Monthly Archives: June 2014

BOOK PRESENTATION AT “THE CULT OF ME” BLOG

The popular books blog “The cult of me” presented “The white prisoner: Galabin Boevski’s secret story”. Check here the article
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MY INTERVIEW AT AWESOMEGANG WEB PAGE

One of the best web sources for indie authors Awesomegang recently gave me a change to do interview with them. Check it here (http://awesomegang.com/ognian-georgiev/) or read below:

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Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello, thanks for the chance to speak with you. I am a professional journalist, working as sports editor at “Bulgaria Today” daily newspaper. My first article was written in 2000. Since then the duties send me around the world to cover some of the most interesting sports events. I’ve got a chance to be at the last two Summer Olympics and to feel something very special there.

My first book “The white prisoner: Galabin Boevski’s secret story” was published in Bulgaria in December 2013. The English edition was released on Amazon as e-book and on CreateSpace as print on 30 May 2014.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“The white prisoner: Galabin Boevski’s secret story” is a real life non fiction novel. The events in the book happened during the amazing life of the main character, who was Olympic, World and European weightlifting champion. He was considered as one of the best in the history of the sport, but in 2011 was sentenced for nice years in Brazil prison for cocaine traffic.

All of a sudden, one day in October 2013, Galabin Boevski landed in Sofia airport. Nobody knows how he was able to get out of the prison just two years after he was put in.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love to write at the evening after the end of my work. When the silence started to rule around me I’ve got a chance to enter into my book’s world. As my novel is non fiction the research was connected with a lot of interviews. So first i need to script down the interviews and then to organize how the book will look.

I may write for hours, but when my eyes start to hurt I stop.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Karl May and Emilio Salgari were my favorites when I was a kid. Then I found the world of fantasy authors like Raymond Feist, George Martin, Guy Gavriel Kay. From the crime genre Michael Connelly is the person who makes me feel great pleasure when reading. I am big fan of history books, because of my University specialty – Archaeology.

What are you working on now?
I am trying to do the best possible marketing for my book. For now it gives nice results, but I am learning a lot every day. For every indie author it’s very important to find the right way to introduce his book the the readers and always to respect them.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am spending a lot of my time updating the facebook page of the book (https://www.facebook.com/galabin.boevsky) with some nice stories and pictures. Recently I find as well twitter to be very nice way to show the audience your book. Goodreads is great place for finding some new friends and to receive any kind of help or advice as author or reader!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I am new author as well, so my impressions are quite fresh. The most important thing is to follow their own style and not to become slaves of well written guide “How to become best-selling author”. Yeah, you may receive some hints, considering the writing, editing and marketing, but it’s up to you to do the best possible to prepare the next big hit in literature.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?

To consider myself publishing my book on English. The language is not my strong part. This was the reason that I used professional translator, English editor and a strong army of test readers.

What are you reading now?
Sergey Lukyanenko’s Night watch series. He is very good writer. I love the way he developed his ideas.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I started to make the research and pre-marketing of my next book. It will be a real life story for two of the most successful sportsmen in the world. Their careers changed in very interesting way after they clashed in Atlanta Olympics.

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?
For sure it will be books that I never read and they will be big ones. Probably the only one that I would take from those that were read will be Theodor Momsen’s Roman history. This is a peace of brilliance. It’s so reach, that you may build your very own world in such a desert island. Mika Waltari and his Sinuhe The Egyptian will also be in my list. Probably the other two will be the last John Grisham novel and the latest sports biography that is on the market.

RANDALL J STROSSEN: IF YOU ARE A WEIGHTLIFTING FAN, THIS IS A MUST-READ BOOK

Weightlifting guru among journalists Randall J Strossen made a very pleasant comment about “The white prisoner: Galabin Boevski’s secret story”. He is not only a Publisher of Milo magazine, but also is covering every big championships around the planet. Mr. Strossen was one of the test readers of the book. Here are his words about the novel:

“The White Prisoner provides a rare glimpse into the world of Bulgarian weightlifting—chronicling the development of Olympic gold medalist, world champion and world record holder Galabin Boevski, and how things went awry: first in weightlifting and then in Brazil. If you are a weightlifting fan, this is a must-read book, and if you want to be introduced to a gritty world and a universal sport you might never have known existed, you will also want to dive into The White Prisoner.”


Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. , Founder & President, IronMind Enterprises, Inc.

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The photo was shared by Mr. Strossen on the official twitter of “The white prisoner: Galabin Boevski’s secret story”. It’s unique moment – Boevski and the president of Bulgarian weightlifting fededration Anton Kodjabashev just before some of his attempts in Sydney.

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You may order a print copy of the book with B&W photos here: https://www.createspace.com/4808648
The digital/e-book version of the book is available on Amazon. You may find the direct link to the book on the main facebook page right next to likes counter or click here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KMFP2VK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00KMFP2VK&linkCode=as2&tag=thewhitepriso-20&linkId=CALNGVCAKYT3VEXP
Find more about the book on
https://www.facebook.com/galabin.boevsky
https://twitter.com/galabinboevski

GREAT REVIEW OF THE BOOK BY ALAN ABRAHAMSON

The first reviews of “The white prisoner: Galabin Boevski’s secret story” are starting to come. Award-winning journalist, best-sellers writer and described as “Best source of information about the [Olympic] Games and the culture that surrounds them” in the book “Private Games” Alan Abrahamson gives his opinion about the edition. He was one of our test readers. Here is his article about “The white prisoner: Galabin Boevski:

Weightlifting, and the many turns of fate

At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, three Bulgarian weightlifters failed doping tests. The rules said the entire Bulgarian team was thereupon supposed to be expelled. However, Galabin Boevski had already competed and, because he did not test positive, he was allowed to keep his gold medal.
In 2004, Boevski was found liable of tampering with the urine sample he provided at the 2003 world championship in Vancouver. He would be banned from competition for eight years.
In October, 2011, Boevski was arrested at the airport at Sao Paolo, Brazil, while trying to board a plane to Spain. The authorities found nine kilos, or nearly 20 pounds, of cocaine, in his bags.

The cover of a new book that delves deeply into the culture of Bulgarian weightlifting
Galabin Boevski is a complicated figure and weightlifting is a complex sport, filled with intrigue and drama. On the stage, the bar does not lie. You either lift it or not. Behind the scenes, however, as a new book, The White Prisoner: Galabin Boevski’s Secret Story, makes plain, it can be an enormous struggle not just to become Olympic champion but to stay on top.
The book, written by Ognian Georgiev, sports editor at the “Bulgaria Today” daily newspaper, available Friday, offers a revealing look into a sports culture that demands further — and intense — examination…

Read the rest of the article: http://www.3wiresports.com/2014/05/29/weightlifting-fate/

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To order a print copy of the book with B&W photos click here: https://www.createspace.com/4808648
Today is the final day of 10% discount code: J2GURFTX

The digital/e-book version of the book is available on Amazon. You may find the direct link here: