Ellis Shuman's Blog, page 6

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

I told my wife that we neededto talk.

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

Being forced to make alife-changing decision in such a short time was the deciding factor. If we hadmore 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 seebeing away from our children, even though they were already adults. And whatwould we do with our house? Our cats?

Bulgaria. We had never evenconsidered traveling to the country on a vacation, less moving there to work. Ina quick, somewhat impulsive decision, we accepted this once-in-a-lifetimeopportunity.

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

Workingin Bulgaria, Touring in Bulgaria

All my tasks andresponsibilities as a division manager moved to Bulgaria with me. But now, Iwas managing my team in Tel Aviv remotely from Bulgaria.

My coworkers in Sofia wereBulgarians, but everyone spoke English in the workplace. They were all muchyounger than me – the age of my children. They spent their nights at Sofia’sbars and clubs, and their weekends on the ski slopes in winter, and on theBlack Sea beaches in summer. My wife and I utilized our free time to explorethe country.

We visited the picturesquevillages. We learned about Bulgaria’s colorful culture and history. We touredPlovdiv and Varna, and the famous Rila Monastery. We dined on nutritiousBulgarian cuisine and made many new friends. And all this without learning anythingmore than basic Bulgarian.

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

In MyWriting, I Return to Bulgaria Every Day

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

I published my novel Valleyof Thracians (January 2013). The bookis 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. Mysecond novel The BurgasAffair (published in Bulgarian in2016 by Ciela, and in English in 2017) is a fictional account of the aftermathof the 2012 terrorist bombing in Burgas, in which five Israelis were killed inthe blast, along with their Bulgarian bus driver.

Rakiya – Stories of Bulgaria

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

In Rakiya you'll hearthe voices of native Bulgarians as well as see the country through the eyes ofthose visiting Bulgaria for the first time. You'll experience Bulgaria's uniquerich history and traditions and explore the country's picturesque villages andstunning nature. You'll get a virtual taste of Bulgarian cuisine topped offwith the country's traditional alcoholic drink – rakiya.

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

Orderyour copy of Rakiya –Stories of Bulgaria today!

"Rakiya" - 2 Weeks Away

Two weeks until the official release of Rakiya - Stories of Bulgaria!

Pre-order your digital copy today! Paperback to follow.

First Review of "Rakia" Is In!

"Shuman's vivid descriptions of Bulgaria's beautiful landscapes and cultural traditions are a testament to his deep love and understanding of the country. Through his evocative prose, readers are transported to a land rich in beauty and history, gaining insights into the everyday lives and struggles of its people."

"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.'

Posted by Betty Taylor

Read the full review on Goodreads! 

"The Sandcastle" - short story

Black flags lined the shore, but we had no intention ofgoing into the sea. Instead, we had plans to build a sandcastle, the biggestsandcastle on the Tel Aviv beach.

"Bring me more water," three-year-old Noa commandedme. "And then shells, more shells."

I picked up the orange bucket and went into the surf.As I bent over, I kept my eyes on my granddaughter, making sure she remained inthe safety of the shaded area near the plastic beach chairs I'd rented. I stoodup, adjusted my cap, and made my way back to her.

"Look, a tower!"

"Let's make it even bigger," I said, droppingto my knees on the cool sand.

"And show it to Imma!"

"We'll show it to Imma," I said, even thoughthis was a promise I couldn't keep.

"Saba, does Imma like the beach?"

"Of course, she likes the beach."

"Then why didn't she come with us?"

"Because she's in the hospital, Noa. You knowthat."

Read the rest of the story on - The Loft Issue V, page 28 (download the PDF for free). Photo by Diana Parkhouse on Unsplash.

Pre-order your copy of 'Rakiya' today!

I'mexcited to announce the upcoming publication of my new book!

Rakiya– Stories of Bulgaria will be released on June 17th (published by GenZPublishing) in digital format with a paperback to follow.

Inthis collection of eleven short stories, you'll experience Bulgaria's uniquerich history and traditions and explore the country's picturesque villages andstunning nature. You'll hear the voices of native Bulgarians and see thecountry through the eyes of those visiting Bulgaria for the first time. You'llget a virtual taste of Bulgarian cuisine topped off with the country'straditional alcoholic drink – rakiya. 

Youcan pre-order Rakiya already now:

https://www.amazon.com/Rakiya-Stories-Bulgaria-Ellis-Shuman-ebook/dp/B0D3WQP9TN/

Inthe stories of Rakiya, you'll meet a gypsy pickpocketing touristsin order to support her daughter. An elderly war veteran ashamed of his actionsduring the Holocaust. Two brothers hunting a killer bear. A Syrian refugeeworking in a Sofia bakery. A femme fatale disappearing at an internationalwriters’ conference. And two neighbors competing to see who makes the bestalcoholic drink.

Ihope you'll share my excitement in releasing this book and in reading storiesthat will give you an appreciation for Bulgaria that will leave you wantingmore.

Ilook forward to hearing what you think!

Israel at 76

Israel is at war. Memories of October 7th have been mostly forgottenoutside Israel, where anti-Semitism is on the rise. We are losing support fromour allies while Hamas still holds over 130 of our citizens hostage in Gaza.There is political turmoil at home and no trust in our government. Still, as mycountry marks its 76th birthday (celebrate may not be the totallyappropriate verb this year), Israel is my home and I would live nowhere else.

