Lada Ray's Blog, page 88

My Updates: Big Move and Big Plans

Hello, everyone!

This has been a very busy summer. I am looking forward to autumn, my favorite season, although I expect it to be just as busy. Busy is good, as the wind of change sweeps through, bringing lots of new and exciting things.

We have sold my house in the beautiful Catskill mountains, which I kept as a summer home during my Wall Street days, and which served as my secluded writer’s retreat for the past few years.

Instead, we are moving to our new home in a more urban environment, Binghamton, NY. It’s still a quiet residential area, but in the middle of all the action. YAY!

As much as I enjoy peace and quiet, the lack of infrastructure and amenities (from my cosmopolitan perspective) has gotten to me. The new place has Starbucks (YAY!), Barnes & Noble (thank god!), my favorite Wegmans, which is like a candy store for adults (Hurray!), Chinese and Russian stores, various restaurants, and several colleges – in a word, my preferred environment to be in. We’ll also be close enough to Ithaca, home of Cornell University, Oneonta and Syracuse – all nice college centers. We’ll still be kinda far from NYC, NJ and Hudson Valley, where we would have to travel on business, but we’ve made a choice in favor of beautiful nature, better infrastructure and easy living this part of Upstate NY has to offer.

Binghamton, NY vicinity

State University of NY, Binghamton

So, the big move marks a big shift in my life. I’ll continue to write, keep #LadaRayBlog, as well as futuristrendcast.wordpress.com. You’ll still find me on Twitter and Goodreads. But going forward, I’ll also be going back to extensive teaching and public speaking. I will again teach my proprietary empowerment Feng Shui courses, albeit on a new, higher level, and do more Feng Shui consultations, including distance consults and personal readings via skype or phone.

I have also been working on my new visionary system the working title of which is GLOBAL PARADIGM SHIFT and NEW HUMAN. This teaching will become a course and eventually, a non-fiction book. Some of the concepts and ideas resonate with my spiritual fantasy/thriller, THE EARTH SHIFTER.

 More about THE EARTH SHIFTER

Lada Ray Blog will eventually be merged with my author website LadaRay.com. The website will be substantially expanded to include Feng Shui, as well as my new work on spirituality/metaphysics and futurism. There will also be an e-store.

In addition, I will be substantially expanding Lada Ray Youtube channel, where I will do regular podcasts on spirituality, mysticism, future predictions, global trends analysis, Feng Shui and more.

All this is very exciting, and I can’t wait to move. We should be in our new home by the end of September!

In the future, I expect to travel far and wide with my workshops. Stay tuned for more posts and new, exciting developments!

Light, Lightworkers and New Earth – Mirabai Devi, Hawaii

This is an awesome interview by Lilou Mace of The Juicy Living Tour. For those who don’t know, Lilou is a wonderful interviewer and a beautiful soul. She has interviewed the likes of Wayne Dyer, Dolores Cannon, Drunvalo and many others. Visit her website: http://juicylivingtour.com/.

This interview is full of light, love and positive energy. Mirabai Devi has practical advice on praying, raising frequency and “roasting out” karma NOW! Why wait? After all, it’s all well within our power! We live at the moment of great quickening on Planet Earth. It is the time when veils between dimensions are thinning, and disappearing all together.

I especially love these gems:

1. The prayers are living words; they are matrixes. You have to plug the healing formula into this matrix in order to clear the dis-ease, the disconnection from the Source. 

2. Karma is the debris that is burdening a person through their lineage and/or their family. This garbage has to be cleaned up in order to align with the light.

3. Mechanical repetition doesn’t work. You have to become the prayer in order for it to manifest.

4. The Divine is the totality. It is all there is.

5. Love your shadow aspects. Then bring your shadows to the light, expose them and realize that they are not a big deal.

6. The old paradigm: It’s selfish to give to yourself. The new paradigm: Give yourself everything, be so abundant that you are overflowing. And then, give away this overflow of goodness to others.

There is more good stuff. Take a listen!

…

If you like this interview, consider checking out my books!

THE EARTH SHIFTER – top-rated spiritual/visionary fantasy thriller set in Moscow, Sacred Lake Baikal in Siberia, New York, and mystical realms of Heaven and Earth. Remote viewing, NWO conspiracy, Comet of Karma, shamanic healing, Prophecy of the Key, and profound spiritual revelations…

Download FREE! CATHARSIS, Legend of the Lemurians - Karma can be a beautiful maiden or a bitch… Will the ultimate catastrophe bring to light everyone’s true beauty and ugliness?

Related articles

Book Review: ‘Realms of the Earth Angels: More Information for Incarnated Angels, Elementals, Wizards, and Other Lightworkers’ (ladaray.wordpress.com)

Book Review: ‘Realms of the Earth Angels: More Information for Incarnated Angels, Elementals, Wizards, and Other Lightworkers’

I very rarely write book reviews, partially because of a lack of time, and partially, because my reviews are more like recommendations. I tend to review only books which have made a profound impression on me. Realms of the Earth Angels: More Information for Incarnated Angels, Elementals, Wizards, and Other Lightworkers by a well-known spiritual author and teacher, Doreen Virtue, is one of those books. A word of warning. The premise and much of the material in this book is pretty far out and will not suit everyone. Some may dismiss it as… aw, well – New Age; others may think it’s simply a fanciful fantasy.

I would say it is for you if you resonate deeply with occurrences and characteristics described in the Realms of the Earth Angels, or if you are strongly drawn to this topic. If it rings true – it is!

The more research I do on the subject, the more I am fascinated by its implications and possibilities. It’s like seeing myself in a mirror for the very first time and finally understanding things that seemingly defy a logical three-dimensional explanation.

Doreen Virtue is very brave to come out with this book, and her popularity helps draw attention to this convoluted, and often misunderstood, issue. I would say that the topic of Starseeds, or Starpeople, as Doreen Virtue calls them, deserves a separate book. I do not believe Doreen has done it justice in the Realms of the Earth Angels. There is much more information one can find about Starseeds from other sources. That said, I give the Realms of the Earth Angels five enthusiastic stars for the overall delivery, awesome information and for summarizing the research that is so important to so many of us.

