My Novel Published.

[BillMc]

Hi friends. As I am a fairly regular on Spur Talk, I thought that some of you might be interested to know that my debut novel, Lenin's Harem, has been published in North America. (The international edition comes out on May 8th). This has been an eight year project leaving my home in the States, and living in Latvia, Estonia and Russia to write the book. (Along with a year studying writing in Manchester, UK). The book is being released by Knox Robinson Publishing, a small traditional British publisher.





In simplest terms, the novel is about a young aristocrat swept up in the turmoil of World War I who finds himself a member of the elite Latvian Red Riflemen of the Russian Revolution (a group nicknamed "Lenin's Harem", nothing to do with a real harem by the way.) The aristocrat tries to survives the wars and class genocides of the times, adapting despite himself, and finally finding friendship with his fellow soldiers, love with a communist girl, only to face Stalin's purges in the 1930's. It is also, in many ways, the tragedy of the birth and death of the first Latvian State.

The novel has received very good reviews and endorsements from several well-known authors, historians, and the former dean of the CIA's Intelligence School called it "Enthralling" (as you can see on the cover.) I have a very good review coming out soon in the Providence Journal. I will be reading from the book at the Latvian Embassy to the United States in Washington D.C. on January, 23rd.


So, for those of you who might want to read a gripping story in the vein of Dr. Zhivago or All Quiet on the Western Front (about the land of Dāvis Bertāns, no less) I'd love to hear your opinions.

The books is available in hardback on Amazon

And Amazon Kindle.

Or you can get the epub file (pretty universal) directly from my publisher (just select epub on the item menu):

For more information check out my Author Facebook Page

Many thanks (and I apologize for the slightly sales-ish nature of this post!)

Best, Bill

[DPG21920]

Wow, congrats . That is a huge accomplishment and best of luck to you.

[BillMc]

Wow, congrats . That is a huge accomplishment and best of luck to you.

Many thanks!! (And the hardest part living over here? Keeping up with my Spurs!)

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Yeah, that's pretty amazing. Best of luck.

[apalisoc_9]

Congratulations

I have a few friends who are into war books, would probably tell them about it.

[BillMc]

Yeah, that's pretty amazing. Best of luck.

Thanks! I really appreciate it!

[BillMc]

Congratulations

I have a few friends who are into war books, would probably tell them about it.

I would be honored if you did!

[DD]

I love WWI history and think it's underrepresented in both literature and film. Congrats on the publication, and I will definitely buy a copy.

[BillMc]

I love WWI history and think it's underrepresented in both literature and film. Congrats on the publication, and I will definitely buy a copy.

Cheers, my friend! I'd be very grateful. Let me know what you think, good or bad.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

So what was it like doing all that research and travel for the book? It must have been pretty cool.

[BillMc]

So what was it like doing all that research and travel for the book? It must have been pretty cool.

It was an amazing experience. I moved to Riga knowing nobody. I didn't have an apartment or a job, and had to find all of those things and then set myself to researching. I studied some Latvian and some Russian (I'm still terrible at both) but just set myself to getting it done. I met wtih historians, museum curators, and went to every place depicted in the novel. It was really cool, but really challenging (and sometimes gripping since you're dealing with a lot of tragedies here.) After I had lived, I lived in Tallinn a few months, Moscow for another year and study at Moscow State University. That was difficult (and less an adventure than Latvia) but it was necessary to get the book right.

Sorry. Long-winded answer but it was amazing. Really special time in my life. I learned something everyday.

[apalisoc_9]

It was an amazing experience. I moved to Riga knowing nobody. I didn't have an apartment or a job, and had to find all of those things and then set myself to researching. I studied some Latvian and some Russian (I'm still terrible at both) but just set myself to getting it done. I met wtih historians, museum curators, and went to every place depicted in the novel. It was really cool, but really challenging (and sometimes gripping since you're dealing with a lot of tragedies here.) After I had lived, I lived in Tallinn a few months, Moscow for another year and study at Moscow State University. That was difficult (and less an adventure than Latvia) but it was necessary to get the book right.

