Carving a Happy Life

Tags

art, Christ, Germany, Immigration, lorelei, Max and Moritz, sculpture, Wax Figures

I was always taught that our history builds our future. Is this true? In my case it is. You can change geography, you can get a new profession, you may get new people around yourself, you may travel to different countries, but those who contribute to your vision are still with you. This is what I was taught.

I often accept friends on Facebook, and I’m usually reminded that Mark Zuckerberg’s definition of the word doesn’t match Webster’s. I was thrilled recently when I recognized the name of a true friend on an invitation. Roman Manevich and I share a common motherland and a long friendship between families. When we left the Soviet Union, we headed different directions. I got an occasional letter, or less frequently a phone call, but the opportunities to connect were rare. Suddenly there he was, surrounded by sculptures of his own devising, just as I had imagined.

I brought with me to the United States some memorabilia from childhood and surely, from a couple generations earlier, and I am happy to have around the things that are dear to me. One of them is the book of Titus Maccius Plautus’s Selected Comedies. This book has Roman’s signature. Sure, it’s in Russian, and it says: Look at the world with happy eyes! I have thought about these words many-many times!  This message was a great support on numerous occasions….

Look at the world with happy eyes!

One of the great challenges to the immigrant is rebuilding your life in the new homeland. Culture and language are predictable obstacles, but many are forced to find a new livelihood as well.  Roman was able to keep his career as a sculptor, but he had to develop a new way to run the business behind his art. He shares his lifetime of carving, cutting and molding by starting where stories always do – at the beginning.

Hi Roman! It was a little bit challenging to have you talk about yourself, but I am glad you are here, and you are about to share some of your story. I asked you numerous times the same question as if I were hoping to get a different answer from you. Roman, I am asking it again, and it will be the last time. I promise! Did anyone else in your family have a talent for art? Your Mom?  Your Dad? 

No. My Mom used to say: “I do not know whom he took after. I cannot even draw a cat…”

So, how did you come to sculpture?

I came to sculpture by chance. I was attending a drawing class for children at a community child development center called the Palace of Pioneers. A local sculptor who was teaching the class got interested in the structure of my face and he started to mold my portrait. He was the one who convinced me to apply to the department of sculpture at the local art school, and after the seventh grade I applied… This man became my favorite Teacher! 

What were your studies like? What did you learn?

We studied at the school for five years — every day molding clay and drawing from nature. Once I asked the Teacher why he doesn’t teach us to work in wood or stone. The answer was simple: “Everything you can mold, you can cut and carve.” And all my life I am becoming more convinced of the correctness of these words: in my wood and in all grades of stone, my sculptures are not worse than in bronze – and bronze is just a copy of what I mold. This school was followed by six-year education at the Surikov Art Institute in Moscow.

I Devoted 11 years to my artistic trade. The trade for me means not something low.  It means something that is a necessity for any artist, musician, or a poet. And the highest level of trade is art!

The highest level of trade is art!

I still have some pictures from your downtown Kishinev outdoor exhibition. Do you want to share with our readers what it was like to work as a sculptor in the USSR?

I have been a sculptor all my life – for 60 years now. In the USSR it was necessary to be a member of the Union of Artists in order to receive orders from the state. The state was the only customer. I was often asked to do a sculpture of Lenin. Because it went well, I got more orders — for statues of Lenin! A private order was for the cemetery only.

Our families went different directions. Mine went to the US, yours to Germany. We left just before the Soviet Union was about to fall apart.  And you?  How did that change things for you?

We left for Germany after the collapse of the USSR. In Moldova, where I lived at that time, the war began, and I am a man of peace.  A lot of surprises were waiting for me in the new country, but the main surprise was that there were no state orders.

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Private orders significantly expanded the themes of sculpture – from animals to portraits. As the themes got more diverse, I could tell stories with my work.

Are you primarily staying in Hanover or do you travel?

While in the USSR, I attended three symposiums in Latvia. Two months of communication with colleagues on a full pension, without the need to think about making money – good! But living in Germany, I discovered a whole world: symposiums in China and Brazil, in France and in Denmark, in Turkey and Austria. Different materials: the oak, the linden, the sandstone, the granite, the marble… It’s always interesting, exciting. You get acquainted with sculptors from all continents, compete with them, and rejoice if your work succeeds!

Rom, are you in touch with friends and colleagues?

Unfortunately, I could not learn German as a native. The language barrier interferes with close communication with German sculptors. My Russian colleagues are scattered around Germany. We meet only at symposiums and large exhibitions. In Hanover, where I have been living for 22 years, I am the only Russian sculptor. I am an optimist, and modern means of communication save me from loneliness.

You wrote me years ago about your Max and Moritz wax sculpture. I understand this presented an unusual challenge.

About Max and Moritz: writer and cartoonist Wilhelm Busch wrote in 1865 a wicked tale about the mischievous boys Max and Moritz, and he himself made illustrations of them. This detail is very important in my story since the public knows these characters only from Busch’s drawings. I received an order from a private wax museum in Austria.

The principle of all wax museums is absolute naturalism, deceitful figures, like living people. Clothing is made from real fabric that would fit the body. The hair, eyes, and teeth are like natural.

And the problem with Max and Moritz?

Max and Moritz are Busch’s caricatures… not mine! It was necessary to make natural boys, recognizable as caricatures without having a life model.  I had to draw a sketch.

I worked on them for half a year. It was 2001. For the first time in my life, I dealt with wax. And the client and the public loved the result!

Later, for the same museum, I made the nude figure of Christ on the cross and the Virgin Mary with Mary Magdalene at his feet.

And all these characters are life size?

Of course! God made man in His own image, but I made this Christ in my own image. This is why his height is 170 cm. The only thing is that he is dark haired and I am not.

Where are they today?

Kerzenwelt (World of Candles), the German wax and candle maker, has a private wax museum in Ramsau.

Has living in Germany inspired any other work?

Perhaps the most German work of all was Lorelei.

The first time I saw a picture of Lorelei you sent to me, I couldn’t take my eyes off it. It was mesmerizing. How did it come to be?

At one of the symposiums, a theme was set: “Legends and Myths”. I recalled about one old German legend…

Once upon a time, in fishing village on the Rhine, there lived a beauty. A rich knight noticed her and took her to his castle. He took a little amusement, and then returned her to the fisherman father. However, the girl fell in love in earnest; all the grooms were driven away by her dreams of the knight. The local bishop ordered her to be taken to the monastery.

On the way, Lorelei asked the guards to let her take a look from the high cliff above the Rhine at the castle where she was happy. And under the cliff a whirlpool was churning. A canoe sailed on the river, and in it Lorelei saw the beloved knight.

She called to him, and the young man raised his eyes and let go of the paddle. And the stream whirled the boat and sank it. Then the girl rushed from the cliff into the river and also died in the waves. And since that time, at sunset, local people began to notice on the rock the ghost of the beauty. She strokes her long golden hair with a comb and sings. Look at her, fisherman or a traveler on a boat, and die in a whirlpool …

Poets have written about the beautiful Lorelei, including the great Heine.

Lorelei by Roman Manevich

I carved out of Carrera marble not a fisher-girl, but that ghost. This is why, she is sexy and naked, with a comb in her hand.

Oh! Roman! What a moving story!  I wish they’d still be alive! Years ago, you sent me a picture and told me a little about a project you call “To Hear Each Other,” How did they show up?

I first made the initial composition while in the Soviet Union, at the House of Art in Latvia. I molded them 50 cm tall from chamotte (ceramic), and then I glazed them in a kiln. So, I brought them with me to Germany. Once, they were seen at a local exhibition in Hanover and were adopted by a local church.  Being a Godless commie, I was so surprised, and I felt very happy that my screamers found a great home for themselves.

In 1998, I finished carving my screamers in granite while in Austria. These are 1.5 meters each. They found a spot for themselves near the gate of a quiet country cemetery in Schwarzenberg, Austria.  You can see a great contrast: they are screaming at the gate of the absolutely quiet cemetery, and they can’t hear each other.

What was your motivation to do them?

It was absolutely philosophical. I am convinced that all wars we have are because people don’t listen to each other. So, they scream and scream something of their own, but they cannot hear the other. And not being able to listen to each other is the main reason for wars – starting with the family and ending with the world.

Not being able to listen to each other is the main reason for wars …

 I won’t ask you to shout and I’ll trust the readers to listen. Would you like to share anything else with them?

At the end, I want to say that my life is very fortunate. I know many people who had to bend, change their lives and their profession due to various circumstances.

I have belonged to sculpture all my life, and am happy with this!

Check out a map of some of Roman’s works.

Link to Roman Manevich’s  Facebook page.

A Path I Didn’t Take

Tags

9/11, friends, Immigration, inspiration, Israel, success

I shared my story in my book Love Is Never Past Tense, but my life could have gone in a very different direction.  For those who have never gone through it, immigration is only a political problem. All immigration is personal to the immigrant, and each person takes a different path. Today, my old friends help me explore a path I didn’t take. You met them in my Exodus story, but they have a story of their own. They offer a great example of rebuilding lives and contributing to their new homeland. It would have been a great American success story, except they didn’t go to America.

It is very difficult to leave the country where you were born, raised and established yourself as a human being, to relocate even when you relocate to a safer place, to make sure that your family is not threatened by the unpredictability of the next day, and your kids are not in danger. 

Boris and Marina Bubis

In 1989, inspired by my friends Boris and Marina Bubis and motivated by the USSR crumbling around me, my family and I fled the country in search of a brighter future. Boris bravely took the first leg of the train trip with us to help with luggage and see us safely off the Soviet state, putting his own safety at risk by doing so. He escorted us as far as Chop, a border city that required special permits even short visit. We had them – he did not. We were ordered to get off the train with our luggage, where we would need to wait two days for the next train.

Excerpt from Love Is Never Past Tense – Part Three: Exodus

Boris grabs the trunks and carries them to the door.  I go to the conductors. “Guys! What can be done not to make us leave? My mom is sick and I have a child.”

“Nothing,” the boys say. “We’ve been on this route for several years. Everybody leaves. The visas are already collected. We gave them to the customs officers.”

“Boris!” I shout. “Put the trunks back into the compartment!”

“You are out of your mind,” Boris was taken aback. But he drags the bags back. Then he takes off from the train car and hides behind a night train, so as not to be caught by the frontier guards. A person without the special permit is, at the minimum, sent to a prison cell with a long time to figure things out. For us, especially for him, this is not needed.

My story, including the harrowing train trip across Europe, is in the book.  For all I knew, that would be the last time I saw Boris. I had to get back to the train and find a way to survive the next couple days. He had to sneak back home through the country I had just escaped, knowing he could be asked for a permit he didn’t have at any moment,  and find a way out for his own family.

Fortunately, my plan to move to America succeeded and his plan to take his family to Israel did as well. In spite of the chaos, we kept in touch. My exodus story is told in the book. Almost 30 years later, I chatted with my old friends on Skype and I heard their version of what happened after he left us.

Both of them have made their mark on their new home (Israel) and the world at large. During our conversation, Boris masked his courage and expertise with characteristic modesty. Marina offered a bit more about her work and what’s happening with their children—toddlers in my story now grown into adults following in their parent’s footsteps on a path of their own.

J:(Janna) Hi Boris! I am so glad you agreed to the interview! So, I never asked you what happened after you jumped out of the train.  Can you tell me?

B:(Boris) Sure. Practically, nothing exciting. It was November 29. It was around 12 AM or so, and you remember how cold it was outside.  Thank God, I was in a warm jacket!  I was looking for dark corners to hide to be unnoticeable, after I bought a return ticket.  Luckily, the clerk was changing her shift and in a hurry did not ask me for the permit. Still, when I came back home it was a relief. Marina and kids were happy to see me back safe. Remember, at that time we did not have the cell phones?

J: Marina, I am assuming that for you it was very scary to let him go with us to the border. I remember, having this thought, but I did not want to ask you anything about your feelings not to amplify the fear. I thanked you for this in my mind so many times!

Close friends in our culture are the same as family

M:(Marina) Yes, Janna, it was pretty tough, but we are friends, and close friends in our culture are the same as a family. Isn’t it what friends do for you? We were waiting anxiously for him to come back home safely and learn that you left safe. So it happened!

J: I appreciate you, guys, for instilling in me the thought about the departure. I even have this very moment in my book at the time we had a vacation in Crimea:

The days flew cheerfully in Koktebel. In the evenings we gathered at Anna and Vladimir’s home, local residents who provided simple living for people on vacation. We sang songs with a guitar, told jokes, laughed a lot, drank plenty, and ate heartily.

“It is time to split,” Boris said.

“You’ve only arrived! Why do you have to leave?” I asked.

“But not in this sense …” Boris stretches his words in thoughtfulness. “There is no place to come back to, as a matter of fact. Before our departure from home, someone scratched a cross on the door of our house. Do you know what this means?”

“No,” I answer.

“It means, that we are marked by these thugs-nationalists. Nobody stops them. Not law, not government, not militia. Tomorrow a battle cry will resound: Beat the Jews!—And the Holocaust will begin with a new interpretation. And the most repugnant thing is that at work they hint to me about another nominee for my position. Fortunately, they let me go on vacation. They even paid me money. But I think it is just a tribute to good manners. When I return, they will show me to the door.”

Boris broke off, filtering sand through the thin palm of his hand.

Boris knows everything

Boris is my close friend since childhood. He is handsome and very smart. Boris knows everything. Even when he has no answer, he, all the same, knows everything. I knew too, that in Moldova anarchical forces were rising. They are gathering in parks and plazas, crying out chauvinistic slogans: “Moldova—for Moldavians!” All the others—Slavs, Jews, and other ethnic minorities, should in their opinion, leave the country. But I did not give it much thought: they were just youth gatherings, I thought, nothing more …

“Hitler’s Germany began with street processions too. And then six million Jews went to the gallows and to the gas chambers. To leave, it is necessary—you understand, Jannoshka? Or are you immune? ”

“Where to split to, Boris?” I whisper.

“Where? Probably, to Israel. Where else can you split?”

“And what will you do there?”

“I want freedom. I want to live easy!” Boris stands up and with long steps goes to the sea.

In fact, everything is so good: the hot sun, the sea. What slaughter? What gallows? But, in fact, Boris said that. And he knows everything.

“Marin, what do you think on this occasion?”

“I think like Boris,”—was the short answer. It was August 1988.

My last evening in the Soviet Union with my dearest friends Boris & Marina Bubis

Shortly after I came home from that vacation, I found a Star of David scratched in my door …

J: It was tough to understand that you were going in a different direction. Now, when all is quiet, tell me please why you chose Israel over the United States?

M: I doubted whether to go to Israel or to the United States. My aunt, who lived in America, asked Boris’s profession and whether he spoke English. My Mom said ‘He is a very good person.’ My aunt said ‘This is not a profession.’ We understood it would be better to go to Israel. We knew Boris’s parents and sister would not go to America. This is why the vector was directed toward Israel.

B: I felt Israel is closer to my heart and better for me. I had relatives here, cousins, aunts, everybody was here.

J: It means to me that not everybody wants to come to America…

Not everybody wants to come to America…

B: You wanted! You were saying you wanted to live in a free and diverse place. I didn’t have a second thought of going anywhere but Israel. I never wanted to go to America. Maybe, in the United States it’s more comfortable, but I am comfortable here. I am good here! My friends are here! I hope my kids will have nests of their own here.

J: Did you have any moments you were sorry you went to Israel?

B: None.

J: What kind of difficulties did you have when you came to Israel?

B: It’s a bunch of difficulties like everybody else when they relocate for good: language barriers, mental barriers. I didn’t read or write as well as a native speaker. And this was before, and still, the language is not native. Still, I’m sure I made the right decision to move here.

J: Marina, I remember your parents had difficulties to leave. Why?

M: When I was leaving, I practically said farewell to my parents. At that moment, it was absolutely not clear if they could go with us. My Dad had clearance and his dissertation was under clearance as well. It was very problematic that he would be allowed to leave the Soviet Union, even at that time.

J: This is so horrible, so horrible Marina! I can’t even imagine how you felt leaving your parents behind.

M: OK, Janna, I was leaving because I wanted to take the kids out of there, because it was scary to stay there. Do you remember when you came to our house and said pogroms were about to start? By the time of your departure, there started to appear signs of hope that my parents would be able to leave, and my Dad’s classified dissertation was no longer a problem.

Marina’s Mom, Boris, Mark, Ettel, Marina, Marina’s Dad and Nely, Marina’s aunt in Israel (1996)

 

J: Yes, I remember! This was the time when my family and I, and even our birds in the cage came with us. You guys had a metal door, and it felt safer at your house.  We did not know how long we would stay, and the birds had to be cared for every day. So, we had to bring that screaming crowd in the cage with us.

With everyone safely out of the country and accounted for, our conversation turned to their lives after leaving the Soviet Union. Immigration doesn’t end a story. It merely starts a new chapter.

J: I am sure you could write your own book about your immigration and new life. So, can you please share, Marina, what was the reason that during a long period of time you were flying to the US several times a month? I remember you came to our house for a whole week years ago,  as you were earning your Ph.D. in Biochemistry.

M: I actually came at 1998 at the end of my postdoc. I visited you on my way to the 2 weeks “Cold Spring Harbor course”.

J: Oh! Yes! You were at an International Conference in Las Vegas before that…

M: I presented our company’s work at APS (American Paraplegia Society) – 7-9/09/2004 in Las Vegas.I was working in a team of the cell therapy company named Proneuron. Those times we conducted phase 2 clinical trials in Israel and the US. We worked hard to transfer the experimental technology developed in Israel for the treatment of severe spinal cord injuries to its US manufacturing sites and also flew to take a necessary part in the manufacturing of this therapy for the US patients enrolled in the trial.

J: Marina, what’s going on with your kids, Ettel and Mark? Mark was my best buddy when he was three years old. Do you remember, he listened only to me for some time?

M: Both of them served in the army. Both of them are professionals.  Ettel is in the beginning of her Ph.D.  Mark is studying in Jerusalem University to be an engineer in Electronics.

J: Boris, now, back to you!  I recall that you worked as a worker in Israel, although you were an engineer by profession. I am so proud of you that you became an engineer again!

B: I finished a certification course, and those who went through this program had access to engineering jobs like the one I am doing. It was very hard to start. Everyone who started the course was an engineer already. At the beginning, we were just workers. After a few years, we got back to our engineering positions.

J: When I visited you guys in Israel a couple of years ago you took me to the 9/11 Living Memorial in Jerusalem and you shared your role in it.

Janna Yeshanova & Marina Bubis, 2014

I was so proud of you that you had such an input into world peace, Boris! This makes me feel closer to Israel. 9/11 was so shocking to me as a US citizen!  It shook the whole world! How did you become the Quality Engineer for this world monument?

B: Janna, it’s so simple. Do you know how many huge projects I had?  This one has a big significance, but by volume, I have bigger works. For me, it’s just my job. During this project, I learned how to solve some technical problems we were trying to solve. I had the blueprints for this Memorial, and I had to make sure they were followed.

Boris Bubis at the 9/11 Living Memorial, 2014

J: What about this project was special for you?

There are plaques with three thousand names on this monument

Commemorative plaque on the base of the Monument

B: There are plaques with three thousand names on this monument, and I found the name of my friend who died on 9/11. He was an architect and we worked together for the same company back in the Soviet Union. We weren’t close friends, but …

 

Someone told me that he died or disappeared…  His name was Adik Zaltsman. He was a gorgeous young man. He was very talented and goal oriented.

By the way, the architect of this project is the son of parents from Moldova.

J: This is a huge thing, Boris. We started new lives being adults. We did not play Four Square in these countries as kids. And suddenly you were responsible for engineering works, quality engineering for a monument important to Israel, to America and to the whole globe.

The 9/11 Memorial in Jerusalem

B: There are a million people like me. There could have been another person working on this Monument.

J: And instead of Yuri Gagarin there could have been a different person as well!  Yes, Boris? And you and me could have been different people too!  But we are who we are, and WE do what WE do! We live in the free countries we chose, and we are talking now without being threatened.  So, we made it, Boris! WE, Boris, made it!

So there you have it, the path I didn’t take but others did. Immigration is always personal and always painful. I hope that our grandchildren, and their grandchildren, will know of immigration only through old stories!

Dirty Bomb Film

Tags

crowdfunding, Indiegogo, movie

Today, I am talking with Valerie McCaffrey.  She is a producer and Casting Director in Hollywood  with dozens of film credits.  She  recently shared her new project with me, and I decided to introduce it to you.  In light of the current events it’s hard not to mention that Valerie is the third generation of immigrants to the US.

Valerie McCaffrey

I want once again to stress the point that people come from other countries not because they just decided to take another trip, to forget their culture, their social level, or to leave their friends behind.  Those who are lucky not to have this experience need to know that it takes a lot of courage to go through these tremendous changes and adjust to a new culture.  Valerie is an example of how immigrants, even generations later, contribute to their new culture that in time becomes native.

We have a common interest in socially relevant stories, which is why her latest project touched me. If you are interested in seeing films that matter produced, I hope you’ll join her Indiegogo campaign mentioned at the end of this article.

Please meet Valerie!

Valerie, when we met at the Columbus Film Festival you shared with me that your grandparents are from Armenia.  What was the reason that they left?

My grandparents are survivors of the Armenian genocide in 1915. Religious profiling happened both in the Armenian and Jewish community. It was horrific.

Dirty Bomb is a Jewish prisoner trying to survive, but in the end he secretly saves the lives of others by sacrificing his own. I want to tell that story.

So, tell us about your latest film project.

“Dirty Bomb” based on a true story… Signing his own death wish, a Jewish concentration camp prisoner sabotages the construction of the V-2 bomb against the Nazis, while American soldiers struggle to advance against the Germans.

There are so many stories during the war, this one is essentially unknown. I want to bring them to life and light. Here is a very little known fact: Werner Van Braun, who designed this V-2 missile, designed the Apollo 13 space shuttle. Hitler took advantage of Van Braun’s passion for space travel, which ended up killing thousands of soldiers while 200 Jewish prisoners were hung for the sabotage causing the bomb to misfire.

How will you promote the film? 

I plan on doing a festival run and develop into a feature. Whiplash was developed that way.

Where and how do you plan to distribute it? 

Online, HBO, Sundance channel are all possibilities. Also, schools, museums.

Who is involved in the project?

Bob Shaye, former owner CEO of New Line is one contributor—he is our Associate Producer. We have wonderful actors such as Ido Samuel from “Fill the Void”, (the largest grossing Israeli film in the US) Christopher Heyerdahl from Twilight, J. Michael Trautmann from Shameless.

I understand the current phase is being paid by crowd funding?

Indiegogo is a site where crowd funding makes things happen and making this short film, is one of the many projects Indiegogo supports.  The goal is to get the community involved in this  project— they believe in it and support the story. Each project has a deadline to raise contributions. Our end date is February 28. Here’s a brief video that explains it all. https://youtu.be/CypSN8Het3Y

What’s the goal for this Indiegogo campaign?

The goal is to raise enough money to create/build the concentration camp and tunnel where the V-2 bomb was built. I want to develop this story into a film. There is interest now.

How can readers get involved?

Readers can contribute money to make it happen. Even from $10.00 on up-anyone can be involved and receive a perk from the movie!  As the film begins shooting, we will keep everyone in the loop on the progress.  It will be everyone’s film.

Join the Indiegogo campaign: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dirty-bomb-film-pt-2-history#/

Valerie’s IMDB Bio: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564559/?ref_=nv_sr_1

IMDB link for Dirty Bomb  https://pro-labs.imdb.com/title/tt6342324?s=8ead22f6-db34-2d05-8150-e63800ae79af

 

Laura Camara – A Voice of Independent Music

Tags

jazz, life, music, performing arts

As you know, I occasionally interview my talented friends and acquaintances.  Recently I attended  Laura Camara’s concert and I was impressed by her voice, her stage presence and her connection with the audience.  My conversation with Laura took place several days after the concert.

Laura Camara is an award winning jazz vocalist, winning second place in New York City’s Jazzmobile Vocal Competition. Laura has also performed at top jazz venues and festivals around the world such as The Montreux Jazz Festival, The Boston Pops Jazz Festival, and the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program at the John F. Kennedy National Center for the Performing Arts. She has recently returned from an extended Asian Tour throughout Thailand, Vietnam, India, and Indonesia. Performing for the US Embassy and State department, The Royal Thai family, and headlining The Ubud Village Jazz Festival in Bali, Indonesia. In addition to live performances Laura has been a featured profiled artist on WGBH Boston’s National Public Radio and famous New York City Web Series Capsulocity.  Laura hails from Columbus, and I was fortunate to catch a performance on her home turf.

Singing was your childhood dream. How does real life compare to it?

One of them yes. I thought I would be a Broadway star in New York or a street artist in Paris. I was always involved in the arts one way or another. Music was always something that I could just do. There are videos of me at three years old singing Opera to Gloria Estefan on our fireplace. The thrill of performing is still there but as an adult and a professional it is a bit different than I thought. As a kid you think it will be all creating and performing, but the truth is 80% of my work is logistics: emailing, booking, budgeting, marketing strategies– but that justmakes the creative part more rewarding.

What is the part you enjoy most about your work?

Sounds simple but…playing together. There is this moment when you work with a great band where, without any verbal or visual communication, you hear each other. You actually hear who they are! Then you begin speaking to each other through the music. Somehow everyone just clicks! And you end up taking the music and the audience to places you didn’t know you could go.

“I think about the story I want to tell first.”

How do you select material when you compose a song?

Well I’d have to say I think about the story I want to tell first. With my compositions, the music is usually composed to emphasize the message of the song. Even if it isn’t my own composition, I listen to the lyrics and, if I feel connected to the story, I find a way to make it my own. I like to pull material from any genre because to me genre is irrelevant when you have a sound that is yours and yours alone.

“Genre is irrelevant when you have a sound that is yours and yours alone.”

So Laura, do you compose and arrange all your material yourself?

Yes for the most part. Occasionally I will collaborate but I do compose my originals and arrangements on my own.

What are you most known for as an artist?

Right now I am perhaps best known for my ability to do what we call scat singing which is a way that jazz vocalist freely improvise alternate melodies without words. I travel internationally giving master classes on the subject. I am also known for my jazz arrangements of pop and rock & roll classics.

What would you like to be known for, Laura?

I would like my music to serve a greater purpose in the world. As artists, we have a unique ability to move and unite people. I feel we have a responsibility to use our art to speak out for the things that matter and spread positivity. If I can help make the world a better place with my art I will be happy.

Laura, is there one performance that stands out in your memory you’d like to share?

There are a few. Janna. Performing at The Kennedy Center in Washington DC was a great one. I did, just last year, get to perform for   the late King of Thailand’s Birthday Celebration with The Royal Family in attendance which was a huge honor. However the performance that I am most proud of is a show that I wrote produced and performed last year at the American Cultural Center in Jakarta, Indonesia. The show is called “Songs Of My Father; Music of The Flower Generation”

Laura Camara performing at the late King of Thailand Birthday Celebration

It is a multimedia show that tells the story of what happened in America in the 1960’s told through video, photo images, live interviews, and most importantly the music.

Is there one place you haven’t performed that is at the top of your bucket list?

Carnegie Hall would be nice….

Then, I’ll count on two seats at your first concert there. OK?  What projects do you have coming up?

I am working on the release of my debut solo album titled “My Ascension,” named for my most popular composition. I am very excited about it. It will be mostly my original compositions with a few arrangements of some popular songs. It is going to be a deeply personal record, showing people exactly who I am and what I am about. I am still booking my original show “Songs Of My Father” I am also working on creating a new multimedia show featuring other singers and women in jazz called “SHE”. I like to stay busy.

What do you see for yourself professionally in the next year or two?

Where do I see myself? Well…Definitely traveling from place to place and making beautiful music. Promoting my album and making socially relevant music, connecting with new people and hopefully spreading some joy and positive messages. On some big international stages for sure.

When should we expect your album out?

I am in the recording phase right now. We plan to have it out by Christmas of 2017.

Is there anything , Laura, you would like to ask from the readers?

I would ask the readers two things: Go support independent art any way you can and go out in the world and spread some love to everyone you meet.

… and how would you describe your musical style?

Well I would describe as modern jazz vocals with a twist. I like to think of it as modern jazz harmonies, with singer songwriter lyrics, and electric grooves from hip hop to samba.

I have an impression  that you play other instruments.  Is this true?

Yes. I play piano, guitar, drums, and violin. I just don’t play all of them in my concerts I use them to help me compose mostly.

Is there somewhere our readers can hear a sample of your singing?

Yes. You can go to my website:  lauracamaramusic.com  or look me up on YouTube as Laura Camara. I will have a new video series coming out that i have been working on of some solo vocal harmonies. They can also follow me on Facebook, and on Twitter as @LCamaraMusic

Throughout your career, Laura, what has meant the most to you?

That’s easy. Absolutely, the ability to travel and to experience something beyond my realm of understanding. I have been fortunate enough to not only travel but spend extended periods of time in many different countries. Places where I play with musicians who don’t even speak the same language as me and somehow we understand each other. We don’t need words to communicate. I have been welcomed into homes and been cared for by people whom I have never met before. What I have realized through all of this is that… in the end it’s just people!

That is all. We are all connected to each other in more ways than we are different. It has made me more compassionate and understanding and given me the ability to love on a level I never expected.

What are some your favorite places you have traveled for your music?

Well I have gone to some interesting places, Janna. Of course I loved Switzerland and France but I loved Vietnam, India, & Bali. I like to perform in unusual places. That way, I get to see more of the world.

