Fran Lewis Interviews Me on Blog Talk Radio

"These stories are fantastic. If you've never been to Bulgaria, you'll want to get on a plane right now."

Listen to the full interview here.

"I appreciate that many of the stories are interlinked"

Excellent. Some stories are funny, but even those are touched with poignancy. Some are heartbreaking. All are enlightening, fascinating, well worth reading. I do highly recommend this book and just wish I'd been able to do so when it was first released.

Of course it's not too late. Go get it now!

I appreciate that many of the stories are interlinked, referencing towns, events, and even characters from others. But even with those additional clues I'm not sure I understood the author's intent in all the stories.

For example, I wonder about the Roma mother, and whether she'll actually ever get around to helping her daughter to find a way to a better life. The ending seems intentionally ambiguous....

The story about brothers definitely made an impact on me. The ending, gosh. But before that, I loved this bit: "I lived in his shadow for years, never meeting his expectations. Anton always looked down at me, I thought. This bothered me greatly, more now than before." What an intelligent, and valuable, insight, that children can overlook slights & other hardships, but adults can remember them with pain. Think about that.

A character says: "Today, antisemitism is virtually absent in the country, and most Bulgarians have a very favorable opinion of Israel." I wonder if that's still true, as the far-right takes over many European offices, and as the war expands past Gaza on its first anniversary.

I hope to share this marvelous book with some of the members of my book club.

Review posted on Goodreads

Author Interview - Hasty Book List

Many authors have inspired me over the years. During high school, I eagerly read every novel and short story written by Kurt Vonnegut. My favorites were "Cat's Cradle" and "The Sirens of Titan". My high school thesis was devoted to Vonnegut and I remember writing to his publicist and receiving an autographed copy of "Wampeters, Foma and Granfalloons" - his non-fiction collection of essays.

Next, I became a big fan of John Irving, especially enjoying his novels "The World According to Garp" and "The Hotel New Hampshire", but also his earlier work, "Setting Free the Bears" and "The Water-Method Man". As an aspiring author the thing I most admired about John Irving was his statement that he wrote the ending first, and then he created the plot for his novel, a story that would reach that concluding line. When I write, I too envision where the plot will take me in the end, and then my creative process brings me there eventually.

And one other author I must mention – Haruki Murakami. I'm not sure when I started reading his novels and short stories, but certainly "Norwegian Wood" was one of the first. I once made myself a list of seven reasons why I enjoyed reading Murakami. Among the reasons were that the settings in Murakami's stories are realistic, yet anything can happen. At one point, the bookshelf in my home included every Murakami book translated into English, but in subsequent years, my collection was built with digital copies as well.

Read the rest of the interview on Hasty Book Links.

Review in 'New Eastern Europe' magazine

"It is rare to find books on Bulgarian history in the English language – it is even more uncommon to come across works of fiction with a historical twist which are set in Bulgaria. Ellis Shuman’s Rakiya: Stories of Bulgaria shines a light on the idiosyncrasies of Bulgarian life and rich historical heritage while exposing angles on Bulgarian mentality of which the country’s citizens are often oblivious."

Read the full review by Radosveta Vassilevaon the New Eastern Europe website.

New Eastern Europe is the exclusive bimonthly news magazine dedicated to Central and Eastern European affairs published by the Jan Nowak-Jeziorański College of Eastern Europe in Wrocław, a Polish-based NGO think tank.

"Insightful, culturally rich blend of short stories"

As someone without prior knowledge of Bulgaria, reading “Rakiya: Stories of Bulgaria” by Ellis Shuman was an insightful experience.

Rakiya, an eponymous chapter, is the first story in this collection of twelve short stories. It begins with an intensity that drives home the importance of Rakiya, especially when homemade, in Bulgarian culture. Unsurprisingly, Rakiya, the alcoholic drink, features throughout the book and is often lauded for its powerful taste and ability to enrich festive celebrations. However, the book delves into many other aspects of Bulgaria’s rich culture beyond the love for Rakiya. These aspects encompass its architecture, tourist attractions, favorable climate for startups, perseverance, hospitality, dark Second World War history, etc.

