What is the sub-genre and trope? Did your characters lead you to this genre or
was that decided before the story began?
The Dream Lives On is a women’s fiction novel and it also has some elements of romance. I knew it would be a fiction novel even before I started writing it.
I must say that while the characters are all made up, the events are as real as they get. Many of the scenes in the book reflect what actually happened in the first days and months of the war. While I was not in Ukraine at that time, I kept daily contact with my family members who live there. I also made sure that my family reviewed the book before submitting it to the publisher to confirm that I reflected all the events as genuinely as possible.
Are you more character or plot driven?
I’m more character driven. Generally speaking, I have a broad plot in the back of my mind when I start writing the book. But I think there is no book without well developed characters. They are the ones who make the book shine. Once I have a broad outline of chapters, I start developing characters, and oftentimes I need to adjust the original plot in order to accommodate their personalities.
With many main and secondary characters, how do you keep them separated in your mind? Do you have a story/vision board above your workspace?
No, I don’t need a vision board. Every character is very distinct in my mind. By the time I finish writing the book, I have a very good idea about what they look like, how they act, what they like and don’t like. Sometimes, I need to go back and make some tweaks in the character personality as I progress through the book.
I know from previous interviews that characters take on a life of their own. Were any of the characters in this series determined to take their own direction instead of where you initially wanted them to go?
Definitely. When I first started developing the character of Igor Lutsenko, one of the main characters in the new book, I thought he was a cold-blooded killer without feelings. But as I continued writing my novel, I realized that Igor was not like that at all. In fact, his feelings were too strong.
For example, he greatly loved his late daughter. He also loved his grandchildren. His life developed very differently from what he expected, and he wasn’t strong enough to withstand the challenges. I needed to make some tweaks to the plot, including the culmination, in order to accommodate the new vision. Igor is a complex character. It’s not easy to judge his actions. It’s up to the reader to decide if he is a good guy or a bad guy.
Are any of the male POVs based on anyone you know?
The main character, Viktor Yurchenko, has some similarities with my dad. He is very positive, devoted to his family, doesn’t panic and always tries to find a way out of difficult situations. Whether it’s crossing the icy bridge across the river, running away from Russian missiles, or getting on a scarce night train to Warsaw amidst a gigantic crowd of people at the train station, you can count on Viktor to do what’s best for his family.
The image of Lenny Jameson, one of the book’s antagonists, is essentially a combination of various personalities. I think many of us have met somebody similar or heard from a friend about their troubles. A good-looking and intelligent guy who appears to be a good catch, but in reality, lies to your face and uses every chance he can get to play on the side. Life would be so much better if we didn’t have Lennies in it. Or if we knew how to spot them immediately. Sometimes, it takes years to figure them out. Unfortunately, even the brightest women can fall for these types of guys.
Are any of the female POVs based on anyone you know?
The image of Teresa, the business executive in the book, is modeled after some businesswomen I met in my life (or saw on TV). Teresa is very intelligent, hard-working, loves her daughter to pieces, but she also has to deal with some tough situations at home. Even if a woman has a very successful career, she is not immune to heartbreaks. And given that one million things go on in her life at the same time, she might be more reluctant to try changing things around and possibly look for a new love.
Was there any one character/scene that was harder to write about than the other?
Well, the whole book was very difficult to write because it’s about the war in my home country. I had always thought of a war as some abstract concept. Something which is present only in books and movies. Then, one day, it became a harsh reality.
Even though I was not physically present in Ukraine when the war began, I felt a lot of pain from knowing that many of my friends and relatives were in Kyiv, facing terrible danger, and I was not able to help or change anything. For the first few weeks of the war, I could hardly sleep because I felt like missiles were flying over our heads in the United States, too. I was also very frightened for everybody when the invaders started getting close to Kyiv. All these emotions needed to be reflected in the book. Whenever I was writing these scenes, I was essentially reliving those frightening moments over and over again.
