173: Kris Spisak - Author of The Baba Yaga Mask

Our latest podcast episode features Kris Spisak (The Baba Yaga Mask, Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing, April 2022). Kris, the previous author of three non-fiction books on writing, always knew her first novel would center around Ukraine, the country of origin of her grandparents and extended family. Little did she know that the initial concept would take 8 years to come to fruition and then, through an odd set of circumstances, would be published only 5 weeks after everyone in the world was talking about Russia’s invasion of that country. We discuss how, at first, she was reluctant to capitalize on the news cycle but then realized the release of her book provided her with a unique opportunity to share her knowledge of the Ukrainian people—their customs, history, folk tales, and historical significance. She was even able to turn speaking events into opportunities to partner with charitable organizations, resulting not only in greater visibility for her novel but donation opportunities to help the country she loves. Kris Spisak’s debut novel was inspired by her family’s experience in the post-WWII Ukrainian diaspora and has been called “A complex, poetic tale” by Kirkus Reviews. She wrote her first three non-fiction books— Get a Grip on Your Grammar: 250 Writing and Editing Reminders for the Curious or Confused (Career Press), The Novel Editing Workbook (Davro Press), and The Family Story Workshop (Davro Press)—to help writers of all kinds sharpen their storytelling and empower their communications. Kris has been spotlighted in Writer’s Digest and The Huffington Post for her work as an editor and author dedicated to helping other writers. When not working on her own projects, she is an active speaker, workshop/webinar leader and career strategist. To learn more about Kris, click here.