Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi everyone! I was born in Belgrade, Serbia. I have obtained a degree in Psychology in 2005. My life companions are my husband and my cat.
My first piece of writing was a silly poem about a walking cherry (I was seven years old). I’ve been writing in one way or another for more than twenty years. I have recently published my first novel.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book, ‘Just Like a Musical’, is a contemporary young adult novel about an offbeat teenage girl. It was inspired by everything that makes adolescence – beauty, pain, search for identity, finding one’s place in the world. It’s such a fruitful period of life. It’s not easy and it hurts like hell sometimes, but it’s also the time that makes us who we are more than any other time of life.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure whether this is unusual, but I find it hard to write if I don’t have a cup of coffee, tea, orange juice, or just anything else by my side. It doesn’t really matter what’s inside the cup as long as it’s drinkable. Other than that, I would say I’m pretty uninteresting while I write.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
The author who influenced me the most is Vladimir Nabokov. His words helped me develop both as a person and a writer. Some others are Milan Kundera, Stefan Zweig, Andreï Makine, Lorca, Prévert…
What are you working on now?
I am currently trying to promote the hell out of my first book. It takes up most of my time these days. I’m also thinking about my next novel.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I can’t really answer this question right now. It’s been only ten days since I published my book, so I am yet to figure out what works and what doesn’t.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m a new author myself, so I don’t think I’m in a position to give advice. I would like, however, to remind all authors to stay true to themselves and be honest and genuine in their writing.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Self published authors can be impatient when it comes to publishing their books. Fortunately, I’m very curious, so I’ve done a lot of research before I decided it was time to hit the ‘publish’ button. I’ve read hundreds of great blog posts on self publishing, and almost all of them stressed the importance of hiring a proofreader. No matter how good you are at grammar or punctuation, you need a professional proofreader to look over your manuscript.
What are you reading now?
‘The Language of Sparrows’ by Rachel Phifer.
It’s a heartfelt story about an unconventional relationship between a fifteen-year-old girl who’s trying to cope with her father’s death and a reclusive old man who had spent time in Romanian gulag when he was young.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to write and publish my second novel by the end of 2014. I haven’t started to write yet, but the characters are slowly forming in my head, and that’s a good sign. They even talk sometimes.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
‘Ada, or Ardor: A Family Chronicle’ by Vladimir Nabokov
‘How to Paint the Portrait of a Bird’ by Jacques Prévert
‘Wuthering Heights’ by Emily Brontë
Author Websites and Profiles
Milena Veen Website
Milena Veen Amazon Profile
Milena Veen’s Social Media Links
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