January 29, 2008
by Valya
1 Comment
Many years ago I helped to produce an Independent Feature titled, The Secret by MDR Films, Inc. It was a lovely story about a dysfunctional Ukrainian American family in Chicago. One of my favorite parts of the film was the … Continue reading
January 24, 2008
by Valya
0 comments
I remember the first time that I sat in a Starbucks in Frankfurt, Germany, I felt such a strange sense of disconnect. I was pregnant with my first child, and the Starbucks was a familiar refuge—one of the few non-smoking … Continue reading
January 22, 2008
by Valya
3 Comments
When I set out to write The Silence of Trees, I wanted to honor my grandmothers, my ancestors, and my family. I wanted to honor my community and the Ukrainian culture that helped to shape me. But what is honor? … Continue reading
January 21, 2008
by Valya
0 comments
According to the Penguin Blog, the group of 836 submissions will be narrowed down to 100 semi-finalists on February 19th. That doesn’t give us quite as much time as we originally thought. Less than one month to until the next … Continue reading
January 19, 2008
by Valya
0 comments
When I used to teach Creative Writing classes, critiques were often one of the most daunting tasks for students. I know that some people have had questions about how to write a review and what to say. There are countless … Continue reading
January 17, 2008
by Valya
0 comments
Author and Amazon Reviewer, Janet Boyer , was kind enough to post the following on The Tarot Channel. The Silence of Trees – ABNA Finalist Tarot figures heavily in The Silence of Trees, a story by Valya Dudycz Lupescu. Valya’s … Continue reading
January 17, 2008
by Valya
0 comments
When I was pregnant with my son, I purchased a beautiful shawl handmade by a friend from handspun fibers. The colors are different shades of purple, highlighted with silver throughout. I love it. When I brought it home, my daughter … Continue reading
January 17, 2008
by Valya
0 comments
Here it is, Day Three of the Semifinals, and I am overwhelmed and touched by the level of support from across the country and around the world. Thank you for taking the time to read my excerpt, write a review, … Continue reading
January 15, 2008
by Valya
2 Comments
I received my email announcing that I have made it into the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Semifinalist Round! Now the grassroots effort begins to rally friends and family to download the book and review it. The link to my ABNA … Continue reading
January 14, 2008
by Valya
3 Comments
Albert Einstein once said, “People love chopping wood. In this activity one immediately sees results.” Writing is not like chopping wood. One spends months, often years, working on a manuscript. Most of the work is solitary, and much of the … Continue reading