On 2 July, Julia Zolotova welcomed guests to the sky-lounge of Principal Tower in Shoreditch for the latest instalment of her literary salon, Stories & Surfaces, ahead of her highly anticipated UK book debut.
The event, titled “Evening with Julia Zolotova: From Concept to Publication”, drew readers into Zolotova’s unique world of cross-cultural storytelling. She offered dual excerpts from Eastern Empire, a sweeping narrative rooted in art and technology, and Omnichannel Hearts, a modern meditation on digital relationships.
During the Q&A, discussion ranged from writing across three languages to crafting AR-enhanced narratives and capturing the disquieting emotional undertones of messages marked “seen-at-09:17.” The venue, balanced between the towering glass of London’s financial hub and Shoreditch’s raw creativity, embodied the dual sensibilities central to her fiction.
Recent media reaction framed the debate. A four‑page feature in
Glamour Bulgaria praised Eastern Empire as “layered and unflinching,” while UK portal
Arts & Culture offered “a measured critique of the novel’s ambitious ideas about transparency.”
“Opposite readings mean the book is alive,” Zolotova told the audience. “A story should change shape in every new lens.”
Zolotova’s newest satire, The Influencer’s Canvas, has just landed on the virtual shelves of Britain’s two flagship booksellers —
Waterstones and Hatchards. The dual listing marks the author’s first nationwide bricks‑and‑mortar availability.
UK paperback editions of Eastern Empire and Omnichannel Hearts publish October–November 2025, each with a reader’s guide and Shoreditch‑to‑Shanghai AR city‑maps.
Zolotova’s accolades include the Creativitys UK Award (2024) and the Stein Arts Award (2025) for innovative narrative craft.
A virtual Q&A for editors and booksellers is set for 4 July, 11:00 BST; registration available on request.
“Principal Tower let us test big ideas against a 360‑degree view of London,” Zolotova said. “Stories need altitude — and argument.”