MY REVIEW of Realms of the Earth Angels

5 Stars: Exquisite and Beautifully Written Revelation

This is the kind of book after reading which you want to take a deep breath and say, “Ahh, I always knew that, and now it’s clear as day!” For those of us who identify deeply with one or more of these realms, it’s like homecoming. It’s like looking in the mirror and for the first time seeing yourself without distortions or compromise. It’s like saying, “There are others like me; I’m not alone, and now, I know how to find them.”

I’ve been a long-time researcher and teacher of all things metaphysical and spiritual. I am also the author of visionary/metaphysical fantasies, including the top-rated THE EARTH SHIFTER and CATHARSIS, Legend of the Lemurians. Being spiritual and scientifically-minded, but non-religious in a traditional sense, I initially found the “angel” topic a bit far out for my taste. However, I was impressed with the accuracy of Doreen Virtue’s Archangel Oracle Cards. I have also recently started seriously researching the Star Seeds, Indigos and Earth Angel phenomenon because I felt tremendously drawn to this subject. After all my research and after reading Doreen’s book, I realized that not only I saw myself in the mirror, but also that I’ve described different kinds of earth angels in my books without even realizing it (especially The Earth Shifter, Catharsis, Legend of the Lemurians, and partially, Gold Train)!

My only criticism is that the book is way too short. I wish it covered more characteristics, more in-depth research, and perhaps, more examples. Some earth angel realms seem to be rushed or tentative, while others are given a lot of prime time. I realize that the research is ongoing and more data will be surfacing as more discoveries are made. I am incredibly excited about discovering more earth angel realms – after having read the whole book in one go twice(!), I feel very deeply that there are definitely more realms than mentioned in the book, and it appears I’ve discovered one of them already! Once I polish up my new realm, I’ll get back to you all on that!

Realms of the Earth Angels is the second, expanded and modified edition of the original Earth Angels. Comparing between the two, get this updated version as it covers more characteristics and includes additional updated research!

I have to commend Doreen Virtue (and Hay House) on coming out with this book and on her dedication to this important, but neglected and misunderstood, subject. This is an exquisite and beautifully written revelation of a book! If you feel the affinity with the earth angel subject, or are just curious to find out more, get it, read it – you’ll love it!

Lada Ray, M.A.

Feng Shui Master & Author

The Earth Shifter

Catharsis, Legend of the Lemurians

Gold Train (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure)

Stepford USA (Accidental Spy Small Town Adventure)

Green Desert (Accidental Spy Iraq Prequel)

Read above review on Goodreads

Realms of the Earth Angels by Doreen Virtue on Amazon

Publishing Paradigm Shift. What Is Better: Amazon KDP Select or Broad Distribution?

Amazon KDP Select (KDPS) or broad distribution through multiple channels – in other words, to be or not to be. For me, it was a cause of much vacillation for the past year.

Finally, I have happily parted ways with KDP Select, not planning to ever return, barring some sort of massive revamping of their system. My books are back to B&N and Smashwords, and slowly but surely they are also posting on Kobo, Sony and Apple as well. I am also making both CATHARSIS and GREEN DESERT free everywhere, to celebrate this joyous occasion! See My books at a glance + buy links. A separate post is coming soon with direct links to Kobo, B&N and Sony. There will be freebies too, so watch for them!

So why am I celebrating?

Here is my story: I was a late comer to Amazon KDP Select last year, in May 2012 to be precise. I resisted joining due to the exclusivity clause, which meant I had to take my books off other retailers’ sites. Considering how much work it takes to list your books with each retailer, and then re-list them after KDPS term expiration, I wasn’t too keen on going exclusive with Amazon. Finally, I took a plunge and listed GOLD TRAIN, STEPFORD USA and GREEN DESERT with KDP Select in May 2012. Some were already warning that KDP Select was not the same and that it was too late to get the main benefit of exposure. Those who started in 2011, when KDPS was first rolled out, got all the spoils – or have they?

Yes, those who started with the program in 2011, definitely had a huge head start. I’ve known a couple of authors, who took a plunge early, making their ebooks free for a few days, and also pricing them low: $.99 or $1.49. This simple strategy helped them achieve bestseller status in their respective category for a prolonged period of time.

By the time I got into KDPS, the program was already crowded and had definitely gone through its peak, consequently, it was already experiencing the diminishing returns syndrome. It was also after Amazon changed its secret algorithms to overemphasize and benefit the Big 6 authors, and to sideline and under-emphasize Indie books. Despite that, KDPS was still pretty popular, except, you had to give away A LOT of your books for free to achieve any result.

For newbies: the theory goes that by allowing free downloads of your books on certain days, you are dramatically increasing your exposure to readers. In addition, you can get borrows, which are especially beneficial if your ebook is low-priced as you get paid more.

For the purposes of this article I won’t go into whether it’s a good idea or not to give away your book for free. I have discussed this issue in my last year’s piece about KDPS, which incidentally reveals in detail how I felt about it at the time. The link is at the bottom of this post.

I’m also going to skip over the financial viability issue for Amazon of funding a borrowing program, which loses them money every single month. Is it a viable strategy in order to gain market share? As a financial consultant, I can definitely say NO, at least not long term. Not to mention one point: does Amazon really need more market share? This is starting to resemble a monopoly, which is illegal under a free market system we used to have in the US… hmm… evidently not any more. Amazon’s chasing of quantity over quality is a very dangerous practice. But this is a very involved discussion, worthy of a separate article. Today’s post is about my personal experience with Amazon KDP Select.

Long story short, last summer, I took a plunge and made my books free twice, for a day or two each. Green Desert (Accidental Spy Iraq Prequel novelette) downloaded about 2000 free copies all together. Stepford USA (Accidental Spy Small Town Adventure) downloaded about 7000 copies, and Gold Train (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure) downloaded tens of thousands of copies overall.

