Povey Balkanski
Hello,
My name is Nikolay Dimitrov. I was born in 1977, in Sofia, Bulgaria. Pòvey Balkanski (A Whiff of Balkan Air) is the pen-name I use in my fiction literature endeavours. I realise it sounds quaint, funny even, but that’s the best I could come up with. (Now you know what you can expect from my work, too!)
I graduated in computer engineering and I work in software development. I have not yet reached that stage of my artistic career where I’d be able to afford to not work 9 to 5 but spend my days at home staring at the blank sheet of paper. Perhaps the reason for this is I rarely devote time to literature. I only write when I’m in the mood, and my interests lie chiefly in the spheres of science fiction and fantasy adventure. I try to make my work as little socially committed as possible. I don’t know how well I manage to do this.
My other hobbies include hiking in the mountains and watching films. The latter surely has a significant impact on my writing and is another reason why I find it difficult to label myself a writer.
The ways in which contemporary society is changing are so turbulent I find it difficult to establish what actually makes one a professional writer and what his or her role for humanity is. I am sure there are people who have produced so much text in the form of “wise” commentary on social media that they’d put to shame all classical authors of ages past. I hope that, in this abnormal dynamics, we won’t abandon our reason in exchange for artificial intelligence and our bodies in exchange for cutting-edge technologies whose only purpose is to make life “easier”.
I favour conservative thought (within certain limits of course), which is why I try to write simple and accessible texts that are, however, not superficial.
What I am saying is my writing is far from perfect and it’ll never be, regardless of the amount of effort I put in it. Also, I make no claims of being a moral role model in society; I have no desire to determine future developmental tendencies or offer an in-depth exploration of the human soul that can bring professional critics to orgasm.
The reason why I sit down and write is I am swept into euphoria when I create universes that don’t exist and adventures that shake my characters’ lives to their foundations.
I am not married and I have no children (I know this is still important in the real world, that’s why I mention it – not to brag or complain).
Since I do not know what else to say about myself, I shall finish this with a poem I wrote in the beginning of 2003 that I feel describes me neatly:
