It has happened. Magic. Because I have met wonderful Vera Golosova on Twitter, and because Vera offered to host me while I'm in Moscow, and because Vera has wonderful friends, and because one of her friends is wonderful Sasha Zhuravleva, and because Sasha has been translating from English into Russian for years, and so it happened that over sitting together on a couch and sharing stories we have agreed to jump into bed together and do this. Sasha will translate Rosehead! My very first translated book! I had brainstormed the Russian title before with my former classmate Natasha, but I'd forgotten it since then. With a bit of thinking aloud it came back to me. Розум. (Pronunced as "Rozum.") The "Роз" part for the "rose," and the "ум" part for the "head," which is not a literal translation, but close enough to hint at the idea that this book is very much about what happens in the mind, and in particular in Lilith's mind. It also retains the asexual "it" image of the rose as a malevolent entity. A being. A force. In short, a carnivorous plant. 

I'm so excited about this, I want to jump up and down. Come to think of it, I did jump up and down when we agreed to work together. And Vera offered to edit it along! It really is happening! So many of you who live in Russia have been asking me for my books in Russian. I'll finally be able to give you what you asked for. Please allow me to introduce Sasha, in her own words: 

Many wonderful things happened to me by chance. While at school I never planned to study languages. In university I never planned to become a school teacher. But in 2009 I applied for a job at a school and was accepted.

Being a teacher means much less language practice but tons of free time. That's when I finally decided to follow my dream and become a translator.

I've been translating TV series for eight years now, and I've assembled "Coffee Translate" which is my beloved gang of five people working together so that the Russians who know no English have a chance to watch original TV series.

I never thought I might meet Ksenia Anske in person, but here we go—we've had a great time talking life, art, and whatnot.  

Why am I so delirious with delight about bringing "Rosehead" to the Russian reader? Where shall I start... First of all, it's a great book, a real page-turner in my favourite genre. And I am working with the author herself without a layer of agents and editors. Ain't that enough reason to dive in and be excited?

I'm delirious with delight together with you, Sasha! Excited out of my mind!!!

Now, to the timeline. There is no deadline on this. Sasha said it will maybe take her two to three months. Regardless of how long it will take, we'll strive to make it as good as we possibly can. If it will take longer, so be it. I've never worked with a translator before, so I'm a little nervous. I hope I can give Sasha everything she asks for and support her along the way. This project is only a beginning, the first of many. I don't yet know how the book will be distributed, but we will figure it out as we go along. 

In other exciting news, I'll try going to Bolshoi to watch ballet for TUBE (tickets are expensive, but I hope I can swing it—need to figure out the rest of my budget for Moscow stay). I just got this idea. Why didn't I think about it before?? It'll be my present to myself for my birthday, WHICH IS TODAY! And I get to spend the whole day with my mom! And I'm collecting an insane amount of stories. And I'm reading The Silence of the Lambs. And at some point I'll write a post with more stories and another (long-promised) post on what I learned from reading The Silence of the Lambs. Time is getting eaten up quickly here in Moscow, in particular by the commute, which I'd forgotten about. The city is huge, and getting anywhere takes at least an hour (often more). I'm carrying an awful lot in my head, frustrated that I can't write it out. It will come out, of course, as soon as I have a bit of time to myself, like right now. So hang tight. More stories soon. 

Tell me what it is in particular that you want to hear about. Once I'm back, I'll try to answer as many of your questions as I can in posts. (Plus, if you give me ideas, I can be lazy and veg out when I'm back, which I'll need to switch my brain and to kick back into writing gear). Lots of love to you from Moscow, hugs and kisses and snow. XOXO