Laura’s Press Kit Video

https://youtu.be/5a488flPjWI

Live from jazz for the King of Thailand Concert. My arrangement of “The Rainbow Connection” which will be featured on my debut album:

https://youtu.be/2mh8n1GzU6Y

Interview with Uvi Poznansky

Tags

#LoveIs2Care, Award Winning Novels, Historical Fiction, romance, Uvi Poznansky

Today I am talking with Uvi Poznansky , author of The Music of Us and Dancing with Air. She has many interests and several books listed below, but what interested me was our common interest in connecting history into our stories.

Uvi, the history I put in Love Is Never Past Tense comes directly out of my life. How does history fit into your recent work?

I love writing historical fiction because it is one of the most difficult genres of all, demanding a complete immersion in the era and studying every detail–in clothing, gadgets, hairstyle, manners and of course, the timeline of events–in order to make the story not only believable but utterly authentic. And even though I pride myself on writing with a sensual slant, aiming to put you in the skin of the characters, I have never before focused on the genre that would allow me to develop that lyricism to the fullest: namely, Romance.

But lately, the characters I have written in a previous book, My Own Voice, demanded that I take them back a generation, to WWII, to the beginning of their love story. In my new novel, I had such heartwarming fun witnessing Lenny and Natasha overcoming every obstacle I threw in their way, only to find themselves, as they were meant to from the beginning, in each other’s arms.

Please share an excerpt with us.

Gladly! This excerpt was the inspiration for the design of the cover of The Music of Us:

With that Natasha handed the microphone back to him and curtsied to the audience. A wavy, red strand of hair slinked from her headband, which was decorated with delicate flowers, and glided over her bare shoulder. Below that, the bodice of her dress glinted as she turned around. And again, for just a second, I thought I felt her eyes fluttering in my direction, meeting my gaze. Everyone around me must have imagined that, too.

Natasha lifted the long, silky skirt of her dress, so its folds fanned out from the seam that hugged her hips. As she sat down they draped, full and flowing, over the piano bench, responding playfully to the light from above with a cherry red shine. A reflection of it lit her chin from below and lined the underside of her slender arms, just a touch. With a slow, deliberate motion she lifted her hand, letting it hover, for what seemed like the span of a thought, over its shadow over the keys.

Her fingers started flitting across the keys, and at once I was taken by the solemn, dramatic sounds she made rise over us. They came pressing against the far reaches of the hall, gathering ominously just below the vaulted ceiling, as if in preparation to blow it away and sweep us into the night.

And what was the inspiration for the cover of your new novel?

I was inspired by this passage in Dancing with Air, told by Lenny:

A month ago she had given me a page of her diary, and to the sound of it rustling in my hand I imagined her imagining me: 

He will be running his fingers down, all the way down to the small of my back, touching his lips to my ear, breathing his name, breathing mine.
Here I am, dancing with air.
Around and around we go.

With these words Natasha stepped into my mind, lighting up the gloom. I pictured her dancing with her back to me as if, between the two of us, I was the one who was not even there.
The ripples of her hair spread open, glinting in all shades of red. Wave by wave they cascaded down, first between her shoulder blades, then over them. Fingers stretched out, just like a ballerina, she raised her arm up high, swirling, twirling air, turning it into glow. The translucent fabric fastened around her waist flapped over her legs, folds radiating, fluttering, flaring with every sinuous movement, as she formed loops, slow, continuous infinity loops with her hips.

What does LoveIs2Care mean to you?

Some people equate love with desire, which is an urgent need to take. But in my mind, love is truly tested not by taking but by giving, by being ready to sacrifice for the well being of your beloved.

As you may know, almost every chapter in Dancing with Air includes lyrics, inspired by the era, which not only echoes the popular songs of the time but also reflects the mood of the characters. Your question reminded me of the lyrics I wrote for the last chapter:

You must now hold on to me
I must save the memory
Of our past, so we’ll be there
We’ll be there…

I’ll always believe in you
Cling to me, we’ll be strong anew
In days to come, we’ll be there
We’ll be there…

 Author Links:

Blog
Facebook author page
Amazon author page
Goodreads author page
pInterest
@UviPoznansky

Buy links for Still Life with Memories:

Vol I  My Own Voice – ebook print audio
Vol II  The White Piano – ebook print audio
Vol III  The Music of Us  – ebook print audio
Vol IV Dancing with Air  – ebook print
Vol I+II  Apart from Love – ebook print audio

Buy links for The David Chronicles:

Vol I  Rise to Power – ebook print audio
Vol II  A Peek at Bathsheba – ebook print audio
Vol III The Edge of Revolt – ebook print

Interview with Christoph Fischer

 

My dear friend across the pond and fellow independent author Christoph Fischer has stopped by today for a chat. This was interesting because a lot of his writing, like mine, features people struggling with real historical events in a time of crisis.

Christoph was born in Germany, near the Austrian border, as the son of a Sudeten-German father and a Bavarian mother. Not a full local in the eyes and ears of his peers he developed an ambiguous sense of belonging and home in Bavaria. He moved to Hamburg in pursuit of his studies and to lead a life of literary indulgence. After a few years he moved on to the UK where he now lives in a small town in West Wales.  He and his partner have three Labradoodles to complete their family.

­­­­

What is your latest success, Christoph?

My latest book “Ludwika” . It has just reached #14 in a poll of best Indie Books and since its release in December has been downloaded over 60,000 times (during a free promotion) with over 200 reviews on Amazon with an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars. The success of this book has really taken me by surprise.

Give us your thirty second elevator speech – or is it a “lift” speech?

It is the story of a Polish slave worker in Nazi Germany and is based on a real life. Ludwika was forced to abandon her family in Poland and spend the war years in Germany. It was my idea to tell the story of a different type of victim of the holocaust. We all know about Auschwitz but there are many more stories to be told of how other people were affected by the politics. People who have read your book “Love is Never Past Tense“ will be familiar with displacement and falling victim to circumstances beyond their control. Like your book, mine is biographical, yet fictional, to make it more palatable.

What topics do you write about? How did you get started and how long have you been doing it?

I write about topics that interest me, be that a moral dilemma, a family crisis, a disease or a specific historical event. It always starts with me doing research on the matter and gradually coming up with an idea for a plot. I started writing back in 2010 and published my first novel in 2012.

You write historical fiction, contemporary fiction and thrillers. Is there a common thread?

Only my personal investment and interest in the topics. Unless I am really ‘into the subject’ I won’t finish the novel. Alzheimers’ Disease, Gambling, Spiritual Healing, the Finnish Civil War – these were all issues that really fascinated me. I know authors with a more specific formula tend to do well but, for better or for worse, I am not cut out for that.

How do you distinguish the historical fiction you write from historical romance, which is a label you don’t use?

To me a historical romance is primarily a love story set in a different time. These books may well feature a lot of historical information but the romance takes centre stage. The better ones of the genre, like yours, not only tell a love story but show how history affected that love. Many of my characters experience love, but their believe systems and fate are changed more by the historical events than their love interests.

Your books are set in the context of real historical events. How do you balance the needs of the story with the history?

That can be a tough and dynamic balancing act. The ideas for my stories are usually born from a ‘what if’ scenario, such as “How would I be affected by this event if I were…?“ etc.  While I write the first draft for each novel I have a timeline of important historic events and since these cannot be changed, sometimes the story must be tweaked. The conflicts between characters and history become clearer during the first draft and that often requires re-thinking of the original plot ideas anyway. I actually enjoy this process because it makes me ‘live’ the story with my characters in a small way.

 Other than West Wales where would you choose to live and why?

Somewhere warm by the ocean, like Spain or Greece, Thailand or the Caribbean. But then again I am an uptight North-European and get on better with people from the cold countries, so I will stay put.

If you could pick a time and place to live where and when would you choose?

