Labor Day Week Celebration!

In honor of hard work...

Romance readers work hard so we may steal away a few hours lost in stories with HEA's.  In honor of all our hard work (and my birthday!)  I'm offering a special promotion beginning tomorrow!  Grab up A Practical Arrangement for only $0.99 this week.  Paranormal romance more your thing?  Check out The Third Fate - it's also available for $0.99!

A Practical Arrangement, Nadja Notariani

The Third Fate, Nadja Notariani

Happy Labor Day...and Happy Reading!

 ~ Nadja

Researching For Romance: Russian Organized Crime

Good Morning All!

Welcome to Researching For Romance Writing, a weekly meme where I feature my latest finds.  Please feel free to share any links or tips you think will add to the discussion.  Happy Researching!

Russian Organized Crime

The volume of material I've perused on this topic is astounding, and at times, contradictory.  Origins of organized crime in Russia are explored vaguely.  It is not until the 1800's that a discernible/researched system of order is reported.  Until the mid 1800's, the collective groups of *organized* criminals were often viewed by the peasants (who comprised the largest segment of the population) as Robin-Hood type saviors.  Their opposition of wealthy landowners and government bolstered their popularity with the poorest of Russian society.  Also interesting in my reading, Russian criminal groups were not founded primarily on ethnicity.  I found this rather intriguing since such wide variance of ethnic groups comprised the large country.  

Rank, nobility (I use this term lightly when discussing Russian history, as their definition and acknowledgement of the term was quite different than what was accepted in England), and lineage did not recommend, nor preclude, membership within organized crime.  In fact, the Russian *nobility* was so confusing by the mid 1800's that a prince could be penniless and rather unimportant while a wealthy colonel could hold a position of great influence. We see this oddity within the pages of Tolstoy's War And Peace. 

It is after the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 that organized crime in Russia solidifies into what we understand today.  Again, there are contradictory reports.  One view is that organized crime elements supported the Bolsheviks against the government and worked in tandem with the new government - at least the corrupt limbs.  This would be plausible as crime needs the government to *look the other way* in certain instances!  But other articles claim organized crime opposed any and all government.  I read one account that Lenin himself was robbed by highwaymen, and swore to wipe them from existence.  Obviously, he failed in that endeavor.  Life after the Bolshevik Revolution remained horrible for the poorest Russian people, and actually became worse with food requisitioning.  Organized crime flourished.  

The period I write about in my latest novel is well before the Bolshevik Revolution.  This allows me wide freedom to craft my back story for Mikhail, his introduction to the criminal underworld, and his position in society.  All in all, this was a fascinating topic of research.  Please feel free to comment or note an interesting article you found on the subject - and thanks for stopping by.  

 ~ Nadja

   

  

NEPA Blogs: PA Live! Blog of the Week: Nadja Notariani, An Aut...

NEPA Blogs: PA Live! Blog of the Week: Nadja Notariani, An Aut...: NEPA Blogs will be presenting a "Blog of the Week" on WBRE's   PA Live!  every Tuesday.   PA Live!  airs weekday afternoons o...

Final Days Of Summer Vacation

Good morning!  

Sunday brings a new week to us all, and this particular Sunday we will celebrate my dad's birthday (which was yesterday!) by grilling out and visiting.  This is all after work - which, yes, I must get ready for in the next half hour.

Mikhail's character profile packet is nearly complete, and I must say this new hero of mine is quite fun to create.  I have a line of sticky tabs to research along his background!  The back story I crafted for this man is altogether different from any other I've written - and involves a realm I had limited knowledge of.  What fun!  This section of writing will be completed in the next week, and then chapter outlining... :}

With school days back in swing after Labor Day, I will have more time to write on weekdays.  And speaking of back to school... my boys are nearly ready.  Pants, boots, socks, boxer-briefs, shirts, backpacks...OH MY.  What's left on our *to-do* list?  Haircuts and school supply shopping.  Whew!  I'll be glad to have it all accomplished.  I remember excitement brewing as a new school year approached, but my boys are mourning the loss of summer abandon with great sorrow.  Ha!

Hope you all are happily writing away, reading away, and relishing the final days of summer heat and freedom.

~ Nadja

Update: On The Run

Happy August!

It's been a busy two weeks...  Our branch manager fractured her elbow - badly enough to require surgery!  Our assistant branch manager had oral surgery.  Everyone is going on vacation.  These events conspire to leave us understaffed, so my work hours overfloweth...ha!  I'm on an eight day stretch currently (yes...I said eight.  ) ... and eagerly look forward to days off.  The extra time will translate into back-to-school-shopping--funds! I've had little time for writing - but I have managed to write something every day.  My hero character profile packet is filling up.  Mikhail...  I'm digging him.  :)

It feels more like autumn than in-the-throes-of-summer here in NEPA.  The days have been quite beautiful; the nights downright chilly.  Perfect sleeping weather.

Hope you all are having a great week.  I'm living the life..Ha!   ~ Nadja