Academic Centre
In 2021, the holder of the scholarship “Bread for the Journey Jurgens” (“Ceļamaize Jurgens”) of the UL Foundation Mērija Elizabete Kalniņa published her first book called “Dreams about him and the musical” (“Sapnis par viņu un mūziklu”). This novel shook all readers, impressed by both the beautiful and romantic story, and by the fact that the author is such a young girl. A year later, Mērija publishes “Fire and powder” (“Uguns un pulveris”), her second book, which will continue to amaze the readers with the genre that has not yet gained so much popularity in Latvia
Read the interview with the author Mērija Elizabete Kalniņa!
What can the readers expect from Your new book? Tell us briefly what it will be about.
The main topic of “Fire and powder” is the struggle to break free from the shackles of slavery - emotional, psychological, sexual. At the end of 2020 is when the idea for this novel came into existence, that is when I heard that the police have found a brothel in some private house in Riga, where the pimp employed four prostitutes from foreign countries. That is how the thoughts about the relevance of the topic came into my mind - behind-the-scenes coverage of human trafficking and forced prostitution in the form of fiction, that is, by describing fictitious characters, but bringing them to life in real situations typical of Latvia. As I was conducting research on case law in the process of writing my term paper, I found numerous adult websites, where both men and women advertise paid intimate services. 2022; Rīga, Daugavpils, Liepāja, Rēzekne… it happens everywhere in Latvia. A shop assistant, a sister, a daughter, maybe even a mother during the day, but a prostitute during the night. Yet it is still unknown how many sex workers have entered this business of their own free will. In 2020, 48 victims of human trafficking were identified, including 10 of them having been sexually exploited (mostly in the porn industry and online prostitution). This is a problem that exists in Latvia, although it is discussed relatively rarely.
How and when did You understand that the second book will follow?
When my debut novel “Dreams about him and the musical” came out, I had already started writing “Fire and powder”, therefore when the next literary work would be published was only a matter of time. Once an idea has appeared, it won't let me rest until the words “THE END” are written in the file.
Should we also wait for the third book and maybe even for the fourth one, the fifth one as well?
Yes, of course! It will most likely take a little longer for the third book to come out because baking novels like pies is not my goal, besides, writing takes up a considerable amount of free time which can be spent with the closest and loved ones. However, there are, possibly, more ideas than necessary for the moment.
Why did You choose to write exactly in this genre?
In the process of writing “Fire and powder”, I did not limit myself and I did not want to fit into the framework of a specific genre, therefore I defined the genre of the novel when it had already been completed – we concluded with the first independent readers that an erotic romance suspense thriller was written. In Latvia, this genre has not been represented yet, although in America it is one of the most popular and commercially viable literary genres. It is only natural that when revealing the backstage of prostitution and sex slavery, sexually explicit and nuanced descriptions are not left out, because they help reflect the experiences, traumas, and inner world of the people involved in this business. Although I would like to clarify that only the intimate scenes between the main characters are considered romantically erotic since eroticizing and glorifying sex slavery was in no way my goal when writing the novel. The actualization of this topic in the form of fiction is a great way to reach and inform a wide audience, as entertainment literature is known to be popular, and it sells very well.
In Your opinion, if You changed during the period between both books, then how?
My value system has changed, and I have gained more life experience and – it is no secret - relationship experience as well. During the last few months, I have been dealing with society's misunderstanding of how it is possible to write a novel in the erotic genre at the age of twenty-two. I do not get where the misunderstanding comes from. I accept that stereotypes are dominant in our society - if an author is young, then they can only write for the target audience of teenagers or young people (around 17-18 years old). A logical counter-question arises on my side: “But do we see an age limit of 30+ instead of 18+ on books of erotic content? Is there an unwritten law that determines at what age an author is eligible to start writing the so-called “adult literature”, and where does it say that at the age of twenty-two, a person has insufficient life and sexual experience to write in this genre?” From my point of view, a person themselves builds barriers and obstacles. Therefore, I usually answer: “When the book comes out, you will read it and understand how it is possible.” (Laughs.)
What has been your greatest support during the making of the book?
My closest and loved ones, as well as other writers and readers. Since I started publishing novels, my social circle has expanded pleasantly - I have made friends in creative circles, and it has supported me immeasurably.
It is a pleasure to have such committed, talented, and versatile scholarship holders! Good luck!
