Ognian Georgiev's Blog, page 16

INTERVIEWS WITH FELLOW AUTHORS

I am always enjoying learning something more about self-publishing authors like me. During the process of creating the English version of The white prisoner: Galabin Boevski's secret storyI read a lot about all the tricks to make a good final product. Most of the info I gathered from author’s blogs. So I think there is always sense to browse and check out my colleagues personal web spaces.

This is why I will start an interview host of fellow authors in my personal blog http://ogigeorgiev.wordpress.com/ Priority will be given to writers of the following themes: Non-fiction, Sports, History, Crime, Thrillers, Fantasy and Travel.

If you want to join, please go to http://ogigeorgiev.wordpress.com/inte... and write below your name, give me a link to your amazon book page and left me your e-mail. You can do it via personal message here at goodreads, as well. I will contact you with questions.

Good luck

THE BOOKS ARE AT HOME

Finally

I received my author's copies of The white prisoner: Galabin Boevski's secret story. My daughter Valeria is happy to play with them.


I am very satisfied how the print edition is looking, so thanks to Create Space. The only problem was the delivery time. I ordered the author's copies on 30 May and they came up on 22 July to my home country Bulgaria. The estimate delivery time was set to 18 July.

I contact Create Space's support on 21 July with an ask where are the books. One of my test readers also wrote me that he didn't receive the book, that i ordered for him with estimate date 16 July.

The Support team of Create Space did a great job! They send their excuses with a free pack of books with the most fastest delivery possible. So the second pack of books came to me just two days after the original one (24 July). Now I have two sets of books! My test reader Slawomir Judek also received his copies!

Good end of story!

Awesomegang interview

One of the best web sources for indie authors Awesomegang recently gave me a change to post something about me as author in kind of interview form. Read below or Check it here



Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.

Hello, thanks for the chance to speak with you. I am a professional journalist, working as sports editor at “Bulgaria Today” daily newspaper. My first article was written in 2000. Since then the duties send me around the world to cover some of the most interesting sports events. I’ve got a chance to be at the last two Summer Olympics and to feel something very special there.

My first book “The white prisoner: Galabin Boevski’s secret story” was published in Bulgaria in December 2013. The English edition was released on Amazon as e-book and on CreateSpace as print on 30 May 2014.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“The white prisoner: Galabin Boevski’s secret story” is a real life non fiction novel. The events in the book happened during the amazing life of the main character, who was Olympic, World and European weightlifting champion. He was considered as one of the best in the history of the sport, but in 2011 was sentenced for nice years in Brazil prison for cocaine traffic.

All of a sudden, one day in October 2013, Galabin Boevski landed in Sofia airport. Nobody knows how he was able to get out of the prison just two years after he was put in.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love to write at the evening after the end of my work. When the silence started to rule around me I’ve got a chance to enter into my book’s world. As my novel is non fiction the research was connected with a lot of interviews. So first i need to script down the interviews and then to organize how the book will look.

I may write for hours, but when my eyes start to hurt I stop.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Karl May and Emilio Salgari were my favorites when I was a kid. Then I found the world of fantasy authors like Raymond Feist, George Martin, Guy Gavriel Kay. From the crime genre Michael Connelly is the person who makes me feel great pleasure when reading. I am big fan of history books, because of my University specialty – Archaeology.

What are you working on now?
I am trying to do the best possible marketing for my book. For now it gives nice results, but I am learning a lot every day. For every indie author it’s very important to find the right way to introduce his book the the readers and always to respect them.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am spending a lot of my time updating the facebook page of the book (https://www.facebook.com/galabin.boevsky) with some nice stories and pictures. Recently I find as well twitter to be very nice way to show the audience your book. Goodreads is great place for finding some new friends and to receive any kind of help or advice as author or reader!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I am new author as well, so my impressions are quite fresh. The most important thing is to follow their own style and not to become slaves of well written guide “How to become best-selling author”. Yeah, you may receive some hints, considering the writing, editing and marketing, but it’s up to you to do the best possible to prepare the next big hit in literature.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To consider myself publishing my book on English. The language is not my strong part. This was the reason that I used professional translator, English editor and a strong army of test readers.

