Elara S. Novikova
FAQ
Questions the archive gets asked

Frequently asked questions.

Is any of this real, or did you invent it?
It is real. I don't invent the history, I build the stories on top of it. The people, the machines and the events behind each novel actually existed, and you can dig through the record yourself in the research archive. What I add is the inner life the records left out.
Why do you write about the Soviet era?
Because it is full of stories the West never got to read, and because the human beings inside those stories were left out of the official record. I keep finding people who did something extraordinary and then disappeared into a footnote. I want to give them back a heartbeat.
Why mix real history with erotic fiction?
Because desire is part of every life, and the archives are silent about it on purpose. The facts tell you what people built and when. Fiction is how I ask what they wanted, feared and risked. The two together feel more honest to me than either one alone.
Your photos and videos are quite revealing. Why?
For the same reason I write the way I write. I spent years reading files about women who built computers and flew missions; the state kept their diplomas and cropped out their bodies. My whole work is putting the body back into the record, and I will not cut it out of my own. The coat is for the weather, the lace is on purpose, and nobody frames me but me. If that is not for you, the research archives are fully dressed.
Are you a pervert?
You have read this far, so let us both be honest. The century I write about labelled a lot of things perverse: genetics, jazz, cybernetics, women with opinions. I am comfortable in that company. What I actually do is write desire with the same precision the engineers gave their logbooks, and some readers find the precision harder to forgive than the desire. So: no. I am a historian with the lights on. The truly kinky stuff in my life is ferrite-core memory.
Do I need to know the history to enjoy the books?
Not at all. Each novel stands completely on its own as a story. The history is there if you want to fall down the rabbit hole afterwards, but you can also just read for the characters and never open the archive.
In what order should I read them?
Any order you like. Each book is self-contained. They quietly share one universe, so the same people, machines and places sometimes cross over. You can see how the four connect on the map.
Is there explicit content? Is there an age limit?
Three of the four novels, Ivanov's Ghost, Secret Dawn and UVB-76, contain explicit adult content and are meant for readers of 18 and older. Ternary Dreams is the exception: it is a historical thriller without explicit content, so if you want the history without the heat, start there. Either way, the research side of the project has none of it and is open to everyone.
How do you research the books?
Obsessively, and for months before I write a line. I read memoirs, declassified files, technical papers and photographs, then I lay everything out on a timeline until the gaps start to tell a story. A lot of what I gather ends up public in the research archive.
How can I reach you?
I love hearing from readers. You can find my address and email down in the contact section, and I answer everything myself.
Where can I buy the books, and what do they cost?
Ivanov's Ghost, Secret Dawn (English and German) and UVB-76 are out now as eBooks on Thalia, Amazon, Apple Books, Google Books and Google Play; Ivanov's Ghost is also available as a paperback (Amazon and ePubli). Ternary Dreams is now out too, and audiobooks are on the way. Current prices are always on the book pages, which link straight to every shop, so start on any novel's page.
Which language are the books in?
Most of them are in English. UVB-76 is the exception: it is only available in German. For reasons, we could not publish it in English.
The reactions are pretty divided. Is this for me?
Honestly, these books are not for everyone. Readers call them intense, brutal and unsettling as often as they call them unforgettable, and three of the four deal frankly with desire, power and consent. If that is not what you are looking for, start with Ternary Dreams, a historical thriller without explicit content. If you want to see how people react before you decide, the reader reactions on each book's page are unfiltered.
Are the characters based on real people?
The historical figures in the archives are real and documented, with dates and detail. The main characters who carry each story are invented. Where I place a fictional person next to a real one, the research archive makes clear which is which.
Can I actually talk to the characters?
Yes. Each novel has a companion chat where you can step into the book and talk to its characters. You will find it on the individual book pages.
Was any of this written by AI?
The books are mine: my research, my choices, my voice. I use AI as a tool, the way other writers use editors and reference libraries, and everything is fiction built on real history. I would rather tell you that plainly than pretend otherwise.
Will there be more books?
Yes. I am always somewhere inside the next one. The fastest way to hear about a new release is to reach out through the contact section.
I'm a journalist or reviewer. Can I get materials?
Gladly. Get in touch through the contact section and tell me what you need. There is a short press kit for each book with logline, summary and background.
Is the research archive free to use?
Completely free. The archives are open to everyone, the history is documented and cross-checked, and you are welcome to quote it. That is the whole point: the history behind the fiction should be checkable.