The first story explains how Rakiya is made while highlighting the importance of communication in preserving and restoring relationships. The second story, “Mother and Daughter,” as well as “The Volcano,” “Sozopol,” and “Forgiveness,” the third, fifth, and eleventh stories, call for introspection. These stories, in particular, present flawed characters doing their best to survive, provide for their loved ones, and acknowledge their mistakes. While it is easy to condemn certain actions they take in this bid to survive, such as pickpocketing, cowardice, and poor judgment, it is undeniable that there is a need for readers to consider what they would do if they were in the exact shoes of these characters during the temporal setting of each story.

Initially, the stories seem to end with the conclusion of each chapter, which can be rather abrupt, leaving the gap of ”What next?”. As the book progresses, however, the interconnectivity of each story unfolds beautifully and surprisingly. It is a pleasant surprise when a character who had a brief and mysterious appearance reappears in another story, shedding more light on his/her role in the earlier story, such as in “The Baker” (the seventh story). The baker helps the mother and her daughter in the second story, but readers only come to understand his character in this seventh story. He is Syrian, but due to the raging war between his country and Israel, he finds himself sheltering in Bulgaria with his family. During this seventh story, he has a brief encounter with an Israeli customer, whose perspective on this encounter isn’t revealed until the twelfth story.

The book’s physical setting revolves around Bulgaria, allowing readers to explore its capital, Sofia, as well as a few other locations like Sozopol, the Rhodope Mountains, and Varna while offering insight into Israeli and Syrian culture through dialogue and reflections from characters.

Indeed, the prose is detailed in drawing to the fore the richness of Bulgaria’s culture through vivid descriptions, such as:

“The squarish structure sat on a foundation of black-and-white striped arches; five golden domes above sparkled in the sunlight. The church’s remarkable architectural style, ornamental in nature, seemed to date not only to another century, but to another mindset as well. I stood in silent reverence, as awestruck as the devout pilgrims. Serenity. Tranquility. Holiness. I wasn’t a religious person, but here I felt something very spiritual.” (Pages 126-127).

“As you may know, in Bulgaria, our religion is Eastern Orthodox Christianity. The monastery is what kept the Bulgarian spirit alive through the centuries of Ottoman rule. During our oppression, the monks safeguarded our language, our culture, our history, even our alphabet. We may not be a religious country today, but Bulgarians regard the Rila Monastery as our most sacred site.” (Page 127).

“Rakiya: Stories of Bulgaria” by Ellis Shuman is an insightful, culturally rich blend of short stories, ranging from humorous to creepy to somber. If you enjoy learning about cultures and history and prefer a diverse mix of characters, then “Rakiya” is definitely worth the read. I particularly enjoyed “Sozopol” because I was pleasantly surprised by its conclusion.

Review posted on Goodreads.

Review of ‘Saving Abigail’ by Liz Hirsh Naftali

When Hamas attacked Israel in the early morning hours of October 7, 2023, one of the hardest hit communities was Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Nukhba Force terrorists smashed through the border fence and launched a murderous rampage, going from house to house and killing, raping, and abducting civilians. Smadar and Roee Mor Idan were murdered in their home. Two of their children survived the attack by hiding inside a closet for 14 hours. Three-year-old Abigail was taken hostage by Hamas.

Spoiler alert: Abigail, the youngest U.S. citizen held by Hamas, was released in November, after 51 days of captivity in Gaza. Another spoiler alert: As of this writing, 97 hostages remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 34 confirmed dead by the IDF.

Saving Abigail: The True Story of the Abduction and Rescue of a Three-Year-Old Hostage by Liz Hirsh Naftali (Post Hill Press, September 9, 2024) details the author’s efforts, alongside others, to rescue Abigail and free the remaining hostages.

Hirsh Naftali, Abigail’s great aunt, happened to be in the country on that tragic October morning. The losses in her family hit hard, but she quickly realized there was something she could do. “I could tell people what had happened. I could let people know what Hamas had done to my family in Kfar Aza, and to the entire country,” she writes in the book.

With no prior knowledge or plan how to rescue a hostage from captivity, she set out to share her niece’s face and story, to not only bring awareness of the hostages’ plight, but to encourage American politicians and world leaders to increase diplomatic pressure on Hamas to release their prisoners.

“Practically speaking, I had no idea how to move the entire American federal government in the midst of an unprecedented geopolitical mess,” she writes. But “America still cared about its people, and when it focused its full powers towards a specific objective, it could make big things happen.”

