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Zuzanne Belec is a writer, poet and translator who now lives in the heart of Europe, after being lucky enough to spend her first thirty years absorbing the beauty and contrasting textures of Africa.
After she quit the rat race, she spent fifteen years as a translator before discovering the world of creative writing. This discovery, and the encouragement from her family and friends, led to her decision to delve even deeper into writing.
She then grew a long grey beard and became a hermit, studying the craft and immersing herself into this magical world.
About the time when her beard reached ankle-length, she realised she was on the right path when three of her stories were published in Canadian literary magazines.
Her debut collection, Layers, is the result of this passion. And it is only the beginning …
Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite
Layers is a collection of eight short slice-of-life stories by Zuzanne Belec. These imaginative stories put a lighter touch on the darker aspects of life. The book opens with "The Christmas Charge," where three elderly sisters jump at the chance to spend Christmas on an African wildlife safari, leading to the chaotic adventure of a lifetime. "White Noise" follows a man trying to navigate being the father of a newborn son while struggling to let go of his old job, with disastrous results. "The Old Man And The Donkey" is the story of a father and son meeting up after years of estrangement, both lamenting past mistakes. "Mothers" is the heartbreaking tale of a mother trying to protect her young baby at all costs from poachers deep in the African jungles.
Zuzanne Belec paints a colorful portrait of life in all its myriad forms through this captivating collection that is bound to leave a mark on readers. Each story shows the ups and downs of life. Spanning multiple continents and involving characters from a wide range of backgrounds, Belec crafts a narrative that is rich in emotion, filled with humor, and drenched in intrigue. The characters are people you've probably met in real life, and it makes their stories all the more relatable to the reader. Belec's humor brings levity to tales that do not shy away from exploring the darker aspects of life. Layers is a riveting collection that I highly recommend.
