Welcome to The Amazon Novellas

We're happy to have you visit us as we venture out into our two categories of 'Amazon-esque' stories. The Amazon Novellas are written for those who like realistic stories of women who can kick some butt and look good doing it.

 

From the mightiest warriors, to the highest rulers, to the kindest mothers, to the lowest of slaves, these books tell of the heroines who possess a spirit of bravery and adventure that set them apart from their contemporary sisters.

 

On this page, we will be including stories and interviews of modern heroines.
If you have an idea to add, please don't hesitate in contacting us

Q. We'll start with you: Can you tell us your name and about your family? Do you have an heir/heiress to Asgarda?

A. My name is Katerina Tarnovska (in Ukraine: Тарновська Катерина)
I am divorced, my son is 8. They both support me in my Asgarda doing.
If I ever have a daughter, of course I would like if she continued my work, but the choice must be her own.

Q. There is a lot of misinformation regarding Asgarda. Can you tell us what Asgarda is?

The purpose of my group is to attract the different types of the population, including enthusiasts and professionals, regarding the re-introduction of a women's warrior-culture for Ukrainians.
That is; the study of the female single combat (martial arts), and its promotion in all directions.

 

It is also a call for revival of the Ukrainian women's roll in community.
This consists of engaging in the education of girls in the spirit of love of her People and Homeland. Transferring knowledge of homemaking, needlework, cooking, following a healthy diet, knowledge in the study and preservation of national traditions, and the development of creative abilities (singing, dancing, physical fitness).

 

Asgarda promotes the importance of women in different fields of society: politics, business, science, and culture. And is engaged in the legal and social protection of members of their own communities. We promote development and strengthening of material, scientific, and the technical base of its members. We promote the adoption of healthy lifestyles and a healthy striving for self-improvement for Ukrainian women.

 

(Simply put: I want to combine girls with an active, energetic, aggressive character and to direct their energy in the right direction... I want to revive the spirit of the Amazon Woman Warrior!)

Q. Does Asgarda teach women are better than men, or that they don't need men?

No!!!
We teach the idea of equal opportunities (and rights) for both genders of the world!

Q. Where does the word 'Asgarda' come from?

Asgarda means a harmonic joining of water (female: Yin) with fire (male: Yang).
It is important that a woman-amazon develops like a warrior, (if she so chooses), but at the same time she must remain a woman.
The word `Asgarda` is taken from a Scandinavian myth about the city of Asgard where Scandinavian Gods-warriors (male and female) lived. But the etymology was developed by me in relation to the Ukraine language:
As = perfect (professional), Gar = fire, Da= Water (Dana is Goddess of Water).

Q. I have read on the internet that Asgarda started from (or by) victims of sexual assault or even sexual slavery. Is this true?

Nonsense! It's not true! I don't know anything about that.

Q. Who are the women that come to Asgarda?

Everyone's different. Children, youth, adults...
Their history and interest in Asgarda is the same yet different.
There are girls who are simply looking for something interesting, some want to be able to fight and compete. For others it's just something for themselves - they like to be on stage.
They like the beauty of the martial arts, but not the contact.
Some come for self-defense.
Like each person, their reasons vary. Some have come after extreme situations - for example; being attacked and having their purse stolen. But, I never ask why they come.
I just ask what they want.

Q. Are there men in Ukraine who support Asgarda?

Attitude is positive in most cases. But there are skeptics.
Some men help in the fact they simply talk about us. Sometimes they help with financial support to our projects, competitions, books, posters, etc.
We have had men come to teach, coach, counsel... But to do this, they need to accept and respect our views and laws. There are no such men now. There were coaches who came to teach the girls. Unfortunately now, for personal reasons, they do not continue.

Q. What is your goal (or goals) for the individuals who come to Asgarda?

To find like-minded people! To give them the maximum of opportunity to become the best and realize their full potential.

 

Asgarda`s mission: to educate smart, strong, beautiful - harmonically developed young women.

Q. You've mentioned in a previous interview that there are other groups in the Ukraine like Asgarda? Can you tell me about some of them?

I said that a sufficient number of girls are involved in sports/martial arts in Ukraine.
Many girls are united through public organizations of different kinds and lead active social lives via such activities. There are rarely 'political' problems between such groups. In most cases, we just simply have a different approach to the implementation (of the same goals) ... we even join together on different projects.
Each develops by themselves. But we help each other.

 

But I don't know of any groups like us - which combine activities, sports, (martial arts), and culture in a social sphere.

Q. Can you tell me how you see these other groups and how they view Asgarda?

Basically an all-round positive perception. We do not compete. We just have a different approach to the development and implementation of personality!!!

Q. Is there access (by books, movies, etc) to heroines for the girls and women of Ukraine?

A. We have a lot of women of the past and contemporary history of our state. There are books, but not so much with movies. Only several documentary films. (Which is a shame, because) we have a lot of heroines!

Q. If you would indulge my humour, I would like to end the interview with questions from French television personality Bernard Pivot on his show Apostrophes:

What turns you on? = The faith of other people in me and my idea.
What turns you off? = Lack of finances for life and development of Asgard.
What sound or noise do you love? = Thunder
What sound or noise do you hate? = Sounds of computer games
What profession would you like to attempt? = Soldier (warrior)
What profession would you not like to do? = Prostitution
What would you like to hear God say when you die? = That at last I can rest.

Special thanks to author Larisa Kharakhinova who contacted Katerina on my behalf.
She then translated my questions and Katerina's answers. Thank you!
Larisa also published a book of her & my correspondence during the Soviet Era:
You can find it on Amazon.com here: Heart-to-heart letters to MrRight from CCCP

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