AUTHOR LADA RAY INTERVIEW: GEOPOLITICAL & PERSONAL BLUEPRINT FOR OUR FUTURE! (w. 1EarthUnited)

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AUTHOR LADA RAY INTERVIEW:

GEOPOLITICAL & PERSONAL BLUEPRINT FOR OUR FUTURE!

By Maddie Walsh @ 1EarthUnited

Author Lada Ray opens up to 1EarthUnited about what goes into her astonishingly accurate calibrations, how they work and what her future plans are. In this big interview, Lada is kindly providing some awesome, never shared before, excerpts from her new book, with key calibrations for Russia and China!

And Lada reveals her newest exclusive predictions about the future of the West, US dollar, Africa and Russia!

1EarthUnited: INTRO

Hello Lada, 

Welcome to my blog! 

I recently read your new book, Geopolitical & Geo-Economic Quantum Calibrations. What I felt… it was like the next level of awakening. To give our readers an idea, this is the review I posted on: Goodreads and Kobo:

A must read if you need to take control of your life during uncertain times, in Lada Ray’s terminology: The Great Earth Shift. Quantum calibrations will help with financial direction, geopolitical and economic megatrends which will shape the future of the country you live in, Lada addresses the entire world. I have divested and reinvested quite successfully, shifting asset classes favorable to the upcoming period all with your divine help Lada. Your newest book shares much of this crucial knowledge, providing insight as well as foresight to the most favorable locations and potential opportunities around the world.

I strongly recommend all my blog followers to prepare and be forearmed with Lada’s timeless wisdom and guidance, her latest book is a virtual roadmap to avoiding pitfalls and maximize the best potential opportunities you wish to experience in life. By far the most valuable and indispensable read for the upcoming Period 9!

I also posted a review on Barnes&Noble

THE BEST and most insightfully accurate source of geopolitical news and analysis that I’ve read and digested so far! Since having followed Lada’s work I found Quantum Calibrations to be an exceptionally useful tool for evaluating and clarifying many things in my life and the world. The calibrations and chapters explaining how each country works and why: including economy, finance, leaders, solvency and sovereignty is priceless! I find that Lada’s methods provide me with valuable insight & solid direction for my business, where to relocate, and best place to keep my money during this upcoming Earth Shift Period. Lada, you have my everlasting gratitude and love dear friend! Infinite blessings indeed. 

_______________

Q1 – 1EarthUnited

Firstly: your phenomenal book focuses on calibrations of countries, global organizations, superpowers, armies, economies, solvency and sovereignty. You calibrated an enormous number of countries, nearly 100, and there is also a lot of geopolitical analysis and predictions in the book.

But I know you do a lot of quantum calibrations in various areas of life, well beyond politics, international relations and government. For example, personal calibrations, such as levels of consciousness, relationships, neighborhoods, phisical and non-physical items, foods, people, ideas and various talents. You do that for us on Lada Ray Patreon and for your private clients, me being one of them.

For those unfamiliar with Quantum Calibrations, what is it? And are you planning a non-geopolitical Quantum Calibration book, and/or a workshop?

Lada Ray:

What are Quantum Calibrations? I’ll answer with a quote from the free QUANTUM CALIBRATIONS page on LadaRay.com:

LADA RAY QUANTUM & GEO CALIBRATIONS
UNDERSTANDING & QUANTIFYING THE NATURE OF ENERGY & CONSCIOUSNESS

Quantum calibrations open up a new dimension of understanding for ourselves & the world around us. They serve as a multidimensional window into the giant universe, which we can safely open up, to observe and be a part of the fascinating dance of creation. 

   ~ Lada Ray

Calibrations apply to any area of our existence we want to focus on, from geopolitics and our past, present and future, to our foods, locations, aspirations, health, love, money, soul and destiny – and anything in between. That’s why they are such a perfect tool for understanding ourselves, our needs and problems, as well as the world around us.

To learn free Quantum & Geo Calibration (QC & GC) scale, plus some key definitions, and to watch the videos, go to QUANTUM CALIBRATIONS on LadaRay.com. To schedule a private personal consultation or private personal report with Lada Ray go to: CONSULTATIONS.

My plans?

I do plan more books, including a non-geopolitical Quantum Calibration encyclopedia. I also am thinking about the book which will talk about my Earth Shift teaching, its applications in this reality, and my futurist predictions. However, I cannot give you the exact timeline yet. I will write the next book when I receive the divine guidance that the time is right.

I also have long-term plans for online workshops, including on the calibrations topic. However, this is also subject to divine timing and inspiration.

That said, I already have enormous amount of info out that anyone can access easily. Some of the examples: free info pages on LadaRay.com, linked above. Also go to Lada Ray YT channel and watch related videos, complete with visuals. You’ll find all relevant links at the bottom of this interview.

Much more is available in my new book, Geopolitical & Geo-Economic Quantum Calibrations. It has the words ‘geopolitical and geo-economic’ in the title, but the books’s intent is much broader! Large sections are dedicated to the higher-dimensional wisdom, theory and practice of calibrations. Other sections focus on the practical needs of average people, like you and me. What you’ll read will help you determine the best places to live or relocate to; it’ll assist with making major life’s decisions, including your money and investments. If you are a novice, you can learn a lot about my entire quantum calibration system by reading this book! It’s very inexpensive: ebook, which you can instantly download on Amazon, Apple or Kobo, is only $9.99 USD, and paperback, sold everywhere in the world, isn’t much more!

To find the book’s description, reviews and excerpt go to my Author Site!

Buy links are HERE!

And of course, if you want advanced and personalized attention, please join us on Lada Ray Patreon, where we go much deeper and higher! Or order a Private Personal Consultation.

Q2 – 1EarthUnited

I am a huge fan of your predictions and calibrations: they are spectacularly accurate. And I specifically want to point out that you have developed your quantum calibration teaching well beyond classic David Hawkins’ system, which is what makes it so unique and so forward-looking! How do you do it? What goes into such astonishing accuracy?

Lada Ray:

Quantum Calibrations constitute a 6^{th –} 7^th dimensional structure. Therefore, they are very much higher-dimensional in nature. Consequently, to calibrate with accuracy and inspiration, we have to access the higher cosmic truth. This involves claircognizance, clairvoyance and other psychic abilities. This involves the 6^th and 7^th chakras, as well as higher energy vortexes.

However, to ground and manifest calibrations in this reality, we need the participation of the 4^th Heart chakra (aka, the Heart Energy Vortex). In the process of calibrating we must involve what I call the ‘Chi Kinesiology,’ also referred to as a muscle test. So, the Heart Vortex works really hard during calibrating. It has to be in excellent condition for the calibrations to be accurate.

I am contemplating training people how to do it, and possibly having certified students who will become professionals in the field, so more people could benefit from this amazing forward-looking technique. But as I said, it all depends on divine timing. Stay tuned – when it’s time, I’ll announce the workshops and training on LadaRay.com!

The biggest secret of accuracy: your heart has to be in the right place, you have to be highly calibrated, and most importantly, you have to want to help people and our planet.

Q3 – 1EarthUnited

In Geopolitical & Geo-Economic Quantum Calibrations book I was enthralled by the Superpower & Great Power Index. This is a completely revolutionary and such a very cool approach to assessing the power of various countries! Did you create the Superpower Index especially for the book? How and why did it come to you?

Lada Ray:

That’s correct: the Superpower/Great Power Index was created especially for the book. As the book unfolded, the more I calibrated, analysed and predicted for various countries, I began feeling the Superpower/Great Power Index was the next logical step. It was like cherry on top of the cake, or a star on top of a tall tower. It gave the whole book that finishing touch, with a flourish. I highly recommend that everyone who’s interested in the topics of geopolitics, international relations, China, Russia, USA, EU, Germany, India, Iran, Turkey, etc., read the Superpower section of the book! This section alone warrants buying the book as a whole! But there is so much in it, beyond that! I truly think my new book will become a super-useful long-term reference tool for many of my readers, to which you’ll return again and again!

Q4 – 1EarthUnited

You included a number of countries in the Superpower, Great & Regional Power Index. The list of calibrations that went into the assessment of each of them is very impressive. I am especially curious about Superpowers. In this regard, several questions:

How did EU get on this list? Will USA continue being dominant? Or do you see Russia or China overtaking it soon? Do you foresee the Superpower dynamics changing?

Lada Ray:

Overall, we have 4 superpowers, 4 great powers and 7 regional powers on the list. Some of these may surprise you. The calibrations of each are extremely telling! Calibrations generally reveal the truths that some try very hard to hide, therefore, through calibrations you see the genuine picture of each country.

I kow what you’ll say: EU isn’t really one country… However, it is traditionally included in many world indexes. I personally included it for a very specific reason: its energy signature. It does behave like a superpower, albeit dependent and subordinate to the USA. That said, the EU is decoupling from the US as we speak, and I regularly write about it on Patreon.

The main reason EU makes it to the list of superpowers is due to its high economic might, mostly thanks to Germany and other Nordic countries. In terms of sovereignty and military it’s lagging behind. But EU is also slowly awakening and acquiring its own voice. I also calibrated Germany separately. You’ll find it on the list, and pretty high at that. But you may be surprised by the low positions of the UK and France.

*Not related, but interesting: you may be surprised by the positions of Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, as well!*

The future of the USA? The book’s prediction: it’ll continue slowly waning, although this process will be protracted.

Will China or Russia take over as the No. 1 Superpower? I’ll leave this in suspense – no spoilers! I made extensive predictions in the book on all these countries and it’s best to read the whole thing for the complete picture. However, let me leave you with one key prediction!

FUTURIST PREDICTION: The world’s energy is moving not only away from the US and West, but it’s also becoming more diversified and multi-polar. This effectively means that we are moving away from the 1-2 opposing superpower structure. The power in the future world will be distributed more evenly and more equitably among different parts of the world. This means that no single country will have absolute dominance. Some will be stronger in terms of economy, others in terms of energy, others in terms of defense, yet others in terms of ideas and spirit. The idea is to create a cooperative world, where everyone contributes and exchanges their best talents.

In terms of geopolitics and geo-economics, there is a pool of 15 countries I’ve identified, who will be at the forefront of the brave new multi-polar world. A few more may be joining soon.

Will the dynamics continue changing? Absolutely! It has already changed dramatically since I first wrote my novel, THE EARTH SHIFTER, in 2012.

Since I began my famous blog FuturisTrendcast in 2014, the world changed even more, and most of my original predictions came spectacularly true!

What will continue shifting and changing?

Per my key predictions:

• Russia the Great Balancer will continue slowly rebalancing the world. She will be assisted by several other key players, including China, Turkey, possibly to some degree India, and believe it or not, Germany.
• More countries that previously had no voice, will find it.
• The US will lose part of its power, while others will add to theirs.
• The Great Earth Shift and the transition from 3D into lower 4^th dimension will continue, as human consciousness continues expanding.

Q5 – 1EarthUnited

Going back to US politics, I want to ask you a tough question. There is a battle going on between Trump and the Democrats. There is also a battle within the democratic party, between Biden and Sanders.

Your predictions regarding Trump wining previous elections, as well as Sanders losing to Hillary for the democratic nomination came 100% true. And your predictions regarding Trump being in a “Dark State straitjacket” and not being able to fulfill the majority of his promises came equally true!

My big question is: will you be predicting the next US election outcome? And also, can you use Quantum Calibrations to accurately calibrate both parties and candidates?

Lada Ray:

Yes, I plan to make predictions on the next US elections. But this time, I will do it exclusively for my Patreon supporters. I have worked very hard to awaken and enlighten humanity, and since 2014 I posted nearly 1000 of my original, authentic, one-of-a-kind articles and reports on FuturisTrendcast – all for free. These articles have incorporated insights you won’t find anywhere else, including many of my original predictions. At this time, I feel I have paid my dues in spades.

