Eastern Empire is officially in the world as of this morning, and I’m still processing the magnitude of what this year has brought. Two published novels in twelve months — Luxury Labyrinth in May and now this — feels like an achievement that belongs to someone else’s life, not mine.
Last night’s launch celebration was deliberately intimate. Instead of a big industry event, I gathered close friends at my flat for a quiet evening that honored the book’s cultural themes. We lit sandalwood incense, brewed jasmine tea in the proper gongfu style I learned during my semester at Beijing Language and Culture University, and played guzheng music softly in the background. The atmosphere felt appropriate for a story that explores the delicate balance between tradition and innovation.
Every book is like a child, each with its own distinct personality. Polished Edges was observational and slightly cynical, capturing secrets behind polished surfaces. Luxury Labyrinth became interrogational, questioning the systems that create those secrets. Eastern Empire feels like my most personal work despite being set in fictional futures — it weaves together my Beijing experience with a lifelong fascination with science fiction.
The research for this novel spanned years without me realizing it. Conversations with Chinese entrepreneurs during my 2018 university exchange provided authentic dialogue patterns. My Mandarin studies gave me cultural nuances that informed character development. Even my work with diverse nail art clients contributed to understanding how cultural identity expresses itself through personal choices. The MBA coursework at Glasgow Caledonian offered frameworks for the corporate intrigue subplot.
The writing process pushed me into new territory. Where previous novels focused on individual psychology, Eastern Empire required understanding geopolitical dynamics, technological implications, and cultural translation on a macro scale. The characters navigate not just personal transformation but the collision of entire worldviews.
Early reader responses have been encouraging. Several mentioned that the book feels both futuristic and timeless, which was exactly the balance I hoped to achieve. The relationship between Li Wei and Elena apparently resonates with readers who’ve experienced their own cultural code-switching, whether professional or personal.
Publishing two novels in one year required a level of creative stamina I didn’t know I possessed. Completing my MBA while drafting Luxury Labyrinth and then immediately diving into Eastern Empire meant living in multiple fictional worlds simultaneously. Somehow the overlapping narratives informed each other rather than creating confusion.
This feels like the natural conclusion to a phase of intensive creative output. Three novels in less than two years represents an exploration of themes that have been developing since my earliest blog posts from the Maldives. From individual secrets to systemic critique to cultural synthesis — each book built on insights from the previous work.
I’m planning a proper creative sabbatical for the first time since leaving my marketing position at Centr SM. Time to travel without research agendas, read fiction instead of writing it, and let new stories emerge organically rather than forcing them into predetermined schedules.
The nail art practice continues, of course. Working with clients provides the human connection that feeds creativity while offering financial stability during writing periods. The combination of artistic service and literary ambition feels sustainable in ways that pure writing never could.
Thank you to everyone who supported this journey from Polished Edges through Eastern Empire. Your engagement with these stories made them feel worth telling. The conversations, reviews, and shared experiences transformed solitary writing into collaborative meaning-making.
Now comes the pause. Time to let these characters find their own way in the world while I discover what stories want to be told next.
Posted from London, where every ending creates space for new beginnings.
— Writer Julia Zolotova