The here and now. I only moved to Wales a year ago and absolutely love it. I think that although we face a lot of challenges, we humans never had it this good. I worry about many things that aren’t right but I also believe that good progress is being made; in medicine, science and humanity.

How would you describe your target reader? Do you have different readers in mind for different genres?

My target readers are regular people with an open mind and broader interests than just fast food and TV. People who like to be entertained and don’t mind to learn a little how history or mental health for example can affect someone’s life at the same time. I must confess, though, that I don’t ‘write to please’ but I write as the characters and story dictate it. I think writers need to be authentic to their vision rather than trying to meet formulaic expectations.

My target readers are regular people with an open mind and broader interests than just fast food and TV.

Your latest work, Ludwika, has done well in competitions. What inspired you to write it?

I helped a friend with ancestry research. He needed a native speaker to contact archives in Germany to find out about his mother’s time there during WW2. I became fascinated by Ludwika’s life and wondered why she made some of her decisions. The “how could this has been” led to some additional research and reading. I didn’t want to write about it at first because this time not only were the historical facts a stubborn framework, but also the actual events in Ludwika’s life. In the end I couldn’t get her out of my head, though, and started writing. When the family approved of the story I decided to publish, mostly in the hope that using Ludwika’s real name and story might help my friend to reconnect with his Polish family.

Do you have a favorite story about one of your books?

I received an email by a woman about the house I live in. She wanted to know if I lived there. I was puzzled about this unusual question and reluctant to speak to her at first, wondering what she wanted from me. When I spoke to her a week later she told me that she had come across my name and my novel “Ludwika” while researching her family roots in Poland and that my book had helped her along with her own research. Her further probing into my background then proved that I not only had organised a book fair in her very hometown in Wales but also lived in the house where she grew up. Small world… Her father’s ashes were scattered on my property and she wrote how comforting it was to know the person who now looked after it.

Are there any recent events that look book-worthy to you?

Sadly far too many. What goes on in the Ukraine, the annexation of Crimea, the war in Syria and the refugee crisis….

What projects do you have on the horizon?

My novel “African August” is soon to be released as part of a charity anthology in aid of the Santa Paula Animal Rescue Centre in Calfornia. It is an adventure story about a man spending time in Africa, torn between his desire to do good and to live life to the full. I’m working on two mystery novels at the moment. One is the sequel to “The Healer” and one is a comic mystery set in rural Britain. I’ve got an idea for another historical novel but am not sure when I will find the time to write it.

My novel “African August” is soon to be released as part of a charity anthology in aid of the Santa Paula Animal Rescue Centre in Calfornia.

You were born in Germany but have lived in Wales for some time. Do you have any thoughts on the Brexit vote you’d care to share?

I personally regret the vote deeply. I believe strongly in a United Europe and see myself as a world citizen. I thought we were moving towards a global humanitarian society without borders, exclusion, nationalism and separation. Instead the world is heading towards populism, short-term thinking and division. I feel the vote was made out of anger and often hate and I don’t believe that the voters will get the results they were hoping for. No country is an island any more in our globalized world.

What is your life outside of writing?

I live a quiet and harmonious life in rural Wales with my partner and three dogs, fish, birds and sheep. I have a garden to take care of, I do a lot of exercise and try to be outside as much as I can. I still read a lot, books and magazines, and have a busy social life.

What makes you laugh?

Friends, Angie Tribeca, Brooklyn 9-9, Big Bang Theory, Melissa McCarthy, Amy Shumer…

Thank you so much for visiting my blog.  Hope my GPS will take me to Wales one day!  Meanwhile, where can readers find out more about you and your books? Hope they will enjoy and learn from them like I did!  

Website: http://www.christophfischerbooks.com/

Blog: http://writerchristophfischer.wordpress.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6590171.Christoph_Fischer

Amazon: http://ow.ly/BtveY

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CFFBooks

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/christophffisch/

Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/106213860775307052243

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=241333846

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WriterChristophFischer?ref=hl

 

 

An interview with P.C. Zick at Writing Whims

I was offered an interview by P.C. Zick at Writing Whims. If you guys are interested, here it is: http://pczick.com/2014/06/24/author-wednesday-janna-yeshanova

Cathrine Garnell Interviews Janna

Tags

Book, drama, interview, romance

Free Give-Away! Love is Never Past Tense by Janna Yeshanova

FREE FREE FREE

 

from 4th – 6th June @ Amazon Everywhere

 

Love is Never Past Tense 

by 

Janna Yeshanova

Book Description:

A whirlwind romance on a romantic Black Sea beach turns into a quick marriage for Serge and Janna, only to have family, fate and foolishness tear them apart. If that weren’t enough, the politics of post-Soviet Russia puts them on different continents. Never quite coming together, never quite letting go, their lives overlap and entwine as years progress.

Beneath the adventure and romance is a deeper story of achieving your dreams regardless of obstacles placed on your way. Janna Yeshanova draws on her own life to illustrate courage, persistence, determination in overcoming adversity.

This book is a story of true love, adventure, and suspense told by the enamored themselves. The story is about events seen through a prism of years lived separately and again lived together. It not only forces the reader to empathize with the heroes, but wakens the most gentle, innermost part of one’s soul and provides an answer to an eternal question – what makes life worth living?

This is why, when you regretfully turn the last page, you understand: if you do not love and you are not loved, life is not real – it’s missing that which makes your soul hurt and fly, cry and laugh, your heart sing or bleed profusely. Those who love will understand it. Those who don’t, will envy our heroes and will want to fall hopelessly in love.

About the Author:
 

Originally from the former Soviet Union, Janna Yeshanova escaped to the United States when persecution became violent during the crumbling of the Soviet state. Arriving in the United States with her mother and daughter in tow, $126 in her pocket and knowing not a soul, Janna’s talent and experiences have helped her become a high end organizational training and development professional. Her exodus story is included in the book.Founder and principal of Life-Spark, LLC, Janna is a dynamic and powerful life coach, premier trainer and motivational speaker. She leverages her passion and engaging style to help others to overcome adversity and spark the possibilities of their lives.Love Is Never Past Tense… was published first in Russia and Ukraine in 2009, and is now available in English. It is a fascinating adventurous romance based on a true story.

Buy Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Love-Never-Past-Tense/dp/0983746206/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369924081&sr=8-1&keywords=love+is+never+past+tense

From book website with autograph: http://www.loveisneverpasttense.com/order

Author Links:

Barnes and Nobel: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-is-never-past-tense-janna-yeshanova/1105141989?ean=9780983746218

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13826960-love-is-never-past-tense

Currently is #  1 http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/15200.Best_Second_Chance_Romance#13826960

Blog: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5872743.Janna_Yeshanova/blog

Google + https://plus.google.com/u/0/117050627621817752379/posts

Twitter: @NeverPastTense  and @JannaYeshanova

FB: https://www.facebook.com/janna.yeshanova?ref=tn_tnmn   People are welcome to send me Friend requests

FB for the book to be liked: https://www.facebook.com/loveisneverpasttense

Publisher-  Life-Spark, LLC

http://www/life-spark.comhttp://www.loveisneverpasttense.comhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejyPuOw28v0

 

*     *     *
Interview Time!

                                       Hi Janna and welcome to my blog

 

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?Sure. What do you want to know?When did you decide that being an author was the ‘thing’ for you?I didn’t. It just happened. I was and I am a life coach and a leadership trainer. I was teaching at Antioch University in Yellow Springs in Ohio as well for a long while. Back in Russia, I was an editor and I also was teaching Russian Language and Literature at a college. Suddenly, I realized that I had a bunch of pages coming out of my feather—sorry—not from my computer keyboard. First, they showed up on  paper. Then, when I saw so many pages, I thought that they can become a book. This is what happened.  When people say that I am an internationally published author, I want to ask: “Who? Me?”

