So Ekaterina
Netchitailova welcome to Shark Fishing in Wales as Guest Author and thank you
for agreeing to answer my questions.
Can I check is it Netchitailova or
Petrovna?
This is a very good question,
and the answer is quite long, reflecting my family name, which is
Netchitailova. It means 'unreadable' in Russian, which is a pity as one of my
greatest passions in life is writing! Petrovna is a patronym. We all have it,
back in Russia. It reflects the name of your father. My dad's first name is
Petr, and therefore, I am Petrovna. If I lived in Russia, I would be called
Ekaterina Petrovna by people who don't know me well, or in official settings.
Here, everyone calls me just Ekaterina, but you can also call me Katia. It's
another thing in Russia, - the first names have their own variations. Svetlana
becomes Sveta, Aleksandra is Sasha, Daria is Dasha, and Ekaterina is Katia.
I understand that it's all a
bit confusing, but that's what different cultures and traditions are for - to
know something interesting. I think that knowledge of different cultures and
national habits enriches our lives!
When did you
first begin writing and in what language?
I started to write at the age
of fourteen, and in Russian. I lived in Moscow then and reading was my greatest
pleasure in life. I tried to write, and even won a third place at one of the
writing competitions at my school, but didn't pursue this hobby until the age
of twenty-seven, right after my experience with a psychosis. Writing helped me
to recover and make sense of what was happening to me on a spiritual level.
Since then I can't stop writing. It became a passion. I also write in English,
which might appear as weird, but I love the English language and often think in
English.
Who were your
main writing influences?
My main writing influence is
Master and Margarita by Bulgakov. The book tells two parallel stories. In
one story Bulgakov tells about the devil visiting the Soviet Union, and in his
second story, he tells the reader about Jesus. I read the book for the first
time when I was twelve, which is a bit early for such a profound and deep
novel, but I fell in love with it at once. I couldn't stop laughing from the
second page, and I remember thinking back then: 'wow, this is the best book
ever'. Bulgakov had an incredible ability to combine humour with magic, and
serious discussion of the meaning of life, and our existence. I wish I could
write something like this!
Are you a big
reader?
Yes, when I have time. I read
everyday, even if it's for five minutes. I have a busy life: my work, raising
my son, writing when I can find time, improving my Dutch language skills. In
the past, before the birth of my son, I could spend an entire day reading. It
helped me to escape to a better world.
Who are your
favourite authors and why are they your favourite authors.
So many! Well, I already
mentioned Bulgakov. I love his writings because he had incredibly unusual
stories. The devil visiting the Soviet Union - how cool is that?!
I also love short stories of
Chekov. He had a subtle way to laugh about the grotesque occurrences:
bureaucracy, corruption, judgemental way of looking at others.
In poetry I admire Anna
Achmatova and her gentle way of writing.
I also like Paulo Coelho, as
his books appeal to me on a spiritual level. I am a big fan of Kate Atkinson,
and especially 'Life after Life'. I love the Belgian writer Amelie Nothomb, and
read her in French. I like also a good crime story, and I don't really have a
favorite genre - I just love well-written books. Nikki French, Sophie Hannah
and many others help me to relax and enjoy reading.
You are a blogger
like myself. Tell us about your blogging history.
Well. I have been a blogger
for a long time, but a blogger with stupid history. I first launched one blog
and once it became more or less popular, I deleted it. I did it to two other
blogs to mine. I suffer from imposter syndrome. Who am I really, writing in
English that isn't even my native language? But with age and acquiring maturity
I decided to stick to my writing. First of all, I really love writing, and
secondly, I do have a story to tell. With my experience of psychoses maybe I
can connect with a few isolated hearts, and appeal to them. But I also write
about different countries where I lived, and about life in general.
Now you also like
me, are a self published author! Can you tell us why you went down the self
publishing route.
My dream is to publish with a
traditional big publisher one day. But I decided to publish my story 'Elena: A
Love Story for Humankind', because I didn't have the energy to look for an
agent. The book was written with such a speed (two months) and flow that I
couldn't wait to share it with others, but if a traditional publisher
approaches me, I will be the happiest person on earth.
You are a
multilingual author. How many languages do you speak?
I speak four languages.
Russian, French, English and Dutch. That's because I lived in four different
countries (in two of them twice). I love languages and discovering different
cultures.
Why did you
decide to write in English?
I love the English language.
It's the language that many people speak around the globe and I like the idea
that people from different countries can easily read what I have to say.
Could you tell us
about your first book please and how it came about?
My first book (unpublished) is
a memoir. It's a memoir about my psychoses, about Russia and living in the
West. It's a work of many years, changing along with my perception of what was
happening to me.
Do you have any
writing tips for aspiring authors? What has worked for you in the past?
I am an aspiring author
myself! But the tip I would give any writer is that it's the process that
matters, more than the outcome. Writing heals, writing boots creativity and
imagination. The sweet moments when one is 'in the flow' is a gift from the
universe. It's good, of course, to get a publishing deal at the end, but it's
the journey that really matters. For me, writing is relaxation for my brain. I
literally feel it unwinding. Therefore, my advice is: enjoy it.
Do you have a
strict writing discipline or do you wait for inspiration to strike?
I try to write everyday when I
am on holidays, and on weekends when I am working. So, yes, I have a writing
discipline, but not that strict.
What have you
learnt about the nuts and bolts of self publishing? Cover Design, Editing,
Readership and Marketing.
Well, one sure thing is that
you need some budget for marketing! How, otherwise, can you reach your
audience? It's very hard to grow organically nowadays (without promotion),
because of the saturation of online social networks. Therefore the only way to
get your book out where is to have some money to promote it.
However, based on my own experience, I think that being published by a
traditional publisher is still the best way for an aspiring author. They have
expertise, readership, and design teams.
Tell us about
your work in progress, namely 'The Russian Patient'. Isn't this the title of
one of your blogs?
It was, but I renamed my blog
into Porcupines Wisdom, as it's my writing that I find important and not where
I come from. But there is a book, called The Russian Patient, which is a
memoir.
Without giving
too much away 'What can you tell us about your Work in Progress?"
So, I have The Russian Patient
(memoir, which is unpublished), Elena: A Love Story for Humankind, that is
available on Amazon. I also have an entire first part in the series of two
books called 'Outsiders, and am writing a new novel, whose subject I want to
keep private for now:)
When do you hope
to publish it and how? Self Publish or Traditional Route?
Traditional route! I love
bookstores, and prefer myself to buy books that have been published by a
traditional publisher, as it assures the quality of writing.
Have you sent
your work out to agents and publishers in the past?
Yes, I did. I did it with The
Russian Patient, and I had an agent who was interested, but the book needed
more work!
Finally could you
tell us how being a citizen with a dual Russian/Ukrainian family lineage, that
this war and conflict has impacted you as a writer and perhaps more pertinently
as a human being.
I discuss this painful subject in one of my blog posts.
https://porcupineswisdom.org/2021/12/10/growing-up-in-the-soviet-union-a-short-story-about-russia-and-ukraine/
Ekaterina Netchitailova
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