In the future, my geopolitical, predictive and multi-dimensional insights will only be posted on Patreon. I know, Maddie, you are one of my advanced members. I invite everyone to join, in order to stay in touch with my future offerings.

As to calibrating both parties: not only can I do it, I already have! You can find complete calibrations and interpretations for democratic and republican parties, as well as the US Constitution and Declaration of Independence in my recent Earth Shift Podcast, by clicking on this link: LadaRay YT channel. Or, click to listen directly: QUANTUM CALIBRATIONS Republicans vs Democrats, US Constitution, Declaration of Independence (ESP5)

I’m sure you’ll find my calibration results fascinating!

As to calibrating candidates, I previously calibrated Trump on Patreon and in Webinar 1, as well as ESR16.

In the new book Trump has been calibrated very thoroughly (that’s his latest calibrations) in the USA chapter and the World’s Most Powerful People section. In the future, I plan to calibrate Trump and other key candidates before next elections.

Q6 – 1EarthUnited

China and USA are in a trade war and China is on many people’s minds because of its rising superpower status. In Geopolitical & Geo-Economic Quantum Calibrations, China has its own large chapter, and you discuss it in a number of other sections of the book. Can we give our readers an excerpt from the Superpower Index, so they can see for themselves how you class China?

Lada Ray:

Super idea! This will provide a telling demo as to how my calibrations and the Superpower Index work!

Geopolitical & Geo-Economic Quantum Calibrations

AN EXCERPT FROM THE SUPERPOWER INDEX SECTION!

________

CHINA   SUPERPOWER RANK: #3

Global Geopolitical Weight

180 – SUPERFICIAL

Political Power

285 –  GOOD

Military Power

280 – GOOD

Economic Power

590 – EXCELLENT

Financial Power

200 – ADEQUATE

Energy Power

185 – SUPERFICIAL

OVERALL POWER SCORE  410  VERY GOOD

PREDICTION! Rising superpower, with still much of untapped potential! Watch this one closely!

________

Q7 – 1EarthUnited

From that, my follow-up question. Do you see China surpassing the US economically in the near future?

Lada Ray:

In reality, if taken by PPP, not the skewed GDP, China has surpassed the US economically several years ago. The PPP index is infinitely more accurate and honest, as it calculates the country’s gross domestic product based on the parity of purchasing power. GDP does so based on the value of the country’s domestic product in US dollars. Obviously, when currency is severely depressed compared to the US dollar, such as is the case of China, and especially Russia, the GDP will also look depressed. But PPP, in other words, how much a citizen of each country can really afford based on his/her income, puts everything in correct perspective.

Based on PPP, China currently is the world’s No. 1 economy.

Now, if the question is whether China will surpass the USA based on the USD-calculated GDP… Of course it will.

PREDICTION: this will happen when US dollar loses enough value to be more fairly valued compared to other global currencies, including Yuan! And when Yuan gains enough value against the dollar. This will happen gradually, as I have been predicting for years. And this prediction can be found in the book, complete with the timeline.

But there is a deeper prediction here! The structure of the global economy also has to change for that to happen. This new key prediction I’ll soon be discussing with my Patreon members!

The really important questions to which I’m sure many want to know answers are:

What can an average person do to protect him/herself against upcoming devaluation of the US dollar, euro and pound? How will it affect regular people? Will it affect each of us, or not? How can we safeguard our assets?

Q8 – 1EarthUnited

I would love to hear another one of your famous predictions! Can you give our readers a tip: when should we expect the collapse of the dollar?

Lada Ray:

The best thing to do is not to take anything for granted, including the word ‘collapse.’ There is a very good reason I take time to explain this stuff. This is why I recommend reading the book and listening to my webinars in full. My predictions are addressed in the book. Also, we discuss them with my Patreon members under  Special Feature Money & Investment. Most importantly, I want to direct everyone who’s interested in learning to my bestselling Webinar 3: The Future of Money. This is where you’ll get my systemic, step-by-step explanations and well-rounded expert predictions. But to give readers an idea of the direction in which everything’s going…

PREDICTION: Watch the years 2020-2024 for significant shifts in currencies and global economies. This will be the start. By 2029 we will live in a different world, monetarily and economically-speaking. By 2044 the world will be drastically different and the new era would have begun!

Q9 – 1EarthUnited

Speaking of drastic shifts! In the book you’ve talked about various surprises, where countries calibrated lower or higher than the facade they present to the world. I have to say, I wasn’t surprised by the US calibrations. I did expect that!

For me, one of the big surprises were the low calibrations of France. But you did predict this, and we even had discussed this in one of our consultations! As you know, due to my work, I’ve lived in the US, UK, Russia and France. Why does France (the #1 country visited by tourists and considered a cultural capital of the West) calibrate so low?

Lada Ray:

France in its own way is experiencing the Inverted Collapse of the West. This is one of my key 2014 predictions, discussed in the book and highlighted especially in detail in Webinar 2: Inverted Collapse.

Each country experiences the Inverted Collapse differently, depending on where the weak links are. For the UK it’s Brexit, for the US it’s skyrocketing debt, political scandals and open war between democrats and republicans, complete with shifting blame to Russia and attempting regime change and conflicts in various countries. And for the EU as a whole, it’s uncontrolled migration and the rise of nationalism.

In France’s case, we have the funds’ shortage, drastic fall of incomes and Yellow Vests, as manifestations of the national crisis. The protests are a symptom of deeper problems. And my calibrations reveal those hidden problems. This is why quantum calibrations are such a valuable and profound tool!

By the way, Inverted Collapse is my term to define what’s happening in the West during the Great Earth Shift, while Russia the Great Balancer is gradually rebalancing the world.

Q10 – 1EarthUnited

Another big revelation for me were the chapters you wrote about Africa. Truly, overlooked it is, as you correctly pointed out, but there is so much potential there! More predictions please! What does the future hold for Africa?

Lada Ray:

The predictions and calibrations in the book are clear: Africa will get its time under the sun and its bigger say in Period 9. This will begin happening in earnest after 2023-24.

Period 9 is my term for the final 20-year period of the 180-year cycle. All about it in Webinar 4: Lada Ray Global Period 8 Predictions.

Q11 – 1EarthUnited

I have to ask about Russia and relocation, which is one of the focal points of your book! In the book, I was entirely prepared for Russia’s high calibrations. But even I was pleasantly surprised by the end result!

As you know, I am planning on relocating. I had several very illuminating and comforting consultations with you, and among many other things, we discussed my short list of countries with their pros and cons. My friends also told me your book has helped them with relocation decisions. For the benefit of our readers today, could you tell me whether Russia is good for relocating? Most everyone is interested in safety, sovereignty, freedom and economic opportunity. Also, if possible, could you share some of Russia’s calibrations?

Lada Ray:

Russia is very good for relocating. There are a number of high-calibrated large cities in Russia, more than in most world’s countries. The calibration of the country as a whole is also one of the highest. Moscow is the highest calibrated capital in the world. Putin is the highest calibrated leader. And all this is despite sanctions, the drop of the ruble and various turmoils happening around Russia, instigated from abroad.

One of the very popular places to relocate in Russia is the southern tier, located between Black and Caspian Seas. I am talking about Krasnodar Krai and and Stavropol Krai. The capital of Krasnodar Krai, with the same name, Krasnodar, is extremely popular and very nice in its lifestyle, people and foods, as well as high tech job opportunities. The climate is very warm, especially for Russia. Black Sea resorts aren’t far away. Sochi is, by the way, a part of Krasnodar Krai. Both Krasnodar and Stavropol are the Cossack lands. The flourishing of both began in the 2000s, and the growth potential remains enormous.

Crimea is becoming more and more popular. Moscow is always popular. Kazan (on Volga) is also very popular. But there are many others.

Of course, to relocate, you need to understand the laws and at least the basics of language. It’s also advisable to travel around the country. Among many other topics, people come to me for consultations on this. During private sessions we calibrate the cities and towns of your choice, your relocation prospects, and more. I also can advise you on cultural and other aspects, and tell you what I foresee for you.

TO SHARE SOME OF RUSSIA’S CALIBRATIONS FROM THE BOOK!

EXCERPT:

________

Russia

The Great Balancer, Protector & Stabilizer

With Bonus Calibrations of Moscow & Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev! 

Country

QC       298 – NEUTRALITY/FRIENDLINESS

CHI      410 – REASON

Leader: President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin

QC       580 – HIGH CREATION

CHI      599 – HIGH CREATION

Army

QC      410 – REASON

CHI     510 – LOVE

Economy

QC     190 – YEARNING/STRIVING

CHI    195 – YEARNING/STRIVING

Financial solvency

280 –  NEUTRALITY/FRIENDLINESS

Sovereignty (level of)

800 – HIGH ENLIGHTENMENT

BONUS: Calibrations of Moscow, the capital of Russia

QC          280 – NEUTRALITY/FRIENDLINESS

CHI        510 – LOVE

HC QC (Heart Chakra)    290 – NEUTRALITY/FRIENDLINESS

Moscow has some of the world’s highest overall calibrations on the planet today among major cities and among capitals!

*It has to be noted that Russia’s calibrations are NOT usual! Most other countries in the world calibrate very differently!*

________

Q12 – 1EarthUnited

Last but not least!  What should your fans and supporters look forward to? What are you planning in the near future?

And one more thing: if readers wish to find out more about your work, where should they go?

Lada Ray:

My main focus in the next several months will be to continue expanding Lada Ray Patreon and Earth Shift Podcast on YT. My Patreon members and YT subscribers can expect a lot of original, cutting-edge and exciting new offerings!

Another focus are my new, very cool consultations:

QUANTUM HEALTH & HEALING Q&A with Lada & Az

PERSONAL SHIFT! Guided Transformation with Lada Ray

They are in experimental stage, currently open at a very substantial discount to my Patreon members only. In the end of August I’ll consider making them public: SEE ALL CONSULTATIONS.

Last but not least, I am very excited about my new Instagram page, newladaray, which I started only a few days ago – only positive, inspired & higher-dimensional! Join me for beautiful photography, inspiration quotes and my updates!

I also have some secret projects I am working on, which I won’t disclose now. They will be a surprise. By the time September rolls in, I’ll have more news and developments! Please follow me so not to miss them!

At-a-glance! Where you’ll find me and my work: 

• LadaRay.com – Official site! Free info: Earth Shift, Quantum Calibrations and Predictions! Earth Shift Webinars & Lada Ray Consultations!
• Lada Ray Patreon – Support Lada’s cutting-edge work & future books! Get tons of exclusive insight & rewards; be first to hear new ideas & predictions!
• LadaRay YouTube – Follow FREE EarthShiftPodcast & Interviews!
• Book Author Site
• Twitter @LadaTweets
• Instagram @ newladaray
• FREE Quantum Calibration videos
  1: Life-threatening & Life-diminishing Calibrations
  2: Life-affirming & Life-creating Calibrations

.

1EarthUnited:

Thank you, Lada! This was very enlightening. I would love for us to talk some more in several months, perhaps in September or October! 

Lada Ray:

It’s a deal! Thank you, Maddie, and thank you, readers. It was my pleasure!

__________

Link to original interview  @1EarthUnited:

AUTHOR LADA RAY INTERVIEW: GEOPOLITICAL & PERSONAL BLUEPRINT FOR OUR FUTURE!

What & Why Is Happening in Our World? Find Answers to Your Burning Questions by Reading MY NEW BOOK!

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Gain clarity & understanding, broaden your horizons,

acquire a peace of mind that only comes from knowing!

No other system in the world, except Quantum Calibrations,

can offer you that!

Couple it with Lada Ray’s uncanny geopolitical,

economic & human analysis,

plus her unique predictions, and you’ve got an absolute winner!

