Julia Gousseva was born and raised in Russia when it was still a part of the Soviet Union, or USSR. For a long time, Russia was hidden behind the Iron Curtain and had a mysterious image of the Evil Empire to many Westerners, specifically Americans. But Russia was a mystery not just to outsiders, but to its own people as well. One of Julia's college history professors used to refer to Russia as a country with unpredictable past. Why? Because every time a new leader came to power, all state-issued history books were changed and rewritten. And all history books were state-issued.

Julia's novel MOSCOW DREAMS is set in Russia and presents life from the perception of everyday people whose lives were dramatically altered by events that have changed and are still changing Russia. Julia's short story collection titled TWELVE MONTHS OF THE SOVIET CHILDHOOD shows life in the Soviet Union before the changes and offer a child's perspective. Her children's stories put whimsical characters from old Russian fairy-tales in modern circumstances for today's kids.

http://www.juliagousseva.com/