I went to Moscow yesterday. Walked around the historic district, crossed the Moscow River by walking over the Moskvoretsky Bridge to Red Square and marveled at St. Basil’s Cathedral. Visited Alexander Gardens when the flowers were blooming. I had thought, I was quite lucky to have traveled a good deal of the world to be able to use those experiences in my work. And I have. But I’ve never been to Moscow and I needed to go. And so I went. It was last minute, but my trip was free.
My magic carpet ride was provided by Google Earth, an app I previously used for going where my children live when I miss them. Look at their houses and wish they weren’t so far away. But the power of this app was made vivid to me when I decided to move my story to Moscow. Moscow was laid out before me. Like I was right there. The neoclassical architecture of Bolshaya Ordynka street, the beauty of the Choral Synagogue, all this and I never left my study. Sat in the comfort of my armchair and traveled half-way around the world. We writers are so lucky today to have these tools at our fingertips. What do Russian army uniforms of 1980 look like? Numerous photos on the Internet. What do Russian tea glasses look like? Again photos galore. Samovars, they got ’em. Russian phrases, ditto.
Yes, being a writer today and researching for authenticity has become easy peasy. Publishing your book yourself is now easy. Selling your work? Well, that remains impossible.
