4 Doors and Other Stories

“Whimsical and entertaining”
Readers’ Favorite

You know what they say: love makes the world go round. When hearing this, most people would think about Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, about Leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet in “Titanic” or Ryan O’ Neal and Ali MacGrow in “Love Story” to name just three of the most popular romantic stories. I, myself, had long believed that no matter what I did, no matter how successful I was or how many friends I had, only romantic love would fulfill my soul. Then came a moment when I had this revelation. I was watching this wonderful sunset, in Abadiania, Brazil, when I just knew that love is actually our true state of being. I began to see it everywhere, manifested in every single creation and creature on earth. I became aware that I was connected to the whole Universe, everything and everyone in it. I realized that from that day on, I had to live my life consciously because every single thought, word, and gesture of mine had an impact. I also discovered that there is magnificence in every single human being – even in those who seem ugly (in both appearance and character).

“Four Doors and Other Stories” is a reflection of love. It was born on cold December day of 2011, with “The Enchanted Sledge”. At first, it was this one short story, inspired by one of my favorite places in the Romanian Carpathians, the itch in my fingertips, the need to prove myself that I still could write fiction. Then, the idea of a collection of short stories about love, that would make people smile, feel good, show them how magnificent they are, and encourage them to live their dreams, occurred.
The twelve stories included in this book will show you that love – the kind of love I experienced as well, is all around. In a mother’s embrace, in an elephant trumpet like squeak, in the sea waves caressing your feet, in the passionate glance of a long – forgotten lover, in a handkerchief left on a table, in a piano song and the apparent hatred between two women, in a mail carrier letter delivery. Just open your heart, have faith, and reach for it.

And remember: love is what we are here for!

The stories

The Enchanted Sledge
A magic journey through a frozen, shinning realm to rediscovering one true self and finding real love, in a sledge that comes from a forgotten past. When you believe strong enough, your dreams come true. Wolves speak human language, trees stay green, and a sledge coach may turn into your prince charming.

Green Eyes
Beware the spell of the gypsies! Somewhere, in a forsaken small town, a young man crosses the forbidden boundary and is bewitched by a pair of green eyes. Will he be able to resist it? Will he abide by the rules of society or will he become an outcast?

Four Doors
A work session for a bachelor degree dissertation turns into a journey in time. Each of the four doors on a dark corridor leads to a different era and a different place, from Arabia to Paris, from the early ages to Modern Times. Princesses, widows, poor, unhappy married mothers, gifted young women giving up their talent, they all have to learn the same lesson: loving life and loving themselves.

The Spaniard
Salsa is known as the dance of passion. An explosion of senses, a burst of energy, a brief sensual encounter with a total stranger, no promises made, no strings attached. Even for a plain guy, in his forties, as the Spaniard…

The Return
A table in shabby Lebanese restaurant. A woman and a man. She is glowing with beauty and self- confidence. He is keeping quiet and smokes a cigarette. Will their encounter be the same as fifteen years ago? When she was just a teenage girl, fascinated with his voice and his wits and he was a rebellious young man, urging for her flawless body?

The Postman Story
Strange things may sometimes happen in the countryside. Long gone saints, talk to the living, people can turn into dwarfs as big as a trinket at their wish and travel in an envelope, letters have voices and blonde-long haired, girls fall in love with postmen.

The Leather Belt
An unfortunate happening, a bowl of soup, a Sunday lunch table, a young mother, and a strict father. And a little, boy who decides to rebel against parental authority by taking revenge at… his father’s belt.

A Mother
Mother was special. Her warmth and merry heart was everywhere. In the apricot tree, blooming but fruitless, that was stretching out its branches over a piece of land where roses, tulips, hyacinths and a silver fir tree in its teens, were growing up all in a heap. Still, mother seems to be a little lost. Is she going to let her daughter help her?

The Elephant
Did you know that elephants could talk? Well, Mickey does. Mickey is the bravest kid on the planet. At least, this is what believes Gaya, his friend, whom he meets at the Zoo. At night, Gaya, the Indian Elephant, takes him on another continent, all the way to India, to see her playing her part as the headline in a famous Circus show.

Dreaming
After spending the night at “La prison de la mer”, a young woman is standing on the desert beach, facing the sun. She’s just quit her job and her boyfriend and is about to have the greatest experience of her life. Swimming with the dolphins and hanging out with anglers around a kettle of hot soup is just part of it…

The Sisters
These two girls surely look alike and people believe they are sisters. Yet, they are different. One of them is outforward, confident and enchanting, the other keeps to herself. A rainy night and an old house with an entrance guarded by caryatids unveils the mystery…

The Piano
She is one of the most famous piano players around the world. Crowds are mesmerized with her divine talent, without having the slightest clue about her inner daemons. Her playing on stage is just a way of being around her hidden lover.

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