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Tag Archives: CULTURE: Russia

My Books on Huge Pre-Holiday Sale + a Freebie!

05 Thursday Dec 2013

Posted by Lada Ray in BOOK: GOLD TRAIN, BOOK: Green Desert, BOOK: Stepford USA, BOOK: THE EARTH SHIFTER

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Amazon, animal lovers, animal rescue, Apple, Barnes & Noble, book sale, Book: The Earth Shifter, Books by author Lada Ray, Christmas sale, CULTURE: Russia, ebook price drop, fantasy, Gold Train (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure), Green Desert (Accidental Spy Iraq Prequel), metaphysical thriller, mystery, mystery thriller based on true historic events, no-kill animal shelter, Siberian Tiger rescue project, Smashwords, Sony, Stepford USA (Accidental Spy Small Town Adventure), thriller

cropped-russian-winter-banner1.jpg

Christmas and New Year’s are quickly approaching, and I have great news for those who are ready to load up their new #Kindles, #Nooks and e-readers with some scrumptious holiday reads! If you like original, mind-bending fiction; if you enjoy expanding your horizons with exotic, spiritual, thought-provoking adventures; if you crave knowledge about foreign cultures and the hidden secrets of our world – my books are for you!

All 3 of my novels are on huge sale – both ebooks and paperbacks – for a whole week starting Monday, December 9, through December 16, 2013, on #Amazon, #BN and #Smashwords!

All my 3 novels are now available as paperbacks at both Amazon and BN! Click on buy links below! Continue reading →

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GOLD TRAIN, Second Edition

12 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by Lada Ray in BOOK: GOLD TRAIN

≈ 6 Comments

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Amazon, Barnes & Noble Nook, CULTURE: Russia, E-book, geopolitical thriller, Gold Reserve of the Russian Empire, Gold Train, historic mystery, Jade Snow Russia Adventure, Jade Snow Series, Lada Ray, Moscow, mystery thriller, Saint Petersburg, Smashwords

The exciting Second Edition of GOLD TRAIN is now on Amazon and Smashwords digital shelves!

Check it out:

Amazon US

Amazon UK   DE   FR   ES   IT 

Smashwords 

Coming to all other Ebook retailers soon!

GOLD TRAIN Paperback launch: April 25, 2012

GOLD TRAIN Paperback Launch Blog Tour: April 25 – May 6

Check out http://www.LadaRay.com for all updates.

Watch new dramatic GOLD TRAIN book trailer

See you on pages of my books!

Lada Ray

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New GOLD TRAIN Book Trailer – new dramatic score!

05 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by Lada Ray in BOOK: GOLD TRAIN, CULTURE: Russia

≈ 2 Comments

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action, Barnes & Noble Nook, book trailer, CULTURE: Russia, geopolitical thriller, Gold Reserve of the Russian Empire, Gold Train, historic mystery, Jade Snow, Jade Snow International Adventure Series, Moscow, mystery thriller, romance, Russia Adventure, Saint Petersburg, spy thriller, suspense, trailer, World Heritage Site, YouTube

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2012 Predictions Update: Russian Elections

03 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by Lada Ray in Geopolitics/ Economics, PREDICTIONS: 2012 & Beyond

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

American Elections, Barack Obama, Chinese Zodiac, CULTURE: Russia, Dragon, Elections in Russia, France, French Elections, Nicolas Sarkozy, protests, Putin, Russian Elections, United Russia, United States Department of State, US President, US State Department, USA, Vladimir Putin

 

On January 11, 2012 I wrote a blog post entitled: Year 2012 Predictions. Included in the post were my predictions for the so called ‘Year of Elections,’ namely, Russia, USA and France. In the post, I predicted that Vladimir Putin would win the elections. 

As a reminder to my readers, I do not belong to any political party and consider myself a political atheist. My analysis is based on observation, logic, intuition and the Ancient Chinese System of Long Cycles (CSLC).

Here is the original prediction as it pertains to Russia:

RUSSIA, Presidential Elections, March 4, 2012: Vladimir Putin will win easily enough, although, due to the crowded field and according to the Russian electoral rules, he may only get clear majority in the second round. Protests on part of the Communists and assorted opposition will continue, and electoral fraud will be alleged again, whether it took place or not.

