About
Born in Chelyabinsk, Russia, I spent most of my childhood traveling through northern regions and southern Siberia due to my stepfather’s military career. While I missed the city of my childhood, I learned to appreciate my new surroundings. It was in the untamed wilderness that I discovered the profound mystery of the land and the unique sense of freedom that only remote places can offer.
It was there that I decided to become a writer. I even remember the day it happened. I was sitting in my Russian literature class, staring at the portrait of Dostoevsky when I realized it was possible to achieve immortality through literature (more about it here); at 15, the unfairness of death troubled me greatly. I shared my plans with my mother, but she wasn’t particularly enthusiastic. “Why don’t you pursue a real profession that will put food on the table? You can write in your spare time,” she said. Many years later, I finally understand that she was right.
I returned to Chelyabinsk after high school. While studying journalism at Chelyabinsk State University, to support myself, I took a job as a press secretary for a regional mayor. I disliked the role, and I wasn’t good at it due to my aversion to propaganda and corruption. However, it allowed me to meet the most talented and interesting people, including the well-known Russian poet and publisher Vitali Kalpidi, who became my mentor and who helped me publish two poetry collections.
After immigrating to America in 1999, I worked as a graphic, multimedia, and web designer for various companies while writing in my spare time. Recently, I decided to transition to full-time writing, at least for a few years. I may return to the office one day, but for now, I am writing full-time—an experience every aspiring writer should have at least once in their lifetime.