Hirsh Naftali had an advantage over others who lost family members on October 7^th. She had connections with leading American politicians, many of whom she seemingly had on speed dial. She began calling and meeting with congressional and world leaders, including President Joe Biden.

The extensive name dropping on the pages of the book can be overwhelming, especially to those unfamiliar with American politics. However, with all her connections, Hirsh Naftali could not guarantee Abigail’s release.

“Freeing Abigail seemed an insanely ambitious goal most of the time,” Hirsh Naftali writes. “She was part of events far bigger than the kidnapping and captivity of one tiny three-year-old child.”

Abigail was among the group of hostages released back to Israel during a temporary truce. The second half of the book details the author’s continued advocacy for the release of the other hostages. While they remain captive in Gaza at this time, it is important to know that there are those who fight for their release every day, and this book’s author is one of them.

Liz Hirsh Naftali is an investor, philanthropist, and the host and creator of The Capitol Coffee Connection podcast. She is the mother of five children and has lived between Israel and the US since 1992.

Originally posted on The Times of Israel.

Meet the Author Podcast

In September 2024, I had the opportunity to speak about my life, my writing, and my books with Rob & Joan from the Meet the Author Podcast.

You're invited to listen in!

Don't Judge a Book by Its (Tablet) Cover

At 6:30 in the morning on Wednesday, September 25th, sirens went off, warning of an impending rocket attack on Tel Aviv. Along with the other passengers on the train that had departed from Modi’in half an hour earlier, I lay on the floor. The train slowed as it neared the Tel Aviv University Station. When it came to a stop, I rushed off and took shelter in the arrival hall below the tracks.

It was the first time that a missile fired by Hezbollah came close to striking Tel Aviv in the ongoing and escalating conflict. The IDF Army confirmed it had intercepted the surface-to-surface missile after it was launched from Lebanon. There were no reports of casualties or damage.

I breathed a sigh of relief and hurried toward the station’s exit. As I walked, I adjusted my backpack and found that one of the pouches was unzipped. I felt inside and discovered that my tablet was missing. Maybe in my rush to get off the train I had placed it inside another pouch? Had I had left it on the train?

I need my tablet to read

My journey to work on the early morning train lasts 37 minutes, and I utilize the time to read. That morning, I had been just a chapter or two short of finishing Songs for the Brokenhearted by Ayelet Tsabari, an excellent novel by a highly talented writer. I was thoroughly enjoying the book and planning to write a very complimentary review. But when I arrived at my office and checked my backpack, I confirmed the fact that I had lost my tablet.

I opened a ticket on the Israel Railways website reporting the loss. I joined several Facebook groups—Lost and Found, Lost and Found in Tel Aviv, and Lost and Found on the Train. I posted a quick note about losing my tablet and provided a brief description. I checked my Facebook feed every hour to see if anyone reported finding it.

A few words about my tablet. It is a very old, outdated Samsung model, dating back to 2013. I only use the tablet for reading. I don’t watch videos on the tablet; I don’t play games. My tablet serves me solely as a digital book.

The most distinguishing feature of the tablet is its black cover. The cover is as old as the device and shows extensive signs of wear and tear. It’s faded and starting to come apart. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a picture of the tablet to post on Facebook.

One of the first thoughts that went through my head was how would I finish the last pages of Tsabari’s novel? I downloaded the Kindle app to my phone and on my return train journey home, I read the ending of the book on a very small screen.

I order a new tablet and then…

A week and a half passed, and I had given up hope of ever seeing my tablet again. I went online and searched for a new tablet to buy. I didn’t want anything fancy, and I certainly didn’t want an Amazon Kindle, a device that continues to frustrate my wife months after she purchased it. I found an affordable model and made the order. The tablet would be ready for pickup at an electronics store down the street from my office the very next day.

And then I got a phone call from Israel Railways.

“Do you have a white tablet?” someone asked me.

I didn't know the color! I couldn't remember ever seeing the tablet without its fraying cover.

“Does it have a start button at the bottom, like an iPhone 4?”

“I don’t know what an iPhone 4 looks like,” I admitted.

Don't judge a digital book by its cover

After work, I went to the Lost and Found department at the Savidor Center Train Station. The clerk couldn’t find a record of having called me that morning, but he did have my report of a missing tablet listed in his files. “Is this one yours?” he said, holding up a huge device.