The newest testimonials:

~Julie
Lada Ray has produced an excellent book with a fascinating overview of the geopolitical situation on our planet today. It is a valuable source of reference for everyone who wants to understand the beating heart of a country, its people and its economy and how it interacts with other nations.

@Conscious_Cafe:

Mystic @LadaTweets has written a fascinating book calibrating the energies – and much more besides – of most of the world and its many current leaders, divided by country. If you are wondering where to emigrate to, this is the book for you #geopolitics #energy #futurist

See all reviews on LADA RAY AUTHOR SITE!

Buy this book @ Amazon.com

BUY LINKS

I hope more of you pick up my new book, and decide to write a review!

I sometimes get nice testimonials sent to my email and that’s all wonderful (THANK YOU!), but where these testimonials would really be helpful is where potential readers can see them, such as on (these are my book pages on respective sites):

Amazon.com
Kobo
Apple Store
Goodreads
Barnes&Noble 

This post tells you where and how to post testimonials and reviews: Read & Review Program! 

You can post in one place, but it would be especially and supremely valuable if you could copy and paste your review in multiple sites, per above links! Thanks so much!

********

More:

AUTHOR SITE

OFFICIAL SITE LADARAY.COM

• LADA RAY INTERVIEW: EARTH SHIFT & QUANTUM CALIBRATION | RUSSIA & CHINA

LADA RAY INTERVIEW: EARTH SHIFT & QUANTUM CALIBRATION | RUSSIA & CHINA

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Access interview on YouTube:

LADA RAY INTERVIEW:

EARTH SHIFT & QUANTUM CALIBRATION

RUSSIA & CHINA 

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Thanks!

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Interview with Author and Quantum Calibrator LADA RAY

NEW LADA RAY BOOK: Geopolitical & Geo-Economic Quantum Calibrations! Amazon & other buy links: http://ladaray.weebly.com/bookstore.html

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Interview by Masaki Miyagawa (http://AKAIDA.COM)

 

_________________

Coming Tuesday:

WHAT’S NEW on LadaRay.com, LadaRay YouTube & LadaRay Patreon! 

Coming Wednesday:

Masaki Miyagawa Interview: Orgone, Numerology, 5G

 

 

Today, I’ll Be a Guest on The Vinny Eastwood Show!

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American Freedom Radio, author interview, Author Lada Ray, geopolitics, Mark O'Neill, NWO, predictions, radio show, The Earth Shifter, Vinny Eastwood Show, world conspiracy, world events

ANNOUNCEMENT!

I’ll be a guest on the Vinny Eastwood Show today

March 18th, at 6pm EST!

We’ll discuss the world events, geopolitics, NWO, my new predictions for this decade and beyond, and of course, my new metaphysical fantasy thriller, THE EARTH SHIFTER!

Tune in to listen on the American Freedom Radio or watch it at  vinnyeastwoodshow.com and guerillamedia.co.nz. I will also post the show on LadaRay Youtube channel and here, on my blog, a few days after.

Please tune in to listen, ask questions and comment! Hope you enjoy it, and please stop by to let me know what you think!

Find out more about The Vinny Eastwood Show and subscribe:

TheVinnyEastwoodShow.com  &  www.Guerillamedia.co.nz

Twitter: @Guerillamedia

Many thanks to Mark O’Neill, the author of The Ancients and the Angels! Check out Mark’s cool blog: http://royalmanaball.wordpress.com/

 

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The Earth Shifter Review & Feature Fest

Tags

Amazon Kindle, author interview, Author Lada Ray, Barnes&Noble, book reviews, books by Lada Ray, Catharsis Legend of the Lemurians, Gold Train, Goodreads, Green Desert, indie authors, Smashwords, Stepford USA, The Earth Shifter, YouTube

Hello everyone! In October 2012 I did a Book Review Fest where I shared my new reviews of several awesome books by fellow indie authors. The Review Fest 1 became so popular that I decided to continue the tradition. As many of you know, my new release, fantasy/thriller THE EARTH SHIFTER, has received some very nice reviews in the past couple of months. Also, it is coming out as paperback on or after March 18th, which will be a pre-launch release: the official book launch is in April. The paperback will feature excerpts from the best and most interesting reviews The Earth Shifter has received so far.

I’m very grateful to all those who took the time and effort to not only read my book, but also post a thoughtful and honest review. Many of these reviews put a smile on my face and warmed my heart because their authors have captured the very essence of the story. All the reviews were fabulous and rich in material, and I had a hard time choosing which reviews, and which excerpts, to include. But due to space limitations, I had to make some hard choices.

Today, I want to honor all of my first reviewers by posting excerpts from their reviews, the links to their original websites and blogs, as well as other sources, where the full reviews can be found. The excerpts below have been selected for the inclusion in THE EARTH SHIFTER paperback Praise Section, as well as on the back cover. You will notice that one of the review excerpts below is longer than the others. That is because its author, Sofia Siberia, is the very first reviewer of The Earth Shifter, and also, because her review hits on so many great points that resonate deeply with the book’s message and intent.

For those who have missed my recent author interviews and features, I am also including the links below. What I especially love about these pieces is that they are all so different, reflecting varying personalities and interests of my interviewers, while working in concert to lift the veil of secrets, big and small, and complimenting each other quite wonderfully. Check out these one-of-a-kind and cool interviews (and this not an exaggeration!), which will shed additional light on the characters, settings, and the wild, wild ride that was the creation of this “cosmic adventure thriller,” as author J.J. Collins has called it!

Before we begin, a want to share some breaking news:

As you may have noticed from the image above, the front cover of THE EARTH SHIFTER has received a face lift based on my publisher’s guidance. I really like the new cover and I think it will showcase the book even better! This will be the cover we’ll use for both the paperback and ebook editions.

Also, just to mention, my birthday is coming up and to celebrate it, I’m starting a Read and Review Program. Anyone interested in reading and reviewing any of my books, including The Earth Shifter, Gold Train, Stepford USA, Catharsis & Green Desert, will receive respective ebooks for free. See the full list of my books here. The details of the Read and Review will be announced in a couple of days both here and on Goodreads, and it will be accompanied by a new, awesome giveaway, as well as other goodies! Please stay tuned!

Without further ado, The Earth Shifter Review & Feature Fest!

Check out these wonderful recent INTERVIEWS & FEATURES:

Feng Shui, Fidel Castro & Fascinating Predictions! An Interview with Lada Ray! – Title says is all. One-of-a-kind interview conducted by author & blogger Rohan Healy, Rohan7things blog!

Interview with Author Lada Ray – A very different, witty and spunky chat conducted by spiritual blogger Madeline Walsh, 1EarthUnite blog!

Interview with the Author: Lada Ray – a detailed and fun talk conducted by Michala of Bitemybook.com

Author Spotlight: Lada Ray – A cool piece, where M.C. O’Neill, the Author of The Ancients and the Angels, is discussing The Earth Shifter & Catharsis (Legend of the Lemurians). Includes reviews!

The Earth Shifter and yours truly have also been discussed in this cool radio/video interview: Ancients & Spirits: Author M.C. O’Neill on the Vinny Eastwood Show

Last, but certainly not least, I’m delighted to announce that I will also be a guest on the Vinny Eastwood Show at 6pm EST on March 18th, all thanks to Mark O’Neill’s glowing introduction, for which I’m eternally grateful! Tune in to listen on the American Freedom Radio or watch it at  vinnyeastwoodshow.com and guerillamedia.co.nz.  I will also post the show on LadaRay Youtube channel and here, on my blog, a few days after. Please tune in to listen, ask questions and comment! Hope you enjoy it, and please stop by to let me know what you think!

And now, the reviews!

5 Stars – “Lada Ray’s The Earth Shifter is the easiest five star review I’ve done in a long time, I loved and was captivated by the story right from he beginning. The parallels with so much of what is happening in the world today, and so many other detailed aspects give believability to this well crafted, wonderful story. My only complaint is that it is a trilogy and I have to wait till the end of 2013 to find out what happens next.”—Paulette Mahurin, Author – The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap (California) 

5 Stars – “The best book I’ve read in two years! Warning: Lada Ray knows more about human nature than Gandhi himself! Read The Earth Shifter and you’ll see a new definition to YA fantasy.” —M.C. O’Neill, Author – The Ancients and the Angels (Chicago, USA)

5 Stars – “Fantastic new young adult fiction! I finished The Earth Shifter 3 nights ago and it has been on my mind since. The characters and plot have stuck with me and I eagerly await the next installment. As I was reading a book set primarily in Russia about comets striking the Earth, what should happen but a comet should strike Russia! That was crazy and gave the book a whole new level of intrigue!” —Rohan Healy, Author, Blogger (Ireland)

5 Stars – “If you could read just one book this year, seriously consider The Earth Shifter! This metaphysical fantasy/thriller is simply one of the most compelling stories you’ll find. Author Lada Ray expertly weaves a tale about the consequences that mankind’s insanity has upon the world. The adventure is all-encompassing and epic in scope, and the author mindfully balances multiple story lines where the characters play a very crucial role in the outcome. It’s a real eye-opening, earth-shifting experience for sure!”—Madeline Walsh, Blogger (New York)

5 Stars – “A cosmic adventure thriller that will take the reader through history and across continents. The plot moves along quickly, introducing each key character and sub-plot with precision timing. An awesome, fast-paced, original storyline with exceptional twists that will leave you breathless and wanting more. The book is outstandingly researched and a marvel of creativity. It contains the perfect mix of history, fact, fiction and creative imagination at its best.”—J.J. Collins, Author – James Madison, The Father of the Constitution (London, UK)

5 Stars – “A hypnotizing novel which moves with deeply ingrained subplots. It serves up juicy portions of a storyline you will be begging to finish reading. A book that is hard to put down…because it is more complex than you can imagine…the next page must be turned… MUST BE… And just when you think you know all the essentials, Lada interrupts your story with an added element, perfectly knitted into the world of Sasha and the Key. I wouldn’t hold this novel to being just a YA because it is perfectly suited for the adults as well. Most all of characters were easy to grab onto and hold close. Final Verdict: 10/10.”—Bite My Book Reviews

5 Stars – “Tolkien, move over, another Russian has hit the deck running. Must read!”—Nanakulikane Reviews (Hawaii) – see this review on Amazon

5 Stars – “The Earth Shifter is a rich cocktail of amazing ingredients with the two core, and most delicious components being, the mystical realm of Lake Baikal in Siberia, as well as the Prophecy of the Key. The author covers a wide range of interests from history and legends, to mysticism, prophecy and origins of humanity. There are elements of a spy thriller set against the glamorous backdrop of modern Moscow and New York.

My family is originally from Siberia, and I was mesmerized by the beautiful descriptions of indigenous Siberia, including shamanism, ancient history, Tunguska Meteorite explosion, local village life. The author Lada Ray is a unique mysterious encyclopedia in herself! Her writing style is inimitable and her esoteric knowledge is impressive. While reading the book, I just couldn’t help but wonder how one person can possibly know all that!

The unexpected twists and turns, amazing flashbacks, stand-out characters and unforgettable settings all fold into an astonishing kaleidoscope of events and a mystically-integrated message. Every new chapter is an escalating suspense, and every new piece of information is an introduction to another, even more gripping revelation. The Earth Shifter will keep you thrilled, intrigued and glued to the next page. You’ll wish you could finish your chores ASAP so you could absorb yourself in reading again. The book brings modern present and ancient past into a fantastic unity, being prophetic, revealing, casting lights on the shadowy preliminaries and the shifting destinies of humankind.

