Interview with Author Mary Finnigan

 

1. What inspired you to write this book?

From the first moment of my first encounter with Zina Rachevsky I was mesmerized by her charisma. Superficially, it was her beauty, which shone through despite her shaved head and unflattering monastic robes. At a deeper level, the intensity of her commitment to contemplative practice was awesome. When she told me a little about the arc of her life story, I realized that I had encountered an outstandingly interesting person.

 

2. What exactly is it about — and who is it written for?

It’s a biography of a woman who was decades ahead of her time. I became friends with Zina and she gave me a typescript copy of her memoir. I quote from it through the central section of the book. It describes her trajectory from abused childhood, rebellious youth, spoiled socialite, fashion model, film star, sex and heroin addict, artist, spiritual seeker, wife, mother and pioneer western Tibetan Buddhist nun. I guess this story will appeal primarily to people interested in spirituality and consciousness. Also, people fascinated by high society gossip and jet set life during the post WW2 era.

 

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book?

My significant hope is that some readers will be inspired to integrate meditation practice into their daily lives. But also it’s a cracking good yarn that should entertain and inform. 

 

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design?

In collaboration with my publisher, Peter Stansill from Jorvik Press. We tried out several versions of the cover and the subtitle, to encapsulate the essence of the story - Zina as a showgirl in Paris and Zina as a nun in Nepal, together with a central photo of her as a stunningly beautiful woman in Greece.

 

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!?

 Trust your intuition and your enthusiasm. If either are weak or absent, move on.

 

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? 

I'm not up to speed with trends, but I think book publishing is an integral part of human culture and will survive and flourish in the digital age. 

 

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book? 

My experience of Tibetan Buddhist study and practice, which happened via my lodger - a musician called David Bowie. And my dysfunctional childhood.

 

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to? 

My style is grounded in my career as a journalist and broadcaster. At first, it was hard to emerge from formulaic news presentation. Luckily, my husband Chris Gilchrist gave me the confidence to allow myself the freedom to describe, explore language and dig deeper to express emotional responses, both in myself and others.  Similar to journalists like Malcolm Brabant, Fergal Keane and Alastair Campbell - I suppose. 

 

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book?

Inertia! Zina gave me her memoir in 1970. I travelled round the world interviewing people who knew her in 1994. I started writing the book during Covid hibernation in 2020. 

 

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? Because it’s a unique and wonderful story. There was only one Zina. There will never be another one. She took a lifetime of high-octane experience into her retreat house - and transformed it into profound realization. It was a tragedy that she died so young.

 

About The Author: Mary Finnigan is a journalist, broadcaster and author whose distinguished career includes work for the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, Sunday Times, The Guardian, the BBC, LBC and numerous other media organizations. Over the past five decades she has combined journalism with a deep interest in consciousness and Tibetan Buddhism. Her personal connection to many of the key figures in Zina: The Woman Who Changed Worlds provides a unique perspective on one of the most fascinating stories in modern spiritual history. Through Zina’s personal memoir, extensive research, interviews conducted across several continents and firsthand experience, Mary reconstructs the remarkable life of Zina Rachevsky, whose influence helped shape the spread of Tibetan Buddhism in the West. For more information, please see: https://amzn.eu/d/08CO1UxT

 

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About Brian Feinblum

This award-winning blog has generated over 10, 000,000 page views. With over 5,700+ posts over the past 15 years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2026, 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.”  Copyright 2026.

 

For the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the director of publicity at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler.

 

His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully) and (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/10-things-my-dog-taught-me-about-marketing-books). He was recently interviewed by the IBPA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0BhO9m8jbs

 

He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, three times at BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, five times at Morgan James Publishing Red Carpet, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. He served as a judge for the 2024 IBPA Book Awards.

 

His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

 

Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog.

 

You can connect with him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum/ or https://www.facebook.com/brian.feinblum