Vyacheslav Bakulin Science fiction writer Date of Birth: 20.07.1978

1. Early Life and Education
2. Career in Fantasy
3. Early Writing and Pen Name
4. An Amusing Anecdote
5. Personal Connections

Early Life and Education

Born and raised in Moscow, a city he rarely left for longer than a month, this fantasy writer developed a lifelong connection with his hometown. He is married with a daughter and, in his own words, engages in the "variable success" of raising her.

His academic journey began at the Moscow Polygraphic Institute, followed by studies at the Moscow State Academy of Printing and the Moscow State University of Printing. His graduation thesis explored serial publications in the fantasy genre in the 1990s. This work marked an early attempt in Russia to analyze the fantasy phenomenon scientifically.

Career in Fantasy

Since 1999, the writer has worked in various roles within the fantasy genre, including as a reviewer, editor, and publisher. His employment has spanned publishers such as Olma-Press and Litterra, where he held the position of executive director without any medical background.

Currently, he serves as the head of the fantasy division at AST Publishing's Jeanry editorial and publishing group. Over the years, he has earned playful nicknames such as "chief enemy of progressive Russian fantasy" and "editor-in-chief of the Universe."

Early Writing and Pen Name

His first published work appeared during his school days. Encouraged by his class teacher, he published a patriotic essay in a local newspaper. When the opportunity arose to publish a fantasy story, he approached it as a joke and adopted a pen name from a role-playing game. He has kept the pseudonym ever since, despite suggestions to abandon it.

An Amusing Anecdote

Among his many amusing anecdotes, the writer recalls an incident at the Olympic Sports Complex Book Fair. Approached by a vendor offering four new fantasy books that he had edited, he couldn't help but groan after the fourth book. "I understand," the vendor replied. "Fantasy is just not your thing..."

Personal Connections

It is also worth noting that the writer is the husband of renowned Russian writer and editor Irina Bakulina.