The Earth Shifter will literally “shift” your consciousness, for, after reading it, the world as you see it will never be the same again! I’m endlessly happy I discovered Lada Ray’s books and got to know her as a writer!” —Sofia Siberia, Blogger (Russia/ Ukraine/ Lebanon)

5 Stars – “World-enriching spiritual journey filled with drama and excitement! Another impressive thriller. Ms. Ray artfully puts the pieces in place, building the suspense steadily until the reader is fully encompassed. The Earth Shifter has incredible scope. It combines geopolitics, spirituality, cultural depth and, perhaps most of all, the idea that it is the relationships we form, how we treat each other, that is so important to the healing of the planet.” —Jason Sullivan, Author – Rahala, An Ascension Odyssey (USA)

4.5 Stars – “A complex tale with a great cast of characters. A great YA thriller that is sure to please. I think adult readers will enjoy it as much.” Kate Farrell – The Kindle Book Review & katesreads.com (USA)

Also, many thanks to authors George Wensley (UK), Darlene Foster (Canada) and Guy Portman (UK) for their lovely 5 and 4 star reviews!

You can also read these reviews & more on:

Amazon     B&N     Goodreads     Smashwords   

See book extras on Shelfari

THE EARTH SHIFTER characters/settings/themes/news/excerpts

Stay tuned to the Read and Review Program! Coming next week!

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Feng Shui, Fidel Castro & Fascinating Predictions! An Interview with Lada Ray!

Tags

advice for aspiring authors, Asia, author interview, Author Lada Ray, Bali, Chinese Astrology, Cuba, Feng Shui, Fidel Castro, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Ox, Tibet, Tiger, World Travel

Feng Shui, Fidel Castro & Fascinating Predictions! An Interview with Lada Ray! The title says it all! A truly awesome and off-beat author interview. I’m being interviewed by Rohan Healy of the Rohan7thingsblog! Read a fun chat about my writing style and what was it like to create THE EARTH SHIFTER and other books. In addition to feng shui, Western/Chinese Astrology predictions and my travel musings, this interview includes advice for new and aspiring authors, plus, Rohan has added some spectacular pics too! Check it out!

Interview with Author Lada Ray

Tags

author interview, Author Lada Ray, bullying, fantasy, Literature, Red, Red's Underworld castle, Sasha, spirituality, Tengis, The Earth Shifter, The Earth Shifter Multiverse, thriller, visionary & metaphysical, Young adult fiction

Interview with Author Lada Ray. A very cool and spunky conversation conducted by spiritual blogger, Maddy Walsh, in which we discuss my new metaphysical YA fantasy thriller THE EARTH SHIFTER, its many fascinating characters and the book’s Multiverse, the spiritual way of handling a conflict, the issue of bullying, whether Kristen Stuart would be right for the role of Sasha, would that Bond girl be a perfect “Red,” and what’s next in the series!

Ancients & Spirits: Author Mark O’Neil on the Vinny Eastwood Show

Tags

Atlantis, author interview, Author Lada Ray, Author M.C. O'Neil, conspiracy theory, Earth Keepers Chronicles: Origins, Globalist agenda, Gold Train (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure), NWO, predictive programming, The Ancients and the Angels, The Earth Shifter, Vinny Eastwood Show, YA literature

How exciting! Our very own M.C. O’Neil of the RoyalManaBall.com blog has been interviewed by Vinny Eastwood on The Vinny Eastwood Show on 2/18/13! Vinny is a trail-blazing, forward-looking, off-beat and brave Kiwi, who’s interviewed the likes of David Icke!

Mark and Vinny discussed the following topics: NWO, the shifts in the world system and the USA, conspiracy theories, predictive programming in the media and YA literature, and what it’s like to become aware that what you’ve been told your entire life may be not the truth. Mark O’Neil also talked about his fascinating YA fantasy, The Ancients and the Angels. I’m starting to read book one, The Ancients and the Angels: Celestials, and I’ll let you know my thoughts as soon as I’m done. Look for my review here, on GR, Shelfari, and Amazon in a few weeks!

What’s also awesome, Mark O’Neil discussed me and my book, The Earth Shifter, on the show, and I thank him from the bottom of my heart for this terrific endorsement! Watch the entire interview below! The piece about yours truly starts at 35:06. Check out the whole thing!

Find out more about The Vinny Eastwood Show and subscribe:

TheVinnyEastwoodShow.com  &   www.Guerillamedia.co.nz

Twitter: @MCONeill2      @Guerillamedia

Below are some exciting news for those who’ve asked about my upcoming books & about plans to release my ebooks in print! I am happy to report that:

1. THE EARTH SHIFTER paperback is coming in April.

2. In April, I’m also releasing Earth Keepers Chronicles: Book 2 – Lemurian Crystal & Book 3 – Atlantis. These two novelettes will come out as separate ebooks. Simultaneously,  I will release all three Earth Keepers books (Catharsis, Lemurian Crystal, Atlantis) together as paperback entitled EARTH KEEPERS CHRONICLES: ORIGINS.

3. Also, I’ll finally be releasing STEPFORD USA (Accidental Spy US Adventure) as paperback, which is Jade Snow’s humble beginnings in Smalltown USA – presently available as an ebook. This adventure precedes GOLD TRAIN (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure), which is already available as both ebook and paperback.

Look for these new releases on Amazon and Barnes&Noble in April-May!

Last, but certainly not least, on March 6-7 Lada Ray Blog will be hosting the Book Review Fest 2 (read Book Review Fest 1 featuring my reviews of several exciting Indie books). The upcoming Fest will feature the best recent reviews of The Earth Shifter, along with links to the reviewers’ blogs, recent features and author interviews. By the way, two exciting author interviews are coming up: I am happy to be interviewed by Rohan Healy of http://rohan7things.wordpress.com/ & by Maddy Walsh of http://1earthunite.wordpress.com/. These promise to be truly awesome interviews as the aforementioned bloggers are both fun and aware, and they are total spiritual dynamos! Stay tuned!

Update 2/22/13 – just posted: A million thanks to Rohan Healy of the Rohan7Things blog for a new, stunning review of THE EARTH SHIFTER! Check it out on his blog! http://rohan7things.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/book-review-the-earth-shifter-by-lada-ray/

The Cool, the Original and the Controversial

Tags

Accidental Spy Series, action adventure, author interview, Author Lada Ray, blog tour, book, Cold War, ebook, Gold Train, Jade Snow, May Day, mystery thriller, Russia, Saint Petersburg, Soviet Union

The GOLD TRAIN Blog Tour is over and I wanted to thank all my wonderful blog hosts and reviewers for their hospitality, time and valuable opinions.

As a wrap up of the tour, I decided to feature some of the coolest, most original and controversial of the GOLD TRAIN review questions and interviews. I wanted to mention that I never met any of my reviewers before they read/reviewed my book. Some asked me to review GOLD TRAIN, others I approached myself, and some bought the book, read it and were gracious enough to write a review. Eventually, I became very good friends with some of my reviewers, sometimes despite differences, or because we had so much in common – or both!

I am immensely grateful to all those who took the time to read and review my books! The feedback I received has helped me not only understand better my own writing, but also aided me in shaping up the future world of my heroine, Jade Snow.

This interview is so different and fun, so stand alone, that I call it “The Centerpiece of the GOLD TRAIN Blog Tour.” Author and blogger Jason Sullivan of DIFFERENT OUTCOMES blog interviewed me on May 1st, or May Day, as it is called and celebrated around the world. And we wanted to make this interview very, very special! It came out quite yummy, all thanks to Jason’s amazing questions: cool, in-depth and very unusual!

The interview includes a fun history primer of the Russian Civil War and a candid discussion about the fates of the descendants of Russia’s noble houses; a Russian/Soviet movie and book list; a chat about Jade Snow and what went into the creation of this unusual character; what it was like growing up in the Soviet Union and how May Day was celebrated in the USSR, as well as today’s Russia.

Included are also some awesome pics from another world – another era, and the story of my own thrilling Russian train adventure when my mother put me on the wrong train as a child.

Says Jason: “Luckily, the story has a happy ending due to the fact that the child in question was an intrepid thriller writer in the making.”

This is such a great interview, it is so chock-full of interesting, one-of-a-kind information – all thanks to Jason’s talent for asking terrific questions and for making his subject feel comfortable answering them! I HIGHLY recommend that you read it on Jason Sullivan’s blog DIFFERENT OUTCOMES! And I promise, you are gonna love it!

Review: 5 Stars – Solid Gold Thriller, February 18, 2012, by Jason Sullivan, Author, The Dark Yergall

This is an excerpt from Jason’s review of GOLD TRAIN. Read the entire review on his blog!

“If you enjoyed the charming young detective, Jade Snow, in Stepford, USA, you will absolutely love her next adventure in Gold Train… This thriller has it all! It has the two romantic locations of Moscow and St. Petersburg for its backdrop. It has real princes and princesses, who may or may not be undercover agents and spies. It has the whisperings of revolution, deepening international intrigue, plus beautiful trains and huge piles of gold!

Jade, however, is the real treat. She does not have super powers, nor even any formal training in the spy business, but she is daring, and clever, and her heart is always in the right place. She must rely on her intution to make choices her life, and world peace, depend on. Read Gold Train and be transfixed as Jade stays one step ahead of her adversaries through quick thinking and bold actions. This book is so believable it reads like a true story. Lada Ray takes you inside the grand houses of Russia to witness an unfolding mystery you will not soon forget.”

Next, a brand new review and May 4 blog tour stop by M.G. Edwards, Author of the new adventure book, Kilimanjaro.

This review is especially notable because Mike is a fellow writer residing in Thailand. What’s more, he is a former U.S. State Department official and American diplomat. I believe we both had started our careers well after the end of the Cold War, but if it happened earlier, we conceivably could have found ourselves on the opposite sides of the trenches, figuratively speaking of course. But no, not really. When I grew up in the Soviet Union, I was very far from politics, my interests lie abroad and I was very much critical of the direction the country was taking in the late 1980s – beginning of 1990s. For more on that, read my interview with Jason Sullivan at Different Outcomes Blog.

In today’s globalized world, Mike and I met on Twitter and became good friends, our “ideological differences” notwithstanding ;), once again demonstrating the fallacy of fighting instead of working together. And so, Mike’s review, bringing up a certain controversy, is very interesting. Below is an excerpt.

Review: 5 Stars -Gold Train is Golden, May 3, 2012.

Read the entire review and my guest post, Russia and I, at the WORLD ADVENTURERS blog.

“From the very first chapter, Lada weaves vivid descriptions of Russia and Russian culture into a story filled with thrilling suspense.

As someone with a keen interest in international affairs, I was happy to read the author’s unique portrayal of Russia, and in particular, Russian intelligence. So many western novels since the days of the Soviet Union have painted Mother Russia and the “Russians” as a nemesis, a stereotype that has continued, albeit muted, since the fall of the U.S.S.R. in 1991. Her account is a refreshing look at Russia today and a rare positive portrayal of the Russian authorities. While the truth may be different than her depiction, I give her high marks for originality. For Western audiences, it’s a new take on an old storyline usually reserved for Russia’s former Cold War foes. Her deep appreciation of Russian culture is apparent in her writing and translates well to readers. Lada does an excellent job navigating a subject that can be easily politicized — Russian politics – in a disarming way. Those with an eye for fashion will enjoy the exquisite descriptions of the trappings of European royalty.

I give Gold Train 5 stars overall. The novel includes all the elements of a novice spy-thriller masterpiece, from smart writing to a crisp plot that moves along with action and ties up loose ends, great plot twists, memorable characters, good dialogue, and fabulous descriptions. That said, it doesn’t achieve the threshold of greatness reserved for classic spy thrillers written by John LeCarré, Frederick Forsyth, and others. Perhaps, in time and another book, Jade will rise to the level of a Kay Scarpetta or Kinsey Millhone.”

