. Killed a man who was trying to rape him and fled towards Hungary
18811214Across Hungary and Slovenia, working, looking after horses, taken in by an older woman and family Left there when woman’s husband returned from war, mad and angry.
18821315Arrived Italy. Crossing towards Med coast, had first experience of sex for sale. Stowed away on a ship not knowing where it was bound. He probably caught the ship in Genoa, but can’t remember the name of the place. Was discovered at sea and able to stay thanks to sexual favours; learnt his trade. Arrived in London in the autumn
18831416Met Silas (book one) Renting
18841517Renting/dock work
18851618Renting/dock work
18861719Renting/dock work
18871820Renting/dock work
18881921Deviant Desire – moves to Clearwater House

Banyak & Fecks

I wrote the prequel to the Clearwater series after publishing One of a Pair, and some of the events that occur have a bearing on book nine, Negative Exposure. You can read the prequel at any time; it’s not a mystery, but it’s a book about friendship, and it’s structured in four parts. Andrej | Silas | Andrej & Silas | Banyak & Fecks. The story leads up to a couple of days before the start of Deviant Desire, and it has moments of comedy, love, eroticism, drama and sadness.

Banyak & Fecks – link to Amazon page

Here’s a drawing I commissioned. It was meant to show Silas and Andrej aged about 16/17 and it’s meant to be a photo. I wasn’t totally impressed by the work, so I never used it, and I think this is the first time I’ve shown it.

Here’s a short extract from chapter one. Andrej has decided to make his own way in the world and is escaping his war-torn village.

His movements controlled, his fear tempered by resolve, he slithered away as silently as he had come. Once deep among the shadowy ferns, he stood, a sapling in a forest of fools, and left them to their fate. Gradually, the camp faded into darkness, and the hillside gave way to the fields beyond which the ruins of his village smouldered in the approaching dawn.
The land was a vast basin of streams and farmland, bordered to the south by the Black Sea, to the east, the broad river Dnieper, and to the north, plains that stretched further than anyone could walk. It was a barren place in winter when the snow buried the crops, and the Balai froze. In summer, when the sun beat relentlessly on his back, it was a place of hard work, scything and baling. Autumn brought misty days for ploughing, and softer earth from which to pull the harvest, and the spring, a promise of regrowth and rain when the butts filled, and he picked flowers for his stepmother.
   His ancestors had worked the land for more generations than his father could make him understand. Their bones rested in the ossuary, while those more recently lost lay with his grandparents beside the church. Once white, it was now scarred with burn-black, half its dome destroyed, its walls pitted by firing squads. Nearby, Jewish and Christian bodies lay together in a mass grave of sadness and anonymity that also held his father, but he wouldn’t look there.
   The first pink rays of the sun tinted his grandmother’s grave her favourite colour, and remembering her voice and wise words, he smiled. Babusya was always with him along with his grandfather’s knife, and straightening himself with pride as they had taught him to do, he spoke to the gravestone.
   ‘I am Andrej Borysko Yakiv Kolisnychenko,’ he stated. ‘And no-one can rob me of my name.’

An Interview with Andrej: AKA, Fecker

Of all the characters in The Clearwater Mysteries, Andrej seems to be the readers’ favourite. I must admit, he is one of my favourite characters too, and yet he started out as someone entirely different. Today, instead of a formal interview with the character, I thought I would tell you more about him but ask him some questions along the way.

Andrej Borysko Yakiv Kolisnychenko

‘That is my name, and no-one can take that away from me.’

Andrej was born in a village called Serbka, in Ukraine, sometime between 1867 and 1869. It might have been a year earlier because he has never been told what year he was born. He knows it was at Easter, though, and when you read ‘The Clearwater Inheritance’, you will learn a little more about his birth. His village is a real place, although I have never been there, and it is hard to find information about it online. There is a river called The Balai, and he grew up on its banks, the son of a farmer. His family was large, but most of his brothers and sisters were killed during ‘the troubles’, a fictional rebellion based on Russian invasions of the area and the internal and external wars that took place in the region over time.

Serbka Village, Odessa Oblast, Ukraine, 2014

One of the reasons Andrej is a favourite character is because he is something of an enigma. He has one of the deepest backstories of any character in the series (though the main seven all have detailed and complex histories), and yet, when I first envisioned him, he was nothing more than a sidekick.

Without giving too much away, here is how the character of Andrej developed.

Deviant Desire

When I set about writing what is now part one of a ten-part series (plus one prequel), it was a standalone love story between Silas Hawkins, a renter, and Viscount Clearwater (Archer). A classic, rags to riches story if you like. However, all main characters need a foil or a sidekick, and Silas’ was to be Andy, an Artful Dodger type character from the East End. As I wrote his first appearance, I realised that all I was doing was imitating Dodger, and what was the point of that? What would be more interesting? Knowing the Victorian East End was a melting pot of many nationalities, immigration and migrant workers, I thought, why not make Andy an immigrant? Perhaps a Russian… Or maybe, someone even more marginalised… A Ukrainian.

