Tomorrow marks something I’ve been anticipating for months – my first literary presentation in Russia. At 7 PM on June 30th, I’ll be at BooksEvents, one of Moscow’s most vibrant book clubs, presenting Omnichannel Hearts to Russian readers.
The venue is Library 16 (Novospassky lane, 5, Taganskaya metro), and I can’t help but feel the symbolic weight of returning to present English-language work in the city where my literary sensibilities first formed. There’s something beautifully circular about discussing digital-age relationships and cross-cultural connections in the very cultural landscape that shaped my understanding of both.
Omnichannel Hearts explores how we maintain authentic emotional bonds across the multiplying channels of modern communication – a theme that feels particularly relevant when I’m about to bridge my London literary life with my Moscow roots. The novel examines migration’s impact on relationships, those invisible threads that stretch across borders and time zones, keeping us connected to who we were while we become who we’re meant to be.
I’ll be sharing insights about the writing process, life as a Russian author working in London’s creative community, and perhaps offering a glimpse into my next project, The Influencer’s Canvas, which experiments with multimedia storytelling elements.
For anyone in Moscow tomorrow evening, the book is available at https://kotlyarov-publishers.ru/product/serdtsa-na-vseh-chastotahomnichannel-hearts-romannovel-2024-by-julia-zolotova
Nervous excitement doesn’t begin to cover it. There’s something about presenting your work in your mother tongue’s cultural space that feels like the ultimate vulnerability and homecoming simultaneously.
Posted from Moscow, where tomorrow’s presentation feels like both an ending and a beginning.
— Writer Julia Zolotova