After the books came off the second free promo, they sold very well. Both Green Desert and Stepford USA briefly made minor bestseller lists (mostly mystery – women sleuths), while Gold Train hit the majors: Amazon books, kindle books, as well as top of mystery & thriller bestseller lists. There were also some borrows.

What disappointed me in the program was that after my free promo, I received a few very nasty reviews (a lot of authors seem to complain of the same). On the other hand, some readers complained that, due to KDP Select exclusivity, they couldn’t purchase my books on B&N, Sony or Apple. Meanwhile, Amazon was actively changing its algorithms to favor the Big 6 and doing other tweaking to their system that made it very difficult for Indies to deal with them.

At the same time, sales started tapering off within a month of my 2 free promos, which according to KDPS model would’ve required stoking the fire, or “artificially reviving the patient,” meaning, I had to routinely keep making my books free in order to maintain the level of sales and high rankings. Many Indies did just that. However, to me, this was starting to resemble a rat race I so happily abandoned when I decided to leave the corporate world. Besides, I didn’t really enjoy receiving nasty 2 star reviews after someone read my book for free.

So, I pulled my books from KDPS when my 3 month term expired and re-listed with other retailers. Due to many other problems with Amazon practices, as reported by a large number of Indie authors, I wasn’t planning on ever returning.

In October-November 2012 book sales really plunged, and they kept going down in the following months. I started regretting de-listing from KDPS, recalling much better sales.

At the time I was hard at work on my new epic novel, THE EARTH SHIFTER, and had no time to market my books. I thought that perhaps my lack of marketing was causing a plunge in sales. What I didn’t know at the time was that many Indies complained of plunging sales since last October. Some attributed it to elections, others thought it was because Amazon further tweaked algorithms in favor of Big 6.

I happen to think that there were at least 2 more contributing factors:

1. The downmarket direction the Kindle sales have taken, which makes it difficult for mainstream or upmarket books like mine to compete.

2. The sheer number of free ebooks on KDPS. If you have tons of freebies to chose from, why would you ever consider paid books, even if they are good? This level of saturation of course decreases dramatically the sales efficiency and visibility of each book out there.

These two reasons may be the main culprits of the plunging sales many Indies report. This is a topic worth investigating further and I might expand on it in a future post.

But for now, back to Amazon KDP Select. Throughout the first part of 2013, I’ve heard that many Indies who used KDPS pretty successfully last year, have also left, not planning to return. That was interesting… However, I was still curious how I might fare this year, compared to last (blame the eternal researcher spirit residing in me ). Since it came out only last fall, I’ve never had CATHARSIS, Legend of the Lemurians listed with KDPS, so I started with it. Then, I also listed GOLD TRAIN in order to compare last year’s results. Finally, I thought I’d experiment with GREEN DESERT as well.

So, in the beginning of the summer 2013 I again took some of my books off other retailers and listed them with KDPS. By the way, for anyone who wants to try KDPS despite all the bad press, consider the fact that de-listing your books from various retailers, and later re-listing them again, is a MAJOR hassle and is certainly not worth the trouble.

First freebie day: the result was so shocking that my jaw dropped. GOLD TRAIN, which last summer downloaded over 12,000 copies in one day, downloaded just over 600 copies this time (1 free day). CATHARSIS, 2 free days – about 600. GREEN DESERT, 2 days – under 300 copies; compare that to 2000 last year. There were purchases afterwards, especially CATHARSIS went over well, however, it was a pittance compared to last year. And there were very few borrows. Reviews after free days: one pretty nice 4 star review for GOLD TRAIN in the USA and one super nasty 1 star review in the UK… That’s all… Hmm…

Considering how much work it takes to prepare for a freebie, after that I decided not to do any more free days.

I was quickly arriving at the following conclusion: Yes, those who left the program were right on – it wasn’t worth it. The law of diminishing returns has taken a firm grip on Amazon KDP Select. Little did I know that there was much more to the story… 

Meanwhile, because of de-listing, I was missing out on potential sales at Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Sony and Apple. In the beginning of the year, sales from these channels seriously outperformed my Amazon sales, even though I listed with them not directly, but through Smashwords. Now I knew for sure that I was much better off listing broadly.

By the beginning of August 2013, I was counting days until the end of my KDPS term. Meanwhile, I decided to update book descriptions and tags for GREEN DESERT and GOLD TRAIN on Smashwords, in anticipation of the day my books would be re-listed there. I saved my updates without clicking on “publish” and left the Smashwords site, planning to re-list as soon as my term expired mid-August.

The very next day I received an EXTREMELY threatening letter from Amazon stating that I violated the KDP Select exclusivity agreement by publishing my books elsewhere. The letter failed to specify where, and when I inquired, no one replied. 

That wasn’t it, far from it. The letter stated that my account at Amazon was suspended (!!??) and that I would not be able to access my books or royalty info until I emailed them back this statement, and I’m paraphrasing: “I solemnly promise that I would never list my books with Amazon KDP Select in violation of exclusivity clause. If I ever violate it again, my account with Amazon will be terminated.” (!)

I don’t know what this demand of emailing them back such statement reminded me of more: a Nazi concentrating camp, or the Harry Potter scene in which Harry had to write with his own blood over and over again, “I must not tell lies,” till his hand bled, per Dolores Umbridge’s instructions.

Considering that I am not 5 any more, nor am I a criminal, but rather had a very full and successful life, and probably know more about the world around us than many would ever dream, it is very curious (to say the least) to hear such demand from some anonymous young whipper-snapper, probably fresh out of college, sitting at some obscure desk at some obscure Amazon office.

Understandably, I was shocked and concerned. I had no idea what happened, since I de-listed my books per exclusivity requirement. Something prompted me to check Smashwords, and there I discovered that GOLD TRAIN and GREEN DESERT somehow got re-published unbeknownst to me. It is possible that any updates you make for the book automatically trigger re-publish, although logically this shouldn’t happen.

Long story short, I tried to access my KDP account page, and sure enough, it was blocked! I COULD NOT ACCESS ANY OF MY 5 BOOKS, regardless of whether they were with KDPS or not (THE EARTH SHIFTER and STEPFORD USA weren’t). I also could not access my royalty and sales info at all!