I want to thank Mike for mentioning me in the same paragraph with John LeCarré, even if it was in a somewhat critical sense. In DRAGON GATE and the following books, Jade and I will strive to achieve the level of greatness of this Master of the genre. 😉 Although perhaps it should be considered that I am not trying to emulate past writers and that Jade is a new and original character with her own ideas of how to act and develop as her destiny unfolds.

On my end, I have to give Mike high marks too, for bringing up the point about Western novels painting Russia and the “Russians” as a nemesis. I felt that the field had gotten way too lopsided and that someone had to even it out, even if just a little bit. Might as well be me… The distortion has gotten so disproportionate in fact, that it fails to resemble the truth even remotely. Watching some of the Western movies, or attempting to read some of the Western books relating to Russia makes me cringe.

And I want to ask my readers this: do you even remember those negative movies or books you were fed by the US media? Do you recall their titles? Did they do well in the box office? Probably not. Because the truth has a very funny way of sorting itself out. But everyone will always remember the classics, for instance: Gorky Park, The Russians Are Coming, Read Heat, The Russia House, and a few others. Why? Because these authors/movie makers didn’t take an easy way out, and because they told the TRUTH.

Review: 5 Stars – Brilliantly Written – A MUST Read December 20, 2011: Hayley Sale, The  Kindle Book Review.

Hayley was Gold Train’s very first reviewer and I just loved how she managed to express so much – and so many thoughts that immediately resonated with me – in a relatively short review. I think her review speaks for itself! Below are a few excerpts:

“The plot lines… were brilliantly written and the story is just fantastic – there are layers that go deeper and deeper as we go along. I found that the way the author described the scenery and landmarks of Russia was just amazing – it made me want to go and visit myself. I was as interested in reading about the landmarks as I was about the actual storyline! This book had it all, not only a great mystery, and action but a little romance and even some humour. It really was superb, fast paced and well written. For me it was also one of those books that gets you thinking about things – even after you finish reading. I really hope that we get to hear more from Jade Snow and also Alexi.”

Hayley’s blog, MY LOVE OF READING was also a GOLD TRAIN Blog Tour stop on 4/29/12.  Here are a few excerpts that I especially liked:

How do you go about making the setting come alive for the reader?

I call creating the right setting: anchoring the story in the here and now. As such, I am a big believer in creating a beautiful, vibrant setting, which comes alive for the reader. It is extremely important to anchor the story in both the time and space, so that the reader can be actively present every moment inside the story and participate directly in everything that happens. A beautiful, stand out setting can sometimes make or break the story.

I certainly put a lot of effort into creating a setting that speaks to the reader, one that fascinates, entertains – and absolutely does not let you go. I usually visualize the place, as well as what is happening in the scene, as if in a movie. I play the movie in my head, until it translates into words. Sometimes I need to feel the texture, touch the scene, so to speak.

Since GOLD TRAIN is action adventure thriller, it has lots of action scenes. To make such action scenes come alive within the particular setting, I would usually re-enact them. Besides making the scene crisp and believable, this game is also lots of fun!

What’s next for Jade Snow?

Jade Snow adventures continue! There are many more mysteries to solve, conspiracies to uncover and wrongs to right. There is also much happiness to find.

The next Jade Snow adventure, DRAGON GATE, will take her to the mystical lands of Asia where Jade has to solve another mystery, uncover another conspiracy and avert yet another global disaster. DRAGON GATE will be released later this year. Incidentally, you can read exclusive description and excerpt from DRAGON GATE in GOLD TRAIN Paperback (release 4/25/12). For a limited time, GOLD TRAIN paperback is available on Amazon for $9.99 (reg. $14.95)

Will we see Alexei, the mystery man who captures Jade’s heart in Gold Train, in the future Jade Snow Adventures?

Absolutely! The relationship between Jade and Alexei is the kind both men and women dream about their entire lives. A match made in Heaven – literally. Yet seemingly, it’s not meant to be, or at least, it’s not going to be easy…

But I’ll let you in on my secret. I have big plans for both Jade and Alexei. They can’t help but keep bumping into each other, first in Asia (DRAGON GATE), and later in Siberia, Russia, where Jade will be traveling after her Asia adventure. I have hinted in Gold Train that there is more treasure to be found. That was done for a reason, as Jade and Alexei will head to the legendary Lake Baikal in Siberia for the continuation of the Tsar’s gold saga. And their relationship will continue developing throughout the series with heart-stopping twists and turns throughout.

Dear reader, please join us for the future Jade Snow adventures, where Jade and I promise you a non-stop thrill ride with heart!

What other books are you working on right now?

I am also working on THE EARTH SHIFTER, a new YA fantasy/thriller, set in Russia, USA and China. It will also be released in 2012.

All up-to-date information about my present and future books may be found at my official author site: http://www.LadaRay.com.

Read Hayley’s review of Gold Train and the entire interview here!

5 Stars – Jade Snow is to journalism, what Jason Bourne is to action and espionage. December 29, 2011.  J.J. Collins, Author, Famine to Freedom, Irish in the American Civil War. 

I initially approached Jason Collins – now my favorite Irishman residing in London – regarding a review because he wrote about the history of the American Civil War. And there is a lot about the Russian Civil War in Gold Train. I thought it would be great to get his perspective. And his review totally exceeded my expectations! When he mentioned Jason Bourne, one of my great favorites in the contemporary thriller literature and film, I was blown away! It never occurred to me to compare Jade to Jason Bourne, but it made perfect sense!

And his comparison brought home an important point. Don’t try to tell your readers what other books yours resonates with; let them decide for themselves. So I removed a reference to The Da Vinci Code and National Treasure from the GOLD TRAIN’s product description. Since then, the reviewers took it upon themselves to compare Jade and GOLD TRAIN to Jason Bourne, Sherlock Holmes, Nancy Drew (the adult version), and even to Twilight (with a pulse and a Vodka twist)!

Jason Collins’ review makes a lot of great points. Here are some of them:

“The author has managed to develop a character with a fascinating thoughtful purpose. “Gold Train” is an absolute must read, the author goes beyond the obvious and whisks us along into the heart-stopping world of Jade Snow with breath-taking appeal for the next paragraph and page. The author’s knowledge and comprehension of the Russian political scene brings a very credible and believable level of authenticity to the plot.”

Read this terrific review, along with Jason’s review of the Jade Snow Prequel, Stepford USA here!

5 Stars – A Race for Gold! December 30, 2011, Kate’s Reads

A review excerpt by the lovely Kate:

“Gold Train is a fast paced thrill ride filled with great characters you will love and villains you will hate. And maybe a few you won’t know whether to love or hate. This is definitely one to read!”

Kate’s stop along the GOLD TRAIN Blog Tour route was on 4/28. Read the entire interview and review here. Here is an excerpt:

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you decided to be a writer.

 

When I decided to start writing, I wrote My Manifesto, in which I pretty much summarized the answer to this question:

 

MY MANIFESTO

 

For years, I was afraid to take a risk. As we all grow up being conditioned by our society and parents, so did I.

 

And this was my conditioning: I broke through the Iron Curtain, moved across oceans and continents, traveled to exotic countries, translated foreign languages, worked for major companies and mastered new professions… but in all that time I was utterly terrified to do something totally unchartered and intimidating – sitting down and writing a book.

 

My fear is gone. I’ve done my share of the same-old-same-old routine! It’s time to explore that which is aching to be explored – the murky waters of the human psyche, the dangerous landscapes of what was, and the fascinating, undiscovered world of what can be. As I make the most crucial and courageous step of my life, I am finally sitting down at my desk to write these words. I am officially the explorer of the ultimate frontier, located right here, at my computer.

I am ready for new adventures! Are you?

March, 2011

 

5 Stars – Review for Rachel’s Book Reviews, February 18, 2012

Check out this cool and witty review from one super-talented teenager:

“Based on actual events, I found it an amazing book. I felt like it was true to Russia, like I was actually there, spying on uprising monarchists. If I were to make a comparison, I would say it reminded me of Nancy Drew, always in the right place at just the wrong time. Except this is an adult version. On top of breakneck action, the ending blew my socks off. I really wasn’t expecting that to happen! It was 100% an original book. It’s even inspired me to learn Russian (that’ll be an adventure in itself!) Like Jade I think it’ll give me new insight to people in my family I never knew. (although, here’s to hoping it won’t involve a murder!)”

A few more review excerpts from the Gold Train readers:

5 Stars – by Madeline Walsh, New York, December 21, 2011: “In Gold Train, I think everyone will find mystery, suspense, action, passion, romance… and an amazing timeless story!”

5 star spy thriller, grips you to the end! March 17, 2012: “The protagonist, Jade Snow is a strong, independent journalist with international appeal. Her intuition, ability to reason and deductive prowess rivals the great Sherlock Holmes. This has got to be one of the coolest, most explosive and passionate novels I read in a very long time! The novel is very well written. I can’t say enough about it… has you hanging on the edge of your seat! Read it and you’ll see what I mean!”

5 Stars – Extreme Journalism to the MAX, totally original mystery adventure,  May 3, 2012: “I’ve learned a ton about the real treasures of Russia… it’s people and it’s vision… Absolutely love it!!”

Check out these and other reviews on Amazon.

4 Stars – Suspense thriller with Russia as its backdrop, March 8, 2012, Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

This review stirred up a bit of controversy:

“Jade is a bright likeable character. She is educated and good at connecting the dots. While she has no training as a detective, her inquisitive mind and investigative reporting skills find her entwined in the mystery. I loved Jade the detective, but struggled to like Jade the person. While on this adventure she strays and breaks her marriage vows. Call me old fashioned, but this doesn’t sit well with me; even though the romance was passionate and Jade felt he was her soul mate. I realize this won’t affect everyone, so do not let this deter you from a great adventure. For more delicate readers, I must warn you that while most is implied, the romance does get pretty hot and heavy. The plot developed at a good pace, and the tale kept me captivated.”

I’ve addressed the controversy in question in one of my previous posts: Jade Snow: Savior or Seductress. Check it out!

Kimba also was gracious enough to host my blog tour on 5/3 as well as the Giveaway for 1 Gold Train paperback and 1 ebook. Check out both at Kimba The Caffeinated Blog.

Kimba asks some really COOL questions and here is an excerpt from our interview:

Your novels take place all over the world. Do you travel or do you research all of these places?

I traveled all my life, for as long as I can remember. I am fluent in several languages and have been to over twenty six countries in Europe, Asia, North and South America, as well as Africa. I worked in Havana, Cuba as an interpreter for the Russian educational exchange delegations, including a couple of interviews with the man himself – Fidel Castro.

 

I rely heavily on my memory and knowledge of a particular place and period. But in addition, I always do a lot of research to verify and clarify the smallest details. That’s what makes every scene come alive, and that’s what makes the book believable.

 

Tell us about your protagonist, Jade Snow.

 

My books are very international and I am a big believer in capturing life in all its complexity and facets. Jade Snow is a very strong, independent, smart and sexy heroine. She is also a citizen of the world and her heart is always in the right place, as one reviewer pointed out. She has to go through a lot and get tested to the limit during her adventures.

I can’t emphasize enough how much our contemporary literature needs the smart and strong female characters and role models who are also real, genuine people. And how much we need more people with intelligence, courage and heart in our everyday lives! In the new world of the 21 century, we have to learn to live and work together, regardless of prejudices and borders, to understand each other and help those in need, whether it is by saving a stranger’s life, averting global disaster, or by a simple act of random kindness.

 

Where do you like to write? Do you have a writing schedule?

 

I prefer to write at my large and comfortable writing table at home, in my room full of books and inspiring pictures. Sometimes I write at a café.

I don’t keep to a certain schedule, but if I don’t write for a while, I feel as if something is missing in my life.

 

What actress would you choose to portray Jade Snow?