“My tablet is smaller.”

“What about this one?”

“No, mine is much smaller”

“And this?”

I immediately recognized the tablet by its old black cover. “That’s it!”

As the clerk wrote up his report, I turned on the device. Amazingly, after having gone missing for a week and a half, the battery was at 75%. And the Kindle app opened to the exact page in Songs for the Brokenhearted that I had been reading when the siren went off.

“You seem surprised,” the clerk said.

“I can’t believe that I found it.”

“There are good people in this world,” the clerk said, referring to the honest anonymous train passenger who had turned my tablet into Lost and Found. “And your tablet is a very old model that no one uses anymore.”

No one uses? My tablet had just survived a missile attack and reappeared after disappearing for a week and a half! Even after all these years, it is still a suitable device for reading, especially when it comes to excellent novels like Songs for the Brokenhearted by Ayelet Tsabari.

# # #

Review of 'Songs for the Brokenhearted' by Ayelet Tsabari

If there’s a soundtrack to Songs for the Brokenhearted by Ayelet Tsabari (Random House, September 10, 2024), it probably sounds very much like Ofra Haza's ‘Yemenite Songs’ album. Like the album, this outstanding novel is a stage for Yemenite women sharing the traditional, sinuous tunes of a culture where singing is a day-to-day activity.

“You know how it is with Yemeni people. Singing is in our blood,” says one of the characters in the book. “We sing when we clean, we sing when we cook. We sing when we’re happy. We sing when we’re sad. In celebrations. Even in death.”

It is a death that brings Zohara, a 31-year-old PhD candidate, back to Israel. Zohara’s mother, Saida, has died. The two hadn’t always gotten along. ‘Only after I moved to New York had we reached a quiet, dignified truce,’ Zohara tells herself. ‘I finally made it home again. and she wasn’t here.’

Along with her sister Lizzie, Zohara sets out to purchase a gravestone and pack up their mother’s home in the Sha’ariya Yemini neighborhood of Petach Tikva. At the grocery store down the street, Zohara meets Nir, with whom she went to elementary school. Nir’s mother, Yael, introduces her to the sisterhood of women who gather at the community center to sing. As women traditionally play secondary roles in Yemeni households, Zohara ‘started thinking of the women’s songs, that insistence to be heard, as subversive, audacious, feminist even. I liked the idea of the women using their creative expression as a form of protest.’

When she discovers a set of old cassette tapes, the music 'brings Zohara closer to her mother, to understand her more after she died than she did when she was alive.' ‘It made me see my mother in a whole new light.’ Zohara is shocked to learn that her mother not only sang but was also a talented poetess. A woman capable of writing explicit lyrics.

‘If I were grapes strung on a vine, I’d squeeze the flesh of my fruit and pour juice into your mouth’.

At its heart of Songs for the Brokenhearted is a love story. It is the tale of Saida and Yaqub, who first met in an immigrant camp in 1950, shortly after their arrival in Israel. “My heart is full of rain. If it bursts, it might flood the whole time,” Saida sings, and the young girl's beautiful voice captivates Yaqub. “Singing is the one thing that keeps me sane in this place,” she tells him. “I miss the way we sang in Yemen, all the women together.”

Zohara’s discovery of her mother’s musical talents makes her reconsider the subject of her dissertation. She also reexamines her connection with Iggy, a former lover and her current best friend. Or maybe her friendship with Nir can advance to the next level, she wonders.

Tsabari, author of the award-winning The Best Place on Earth short story collection, populates her pages with true to life characters. Zohara’s nephew, Yoni, struggles to find meaning during the politically charged weeks leading up to November 1995. Lizzie’s frustrations with her sister are easily understood, and readers will readily connect with Zohara, as she is drawn closer to her mother and learns more about herself in the process.

You can almost hear Saida singing her original lyrics to traditional Yemenite songs as you read this moving, highly recommended novel.

Ayelet Tsabari’s debut collection of short stories, The Best Place on Earth, won the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature and the Edward Lewis Wallant Award. Her memoir The Art of Leaving was a finalist for the Writer’s Trust Hilary Weston Prize, and the winner of the Canadian Jewish Literary Award for memoir. She’s the co-editor of the anthology Tongues: On Longing and Belonging Through Language and has taught creative writing at Guelph MFA in Creative Writing and The University of King’s College MFA.

 

Originally posted on The Times of Israel.

Related articles:

Review of 'The Art of Leaving' by Ayelet Tsabari

Review of 'The Best Place on Earth' by Ayelet Tsabari

"Back From the War" - short story

One hundred days after the war began, Roni returned to the office for the first time. Much had changed since the beginning of October—there was a new office manager, the coffee machine had been replaced, and a fancy contraption dispensed freshly squeezed orange juice in the kitchen—but overall, things were just the same. The projects waiting for him were those he had dropped when unexpectedly he was called up for emergency reserve duty, and although his inbox was now bloated with unread emails, it was as if he had never left.

“Roni, welcome back!” Gideon exclaimed, slapping him on his shoulder—a shoulder that ached from having carried a weapon nearly twenty-four hours a day. Gideon sat at the desk across from Roni in the developers’ open space. “How are you doing, my brother?”

“I’m okay,” Roni said, swiveling his chair into position. He pushed aside the welcome-back gift basket, with its “Thank you for your service!” note, expensive bottle of wine, and imported chocolate, and adjusted his computer screen.

“No, really, how are you doing?”

How was he doing? How was anyone doing? He was lying when he said he was okay, but he didn’t want to say anything more. Not to Gideon, whom he rarely saw outside work hours. Not to his boss, Moishe, either, or any of his colleagues. He hadn’t spoken with his parents about what he went through, when he’d visited them the previous Shabbat, so why should he open up now?

Read the rest of the story on The Jewish Fiction Journal.

"My most very favourite was the short story 'Forgiveness'"

"My most very favourite was the short story 'Forgiveness'. This was because I found the character the grandfather for the age of 95 a remarkable man."

-          Bookread2day

The Story of Bulgarian Jewry I Was Compelled to Tell

March 1943. Bulgarian authorities prepare to deport 20,000 Jews from Bulgaria, expelling thousands from their homes in Sofia and sending them to the countryside. Held in detention camps, they fear they will meet the same fate as the 11,343 Jews from the Bulgarian-occupied territories of Thrace and Macedonia who were sent to their deaths in the Nazi concentration camps.

And yet, despite Bulgaria's being aligned with the Nazis, despite the yellow stars the Jews wore on their clothing and the loss of their businesses and homes, and despite their men being sent to forced labor camps, the entire Bulgarian Jewish community survived the war. Who saved Bulgaria’s Jews? Did Tsar Boris III, who had originally approved the deportation orders, have a last-minute change of heart? Or can the rescue of Bulgarian Jewry be credited to the brave politicians who confronted the antisemitic government, and along with renowned members of the clergy and ordinary citizens, called for the orders to be stopped?

This is a story that has fascinated me ever since I first learned of it while living in Sofia on a two-year relocation contract. My job in an online marketing company was temporarily positioned in the Bulgarian capital, and my wife and I made the most of our Bulgarian adventure.

Bulgaria is a beautiful country

Bulgaria is blessed with thick green forests, towering mountains, sandy and rocky seashores, and an abundance of fresh water. Bulgaria’s villages are picturesque, and the country’s culture and traditions are on colorful display everywhere you go. Bulgaria is a secular country, but one with a high regard for its religious heritage. Monasteries gladly welcome pilgrims and visitors. Today, incidents of antisemitism are rare.

One of the first places we visited was Sofia’s stunning synagogue, the third largest in Europe. Built to accommodate some 1,300 worshippers, the building's main chandelier is the largest in the country. We attended the synagogue’s 100th year anniversary celebrations, and I sat a few rows behind Bulgaria’s president at the impressive ceremony held in the central hall. We were guests at the community's Passover Seder, reading from a Haggadah that was written in both Hebrew and Bulgarian.

Most of Bulgaria’s Jewish community made Aliyah shortly after Israel’s independence and today the country’s Jewish population numbers only a few thousand, most of it assimilated. Bulgarian Jews in Israel look back fondly on their homeland, and I was blessed to having lived for a short time in their country.

My heart was still in Bulgaria

Back home in Israel, I could not stop thinking of my experiences. My heart was still in Bulgaria. I found I could return to the country every day in my writing. I began publishing travel reports, encouraging tourists to visit, and I turned to Bulgaria in my fiction as well, writing two suspense novels set in the country.