However, between now and March, Putin and the ruling United Russia Party will make all the right moves, and Putin will end up securing anywhere between 55 – 68% of the votes. 55% may be way too low. Low to mid 60s is probably the right percentage.

While Russians could afford to play around with the results of the Duma elections in 2011, they’ll treat Presidential Elections much more seriously. Putin means stability, and everyone will remember that. Russian social, economic, political, financial, police and army reforms will continue in a controlled fashion during Putin’s Presidency. I will try to discuss Russia’s future in detail in my BOOK OF PREDICTIONS.

There is one more, esoteric, reason for Putin’s win: He is a DRAGON, according to his Chinese Zodiac sign. 2012 will be much better for Putin, than 2011, as the power of the Dragon is fully behind him this year! ;)

Read the entire original Year 2012 Predictions

Due to the dynamic situation surrounding the Russian elections, as well as elections in other countries, I decided to post an update. Also, I’ve added CIA/U.S. State Department code names, to illustrate the point and… well, because you’ve got to admit, they are kinda funny. 😉

Russian Elections, March 4, 2012 – Vladimir Putin.

CIA code name: Alpha Dog. U.S. State Department code name for Putin/Medvedev tandem: Batman and Robin. But they might’ve changed that since Wikileaks leaked it. 😉

As predicted, Putin and United Russia made all the right moves in the run up to the elections. Putin published a series of articles outlining his vision for Russia’s future; new finance and economic reforms have been announced; more social benefits have been promised; he held his very popular annual televised live Q&A, which lasted a record 5 and a half hours; the rules for protests have been loosened up to accommodate the larger than usual number of people on the streets. Essentially, all protests have been automatically sanctioned – a big departure from old rules – as long as they were peaceful.

As a result, I am upgrading my prediction: Putin will win in the first round. There will be NO run-off. He will get anywhere between low 60% to mid 60% of the popular vote. Could be as high as 67-68%.

Also, read my new post: Russia Votes: Crash Course in Russian Politics

French elections, April 22 – May 6, 2012 – Nicolas Sarkozy.

U.S. State Department code name: Emperor Without Clothes.

At this time, no change in my prediction. He’ll still lose the election – more emphatically so!

U.S. Elections, November 6, 2012 – Barack Obama.

I guess we’ll never know Obama’s CIA/State Department code names, will we? But I can tell you that Russians call him: the Black Gorbachev 😉

No change in my prediction – Obama will narrowly win 2012 elections.

Copyright 2012, Lada Ray


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Russia Votes: Crash Course in Russian Politics

02 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by Lada Ray in CULTURE: Russia, CULTURE: World, Geopolitics/ Economics

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

allegations of fraud, Arab Spring, ballot stuffing, CULTURE: Russia, Europe, Gennady Zyuganov, Greece, Lada Ray predictions, Mikhail Prokhorov, Moscow, Occupy movement, opposition, Politics of Russia, predictions, protests, Putin, Russian politics, Russian president, Russian Presidential elections 2012, Sergey Mironov, United Russia, United States, USA, Vladimir Putin, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Year 2012 Predictions

Russia will be voting for the country’s new president on Sunday, March 4, 2012.

Because of the Russian electoral rules, one cannot use poll numbers several days before the elections. Currently in effect: moratorium on promoting specific candidates to avoid influencing the voters.

As a reminder to my readers, I do not belong to any political party and consider myself a political atheist. My analysis is based on observation, logic, intuition and the Ancient Chinese System of Long Cycles (CSLC).

The Russian political scene is changing rapidly as a record number of citizens take part in protests and demonstrations, both for and against various candidates. Historically speaking, this level of activism is unusual for Russia. Well, apart from the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution and the 1990-93 USSR dissolution period. Most other times in Russian history, the population wasn’t that active politically.

Russian protests differ substantially from the Arab Spring, US Occupy movement, Greek, Spanish, British and other European protests, because they are NOT economically driven. Russians have not experienced a cut in pay or unemployment. In fact, salaries and standard of living have been steadily and substantially rising for the past decade. This activism is driven by a desire to see more change, better and faster reforms, as well as ‘the Putin fatigue.’ As one commentator put it, “It’s media fatigue: people are tired of seeing Putin’s face all over the news.”

I do want to point out that my analysis, based on CSLC, indicates that social and political activism around the world will keep intensifying during this decade. This is true not only for Russia, but for the vast majority of countries, including most of Europe, USA, the Middle East and Asia, as well as – perhaps, to a lesser degree – Latin America, Africa and Australia.

Due to allegations of fraud and ballot stuffing during 2011 Duma (Russian Parliament) elections, over 30,000 Russians have signed up to be anti-fraud monitors during Presidential elections on March 4, 2012.

This year, 5 candidates are eligible to run for the Russian presidency. The remaining contenders were unable to collect the number of signatures required to run.

The winning candidate must receive over 50% of the popular vote or face second round run-off against 2nd place candidate.

CANDIDATES:

Vladimir Putin (Center: Ruling United Russia Party).

Russian President, 2000-2008. Current Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. Still, by far the most popular politician in Russia. United Russia had suffered a substantial “defeat” during 2011 Duma elections. Well, if you consider a defeat getting 49.5% of the votes. But it was a step down from their usual 60-70% approval rate. Besides, they needed 50% in order to maintain a constitutional majority in the Duma. In that sense, the result was quite disappointing.

Putin may have lost some of his support among the more affluent population of Moscow, who ironically benefited most from his and United Russia policies in the past 12 years. But he gained support in the Russian regions. He’s widely projected to win, even by his opponents and detractors. Putin is very feared by the U.S. and some other Western governments, yet supported by most world governments, as well as the international investment community. International investors, as well as the Russian majority, seek stability. And they know, Putin is the only one who can deliver that.

For Putin, it is not as much the issue of winning. It is more how he wins. He needs clean, beyond reproach elections; and a win in the first round to avoid compromising his substantial clout in Russia and abroad.

Vladimir Zhirinovsky (Right/Nationalist: Liberal Democrats).

Speaker of the lower house of the Duma. An old timer in the Russian politics who’s been around since Yeltsin; may have lost some of his original base, but is still popular amongst the young males, especially in the Russian regions. Famous for his loud and often scandalous speeches and behavior, Zhirinovsky enjoys a staunch support base because he often says what others don’t dare due to political correctness.

Gennady Zyuganov (Far left: Communist Party).

The Communists have enjoyed a substantial increase in support in the past year. Nostalgia for the good, old Soviet Union days and low pensions for retirees have aided in Zyuganov’s popularity. Communist party is a very hands-on grassroots organization, members of which go door to door and help each other, as well as the needy, according to the old Soviet tradition. Which also explains the rise in popularity.

Party’s weakness: the Communists have never been good at accounting. To this day, it’s unclear where the money for all the social reforms they are proposing (essentially, the rollback to the Soviet Union) will come from.

Sergey Mironov (Center Left: Fair Russia Party, aka, A Just Russia Party).

Chairman of the Russian Federation Council 2001 – 2011, the Upper House of the Duma. Fair Russia Party has appeal among those voters who are not quite communists, but who would like more social security and government controls. Also, among those who are not quite center.

Mironov has repeatedly proposed an amendment to the Russian constitution that would allow the President to be elected for 3 consecutive 5 or 7 year terms. In 2007, Boris Gryzlov, leader of the rival United Russia party, said that changing the constitution would be unacceptable. Mironov is considered to be more socialism oriented, as he wants to set up special agricultural exchanges for state purchases of agricultural goods and introduce government intervention in regulating prices of basic food stuffs.

Mikhail Prokhorov (Independent).

Russian oligarch, billionaire, Forbes 400, Owner of the NY Mets. The only candidate not backed by a party. He commands quite a presence and towers over everyone in the room at close to 7′ of height. Prokhorov has a pro-business platform and enjoys some support among the rich, the business people and the affluent. Most likely, a negligible factor in these elections.