Sorry. Long-winded answer but it was amazing. Really special time in my life. I learned something everyday.

That's awesome.

I've always wanted to do something like that. when you moved to latvia how much money did you have with you? How difficult was it to find a job without knowing much about their language?

[BillMc]

That's awesome.

I've always wanted to do something like that. when you moved to latvia how much money did you have with you? How difficult was it to find a job without knowing much about their language?

I didn't have a lot of cash. I had a background in two marketable things: computer science and teaching English as Second Language. I knew the former would pay much better, but it would eat up all my time. But teaching, if I swung it right, would give me time to write. But I had to be there first so I could choose my schools, rather than be dependent on one, who might not like that I only wanted to be part time so I could research and write a book. In the end, I ended up just doing freelance tutoring on my own schedule and writing short stories I could sell in America as supplmental income.

So, I killed my language disadvantage by making sure I worked in a field where English is all that mattered. Also, most people under 30 in Riga speak English. The language wasn't difficult for getting around (except in the countryside). It was just a hinderence for historical research since most things were written in Latvian or Russian.

I can say as hard as it was, it was great to live there. Riga is a fantastic city, especially in summer.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

ing awesome! Did you send Pop an advance copy?

[Malik Hairston]

I'll buy a copy as well, tbh..

I've been writing for the past year as a hobby/passion and just recently decided that I'm gonna try to pursue it..any advice?(money is not a concern, FYI)..

[The Reckoning]

Grats! I'd bet the writing process is frustrating with constant internal battles, writer's block and mustering up the courage to put your work out there.

Traveling the world isn't too expensive as long as you live within your means. It's good to see someone who takes that step and doesn't look back.

[Creepn]

You got a digital copy? I read all my books on a tablet these days.

[BillMc]

ing awesome! Did you send Pop an advance copy?

Ha! I didn't think of that! Maybe I should! He might even know my CIA endorser.

I wonder how I could get it to Pop?

[BillMc]

I'll buy a copy as well, tbh..

I've been writing for the past year as a hobby/passion and just recently decided that I'm gonna try to pursue it..any advice?(money is not a concern, FYI)..

Many thanks!

Yeah. Get it down on the page. Too many people leave it up in their minds and get distracted by life. Don't worry about making it good. You can edit later, just get a draft done. I know I tried for years to get a book done but girls, work, even the Spurs kept me from getting it finished. Also, write everyday even if its only for 20 minutes. Like brushing your teeth, don't skip it before you go to bed.

[BillMc]

Grats! I'd bet the writing process is frustrating with constant internal battles, writer's block and mustering up the courage to put your work out there.

Traveling the world isn't too expensive as long as you live within your means. It's good to see someone who takes that step and doesn't look back.

Can be. Writers block I've had, putting your work out there is tough too. It takes years to get published (for most of us.) Many thanks!

I completely agree, traveling the world isn't expensive if you do it right, you can see and live anywhere if you want it bad enough!.

[BillMc]

You got a digital copy? I read all my books on a tablet these days.

You can buy the Kindle .mobi file on Amazon. That (I think) works on most tablets too.

Or you can get the epub file (pretty universal) directly from my publisher (just select epub on the item menu): http://www.knoxrobinsonpublishing.co...roducts_id=120

I really need to invest the time to figure out multi-quote responses.

[Blake]

Incredible story behind the story.

[BillMc]

Incredible story behind the story.

Cheers!

[Fpoonsie]

Terribly impressive.

Sometimes, I sit back after clicking "Post Quick Reply," supremely satisfied w/ my recent contribution to ST. You've effectively ruined that for me forever.

(Seriously, though. Congrats. Wow.)

[BillMc]

Terribly impressive.

Sometimes, I sit back after clicking "Post Quick Reply," supremely satisfied w/ my recent contribution to ST. You've effectively ruined that for me forever.

(Seriously, though. Congrats. Wow.)

Thanks! And, um, sorry. But you've 7000 more posts to Spurstalk than me, so I think I'm rather jealous of yours (and many others) contributions. I'm out of my depth with some of the great basketball posts I see on here.

Best, Bill