What genre do
you write and why?
I write in action/adventure and
thriller genres with slight flavors of contemporary, hist. fiction and satire.
That's what I like to read and especially watch in movies and that's where I
can implement some of my knowledge and experience as an international
commercial lawyer. As a lawyer you are frequently exposed to a problematic,
less glorious side of an international business, which serves for me as unending
source of ideas, plot-lines, and characters. And besides, somebody has to
challenge Tarantino and Ritchie in literature, no? -:)
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Tell us about your
latest book.
Released in June 2015, 'Mortal Showdown' is a gritty (political,
spy) action thriller; snappy, fast with lots of twists. It should appeal to
Robert Ludlum's or Tom Clancy's fans. If I look for a proper allegory, it would
be something like James Bond done by Guy Ritchie -:). On the other hand, those
having head ache from Russian names or exotic locations like Kazakhstan or Mongolia
probably shouldn't bother.
What advice do you
have for other writers?
Make money elsewhere
and come enjoy being an author -:). It's really very nice to write books, to
interact with readers, bloggers and fellow authors. On the other hand, for me
at least marketing and promotion are much less exciting. If one is anxious
about sales, expecting to sell lots of books, this rarely happens. The faster
disillusionment comes the better. There are instances when a book/series gains
traction, but these are very rare and usually it takes considerable time,
numerous books before it happens.
Where can people find
out more about you and your writing?
I haunt Goodreads and
interact with people there. I check regularly my Facebook page. I'm doing
interviews pretty frequently, so just by googling my name, you'd have plenty of
additional info.
Who is you
favorite character in your book and why?
Definitely Michael - the
protagonist. He's more of an
anti-hero really - a complex, realistic, multi-dimensional figure. Michael, the
Oligarch, is a cruel, ambitious, street-smart, cunning, sarcastic
son-of-a-bitch, who have purposes in life he wants to achieve and little to
nothing can stop him. On the other hand, he's also a true friend, a patriot, a
man with certain principles, who subordinates to no authority, humorous at
times, who takes everything with a grain of salt.
Why do you think
readers are going to enjoy your book?
I think it's different in few aspects. I'll
elaborate on some of its distinctive features. Location - you don't have that
many books realistically set in former USSR, unveiling real and real-like
events, scams, and shenanigans. Snappiness, grittiness and to-the-point style -
for those who appreciate this. It's not for Leo Tolstoy's fans, which enjoy
descriptions, spread on 3-4 pages. Depth - it's not vague in intricate business
matters; it's much more detailed and challenging and touches philosophic
aspects of enrichment, modern economy, competing social theories and global
political architecture. I'm well aware that some of the above features may pose
a disadvantage for those, looking for a 'light'- read, but I hope there is
still a sufficiently large audience for Oligarch series.
Did you learn anything
from writing your book that was unexpected?
That I can write a book maybe? -:) I never
ever thought I could, but with the help of my friend and co-author on the first
book, I've gained enough confidence to continue now on my own. Also, I've
discovered that writing is addictive-:).
What is your work in
progress? Tell us about it.
I'm
at the pre-publication stage with the third installment, which should conclude
the trilogy, at least for the time being, and it has a little surprise in it.
Michael,
the oligarch, tops Forbes only to find out that those, who really dominate the
global economy, rule illicitly and stay away from public eye. It so happens
that he needs to confront the "Old" money conspiracy in order to
survive and to save his country... Still extreme, radical, uncompromising, action-packed, philosophical.
What are your thoughts on
self-publishing verses traditional publishing?
With viable self-publishing venues, SP put publishing
a book within anyone's reach. There are good things and bad things about it.
The accessibility is good, although the market is simply flooded with stuff and
the literature because of that lost some of its glory. The costs now being
borne by the author is a negative. Indies spend their own money on editing,
cover design, etc, so they actually start with a minus, which may never be
balanced by the income. Trad. pub still offers advances sometimes, so whoever
gets one, start with a plus. Absurdly as it may sound, self-publishing would
probably be better for established authors, whose name is known and 'sells', so
they don't have to share with anyone their proceeds, while for less established
authors TP gives economical peace of mind, financing all expenditure, marketing
and promotion.
What books or authors
have most influenced your life?
Many and in different aspects. My passion to
travel to exotic locations may well be thanks to Jules Verne books, read in
childhood, interest in intrigues and adventure from Alex Dumas, Harry Harrison,
Roger Zelazny and many others. If I take literary work, I like Grisham's
attention to details, or Mario Puzo's epic saga, whose Godfather served as a
kind of inspiration for Oligarch series. I should also mention Irvine Welsh for
his literary mischief, showing to everyone that even some Scottish 'shite' can
be fun and have cross-national appeal.