The anonymous whipper-snapper wasn’t kidding. I sent the “I solemnly promise” thing back to the Dolores Umbridge of Amazon, as a result of which my access was restored. The follow up letter from Amazon stated that if I wanted to re-list my books with Amazon KDP Select, I’d have to go through a very rigorous check and approval process.

In your dreams, dear Dolores Umbridge/ Amazon whipper-snapper, or whatsyourname… No more flirting with KDPS for me. If it’s too good to be true, it most certainly is. Between the near ZERO effectiveness of the KDP Select program and Amazon’s aggressively bullying attitude toward Indie authors, the final verdict is simple in its finality: Amazon KDP Select is OUT; Smashwords, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, Sony, Apple are IN!

This time, there is no doubt in my mind: the future is diversification! 

Sure, Amazon is a big retailer, and a lot of people buy books through them. Of course, I’ll continue working with them for both ebooks and paperbacks. But not exclusively.

My books are returning to Barnes&Noble, Kobo, Sony, Apple. Check’em out! And by the way, a couple are #FREE:

Lada Ray Books at a Glance + buy links 

Conclusion: In the fast changing world of the new era of publishing, we have to evolve quickly, just to keep up with constant change. The paradigm has already significantly shifted since last year and it requires a different sales and marketing strategy. I am working on mine. Do you?

Read related articles:

#FREEBIES and More! My Books Back on #Smashwords!

Are Negative Reviews Worth Our Attention?

A Must Read if You Are an Author: Does Amazon KDP Select Free Promo Work? (This article was in response to my very first KDPS experience of 2012, before my books hit bestseller lists).

#FREEBIES and more! My books back on #Smashwords!

YAY! A big sigh of relief and liberation from bondage! All my books are now off KDP Select and back to Smashwords.

Smash buy links:

The Earth Shifter

          Gold Train (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure)

          Stepford USA (Accidental Spy Small Town Adventure)

Great news! To celebrate this momentous occasion, I am making Green Desert and Catharsis FREE!

Download FREE!

Catharsis, Legend of the Lemurians                              Green Desert

Childhood Memories: Sun, Black Sea, Fun, Odessa…

This is part 2 of my Odessa, The Pearl of the Black Sea mini-series.

Odessa Bay, including port and the iconic Odessa Lighthouse – one of its symbols.

Odessa Seaport. Seeing Off a Ship – Monument to all who are at sea and to those who are waiting ashore. The Odessa Lighthouse can be seen in the background.

The population of Odessa is just over a million, however its cultural impact and its presence are on par with larger capitals of the world. At the same time, it preserves the rare charm and coziness of a much smaller place. Odessa is a self-styled “state within a state” which always fancied itself as a porto franco, while being fatefully stuck in someone else’s backyard. But it’s one of those places that is destined to always bounce back from any adversity or disappointment. It’ll always find its balance because of its built-in DNA of fun, love, art, success and humor! And THAT no one can take away.

In this city, art has always been very important. Cobblestoned Pushkin Street with Odessa Philharmonics on the left.

Famous Russian writer/poet Alexander Pushkin was exiled to Odessa from the Russian capital of St Petersburg in the first part of the 19th century. Located on Pushkin Street, the beautiful building above was his residence while in Odessa. It is presently the Pushkin Museum.

Alexander Pushkin statue next to the Pushkin Museum

In general, Odessa boasts a pretty monumental list of famous scientists, engineers, writers, singers and athletes who were born, grew up, or lived at one point on another on these hospitable shores.

Included are: Sergei Korolev – the father of practical space exploration, who has sent the first Sputnik and the first man, Yury Gagarin, into Space (he went to school in Odessa); microbiologist Ilya Mechnikov (Odessa University is named after him); Vladimir Filatov, ophthalmologist, founder of the famed Filatov Eye Institute.

Sergei Korolev (right) and First Man is Space, Yury Gagarin

The family of the famous French singer Joe Dassin emigrated to Paris from Odessa. Unique singer Vitas, referred to as “a voice from an angel,” and “diamond of Russia,” who enjoys a god-like status in Asia due to his one-of-a-kind high pitch voice, was born and grew up in Odessa.

My favorite contemporary singer and songwirter Vitas. His voice is absolutely unique and impossible to replicate, his songs are amazing and otherwordly.

Vitas, The Star

Vitas, Opera #2

 Deribasovskaya. Statue of Leonid Utesov, Soviet screen legend, born in Odessa.

The classics of Russian and Jewish literature born here include Ilf and Petrov (12 Chairs and Golden Calf), Valentin Kataev (The White Sail Gleams), Yury Olesha, Isaak Babel, and others. The great poet/writer Ivan Bunin, first Russian recipient of the Nobel Prize for literature, lived here as well.

Monument to the classic satirical adventure by Ilf & Petrov, 12 Chairs. City Garden, Deribasovskaya.

Even though Odessa is a southern city, its figure skating school was famous for producing such Olympic/world figure skating greats as Oksana Baiul, Victor Petrenko, and their equally famous coach Galina Zmievskaya.

Oxana Baiul, 1994 Gold Olympic performance

Ice Dancers Oksana Grishuk & Evgeni Platov, Two-time Olympic, four-time world, three-time European champions were both born in Odessa.

Olympic/world/European medalists Elena Grushina and Ruslan Goncharov are also from Odessa.

Film makers/directors Sergei Eisenstein (Battleship Potemkin) and Aleksandr Dovzhenko lived and worked here.

Odessa Movie Studio, named after Alexandr Dovzhenko. I grew up next door, on the corner of the French Boulevard and Dovzhenko Street. The movie studio was the sponsor of my high-school, located across the street.

I’ve just barely scratched the surface. There are many, many other famous scientists, writers, dancers, skaters, gymnasts, etc.

Odessans live all over the world, but they never forget where they’ve come from.