What are you reading now?
Sergey Lukyanenko’s Night watch series. He is very good writer. I love the way he developed his ideas.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I started to make the research and pre-marketing of my next book. It will be a real life story for two of the most successful sportsmen in the world. Their careers changed in very interesting way after they clashed in Atlanta Olympics.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
For sure it will be books that I never read and they will be big ones. Probably the only one that I would take from those that were read will be Theodor Momsen’s Roman history. This is a peace of brilliance. It’s so reach, that you may build your very own world in such a desert island. Mika Waltari and his Sinuhe The Egyptian will also be in my list. Probably the other two will be the last John Grisham novel and the latest sports biography that is on the market.

RANDALL J STROSSEN: IF YOU ARE A WEIGHTLIFTING FAN, THIS IS A MUST-READ BOOK

Weightlifting guru among journalists Randall J Strossen made a very pleasant comment about “The white prisoner: Galabin Boevski’s secret story”. He is not only a Publisher of Milo magazine, but also is covering every big championships around the planet. Mr. Strossen was one of the test readers of the book. Here are his words about the novel:

“The White Prisoner provides a rare glimpse into the world of Bulgarian weightlifting—chronicling the development of Olympic gold medalist, world champion and world record holder Galabin Boevski, and how things went awry: first in weightlifting and then in Brazil. If you are a weightlifting fan, this is a must-read book, and if you want to be introduced to a gritty world and a universal sport you might never have known existed, you will also want to dive into The White Prisoner.”

Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. , Founder & President, IronMind Enterprises, Inc.



The photo was shared by Mr. Strossen on the official twitter of “The white prisoner: Galabin Boevski’s secret story”. It’s unique moment – Boevski and the president of Bulgarian weightlifting fededration Anton Kodjabashev just before some of his attempts in Sydney.

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You may order a print copy of the book with B&W photos here: https://www.createspace.com/4808648
The digital/e-book version of the book is available on Amazon. You may find the direct link to the book on the main facebook page right next to likes counter or click here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K...

https://www.facebook.com/galabin.boevsky
https://twitter.com/galabinboevski

REVIEW OF THE BOOK BY ALAN ABRAHAMSON

The first reviews of “The white prisoner: Galabin Boevski’s secret story” are starting to come. Award-winning journalist, best-sellers writer and described as “Best source of information about the [Olympic] Games and the culture that surrounds them” in the book “Private Games” Alan Abrahamson gives his opinion about the edition. He was one of our test readers. Here is his article about “The white prisoner: Galabin Boevski:

Weightlifting, and the many turns of fate

At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, three Bulgarian weightlifters failed doping tests. The rules said the entire Bulgarian team was thereupon supposed to be expelled. However, Galabin Boevski had already competed and, because he did not test positive, he was allowed to keep his gold medal.
In 2004, Boevski was found liable of tampering with the urine sample he provided at the 2003 world championship in Vancouver. He would be banned from competition for eight years.
In October, 2011, Boevski was arrested at the airport at Sao Paolo, Brazil, while trying to board a plane to Spain. The authorities found nine kilos, or nearly 20 pounds, of cocaine, in his bags.

The cover of a new book that delves deeply into the culture of Bulgarian weightlifting
Galabin Boevski is a complicated figure and weightlifting is a complex sport, filled with intrigue and drama. On the stage, the bar does not lie. You either lift it or not. Behind the scenes, however, as a new book, The White Prisoner: Galabin Boevski’s Secret Story, makes plain, it can be an enormous struggle not just to become Olympic champion but to stay on top.
The book, written by Ognian Georgiev, sports editor at the “Bulgaria Today” daily newspaper, available Friday, offers a revealing look into a sports culture that demands further — and intense — examination…

Read the rest of the article: http://www.3wiresports.com/2014/05/29...

