She has a fresh perspective on the world and a great sense of humor. As her friends say, with one phrase she can drop from heaven to earth, prying you subtly and not offensive. She considers herself a "militant" realist, although many of her works are fantastic. He calls himself lazy, at the same time he edits a magazine, trains dogs, runs marathons, writes stories in different genres, wins literary competitions, composes songs. The heroes of her short stories are highlighted with tenderness and some kind of touching childishness. They are constantly caught up in unusual stories. Soon my interlocutor will publish a joint book of stories with her brother, astronomer Sergei Yazev, and several more works are being prepared for publication in collections. We talked with Marianna Yazeva about the love of reading, "aunts", fairy tales for adults and our reality. Why didn't you become an astronomer? It's still your family business! Did your parents persuade you to do this? - My parents did not persuade me to do anything at all. I chose biology, received a diploma from ISU as a biologist-physiologist. True, she worked at the observatory for some time, conducted observations with a telescope, but this was a purely technical function. Many people think that stars are definitely romance. What is there! In any branch of science, there is a lot of boring and monotonous work, and in this case - also at night, often in the cold. No, I’m never an astronomer. All "astronomical genes", apparently, went to my brother, along with the ability to masterfully speak and write on these topics. By the way, about "literary genes": our grandmother Evgenia Alekseevna Mansurova, my mother's mother, said that in her youth she "dabbled in writing." … And when the story being written was too protracted and confused, it acted radically: it sent heroes to the expense. "In general, everyone died." Great welcome, isn't it?”“You said you started reading at the age of three and a half. Who instilled in you a love of reading? - At this age I vaguely remember myself, but a family legend says that I started reading myself. We have been at home - and remains! - a big library. Books have always been an absolutely necessary detail not only for the interior, but also for life. And to force a child to read, in my opinion, is simply stupid. Either he needs it or he doesn't. And in general, not everyone is given to be readers, this is also an ability. I'm not talking about the ability to read, but about reading as a need. Actually, the book itself is changing today: audiobooks, electronic "reading rooms" have appeared. As a source of information, it loses its relevance, but its literary value remains. - Who reads the Sibiryachok magazine that you are editing? - It has a circulation of 4000. Age audience is from 6 to 12 years old. It is clear that the literary and artistic edition is designed for reading children. And no matter what the pessimists say, they certainly are. We select materials for each issue, combining the classics, and the modernity, and letters, and various undertakings, and openings, and master classes - Is there any response, as they say, feedback from your readers? - All editors have meetings in schools. I also introduce the guys to the magazine, tell about our heroes, show the cartoon. Children do not get bored, they listen with interest (still, an amusing aunt has arrived, tells all sorts of stories), twist a magazine in their hands, pull out a tab, look at illustrations, someone immediately starts reading. Teachers and librarians are especially grateful to us, because Sibiryachka has a lot of materials on local history, there are interviews and reports, the magazine is not only entertaining, but also educational. - Do you think such paper magazines will be alive in 20 years? - Definitely they will. Both a paper book and a paper magazine. After all, this is something tangible, a kind of artifact. The child likes to hold it in his hands, smell the ink, put it on the shelf and proudly think: "These are my books, my magazines." It is like a toy, like a doll that you can hug and that no computer game can replace. Of course, books are being modified, gradually becoming a technological product. There are already interactive books. We never dreamed of such opportunities, but for modern children it is almost commonplace. You know, it seems to me that it is stupid to be upset and groan that “the children went wrong today”. They should be different, in many ways unlike us. You just have to understand them, respect their interests.”“Speaking of paper editions, by the way. Your "Tales of the Museum", published in the newspaper "Baikalskie Zori" of the Olkhonsky District, became the winner of the "Baikal Press" festival in the "Information Project" nomination. How did the idea to write on behalf of the museum brownie come about? - We have fruitful cooperation with the Khuzhir Museum of Local Lore. Once the director of the museum, Yulia Mushinskaya, asked for advice on the format in which information about the exhibits should be placed in the local newspaper. Thus, a special "owner" of the museum was born - the Museum, by analogy with the brownie. Such a special representative of the "undead", which are full of folklore stories. Our Museum is able to communicate with exhibits in a special way, they convey to him their memory of the events associated with them. And then he says these stories on a tape recorder. For example, famous cats live in the staff of the Hermitage, they even have their own page on social networks, and in Khuzhir there is a Museum, which is published in the local press. This is a very characteristic comrade, he can swear and grumble. He speaks in a colloquial language, which the locals really liked. They accepted him: ours, they say, theirs, yeah. "Museum Tales" is not only popularization, but also family reading. - Continuing the literary theme. How did you start writing? What was your first story? - I wrote all kinds of nonsense back in school. My compositions won competitions thanks to my decent vocabulary and imagination. Well, yes, there were some abilities. But I really got into literature when computers appeared. It was uncomfortable for me to work on paper or on a typewriter. When a computer appeared at our house, I began to work with texts with pleasure. But I'm not a graphomaniac, in the sense that I don't have an irresistible craving for writing (some writers argue that it is necessary for them to write, how to breathe). To sit down to a story, I need motivation. Literary contests on the Internet have become such an incentive for me. This is a kind of competition, excitement, again - a deadline. Even