The war has been going for three years now and many people forgot about it, as it’s been off the front pages, but it’s still going on. People are dying at the battlefield every day. Peaceful residents are being attacked with missiles and drones. Their apartments and houses can get destroyed in a flash. Loud sirens go on multiple times during the day and night. I don’t even imagine how people live in Ukraine now. But for many, leaving is not an option. Men under 60 are not allowed to leave the country, and many women have also stayed behind to be with their children or husbands. Most of my family and friends are in Ukraine.
I know that we aren’t supposed to have “favorites” as far as our children, but seriously, who’s your favorite character and why?
It’s very hard to pick. I try to make most of my characters quite likeable (except for antagonists like Lenny). Anna is definitely one of my favorites. The first book in the series was mostly about her, and she also plays an important role in the second book. She is very intelligent, loving, and adventurous. She won’t stop at anything to help her family.
Series question - Who is your favorite couple and why did you decide on their dynamics?
Teresa and Viktor. Originally, I didn’t plan on them getting together. Viktor was just running away from the war. He wasn’t looking to fall in love. But later it became quite obvious that this was the right direction.
Teresa needed to break up with Lenny, one way or the other. I thought she deserved to meet a great guy, and he was right there.
How do you get inside these characters’ heads to find their perfect HEA?
Teresa and Viktor come from different worlds, but yet, they have a lot in common. Most importantly, they are people with kind and devoted hearts. They deserve to be happy. I needed to re-work their scenes a few times before I knew how to get them together in the end.
What scene in this book/series sticks out the most for you? Why?
I would probably have to pick the scene when Viktor and his family are getting on a night train to Warsaw. The train which could take them to safety.
This was a totally nightmare. Imagine thousands and thousands of desperate people standing on the train platform in Kyiv, holding their suitcases, children and pets, all trying to get on the same train. It’s their one and only chance. But there are only so many spots on the train. Not too many people will be able to get them. For those who remain on the platform, there won’t be another train for a while. They might not survive. As Russian army gets closer and closer to Kyiv, nobody knows what to expect.
Viktor had 3 little kids, 2 dogs and an elderly mother with him. You’ll need to read the book to find out how they managed to get on that train.
Series - Were any of the books harder to write than others?
Due to war scenes, The Dream Lives On was much harder to write than Secrets We Keep. It was especially sad to part with one of the protagonists in the book, but unfortunately, I didn’t have a choice.
How long did it take you to write this book/series?
It took me about a year to write The Dream Lives On. It was a tough book to write, but I really needed to do it: I wanted an outlet to let my emotions out.
How did you come up with the title for your book/series?
This book had several working titles as I was writing it, and I especially liked one of them. But in the end, I needed to change it as I wanted a catchier title which would better attract the readers.
I’m the type of person who never stops dreaming (even though sometimes things seem pretty hopeless). Whether its good or bad, I don’t know, but that’s the way I am. Similar to me, several characters in my novel have important dreams. In the end, they do not get destroyed, even despite the war. They live on.
If you met these characters in real life would you get along?
Definitely! I’d love to meet most of my characters. Just no Lenny, please.
Series question – Did you know in advance that you were going to write this as a series or did one of the characters in book one demand their own story?
Yes, I’ve always wanted to write a series about the Levenko family. First, it’s impossible to finish their story in one book. Second, my goal has been to write a trilogy, similar to the Crazy Rich Asians series, which is one of my favorite series.
If your book/series were made into a movie, which actors do you see as playing your characters?
Here are a few ideas, although I’d need to think more about this question!
Anne Hathaway could play Anna.
Christian Bale or Ryan Gosling would be good options for the role of Viktor.
And Jennifer Aniston or Renee Zellweger could divide the roles of Teresa and Olena (depending on their preference).
Also, I would really want High Grant to be in the movie, but not quite sure what role would fit him. Maybe Lenny?
Can you give us a hint as to what we can expect next? Whether a new book and series or a sequel to an existing series? Can you share a small tease?
I currently have two books in progress. One is the last book in the series about the Levenko family. The action in that last book would mainly take place in Africa.
The second book is an entirely new novel which has the theme of domestic violence. It’s a big problem worldwide. I’d really like to draw attention to this issue.
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