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INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL BARAKIVA AUTHOR OF ON MAN GUY

SOBRE OS OLHOS DA ALMA BLOG: The Book tells about the history of a

Armenian guy that lives in US and reading a little about your biography we face

the closeness that you have with Alek. So we would like to know how much there

is of you in Alek?

MICHAEL BARAKIVA: There is, of course, lots of me in Alek. He and I are both

Armenian, both grew up in the suburbs of central New Jersey, were both closeted

at that age. We differ in important ways as well: I'm half-Israeli, I didn't come out

until I was 21. As much of me as there is in Alek, there is just as much in all the

characters: his mom's particularness with food, his brother's obsession with being

a good son and getting good grades, Becky's wonderful attitude, etc.

SOBRE OS OLHOS DA ALMA BLOG: Your book tells about a homoaffective

relationship very positively, what is so exciting and it is a little different from the

others books about this theme, So What did you cause to choice this kind

approach? And How do you believe that will be in the future, this moment of

discovery for these people?

MICHAEL BARAKIVA: The truth is that as horrible as it is to be gay in so many

parts of my country and the world, and that is very sad, there are also many

experiences when coming out as gay isn't traumatic. My parents were wonderfully

accepting of me, as were my friends and community, and many of my friends had

similar experiences. I wanted the the LGBTQ literature to reflect all of those

experiences, not just the tragic ones.

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SOBRE OS OLHOS DA ALMA BLOG:The book shows about armenian culture

and i confess that i dint know anything about this before i read your book and i

am so amazed to know many things about this culture, so do you think that

nowadays armenian culture have been forgotten? Which points of this culture do

you think that should be broadcast for all the people in the world?

MICHAEL BARAKIVA: I think that sadly, there are many parts of the Armenian

culture that is lost and forgotten (not just the crime of the genocide). There are

many sad things about this. But what I hope people remember/learn about the

Armenians is that we're not just the victim of an unacknowledged genocide. That

we're also a people who pride education and music and of course, food.

SOBRE OS OLHOS DA ALMA BLOG:Would you tells what is your motivations

to write this book. and if your objectives do have been reached?

MICHAEL BARAKIVA: What a great question. I had lots of different motivations

in writing this book. Mostly, like with all the art I make the objective is to create

joy in the world. To provide one more story into human collective that helps heal,

entertain, excite, challenge, inspire. I hope that this little book helped achieve that

objective.

SOBRE OS OLHOS DA ALMA BLOG: Do you know Brazil? If yes, what did you

like a lot? If not, what do you have more desire to know?

MICHAEL BARAKIVA: I know that the men and women of Brazil are some of the

most beautiful in the world, and I love the literature of Brazil (I read Dona Flor And

Her Two Husbands as research for a play I was directing and it's one of my

favorite books).My husband adores Brazil (he has visited, I have not) because of

the proximity of the beaches to the cities. But I am dying to go, so if anyone would

like to invite me down (hint hint), I would be delighted!

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SOBRE OS OLHOS DA ALMA BLOG: Do you have perspective to write another

book? What will you intend to write?

MICHAEL BARAKIVA: I am currently working on a sequel to One Man Guy,

called Hold My Hand, referencing the beautiful song by lesbian country singer

Brandy Clark.

We thank you so much to answers our questions!