Printed publications have been entering this world with the light hand of Iryna Alexandrivna for twenty-four years in a row. The impetus for registering the publishing house came in the early 2000s thanks to Liudmila Chyzhova.
During this time, Iryna Hudym became the "godmother" of 600 publications. About four hundred authors have used her publishing services.
A landmark work that Iryna Hudym is still proud of today was her collaboration with Yurii Kriuchkov. Although the Mykolaiv publisher recalls with particular warmth the projects implemented jointly with the historian Volodymyr Shchukin, known in the Mykolaiv region and far beyond its borders.
"Volodymyr Volodymyrovych is a unique person. He is the most generous of authors, who opened a book to public access on the website as soon as it was published. He is a unique person. And I always remember him with love and pain. Because it was a difficult loss..," says the publisher.
The long list of prominent literary figures in the publishing house includes Dmitro Zakovorotnyi, with whom Iryna Oleksandrivna published eight books. Borys Arov, Svitlana Boichuk, Tetiana Hubska, whose books still motivate citizens to study the history of the Mykolaiv necropolis and restore order there.
"Every author is a gift for me. Every author is a personality, an individuality. The book and me exchange energy each other. Sometimes I say: "Well, this seems to be the end! I'm hammering the printing house with these nails forever. I'm leaving. I don't want to continue, some problems arise, someone somewhere hasn't paid." Then a new author comes, an idea comes to me, and that's it! Then the book gives energy. And I give it strength, energy, work. Sometimes it can last nine months, like giving birth to a child," notes Iryna Hudym.
And at the same time, she recalls the case with the book "Antiquities of Mykolaiv and Ochakiv." At that time, it took about six years to find the necessary finances for printing the publication.
"If it's interesting, if I'm excited... If it's interesting to me, I know for sure that it will be interesting to readers. This is both poetry and prose. A very large layer of historical literature, which has always occupied a very large area for me in my work. Probably, the greatest love for me is Mykolaiv local history...", emphasizes Iryna Oleksandrivna.
Postcards is her another unconditional love. With complete confidence we can speak about the prospects of such a direction and its long-term viability. And Irina Aleksandrivna has many plans. So on the day of the creative evening, work on a new set, dedicated to the Mykolaiv Academic Art Drama Theater illustrated by Anatolii Krutikov, was completed.
By the centenary of the beginning of excavations of the remains of the ancient Cimmerian settlement "Wild Garden", the publishing house, together with Kyrylo Gorbenko, also released a new book with the same title. Extensive work on the book is in the pipeline.
"In the postcards, we tried to tell what was found. Who found it, where in the territory of the "Wild Garden" there were finds. Even I was very interested in it. I'll tell you it's not the first day I've been doing this. I cooperate with them. But it was very interesting for me to follow them, their steps...", Iryna Hudym shares her impressions.
With the support of Irina Alexandrivna, many young people are starting to move in the bold footsteps of confident writers. As an example, the active authorial activity of the talented Mykolaiv girl Olena Pivnenko. Not far behind her, however, in the historical direction, is another promising author Lidia Bilichenko. Just during the event, the publisher presented the girl with a signal version of her book.
"I started collaborating with Iryna Oleksandrivna Hudym around April of this year. But even before that, I had heard a lot about her, about her publishing house. I wanted to publish a book a year ago. I had this plan - to publish a book about the system of penal servitude in the south of Ukraine and the Kharkiv region. I came to the library and they advised me Iryna Oleksandrivna Hudym's publishing house. I did not regret it. I really liked it. That's her kindness, hospitality. I liked working with her, collaborating. How she treats her authors," notes Lidia Bilichenko.
At the same time, the publisher is building an understanding and an open dialogue with people who have felt an urgent need to address their fellow countrymen through the printed, living word at a fairly respectable age. Among them is the author of two books about the events related to the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Hanna Polovenko.
"I met Iryna Hudym when I came to the conclusion that I wanted to try, at least just try to print a book. I didn't expect a large circulation at all. I was completely unfamiliar with this business. Not a bit. And that's how our joint project was born. This is my book, I wrote it, but this is our joint project with Iryna Hudym," emphasizes Hanna Polovenko.
This evening, Iryna Oleksandrivna was addressed with many warm words from partners, authors, and friends. This is not surprising. The “guardian of the Ukrainian book,” who is not a native of Mykolaiv, has fallen madly in love with Mykolaiv for 41 years and has taught others to treat the regional center in the same way.