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To order a print copy of the book with B&W photos click here: https://www.createspace.com/4808648
Today is the final day of 10% discount code: J2GURFTX

The digital/e-book version of the book is available on Amazon. You may find the direct link here:
The white prisoner: Galabin Boevski’s secret story[image error]

The book is on!

“The white prisoner: Galabin Boevski’s secret story”’s worldwide English premiere is finally here.

It was a great journey to prepare the version. Almost tougher as to write the original Bulgarian, which was published last year.

More then 30 new and old friends contributed to the book. I will not mention them here. There is special gratitude page in the book. Thank you guys for all your efforts and advices.

I must mention the community at the official page of the book: https://www.facebook.com/galabin.boevsky. Every poster, who asked when the book will be on the market, encouraged me more and more to hurry up and to make things as best as I can.

You may see as well some very nice discussions in the twitter page https://twitter.com/galabinboevski with amazing rare photos by MILO journal publisher Randall J Strossen, who witnessed by himself most of the events in the book.

Today was a common day in my newspaper. I must do my daily writings in our redaction, but my mind was thinking just about the tomorrow day. It’s kind of the moment, when my baby girl was up to be born or when I went to check my entering exams results for University.

Probably someday I will remember what was the feeling in the days before publishing my first ever book worldwide!

Ognian Georgiev, author of “The white prisoner: Galabin Boevski’s secret story”


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You may get here the print edition: https://www.createspace.com/4808648

For e-book copy use this link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K...

HERE COMES THE COVER!!!

Ladies and Gents, I am proud to present to you the cover of my book “The white prisoner – Galabin Boevski’s secret story”. The art was made by designer Velizar Stefanov.

First excerpt of The white prisoner

The white prisoner - Galabin Boevski's secret story

Here is the first excerpt of the book "The white prisoner - Galabin Boevski's secret story". The World wide English premiere is set for 30 May!

The last workout in Pernik was at its peak. The big star Yoto Yotov was feeling at home. On the neighbouring stages Galabin Boevski and Damian Damianov, who was removed from the national team, were getting ready. The heavyweight division talent still hadn’t forgiven Abadzhiev for his expulsion.
“You have to be very careful with the Senior Trainer. If he doesn’t like you, you will have trouble,” bald headed Damianov says. He talks slowly, and his words are full of hate. “You will see for yourself his system is not the best. The coaches say in the old days he had 7-8 men in every division. The choice was wide. It was a massacre. He didn’t care if you damaged yourself, because there were others waiting. If you got injured, he wouldn’t even remember your name. He is doing the same thing now, and we are ten men in the team.
“I will train using my personal trainer Hristo Boev’s procedures. We had the best results that way,” Galabin agrees, because he had heard what the training sessions were like under Abadzhiev.
“I hear he is preparing Georgi Markov for your category. He is very strong,” Damianov added.
“Even better for both of us. We will compete with each other,” Boevski said happily, as he was afraid of no man.
“You are smart to keep away from the thugs during your ban. It’s a lot more complicated now for me. You can see they don’t want me in the national team. I don’t know what is going to happen, but I have to earn cash some way,” added the World junior champion.
“Things are better now in the club. It is very important for an athlete not to have to worry what his wife and children are going to eat,” Boevski, whose results were stabilizing daily, confirmed. “I feel sad when I start going to camps, and don‘t see Paul and Sarah. It’s a complete pain to keep us isolated for so long.”
“It’s a pain for you, but essential for the likes of me, so we don’t get distracted,” said Damian Damianov, who was not one of the strictest regime followers among the elite weightlifters.

