Communism and the Crumbs of a Novel
If you didn’t already know, there are still communist states in the world. North Korea and China are amongst the ones people talk about, but that’s not the end of it. There’s a little breakaway state known as the Republic of Transnistria. This is a tiny strip of land in East Moldova.
It’s recognised by nobody on the planet, and it’s supported entirely by Russian peacekeepers. No state in the world sees it as anything other than another part of Moldova, including Russia.
Nevertheless, this is a land of plastic coins, Lenin statues, and communism. And I was there.
Tiraspol the Capital of Communism
I arrived in Tiraspol from the capital of Moldova, Chisinau. The first welcome you get is complete and abject silence. The train station is almost entirely deserted because all but two daily trains have been cancelled.
The first train is from Chisinau to Odessa in Ukraine, the train I took. The other is a long train from Chisinau all the way to Moscow. As you can imagine, working at the train station is a thankless job.
Naturally, I didn’t follow many of the rules here and thus fell victim to Soviet style bureaucracy. I would have been fined heavily because for not registering I was technically in the country illegally. A one-hundred Rouble note folded and strategically placed in my passport alleviated any problems, and a four-hundred Rouble fine.
Another New Novel
This month I released 1918 (The War Years Book 5). I already said I was writing the first book of a new series. Well, I finished that book soon after the release date and thus began the new one. I will then flip back to the first book to edit it after I’ve finished this.
I believe a gap is appropriate so the novel feels fresher when I eventually go through it again. Writing a novel in the time of Dickens is far more challenging than crafting something based on the modern day. I have to do much more research and entirely alter the behaviour of my character so they suit the time in which they’re in.
From Odessa
I’m actually located in the city of Odessa, on the Black Sea coast of Ukraine now. I expect to stay in the country for at least a month, although I will stay in Odessa for a little under a week. I hope to have completed the majority of my novel by the time I leave.
With any luck I won’t have the problem I mentioned on Twitter, that of my supporting characters becoming more interesting than my main characters.
Until next time…
James Farner
It’s recognised by nobody on the planet, and it’s supported entirely by Russian peacekeepers. No state in the world sees it as anything other than another part of Moldova, including Russia.
Nevertheless, this is a land of plastic coins, Lenin statues, and communism. And I was there.
Tiraspol the Capital of Communism
The Empty Station
I arrived in Tiraspol from the capital of Moldova, Chisinau. The first welcome you get is complete and abject silence. The train station is almost entirely deserted because all but two daily trains have been cancelled.
The first train is from Chisinau to Odessa in Ukraine, the train I took. The other is a long train from Chisinau all the way to Moscow. As you can imagine, working at the train station is a thankless job.
Naturally, I didn’t follow many of the rules here and thus fell victim to Soviet style bureaucracy. I would have been fined heavily because for not registering I was technically in the country illegally. A one-hundred Rouble note folded and strategically placed in my passport alleviated any problems, and a four-hundred Rouble fine.
Another New Novel
This month I released 1918 (The War Years Book 5). I already said I was writing the first book of a new series. Well, I finished that book soon after the release date and thus began the new one. I will then flip back to the first book to edit it after I’ve finished this.
I believe a gap is appropriate so the novel feels fresher when I eventually go through it again. Writing a novel in the time of Dickens is far more challenging than crafting something based on the modern day. I have to do much more research and entirely alter the behaviour of my character so they suit the time in which they’re in.
From Odessa
The T34 tank in Tiraspol
I’m actually located in the city of Odessa, on the Black Sea coast of Ukraine now. I expect to stay in the country for at least a month, although I will stay in Odessa for a little under a week. I hope to have completed the majority of my novel by the time I leave.
With any luck I won’t have the problem I mentioned on Twitter, that of my supporting characters becoming more interesting than my main characters.
Until next time…
James Farner
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