Table of contents:
- About literary childhood and journalistic youth
- About female friendship and marital fidelity
- About the beginning of the literary path in intensive care
- About love of life, faith and optimism
June 7 marks 69 years of the famous writer Daria Dontsova. She is known today as one of the most prolific authors, having written over 180 detective stories. Her own life is reminiscent of the gripping plot of a bestseller with completely unexpected twists and turns. She took up literary work only after 45 years and during this time managed to become one of the most published and highly paid writers in Russia. She wrote her first detective story in intensive care after several operations. According to doctors' forecasts, she had only a few months to live. More than 20 years have passed since then …
About literary childhood and journalistic youth
Her real name is Agrippina, as she was named after her grandmother. And her love for literature was passed on to her from her father, the writer Arkady Vasiliev. Daria grew up in a creative atmosphere, famous people often gathered in their house, and at first it seemed to her that absolutely all the people around were writers or actors (her mother worked as the chief director of the Mosconcert, and the artists also visited them). Voznesensky was a neighbor at their dacha in Peredelkino, sometimes Rozhdestvensky came in, Kataev was a friend of the family. True, in her youth, she herself did not even think about literary creativity. At school, her talents in this area were not only not noticed, but almost destroyed in her interest in literature in principle.
Once Dontsova told about a funny episode, which, if you think about it, may not seem funny, but very sad: "".
Even before school, Daria had two governess - a German and a Frenchwoman, and she was fluent in foreign languages since childhood, which was very useful to her in the future. After graduating from the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University, Daria first worked as a translator, then for several years she was a correspondent for the information department of the newspaper Vechernyaya Moskva, and after the birth of her child she left journalism and took up private tutoring.
About female friendship and marital fidelity
Her life changed dramatically after 45 years, when she found out about her diagnosis. It sounded like a sentence: 4th stage and only a few months of life ahead. The first thing Dontsova thought about then was: who will the children stay with and who will take care of her husband and them? And she went to her closest friend, endocrinologist surgeon Oksana Glod, with a proposal … to become her husband's wife! And she, in response, recommended looking for a good doctor.
Oksana did not doubt for a minute that they would be able to overcome the disease together, and with her confidence she gave her friend an incentive to fight. The writer’s husband, academician, doctor of psychological sciences, professor of Moscow State University, Alexander Dontsov, supported everything and was always there in the most difficult moments. They have been together for over 30 years, and during this time he did not give his wife a single reason to doubt his love and devotion.
Daria trusts both him and her friend so much that they even often travel together, about which Dontsova says: "". According to Dontsova, the secret of a happy and long family life lies in female patience, the ability to forgive, mutual trust and lack of jealousy.
About the beginning of the literary path in intensive care
In 1998, when Dontsova was in intensive care after the 4th operation, her husband brought her a pen and a notebook and suggested that she try to switch her thoughts to creativity. In the intensive care unit, in just 5 days, Dontsova wrote her first detective novel, and this fascinated her so much that then every day she wrote 15-25 pages. For 10 years, Daria published 100 novels, in 20 - 180, and she even got into the Guinness Book of Records of Russia as the most prolific author.
Many people doubt that one author can create so many works. There is an opinion that a whole team of writers are working under the brand “Daria Dontsova”, which she herself denies. She has also always sounded a lot of criticism about the aesthetic value of her works - they say, all this is primitive and put on stream. Leaving aside these discussions - mass literature has its own laws. Moreover, in her genre - "ironic detective" - Dontsova really achieved considerable success.
Three times she was recognized as "Writer of the Year", she twice received the "Bestseller of the Year" award, her publications are published in millions of copies, for several years Dontsova took first place in Russia among authors of adult fiction in terms of the total annual circulation of books published. Her novels, as well as their numerous film adaptations, have enjoyed unwavering success with readers and viewers for all 20 years. Dontsova wrote scripts for the series “Dasha Vasilyeva. Lover of Private Investigation "," Evlampiya Romanova. The investigation is being conducted by an amateur "," Viola Tarakanova. In the world of criminal passions "," Ivan Podushkin. The gentleman of the investigation."
About love of life, faith and optimism
Even those people who have never been fans of her work admit that she is indisputably worthy of respect and admiration, if only because by her example she gave hope to many who faced the same disaster. Her story motivates and inspires many. The writer does not get tired of repeating that under no circumstances should one give up and lose faith in the best. She admits that she is grateful to her illness for showing her the direction in which to move on. Readers call her novels "pills for depression", and Dontsova herself radiates so much light, optimism and love of life that she "makes the weather" by her mere appearance at any event. And when asked if she wanted to change something in her life, she replies that she would correct the only thing - she would come to faith much earlier and start going to church.
In the United States, the queen of the bestseller and one of the most productive authors of mass literature is called Danielou Steele, author of over 100 books, whose life also resembles a novel.
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