✨ Inkspire Author Spotlight: Liudmila Brus
Myths, Mars, and metal: stories that echo in the dark.
This week’s Inkspire Spotlight is for the ones who think in echoes—for the readers who crave a little darkness, a little rain, and a little myth in their sci-fi. If you’ve ever wanted to fall into a story that lingers after the last page, or if you’ve ever heard metal music and thought, this could be a novel, then you’re going to want to meet
.A seasoned screenwriter, former journalist, and longtime speculative fiction fan, Liudmila weaves together haunting worlds filled with code, memory, transformation, and a little sorrow. Her latest project, Geryon’s Code, blends ambient stillness with mythic depth and asks questions about identity, ethics, and evolution—human and otherwise.
Let’s step inside her writing mind.
🖋️ The Interview
What story (book, show, myth, etc.) made you want to become a writer?
I won’t be too original—it was The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and other works by J.R.R. Tolkien. I asked myself whether I could write something equally captivating and decided to give it a try. I wanted people to find refuge in my worlds and stories, and maybe learn something from them. I discovered LOTR in the '90s, serialized in a monthly teen magazine. Can you imagine how excited I was, waiting for each new issue? Since then, reading long serialized novels has never been a problem—I don’t forget what happened in the previous chapter when I move on to the next.
Was there a moment when you knew storytelling was your thing?
In middle school, I was good at writing essays, and it felt like a pleasure, not a boring obligation. As time passed, I thought that building a career in journalism or screenwriting would be my cup of tea—and I’ve successfully worked in both. I also worked in fundraising for a charity, where storytelling was essential. It was the key to making a real, lasting difference in people’s lives. When you write a book, it’s hard to measure impact—but in fundraising, the results could be seen within months.
What’s a theme or question you find yourself returning to in your work (even when you don’t mean to)?
What shapes a person—genes and family, or the social circle and values they embrace? I still don’t know the answer. In Geryon’s Code, two men with nearly identical backgrounds become something other than human—but only one is drawn to violence. A vicious human mind is more dangerous than any AI. Our ethics lag behind our technology—and that’s what troubles me.
Describe your ideal writing vibe.
It’s a rainy day or night. I’m alone in a cottage, listening to dark ambient music and the rhythmic drumming of raindrops against the window. A clock ticks in another room. Coffee or wine, sliced fruit, and chocolate accompany my writing session.
What’s something weird, niche, or very you that always sneaks into your writing?
There will always be Easter eggs in my books that reference:
metal music and musicians
classic sci-fi and fantasy literature
world mythology
real-world history
People unfamiliar with these references won’t miss anything essential—but those who know will have fun spotting them.
What’s a piece of advice you’ve received that changed how you write—or how you think about writing?
In cinema school, we were taught to tell stories using only dialogue, or only action, or only description. Exercises like these trained me to make every element work in service of the story. Explore different techniques. That’s how you grow.
If your current project had a soundtrack, what’s one song on it—and why?
It’s hard to choose between Wintersun’s “Land of Snow and Sorrow” and Jeremy Soule’s “Njol.” Both are haunting, bleak, and beautiful—evoking the icy, mysterious environments that define my series: Mars, Antarctica, and space itself.
What’s one thing you hope readers feel after reading your work?
“Wait, what? That’s the end? I haven’t absorbed everything the author was trying to say. I want to read it two more times!”
🌌 Connect with Liudmila
📖 Read more on Substack – Liudmila Brus Writes
💛 Final Thoughts
Liudmila’s work is the kind that lingers. Quietly mythic, richly atmospheric, and never afraid of the cold, her stories are an invitation to think deeply and dream darker. If you like your sci-fi with a shadow of philosophy and a pulse of poetry, go give Geryon’s Code a read—and don’t forget to look for the Easter eggs.
I’ll be back next week with another spotlight. Until then, read boldly, write honestly, and stay haunted—in the best way.
– Aveline ✨