 

Several years ago I’d say: Nicole Kidman. But today… she’d be too old. Jade is a very youthful 30 in Gold Train and she’s 28 in Stepford USA.

I would choose Keira Knightley. She has the right character and personality and can play someone smart, witty, sexy, independent, courageous, a dash tricky and a little vulnerable, too. Of course, she’d have to become a redhead. 😉

 

Coffee or tea?

Great question! Both actually. Love the coffee aroma, especially Turkish or authentic Italian. Tea: I have a great collection of authentic green teas from China, India and Japan at home. Every writer needs a boost! Inspiration and caffeine are practically siblings!

If you had to be an animal for twenty-four hours, what would you be and why?

Ahhh… I’d be an Ussurian Tiger. The largest cat in existence, the most beautiful and the most rare. Found only in one spot on the planet: Ussurian Taiga, the Russian Far East. Was on the brink of extinction with only 29 tigers left just ten years ago, but now the population is up to 500. Like all cats, has an amazing night vision.

Or, I’d be a white eagle. Love the color, plus the ability to soar high and see everything from above. Both of these magnificent creatures take part in my upcoming YA fantasy/thriller, THE EARTH SHIFTER, to be released in 2012.

What kind of reader would like your novel?

Gold Train is for the fun loving, dynamic, adventurous people, who have open minds and are interested in the world around them, as well as foreign lands.

For those who love a fast-paced thrill ride with a purpose. For those who love history, sleuthing and mysteries, who are naturally curious, who want to immerse themselves in the story line and feel, like they are part of the action. And it is for those, who expect more from a story.

It’s also for those who love animals and mystical, psychic stuff, yet, are firmly grounded in this world. And for those, who care what happens in our world and who want to improve it.

Although the thriller side of the story dominates, let’s not forget that Gold Train, along with the other Jade Snow Adventures, has a strong romantic undercurrent. Therefore, those who are interested in romantic suspense, will also find Gold Train a compelling read. My way of writing romance is anything but traditional. The relationship between Jade and Alexei is marked by destiny, and I hope the reader enjoys it.

I again want to thank all my reviewers and interviewers for their wonderful and thoughtful reviews and interviews! I enjoyed them tremendously!

Check out the complete GOLD TRAIN BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE!

Check out GOLD TRAIN Ebook and Paperback on Amazon.

GOLD TRAIN is also available on Amazon UK, DE, FR, IT and ES, as well as Smashords, B&N, Sony, Kobo and Apple.

Please check out Lada Ray Book Store for direct links.

For those readers, who inquired about purchasing my books directly, or those who don’t have access to Amazon, I will soon have a book store on my website, where you’ll be able to acquire my books in both ebook and print format via Paypal.

.

Happy reading and see you on pages of my books!

 

Yours,

Lada Ray

GOLD TRAIN Blog Tour Centerpiece: May Day Interview

Tags

Accidental Spy Series, action adventure, author interview, Dr. Zhivago, Gold Train, Jade Snow, May Day, Mikhail Bulgakov, Moscow, mystery thriller, Russia, Russian literature, Russian Revolution, Saint Petersburg, Soviet Union

GOLD TRAIN Blog Tour continues! Today please enjoy a very special interview, which I call The Centerpiece of the Gold Train Blog Tour.

Don’t forget to check out other awesome blog stops, Gold Train reviews and giveaways here!

Reblogged from Different Outcomes blog by author Jason Sullivan:

May Day Interview with Lada Ray, author of Gold Train

Today I would like to welcome linguist and writer Lada Ray to the Different Outcomes blog. She is here to discuss her new exciting thriller Gold Train. Perhaps she might also share with us a little about her fascinating life growing up in Russia.

Jason: I would prefer to ask a few somewhat atypical questions, which might give you the possibility of going deeper into them. The areas that fascinate me, although the whole book is so wonderfully exciting, are the following:

The White Army connection with modern Russia, its historical background and current association with other countries, is very interesting. I fear most Americans have a very superficial understanding of the Russian Revolution, and especially the White Army. I always remember the scene from Dr Zhivago when they are crossing a field and are ambushed! In your book you obviously have a more complex and, I think I may say, holistic approach to this conflict. Perhaps not dissimilar to how some Americans have come to view their own Civil War as an opportunity to move beyond differences, although some are still fighting it! But you put forth this sense of pride in Russia, in wanting a healthy Russia which has healed from past conflicts and which is not manipulated by foreign interests. So, I don’t know if that is all one question, or maybe more, but generally, maybe you could share some more with us this unique sense we get in the book, perhaps possible only from an author born in Russia!

Lada: These are some wonderful questions, Jason, and I’ll try answering them, remaining as entertaining and educational as possible.

I love your definition of my approach to the conflict as “holistic.” I think, most Russians have come to view it as such, having made peace with it and having been able to understand both sides’ point of view. A huge credit for this goes to the educational value of the Soviet and Russian literature and film. These topics, especially the Civil War, are perennial favorites in Russia.

During the Soviet era, more emphasis was put on the role of the Red Army, but starting with the mid 1980’s, when Gorbachev came to power, more attention was given to the White movement. That said, the books written/movies made during the Soviet era did a great job portraying the conflict thoughtfully and evenhandedly.

I grew up with many amazing movies and books, and Dr. Zhivago was only one of them. An excellent book, to be sure, and the one that had a profound effect on the Western society, but hardly the only, and some even think, not even the best in the long line of books/movies about the Russian Civil War. The books/movies I am talking about all portrayed the conflict in a rather balanced way, even if they sided with the Red Army and Bolsheviks ideologically. The human element, motivations, depth of drama – all that was amazingly done.

I think, due to the politics and the wall that existed, and to the extent still does exist between the American and Russian cultures, Americans have a very distorted understanding of the history and implications of the 1917 Revolution and Civil War. I have to say that on average the Europeans and the rest of the world have a much better comprehension of the Russian history.

I want to mention a few movies and books, which come to mind immediately when we talk about the subject – all great in their own right. These are the classics, and those who have an interest in Russian history will find them not only enlightening, but also immensely entertaining. If you can find any of these with English subs or translation, they are well worth watching or reading. I suggest checking out YouTube, you never know what treasures you may uncover there. As to the books, the English translations  of these classics should be readily available.

Soviet Books/Movies:

Movie Beg – The Flight, 1970. Based on the play by Mikhail Bulgakov, Flight. A dramatic and memorable epic about destinies and emigration to Istanbul and Paris of several senior officers and other White Russians during the Civil War. The characters are painted with profound humanity. Great cast, too!

Movie Dni Turbinykh – Days of The Turbins, 1976. Based on the highly acclaimed novel by Mikhail Bulgakov, The White Guard. One of my favorites growing up, boasting tremendous cast of actors. Also about the destinies of several White Russians with different personalities and views. Resolves the conflict in favor of staying in Russia, rather than emigrating. The movie is worth watching not only for the drama and character development, but also for humor and great songs.

As an aside, Mikhail Bulgakov is widely recognized as one of the great authors and visionaries of the 20^th century. I also highly recommend his mega-popular, cult book: Master and Margarita. Set in the 1930’s Moscow, it is a dark fantasy about a writer and his trials and tribulations against the backdrop of the Stalinist Russia, his forbidden romance with Margarita, complicated by the appearance of the Devil himself. But that’s not all; inserted within the novel is the story of life and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Part of the book takes place in mystical realms of Heaven and Earth. The imagery and philosophy of the book is incredibly striking. It is available in English, moreover, the recently made wonderful mini-series based on Master and Margarita can be purchased on Amazon with English subs. You can probably also sample it on YouTube.

But back to the Russian Civil War: TV Series Adyutant Evo Prevoskhoditelstva – Adjutant of His Excellency, 1969. An excellent mini series about a Red/Soviet spy, who infiltrated the headquarters of the White Army and became personal adjutant to the commander in chief. Needless to say, he was able to thwart some major operations by the Whites, until he was discovered. To add to the drama, the spy, beautifully portrayed by the famous Russian actor, Yury Solomin, falls in love with the daughter of the chief security officer of the White Army, the man who is constantly on his trail. Plus, the series includes some great train action, where a very valuable train, containing advanced tanks and machinery, sent by the West for the Whites, gets blown up! Couldn’t have written it better myself!

Tikhiy Don – And Quiet Flows The Don. Both a book and epic movie about the role of Cossacks in the 1918 Civil War, some of whom sided with the Whites and others with the Reds. An absolute classic of the Soviet literature by Mikhail Sholokhov. For years, Soviet literature had been shunned by the Nobel Prize Committee for political and ideological reasons. Pity, there were many works that deserved to be considered and awarded. Mikhail Sholokhov was one of the few Russian authors who, along with Boris Pasternak, author of Dr. Zhivago, received the Nobel Prize for literature.

Recent Russian Movie:

Moi Admiral – My Admiral, 2008. Starring Konstantin Habensky, known in the West for his acclaimed role in Night Watch and Day Watch, dark fantasies, set in today’s Moscow. Moi Admiral is about the famous leader of the White Movement, Admiral Kolchak, his life, romance and drama. Kolchak was eventually betrayed by the Tsar’s Army Czech Corps who initially sided with the Whites, but eventually handed Kolchak over to the Reds who ended up executing him. I haven’t seen the movie yet, but it received some tremendous press.

I want to let you in on my secret. I wasn’t planning on announcing it just yet, but since we are on this topic, I thought I’d give my readers a sneak peek of what’s to come in the Jade Snow Series. As you may know, this year I will be releasing the next Jade Snow adventure – DRAGON GATE, set in Asia. But after that, in Jade’s third adventure, she will head back to Russia, specifically, to the legendary Lake Baikal in Siberia, for the continuation of the Tsar’s Gold saga. Incidentally, the story of Admiral Kolchak and his betrayal by the Czech Corps is intrinsically connected to the treasure. I’ll say no more so not to spoil the surprise… and I am planning lots of those in the following books!

Jason: Another aspect of the book, which fascinates me is your opening, it is so wonderfully written, where the train is pirated. You also feature beautiful modern trains and stations in Russia. And then we hear you have personal experience because your father worked for the train system in Russia. I love trains! I think everyone does. They are so romantic! So anything you might think of with regard to your inside perspective or childhood memories of trains. Is the great gold robbery the most infamous of Russian train stories? Are there other famous train stories in Russia that you might relate? What sort of role did trains play in the history of Russia? And, also, and this might be the most interesting to readers, what specific memories might you share about riding through the Russian countryside and into the cities by train? What was it like, what were the passengers like, any exciting moments?

Lada: The trains had always played a huge role in the Russian history. Unlike in the USA, historically, the Russian roads had been in pretty bad condition and the auto industry hadn’t developed to the extent it has in the USA. Although Russia is a major power in aeronautics, civil aviation had lagged and is only now starting to mature. Moreover, due to the vastness of the country’s landmass with seas surrounding it, the ships had been important, but not universally usable.

That left trains and related vehicles as the primary source of transportation. Russia inherited the Soviet public transportation system, which was very well developed and maintained. Within smaller cities, you had a comprehensive network of trams and trolleys (trolleybus), aided by some bus traffic (usually for longer express journeys). In larger cities, primarily Moscow and St. Petersburg, the most popular mode of transportation was, still is (and probably will always be) the truly one-of-a-kind Russian Metro. Moscow Metro, in addition to being a beautiful underground architectural miracle, is also the second busiest metro in the world, after Tokyo’s Twin Cities metro, carrying 8 million passengers a day. St. Petersburg Metro, considered by some to be even more beautiful, and the world’s deepest, is also the 5^th busiest on the planet. The Russian Metro is featured in Gold Train, including one of the most dramatic episodes of the book.

For connections between cities and suburbs, people normally use local diesel and electric trains, called “Electrichka.” And for long-distance travel, regular trains, expresses, and lately, high-speed trains. Sapsan, the high-speed train, connecting Moscow and St. Petersburg, is featured in Gold Train as well.