The Worldwide Club of Odessans: http://www.odessitclub.org/

The Chairman of the club is a famous Russian comedian, Mikhail Zhvanetsky (on drawing above).

The slogan of the club is “Odessans of all countries, unite!”

A tribute to the famed Odessa beaches:

The landmark Arkadia Beach

More fun in the sun

A tribute to the nostalgic Odessa tram:

Old, old, old red tram

This is the red tram I grew up with

The new tram

The oversized bottle above reads “Champagne French Boulevard.” I grew up on French Boulevard (Frantsuzky Bulvar), called during soviet times Proletarian Boulevard (Proletarsky Bulvar). Its historic name was restored in the 1990s. This is a beautiful tree-lined and cobblestoned street lined with beaches, resorts, restaurants, Odessa Movie Studio and Musical Comedy Theatre. The only manufacturing facility in the area is fittingly a wine & champagne plant.

The historic Wine Factory on French Boulevard. The original historic sign reads: South Russian Winemaking Society.

 My pet tram, the famous Tram #5 running the span of the French Boulevard along all the beaches and resorts. The entrance to the Otrada Beach can be seen right behind it. Notice the man hanging from the tram? If you can believe it, this kind of dare is a “national Odessa sport,” but don’t try it at home.

Local charm: An old Odessa courtyard with a kitty (Odessky dvorik, as it is known). 

Only in Odessa. A strange apartment building called “a wall house.” How do people manage to live there? In reality, this is an optical illusion: the building is triangular in shape, which cannot be seen at this angle.

The landmark Odessa Train Station. My parents worked for Southern Railways and a big part of my childhood evolved around the station. How I adored to travel by train! I took every opportunity I had to hop on a train and go exploring.

Odessa University named after Ilya Mechnikov. I started my higher education here. 

This is one of my favorite childhood memories. While the Ottoman Khadzhibei fortress was destroyed during the Russian takeover, several fortresses in the surrounding area are still intact. How I loved visiting the Akkerman Fortress, located in the quiet town of Belgorod-Dnestrovsky, Odessa Oblast.

Akkerman fortress in Belgorod-Dnestrovsky, near Odessa

Odessa’s principal street, pedestrian Deribasovskaya and City Garden (Gorodskoy Sad)

A Ukrainian Cossack in historical costume on Primorsky Boulevard

And this is Odessa’s new tradition, The Bride Parade

Read Part 1: Odessa, The Pearl of the Black Sea

My Childhood Memories: Sun, Beach, Fun, Odessa…

This is part 2 of my Odessa, The Pearl of the Black Sea mini-series.

Odessa Bay, including port and the iconic Odessa Lighthouse – one of its symbols.

Odessa Seaport. Seeing Off the Ship – Monument to all who are at sea and to those who are waiting ashore. The Odessa Lighthouse can be seen in the background.

The population of Odessa is just over a million, however its cultural impact and its presence are on par with larger capitals of the world. At the same time, it preserves the rare charm and coziness of a much smaller place. Odessa is a self-styled “state within a state” which always fancied itself as a porto franco, while being fatefully stuck in someone else’s backyard. But it’s one of those places that is destined to always bounce back from any adversity or disappointment. It’ll always find its balance because of its built-in DNA of fun, love, art, success and humor! And THAT no one can take away.

In this city, art has always been very important. Cobblestoned Pushkin Street with Odessa Philharmonics on the left.

Famous Russian writer/poet Alexander Pushkin was exiled to Odessa from the Russian capital of St Petersburg in the first part of the 19th century. Located on Pushkin Street, the beautiful building above was his residence while in Odessa. It is presently the Pushkin Museum.

Alexander Pushkin statue next to the Pushkin Museum

In general, Odessa boasts a pretty monumental list of famous scientists, engineers, writers, singers and athletes who were born, grew up, or lived at one point on another on these hospitable shores.

Included are: Sergei Korolev – the father of practical space exploration, who has sent the first Sputnik and the first man, Yury Gagarin, into space (he went to school in Odessa); microbiologist Ilya Mechnikov (Odessa University is named after him); Vladimir Filatov, ophthalmologist, founder of the famed Filatov Eye Institute.

Sergei Korolev (right) and First Man is Space, Yury Gagarin

The family of the famous French singer Joe Dassin emigrated to Paris from Odessa. Unique singer Vitas, referred to as “a voice from an angel,” and “diamond of Russia,” who enjoys a god-like status in Asia due to his one-of-a-kind high pitch voice, was born and grew up in Odessa.

My favorite contemporary singer and songwirter Vitas. His voice is absolutely unique and impossible to replicate, his songs are amazing and otherwordly.

Vitas, The Star

Vitas, Opera #2

 Deribasovskaya. Statue of Leonid Utesov – beloved Soviet/Russian singer & actor born in Odessa.

The classics of Russian and Jewish literature born here include Ilf and Petrov (12 Chairs and Golden Calf), Valentin Kataev (The White Sail Gleams), Yury Olesha, Isaak Babel, and others. The great poet/writer Ivan Bunin, first Russian recipient of the Nobel Prize for literature, lived here as well.

Monument to the classic satirical adventure by Ilf & Petrov, 12 Chairs. City Garden, Deribasovskaya.

Even though Odessa is a southern city, its figure skating school was famous for producing such Olympic/world figure skating greats as Oksana Baiul, Victor Petrenko, and their equally famous coach Galina Zmievskaya.

Oxana Baiul, 1994 Gold Olympic performance

Ice Dancers Oksana Grishuk & Evgeni Platov, Two-time Olympic, four-time world, three-time European champions were both born in Odessa.

Olympic/world/European medalists Elena Grushina and Ruslan Goncharov are also from Odessa.

Film makers/directors Sergei Eisenstein (Battleship Potemkin) and Aleksandr Dovzhenko lived and worked here.

Odessa Movie Studio, named after Alexandr Dovzhenko. I grew up next door, on the corner of the French Boulevard and Dovzhenko Street. The movie studio was the sponsor of my high-school, located across the street.

I’ve just barely scratched the surface. There are many, many other famous scientists, writers, dancers, skaters, gymnasts, etc.

