Interview with Nino Gugunishvili, author of You Will Have a Black Labrador

Today you get to meet Nino Gugunishvili, the author of a collection of essays and short stories compiled in You Will Have a Black Labrador. I also have a sneak peek inside the book for you. Please enjoy before you download your copy. And then follow the tour to learn even more. Best of luck entering the giveaway!

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Describe your book in one sentence or fewer than 25 words.

A humorous collection of essays on simple things that matter; on not taking yourself too seriously and on finding yourself.

What was the inspiration behind this book?

As much as I love fiction, I’m also an avid reader of biographies, memoirs and personal stories, essays and creative nonfiction, so I guess the idea of “You Will Have a Black Labrador” came from a wish to try and write in that genre. What inspired me to write? Probably my unconscious or maybe conscious desire to reflect on the strength of the memories we have and cherish, on some of the key things in our lives, whether it’s our family ties, friendships, the people and events that had influenced us, or affected our upbringing. A great part of the inspiration came from two of the wonderful online journals; Virtual Zine https://virtualzinemag.com/ and Funny Pearls https://funnypearls.com/ who published two of my short stories, motivating me to write more. I just want to say a huge thank you to both of them!

Who would be your dream narrator for the audiobook version?

Ooh, Jennifer Aniston, Viola Davis or Renee Zellweger!

Why should we read your book?

Because I hope, it’ll make you smile at least once! No, actually I’m hoping you’ll have a good laugh!

You should read this book because it’s about love and the many expressions and forms love can emphasize. Because it’s about hope! Because it’s about remembering what shaped you, your family, your culture, your traditions. Because it’s about dogs, and who doesn’t like dogs?!

What do you hope people will get out of your book?

That no matter what our life circumstances are, no matter the differences in our social or cultural backgrounds, no matter what part of the world we live in, and no matter what path we choose, there are universal stories that we have in common and share.

Tell us about your other published works.

My debut fiction novel: “Friday Evening, Eight O’Clock” is about a young freelance journalist Tasha, who decides to change her life entirely and moves to Paris, France, in search of a new job, romance, and mindblowing adventures. I’d totally recommend it to you!

What is your writing routine?

My writing routine consists of trying to focus on work without constantly checking my social media accounts, drinking several cups of coffee and deciding whether I have to cut my hair shorter or not! On a serious side, I try to work uninterrupted as much as I can every day, in the mornings and afternoons preferably. There were several times when I jumped out of bed in the middle of the night longing to write, but up to this moment, it’s rare. My muse is a freakishly morning person, a champion of stealing snacks from the cupboard!

What is the best writing advice you ever received?

It’s not a piece of advice I received personally, but I love this quote from Anne Lamott: 

“How to write: Butt in chair. Start each day anywhere. Let yourself do it badly. Just take one passage at a time. Get butt back in chair.” And there’s another quote from Lisa Genova “Show yourself. Be brave. Be vulnerable. Open your heart. That’s where the real stuff lives and breathes. Now write.”

What is your favorite part about writing?

Sometimes I think that the sole fact of being able to write is a blessing. My favorite part of writing is seeing how words form into a story, trailing their way from mind to paper. I love the excitement and thrill of starting a new story.

What is your least favorite part about writing?

Finding all the imperfections in what I thought was flawless and making revisions all over again. That said, editing of course!

You Will Have a Black Labrador

Love, memories, family, enduring friendships, cooking, movies, dogs, travels, hairstyles, and saying Yes to many No’s in a witty, yet often sentimental, journey of self-discovery…

You Will Have a Black Labrador is a collection of semiautobiographical essays forming a narrative about a modern Georgian woman. Her stories range from the search for a perfect romantic partner to exploring food as an integral part of the Georgian culture. Many of the vignettes center on childhood memories or weird family traditions, such as the way family members stay connected no matter if they’re deceased or alive. One essay reveals how making a simple omelette can change your life; and that No can be the most powerful word in any language. She shows us, too, that a haircut can be a tribute to the movies you love as well as a path to your freedom; and how owning a dog always brings unexpected experiences. In this poignantly humourous collection, reality mixes and interferes with an imaginative world in so many surprising ways.

Read an excerpt:

‘That’s it,’ Annika, the vet, told me after the second injection. I bent over, burying my face into your fur, inhaling your smell, stroking your fluffy, velvety ears. I didn’t cry. ‘Bye, see you…’ I whispered, stood up, and left the room, still gripping your blue retractable leash. The other vet came in with a huge empty dog food bag and put your body inside, covered in a blanket, then zipped the bag up.

‘I’ll now call the burial service. It’s forty lari, and I won’t take anything for putting him down,’ she said. I paid and gave her your leash. ‘Give it to someone,’ I told her.

‘Yep, Figu was a happy dog, so let’s give it to someone who might need it,’ Annika agreed, and I left, into a sunny January afternoon.

My right hand still senses the grip of the leash, as if we’re going for a walk, and I hold the leash tight to avoid car bumpers and tires on which you regularly peed, as if we’re to avoid other dogs coming our way, because you, let’s be honest, were never properly socialized, and never really liked other dogs. You sure preferred humans, your squishy orange ball, and my slippers.

Before meeting you, I didn’t know what the hell ‘blue roan’ meant. All the cocker spaniels I’ve met or seen were either black or red coloured. But wait, no, that’s not true. Many years ago, there was one particular dog I adored....

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About Nino Gugunishvili

"You Will Have a Black Labrador" is Nino Gugunishvili’s recently released collection of short essays. She is also the author of a women’s fiction novel, Friday Evening, Eight O’Clock, published in English and Russian. She resides in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Twitter: @NinoGuguni

Instagram: ngugunishvili

Facebook Author page: Nino Gugunishvili

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14276355.Nino_Gugunishvili

Nino Gugunishvili will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway