Author Interview – Eve Koguce
Today, I am pleased to welcome multi-genre author Eve Koguce to talk to us about her books and how she brings her home country of Latvia into her writing.
Helen: Welcome Eve. I’m intrigued about how you came to write in so many genres, but before we get into that, tell us a little about your books.
Eve: All my books have a certain share of controversy, but “The Accidental Cop” is probably the most controversial of them.
The Neglected Merge trilogy doesn’t fit neatly into any fantasy category. Besides, the protagonist is thirty-two in book one and fifty-one in book three. While a coming-of-age novel “Finding Your Way” is set in Latvia and has a slight touch of magical realism.
“The Accidental Cop” is also a cross-genre book. It isn’t a purely crime fiction novel since it doesn’t start with finding a dead body and end with unmasking the murderer. It also doesn’t tick all the boxes of a noir crime genre. It is a blend of noir crime and police procedural with psychological suspense elements.
Set in Latvia at the end of the first post-Soviet decade, “The Accidental Cop” tells the story of Roberts Bergs. At twenty-one, he struggles to find his place within the corrupted police system without betraying his principles. To succeed you must play by the rules. Roberts learns the rules quickly. The system run by the Soviet-era ex-militia officers is a good teacher. Who you know counts for more than your abilities, qualifications, and knowledge. The system also doesn’t tolerate disobedience. Still, Roberts keeps climbing up the career ladder. The contrast between those who play by the rules and those who believe in honesty and justice becomes starker. Luxury and self-indulgence for the first, and dragging out a miserable existence for the latter. Roberts has to make more difficult choices. Is it worth it to remain true to his principles? Or is succumbing to the corrupted and merciless system the only way to survive?
Writing “The Accidental Cop” was a unique experience. It was inspired by countless stories I’ve heard from different people over two decades. Readers say that it was interesting for them to find out about the period of time in Latvia they didn’t know anything about. “Savage 90s” were a time of great turbulence for Latvia. It was challenging to try to portray this grim page of my country’s history without slipping either into the rose-tinted glasses outlook or utter disillusionment.
Helen: I imagine it was a challenge to give such a tumultuous period justice. It is so interesting to hear that your novel is based on real events. What can you tell us about your thoughts behind your cover?
Eve: It was important to me that the cover of “The Accidental Cop” would convey the essence of the book. I didn’t want it to delude the reader into thinking that they are about to read a thriller with a classic “superman” hero who saves everyone and puts all the bad guys in jail. Single-handedly, of course.
I wanted the cover to display the stark difference between Roberts’s world – grim and full of shadows – and the world of those who aren’t averse to corruption and crime. Roberts sees that there is a different life out there. He sees that it is possible to live without suffering from hunger, cold, and despair. But to change his life he has to betray everything he believes in.
Helen: It is so interesting to hear about the ideas behind the cover, there is always a lot more thought put in than you realise. Now, what made you write books in so many different genres?
Eve: I have written five books so far, and all of them are in different genres. Even the books within the same trilogy.
The Neglected Merge fantasy trilogy opens with a fantasy romance, followed by the fantasy drama “Tangle of Choices”, and wraps up with “Shifting Directions” which comprises coming-of-age, drama, and even thriller elements.
“Finding Your Way” is a coming-of-age novel with magical realism elements.
It is a great question why I do not stick to one genre. To be honest, I started asking it myself only when I was already deep in the promotion and marketing jungle. Learning more about the indie publishing universe, I realised the risks a multi-genre author has to face. Still, I do not regret having written books in different genres. These are the stories I wanted to share with the world.
Helen: I think that is what it comes down to, what is the story you want to tell? I know this is a difficult question, but out of all your books, who is your favourite character.
Eve: It is not easy to choose one, but my heart belongs to Alfred Greeks from the Neglected Merge trilogy. He is Tauria’s (Tauria is the main character of the trilogy) boss, mentor, and later, her trusted friend who understands her better than anyone. He is the one who supports her even when everyone else in her life can’t accept her choices. Alfred’s character is loosely based on someone who played a similar role in my life.
Alfred is almost one hundred years old in book one. But his mind is sharp and his interest in current affairs is acute. Despite his outstanding mind – or maybe because of it – Alfred chooses not to climb to the very top of the career ladder. His boss thinks he is a dreamer. While Alfred himself claims that it is dreamers who make the biggest changes happen.
If I ever return to the Neglected Merge universe, it is Alfred’s story that I will write. It warms my heart that when readers ask about my plans for sequels or prequels of the trilogy, they mention that they would want to read Alfred Greeks’s story.
Helen: What is your work in progress (WIP)?
Eve: The story is set in beautiful Dorset, on the fictional island of Southbay. I spent a couple of years living in the region. My lack of knowledge of local customs got me into some awkward situations. So, writing this book is a great chance to share these funny stories. I met many wonderful people while living in Dorset. Besides, my work let me travel all around the country, and I got a glimpse of the differences between North and South.
I’m working on a story of a young woman from Latvia who married an Englishman and moved to England. She realises she doesn’t really know the man she has married. At the same time, she falls deeper in love with the island she now calls home.
Helen: Dorset is beautiful. That is so neat that you can include your real life experiences in your story. When it comes to writing, which part do you find most challenging?
Eve: Personally, for me, the most challenging element of the writing process is finding the time to write. Or, more precisely, finding the balance between writing and other obligations. I guess, considering the dynamic lifestyle of the times we live in, it is a common problem for most writers.
At times, I feel guilty that I “steal” time from my family, concentrating on writing yet another book. I am also often distracted when I spend time with my son and my husband. The scenes that play on repeat and voices that talk in my head when I am working on a story aren’t easy to switch off. I am sure many writers can relate to that.
Helen: It can be a delicate work-life balance, and yes I agree, authors are easily distracted as we muse on plot knots and story lines. Thank you so much for spending time with me today. Just to close us out, could you share some of the books you have recently enjoyed reading?
Eve: I’ve been reading a lot of books by indie authors recently. And I can honestly say that discovering indie books has completely changed my reading experience.
I was always an avid reader. A few years ago, it became complicated to find a book that I couldn’t put down. Stories felt like ‘messages’ rather than immersive worlds as it was for me before. Then, I published “Neglected Merge”, and when searching for useful resources for indie authors, I discovered the Writing Community on Twitter with its incredibly talented authors.
I am not only a multi-genre author, I am also a multi-genre reader. Some of my favourite authors are Kelly Miller, Helena M. Craggs, Helen Aitchison, R.A. Hutchins, P.L. Stuart, R.P. Lauer, and Kat Kinney. I also loved books by Anne M. Smith-Nochasak and A-M Mawhiney.
I highly recommend Kelly Miller’s Austenesque novels to all Jane Austen fans. My first experience with reading a Jane Austen variation wasn’t especially good, and after that, I was sceptical about this genre. But Kelly Miller changed that. I especially recommend “Captive Hearts”; it’s a variation of “Persuasion”. “Persuasion” is my second favourite Jane Austen novel. I’ve always liked it more than the more popular “Sense and Sensibility” or “Emma”. “Captive Hearts” offers a more complete story of how Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth broke up and then reunited again. It also draws more nuanced portraits of secondary characters.
For all fans of Tolkien, I heartily recommend the epic fantasy series by P.L. Stuart, the Drowned Kingdom. Othrun, once the Second Prince of the mightiest kingdom, and then King of Eastrealm of Acremia, is probably the most extraordinary main character a reader will encounter in modern literature.
Helena M. Craggs and Kat Kinney write immersive, imaginative, and action-packed fantasy. New releases from them are always on the top of my reading list.
Helen Aitchison and Anne M. Smith-Nochasak write heartfelt stories that could happen to any of us. It has always been my favourite genre. For everyone who appreciates stories about people’s lives, I recommend checking Helen’s book “The Dinner Club” and Anne M. Smith-Nochasak’s novel “A Canoer of Shorelines”.
R.A. Hutchins has helped me to discover love for cosy mysteries. I was never a crime fiction fan, but her Baker’s Rise series is a pure delight to read.
R.P. Lauer and A-M Mawhiney bend all fantasy genre rules. I am proud to have “The Scars of Gaia” by R.P. Lauer on my bookshelf with a precious autograph of the author.
Helen: That is an amazing list of Indie authors! I will certinly check some of them out. Anything anecdotal you’d like to add?
Eve: Since I can’t remember any funny story worth sharing with a wider public, I’ll share a few funny pictures of my cats. Peach and Honey are half-siblings, and their relationship proves the truth about the relationship between brothers and sisters. They always seem to fight, with Honey trying not to let her brother have anything she wasn’t given first. Still, they are fiercely loyal to each other. Once, when we took Honey to the vet, Peach hasn’t eaten a single bite before his feisty sister returned home.
About the Author
Eve KoguceEve has been in love with books for as long as she remembers herself. The typewriter her first attempts at writing had been made at still sits proudly on its shelf in the basement, and when she goes down there, she always has the urge to save it from its exile.
Eve has always been writing something. Diaries, letters, poems, short stories. She had even attempted to write a novel a couple of times when she was about thirteen. Still, there was always something more important than her writing. There was always “real life” reminding me of its undeniable claims. “You have to study, you have to work, there is no place for fruitless dreaming,” it whispered. And she moved forward as if running on rails she couldn’t step down from.
Eve had spent fifteen years, trying to fit into the office work pattern. Do you remember Kevin Kline in the “In & Out” movie – “men do not dance”? Well, that used to be her philosophy – real people don’t write books. They work, they build careers, they travel through the corporate jungle. And despite she was feeling miserable and out of place every day of that climbing-the-ladder process, she managed to build a relatively successful career after an ambitious shift from the private to the public sector. The job she had wasn’t boring. It was actually pretty exciting. She worked with internationally funded projects and met people from all over the world every day. But it failed to ignite a spark in her heart.
After her son was born, she had a unique chance to stop and rethink not only what she’d achieved so far, but what she really wanted from life. She made a decision to leave her old life behind, and she has never regretted it.
Amazon Author page USA
You can purchase the Accidental Cop here:
Link to book on Amazon UK: eBook | Paperback
Linkt ot book on Amazon US: eBook | Paperback
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If you enjoy fantasy books with a touch of romance then you will love SoulBreather, or my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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