***

Abadzhiev had gathered the national athletes for a camp before the World Championships in Lahti (Finland). Four years after the European Championships for juniors in Rome, Galabin had a chance to set foot on an international stage. This would be the second big competition, after the European in Riesa, in which the men’s categories would be cut back. It would be 8, down from 10.
Galabin doesn’t have much of choice. His previous category – 64 kg, no longer existed. He had gained some weight and it is clear there is no way he could compete in 62 kg, where Sevdalin Minchev had an almost reserved place in the squad. His goal was 69 kg, where Plamen Zhelyazkov has established his position.
About twenty weightlifters are competing for eight positions in the national team. The battle would be tough.

***

The knock on the door was followed by a calm “Get up”. Ivan Abadzhiev was the only coach in the world to personally wake his weightlifters. Galabin got up and reached for the pack of “Victory” . The window was wet with condensation during the night, and outside the dirty Sofia mist was obscuring everything. On the second knock Gardev jumped up and opened the window.
“Georgi, shut it, we will catch a cold!” Boevski breathed out.
“Galab, if you don’t throw away that cigarette, I won’t close it,” grumpily Gardev replied, using the short form of Galabin’s name.
“Oh come on, why are you pretending to be a non-smoker?” Galabin said as he put on the national team’s tracksuit.
“Am I smoking – yes, I am, but I never light a cigarette before noon,” the weightlifter from Pazardzhik sniffed and headed for the bathroom. At least there the air wasn’t smoky.
“Here, I give you my word – if I become an Olympic champion, I will stop smoking,” Boevski vowed.
“Ha ha ha,” Gardev laughed and even splattered the mirror with toothpaste. “It would be easier for you to become an Olympic champion than quit smoking”
Ivan Abadzhiev didn’t cause trouble over smoking. All athletes knew it was not healthy for them. The bad habit had a serious effect on football players, boxers, athletes and cyclists who used their lungs more. For weightlifters smoking was harmless, and most of the athletes in the national team always had a stash of cigarettes.
Galabin tried smoking for the first time in “Olympic Hopes”. It was just showing off at first. Ten boys gathered money together for a box, which emptied quite fast. The talented sportsman from Knezha started smoking seriously after the doping scandal in 1995.

***

Galabin was lifting hard during training. Things were working out. After each session Boevski went back to the room and opened a lined notebook. He marked his progress and kept everything according to plan.
In the evenings the weightlifter, who would turn 24 in a month, called his uncle. He gave an account of his progress. They were discussing the problems on the technical side. Galabin was pleased with the progress he had made. Abadzhiev too. The Senior Trainer decided to trust Boevski who officially became part of the national team’s squad.

***

On one of the last training sessions prior to leaving for Finland Galabin put a wet shirt on his back. He was warm and didn’t feel the cold seeping into his back. The pain came on steadily. Two days before the competition his shoulder blade was hurting badly. The doctor was helpless. He explained the muscles contracted faster due to the sudden change in temperature. The pain was coming from a pinched nerve. The trauma could be healed in a couple of days, if treated correctly, but at its peak it made the body very sore.
“Doctor, I feel like a cane, what should I do?” Galabin, worried, asked on the day of his competition. He knew Abadzhiev didn’t accept injury as an excuse for failure. If he had to, the Senior Trainer would let a weightlifter compete with one arm.
“The injection would not help a lot,” the national team’s doctor replied. “Bear in mind, that when the barbell presses down on you, you will have trouble breathing.”

The white prisoner - Galabin Boevski's secret story English release

The white prisoner - Galabin Boevski's secret story will be released on English on 30 May! We are now in the final steps of editorial works.

Post №1

Will try to right a blog in ten sentences (10).

Now i left with only nine (9).

I must stop wasting them (8).

But got to mention that seven is my favorite number (7).

When i was six years old didn't want to go to school (6).

On the fifth day there I found out where is the library (5).

I already knew the letters when I was forth (4).

The nice librarian gave me three books at once to read at home (3).

The quota for others was just two (2).

One day I wrote my first book (1)


The end :)