You have an unusual name. Is it any story behind it?

Oh, thank you. My name is Lubov, which literally sounds as the word "Love" in Russian language. I was named after my grandmother.

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So you are originally from Russia? Why did you immigrate?

Yes. I was born in 1988, in Vladivostok city which is located at the East Coast of Russia. There, I got my BA as a translator in business English, and I traveled a lot in my 20-es. This lifestyle, when I explored the World and met a lot a new people, made me expand my horizons. Thus, in 2014 me and my husband immigrated to Canada.

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Was it exciting - to build your life in a new country?

Well, it wasn't as easy as it seemed, but it was an interesting experience. Here I realized that I had to start my life from scratch, and people looked at me like I was an alien ). I worked in customer service starting from entry level, as I had to wait for my documents to go study and obtain my diploma. It took me 6 years before I started working as a teacher, and then as a relationship coach. Now it's exciting, yes. I would say that it's in our hands - to build the life that we desire. 

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What was the most difficult in this journey?

As an immigrant, I faced cultural and language barriers, and I had to work really hard to prove that I'm 'good enough' for this environment. Also, a couple times I experienced harassment at work. I didn't know where and how to complaint, so preferred to stay quiet not to cause any problems. Of course, later on I had better understanding of my rights and became more confident.

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In one of your interviews you said that your fictional characters were inspired by your biggest obstacles. Was it one of them?

Definitely. But it weren't obstacles, it's nothing inspirational about them. It was that moment when you overcome the trouble that seemed insurmountable, and you do it using your courage, your stamina. It's a moment of admitting your inner strength. I put a lot of this into Elisa's character.

 

Elisa is one of my favorite characters. Would we see more of her?

For sure. Actually, most of books in series are built around her story.

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Why did you become a writer?

I would say that it came out of natural curiosity. I always was curious about life, about people and their stories. It always helped me be more open-minded. When I tried to put the story on paper for the first time, I was amazed of how it works. By telling a story, you share your unique worldview. I really enjoy exploring such themes as healthy feminism and following a heart desire, and my characters grow together with me as I keep writing.

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Was it easy - to start your writing career?

Nope. Honestly, being an immigrant was a huge obstacle. I worked hard on my writing skills to 'sound' more natural. I studied, I tried, and I failed. Then I stood up and tried again until I mastered this art.  

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The last question... What does it mean to be a writer? 

That's a good one. For me it means to see the true beauty of the world. It means to hear the whisper of the universe when you look into the night skies. It means to live a dozen of lives together with your characters, to enjoy the moments of their joy and share their grief. Writer is the person who can immerse the reader into an amazing story and show them its beauty through the eyes of the characters.   

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Thank you for attention!