Based on the current dynamic situation, I will be upgrading my Year 2012 Predictions for the Russian elections. Read an update tomorrow – right here, on Lada Ray Blog.

Read the original Lada Ray Year 2012 Predicions!

Watch interesting debate – CrossTalk: Russia Votes

Copyright 2012, Lada Ray

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Best Way to Learn Russian Language

17 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by Lada Ray in CULTURE: Russia, CULTURE: World

≈ 53 Comments

Tags

Ancient Greek, best ways to learn Russian, CULTURE: Russia, easy way to learn Russian, English language, germanic romanic slavic groups of languages, how to learn Russian, Indo-European Language Family, Latin language, Russian alphabet, Russian language, Sanscrit, Slavic group of languages, synthetic vs analytical languages

As a linguist, I often get asked about best ways to learn languages. This post is in response to some of my readers’ questions on how to begin learning Russian.

First, the Big Linguistic Picture: all languages in the world are divided into Language Families. The largest such family is the Indo-European Family of Languages originating from Sanscrit. It includes Hindi, MOST European Languages, Persian, etc.

Which means that we all: the English speakers, French Speakers, German Speakers, Spanish Speakers, Russian speakers, Hindi speakers and… Persian speakers (in other words, Iranians), belong to one huge family. Kinda makes you pause and think, doesn’t it?

The Russian Language is part of the Slavic group of languages, specifically, the Eastern Slavic sub-group, together with Ukrainian and Belorussian.

Russian Language is one of the 4 official UN languages and one of several principal languages on the planet. It is spoken as the first language by 170 mln people in Russia and abroad, and several times as many as a second or additional language.

Russian is considered a difficult language to learn by Westerners based on its relatively complex grammar and different alphabet. But take it from someone who mastered several different languages – I can tell you from personal experience that English is a much crazier language than Russian, yet scores of people around the world learn it and speak it every day.

So, no worries! Just take a deep breath and use my formula for learning any language: CONCENTRATE ON SIMILARITIES RATHER THAN DIFFERENCES, and I promise, your language learning experience will be a breeze!

I’ve done some research for you on ways to learn Russian based on what’s available on the market today. These seem to be the best options, both paid and free.

1. PAID: Berlitz is an old and reputable language learning company. They are not cheap, but here is an Internet option, which may be quite affordable. They require filling out a form in order to get a quote. This is a more serious program.

http://www.berlitz.us/Core/Display.aspx?pageId=269

2. PAID: This seems like an interesting and affordable program:

http://russian-accelerator2.com/?gclid=CJ23r4W1pK4CFcjc4AoddCurSg

They have beginners (Russian Accelerator) and advanced (Accelerator II) courses. This is a simplified program and may not offer reading ability. But I like their methodology and approach.

TIPS: Here are some tips on learning Russian fast

http://learnrussianfast.com/how-to-learn-russian-fast.html

3. FREE: This site has free insights and examples, including Russian alphabet, common phrases, numbers, etc.:

http://russian.speak7.com/

This is a good reference site. It’s a good idea to read through all the available info here to get a frame of reference. However, I’d recommend to combine it with an interactive online (or in person) course, so you could also hear how words are pronounced, otherwise, it may be a bit confusing.

TIPS: in order to be able to read, it is a must to learn the Russian alphabet, which is available at the above free site.

To me, learning the Russian alphabet to be able to read is very important, since all signs in Russia would be in Russian and you really don’t want to feel handicapped.

I noticed that many American programs skip this step and try to teach you how to learn to speak phonetically without anchoring it in written language. To me, it’s a one-sided approach. But, perhaps, for those who want to just get the flavor for the language it’s a justified shortcut, which will allow you to start using the language quickly. It may be easier to learn how to speak first and then, eventually, take the next step and learn how to read as well.

That said, when I taught my students, they learned Russian alphabet in 45 minutes and could read in Russian within 2-3 lessons. All, because I concentrated on similarities instead of differences.

So, don’t let them scare you by saying that Russian alphabet is difficult. The look and roots of the Russian letters are much the same as Latin letters. Both alphabets originate from Ancient Greek. Some letters may sound different – so what? It’s not Chinese, after all, with its several thousand written characters. It’s just 33 letters! No big deal!

In fact, as a linguist, I am trained to spot similarities and common roots among words of different languages. You’d be amazed how many similar roots there are in Russian and English as well as other European languages. All because, as I pointed out earlier, they are all part of the huge Indo-European Language Family. Which means that even Hindi language roots will be similar.

4. FREE: Another Free program – I think it’s a good one! Worth checking out.

http://www.russianlessons.net/

5. PAID: Also, check out this interesting program – could be fun and relatively affordable – which will be available in May.

http://www.languagemetropolis.com/?gclid=COC9lpS6pK4CFYeK4AodCAu8TA

6. PAID: New, very promising course, which combines audio, visual and interactive capabilities. They call it Dynamic Immersion program. Worth checking out!

http://www.rosettastone.com/learn-russian

Hope all this helps and please leave your comments to let me know how you are progressing!

Wishing you much fun and best of luck on your new language adventure!

This post is ever-growing based on various new questions and comments.

A WORD ABOUT SYNTHETIC vs. ANALYTICAL LANGUAGES:

European languages are divided into these main groups: Slavic, Romanic and Germanic. They are also divided into analytical (Germanic and Romanic) and synthetic (Slavic) types. Strangely enough, Latin, from which the Romanic languages, and to a certain degree, Germanic, have descended, is a quintessential synthetic language.

Synthetic languages are characterized by the usage of a large number of prefixes, suffixes and endings, which are added to the root of the word in order to express the nuances and subtleties of meanings, thus making the language rich and flexible. This is why the words in Russian, and other synthetic languages, are generally longer. Because of this, synthetic languages can afford to have a rather simple syntax and tense structure, as well as flexible sentence structure. Gender distinctions (masculine, feminine and neutral) also become very important. These are main characteristics of the Russian language as the most prominent representative of the Slavic group of languages and of the synthetic type of languages today.

Funny anecdote: The crucial importance of the correct prefix usage in Russian is demonstrated by this hilarious and infamous moment in international relations. After being elected, President Obama started his heavily advertised “reset” policy with Russia (generally, a very good idea of course). To much fanfare, the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Russia with a “reset button display,” which was especially constructed. She was to symbolically press the button together with the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov. The button was proudly shown to the cameras as the two dignitaries were about to press it. At that moment, Lavrov’s eyes fell on the word written on the display in Russian. The word read “peregruzka.” Lavrov raised his eyebrows, but being a quintessential diplomat, he pressed the button and accepted the display as a memento without flinching. However, he added that the word should have been “perezagruzka,” not “peregruzka.” These two words sound pretty similar to an untrained foreign ear, but they have a distinctly different meaning in Russian. The root here is the same: “gruz,” which means “load.” Alas, as always, the devil is in the detail, as the subtlety here makes or breaks the word. “Pere-gruz-ka” means “overload,” while “pere-za-gruz-ka” means “reset” or “reload.” How’s that for an epic language fail! Honestly, Hillary should’ve consulted someone who really knows Russian. I’m sure some heads have rolled as a result of this incident. 😉

On the other hand, analytical languages rely on a heavy usage of definite/indefinite articles, various particles (eg. of, for, from) and added modifiers to express the nuances of meanings. Example: “little” as in “little girl,” expressed in Russian with one single word “devochka,” or “my little daughter,” expressed in Russian with one word “dochen’ka,” or another variation with subtle difference: “dochurka.” Another example: “little kitty,” expressed in Russian as “kotionok” – masculine & “koshechka” – feminine. The following example illustrates the difference between Russian and English even better: in English you have but one option if you want to say “little bunny,” meanwhile in Russian you have a myriad of endearing options: “zaichik,” “zaichonok,” “zaika,” “zain’ka,” “zaichichka,” etc. All these words, with subtle, but distinctive differences to a Russian ear, can only be expressed in English in one way and with 2 words.

The word is generally rigid and unchangeable, although every analytical language will have some synthetic characteristics – some more than others – and a certain amount of prefix/suffix/endings usage. Example: Spanish “el gato” – “a male cat,” “el gatito” – “a little male cat.” Notice again, how much more flexible and expressive Spanish is compared to English. One word vs. 3 words! While Spanish is an analytical language, it has more synthetic influence from its parent, Latin, and therefore is more flexible than typical Germanic languages, like German and English. Because of this rigidity, analytical languages rely very heavily on complex syntax and tense structure.

Again, not all analytical languages are born equal. Complexities vary. For example, English tense structure is more convoluted than most. Italian, Spanish and German have more streamlined and logical tense structures. Article usage: Italian, Spanish, German have highly logical and predictable article usage. English is characterized with a highly illogical and “frivolous” article usage. Sentence structure is again quite logical and easy to grasp in Italian and Spanish. German has a more convoluted sentence structure, where words are added seemingly ad infinitum, thus making German language sentences some of the longest in the world. Gender usage also varies widely. It matters in Italian, Spanish (in words like “el gato” and “la gata”  – male and female cat) and German. However in English grammar, gender has zero importance, thus oftentimes creating confusion. To clarify, a writer or speaker has to add words like “his/her” or “male/female”.

In some analytical languages, inflection plays an important role, for example, in Spanish. This is one of the things I love about Spanish (specifically, Castellano – proper Spanish), as the interesting inflection usage gives it a special singing and romantic quality. Same is true for Italian. Just to mention: incidentally, Chinese language is a heavily analytical language, where in addition to all the above, inflection plays a crucial role.

A note about English Language: All the above notwithstanding, English is still the language of Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde and Jane Austen; it is the the most spoken international language on our planet, and its popularity is not going anywhere.

I’m going to make a prediction here: since English is spoken by so many people around the world, and not all of them “dig” the complexities of the English article and tense usage, we are living in the period of simplification of many of the old English rules. All languages change in time, adapting to the demands of the present day and its users. Within our lifetime, English – which oftentimes doesn’t follow its own rules – will change, to become more user friendly.

I love writing in English, undoubtedly because I’m a sucker for a challenge. 😉

COLLEGE PROGRAMS:

This is in response to a recent reader’s question about what colleges have good Russian and linguistics study programs.

You should check with colleges that are known for their great humanities programs. Generally, many large and well-known colleges have language programs. This includes many Ivy League colleges, such as Princeton and Columbia. NYU (not Ivy, but close) has a good language program.

Bard College, Red Hook, NY – my fave college in Upstate NY – has an excellent study abroad/exchange program, including Russia. A very old and traditionally excellent Russian (language and lit) program: Amherst College, Amherst, MA. Also, a very extensive Russian program: Hamilton College, Clinton, NY. This college is very selective. Study/work abroad programs are excellent for expanding your horizons and learning from native speakers.

By the way, Russia has recently initiated a very nice Russian college study program geared towards foreigners who want to study in Russia. Check with Moscow University and St.Petersburg University.

For additional tips and details read conclusion and disclaimeres below.

CONCLUSION:

If you are a serious student of Russian, there is no substitute for hard work, and lots of practice with native speakers. A good system and talent helps too, although, anyone, and I mean ANYONE, can learn to communicate in Russian (or any other foreign language) freely, with some work and persistence!

The ancients used to say that “as many languages you know, that many times you are a human being.” This is a very profound statement, as with every language you learn, you also understand better other cultures and other people’s points of view. I like to think that if everyone on Earth cared to learn at least a few languages, there would be much more peace and friendship on our planet.

Generally speaking, learning foreign languages is like opening up new worlds, it’s akin to broadening your tunnel vision and enriching your life. It’s a very exciting and fascinating experience, however, if you want to master any language, you also have to overcome some formidable challenges.

Be your very own, personal Columbus and discover the new world, but don’t forget to have fun along the way!

I believe that my positive and inclusive personal philosophy of language study, on which I also expand in my new release, THE EARTH SHIFTER (top-rated metaphysical fantasy/thriller, which is based on true history and world events), will benefit anyone who is seriously interested in Russian, and other foreign languages. This includes general public, academics, students, writers and teachers. One of the main characters of THE EARTH SHIFTER is Maxim Elfimov, professor of comparative linguistics at Moscow University.

