An interview with Alex Sapegin
An
interview with Alex Sapegin
The author of the top-rated series “The Dragon
Inside” Alex
Sapegin from the far-away and cold Russian city Khabarovsk
sends his greetings and best wishes to all of his readers!
Our digital publishing house LitWorld chose his series as a bright
representation for the fantasy genre. Now his first two books, “Becoming the
Dragon” and “Wings on my Back” are on sale on Amazon
and his 3rd book, “A Cruel Tale” is available for a pre-order and will be
released on the 26th of February.
Want to know how the author of Becoming the Dragon
really is? Want to know what it’s like to get to know a few magic creatures
personally? Well, you’ve clicked the right article!
-
What inspired you to write your first book?
-
I have been creating stories since I was a student. I was telling them to my
friends, and sometimes laughing, sometimes seriously, they suggested publishing
it. At that time, it didn’t seem like something serious, and I laid all
manuscripts aside. I finally dared to try after ten years. I wiped the dust
away from my old notebooks, reread and rethought a lot, and prepared to debut
my first story to the world. Many people publish their books through the
internet, and I followed suit. At that time, Andy’s story was so developed that
it wasn’t even able to fit comfortably in my notebooks anymore.
-
It isn’t easy to write books, is it? Doesn’t it take a lot of time? Do you even
have any free time left?
-
Definitely, it takes a lot of time. Sometimes you get inspired, scribble some
words and find yourself a few hours later still writing in the middle of the
night. Now I’m trying to leave all my writing for the weekends. During the week
I create plots and dialogues and jot down the most interesting ideas. Back to
the question: yes, writing takes a lot of free time, but still, I leave myself
a few free hours just to be a lazy Tom.
-
Why did you choose fantasy genre and why dragons? Do you know few of them personally?
-
I love fantasy. This genre gives authors a limitless field for imagination
without strict borders. It allows you to create your own rules for your own
world. But speaking of dragons… I’ve been a big fan of them since childhood.
They’re strong, mighty, beautiful; sometimes kind, sometimes fair. I was always
sorry for Smaug, even though he deserved that black arrow. And to answer if I
know a few dragons personally… Yes, as a matter-of-fact I do, and I will have
supper with one of them today. Thankfully, he's not a meat-eater, and I'm not a
vegetable.
-
What are you reading right now? Can you suggest something to fans of the genre?
-
At the moment I am reading Arthur Conan Doyle -- his series about the famous
Sherlock Holmes. To the fans of the fantasy genre, I can suggest a classic:
“Dragonriders of Pern” by Anne Inez McCaffrey.
-
What was your reaction to LitWorld’s suggestion to translate your books and to
present them to the English-speaking world, first of all to America?
-
At first, I was cautious: a Russian author, who is neither a Tolstoy nor a
Chekhov, probably won’t be accepted with lots of enthusiasm in this sphere. But
then I decided that stories written somewhere far-away in a little town also
have their right to be recognized, to be made known. Every great author was a
beginner once upon a time. The American market is also very promising; it sets
the tone for the world. So, it turned out to be a challenge for myself. If your
books are interesting to foreign readers — it means you’ve arrived and should
work to become a lot better, and even if you haven’t arrived— you should still
work to become a lot better.
-
What were your expectations from collaboration with LitWorld?
-
I was waiting for something… big, you know, it was like waiting for a child to
be born.
-
Do you like covers for your books, made by LitWorld?
-
I do like them so much! From the first sight, they condition readers to be
serious, saying: there won’t be any pink ponies in this story, it’s a dragon’s
land, the weak won’t survive here.
-
After a month on Amazon, 3,000 copies of the first book “Becoming the Dragon”
were sold. The second book “Wings on my Back” sold in 1,000 copies in a week.
“The Dragon inside” series already has its fans, waiting for the next book,
admiring Andy’s adventures. What do you think about it?
-
Andy’s adventures have just started. Honestly, I’m jealous of those who still
have the whole story ahead of them.
-
Would you like to meet your readers?
-
Of course, I would. Probably one day that will happen. Dreams have brought
humanity into outer space; my own dreams aren’t so ambitious, so… why not?
-
Now we would like to give you a unique opportunity to say something to your
readers all over the world!
-
Thank you for reading my books! It means a lot to me. Just remember: it’s
important to be humane, even if you’re a Dragon.
Subscribe To Our Newsletters
Love books and want to stay in the know? Subscribe to our newsletter to get all the latest news and updates!
LitHunters is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.