CONTEMPORARY BULGARIAN WRITERS |

About the Project

The Elizabeth Kostova Foundation for Creative Writing, based in Sofia, Bulgaria, owns and operates this website under the domain: https://www.contemporarybulgarianwriters.com. The website is a literary platform which presents up-to-date profiles of living Bulgarian writers of fiction and short stories. It aims at facilitating the access of the English speaking audience...

Alexieva, Elena

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Elena Alexieva was born in 1975 in Sofia. She majored in international economic relations at the University of National and World Economics in Sofia, and continued her studies in the doctoral program in semiotics at New Bulgarian University, Sofia. She is the author of two...

Andreev, Emil

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Emil Andreev graduated in English from Veliko Tarnovo University and has worked as a teacher, newspaper editor and lecturer in English at the Faculty of Theology, Sofia University. He is the author of Lom Stories (1996), Late Art Noveau (1998) and The Drunkard’s Island (1999),...

Boykov, Nikolay

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Nikolay Boykov was born in 1968 in Vidin, where he lives. His published works include: Metaphysics, Free Poetic Society, Sofia, 2000; Poems with Biography, Janet 45 , Plovdiv, 2003; Declared in Love, handmade, Sofia, 2005; Letters to Petar, Janet 45, Plovdiv, 2006; The Book...

Cherepov, Evgeni

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Evgeni Cherepov was born in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. His short stories have appeared in various newspapers, magazines and Internet-based literary sites. Evgeni has been nominated in the fiction section of the LiterNet 2006 competition for debut authors. Нis first novel, Added...

Choleva, Silviya

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Silviya Choleva (1959, Sofia) is a writer, publisher, and journalist. She has six poetry collections to her credit – the latest being From the Sky to the Earth (2015) – also two fragmented books, the novel Green and Gold and a short story collection – Goshko (2013). Her...

Damianov, Krassimir

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Krassimir Damianov (1948-2015) was born in Sofia, Bulgaria. He graduated in highway engineering, studied in Cuba for a year, worked on the Asparuhov Bridge in Varna and also at the National Institute of Cultural Monuments. His first book, a collection of short stories – Why...

Damyanovska, Svetla

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Svetla Damyanovska graduated in art design but in her working career, writing parallels painting. She has also earned a master’s degree in protection of the cultural and historical heritage of the Republic of Bulgaria from the the State University of Library Studies and...

Deleva, Nataliya

BIO | SYNOPSES | EXCERPTS | CRITICAL REVIEWS | INTERVIEWS | CONTACT | RELATED LINKS Biography Nataliya Deleva was born in Bulgaria and now lives in London, UK. Four Minutes is her debut novel. Originally published in Bulgaria (Janet 45, 2017), the book was awarded Best Debut Novel and was shortlisted for Novel of the Year (2018). Since, it has been translated into...

Denchev, Petar

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Petar Denchev is a Bulgarian writer and stage director. In 2010, he completed his bachelor’s degree in theater directing at the Krastyo Sarafov National Academy for Theater and Film Arts. Denchev’s first literary appearance was the short story Malakoff, I Want to Grow Old,...

Dimitrov, Ivan

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Ivan Dimitrov was born in 1983 and graduated with a degree in Bulgarian philology. His short stories were nominated for the debut book competition at Ars Publishing House and his play Separation at First Sight was one of five nominees in the Slavka Slavova Chamber Play...

Dimitrova, Kristin

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Kristin Dimitrova, born in 1963 in Sofia, has won six national awards for poetry, four for fiction and two for poetry translation, among others. She graduated in English and American studies from Sofia University, where she now works in the Department of Foreign Languages....

Dimova, Theodora

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Theodora Dimova is an award-winning writer and playwright. She graduated in English from Sofia University and has studied at the Royal Court Theater in London. She is the winner of the Razvitie (Development) Prize in 2004 and the Austrian Grand Prize for East European...

Doneva, Maria

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Maria Doneva has won several awards from prestigious national poetry competitions in Bulgaria. She is the author of Farewell to the Reader (1996, 2003), The Void Between Us (Ohrid, 2005), Reason To Fear (2005, 2007, 2008), Fifty Years of Puppet Theater in Stara Zagora (2008), The...

Dvoryanova, Emiliya

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Emiliya Dvoryanova is associate professor of creative writing at New Bulgarian University. Music, philosophy and religion are the focus of her creative work: The House (a novel), Sofia: Areta Publishers, 1993; Passion, or the Death of Alice (a novel), Sofia: Obsidian...

Enev, Deyan

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Deyan Enev was born in Sofia, Bulgaria. He graduated from Sofia University, where he studied Bulgarian language and literature. He is married with two children. Among his various occupations are house-painter, hospital attendant, teacher, copywriter. As a journalist he has...

Evtimova, Zdravka

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Zdravka Evtimova was born in 1959 in Pernik, Bulgaria, where she lives and works as literary translator from English, French and German. She has lived and worked as literary translator in Köln, Germany, and in Brussels, Belgium. Her short stories have appeared in the USA,...

Fayon, Betti

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Betti Fayon The other penname used by the same author until 2005 was Maria Karo. The writer was born in Varna in 1961, and her real name is Maria Dobrevska. She graduated from the German Language School in Varna and afterwards acquired a degree in philosophy and German at Sofia...

Fenersky, Nikolay

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Nikolay Fenersky’s works have appeared in a number of newspapers such as Monitor, Sega, Trud, Sedem, as well as the magazines Savremennik, FreeStyle, Sveta Gora, More, Lik. Among his major literary achievements are the Artforum Newspaper Short Story Award (2000), the Pegas...

Gospodinov, Georgi

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Georgi Gospodinov was born in 1968 and is a poet, writer and playwright, one of the most-translated Bulgarian authors after 1989. His first poetry book, Lapidarium (1992), won the National Debut Prize. It was followed by The Cherry Tree of One People (1996), which captured the...

Igov, Angel

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Angel Igov was born on July 3, 1981, in Sofia. He graduated with diplomas in English and American studies and literary studies from Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, where he is currently a PhD student in European literature. He was a Fulbright visiting researcher at the...

Kanev, Peycho

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Peycho Kanev is the editor-in-chief of Kanev Books, NY. Kanev Books was established as an imprint and joint venture between Desperanto and author Peycho Kanev to be the leading imprint for selected poetry works.His poems have appeared in more than 400 literary magazines, such...

Karabashliev, Zachary

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Zachary Karabashliev is a Bulgarian-born author, now living and writing in the U.S. His debut novel, 18% Gray, (Ciela Soft and Publishing, 2008) written and published in Bulgaria in his native language, is a bestselling title. It was chosen by anonymous vote as among the 100...

Karastoyanov, Hristo

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Hristo Karastoyanov (born on February 22, 1950, in Topolovgrad) is a contemporary Bulgarian novelist. He studied Bulgarian Philology at Plovdiv University and made his debut in 1981 with the short story collection Cracked Asphalt. He is the author of 27 books – fiction,...

Minkoff, Velina

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Velina Minkoff was born in Sofia, Bulgaria. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from UCLA with a track in Creative Writing – Fiction, and a Master of Arts in European Studies from the University of Amsterdam (UvA) with a track in European culture and history. She is...

Mogilska, Ivanka

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Ivanka Mogilska was born in 1981. She studied theater directing for six semesters at the National Academy for Theater and Film Arts and graduated in public relations from the Sofia University. She is the author of the collection of poetry DNA (Janet 45 Print and Publishing,...

Nemchev, Vergil

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Vergil Nemchev Born in 1970, Vergil Nemchev belongs to the generation that came of age as the Iron Curtain tumbled across Europe and the Transition Period kicked off in Bulgaria. Over the turbulent years that followed, Nemchev changed a series of jobs, including a prolonged...

Nenov, Stoyan

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Stoyan Nenov graduated in Bulgarian philology from Sofia University, where he also earned a master’s degree in literature and creative writing. In 2011, he won first prize in the fiction contest of Literaturen Vestnik (Literary Newspaper). That same year, three of his short...

Nikiforov, Galin

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Galin Nikiforov, born in 1968, is a Bulgarian novelist. He graduated from the Technical University of Plovdiv and the Economic University of Varna. He has worked as an engineer in industry since 1993. Galin lives and writes in Dobrich, Bulgaria. He is married and has a...

Nikolov, Momchil

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Momchil Nikolov (b. 1970) graduated in medicine, but for the past fifteen years has been primarily dedicated to writing. He has published eight books: Travelers (a novella), Short Stories, Fragments of a Room (short stories), Mad Doris (short stories), Hash Oil (a novel), The...

Papancheva, Irina

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Irina Papancheva was born in the Bulgarian city of Burgas. She graduated from the “St. St. Cyril and Methodius” high school in Burgas where she specialized in literature, then continued her education at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” where she earned a...

Petkov, Nikolay

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Nikolay Petkov was born in Veliko Tarnovo. From 1989 to 1995 he studied Bulgarian Language and Literature, Philosophy and Theology at the University of Veliko Tarnovo. Between 1998 and 2000, Nikolay taught Ancient Philosophy at the Faculty of Philosophy at the same university....

