Dissatisfied is a Women’s Fiction read by Ksenija Nikolova, it's available for pre-order and releases on April 29. Keep reading for Excerpt & Author Interview + Giveaway!
Title: Dissatisfied
Author: Ksenija Nikolova
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Release Date: April 29, 2022
Who is to be blamed for a woman’s unhappiness?
Margot’s unhappiness is contrary to what you might expect, considering that she lives in Paris and is married to a handsome, successful man she loves. However, as time passes, she feels more certain about her emptiness and realizes how little time her husband Arthur has for her. Finally, she decides to leave him, but then something changes. Not only does Margot not know her husband as well as she thought she did, but she also comes to see that she didn’t even know herself that deeply.
Margot’s life starts changing when she discovers countless new things about her marriage, which also reawakens old traumas.
But have these signs always been there?
Has Margot’s journey been waiting for her long before she became aware of it, and can her marriage be saved?
Margot is surprised to discover Arthur knew her much better than she ever thought possible.
You dished spaghetti and salad at the same time, and I found myself staring at your plate. I had expected us to eat the salad first and the spaghetti as the main course.
The way you dished up was a small thing, but I let it bother me. Yes, I said, trying not to let my irritation show, “you surprised me with the rose this morning.
The rose I left for you? You began to eat and said, It needs a little salt, then reached for the saltshaker. You don’t usually eat very salty food, I said.
I never used to eat very salty food, but recently I’ve started liking it. It sounded to me like you said that with a sarcastic tone, so I asked, What is that supposed to mean? It doesn’t mean anything except that I didn’t eat salty food before, and now I do.
Damn you! I screamed, getting up from the table. Do you think I'm an idiot and I don’t understand anything? You’re implying that I don’t know you anymore, that you’re not the same person you were, and that I don’t even realize it!
You’re implying that I’m stuck in the past, right?
Margot, don’t do this, please, you continued, trying to diffuse my anger. No, Arthur! I didn’t do this, you did it. I knew it would be like this. I knew it.
That’s why I don’t bother, that’s why my every hope for us has died. That’s why because you are incredibly cruel Arthur, because you are evil.
I started crying, and in a fit of tears I got up and left the table.
©Ksenija Nikolova 2022
'Riveting ... eye-opening ... evoking the quest for happiness' - Author Taryn Leigh
'It lingered with me long after the pages had ended' - Book Reviewer
"A beautiful, poignant book that raises so many questions and explores relationships and womanhood. Ksenija is a true talent!! - Goodreads Reviewer
"I cried tears of empathy frustration and eventually peace. I absolutely loved this book and I am looking forward to reading more by this very talented author." - Goodreads Reviewer
"A phenomenal book. One that will leave you reflecting on your own life." - Goodreads Reviewer
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Me: At what point do you think someone should call themselves a writer?
Ksenija: At any point, really. You are a writer if you enjoy writing and you write often, that's a fact. You are a writer when you learn how to write, and you use those skills to become better.
Me: What difference do you see between a writer and an author?
Ksenija: Being an author, that's something completely different. You are an author when you've found your voice, the voice that makes you unique and different. An author has to be so characteristic that the audience can recognize his work without knowing who wrote it.
Many writers aren't authors; even after they've published several books, they keep writing them in the right way, using all the technical skills, but really, they are just retelling a story another writer could have written in the exact same way. This is just my opinion, many can disagree, but I am pretty particular about art and its meaning. I think art should come from the heart and everything else is an upgrade.
Me: Have you ever considered writing under a pseudonym, and why or why not?
Ksenija: I have, to be honest. Unfortunately, female authors are still a subject of discrimination in many ways. So I feel that our choices are limited, but we've become more creative and innovative in that way. I was writing from a male's perspective for a long time, and I still am, and I will probably continue doing that. In many of my novels, I have written from an angle of a male protagonist, which has brought me a certain comfort level because I wasn't choosing the obvious, and objectivity was definitely on the menu. But then I realized that I am very interested in expressing my art through the voice of a female protagonist, without sounding girly, personal, or without creating art that's expected of me.
That's a challenge, but I think that readers should do some work as well when reading, not everything should be served, not everything should be known, imagination is so important when it comes to reading, and I think that readers have become lazy in that sense. It fascinates me how little readers care about the subtext and how attracted they are to the obvious things. Perhaps it is a European thing, but I feel like art raises questions without asking anything. That's how it confuses us, and then it teaches us something new.
Me: How do you process and deal with negative book reviews?
Ksenija: I am very open to criticism, but I've learned to distinguish objective criticism from personal criticism. If someone didn't like the story, that's a matter of taste. If someone has something to say about the technicality of the book, that's a different thing. I learn from everyone, and I have become strong enough not to break my own heart every time someone isn't fond of my books.
Me: Are there therapeutic benefits to modeling a character after someone you know?
Ksenija: Of course, a true artist has to be a hidden therapist, be empathic and familiar with emotion, and see what others don't. However, the benefits of accepting diversity and being inspired by it are tremendous, both to me as an author and as a human being.
Me: When did you first call yourself a writer?
Ksenija: I knew I was an artist since I was a kid, I've found my voice at a very young age, and I consider myself lucky. I am an author; I create things, I don't just deliver; I am an idea maker.
Me: What would you say to an author who wanted to design their cover?
Ksenija: That's completely fine, as long as the author enjoys it and knows how important it is for the cover to be professionally done.
Me: What is your writing process like? For example, are you more of a plotter or a pantser?
Ksenija: I a mix of both, best of both worlds, as I would say.
Ksenija Nikolova is a Macedonian fiction author. She is the author of six books, her work is translated into English, Bulgarian, and Russian. She says people inspire her, and she thinks of art as an ice breaker that pushes boundaries and changes the way they see things. The world has become very judgmental and ignorant, and Ksenija believes that writing stories that smash discrimination and stereotypes can make us better and happier.
Ksenija is currently working on a new novel she is very excited about. She is writing it in English and is enjoying every step of the process.
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