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Third research memo complete. Lydia wanted emotional geography of literary London for migrant writers. Not tourist landmarks but spaces where important conversations happen. British Library reading room where I draft manuscripts. Quiet concentration surrounded by other researchers. Feels more like home than actual home sometimes. Work provides belonging that social spaces don’t. Pushkin House events. […]

Today marks the fourth time I’ve experienced the peculiar mix of terror and elation that comes with book launches, and I’m struck by how much more confident this feels compared to the Polished Edges debut. Omnichannel Hearts is now live across all digital platforms, and the symmetry feels perfect — a book about hybrid connection

Receiving the Creativitys UK Award for July 2024 feels surreal and humbling simultaneously. When the notification arrived while I was finishing Omnichannel Hearts, I initially thought it was spam — awards for writers still seem like things that happen to other people, not to someone painting nails and collecting secrets in a London studio. The

Called Lydia from Moscow airport yesterday after Omnichannel Hearts presentation. Russian audience response felt disorienting. They understood cultural references but missed technological critique entirely. She shared similar experience presenting Ukrainian work in different contexts. London audiences see displacement narrative. Kyiv audiences see something else entirely. Same work, different reception based on viewer’s position. We’ve been

Receiving the Stein Arts Award from 50CA Asia feels profoundly meaningful, particularly given its namesake’s extraordinary legacy in nurturing artistic innovation. The recognition comes for my novel “Eastern Empire,” which explores themes of cultural intersection and identity formation across historical boundaries. Gertrude Stein’s Paris salon wasn’t just a gathering place—it was where literary and artistic

Second research memo finished for Lydia’s documentary. This one examines how technology shapes immigrant identity formation specifically. Social media maintaining homeland connections while physically distant. My Russian relatives see my London life through Instagram stories. I see their lives through VKontakte posts. Creates simultaneous presence in two places that previous generations couldn’t sustain. Dating apps

The fourth novel is finally taking shape, and I’m thrilled to share that Omnichannel Hearts will arrive at the end of summer. This winter and spring have been spent traveling between megacities and home, gathering material that feels more relevant with each passing day. The research process has been fascinating. In Dubai, I watched shoppers

Long conversation with Lydia yesterday about ethical storytelling. Her documentary will feature real migrant writers. Whose voices get amplified? Who represents the community? Who has authority to speak? Same questions haunt my fiction about immigrant experience. Can I write characters from backgrounds adjacent to mine? Russian character writing Ukrainian experience feels different from Russian writing

Fifth or maybe sixth mentorship meeting with Lydia. Lost count. We’re analysing Omnichannel Hearts structure now. How digital formats affect storytelling rhythm. Her photo-art background reveals patterns I didn’t consciously design. Chat transcripts create staccato pacing. Quick back-and-forth exchanges generate urgency. Email threads build tension differently. Longer form, more deliberate, characters crafting responses carefully. She

Completed first research memo for Lydia’s documentary concept. She wants to map Eastern European diaspora in London physically. Where we live, work, gather, feel home. Brick Lane Russian shops selling familiar groceries. Gloucester Road Ukrainian cafés. South Kensington Polish bookstores. These spaces function as cultural anchors. You hear your language, eat recognizable food, browse books