So, Andy became Andrej (the Ukrainian spelling), and he arrives in chapter one of Deviant Desire with a backstory and an existing relationship with Silas.

Andrej, how did you and Silas meet?
I was turning trick in alley because I need money, and this boy, he comes in for piss, and he not see me. Oi! I shout. Fuck off, is my place. Then boy sees that trick is going to stab Andrej, and he piss on man, and Andrej is saved. Then boy he run away, but Dolya, she tell me later that I must help this boy, so I go find him. He is near dead, so Andrej take him home. We are soon friends.

Andrej is quite capable of speaking fluent English but chooses not to. English uses too many words, so why bother? He uses Russian and Ukrainian village words in his speech too. Hence ‘Dolya’ is fate, and he never says yes or no, only Da and Nyet.

Twisted Tracks

I’d fallen for Andrej by the time I realised that Deviant Desire could not be a standalone novel and decided to keep him in the series. He doesn’t play a large part in Twisted Tracks, but he proves his loyalty to his friends, and that theme is the backbone of the entire series. Andrej personifies that theme more than any other character. In Twisted Tracks, he also comes to realise that Archer is ‘Geroy’, his village word for a noble man, as opposed to a nobleman. Andrej has nicknames for everyone and uses them because they remind him of a person’s character. Silas is Banyak, which has various meanings, but mainly, it is an idiot or cooking pot that contains all manner of things. James is Tato, which means ‘daddy’, Thomas is Bolshoydick, which means ‘large penis’ (because, apparently, it is true), and Jasper is Pianino because it means ‘little piano.’

Andrej, why does Silas call you ‘Fecker’?
Is easy. Is because I am handsome fecker. He says this with his Irish accent once, and again, and in the end, the name sticks. I not mind. I am good at fecking, but I not feck lady yet. Not until I am married.

Unspeakable Acts

Andrej appears little in book three, which is mainly led by Silas and James, but he is there, getting on with things and keeping an eye on his best friend, Banyak. After book three, I decided that we needed to know more about Andrej. At that time, I wasn’t too sure about Andrej’s past, so I asked him some more questions as I wrote book four.

Serbka, Ukraine

Andrej, what happened to your family? 

Is complicated and sad. My father (I not like him much), he was farmer and militia man. Dead. My first mother, she die when she gives us my sister, Daria. Daria, she and my second mother they disappear in the troubles. I don’t know if they are alive. My other sister, Alina, she was killed by Russians, also my brother Vladyslav. He die in war when he was near thirty. This leave only Danylo, and he go to war, and I not hear about him before I leave Ukraine. Now, I have Danylo back.

Fallen Splendour

Andrej’s backstory comes out during Fallen Splendour. At least, some of it does. Archer calls on him to assist in an investigation. While on their way and sleeping rough during a blizzard, he tells Archer some of his history. Later in the story, he proves himself more than loyal and determined to fight for his life. This involves cutting off three of his fingers. That’s the kind of man he is. During this time, he quietly falls in love with a kitchen maid, Lucy Roberts, and that relationship bubbles away in the background all through the series.

Inspiration for the drawing of Andrej (below).

So, Andrej, are you straight?
What is this ‘straight?’ I am man from Ukraine. I am strong. I farm, I ride horses, I learn tricks on horses in Circus with Ivo Zoran, and I am Master of Larkspur Horse. What is ‘straight? [I explain our modern terminology, and Andrej is mildly outraged.] What? You think I am queer like Banyak and others? Nyet. I have big, Ukraine koloty, and I need money, so I use this to make money, so I eat. Men, they like Andrej’s koloty, but I no like what I must do to make money, but I do it. This not make me queer. Don’t say that. You want me to get angry?

At six-foot-four and built like the proverbial brick shithouse, no-one wants to make Andrej angry, so we move on.

Bitter Bloodline

In book five, we explore Andrej’s relationship with James as they are tasked with rescuing the son of a famous writer. Again, Andrej proves himself loyal, straightforward, strong, and an expert horseman, and, by now in the series, we are also getting used to him injecting some humour.

Artful Deception

In book six, Andrej is again a background character, although a pillar; without him, the deception would not be possible. He does as he is asked, risks his life and suffers for it, but he is there, propping up the others in his quiet, steadfast way. This strength of character must come from somewhere, and I asked him where.

I don’t know. From the Balai, from the way Vlad he teach me the sword, and the way my father he teach me the horse and plough. I know what is right and what is wrong from early years, and when I see my village dying, and Blumkin and the others, they want to run and give themselves to Russians, I say, Nyet. This is not Andrej. I am thirteen years, I think. Maybe fourteen, I don’t know, but I do know I not stay and be killed by Russian. So, I walk.

