Sound Transylvanian Superstitions and Why We Still Believe in Old Magic

On the Night of Saint Andrew, on Wolves' Night #Im4Ro

When it comes to superstitions, especially Transylvanian superstitions, even the most rational among us have whispered “touch wood” or avoided walking under a ladder. I know I have. Such old magic and weird beliefs have long offered humans a sense of control over a world that often feels cruelly unpredictable.

Superstitions are more than quirky cultural relics; they are the soul’s attempt to impose meaning on chaos. This is evident in Romania, particularly Transylvania, where the supernatural and the sacred have long shared the same threshold. While the Western world flinches at black cats and the number 13, in Transylvania we count our MANY fears differently.

27/06/202501/02/2026

When Secrets Bloom: It’s Publication Day #NewRelease

When Secrets Bloom by Patricia Furstenberg, historical fiction set in Transylvania

Come and celebrate with me the publication day of When Secrets Bloom, my latest historical fiction novel set in medieval Transylvania.

I have a special offer for you: the e-book is only 99c / 99p over all Amazon platforms until 31st August AND you can read it even if you don’t have an e-reader or a kindle: link to Amazon free app under the buy now button below or read in your browser.

01/03/202514/04/2025

1 March, Magic Threads of Mărțișor: a Tale of Fate, Tradition and New Beginnings

Martisor, 1 March, Celebrating Old and New, Change and Hope

Each year, as 1 March arrives, Romanians welcome spring with Mărțișor, a red-and-white thread woven with luck, renewal, and tradition. More than just a symbol, it carries the weight of history, binding generations through its delicate strands.

Read the full Threads of Mărțișor story here. 🙂 I am so excited to share this tale with you!

22/02/202514/04/2025

Where the White Storks Migrate, Folktales and Histories Along their Path

a mustering of storks at the beginning of their migration, February 2025

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.

12/02/202512/02/2025