But there was one story I was compelled to tell, and that was the story of Bulgarian Jewry during World War Two. I am not a writer of historical fiction, yet I eagerly dived into my research. I interviewed journalists and historians; I surveyed friends and acquaintances. I sat for hours in the library at Yad Vashem, and read the testimonies of Jews who had lived in Bulgaria during those years. I wondered how could I accurately relate the historical incidents of this incredible story.

The result of my research is my short story, ‘Forgiveness’. In the story, an Israeli man is invited to a small village in the Rhodope Mountains to meet an elderly man, a veteran of the Bulgarian army during the war. The Israeli learns that his grandfather and this Bulgarian were once best friends. While the grandfather was sent to the Bulgarian labor camps with the threat of deportation and death hanging over his family’s heads, the Bulgarian served in the occupied territories, playing a role in the expulsion of Jews from their homes and their transportation to the death camps.

Two sides to what happened, presented in fiction. Feedback has been positive, although there were those who pointed out inaccuracies in my writing. A train leaving Macedonia could not possibly have made its way through Sofia. A fire in a detention camp could not have been ignited by partisans. But more importantly, I hadn’t emphasized the special relation Bulgaria had with its Jewish citizens.

There is something unique in Bulgaria, a country in which Jews have lived and felt welcome for centuries. I learned all this and more during my brief stay in Sofia. I hope I have done justice to Bulgaria for rescuing its Jews. And, that I have paid respect to the Jews of Thrace and Macedonia who didn’t survive.

The story 'Forgiveness' is included in my new book, Rakiya – Stories of Bulgaria. The book's twelve short stories are told in the voices of both native Bulgarians and foreigners, visiting Bulgaria for the first time. In the book I hope to share the country's history, culture, traditions and natural wonders, and of course, the remarkable story of how Bulgarian Jewry survived the Holocaust. It’s a story that I needed to tell.

Originally posted on The Times of Israel.

"I was captivated and intrigued where the next story may take me"

"This is a razor sharp and powerful short story collecting. Weaving real historical events, with the author's adoration for the country, this is a wonderful collection and tribute to Bulgaria."

- Goodreads review

"To Venice" - short story

I meet her on the vaporetto.

“First time in Venice?” she asks.

“Yes. I’m scouting out locations for a new film,” I reply, but then immediately regret revealing too much information. I stand near the rail, glancing at the warehouses on the waterfront as our water bus speeds toward its docking at St. Mark’s Square. I turn back to her. “What about you?”

“I’ve been here several times before,” she says. “But I keep returning.”

“I detect a British accent.”

“London.” She covers her mouth and coughs, and then says, “Born and raised there. And you? American, no doubt.”

“New York. Born and raised there.”

This makes her laugh. For the first time, I take a good look at her. Fortyish, I assume, perhaps a few years younger than me. Tall, slim, with a very pleasant face and brownish hair held tight in a youthful ponytail. Casual slacks and blouse, slightly more elegant than my own blue jeans and T-shirt emblazoned with ‘Italy’ on a tricolor flag. No wedding ring noticeable, which makes me subconsciously cover mine. Then, realizing I’m staring, I turn away, glancing at the other passengers on the morning boat ride.

Read the rest of the story on Libre.

"Many of these stories are emotional and heartfelt"

"I had never heard of Rakiya before, but I became quickly acquainted with the knowledge that it’s a type of alcohol, or fruit spirits. Rakiya is consistently present in this short story collection. It is either the main focus of the story, as in the story titled, Rakiya, or briefly mentioned as a modest character. This book contains an impressive 12 short stories.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to read and review Rakiya. Ellis Shuman is a talented storyteller who eloquently brought Bulgaria and its characters to life. Many of these stories are emotional and heartfelt. I appreciate learning about this beautiful country and its history. "

Read the full review on A Book and A Dog

"Enjoyed my introduction to Bulgaria and can highly recommend"

"I have never visited Bulgaria and I was intrigued when I read another review for this collection by the promise of great characters, historical elements and wonderful writing.

"My expectations were met as I read the stories covering not just the history and culture of Bulgaria and its countrymen and women, but how strong and resilient they have had to be across their long and sometimes turbulent history."

Read the full review on Smorgasbord Book Reviews

"Place becomes almost like another character"

"Rakiya: Stories of Bulgaria give us a glimpse into the history, culture, politics, people, and traditions of Bulgaria with the most extraordinary characters and settings.

"Shuman vividly portrays Bulgaria in all its richness and beauty, the gorgeous baked goods and winning drinks whilst also showing its flaws and hardships.

"Wonderful stories."

Read the full review on Goodreads.

"I wish Ellis could continue his beautiful storytelling."

"I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was sad to see it end. I wish Ellis could continue his beautiful storytelling.

"They say books help you travel the world from the comforts of your home and with Rakiya: Stories of Bulgaria this saying is totally achievable.

"Each story was well-researched, and the characters were engaging. Choosing my favorites wasn’t possible, as each story was special in itself."

Read the full review on Chapter Chats With Caroline.

Interview with me - Lisa Haselton Book Reviews & Interviews

"I lived in Sofia, Bulgaria, for two years. In addition to exploring the country, I learned the story of how Bulgarian Jewry survived the Holocaust. I knew that when I began writing short stories set in Bulgaria, I wanted to include a story about this period in Bulgarian history. I am not a writer of historical fiction, so I approached this subject in a different way. The story is 'Forgiveness.'"

Read the full interview on Lisa Haselton Book Reviews & Interviews.

My books is being read in Nigeria!

Thanks to Obiahu Blessing Chidiebere for publishing a wonderful review on D'Lit Review!

https://dlitreview.com/rakiya-ellis-shuman-book-review/

Enjoyable and Interesting Collection

This collection of short stories about Bulgaria was very interesting, and I recommend reading the acknowledgements as it includes distinctions between historical facts and fiction.

A few of the tales showed the same characters crossing paths with each other, and it was neat to switch POVs and explore their lives in more detail in other stories. The tone of the stories varied, keeping me engaged to read more than one at a time.

“The Volcano” and “The Cave” were haunting tales, full of tension and eeriness, and the ending of “The Bear” was unexpected.

“Forgiveness” was a very emotional, complex, and tragic story about two childhood friends that ended up on opposite sides during WWII. It was thought-provoking and heartbreaking, and honored lives lost by sharing lesser-known history. After such a heavy piece, I was grateful to read the final tale, which was lighter and tied multiple characters together from previous stories, giving me a sense of resolution.

Overall, this was an enjoyable and interesting collection.

ARC provided by the author. Opinions are my own.

Originally posted on Goodreads.

"Rakiya" Is Published!

I am excited to let you know that my new book is now available on Amazon in digital, paperback, and hardcover editions.

The first reviews have been posted on Goodreads:

"The stories in Rakiya are as varied as they are engrossing. Each tale is meticulously crafted and deeply affecting. Shuman's deft storytelling brings these characters to life, making their struggles, triumphs, and emotions profoundly relatable."

"Rakiya: Stories of Bulgaria is a masterful collection that will appeal to anyone interested in exploring new cultures through literature. Ellis Shuman's storytelling is both poignant and powerful, making this book a must-read.

"The wide variety of the stories, yet their ability to connect the stories to each other demonstrates how masterfully each story is woven. The vivid imagery and ability of the author to evoke such powerful emotions through his writing demonstrates his craftsmanship. If you are interested in exploring new cultures through literature, this is definitely a collection for you!"

Order your copy of Rakiya: Stories of Bulgaria here:

Amazon US   |  Amazon UK

"A brilliant short story collection" - review

Rakiya: Stories of Bulgaria is a short story collection comprised of eleven short stories designed to introduce the reader not only to a set of interesting characters, but also to the culture, politics and history of Bulgaria. Set against the backdrop of the city, the mountains and caves of significant historical value, Rakiya explores a variety of different stories that in certain aspects, every reader can relate to.

For me, the highlight of this collection is how Shuman intertwines multiple stories, either through characters, or through the historical/geographical locations explored. This added a layer of continuity and connection to the collection.

The wide variety of the stories, yet their ability to connect the stories to each other demonstrates how masterfully each story is woven. The vivid imagery and ability of the author to evoke such powerful emotions through his writing demonstrates his craftsmanship. If you are interested in exploring new cultures through literature, this is definitely a collection for you!

Read the full review on The Pen Not the Sword.

Spotlight Feature on the "Between the Lines" website

 "Today I’m sharing an extract from a book of short stories set in Bulgaria.  Rakiya – Stories of Bulgaria will be released on June 17th (published by GenZ Publishing) in digital format with a paperback to follow."