I go to England which is richest country in world, and there, I make money to come home and look for sister and Danylo. Is long walk. Many troubles, but I meet kind mad with no eyes, and he gives me Banyak the horse, and she teach me loyalnist. [Loyalty.] Then, I fuck men for money and I find ship, and Makarov, and Captain, they help me and they teach me there are good people in world, and I should be one. All that, I think, all that make me how I am.

Home From Nowhere & One Of A Pair

Andrej is in books seven and eight, though they step away from what we are used to in the Clearwater world, and so, Andrej is in the backseat, rather than driving. Other characters get the leads, and we are introduced to two more main players, Jasper and Billy, the nephews of what is fast becoming the Clearwater family.

Andrej is featured on the cover of Fallen Splendour riding a charger.

Andrej, do you think of Clearwater and your friends as a family?
Da. We are friends, for sure, but because of how Geroy likes his house to be, we are more like family now. Geroy [Clearwater], he is like father because he is money and important man, and Thomas, he is like mother because he is bossy and always knows what is right. This makes Banyak [Silas] like the mistress, but that make me laugh, and Banyak is like brother with me now. Jimmy, he is also brother who looks after the boys, that’s Pianino and Vasily [Jasper and Billy], who are like nephews because they are young and naughty. Billy, he get in trouble with Thomas because he say words like ‘Bugger it, Me Lord’ and ‘Pig in shit’, and that make me laugh. Pianino is special, and needs Andrej to watch him, or he cry easily. This is because he is clever with music and did not have nice childhood. So, Andrej watches them all, and we are family.

By now in the series, I decided it was time we knew more about Andrej and Silas. They, after all, started us off in chapter one of Deviant Desire, and yet, their combined backstory had never been explained. How did they become such close friends?

Banyak & Fecks

I might have overindulged myself with this one, and popping a prequel into a series after eight books might seem a bit odd, but I wanted a break from the hardcore action of the first six books and the cosey mysteries of seven and eight. So, turned to the past.

Young Banyak (right) and Fecks taken in 1887

Banyak & Fecks is in four parts.
Part one gives us Andrej’s story from the moment he escapes the Russians. The first part of the book takes him from there to London and up to the point he meets Silas. The second part then flashes back to introduce us to Silas in the Westerpool (Wirral) slums, and we meet a very cheeky, confident young trickster who, when he comes to London, soon falls on hard times. Part three starts the moment Andrej and Silas meet, and their relationship evolves from there to part four. This is when Silas has got over his crush on Andrej. Andrej has ‘fallen in love’ with Silas though only platonically, and the two live together as a couple of besties. It is a classic bromance, only set in the Victorian slums of the East End. The book finishes a couple of days before Deviant Desire starts, during the reign of The East End Ripper (based on Jack the Ripper).

Negative Exposure

‘The White Ship’, home to Banyak & Fecks in 1887

Andrej plays a significant role in book nine. Things that happened in Banyak & Fecks come back to haunt Silas and potentially ruin everything Archer has built over the previous installments. You should read Banyak & Fecks before Negative Exposure to get the best from it, but it’s not 100% necessary. This story returns us to the previous action-adventure, platonic love, bromance themes of the earlier stories. As I wrote it, I was aware that book ten was on its way, and Negative Exposure runs directly into ‘The Clearwater Inheritance.’

Andrej is in every story, there as a main player or in the background, and he is certainly in book ten. Or he will be when I finish it. He plays a major part in ‘the Clearwater Inheritance’, as you will see, and as this might be the last in the series as we know it, you may be in for some shocks.

I’ll finish by asking Andrej one more question.

A Ukrainian farmhouse, 19th century. Fecker’s home before it was destroyed.

Andrej, do you think you will ever return to Ukraine?
How I know this? I don’t know what Dolya has for me. I don’t know if my sister and second mother live, so how I know if I go back to look? I have Danylo and now… Now I have other news about Serbka and me when a boy. Now I have big decision to make because in Vienna I meet a man… Nyet. You not know this yet, so Andrej stay quiet. But I say this: my family is Clearwater now. Banyak, Jimmy, Pianino and Miss Lucy. I will marry Miss Lucy one day. She not know this yet, but I will tell her. So, maybe we go to Ukraine and I show her the Balai, but we not live there. Maybe I show her Vienna and… Maybe we stay at Larkspur where I am master of horse, and soon, we have little Feckers in the house. What happen next to Andrej? Only Dolya knows this.

[Actually, I know what happens next to the Clearwater crew, but you will have to wait for ‘The Clearwater Inheritance’ to find out what that is. Currently, I am aiming for publication in June, maybe at the end of May.]