THE EARTH SHIFTER is available as ebook & paperback on Amazon (also in UK  CA  DE  and on all other international Amazon sites),  as well as at Barnes&Noble,  Smashwords,  Kobo,  Sony, and Apple.

Those who like to read about Russia and the Russians, those who want to “start their own love affair with Russia,” will also enjoy my mystery/thriller GOLD TRAIN (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure), an Amazon/Kindle bestseller. Dubbed “Jason Bourne & Outlander fusion with a vodka twist,” GOLD TRAIN is a fast-paced romantic mystery/thriller based on true historic events! (16+)

GOLD GT COVER ebook

GOLD TRAIN ebook and paperback is available on Amazon (also in  UK  CA  DE and on all other intl. Amazon sites), Barnes&Noble, Smashwords, Sony, Kobo, Apple

Check out all Books by Lada Ray at a glance

pen and manuscript

P.S. Additional disclaimers below are in response to a certain comment I received:

1. This post is not a teaching course in Russian, but merely a response to several of my reader’ requests to provide links to potentially viable sources for BEGINNING to learn the Russian language and to share the tips for an easier assimilation of a foreign language. The discussion about synthetic vs. analytical languages is generally advanced, however, it is broken down is such a way so as even the beginners could follow it.

2. I am sharing this information publicly as a helpful and free resource. I neither make any profit, nor have any other interest in anyone following my advice or links. I do it purely out of the goodness of my heart and as a service to humanity.

3. My sources and links are intended for general public (not for academics or advanced students of Russian). However, the language discussion above can be a great supplement for both beginners and academics/advanced students of Russian. That said, scholars and academics should have access to proprietary academic programs and language immersion opportunities, such as study in Russia or any other native country or practice with native speakers (always advisable for anyone learning a foreign language). Make sure you have a good system and good teachers if you are an advanced student, but even more importantly, as with mastery of anything, there is simply no substitute for plain, old-fashioned hard work.

4. The above discussion of synthetic vs. analytical languages is in part based on my study under the wing of the distinguished Russian Foreign Languages School, and in part, on my own lifetime experience, observation, and practice of various languages.

5. I neither recommend, nor endorse the above links to Russian language study sources; I am merely listing several potentially viable ways to learn the Russian language. You may find that some of these courses are for you, and others are not. It is entirely up to you to discern what works for you, and what doesn’t.

6. If I were interested in being a teacher of Russian, my students would be learning it at a much faster pace than average, I guarantee it! I was fortunate to start my study of foreign languages in the 1980s, under the wing of the distinguished Soviet/Russian foreign language school, which was considered the world’s best language school of its day and which gave me an unbreakable, rock-solid foundation for theory, philosophy, practice and general knowledge of languages. However, at this stage of my life, I am simply not interested in this vocation, although I’d enjoyed teaching various languages when I was young and first starting out. But, having quickly found that I wasn’t utilizing even a tiny portion of my talents, I decided to do much more with my life.

7. If you read my bio, you’ll notice that I communicate in all languages I speak with native, or near native, fluency, and moreover, that I write professionally in English. It is my personal and professional opinion as a polyglot and author that English is an illogical language, and as such, it is difficult to get just right. The biggest problem with English is the illogical use of articles (I know the difference very well since I also speak Spanish, Italian and German), and the usage of tenses that is also somewhat frivolous.

In this instance, I do not talk about barely surviving on marginal language skills; rather, I’m talking real language skills here.

8. Finally, this is my personal author blog forum, and as such, it is for people who want to be educated and entertained. I welcome all nice readers, as well as all constructive and positive comments here.

Lada Ray, M.A. (comparative linguistics)

Feng Shui Master, Financial Consultant, Author

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Book Review: Stepford USA by Lada Ray

16 Thursday Feb 2012

Posted by Lada Ray in BOOK: Stepford USA, Guest Posts, Reviews

≈ Comments Off on Book Review: Stepford USA by Lada Ray

Tags

BOOK: Stepford USA, cat lovers mystery, conspiracy, CULTURE: Russia, international journalist, Jade, Jade Snow, Jade Snow World Adventure Series, knitting club, Moscow, murder, mystery, mystery thriller, paranormal, pet lovers, prequel, psychological thriller, small town, Stepford, Stepford Wives, twists, United States

Re-Blogged from DIFFERENT OUTCOMES BLOG by Jason Sullivan http://differentoutcomes.wordpress.com/2011/12/30/book-review-stepford-us-by-lada-ray/

Posted on December 30, 2011

Some people think small town life is uneventful. Jade Snow, the protagonist of Lada Ray’s mystery-thriller, Stepford USA, thought so as well. But Jade was soon to learn that sleepy little towns can hold the biggest, scariest secrets! Jade arrives in Stepford in order to rest up before having a baby. However, she quickly starts to pick up hints that everything is not all charm and tranquility. Many years ago a horrible crime was committed from which the dust has never quite settled. With her husband halfway around the world, and while she awaits the birth of her baby, Jade tries to uncover the truth. But who can she trust? In a small town that harbors a dangerous secret one misstep can be fatal!

This exciting page-turner written by Lada Ray will have you guessing who did it from the very beginning. Lada skillfully weaves many surprises into this psychological thriller. Her exquisite scene setting together with compelling dialogue makes Stepford USA a fascinating, if at times nail-biting, read. If you are a cat lover, as I must admit I am, you will very much enjoy the exploits of a certain heroic feline who plays no small part in this book. I highly recommend Stepford USA. Jade Snow is intelligent, warm and witty. Join her as she puts the pieces together and helps release a town from its dark, hidden past.

book review by Jason Sullivan

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GOLD TRAIN Holiday Launch 12/19/11 – 1/1/12

20 Tuesday Dec 2011

Posted by Lada Ray in BOOK: GOLD TRAIN

≈ Comments Off on GOLD TRAIN Holiday Launch 12/19/11 – 1/1/12

Tags

action, adventure, Author Lada Ray, Barnes & Noble, CULTURE: Russia, FSB, Gold Reserve of the Russian Empire, Gold Train, gripping thriller, historic mystery, humor, Jade, Jade Snow, Jade Snow World Adventure Series, KGB, mystery thriller, Nicolas II, romance, Russia Adventure, Russian Civil War, Russian Tsar, Saint Petersburg, Smashwords, Soviet Union, suspense, true historic events

Giveaway, promotion, blog, new excerpts, reviews, fun!

Announcing 3 for 1 Promotion!
Buy GOLD TRAIN ebook for $2.99
and get 2 free ebooks!

GOLD TRAIN

For the fans of The Da Vinci Code & National Treasure
comes this gripping new thriller, based on true historic events!

1918: Civil War in Russia. The entire Gold Reserve of the Russian Empire vanishes without a trace. But what if it’s about to resurface? And what if it’s about to be used to shift the global balance of power?
Today: the world’s largest treasure; dangerous adventure; forbidden passion, defying time and space; conspiracy that threatens to plunge the country into darkness.
International journalist, Jade Snow, travels to Russia to investigate tantalizing mystery of the Gold Train, instead, she finds herself a pawn in a struggle between forces beyond her control. Running is not an option, as commitment to solve a murder makes her play the deadly game. Jade must choose between her worst friends and best enemies, and the fate of the world just might depend on her choice!

READ 5 STAR REVIEWS!

Jade Snow International Adventure Series 1

Category: novel, international mystery/thriller, geopolitical/spy thriller, historic mystery, suspense with an element of otherworldly romance

Word count: 68,400

Read GOLD TRAIN Excerpts:

Excerpt 1

Dramatic Prologue

Excerpt 2

Jade and Alexei – Love Scene in St. Petersburg

Excerpt 3

Jade’s Kidnapping

 Buy GOLD TRAIN ebook:

Amazon US

 Amazon UK

 Amazon DE  FR  ES  IT

Smashwords

Coming soon: Barnes & Noble, Sony, Apple, Diesel, Kobo!

Watch GOLD TRAIN Trailer

Complete Information at http://www.LadaRay.com

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LADA RAY BOOKS

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