Bombardirovka does not take sides or point fingers at anyone, that is, unless I, as its writer, am also pointing a finger at myself.

In 2004, one person I interviewed while doing research for Bombardirovka was just leaving his job doing landmine retrieval to pursue his dream of playing in his town's new orchestra. He had this to say:

"After this war [between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh], we live in our heads. Nothing seems real any more. After knowing what I know now, I don't wish war on anyone, or on anyone's children. The financial assistance to us has been very helpful, but what has also meant a lot is when the French [Doctors Without Borders], when they have come and helped us deal psychologically. The psychological issues have been the most hard for us to grapple with."

That sold me on my responsibility with Bombardirovka. His words remind me that many people shared their stories and of themselves toward its making. His words remind me how war affects us all.

That’s why I am giving Bombardirovka away. Although I wrote it, it was, in its way, a community effort. I am therefore sharing it with the larger community.

So, now at Smashwords (see the home page and Share Novel for how to download or read Bombardirovka online) and here on this website, Bombardirovka continues. It is under a Creative Commons license, which means it can be copied and shared, as long as that is not done for profit.

So, that’s a little about Bombardirovka’s journey, now a little about me:

I am a self-described "hillbilly-New-Yorker-Angelina." Along with a degree in history from Barnard, I have an MST from the New School in New York City and an MFA in Writing from Antioch LA.

My creative work has appeared in the US in Shenandoah, the Flint Hills Review, the Southeast Review, Ararat, and online in CARVE, southernhum, and the Hamilton Stone Review, etc.

Thanks again to everyone who has helped me along the way!

Check out my latest project at www.discohillbilly.com