What was the very first book idea you had, did you write it and did you get it published?

The first idea and the first book in my case is the same, what is in front of you, Love Is Never Past Tense. First it was published in Russia and Ukraine, and then it was destined to come here, to the US, in English. Now, looking back, it seems that it just happened by itself. Almost always, something is happening with me, then I realize it later. If you ask me how, I’ll say: I do not know… I have no idea 🙂

How long does it take you to typically write a novel?

This is the first one. The book started its life, as I said, by itself years ago, and it became the first half of it. The other half … was finished in a couple of months. When the publisher in Russia took it, the book was not yet ready and had to be finished AFAWR (as fast as was required).  The trouble was the translation. The name of the book in Russian is not translatable, but it has a close meaning in the English version. At that time I had been in Moscow almost half a year. There I met a publisher from Ukraine who said that publishing in Ukraine is three times less expensive than in Russia. So, my husband and I went to Ukraine.  Reality showed that publishing the book in Ukraine was three times more expensive and took 25 times longer that it would’ve been in Russia.

This novel, as I said before, was started in the previous century J , in the previous millennium J. It was finished within couple of months on a beach of a Black Sea in Crimea in an open restaurant looking into the all shades of green and blue colors of my favorite sea.  Maybe, this is one of the reasons, that the sea is like a live hero on the pages of Love Is Never Past Tense …What’s your least favorite thing about the writing process?

Being interrupted 🙂What’s your most favorite thing about writing?

Reread the text, show it to my friends and get compliments.Do you have a playlist that you write to?

Absolutely … Beatles, Pink Floyd, Arrowsmith, Trans-Siberian Orchestra

 http://ow.ly/lDjbB

Do you have any input into the cover design of your novel?

I’d like to tell you first what happened with the cover of the Russian version of the book
When we came to Ukraine, the publisher offered a cover that he already placed on some other book a year earlier.  He thought that I’d leave back to the US and not realize it. But someone, just by chance, showed me a book from this publisher.  The book had exactly the same cover that he offered. I was horrified!

So, I had a return ticket to the US, time was flying faster than I wanted, and I had no cover. I shared my frustration with a lady in a food market who tried to convince me that life was wonderful.  It happened to be, that this woman had a daughter who was an art school student.  This young lady, her daughter, created a cover in one night. The girl’s name is on the Russian version of the book.  So, we flew back home, realizing that the life was not as bad as I thought at that time! J . Later, I learned that the publisher went out of business… Maybe, he offered my cover to someone else… What a pity! He had a very intelligent face with a great smile with blue eyes.

The cover for the English version of Love Is Never Past Tense had a more simple destiny and I mention it in the acknowledgement of the book.  One of my friends from Ukraine, Dr. Kulish, found for me the picture with this boundless sky for the cover of the book compensating the photographer with two bottles of vodka and sent it to me over Skype.Do you have any advice for newbie authors just starting out?

Only one: do not get frustrated when you are stumbling and do not give up. A new day, a new event brings you new experiences and new thoughts…and new vision…Who is your favorite author of all time, and if you could meet him/her, what would you say?

Alexandr Pushkin always was a big joy for me.  When he finished his Boris Godunov, he wrote to one of his friends: “Tragedy is done, I clapped my hands and shouted: What a Pushkin, what a son of a bitch!”

This is what I’d say to him out of admiration.

What was the best book you read in 2012, and why did you love it?

When I was 20, I got into a book “И Умереть Некогда”.  I would translate it as “There Is No Time To Die” by Paul Vialar.  He is popular in Europe, but I never saw an English translation. I was thinking about this book my whole life. I came back to it in 2012. When I started reading it, I thought that having now my life experience the book will have a different influence on me. Not at all. It had the same effect. I loved it again. I may reread it sometime later too, reminding myself that I should live in the moment. We live often in the past or in the future, and we do not realize that “Now”, a very powerful “Now”, does exist. Very soon this “Now” becomes past. Then, we are trying to change it, but it’s too late. I am not implying that we should not learn from the past. Not at all. But then, why won’t we live in the present moment and change it and enjoy it while it’s possible? No blame, no regret, just enjoyment and appreciation of every bit of it.If HG Wells turned up in his Time machine, would you get on board?

Yes. Absolutely!If you could have lived in any era throughout time, when and where would you go?

I’d go back for a second to 19th century. Just for the sake of wearing long skirts, dresses with crinolines, umbrellas, hats with flowers, riding in a carriage – not cars, not wearing jeans.  Then I would want to come back to my jeans and my own driving.

Where would I go?

I’d go to France, early America…Out of the following, which one would you choose & why:

a.    Deserted Island

b.    Sprawling Megatroplis

c.    Magical Forest

d.    Outer Space

Deserted island. Eventually, you can invite there whomever you want … and … send them back…Are you a pre-planning plotter or a go with the flow writer?

Preplanning first, then, go with the flow 🙂Has anyone deeply influenced your writing style and chosen genre?

Russian classics, Hemmingway, Sergey Dovlatov, +++

Out of all the myriad of genres that have appeared in recent years, which ones describes your work?

Historical romance, adventure, humor, realism, some psychology  …Which would you rather do and why:

a.      Base Jumping

b.      Hot Air Ballooning

c.       Deep Sea Diving with Sharks (No Cage – muwahahha!)

Diving with sharks…and see what happens. Maybe I could tame them?If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

To call up shark repellant on demand (just in case).

How do you come up with titles for novels, do you get the idea for the story first or does hat come after you have the title?

The title came last. Do not ask me how. I do not have an answer.

Which method of writing do you prefer for your first draft?

a.    Handwrite the first draft

b.    Laptop

c.    Desktop

d.    The walls in your office! LOL

The Wailing Wall… Kidding… Handwriting… Sitting outside and writing… Cup of coffee that spills on the paper… I like to have personal contact with the paper. She (Paper) understands me very well)Do I have a moment to say “Hi” to everybody and express my hope that you guys will enjoy Love Is Never Past Tense?

Hi! J

*     *     *

Many thanks to Janna for sharing a little about her life, writing and novel with us today and remember to get your free copy today & tomorrow only – don’t miss out!I’ll be back tomorrow with a fabulous Blog Tour and again on Friday with a Book Blitz.Have funCat

Article Source: http://cathrine-garnell.blogspot.com/2013/06/free-give-away-love-is-never-past-tense.html  June 4, 2013

Featured Author – Janna Yeshanova

Tags

Book, drama, romance

This lovely lady with her wonderful smile isn’t just that. She’s the Feature of today. Let me introduce to you Janna Yeshanova, author of Love is Never Past Tense. A gripping life story about struggle and overcome, happiness and the ability to take life in your hands and do what is best for you.

Welcome Janna, thank you for dropping in on my blog and allowing me to ask you a few questions. Make yourself comfortable because we will be here for a while. Have a coffee and some delish chocolate brownies.

Comfy? Okay, let’s get this interview moving then, because there’s a lot I want to know.

I know a little about you Janna. You are a refugee from Russia, or I should say the Soviet Union, who fled to the US. Can you tell us something to make us understand why you chose to flee from your home country? A very brave thing to do by the way.

Brave … It may be so. I am sure it is, but at that time there was not a way to approach this action like “brave” or “not brave”. At that time, when the Soviet Union was about to crumble, when the persecution became violent, suddenly, I noticed an opportunity … An opportunity to get to freedom. Now, looking back, I can call this opportunity “life”. So, this what I chose … Yes, life can be in different shape and form. It all depends on how you view it and accept it, but when I realized that my child would not have the opportunity to live in a peaceful society, when I realized that my family would experience hunger and deprivation of all necessities that people have like roof, no violence, security …

Leaving your own country, culture, language, understanding of events that would follow, having $126.00 in your pocket, not knowing anyone in the world … At the time I left, the USSR government allowed only this amount of money to be taken out of the country. So: you go, or you stay. And you need to make a choice! So, you make it! Isn’t it simple?

Did you struggle at first or did you know right away you wanted to study and become a professional speaker/coach?

Did I struggle? I think so … but that was my life at that moment, and I did not view it as struggle, I viewed it as a road to my goals. All this is in my book Love Is Never Past Tense … My daughter even doesn’t want to read this piece for the sake of not being dragged in what we had to go through again …

Many people are concentrating on obstacles. Many are looking for opportunities. I decided to get back to school and I added another Master’s Degree, but at this time, I chose a different profession. It was Applied Behavioral Science. Was it hard? I guess. I had to study in a foreign language subjects like statistics for prerequisites and later in grad school. I hated my life at that time! Then, I was invited to teach and train at Antioch University in Yellow Springs in Ohio. Statistics was behind, but in front of me there were my favorite students. I also specialized in mediations and conflict resolution and was fascinated to realize how all we can communicate and live in peace… This is what I chose to teach. Then, I was invited to speak at a state conference, then, at International for Bosnia and Herzegovina … This stream took me to my presentations, and later to clients … Can I say that it was a struggle? If it was, I enjoyed it! Once again: if you know what you want, you’ll get there no matter what.

Another answer to this question is found in this excerpt coming from my novel:

“In my memory, shimmers my last evening of swimming laps in the open air pool. It is dark outside. Piles of snow are all over. My trainer, Nina, is shivering in her winter coat. She looks down at the swimmers. Suddenly, I feel like sharing with her my decision. “Nina, I am leaving tomorrow. Today is my last day.”

“Where are you going? You like this swimming pool so much. You won’t find a better one. This one is so close to your home.”

“Nina, I am not changing pools. I am changing countries.”

“What will you do there? Where will you go? You don’t know anyone in the world.”

“Nina, I will train and teach, same as I do here.”

I knew I would not betray my hope!

Can you explain to us what Life-Spark, LLC is?

Considering my experience and knowledge, I decided to organize a company with a shiny and promising name, Life-Spark, LLC, to help people spark positive changes in their personal and professional lives. We offer corporate training classes, small, goal-oriented, weekly or bi-weekly workshops, and 1-on-1 professional / personal life coaching.

Our weekly workshops are called “Sparkshops.” These are small group classes on specific topics such as relationships, listening skills, goal setting, dealing with change, and other important subjects. Our activities are possibility-oriented, interactive and authentic. They support interactive instruction to provide a cost-effective alternative to 1-on-1 life/executive coaching.

Life coaching services are provided in person, via the phone or online, making them available globally. Life coaching helps you understand the behavior patterns in your life that prevent you from reaching your goals, and assists you in making the necessary changes.

And how do you give your own life that spark on a day to day basis? i.e. what makes you get up every day?

What makes me get up every day… Hey! A cup of coffee! Or two!

I knew it! Being an author you just have to be a coffee lover Excuse the interruption, please do continue.

My dog is coming to announce to me that the new day is here. By the way, she understands commands both in Russian and in English. Do you know how I guessed it? She doesn’t obey them in either language! 

On a more serious note: I love what I do. Somehow, I approached to the moment when I can enjoy what I do. Sometimes the success of my clients gives me strength, believe in myself and do more things that help others. And just a day … a new day … Isn’t it a gift? You can enjoy it … It doesn’t matter what happens this day. It does matter how you take it and what you make of it! And if you tell yourself that it’s a good day, trust me: you’ll have a good day!

How do you celebrate when you’ve just written ‘The End’?

How do I celebrate? I get on the phone and call my friends from around the world. It’s a big pleasure for me to hear their voices. When I write “the end” to anything, I enjoy a light breeze and then, write: “the beginning” If we are talking about the book, I never planned to write. It just happened. Everybody has a story to tell. I became one of them, when the story came my way.

If you have a muse does he/she speak in Russian. or Ukrainian to you? What I really want to know, do you dream in English or still your native tongue?

Interesting … A while ago someone approached me with the same question. Here is what I said, and what I can say again. This is what I noticed: if I speak in my dreams with a Russian speaker, I speak in Russian, when I speak with and English speaker, I talk with him/her in English, but when I have dreams without any other participants I think in Russian. If I’d thought in English, I would not be able to understand myself. Just kidding…

Hahaha, that’s just … Confusing, I’m amazed you do so well and don’t suffer from multiple language disorder. 

What will spark a new story for you?

Emotions, strong reaction to one or another event in my life, something that you can share and people can learn from it,and I can learn from it as well. I have another book ready to go too.

When you write do you sit and type until you’re all empty or do you need breaks?

I need breaks … not only because I need breaks, but because I am involved in life outside of the keyboard: family, friends, clients, professional organizations, presentations, trips, sports + everything else that a human being needs to do.

Can you tell me if there’s a beverage or particular food item from your past you miss and if so plays it a role in your stories?

Nothing particular, besides wine and cigarettes that people of my age at that time where using, maybe to prove to themselves that they are adults or trying to look like westerners. There are some foods, mentioned in the book, just to reflect the reality of life being described in Love Is Never Past Tense.

And what snack or drink is the one you cannot do without when writing?

Trust me: not Vodka! Drinking a lot of water. Have a lot of empty bottles in my car every day. If someone opens the door and sees these bottles, I have a short explanation:”Drinking problems”! 

The one thing I always am most curious about is, do you have a scoop for me? A secret? Something no one knows about you but you are willing to share with me and my readers? It can be a fun fact or something to make us think. It’s up to you, amaze us. 

All my secrets are in the book. Just do not tell this to anybody! Maybe, the secret is that I am lazy, but I am overcoming it every day. It works!

Janna, you are a real author, coffee lover and procrastinator. All the signs are there for you to become a best-selling author. Not to mention you have that wonderful book published which is free on Amazon at the moment and will be through June 6th.

That kind of wraps it up. The only thing I want from you now is an excuse. Not just any run of the mill, “My dog ate my pen” excuse. No, a reason why you haven’t written a word today. Make sure I believe it though.   

Excuse? I was writing my answers to your questions for this interview. Is it a good excuse? My dog ate my computer! Now, she is digesting it, and I have to take her to the vet for a reboot! Do you believe that?

I certainly do believe every word of it, plus it made me laugh–which is always good. 

Again thank you very much for granting me this interview and I’ll be happy to post about your book the day after tomorrow.

So folks, don’t forget to come back June 5th for a more elaborate post about Janna’s book which you can pick up for free at Amazon from today through June 6th. 

The only thing left for me to share with the public is where Janna can be found online.

The site of her life coaching service  www.Life- Spark.com

Life-spark, LLC on facebook

Love is Never Past Tense on Facebook

She is on Facebook

Of course we can find her on Goodreads

And Love is Never Past Tense on Goodreads

And on Google+

And why not follow her on Twitter too? @NeverPastTense and @JannaYeshanova

The book has its own site and even a gorgeous, gripping trailer you absolutely must see on Youtube.

http://www.loveisneverpasttense.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejyPuOw28v0

Article source: http://lucypireel.wordpress.com/2013/06/03/featured-author-janna-yeshanova/ June 3, 2013