Here are my somewhat random thoughts on Israel's current state ofaffairs. I am hardly an expert on anything, just an average Israeli trying tolive a normal life.

And, that's the strange, surreal part – my life is relatively normal.I go to work each day, walk the dog, enjoy my grandchildren and family,continue with my writing, hike, run, read, watch Netflix—and everything isnormal. But a short distance from my home (in the hills outside Jerusalem),there is a war going on in Gaza. Recently I was unable to fall asleep afterhearing reports that thousands of drones were on their way from Iran to attackIsrael.

My family is all well and safe. My son and son-in-law are too old to doreserve duty in the army. There were a few rocket attacks overhead in the earlyweeks of the war that sent us into the shelter in our home, and there have beenoccasional disruptions in school schedules but on the whole, our lives go on asusual.

We have been asking ourselves who is responsible for what happenedlast October. How could we, with the best army in the Middle East, andpossibly one of the best intelligence services in the world, have been taken bysurprise by such a horrific, bloody invasion.

I can’t provide any sort of explanation for Israel's military failures,but I do have an opinion on our current government. It is the most extremist,right-wing, anti-democratic, corrupt government we have ever had. And theperson responsible for Israel's current situation is the man at the top, whowill do anything and everything to stay in power.

Netanyahu is responsible

Netanyahu allowed the transfer of millions of dollars to Hamas on aregular basis. He has partnered with extremist rightwing settler parties who regularlyattack the Palestinians in the West Bank and, with government approval, stealtheir land. He has teamed up with the ultra-Orthodox, who take more than theirshare of public funds to support their institutions while their men don't sharethe burden of serving in the army. He encouraged his ministers when they attemptedto overturn the court system, including delegitimizing our Supreme Court – actswhich would effectively end Israeli democracy.

All of this in addition to Netanyahu's being on trial on corruptioncharges. In a normal country, after the failures of October 7th, the man at thetop would say, "I am responsible" and resign. Netanyahu has neveraccepted responsibility for what he allowed to happen.

There is no doubt in my mind that Netanyahu's actions led Hamas tobelieve that Israel was weak, giving them an opportunity to attack. And thereis no doubt in my mind that had our government acted differently, thosehostages who are still alive would now be free.

Netanyahu's government's decisions regarding Israel's ongoing war inGaza, the fighting with Hezbollah in the north, and the crisis with the UnitedStates and our other allies, are due to political considerations—Netanyahu'sattempt to stay in power.

One thing should be clear, however. Israel lives in a very hostileneighborhood. Even if Netanyahu was not the prime minister, Hamas would stillbe plotting to attack us. Iran's desire to destroy the Jewish State is notdependent on which party forms the Israeli government. Israel is judged moreharshly than any other country in the world, when all (or most) of our militaryactions are self-defense.

Anti-Semitism has been around forever

Anti-Semitism has been around forever, yet it raises its head wheneverthere's a serious crisis between Israel and the Palestinians. Let's face it,Jews are not particularly liked in many parts of the world.

Our critics claim that Israel is an apartheid state, yet we have Arabcitizens with full rights, including representation in the Knesset. I live neara Muslim Arab village and the contractor renovating our house is Muslim. Ourdoctors and pharmacists are Muslim. The women who take care of my granddaughterin kindergarten are Muslim. We are all on good terms. We are all goodneighbors.

Still, there are Palestinians in East Jerusalem and the West Bank (not allthat far from my home) without rights or independence. For years, I havesupported a two-state solution but unfortunately, I see no partner today on thePalestinian side with whom to make peace. Most of the Israeli public thatpreviously supported the peace process have given up hope of ever reaching anegotiated end to our ongoing conflict.

There are as many opinions about the situation as there are Israelis,and it's hard to find a consensus about anything. That changed on October 7thwhen Hamas attacked all of us and Israel found itself in a war it didn't askfor. Israelis rose up to the challenge of defending their country. Soldiersand pilots who weeks before had been threatening to refuse service due to thegovernment's plans to overhaul the judiciary, reported for duty withouthesitation.

Civilians everywhere began volunteering their time and resources onbehalf of the country. I personally found a place helping Israeli farmers inthe communities near the Gaza Strip, whose foreign workers (mostly fromThailand) fled the country, yet were left with crops to harvest. I took daysoff from work to pick pomelos, oranges, clementines, red peppers, lemons, andto plant cauliflower and thin the fruit on peach trees. Thousands and thousandsof Israelis helped in many other ways.

We are resilient

Israelis are resilient. Despite the ongoing war, despite the struggle tofind our place as equals on the world stage, despite the decades-long conflictwith the Palestinians and the surrounding Arab countries, we live in a wonderfulplace, with so much history, religion, culture, traditions, high-techinnovations, superb health care and education, and stunning nature.

I am not a demonstrator. I don't wave the Israeli flag on street cornersor carry banners calling for Netanyahu to resign, new elections, or 'free thehostages', yet I support those who do.

Israel has a horrible, corrupt government and prime minister, yet Iwouldn't live anywhere else. As Israel marks its 76th birthday, I have no hesitation to say - Israel is my home and I'm proud to be an Israeli.

Cover Reveal: Rakiya

I am excited to share the cover of my upcoming book! Rakiya - Stories of Bulgaria will be published in the coming weeks by GenZ Publishing.

Full details of the release date and a link to pre-order the short story collection will be provided soon.