Petrova, Diana

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Diana Petrova has nine published books, four of which are aimed at children and their parents. Wise Fairy Tales has proved to be a bestseller on the Bulgarian market and has numerous circulations. Fairy Tales for the Whole Family won Biserche Valshebno prize for prenatal...

Popov, Alek

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Alek Popov was born in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 1966. He graduated from St. Constantine Cyril the Philosopher College for Ancient Languages and Cultures in Sofia and later received his master’s degree in Bulgarian language and literature from the Sofia University. In 1997, he...

Radeva, Yanitsa

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Yanitsa Radeva was born in the town of Yambol and lives in Sofia, Bulgaria. Her work has been included in collections of essays and poetry. She is author of the of the novels The Candy Dish (2011), The Season of Yoana (2015), The Road to Thebes (2017), and Greetings from Hades...

Ranchev, Palmi

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Palmi Ranchev was born in Sofia, where he has been occupied with various activities – from sports and business to journalism and television. However, writing turned out to be his most durable passion. Affected by the restrictions of the prior 1989 period, Ranchev defines...

Roshkev, Stoil

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Born in 1976, Stoil Roshkev graduated in Bulgarian studies from Sofia University. A prize-winning author of poetry, he works as a journalist. He published his first book of poems in 1997 and his first novel in 2007, and has just finished his second novel,...

Ruskov, Milen

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Bulgarian writer and translator Milen Ruskov, born in 1966, graduated from Sofia University in 1995. He is one of the laureates of the European Union Prize for Literature in 2014 for his award-winning, best-selling and fully-staged novel Summit (Възвишение, Janet 45,...

Sekulov, Alexander

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Alexander Sekulov was born on January 6, 1964, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. He graduated from the professional school for stage arts as an assistant producer and got his master’s degree in Bulgarian philology from Paisiy Hilendarski Plovdiv University. He is the author of four...

Shpatov, Alexander

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Alexander Shpatov was born in 1985 in Sofia. He is a graduate of the American College of Sofia and the Sofia University Law School. He is author of the short story collections #LiveFromSofia (2014), available in both an English and a Bulgarian-language edition and Volume 2.0...

Stambolova, Albena

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Albena Stambolova graduated in French philology from the Sofia University. She has worked as an editor and translator and also writes in the field of literary and social criticism, foreign literature reception and psychoanalysis. Between 1990-1999, she lived in Paris, where she...

Stoyanova, Olya

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Olya Stoyanova was born in 1977 and she is a writer, poet and playwright. She has a PhD in Journalism and Mass Culture from Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ochridski’. Olya Stoyanova has won several awards from prestigious competitions in poetry, prose and drama. She is an...

Tenev, Georgi

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Georgi Tenev is a novelist, short story writer and playwright. In 2016, his novel Party Headquarters appeared in English by Open Letter Books, U.S., with the support of the Elizabeth Kostova Foundation. It originally came out in Bulgarian by Altera in 2006, won the VICK Novel of...

Todorov, Todor P.

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Todor P. Todorov is a doctor of philosophy and assistant professor at the Faculty of Philosophy, Sofia University. He is the author of two collections of short stories: Tales for Melancholic Children (Ciela, 2010) and Always the Night (Ciela, 2012). In 2012, Tales for...

Todorov, Vladislav

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Vladislav Todorov teaches film and cultural history at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of several scholarly books on modernism, performing and visual arts. He has contributed essays to The Yale Journal of Criticism, College Literature, Textual Practice,...

Tzankov, Vesel

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Vesel Tzankov was born on July 27, 1963, in Sofia, Bulgaria. He is married and has a daughter. Since 1979, he has written and authored a large number of humorous short stories published in newspapers and magazines, humorous sketches for radio and television, drama for radio and...

Velichkova, Bistra

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Bistra Velichkova was born in 1986 in Sofia, Bulgaria. She received a joint MSc degree in European Studies from the University of Twente, the Netherlands, and the Westfälische Wilhelms-University of Münster, Germany (2011). She obtained her BA degree in Journalism from the...

Zaharieva, Virginia

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Virginia Zaharieva was born in Sofia on September 2, 1959. She is a writer, psychotherapist and the mother of one son, Rouben. Literary critics have labeled her a brilliant representative of Bulgarian ecriture feminine. Her poetry is as expressive, temperamental and unexpected...

Zarev, Vladimir

Bio | Synopses | Excerpts | Critical Reviews | Interviews | Contact | Related Links Biography Vladimir Zarev, born in 1947, is Bulgaria’s leading contemporary writer of fiction. His literary works span four decades and a variety of genres. However, he is known in his native country as a novelist. His novel The Day of Impatience (1975) was translated into Russian,...

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