Maria Grigorescu's Blog: Self examination
June 20, 2022
Excerpts from the book (School story)
From the story – ‘Nothing happened at school today’
A story close to my heart, as it evokes the schoolyard of my childhood, a memory of a teacher and school mates. And a gruesome discovery.
'She turns her head, gaze slowly panning over the faces of every stranger on deck. Near the
small bar stands a group of seniors, men and women, and there he is: a stooped man arguing with the bartender and gesturing dangerously with a cup. He is so old that the joke about death looking for him at home instantly comes to her mind; she suspects he’s on this cruise just to avoid that meeting. His hair is snow white and so thin that his pink scalp shines through it. '
Feelings in Staccato: The book of stories
A story close to my heart, as it evokes the schoolyard of my childhood, a memory of a teacher and school mates. And a gruesome discovery.
'She turns her head, gaze slowly panning over the faces of every stranger on deck. Near the
small bar stands a group of seniors, men and women, and there he is: a stooped man arguing with the bartender and gesturing dangerously with a cup. He is so old that the joke about death looking for him at home instantly comes to her mind; she suspects he’s on this cruise just to avoid that meeting. His hair is snow white and so thin that his pink scalp shines through it. '
Feelings in Staccato: The book of stories
June 2, 2022
About Feelings in Staccato -1
They are 21 short stories, with a variety of topics but all brought forth from intimate thoughts and feelings triggered by real life events from Romania, from Australia as an immigrant, from Romanian history and traditions, and a few crime and fantasy stories.
They are places, history, people and emotions brought together.
These short stories take the reader in various places in Romania, Australia (specifically in Perth) and in periods from 40 AD to nowadays.
The few stories of Romania are snippets of life with ration cards and the black market, living from one day to the next, bribery and false elections during communism, and the story of a war prisoner. Some of the stories end without outright stating whether the protagonist succeeds or not, leaving it up to the reader to decide.
They are easy to relate to and it is almost impossible for any reader not to find a story about something that ‘happened to him/her’ or about thoughts or feelings that also the reader had at one moment.
The book can be read like a newspaper, you can start where you want.
They are places, history, people and emotions brought together.
These short stories take the reader in various places in Romania, Australia (specifically in Perth) and in periods from 40 AD to nowadays.
The few stories of Romania are snippets of life with ration cards and the black market, living from one day to the next, bribery and false elections during communism, and the story of a war prisoner. Some of the stories end without outright stating whether the protagonist succeeds or not, leaving it up to the reader to decide.
They are easy to relate to and it is almost impossible for any reader not to find a story about something that ‘happened to him/her’ or about thoughts or feelings that also the reader had at one moment.
The book can be read like a newspaper, you can start where you want.
May 30, 2022
5* Review !!!!
Just happy to receive a 5 Star Review from Readers' Favourite.
Follow the link to learn what they had to say about the Feelings in Staccato - The book of stories
Enjoy! I know I did! :)
https://readersfavorite.com/book-revi...
Follow the link to learn what they had to say about the Feelings in Staccato - The book of stories
Enjoy! I know I did! :)
https://readersfavorite.com/book-revi...
May 29, 2022
Excerpts from the book
Today from the story 'The truth behind the fear'
"I was so frustrated with you. I wanted to dispel the fear that made you lash out then hide away for hours. I felt hurt by your recoil when I hugged you. I thought that love did not need a book, did not need words … surely everybody could feel and understand love?
I was taken aback by your anger. I tried all I could. I smothered you with love, with kind words, then I shouted at you, and I punished you when you were mean. I gave you nice things, trying to buy your love. I wanted so much to see you happy that I refused to see that bribery was not the right way. I failed each time. "
"I was so frustrated with you. I wanted to dispel the fear that made you lash out then hide away for hours. I felt hurt by your recoil when I hugged you. I thought that love did not need a book, did not need words … surely everybody could feel and understand love?
I was taken aback by your anger. I tried all I could. I smothered you with love, with kind words, then I shouted at you, and I punished you when you were mean. I gave you nice things, trying to buy your love. I wanted so much to see you happy that I refused to see that bribery was not the right way. I failed each time. "
May 23, 2022
Writing my first book
Feelings in Staccato: The book of stories
This must be free writing because I have no idea how to blog.
I just learnt that blog comes from 'weblog'. There is always a start.
My first scribbles/journals/letters are dated more than 40 years ago. I have a wooden chest and a chest of drawers filled with copybooks, notes, ramblings.
And a dream. I once had a dream, since I was a young girl, playing barefoot in the yard from early spring until late autumn, enjoying an easy childhood, yet somehow disfigured by the communism.
I did not know what real life is until the first time I went abroad.
I thought that streets and cars and people in the movies are just that - in the movies.
Through it all my dream remained, I wanted to be a writer. Little I knew, I already was a writer. At that time I did not know the difference between a writer and an author.
I had and I have something to say.
The fact that I think in a mix of Romanian and English, and I write in both languages, it was at first an issue.
Then I discovered editors.
I am now an author, and I have a sense of achievement.
I had a dream and I fulfilled it.
What next?
I am not done.
I want to be an author 'again'.
This must be free writing because I have no idea how to blog.
I just learnt that blog comes from 'weblog'. There is always a start.
My first scribbles/journals/letters are dated more than 40 years ago. I have a wooden chest and a chest of drawers filled with copybooks, notes, ramblings.
And a dream. I once had a dream, since I was a young girl, playing barefoot in the yard from early spring until late autumn, enjoying an easy childhood, yet somehow disfigured by the communism.
I did not know what real life is until the first time I went abroad.
I thought that streets and cars and people in the movies are just that - in the movies.
Through it all my dream remained, I wanted to be a writer. Little I knew, I already was a writer. At that time I did not know the difference between a writer and an author.
I had and I have something to say.
The fact that I think in a mix of Romanian and English, and I write in both languages, it was at first an issue.
Then I discovered editors.
I am now an author, and I have a sense of achievement.
I had a dream and I fulfilled it.
What next?
I am not done.
I want to be an author 'again'.