Three generations of the Russian Trains:

 Old Soviet Locomotive

 Traditional Nokolayevsky Express, Moscow – Saint Petersburg, the one Jade rode in Gold Train (named after the last Russian Tsar Nicolas)

 High-speed train Sapsan featured in Gold Train

Of course, the challenge now is to transition this very comprehensive, well-oiled, but aging system into the 21^st century, preserving its heritage, yet innovating it to suit tomorrow’s needs.

Just like you, Jason, I love trains and could talk about them for ages. For now I’ll be getting off my soapbox.

To answer your question about the robbery of the Gold Reserve of the Russian Empire in 1918. Let’s remember that GOLD TRAIN, although based on real historic events, is a book of fiction and the events as described in the prologue are a product of my imagination or are used fictitiously, according to the disclaimer on the book’s copyright page. There are many theories as to how the Gold Reserve really disappeared and there is no consensus to this day as to what happened to the treasure. We can definitely say that more than one train was involved.

I hinted in GOLD TRAIN that there is more treasure to be found. This hint was made for a reason. As mentioned earlier, I intend to explore this story further, when Jade together with Alexei, travels to Lake Baikal in Siberia during her third adventure.

Were there any other famous events related to trains in the Russian history? During the Civil War, trains were attacked and robbed regularly. Let’s remember that in addition to the main opposing forces in that conflict, the Whites and the Reds, there was a rainbow of different factions – the Greens (this was the color used by the bandits and robbers, not the Green Party), The Blacks (anarchists), and even The Yellow-Blues (I’m not kidding – these were the Ukrainian nationalists).

The bandits and so many others just wanted to capitalize on the general disorder, confusion and misfortune, and robberies of peaceful passenger trains were frequent, reminiscent of the Wild West page in the US history.

After the war ended and order in the county was restored, very few robberies took place due to tough law enforcement. Of course during World War II, lots of Russian treasures were looted by the Nazis from the museums and taken to Germany and some other countries. The most famous of them is the looting of the legendary Amber Room, considered by some to be the Eight’s Wonder of the World. It was stolen from Catherine Palace near St. Petersburg and its whereabouts are unknown to this day.

For more about this, read my post on Lada Ray Blog: Tsars, Oligarchs and Treasure: St. Petersburg, Russia.

When I grew up in Russia, the travel on trains, or any other mode of transportation was 100% safe. Robberies were unheard of. Even petty crime was rare. I remember once, the crime of the year was that someone was snatching fur hats from people’s heads. The culprits were eventually apprehended and the “wave of hat snatching” had stopped.

I was born in Moscow, but grew up in Odessa, on the Black Sea, where both of my parents worked for the Southern Railways. My father did financial/legal audits and traveled a lot; my mother’s job description was to sit at the headquarters and regulate railroad’s traffic for any given sector. I remember as a child visiting her huge office with tall ceilings and soundproof walls (so that she wouldn’t get distracted when she was on duty, as a single mistake on her part could cause a collision). The office was large enough to do cartwheels in. On the wall she had an enormous map of the entire Southern Railroad, dotted with glittering lights, signifying passing trains, signals and intersecting tracks. All this looked awfully important. 😉

On long-distance trains, there are 3 main classes: 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd. I normally rode 2^nd class, as it was free for me. I took 1^st class only when I was with my father, who due to his job had free 1^st class tickets.

Second class sleeper coupe, or compartment, has 4 bunk beds on two levels, with upper bunks pulled up during the day, luggage compartments and a foldable table in the center. The trains usually have nice rugs in corridors and compartments and are very clean and cozy.

The beds have mattresses, pillows and fresh linens and are quite comfortable to sleep in. First class has 2 bunk beds, which turn into plush sofas during the day. Each 1^st and 2^nd class compartment has a door, which can be locked for privacy. 3^rd class has no doors and there are 6 bunks per unit – two of them next to the corridor. 3^rd class doesn’t have any rugs, plus there is no privacy at all. The whole carriage would usually buzz all day long as people chat, sing songs and play guitar. It’s certainly much more sociable – and much cheaper. Many younger people would travel 3^rd class to save money.

Russians love feeling cozy and comfortable on long-distance trains. They usually bring a pair of slippers and even robes and pajamas to change into. Russian trains provide tea in traditional thin glasses in silver holders or in porcelain cups as part of their service. I have the fondest memories of these tea glasses in silver holders. The scene in Gold Train, when Jade rides the overnight express from Moscow to St. Petersburg echoes my childhood memories.

As part of my parents’ job perks, they always had free train tickets, which I’ve always put to good use. I traveled ever since I can remember, often alone. I was always an adventurer at heart and staying put in one place wasn’t for me. It was so safe to ride a train to another city even as a ten or twelve year old, that I often did just that.

My uncle and aunt lived in Bendery and my much older cousin Sasha (Alexander) in Kishinev (Chisinau), Moldova. Currently, these two cities are located in different countries, as Moldova split in two parts after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. I loved visiting my relatives and did that ever since I was eleven. My mother would usually take me to the station and put me on the train. Two hours later in Bendery, I would jump off the train, walk two blocks to my uncle and aunt’s house and surprise them. Then, my aunt Zeena would usually dial my mother and admonish her for letting me travel without any supervision. My kindly Uncle Vasya and Aunt Zeena never managed to get used to the level of my independence.

Once, my mother put me on the train to visit my older cousin Vera, who lived in Nikolayev, a city about four hours east of Odessa. Nikolayev was one of the Black Sea’s Soviet fleet bases, where Vera’s husband was a naval officer. It was the first time I was traveling to that particular city, as my relatives had only recently moved there. I was about twelve at the time. Vera and her husband were supposed to meet me at the train station.

It was late afternoon and my mother was late for work. Feeling distracted, she put me on the wrong train. I knew that I would be in Nikolayev by eight thirty p.m. and Vera’s husband would be waiting for me on the platform. I realized that something was wrong when the train made its final stop at some tiny, godforsaken station in the middle of nowhere and the last two passengers quickly dismounted and disappeared into the darkness stretching beyond the single light illuminating the tiny platform. It was past nine p.m.

The small station building was dark. Obviously, the staff left for the day. I realized immediately that I was, for lack of a better word, screwed. Now, let’s remember, it was well before cell phones.

Thank goodness for my sharp reflexes. As the train was preparing to leave and the conductor, an indifferent-looking woman, was about to snap the train door shut, I dashed to her and explained the situation. She said that the train was going to the depot, some ten kilometers away, and there was nothing she could do. Turned out, my mother (the big train specialist that she was) had not only put me on the wrong train, but also on the train going in the wrong direction. As a result, I was nowhere near Nikolayev. Before long, the whole crew was gathered around, trying to figure out what to do with me. I decided not to tell them who I really was so they wouldn’t start fussing, or god forbid, put me on the train back home. I wanted to continue with my adventure.

Someone remembered that another train would pass this station shortly. It wasn’t an express and it would make all local stops, but it would get me to Nikolayev. I waited on the dark, deserted platform, and lo and behold, thirty minutes later a train did stop. It was indeed headed towards Nikolayev, but there was a problem. I didn’t have enough for the ticket. My mother gave me a few rubles for the road, but since I was to be met by my loving cousin’s family, who was supposed to take care of all my expenses, she didn’t bother giving me any more.

The conductor looked at me and said that I should put my money away. She gave me a seat in the third class compartment and brought some tea (again for free) in that same thin, gold-rimmed glass set in the traditional Russian silver holder, which I always remember with warmth. The scene that I experienced many times in my life – the conductor (stewardess) bringing tea in a glass with silver holder – is described in Gold Train.

I drank tea and munched on cookies the other passengers in the sociable 3^rd class shared with me. The train arrived to Nikolayev at dawn. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the main train station, but the auxiliary one, located very far from the city itself. I went around, asking people how to get to the center of the city. They said that trolley traffic started at six. I waited till six and boarded the first trolley. It took me almost an hour to get to the city center.

There was another problem, which would have stumped anyone – but not me. When my mother so infamously put me on the wrong train, no one bothered to provide me with my cousin’s address. Because, well, because it was assumed I didn’t need one, since my relatives would be meeting me at the station. Thank goodness for my memory. I happened to catch a quick glimpse of that address when my mother was handling it earlier and I miraculously managed to remember it.

While on the trolley, I started asking other passengers where the 5^th Greenhouse Drive might be. I am not kidding, this was the name of the street! Of course, as you can imagine, no one had the faintest idea where such street was to be found. But I persevered. Finally, one man said that he thought that I should get off on the next stop and walk a few blocks. I took a chance and got off. As I walked, I kept asking passersby and little by little I was directed to the right street. I walked along the narrow, hidden alley and located my cousin’s house. I knocked on the door, which was opened by Igor, my disheveled looking cousin in law, followed by similarly disheveled Vera. Both didn’t sleep all night. It turned out, the entire railroad, as well as local police, were searching for me, task made ever more difficult by the fact that my mother forgot which train she put me on. When I knocked, my cousin thought it was the police with news. The room was full of smoke, as Igor, who had recently quit, started smoking again to settle his nerves.

Needless to say, everyone was immensely relieved that I was okay. I think I became a minor legend in my circles, as everyone asked me to recount my adventures over and over again. And of course, going forward, I made sure I had all the emergency information at my disposal whenever I traveled.

This is just one of my little railroad adventures. There are many more, but that is another story altogether.

Jason: Jade Snow is a magnificent character, so smart, sexy and fearless! She is such a real character, I think the reader gets a very strong sense for Jade and immediately likes her, will follow her anywhere. I think part of this, as well, is a sense of honesty. We feel we can trust Jade to tell it like it is! So if you would talk a little about what was involved with creating this character, a wonderful character that can really carry a long series, I think readers and writers alike will be fascinated by this.

Lada: I have to confess: I am very fond of Jade! I love her not only as one of my characters – my creation – but also as a person. You hit the nail on the head. She is smart, sexy and fearless. Yes, she is all that. But what’s more, she is absolutely and brutally honest. Not just with others, but with herself, which is a much more difficult thing to do. There are many ways we as humans indulge in self-deception. Jade wouldn’t have any of that.

There is an expression in Russian, which is normally reserved for males: “With him, I’d go into battle.” In this case I can honestly say, with Jade I’d easily go into battle. In other words, Jade can be absolutely trusted. With everything – from the world’s largest treasure to someone’s life. And that, together with her zest for life and passion, is an enormous part of her sex appeal. Even her little deceptions come from a higher place.

Several years back, when I was flying to Asia via Dubai, I met some international journalists returning from Afghanistan, who told me stories of their adventures. As I was boarding my plane, the image of Jade Snow, complete with her flaming hair and unusual blue-green eyes appeared before me. It occurred to me that this young, sassy , beautiful journalist would make an amazing heroine for the international adventure series. I soon started writing my first novel, STEPFORD USA, prequel to the Jade Snow International Adventure Series. In it, Jade, 28, gets stuck in an idyllic town in the Berkshires, MA, where she is supposed to take it easy before the birth of her child. But this little sheltered paradise is hiding a terrible secret, which Jade must uncover, risking her own and her unborn baby’s lives. Next I wrote a short novella, GREEN DESERT, describing Jade’s experience in Iraq, before the start of the series.

When I stumbled upon the story of the lost Russian Imperial Gold, I knew – this was to be Jade’s next adventure. Now that the series has taken off, the characters and stories write themselves.

I didn’t plan it to be first person narrative. I am a third person gal, generally. But it’s as if Jade insisted on telling the story herself – and there was nothing I could do about it! There is some of me in Jade (what writer can resist that!), and that’s why it’s so easy to write her.

Correction: I don’t really write her. She just tells me her story and I transcribe it on paper.