From the website:

A message from Ellis…’Allow me to introduce Bulgaria with a collection of short stories in which you’ll hear the voices of native Bulgarians as well as see the country through the eyes of those visiting Bulgaria for the first time. You’ll experience Bulgaria’s unique rich history and traditions and explore the country’s picturesque villages and stunning nature. You’ll get a virtual taste of Bulgarian cuisine topped off with the country’s traditional alcoholic drink – rakiya.’

Read the post and an excerpt from the story "The Baker" on the Between the Lines website.

Relocation to Bulgaria at Age 52? Here’s What Happened Next.

My boss called me into his office one day toward the end of 2008 and informed me that my job was being relocated from Tel Aviv to Bulgaria. If I didn’t agree to relocate, someone would be chosen to replace me. I thought it was too late in my career to consider an offer of relocation, so this took me by surprise.

I told my wife that we needed to talk.

At the time, I was a division manager in an Israel-based company providing marketing and support services in the online gaming sector. I had been working at the company for four years. “We have one week to decide whether to relocate,” I told my wife.

Being forced to make a life-changing decision in such a short time was the deciding factor. If we had more time to think about relocation, we would have probably rejected the offer. After all, my wife and I had aging parents to care for and we couldn’t see being away from our children, even though they were already adults. And what would we do with our house? Our cats?

Bulgaria. We had never even considered traveling to the country on a vacation, less moving there to work. In a quick, somewhat impulsive decision, we accepted this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

I relocated to Sofia in January 2009 and my wife arrived three weeks later, in the midst of a ferocious snowstorm. Our new lives were about to begin.

Working in Bulgaria, Touring in Bulgaria

All my tasks and responsibilities as a division manager moved to Bulgaria with me. But now, I was managing my team in Tel Aviv remotely from Bulgaria.

My coworkers in Sofia were Bulgarians, but everyone spoke English in the workplace. They were all much younger than me – the age of my children. They spent their nights at Sofia’s bars and clubs, and their weekends on the ski slopes in winter, and on the Black Sea beaches in summer. My wife and I utilized our free time to explore the country.

We visited the picturesque villages. We learned about Bulgaria’s colorful culture and history. We toured Plovdiv and Varna, and the famous Rila Monastery. We dined on nutritious Bulgarian cuisine and made many new friends. And all this without learning anything more than basic Bulgarian.

And then before we knew it, our two-year contract ended, and it was time to return home.

In My Writing, I Return to Bulgaria Every Day

After resuming my job in Israel, I found that I couldn’t stop thinking about Bulgaria. But I soon found that I was able to return to Bulgaria every single day – in my writing. I grew up with the dream of becoming an author. Even today I write all the time. And it was my writing about Bulgaria, based on my experiences there, that really got my creative juices flowing.

I published my novel Valley of Thracians (January 2013). The book is a suspenseful tale of a Peace Corps volunteer who goes missing in Bulgaria, and of his grandfather who launches a search for him against all odds. My second novel The Burgas Affair (published in Bulgarian in 2016 by Ciela, and in English in 2017) is a fictional account of the aftermath of the 2012 terrorist bombing in Burgas, in which five Israelis were killed in the blast, along with their Bulgarian bus driver.

Rakiya – Stories of Bulgaria

I am proud to announce the publication of my new book, Rakiya – Stories of Bulgaria (GenZ Publishing, June 17, 2024). In the eleven stories of Rakiya, you'll meet a mother pickpocketing tourists in order to support her daughter. An elderly war veteran ashamed of his actions during the Holocaust. Two brothers hunting a killer bear. A Syrian refugee working in a Sofia bakery. A femme fatale disappearing at an international writers’ conference. And two neighbors competing to see who makes the best alcoholic drink.

In Rakiya you'll hear the voices of native Bulgarians as well as see the country through the eyes of those visiting Bulgaria for the first time. You'll experience Bulgaria's unique rich history and traditions and explore the country's picturesque villages and stunning nature. You'll get a virtual taste of Bulgarian cuisine topped off with the country's traditional alcoholic drink – rakiya.

If I had not accepted the relocation offer and had not worked for two years in Sofia at age 52, I would never have become a published author!

Order your copy of Rakiya – Stories of Bulgaria today!