WOW Word-Of-the-Week #414: Kismet

July 12, 2012 by · Comments Off on WOW Word-Of-the-Week #414: Kismet 

Kismet – an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future.

Do you believe that our lives have been predetermined? Do you think certain events that happen in your life are “meant to be?” Do you think we have any control over things that will happen in the future?

The front page of the UT had a bizarre story that drew me in. Steve Schmidt’s article titled, “JAMUL WRITERS DISCOVER THEY’RE ON THE SAME PAGE: Their thrillers have found strong e-book audiences” starts out with, “Fresh from the freaky-but-true files: Michele Scott and Andrew E. Kaufman are both writers. Both specialize in thrillers and mysteries. Both are on Amazon best-seller lists. His initials are A.K She often writes under the A.K. Alexander.”

“Both have horses. Both have dogs – four each.”

Then there’s this: They are living their parallel lives within a quarter-mile of each other. They were surprised recently to learn that they live in the same hilly neighborhood in rural East County.”

“The whole thing’s weird,” Kaufman said. “What are the chances we’d both be in Jamul? How could this have not been meant to be?”

“It was just kismet,” said Scott

“Their fiction, which is often populated with conflicted protagonists and shadowy killers, has met with generally positive reviews. Kaufman noticed in March that he and Scott were in the same literary orbit. His interest rose when he noticed her pass him on Amazon sales lists. So he emailed her. ‘I said I was in Jamul, where are you? And she said, ‘Jamul.’ And I said, ‘Get out of here!'”

“And now they’re true pen pals. They’re co-writing a thriller called ‘The Killing Rain.’ Both were initially skittish about teaming up, worried about a clash of personalities or writing style. They found an approach that works – Scott writes the part of the therapist, Kaufman writes the role of the killer. They’re partners in crime!”

This week’s focus is kismet. Do you believe in fate? Do you believe Kaufman and Scott were destined to work together? Can you remember a coincidence that was just so much more than that?

Reader Responses

“Wow is right!  I missed this in the newspaper so thanks for sharing this couple’s kismet with me.  An incredible coincidence between two local authors.  I enjoy your words of the week.  This was especially eerie and freaky.  It could only happen between mystery writers. Thanks for sharing.” – Elaine

“I have been a strong believer in what is meant to be. In this great big world, it is people and it is relationships that make it turn every day. Now, with the writers I think the fact that they live in the same town is probably an interesting coincidence. Regardless of where they lived, I think their intersecting careers would have brought them together at some point. It is a wonderful story. I’m sure they will have a great book. While I believe there are many things in life I have no control over – I simply try to let go – there are things that I do have control over, and I just try to stay on the positive side. So, to a certain extent, fate does come into play in all of our lives. How we deal with those circumstances – whether through fate, kismet or coincidence – makes all the difference in the world. As I have noted in previous posts, people are put in our lives for a reason and we don’t walk through this world alone. It is an incredible life, full of twists and turns. We just have to be open to the vicissitudes so that we can enjoy what comes our way. Thanks, Susan. Keep up the great work.” – “Warrior” Joe