Jade Snow adventures continue! There are many more mysteries to solve, conspiracies to uncover and wrongs to right. There is also much happiness to find.

DRAGON GATE, the next adventure set in Asia, is coming in 2012.  More information is available at my official author website: http://www.LadaRay.com.

Dear reader, I hope you’ll join me for the future Jade Snow Adventures, where Jade and I promise you a non-stop thrill ride with heart!

GOLD TRAIN GIVEAWAY: Please leave a comment to be entered to win a GOLD TRAIN ebook on 5/6, including the *required info! What is the required info? See here!

Jason: I think one thing that is a little confusing to Americans is the situation with the royal families in Russia. What was their lifestyle like, who were the major families, what is their current status, are they living abroad, etc. What were their houses like? I get the sense some of them were richly adorned palaces! Have you been in some of these, if so might you share your experience?

Lada: This is a very complex question and I’ll just scratch the surface with my brief answer. The lifestyle of the Russian royalty was very opulent and, as Lenin would put it, “they were very far from the people.” This is why the 1917 Revolution happened: the people, simply put, had had enough. World War I and its devastation had become the ultimate trigger.

Actually, some of the legendary Russian noble family names are mentioned in Gold Train. Although used fictitiously, as specified in the disclaimer, most are real historic names.

The Romanovs were of course the Imperial family. Prince Obolensky, Duchess Golitsina (sometimes the Dukes Golitsin would be referred to as Princes as well), Baron Vrangel, Count Vorontsov, Count Goncharov, Duke Menshikov (or Prince Menshikov) are all real historical names. Only Jade’s name – Countess Rosanova – is fictitious, as I wanted her to stand out and have her own identity.

Opulent ballroom at Catherine Palace, Pushkin, Saint Petersburg. Ballroom a little like this one is featured in Gold Train

Menshikov Palace on Neva Embankment, Saint Petersburg. In Gold Train, the Menshikov Mansion plays a prominent role and is owned by the oligarch, Yury Gurevich. Of course, the real Menshikov Palace is owned by the State and is a museum.

Please read more about the world of the Russian royalty in my upcoming article: Fact and Fiction in Gold Train, coming to Lada Ray Blog on May 6, 2012.

After the revolution, many of the royalty became part of the White Movement, some emigrated right away and others stayed, hoping the White army crushes the Bolsheviks and restores the monarchy. But this was not meant to be, and most of those who remained to fight the Bolsheviks ended up emigrating between 1918 and 1920.

This process was far from orderly. It was usually more like fleeing, boarding the last ship out or cramming into the last train, as the Bolsheviks gained and the Whites lost ground, and leaving everything behind in the process. Many ended up in Istanbul, Paris and even China penniless, forced to work at jobs far from glamorous – something they’ve never done in their lives – just to survive. For more on this, please watch the movies/read books I recommended earlier.

Meanwhile, those who had enough foresight, escaped with the family jewels (unless they had been robbed) or had foreign bank accounts and family connections to sustain them during their emigration.

The minority stayed in the Soviet Union and adjusted to their best ability. Some even thrived.

Presently, many former nobles live in the USA, France, Holland, UK and other Western European countries. Many have returned to Russia, which now welcomes them with open arms. Some of the events and aristocratic characters in GOLD TRAIN echo my own experiences. And although used fictitiously in the book, The Royal Society does exist in Russia.

It should be mentioned that most descendants of the noble houses of Russia are currently of very mixed blood, as described in Gold Train.

I’ve been to lots of palaces owned by the former Russian royalty. Extremely lavish and expansive, most are presently owned by the state and are museums, as well as various cultural establishments. The majority have been lovingly maintained during the Soviet days, but were somewhat neglected during the collapse of the Soviet Union. Recently, the new Russia again started heavily investing into maintaining its cultural heritage.

Jason: And finally, since my blog tour day will be May 1st, perhaps you could explain May Day a little from a Russian perspective. Is it a big deal in
Russia? How is it celebrated, has it changed since the end of the Soviet Union? Is there a Spring connection?

Lada: It is my pleasure to talk a little about May 1, or May Day – “Pervomay,” as it is traditionally called in Russian.

The Holiday, considered International Labor Day, is celebrated widely in Europe, China Latin America and of course, in Russia. During the Soviet days, every city and town would host massive parades and demonstrations. Each company or government office would rally its workers and their families. Nurseries and kindergartens would have Pervomay parties with kids dressing up and singing, dancing, performing. Oh yeah, kids also got showered with gifts, usually lots of candy and chocolates, both from their parents’ place of work and through their day care.

 May Day party in my kindergarten. Me and my then boyfriend 😉

 May Day shot of my kindergarten class after a performance. I am sitting in the first row, second from left. Poster on the right wall says: “World Peace.”

If you imagine it was all done under the barrel of a gun, think again. It was actually quite festive, and again, similar celebrations are common throughout Europe today, as thisday is supposed to demonstrate the international solidarity of the workers. I was still very little when these mass parades, or demonstrations as they were called in the USSR, still took place.

I remember lots of red banners, colorful balloons and a sea of spring flowers. I also remember the incredible spring smell. I spent my childhood in Odessa, a southern city on the Black Sea, with gentle sun and breezes blowing from the bay, with lilac, jasmine and acacia trees in bloom. Russians love their flowers, and between bunches of tulips in people’s hands and blooming flowerbeds, trees and bushes, the whole city smelled like an enormous celebratory bouquet.

Every office or company carried their own insignia and banners to identify themselves and display their achievements. As with a lot of other kids, I’d usually have the best seat in the house, riding on my father’s shoulders. Uplifting music played everywhere, from live bands, trying to outdo each other, and from the loudspeakers installed on every corner. People would dance and sing on streets. The whole city turned into a massive, joyfully buzzing beehive. It was loads of fun.

Then, the country started slowly turning away from its socialist traditions and Pervomay demonstrations became smaller and smaller. When Gorbachev came to power, a lot of the old Soviet traditions were modified or eliminated.

The new generation, as we grew up, developed very different interests. As a linguist and translator, mine lay abroad, as I spent most of my time traveling while in college. In the late 1980s, I didn’t pay much attention to what was going on under my very nose, even though my friends and I would still often celebrate Pervomay as it was intended – in nature or somewhere on the beach. We would burn fires, bake potatoes, make shashlik (Russian shish kebob), and sing to the accompaniment of a guitar. I have to say, to this day I miss these outings. In 1991, I left the country permanently and finished my education abroad. Shortly thereafter, the Soviet Union had peacefully and quietly ceased to exist.

 May, still a little cool. Us on the beach, Odessa

I have to say, that tomato and corn on the cob were delicious (homemade hot corn, straight from the stove and a perennial favorite treat for beach goers in Odessa, was sold by babushkas at the entrance to the beach… yum!)

 Contemplating the meaning of life. More early beach in Odessa.

 

 One fine day in the Caucasus mountains. Me and one very cute monkey 😉

 Today as I understand, Pervomay is still celebrated in the Soviet fashion by Communist party members, which is the second most popular party in Russia after Putin’s ruling United Russia party.

The roots of the holiday are actually pagan. The indigenous pagan populations of Europe, including the continent’s largest Celtic and Rus cultures, celebrated May Day in nature, with lots of spring flowers, bonfires, music, dance and good food, to greet the beginning of the warm season. You can still see traces of this ancient holiday in, say, Ukrainian 19^th century literature and Celtic legends. Today’s Wiccans celebrate this holiday, too.

But with the advent of the modern era and Christianity, these old traditions were forgotten. They were revived in the 19^th century Europe, when it was decided to celebrate this day as International Workers Day. It was the time when the factory workers in Europe and USA were fighting for their rights.

And here is the shocker: The actual trigger to this newly revived holiday was the event in Chicago, USA, when during a factory strike, a number of American workers were killed as a result of a brutal crackdown, which happened – you’ve guessed it – on May 1. The workers in other countries decided to show solidarity with their “American brothers” by marking this day as International Workers’ Day. Isn’t it ironic that Labor Day in the USA, as opposed to the rest of the world, is now celebrated in September.

May Day is a national holiday not only in Russia today, but also in most of the world. In Russia everyone actually has April 30 and May 1 as official days off. May 8-9, Victory Day – another 2 days off. Some companies/offices have practically 2 weeks off, which they call May Holidays. Not bad! That’s in addition to country wide 10 days off for New Year/Russian Christmas: 12/31-1/10 and required by law 1 month vacation for all! Most Europeans have 24-36 day vacations AND many countries have additional 2 weeks period in August, when the whole country practically shuts down for a summer break. Compare that to American 2 weeks. Hmmm… Food for thought, especially on May Day.

Thank you, Jason, for this very special opportunity to connect with your readers. I thoroughly enjoyed answering your in-depth, off-the-beaten-path questions. And I hope the readers enjoyed this interview, too!

Thank you, Lada, for such a fascinating interview! I’m sure my readers are going to want to become Jade Snow fans and follow her adventures. You have been very generous sharing with us memories from your life. Thank you for this. You illustrate beautifully how an author’s experiences weave into his or her writing to create compelling and world-broadening fiction. I would like to remind readers to visit Lada’s website for more information on all of Lada Ray’s writing. And, before you leave this page, please leave a short comment so that you, too, may be eligible for the drawing! Thank you for stopping by Different Outcomes!

GOLD TRAIN GIVEAWAY: Please leave a comment to be entered to win a GOLD TRAIN ebook on 5/6, including the *required info! What is the required info? See here!

GOLD TRAIN INFO and LINKS

Genre: geopolitical/spy thriller, historic mystery, action, adventure, humor, suspense with an element of otherworldly romance.

Pages: 230. Print size: 9×6 in.

Release: eBook – 12/18/11. Paperback – 4/25/12

PROMOTIONS:
For a limited time on Amazon:

Buy GOLD TRAIN paperback for $9.99 (reg. $14.95)
Buy Gold Train ebook for only $0.99 (reg. $3.99)
Own all three Jade Snow ebooks for only $2.97. Gold Train, Stepford USA, Green Desert – $0.99 each!

More information about these Promotions, as well as Giveaways and the Gold Train Blog Tour schedule: https://ladaray.wordpress.com/blog-tours/

WHERE TO BUY GOLD TRAIN:

Amazon (Paperback)

Amazon US (eBook)

Amazon UK DE FR ES IT (Paperback and eBook)

Barnes & Noble (eBook)

Smashwords (eBook)

Kobo (eBook)

Sony (eBook)

USEFUL LINKS:

Blog Tour and Giveaway info: https://ladaray.wordpress.com/blog-tours
Visit Lada Ray Author Website – all about GOLD TRAIN and other books:http://www.LadaRay.com
GOLD TRAIN Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkTek8E23rg
Blog: https://ladaray.wordpress.com
Twitter: @LadaTweets
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/LadaRay
YouTube: Lada Ray Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/LadaRay/videos

I am inviting you to check out the entertaining posts on Lada Ray Blog with lots of beautiful and rare photos. It’s Russia, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Russian trains and gorgeous, one-of-a-kind Russian Metro, like you’ve never seen them before! It’s also about Jade Snow and Gold Train:

GOLD TRAIN Magical Setting: Moscow, Russia

Amazing Russian Metro

The World of Russian Trains and My Childhood Memories

GOLD TRAIN: Meet Jade Snow, heroine of the Jade Snow International Adventure Series

GOLD TRAIN: Who is this mysterious Alexei?

Tsars, Oligarchs and Imperial Treasure: St. Petersburg, Russia

In conclusion, read book reviews by Jason Sullivan:

Book Review: Gold Train by Lada Ray

Book Review: Stepford USA by Lada Ray

Reblogged from Different Outcomes blog by author Jason Sullivan:

May Day Interview with Lada Ray, author of Gold Train