** Winner of a Silver IPPY Medal ** ** Winner of a Foreword Indies Award Gold Medal **
**Finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards** **Finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards**
Summary, The Baba Yaga Mask
When their Ukrainian grandmother is lost on a trans-Atlantic flight, two sisters are swept into a quest across eastern Europe to find the woman who had always told more tales than truths.
From Poland to Slovakia to Hungary and beyond, Larissa and Ira navigate the steps of Ukrainian folk dance, the cliff-side paths of Slovak Paradise National Park, and the stark realities of war, emigration, folktales, and feminism, all for the sake of chasing who they’re starting to believe is a true Baba Yaga. Understanding their family’s roots has never been more clear.
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Author’s Note: When I signed my publishing deal, I never imagined that my dual-timeline story, with chapters shifting between the present day and 1941 Ukraine (just outside of Lviv) would be so timely. But roughly eighty years ago, Ukraine was in the midst of a different fight for independence, an invasion by foreign forces, a mass exodus of the country when so many women saw their homes destroyed and fled to save their families while so many fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons stayed to fight against all odds. The parallels are heart-breakingly deep. Ukrainian stories are hardly the only stories the world should be paying attention to right now, but this is one I’m honored to share.
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Featured by:
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GirlTalkHQ.com — “Ukrainian Traditions, History & Storytelling In My Fiction Debut, ‘The Baba Yaga Mask’”
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SheReads.com — “Must-Read Ukrainian Stories”
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The “Hear Us Roar” podcast — “Kris Spisak, Author of The Baba Yaga Mask”
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Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb — “Q&A with Kris Spisak”
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The Indie View — “IndieView with Kris Spisak, author of The Baba Yaga Mask”
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The Chesterfield Observer —”Fables and family: Author Kris Spisak channels her Ukrainian heritage in first novel”
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Richmond Magazine — “Tales From Ukraine”
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Writer’s Digest — “How Writing What I Knew Shaped My Debut Novel”
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Style Weekly — “Three Women”
Reviews:
“A complex, poetic tale, strongly linking past and present through folk art’s rich traditions.”
“The plotting of this novel is expertly done. Given the background of contemporary events, this is ‘edu-tainment’ at its best. Ukrainian culture is centered in a story that takes place all over the world, showing that it isn’t necessarily a land that unites a people, it is a united people that create a culture. This fascinating take on personal choice, bonds of blood, and familial obligation is well worth the read.”
-Historical Novel Society Review
“The Baba Yaga Mask is all heart and soul. A tender and thought provoking story that demonstrates the countless ways that a woman can be strong. A timeless tale that will touch readers across generations and around the globe.”
-Sadeqa Johnson, internationally bestselling author of Yellow Wife and The House of Eve
“The Baba Yaga Mask is just like a Matryoshka Doll with its multi-layers, and stories within stories … With Ukrainian folk-lore interwoven throughout, this is a real Magical Mystery Tour, with beautiful descriptive writing that makes you feel you are travelling through these wonderful countries too.”
-Love Reading UK
“The Baba Yaga Mask is a fascinating journey that twists and turns through the streets of contemporary Eastern Europe as it traces lines back into a shrouded and difficult past… a wild ride through a legacy of love.”
-Laisha Rosnau, author of Little Fortress and Our Familiar Hunger
“Spisak’s delightful fiction debut is a compelling tale of lost-and-found and enlightenment. The result is part mystery and part fairytale but all gratifying.”
-Leah Weiss, bestselling author of If The Creek Don’t Rise and All The Little Hopes
“With hints of the fantastical, The Baba Yaga Mask is a multigenerational story of endurance and survival.”
-Foreword Review
“In the skillful hands of the author, profound love collides with mystery and magic.”
-Solveig Eggerz, author of Seal Woman and Sigga of Reykjavik
Story Stop: #UnitedforUkraine – A Conversation on Art, Tradition, and Aid
I have been talking so much about Ukrainian artistic traditions, history, and my own Ukrainian heritage that I was honored to partner with the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America for this powerful conversation in the tradition of my “Story Stop Tour” programs. Watch to learn. Watch to be inspired. Watch to think a bit more about a people who need our attention right now.
While the live-streamed event has ended, the replay is still available. I was so honored to partner with this amazing panel of Ukrainian storytellers and artists for this powerful conversation. And to all who donated especially, thank you for your support!