Liudmila Brus
What made you decide to become a writer?
The stories that I was unable to keep within my head decided for themselves. And my being a journalist helped develop the necessary skill. Being a writer is the best kind of escapism ever. And the cheapest one, I would say.
How do you decide your plots? Are they taken from events that have happened to you? Do you base your characters on real people – or do you prefer to be fully creative and make them up?
I prefer basing my characters on real people whom I know or who lived in the past. Sometimes, a character is made up of two or three personalities, and making up such a character is a lot of fun. Sometimes, I also keep in mind an actor or actress who could be cast in a possible screen adaptation. The events from my life have created the necessary background for writing my books, but I don't copypaste them into the plot. Jokes, random phrases, anecdotes, some situations - yes, I either witnessed them or someone told them to me.
What comes first for you – the plot or the characters?
It's always characters who haunt my mind and require that I make up a story for them. It's due to my old passion for LARP (live action role playing). Initially, I didn’t have any big plans for my series Geryon's Code. It started as a plot for a role-playing game based on the video game Fallout, which is set in post-nuclear America. Later, I wrote a fanfic based on that plot and posted it online. A few readers suggested that I turn it into an independent work, and I thought that made sense. At the time, I had no idea how far I would go down that path. The story began to take shape on its own.
How many books have you written and/or published and which is your favourite?
I've written two books in the series Geryon's Code so far (+first draft of the Book 3), and the first novel (No Life but Immortality) was released in October 2024. However, I love the second novel more. It is titled The Orphaned Earth, and its story predominantly takes place in postapocalyptic Antarctica at the end of the 22nd century. It is going to be launched on Halloween, and the cover reveal is planned on May 20.
Tell me more about your favourite book – the plot, characters, setting, POV, tense…
I'd rather tell about the whole series. There are three main settings in the novel — a thawed Antarctica, the Moon, and Mars. In the mid-21st century, Earth’s civilization has been almost completely destroyed by a global Blackout — a powerful electromagnetic pulse from space. Some survivors believe a solar storm caused it, while others think it was the result of a military conflict.
The books reveal the events that directly or indirectly led to the catastrophe, as well as what happened half a century later, when a group of scouts from Mars set out to follow the trail of a missing spaceship. Other storylines focus on the descendants of the survivors, who are trying to build a new life from the remnants of the old world.
Did you need to do research for your book? If so, how much did you do, how did you do it?
Working as an environmental journalist, I met scientists and activists who are trying to tackle environmental problems and resist destructive trends. I had to read quite a few books and popular science articles in order to create a believable picture of a possible future after the global Blackout in a world shaped by today’s climate change.
Would you travel to the area where your book is set?
Antarctica, Mars… I hope that one day I can reach one of these places. I've chosen Antarctica because it seems to be the last "white spot" on the Earth's map and keeps a lot of mysteries. This continent is associated with great challenges, great endeavors, and, of course, science. At the start of my work on the series, I knew next to nothing about this region, but thanks to the books, I know much, much more. And I understand much better how endangered its environment is.
How do you feel about killing off popular characters? Is it something you enjoy doing in your own books? Have you done it?
It was tough. I clearly remember this bus trip from Tartu to Tallinn, when I was writing this chapter, with my face all wet with tears, hoping that nobody would see them. It was a draft for the third novel, which is still far from completion.
Would you write any genre or do you stick to one?
I stick to speculative fiction in general: it may be sci-fi, it may be fantasy or magical realism. I would like to write a series of short vampire stories when my baby grows up enough to spare me more time for writing.
Do you write under a pseudonym or your own name?
I invested all my imagination in my stories, therefore, I didn't have enough for a pseudonym and had to use my own name.
Have you ever interviewed someone in relation to your book, in order to make your story more realistic?
My world-building is largely based on the interviews I conducted before starting to work on my books. One of my interviewees is Alexander Chernokulsky, a Russian climatologist.
Or does your family help you when writing your book – how much do they support you?
My husband Gleb is my greatest supporter, my best beta reader, and my toughest critic. He has done a lot to make my books see the world. He takes my work very seriously, even if I am plagued with doubts. I'm lucky to have him in my life.
How many hours a day or week would you say you spend writing? Is it a potential career for you, is it something you do outside your day job?
Journalism offers the flexibility to choose between part-time and full-time work, which makes it possible to write a book while taking on side jobs without falling into a financial hole. There was a time when I had to combine writing the book with a 12-hour shift in a newsroom. By the time I was finishing the novel, I had the opportunity to devote 6–8 hours a day to writing and spend another 3–4 hours doing freelance work.
Is writing therapeutic for you, or does it cause you to stress out?
It isn't writing that stresses me out. It's a writing block or the absence of visibility. Writing itself is absolutely fabulous.
How do you market your books?
I participated in a blog tour, I spread the word across social media, I used to participate in reviewing challenges on Goodreads and even used tactics of partisan marketing, hanging posters "Are you ready for global blackout" around the city. These posters bore a QR code leading to my book page on Amazon. Some days ago, I discovered Substack platform and found it good enough to publish The Orphaned Earth chapter by chapter. This allows me to gather a loyal audience that will be eagerly waiting for the book to be released. My opening chapters have already been featured in a book podcast. Amazon and Google ads were a waste of money. Until one has at least 50 readers' reviews, I wouldn't recommend it.
Tell me why you market them this way – how it helps. Would you be open to help when it comes to marketing and promoting your work?
I do what I can, being limited on time and energy (being a mom to a toddler is a highly demanding job). However, my Substack audience grows every day, and every month more people buy No Life but Immortality. With a true marketing guru by my side, the process could be much faster, but I'm open to any help, especially to any cool ideas to create viral content.
How do you react to reviews? Would you prefer just good ones or are you okay to receive a bad one occasionally? How does this make you feel?
If someone hates my book, at least there is something to hate, so I won't get stressed about a bad review. Emotions are emotions, even if they are negative. Every time someone posts a new review, I am happy as if it's the very first one. I think I'll never get accustomed to people taking time and effort to evaluate my work.