Odessans live all over the world, but they never forget where they’ve come from.

The Worldwide Club of Odessans: http://www.odessitclub.org/

The Chairman of the club is a famous Russian comedian, Mikhail Zhvanetsky (on drawing above).

The slogan of the club is “Odessans of all countries, unite!”

A tribute to the famed Odessa beaches:

The landmark Arkadia Beach

More fun in the sun

A tribute to the nostalgic Odessa tram:

Old, old, old red tram

This is the red tram I grew up with

The new tram

The oversized bottle above reads “Champagne French Boulevard.” I grew up on French Boulevard (Frantsuzky Bulvar), called during soviet times Proletarian Boulevard (Proletarsky Bulvar). Its historic name was restored in the 1990s. This is a beautiful tree-lined and cobblestoned street lined with beaches, resorts, restaurants, Odessa Movie Studio and Musical Comedy Theatre. The only manufacturing facility in the area is fittingly a wine & champagne plant.

The historic Wine Factory on French Boulevard. The original historic sign reads: South Russian Winemaking Society.

 My pet tram, the famous Tram #5 running the span of the French Boulevard along all the beaches and resorts. The entrance to the Otrada Beach can be seen right behind it. Notice the man hanging from the tram? If you can believe it, this kind of dare is a “national Odessa sport,” but don’t try it at home.

Local charm: An old Odessa courtyard with a kitty (Odessky dvorik, as it is known). 

Only in Odessa. A strange apartment building called “a wall house.” How do people manage to live there? In reality, this is an optical illusion: the building is triangular in shape, which cannot be seen at this angle.

The landmark Odessa Train Station. My parents worked for Southern Railways and a big part of my childhood evolved around the station. How I adored to travel by train! I took every opportunity I had to hop on a train and go exploring.

Odessa University named after Ilya Mechnikov. I started my higher education here. 

This is one of my favorite childhood memories. While the Ottoman Khadzhibei fortress was destroyed during the Russian takeover, several fortresses in the surrounding area are still intact. How I loved visiting the Akkerman Fortress, located in the quiet town of Belgorod-Dnestrovsky, Odessa Oblast.

Akkerman fortress in Belgorod-Dnestrovsky, near Odessa

Odessa’s principal street, pedestrian Deribasovskaya and City Garden (Gorodskoy Sad)

A Ukrainian Cossack in historical costume on Primorsky Boulevard

And this is Odessa’s new cool tradition, The Bride Parade

Read Part 1: Odessa, The Pearl of the Black Sea

Are Negative Reviews Worth Our Attention?

As the author of 5 books, including 1 epic novel (THE EARTH SHIFTER), 2 full-size novels (GOLD TRAIN & STEPFORD USA) and 2 novelettes (Catharsis, Legend of the Lemurians & Green Desert), I’ve received lots of fabulous reviews, as well as my fair share of negative ones. I suppose it’s natural, as it’s impossible for everyone to like our writing. That said, it is so much easier to write pop lit, which goes down easily and is consumed as the mental equivalent of coke or white flower cake. Chances of receiving a low starred review are also much lower if the subject you write about is a “consensus” one, in other words, the society at large agrees that the way you present your story (or topic for non-fiction)  is how it should play out. Another way of saying this is that you are “politically correct” and your point of view is accepted by society as a dominant one.

It is a very different thing to be at the forefront of change, stimulating people’s thought and imagination. Those of us brave enough to write about controversial and important topics that we want to help people understand, unwittingly subject themselves to attacks and criticism of the lowest nature from those who fail to understand or are unwilling to accept.

Many of us, Indie authors and publishers, have had previous, or present, successful careers. Unlike most mainstream authors, who’ve only had a writing career and experience, many of us have accumulated much wisdom and knowledge which we are now ready to share. This knowledge and wisdom is important, and it includes our unique take on things. Most likely you won’t read anything of this kind in the mainstream lit – perhaps, this is precisely why you won’t read this in the mainstream lit.

Most of my books have been blessed with predominantly, or exclusively great reviews. The most controversial of my books is undoubtedly, GOLD TRAIN (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure), which has received a good number of 5 star, but also a few 2 & 3 star reviews after hitting Amazon bestseller lists last year (reaching #59 on kindle bestseller list #60 on amazon books, #2 mystery, #4 thriller).

GOLD TRAIN on Amazon US

That included a few pretty nasty 2 and 3 star reviews, but if there was any kernel of truth in any of them, I’ve learned from the experience and evolved. Recently, Gold Train was completely re-edited, with new scenes and passages added, taking into account some of the criticism that perhaps was deserved.

Up till this point, I have not had a single 1 star review. But there is a first time for everything.

As I once said to a friend author of mine, “once you receive your first negative review, consider yourself christened as a real author. Wear it as a badge of honor, as it means that your books are reaching mainstream — and welcome to the club!” And so, at this point, I consider myself welcomed to the club of those who have received “the dreaded” 1 star review.

Oh yeah, just to mention for those using or considering KDP Select free promo option: bear in mind that the proportion of negative reviews increases dramatically when you make your book free through this program. KDP Select free promo is used by authors to spread awareness of their books, however, this also increases the number of casual downloads.

As I said, if you write a controversial or unusual book, expect that some would not like it, or disagree with it on some level. Interestingly enough, some people simply won’t admit to themselves where their resistance or prejudice is coming from, so they would sublimate, blaming the book for something else, even if it’s unfair. I have never responded to any negative reviews before, but this recent 1 star review on Amazon UK was so laughable and unfair that I was compelled to respond. Below is the review and my response in its entirety.

Recent Gold Train review on Amazon UK:

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars  Not worth your time!  7 Jun 2013
By TheDad

“I was expecting some sort of adult fiction, that is something written for any one aged ten or over. This book is lacking in plot, reality, basis for what happens and why and most importantly that the reader just accepts the word on the page as to how things are. For example there is a plot against Russia, but the internal Russian authorities rely on the heroine of the book to solve their problems. The heroine a journalist is not anywhere in the class of any other central character I have ever read.

