Set in 20th century Bulgaria, The Day Was Born explores a number of contemporary issues. Among these are socio-political change, drug abuse, and organised crime. The events spiral around the country's transition to democracy. At the heart of the story are the troubles of different generations of the same family. The personal and the political are intertwined while the narrative is both tightly-focussed and wide-ranging.
It is a story of self-delusion, love, great expectations, sin and crime. It is about the cost of change in a changing world.
An ex-politician confronts the drug addiction problem of his 14-year-old son. In his last minutes the father reels back on his life. Every face is there, every sentence, episodes ready to re-play. His daughter leads her brother to his catharsis. She establishes him in a place far-away from Sofia, where the family lives. She is captured by deep emotions. The boy's dualistic nature is struggling. He lives between a distrust of the local people, and an eagerness to survive and continue. He confronts different mentalities. Love comes to cure his soul and bring impetus. He tries to change his value spectrum according to the calls of time.
The Day Was Born is a finalist for Glimmer Train's Open Fiction Winter 2005-2006 Top 25 Winners And Finalists.