Interview with Pavel Kozhevnikov

Author of A Fist Full of Earth

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

I was born in Russia. Now I reside in Colorado

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

It’s a romantic story! I married a beautiful American woman.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

It’s actually my 5th book. Four of them are in Russian. My students, friends, family kept asking me to translate at least one of them; so I did.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

It has two stories.The first, “The Russian Hawaiian,” is about a man who was a prisoner in the USSR, a boxer in New York, a bank robber and businessman in Hawaii. His love story is unique and interesting. It’s a fiction but it is based on the lives of different real people I met in my life. The second story, “Sharik,” is about my beloved childhood dog that showed its incredible loyalty despite the trials and hardship of life in the Soviet Union.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

It’s 18+. Anyone who likes to know about history, life and culture of other nations.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

The reaction of readers. I thought it will be difficult for contemporary Americans to understand these stories, but I guess good people anywhere in the world understand each other better than any politicians.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

Write faster, write more!

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

Ideally, I would like all people of the world to read the books. I bet there will less evil.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

The biggest challenge was to translate these stories the way they were written in Russian. My wife and my friends helped me to do it pretty well. Frustration? After the book was on the short list of the prestigious Burlyaev’s Award in Russia a lot of readers started sending their letters to the famous producers asking them to shoot the film. I even was invited to Moscow to meet one producer. Alas, I do not have that money he asked for the work.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

Writing.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

Marketing. I hate to do it!

When do you think you will write your next book?

I have them! Need to translate.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

All the books were published by the traditional publishers.