Born and raised in Russia, I published my first book at 8, heard the words, “If I can’t have you, no one will,” from someone holding a kitchen knife, survived teenage drug addiction, moved out of my parents’ house at 16, worked as a screenwriter at my country's largest media production company for peanuts to make ends meet, turned down a big offer for the rights to one of my screenplays, and eventually moved to the U.S. to study. Let’s just say—I’ve got plenty of stories to tell!

I dream of becoming the coolest screenwriter in Hollywood and joining the WGA. For now, I’m just a first-year screenwriting student figuring it all out :)