if this does not apply, as a rule, to “big literature,” but often decent writing people participate in them. “Would you like to get into big literature?” “It's not easy being in the provinces, although the opportunities thanks to the Internet are increasing. But, to be honest, I am very lazy - I am not engaged in my own promotion, I cannot, like others, send manuscripts to dozens of different publishing houses, achieve something. I have won several contests. Received the Grand Prix of the competition organized by the popular series of children's books "Nastya and Nikita". They published "Nyusha and the Most Important Hero", and then "Something about the Knights", already without any contests. Another story, "Among the pine needles", won the competition at the "Science Fiction Laboratory" - this is the largest fant-site, and "FLR" ("Fant-laboratory work") is very prestigious in its environment. After that, the story was included in the collection "Eksmo". Won the contests "Fantasy Worlds", "Golden Leaf Fall" in Irkutsk, Israeli "Milky Way". Something was published in Yekaterinburg, something in Minsk In the near future, my stories written for the works of famous illustrators will be published in two St. It's very stimulating. True, I traditionally sit down to write a few hours before the deadline. But I work quickly and hardly correct. Something turns out. Upon completion of the courses, the best works can be included in collections. I will have three or four such publications in the near future: stories, a fairy tale and poetry.”“What is the genre of fantasy interesting for you?”“It is very popular now. Someone is crazy about "fairy tales for adults", someone despises them. Or he thinks that apart from Tolkien and Rowling, nothing worthwhile has been created in this genre. Yes, in the best versions it is great, but in the mass it is bad, but in principle this applies to any genre. I am by no means a fan of fantasy, I write "real", and science fiction, and stories, and stories for children. But I'm really interested in the presence of the so-called "fan element" in history. Firstly, it is an opportunity to create a special, unusual world, where, for example, figures from the ice town come to life, and an amusement park employee becomes a soothsayer. Secondly, it makes it easier to simulate any situation, to create circumstances in which the heroes can express themselves brighter. This helps to fully reveal their characters, problems, contradictions. After all, in the end, all literature, regardless of genre and characters, is about people. - In stories about Nyusha, you accurately convey the children's perception of the world. How do you do it? - It is difficult to answer such questions. That is why one can write something alive, real, while the other gets cardboard boredom? Maybe God kissed the first on the crown of the head And if you are also a well-read and intelligent person (I will not be modest), perhaps you can do something well. Or is this why I am writing for children? Because she gave birth to four sons? No, of course not. So I don’t have any special writing secrets or recipes.”“My favorite question is about the muse. Do you need any special conditions (coffee, music, silence) for you to sit down and start writing? Are there moments of creative stagnation, and how do you deal with it? - Well, a calm atmosphere is desirable, although I managed to write some good things in a noisy editorial office. When I work actively, I often chew something: there is nothing to be done, the brain is a very energy-consuming organ! Background music is just jazz for me. And coffee has no advantages over, say, tomato juice. - You have mentioned your “fantastic laziness” several times. Nevertheless, you run marathons and work and write. How do you manage everything? - Yes, not everything. Much arises spontaneously. The same running around is not serious in my performance. I got up from the couch and ran. For some, this is the meaning of life. They train, eat right, buy special ammunition. And in my mood, not seriously. I am devoid of fanaticism. And I was engaged in children without fanaticism, without this anguish - to "cheat". And writing the same way. However, there are two things to which I have a special attitude. The first is cynology. I can and love to train dogs. This was a profession for me and remains a vocation. Since childhood, I have always had dogs at home. True, now - as the circumstances have developed - I am a dog handler without a dog, but I hope that this is temporary. My second love is Olkhon. If there is a vacation, then only there. I can run well on Olkhon, breathe well and write well. Let's add to this a fan-element: this is my place of power. - By the way, about rest. You have a series of stories about "aunts" - girlfriends. You often get together with your friends, and what does this communication give you? - We have such a company, but we rarely meet. And the more pleasant and valuable these meetings are. We are all different, we work in different places, we have different characters and beliefs. But when we get together, it is always a holiday: conversations, jokes, incessant laughter. We go hiking - either in the summer or on the ice of Lake Baikal, we go to Khuzhir, sometimes we meet in Irkutsk, we go to concerts or to the theater. And then communication again - only in chat. But we certainly don't have time to get bored with each other. - Does communication with friends help you in creating your characters, their speeches? - This is not my method. I'm not a walking dictaphone at all. Although at all seminars we are advised to listen, to get accustomed to people and to use some of their traits when creating heroes. But I come up with everything - both characters and circumstances. Although something, of course, settles in the head, and then it comes up in stories - some trifles, nuances, details. - You once said that you feel perfectly in the reality of the Strugatskys' book Noon. XXII century ". What makes you happy in our time, and what makes you angry and annoying? - About what makes me angry, I will not even start. What makes you happy? If a person is positive, then he does not need external reasons for this. If he is a bore and pessimist, then even in heaven he will whine and grumble. Personally, I now enjoy literary workshops. From some pleasant little things. She ran - wonderful. The cat said something kind to me - great. My son makes a loft with his own hands - awesome. Bykova listened to the "Echo of Moscow" - wonderful. I recorded the next song - great. A colleague went to the gallery for an exhibition, admired her cool graphics - the day was not in vain.
