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.
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.’
The Baker
“I’ve heard you make the best pitas in all of Sofia.”
“Who am I to argue with what people say?” Jamal said, looking up from the cash register to find a well-dressed middle-aged man drumming his fingers on the counter. “What can I get you?”
“Would it be possible to make an order for one hundred and fifty?”
Jamal stepped back, not surprised at the large order, but that the man was speaking to him in colloquial Arabic. “I’m sure that can be arranged,” he said, turning to his brother for confirmation. Standing near one of the ovens, Amar nodded his consent.
“Good,” the customer said. “I will pay you now, in advance. Could you have the order ready if I come by tomorrow at three?”
Jamal rang up the purchase and handed over the change and a receipt. “Dovizhdane,” he said, instinctively saying goodbye in Bulgarian.
“Shukran,” the man replied in Arabic as he left the bakery.
“He’s Israeli!” Amar said, slapping Jamal on the shoulder and sending a small cloud of flour to settle on the keys of the register.
“No, that can’t be true!” Jamal picked up a dust cloth but paused, thinking of the stranger’s dark features, features that would not seem out of place on the streets of Damascus. “A Middle Eastern accent, for sure. Maybe Iraqi? Or Egyptian? Certainly not Israeli.”
“Didn’t you see his car? It had a red diplomatic license plate.”
“What would an Israeli be doing in our bakery? He knows where we’re from.”
“He came here for pitas, like everyone else. Why are you complaining? It’s good business.”
An Israeli visiting a Syrian bakery in Bulgaria? Jamal smiled to himself. There had been stranger things. But then a thought came to him. He would talk to the man, Jamal decided, and ask him where he’s from. If he was an Israeli, as Amar claimed, perhaps they could have a conversation. Strange bedfellows they were, for sure, but maybe it would be possible to have a meaningful discussion with him, to bridge their cultural and political differences. Jamal had a chance to make peace with someone who had once been an enemy. He looked forward to the Israeli’s return to the bakery. The man would appreciate Jamal’s goodwill and, more than that, he would be very satisfied with the pitas.
In the twelve 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.
The book can be purchased here.
Ellis Shuman is an American-born Israeli author, travel writer, and book reviewer. His writing has appeared in The Jerusalem Post, The Times of Israel, and The Huffington Post. His short fiction has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, and has appeared in Isele Magazine, Vagabond, The Write Launch, Esoterica, Jewish Literary Journal, San Antonio Review, and other literary publications. He is the author of The Virtual Kibbutz, Valley of Thracians, The Burgas Affair, and Rakiya – Stories of Bulgaria.
betweenthelinesbookblog.com 
Ellis Shuman? Really… yeah… that’s him. He and I were together on Kibbutz for a year, and before he met his wife, she was my husband’s girlfriend! Yeah… I mean, I don’t know OF Ellis… I know him personally. He’s a nice guy. I’ve never read anything by him, but I’m glad to see he’s still writing! (Small world, right?)
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Well. what a coincidence! A very small world indeed. From our correspondence he did seem very nice.
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He is… although he seems to be more dynamic in his writing than he is in person. But we’re not in touch these days. I haven’t been to one the Kibbutz reunions in years, and now that my husband’s gone, I doubt I’ll go to the next one (which might be next year some time).
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