Nikolaus Baker

My name is Michael Hlibyczuk and I was born in Mauchline, a small village on the west coast of Scotland.  My nom de plume is Nikolaus Baker, which is derived from my father’s real name Nikolaus Hlibyczuk.  My father was also better known to everyone in the village of Mauchline as “Michael”.  He worked for many years as head cook at Ballochmyle Hospital.  Our surname is Ukrainian and is interpreted as bread maker or baker.  A natural choice for my author's name had to be Nikolaus Baker.

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I wanted to write a dark fantasy called GOD’S CHAIN. 

 

It is a CLASSIC tale of LIGHT against DARKNESS, GOOD  against EVIL.

 

The village of Mauchline is where the story begins in my first novel, GENESIS.

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Like most children in the village at the time, I attended Mauchline Primary School in the ’60s and then moved on to learning at Auchinleck Academy in the ’70s.  A keen Scout back then I have many fond memories from Scout summer camps, hiking, and going to the local disco held in the Scout hut.  I have never forgotten my roots and my heart is never far away.  I moved from Mauchline to work at Irvine Royal Academy as a Science Technician in the 80s and then set up home with my wife Aileen in Irvine. We have three children and a grandson.

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I always enjoyed reading fantasies. 

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I began writing GENESIS in 2004 after recovering from cancer and discovered that my writing passion was extremely rewarding, challenging, and therapeutic.

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I changed my career from a science technician to be working in I.T.  It was while I was employed in Glasgow that I was driven to write GOD’S CHAIN.  I had to find the time to write and managed this before going to work, during lunchtime passing an hour in George Square.  I could easily write for a few hours in the evenings or on sleepless nights.  Writing can be an obsession, especially when in character which is a bit like being an actor.  Places that inspired my writing are Mauchline while living in Irvine, out running in Eglington Park, or along the sandy beach between Irvine and Barassie. All negativities in my life I experienced and the dramas that ensued, I have tried to make into a positive, which sometimes helps seed the creation process. I have made many good friends over the years.  A vital spark may come from nowhere, a simple thing, and when that moment comes, I'll know. It is a golden line.  Finishing a novel is very satisfying for me and I hope, entertaining for others.

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There are FIVE novels in this epic story with a final one planned in the future.

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I have written the SCREENPLAY - GENESIS.

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The second SCREENPLAY - DEVIL'S TEMPLE by the summer of 2022.

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The first story is called, GENESIS which was first published in 2007. The second is DEVIL’S TEMPLE and the third is DESTROYER OF WORLDS, both published in 2020.

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UNPUBLISHED and FINISHED: DEMONS, STONES OF SYMMETRY.

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FINAL STORY to be completed.