This author is no Stieg Larsson! Much less so an Enid Blyton. The only plus side was that is was not too long!”

My response:

Hello, “The Dad.” This is the author of Gold Train, Lada Ray. Thank you for posting this review after you downloaded my book for free during my recent promotion. I usually do not respond to customer reviews. However in this case I felt it was necessary, as I believe your review is grossly misleading to potential buyers of the book, not to mention, unfair and lacking in basis. Point by point:

“I was expecting some sort of adult fiction, that is something written for any one aged ten or over.” 

You flatter me! Considering a number of other reviewers noted a couple of what I call “tasteful adult scenes” in the book, and some even went as far as to say that it was meant for adult audience… I feel you are more in the ballpark here than some others, as in my opinion, Gold Train is appropriate for general audience.

“This book is lacking in plot, reality, basis for what happens” 

1. Plot: Even the book’s critics admitted the plot was good and clear, and that the book was well-researched. The plot is also clearly described in the product description section. Moreover, you contradict yourself throughout your review. You say: “There is a plot against Russia, but the internal Russian authorities rely on the heroine of the book to solve their problems.” In this sentence you’ve just described Gold Train’s plot. Suggest looking up the meaning of the word “plot” in a dictionary. More about that below.

2. Reality and basis: I was born and grew up in Russia and I know more about that country than most people, especially in the West. When I talk about Russia, you can trust that I talk from a position of knowledge, authority, as well as from the heart. The situations described in the book are very life-like and true to Russia, as pointed out by many reviewers, down to details like seeing a Gypsy – a fixture in Russian cities, food, apartments, homes of the rich, landmarks, noble names and royal heritage, etc.

You may check out my bio on the book’s Amazon.com page, as well as my popular blog LadaRay.wordpress.com for all the information, as well as many interesting posts about Russia. The basis of the story is a historical fact of the disappearance of the Gold Reserve of the Russian Empire in 1918. This historical fact you can also verify. As to the reality and basis of the present day events: I write extensively about Russian oligarchs and the Chechen groups; I studied their connection with the CIA, MI6 and other agencies. These hidden connections are no secret in Russia and many other countries. If you exclusively consume the British mainstream media, in that case of course, you would know nothing of this, as everything in the UK media would be anti-Russian and politically biased. Suggest looking outside of mainstream for real news.

Practices and people described in the book are based on real events and persons, dead or alive. The character of the Russian oligarch is partly based on the oligarchs I knew personally, and partly, on the infamous Boris Berezovsky, a fugitive from the Russian authorities in London, who was granted asylum status in the UK and who recently hung himself in his London estate. I’m sure you can find lots about him even in the UK mainstream media.

Again, you can read more about that on my blog. You can also read about my geopolitical analysis and predictions on my other blog: futuristrendcast.wordpress.com.

You clearly don’t know, nor understand, the facts presented in the book. Historians who have reviewed the book have acknowledged the historical veracity of the premise.

Also, let’s remember that this is still a fictional story, which bridges the gap between history, spy thriller and romantic mystery. Reading it as such is helpful. If you want to read a history book, I suggest looking in a different section. And good luck with that!

“There is a plot against Russia, but the internal Russian authorities rely on the heroine of the book to solve their problems.” First of all, I would appreciate your not revealing important plot points in your review. This introduces spoilers and is not helpful for anyone!

Secondly, it is clearly explained in the book WHY Russian authorities have to seek out Jade’s help: it is because she is well-positioned on the inside, and they are running out of time. There is more to the story, but I suggest you actually read the book to find out why her presence is required, as it appears you didn’t read it very carefully at all.

Oh, yeah, to clarify: the Russian authorities DO NOT RELY on Jade “to solve their problems,” they rely on her to spy and bring intel to them. But she, being her usual adventurous self (and because she is secretly in possession of the key to solving the mystery of the gold), takes it upon herself to go an extra mile.

As to the main character, it is very subjective: some love her to death and can’t wait to read her next adventure, some don’t, and then there all kinds of opinions in between. This is true of every character in every book you’ll read. However, you choose to get personal, and that is not acceptable!

“This author is no Stieg Larsson! Much less so an Enid Blyton.” First, who is Enid Blyton? Am I supposed to know this person?

As to Stieg Larsson, he is a fine writer, although not my favorite. Whoever mentioned any resemblance of Gold Train to Stieg Larsson’s writing? Where did you read that? In the book description? Reviews? Any other place? My guess – nowhere. So why did you assume it should resemble his writing?

In fact, on Amazon.com you will find a section entitled “From the Author,” in which I clearly state: “If I had to make a comparison with another book, I’d say that Gold Train protagonists, Jade and Alexei, share traits and spirit with Claire and Jamie, protagonists of The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon. The spirit of the book will also appeal to the fans of The Da Vinci Code and Jason Bourne. Having said that, I want to stress again and again that this is a totally original book/series, complete with a new and original heroine. No clones here!”

These kinds of inaccuracies and misrepresentations make this review entirely unhelpful and misleading! My suggestion to readers: don’t rely on such reviews to judge anyone’s book! Read Gold Train’s Amazon sample, description, author bio, check out my 2 blogs, and then decide for yourself if you are interested in reading my books!

Lada Ray

Link to Gold Train on Amazon UK

****

In conclusion, I also want to mention a recent post by a friend author of mine, Paulette Mahurin, whose brave book, THE PERSECUTION OF MILDRED DUNLAP, written about prejudice against gays/lesbians in the rural USA, has also invited some controversy, but also generated a loyal fan base. Paulette is a very sweet and kind person with a soft spot for animals and burning desire to right the social wrongs, and I am privileged to call her my friend.

Paulette has been blessed with lots of great reviews for her book. However, she recently posted about her own 1 star review experience. Unfortunately, I don’t have the link to her original post (if Paulette reads this, I’d greatly appreciate her adding the link in a comment section). However, here’s the link to her blog, including all about her book: http://thepersecutionofmildreddunlap.wordpress.com/

I just thought I’d include my response to the above-mentioned Paulette’s post, to help illustrate my point.

“Hi Paulette,

This post has really struck a cord with me. As you know, I loved Mildred and my 5* review can attest to that.

I know exactly what you mean. It’s so incredibly difficult to write a good book into which we put our heart and soul, and then have enough courage to release our baby out into the big world, exposing our most sacred, naked, vulnerable feelings and thoughts for all to see.

And after all this work, getting these crude and cruel, off-handed rejections by someone who didn’t even take the time to read the book, nor to hear the message… And in my case, it was doubly hard as I’m a foreigner, with certain differences in my self-expression, language, etc. Being given 2 & 3 stars because someone didn’t like the difference in language was especially terrible.

Being a positive person, and normally far and away from such negative people and attitudes, I was in shock. I thought, how could anyone possibly not see the intent of the book, how could anyone possibly not see how kind, evolved and heroic Jade Snow (the main character of Gold Train) is? How could one possibly not understand that in other countries people use English language somewhat differently? I am a very quick study, so after some of these Gold Train reviews, I quickly transitioned to writing in English in a more American way.

Those several reviews sometimes felt like lynching. All this was awfully hard and I can totally relate to how you feel.

Like with The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap, my mystery/thriller Gold Train (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure) received a fair share of attention last year, making it to the Amazon best-seller lists. And 2 & 3 star reviews followed, together with all the meanness that goes along with them. Like you, I was more hurt for the main character and the message of the book than for myself. It hurt awfully, but I learned to develop immunity to all that. Of course, it helped to receive all those fabulous 5 star reviews.

What I want to say is that it’s hard because our books are our babies, but really, those who don’t understand us are not our readers anyway.”

So, these are two different responses of mine to the same problem, one detached and analytical, and another rather revealing and emotional. I’m sure every artist and every creative person out there can relate. Is it worth paying attention to negative reviews? Should we just ignore them? Can we learn from them?

What do you think? I’d love to hear your reaction!

Related articles

Got an Unfair Book Review after Your FREE KDP Days? (savvybookwriters.wordpress.com)

Paul Craig Roberts: U.S. Trying to Push Back a Dollar Blowup

Reblogged from futuristrendcast.wordpress.com

A must listen/read, even if you are not “into politics & economics!” This concerns ALL!

Paul Craig Roberts: U.S. Trying to Push Back a Dollar Blowup

He’s one of the best analysts I know and a very wise man, whose heart is in the right place.

Brilliant analysis of the present state of the US and global economy; US #geopolitical games with #Russia & #China; the real secret reason for the newly signed Transatlantic Free Trade Agreement with the #EU; where the #dollar is headed; #gold and #naturalresources; systemic corruption in the US and EU; the #fracking lie, and more… By the amazing Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, Reagan Administration‘s Assistant Treasury Secretary in charge of economic policy, known as the Father of #Reaganomics (I believe he’s repented since ). He also is a former editor of The Wall Street Journal.

Plus, you thought this could never happen in the #USA? Below, read Dr. Paul Craig Roberts’ revealing and damning article that has made a lot of noise.

Click here to watch & read more!

CATHARSIS and GREEN DESERT Free on Kindle!

I am making my two novelettes, CATHARSIS (Legend of the Lemurians) & GREEN DESERT (Accidental Spy Iraq Prequel), FREE for one day each on Kindle this upcoming week! Grab your copy & spread the word!

GREEN DESERT free Wednesday, 7/17: Amazon US  UK   DE  (available in other countries as well).

Blurb:

“Being in the wrong place at just the right time is my specialty.”

Meet Jade Snow, kick-ass international journalist, turned stay-at-home mom (Stepford USA), turned spy extraordinaire (Gold Train). Set in Iraq, this prequel novelette is her experience before the start of the Accidental Spy Series.

Young, witty and beautiful international journalist, Jade Snow, travels to Iraq to shoot a documentary about the Iraqi insurgency. In Baghdad she, as usual, finds herself in the wrong place at just the right time. After witnessing a dramatic suicide bombing, and as two unlikely letters from the opposite sides of the conflict drop in her lap, Jade must trace the shocking connection between the suicide bomber, a young Iraqi girl and American sergeant killed in the attack.

The Butterfly Effect with an unexpected twist, this short, but full of action and drama read explores how interconnected we really are in this world.

CATHARSIS free Thursday, 7/18: Amazon US   UK    DE  (available in other countries as well).

Blurb: 

Karma can be a beautiful maiden or a bitch… Lemurians… Atlanteans… Hidden origins of Humanity…
Before recorded history, before Humanity, since times immemorial, the Earth Keepers have been watching over our planet. Marked at birth and endowed with supreme powers, the nine chosen ones are the Earth’s record keepers and moderators, and when the time comes, the ultimate decision makers. This is the first of their chronicles.
..
Legend of the Lemurians
The population of the red planet Catharsis, on the outskirts of the Andromeda Galaxy, is exceedingly beautiful. But Catharsians harbor a terrible secret: they have to share the planet with another race, which they call the Uglies, although the Uglies themselves prefer to be called Lemurians. Alas, no one on Catharsis cares what the Uglies prefer. Being ugly is considered a contagious disease, and the Uglies are herded into a special reservation called Camp Ugly, where they live out their drudgery behind an electric fence. But the Uglies don’t seem to fret as they raise their young, guard the planet’s Crystalline Engine, and sing their heart-stopping songs to the Goddess of All, Mother Mu. And so, both races co-exist without much interaction, until the ultimate disaster strikes.
Morf is a seventeen-year-old Ugly who finds himself in the middle of it all. He is thrust fatefully into the leadership position when no one else can fill its shoes.

Will the catastrophe bring to light everyone’s true beauty and true ugliness?

Will planet Catharsis survive?

What destiny lies in store for the Uglies?

We are about to find out…
..
This is book 1 of the Earth Keepers Chronicles, a new series of metaphysical fantasy/scifi novelettes. It is companion & prequel to THE EARTH SHIFTER, a top-rated visionary fantasy/thriller.
..