Patricia Furstenberg, Writer of Historical Fiction, Children's Books
Travel via Stories
Today we celebrate the Orthodox Easter. I was reminded of these simple words: “Are not two sparrow sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father.“(the Gospel of Matthew 10:29) – the sparrow does nor fall into emptiness, but within a world still held by God.
Continue reading “Are Not Two Sparrows… on Easter Day”
There are stories that refuse to stay in one place. They move through empires and forests, from the hills of Rome to the endless grasslands of the steppe, carried not in stone, but in memory and blood. Again and again, across distant peoples, the same figure appears: not crowned, not tamed, but wild: the wolf.
From the White Wolf and the Lupercal cave in Rome, to the wolfish-blood origin of the Mongols, the She-Wolf Asena ancestry of the Turks and, of course, to the fearless Zalmoxis and the Great White Wolf of the Dacians let’s follow the wolf.
Continue reading “The White Wolf Ancestry of Romans, Genghis Khan, Turks, and Dacians”
For centuries, the white storks migrated witnessing humanity’s triumphs and tragedies unfold beneath its wings. From the old African tribes to the sacred temples of Egypt and the battlefields of the Levant; from the grandeur of Ottoman palaces to the villages of Romania, the white storks have traveled through space and time. They carry no bias, no memory of war or peace. Only the rhythm of migration and the promise of return. And so, when it takes flight again, it remains, as ever, a silent witness to the world’s unfolding tale.
Yesterday, on the 21st of February, we witnessed the white storks taking flight on their migratory journey. Let’s join them.
Continue reading “Where the White Storks Migrate, Folktales and Histories Along their Path”
From the moment I learned to read, and even before that, I was drawn to stories. During my highschool years in Bucharest, between chemical formulas and physical vectors, I would write about fictional characters and dreamed locations. The legends and folktales of Romania’s past influenced my tales—the same narratives I had heard as a child, the same words that had stoked my passion for writing stories.
Continue reading “Discover Why We STILL Tell Stories”
I’ve prepared a short narrative for the Night of Saint Andrew that explores the deeply ingrained superstitions of Transylvanian culture. The gates between this world and the realm of the dead are said to open on Saint Andrew’s night in Romania. It is thought that restless spirits, also referred to as strigoi, moroi, or vampires, haunt communities, cause problems for the living, and engage in other mischievous activities. On this fateful night, the past and present converge in this tale of superstition, bravery, and encounters with the unknown, all set against the enigmatic and legendary background of Transylvania.
Read now on Romania Insider: Stories from readers: Romanian-born author explores Saint Andrew’s night superstitions in a special story. Enjoy!
