Interview with Vladimir Imakaev, Author of "Paradise: Mystery of the Past"

Vladimir Imakaev was born in 1982 in Odessa, Ukraine. One of the youngest successful authors in Europe, he has 3 novels published in Russia with 2 more awaiting publication in 2010. Vladimir has kindly agreed to discuss his first release in the United States, Book 1 of his internationally famous trilogy titled Paradise.

LL: Thank you for agreeing to have this interview, Vladimir, and congratulations on your book release! Please tell us about Paradise: Mystery of the Past. How did this book come about?

VI: Oh, I think for me it is much more than just a book, because this story completely changed my whole life. First of all, I never thought I would become a writer whose books would be sold around the world. When I started working on Paradise, I was trying to create something that I would like to read myself, and something that I could share with my friends. But when I finished the book I was too shy to give to anyone. I am so lucky to have a friend, Ivan, who forced me to share with him the manuscript that had taken 2 years of my life. And when he read it, he started bugging me daily to send it to publishers.

LL: How many publishers had you contacted before you signed a book deal?

VI: Actually, I just got a list of all publishers who worked with fiction and sent them a letter and first 5 chapters of my book. And I was so surprised when 7 of them offered me to sign a contract. I chose "Christopher," the publishing house famous in Russia for printing Russian translations of Frank Peretti's books.

LL: That's rather unusual! Most new authors have to fight a tough battle to get published... How do you explain your quick success?

Some critics say it's just luck, others think it is because the genre is so unique - mystic fiction based on the Bible and spiritual world was not yet popular in Russia. But I like to think it's the hand of God and simply His plan for my life. Someone is born to be a doctor, someone a teacher. For me He had prepared the way of a writer.

LL: Let us look into the book itself. You have a group of Soviet scientists sent to search for the biblical Tree of Life, so that the Soviet Union conquers death and becomes the most powerful empire in the world. That's only one of the plotlines, the main story, correct?

Yes, and on this story is based everything else. On the back cover of both Russian and American versions of the book you can find a brief synopsis sketching this storyline, but as people start reading they'll find out that it is more than just a journey to Iraq, more than just Soviet scientists on a secret mission. The whole trilogy is so wide and colorful that everyone can find something they like in it. It has mysteries and puzzles and a lot of action that takes place around the world - Kiev, St.-Petersburg, London, New York, Istanbul, Venice, Rome. Characters are from Russia, America, Italy, Germany. There is a subplot about high school students fighting against spirits of old, and another one with secret agents who use nanotechnology and "James Bond" weapons.

LL: Do you have a favorite storyline and favorite characters?

Yes, I do! You will meet with Ervin, an American photographer with Russian roots. She is something, writing her storyline was the most enjoyable process. You will fall in love with her, just like all readers around the world who have read the Russian version. She is really a heartbreaker! So be ready...

LL: You have many Russian and Ukrainian characters, and your book provides some good insight into life in that part of the world, as well as in Soviet Union. How difficult was it to prepare the book for the American audience? Did you have to make any changes?

From the beginning when I wrote Paradise I was trying to use Russian names that are already well known around the world, like Alex, Oleg, Irina... However, it was still a lot of work to translate the story in such a way that would not just make it understandable for American readers but help them to relate to it, so that they can associate themselves even with the Ukrainian characters.

And yes, some things had to be adjusted in order to make them clear. Like the issue with middle names, for example, common for all Russian literature. When Russians want to show respect to someone they address them by their first name and patronymic, which is the first name of the person's father, and sometimes it's complicated. Like here in the US, everyone calls me just Vlad, but in Russia people would call me Vladimir Vladimirovich, so you can see how this can create some difficulties.

LL: I've heard that someone in Hollywood is interested in your book. Can you reveal what is happening? Are we going to see Paradise on the screen?

Unfortunately, the work on the script has stopped because of the financial crisis. But yes, the idea of Paradise and a chance to make a movie where Indiana Johns type adventures mix with high-tech secret agents was accepted in Hollywood with enthusiasm. Nothing is cancelled yet, but the project is suspended for a while. Maybe by the end of this year something will clear up, and we'll all get a chance to see this world of mysteries and action come alive onscreen.

LL: Where can readers find your book? Is it available on Amazon?

Yes, the first part of the trilogy Paradise: Mystery of the Past is already up on Amazon, and soon it will be at Barns and Noble as well. It is also available on the publisher's web-site. More information about book signing events and stores that carry the book can be found on my web-site, www.imakaev.com

LL: Thanks again, Vladimir! I hope the book does very well, and we will see the second and third parts of the trilogy soon.