Baltic Books Blog Tour..

This year the Baltic countries – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – are celebrating 100 years of independence with new translations of Baltic Books coming to the UK for the first time and a series of cultural events happening across the UK.

The Baltic countries – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – will be the Market Focus for the London Book Fair 2018 (10th – 12th April).

I'm really excited to have been invited to share the work of one of these talented authors and I'm pleased to introduce the author, Jānis Joņevs to talk about his novel, Doom 94.

Introduction to Doom 94 by Jānis Joņevs

Jānis Joņevs

In general it’s a story of growing up in 90ties Latvia. Between the failed socialism and not yet arrived capitalism, no man’s land in time. 

Like youngsters should do, heroes of the book look for another revolution and find it into extreme metal music. This leads to some specific way of life, which includes permanent state of exaltation and despair, always picking the worst choices and having fun about it. Promises are given to stay like that eternally. But, I guess treason is what growing up means. 

It’s not an autobiography, but most of things described were real events. I used my life as a material for the book. The conclusion I got from this – we believed that we are unique, absolutely different. The popularity of this book proved that we were not.

This is also a story about memory. I write about being young when I’m already adult. I recognize that memory has deviated the events and that even the past, our imperturbable and sacred past can change if we take the risk to look deep into it. 

And, of course, this is a dedication to my city. It was believed to be the ugliest place ever. We made it the centre of universe. 

Doom 94 by Jānis Joņevs will be soon published by Wrecking Ball Press, translated by Kaija Strautmanis

London Book Fair


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My thanks to Hannah @midaspr for the invitation to be part
of this blog tour