Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.

 

Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?

Hi! Alexander Ermak, 55.

Fiona: Where are you from?

I’m Russian, Siberian. Was born in Novosibirsk, now I live and work in Moscow

(Sorry, my English language is unfortunately not as good as I would like.)

Fiona: A little about your self (ie,  your education, family life, etc.).

I am a writer, playwright and journalist. Graduated from the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow University. I worked in the most popular Russian newspaper “Komsomolskaya Pravda” (and now I continue to cooperate with it). I’m a Moscow University professor.
A serious illness took my wife, and I have not yet married again.
I love mountain skiing, sea, tennis …

Fiona: Tell us your latest news.

Now I am working on a novel about a very interesting person, who was not broken by life circumstances, and he achieved what he wanted, although everything turned out differently than he wanted …

Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?

Professionally, I started writing while serving in the navy. Collaborated with the military newspaper

Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Probably I was 12 years old. I wrote an essay in literature at the school and realized that I really like composing. I thought: “It would be good to become a writer!”

Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?

My first book was non-fiction. I wrote it following the advice: “Do you want to understand something well? Write a book about this!”

Fiona: How did you come up with the title?

I went through a good school to create headlines in the newspaper. So I have no problems with coming up with the names of books.

Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?

Of course, I have my own journalistic and writing style. Of course, there are a number of authors that influenced me. Russian writers are, first of all: M. Lermontov, A. Chekhov, Ilya Ehrenburg, from overseas: K. Vonnegut, G. Meyrink, S. Beckett…

Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

In my fiction, most books are based on real events, real heroes. They are, of course, changed in the text… But there are books which had no points of contact with my life.

Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?

No, there is no such need. But my work in the newspaper, business-related matters, rest always made me travel. Not only forced, but also brought great pleasure. I did not intentionally pursue new impressions, they themselves accumulated and ripened in me

Fiona: Who designed the covers?

Covers of books published by publishing houses were developed by artists. The covers of some e-books were made by the wife or even myself, if I wanted to

Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Of course. This is the main rule of storytelling: rational in emotional packaging, thought wrapped in emotion

Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?  Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?

It is difficult to talk about new authors. Unfortunately, many of them quickly appear out of nowhere and then disappear into nowhere …

About the favorite writers said earlier: M. Lermontov, A. Chekhov, Ilya Ehrenburg, K. Vonnegut, G. Meyrink, S. Beckett …

Most striking is the style of Andrei Platonov, the depth of immersion in man – Varlam Shalamov …

Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.

The inner self-confidence is that I’m really a writer

Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?

No. I think it is useful for the writer not to be locked in the “ivory tower”, to do some work that enriches you with new knowledge and emotions

Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

No. I had only two cases, when after some time I finalized the endings of two stories. Usually the finished book ceases to “live” in me, it is finished and already lives its own life

Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?

Yes, I expanded my knowledge in physics and chemistry

Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?

Kim Basinger 🙂

Fiona: Any advice for other writers?

“Never give up!”

Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

“We do not live without each other” 🙂

 Fiona: What book are you reading now?

Isaac Azimov “Azazel”

 Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?

Probably, it was “Chipollino”

 Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?

Good joke / human grief

Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?

Such a man is a writer Anton Chekhov. He lived only 44 years. I would really like to know what he wanted to write besides his famous stories and plays. Probably, he could write some great novel

Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?

Diving into waterfalls

 Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?

Criminal series. This allows me to expand my knowledge of a field I’m not familiar with

 Fiona: Favorite foods, colors,  music?

Seafood, purple, hard rock … (Last week I went to the Rainbow concert of Richie Blackmore 🙂

 Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?

I would still try writing 🙂

 Fiona: You only have 24 hours to live how would you spend that time?

 Finally, quickly wrote a short story, which I have been thinking about for several months, but I do not have time to write it

 Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?

Life was worth it

 Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?

Yes, I have a blog, a website, a page on Amazon

Blog: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100014310063705 (in English)

Page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B017IJGZWM (in English)

Website: http://www.ermak.su (in Russian)