Balcony Above the Sea

By Tirza Schaefer

This time, Tirza Schaefer heads east to a little Bulgarian village at the coast of the Black Sea, not too far from Burgas. Keturah is an author from London who is running away from a life she doesn't want anymore and an ex-boyfriend and his current girlfriend who are stifling her to death. She has plans to stay in an apartment overlooking the Black Sea and simply work on her book. Then she meets Luben, the driver who takes her to the apartment from Burgas airport, and her resolve as to staying away from all men falters.

However, you can run from others but never from yourself. The London situation catches up to her in unexpected ways and Keturah has to take a hard look at herself and determine how she wants her life to look like and whom she wants in it. Luben helps her in this and without noticing at first, points out not only their cultural differences to her but also differences in their outlook on life. After a beach party, however, Keturah starts to see things more clearly.

If only there wasn't this publishing contract that could destroy all she has gained.

This book tells the story of a straight couple. However, Luben, the male MC, has a lesbian sister who lives together with her life partner. In this way, LGBTQ issues are thematised within the story in a loving and also spiritual context, as well as touching upon human rights.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tirza Schaefer
• Release date: Oct 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9783946011316

Tirza Schaefer

Tirza Schaefer was born in Cologne (Köln), Germany. After she graduated from school, where she qualified in German “Abitur” and also attained proficiency in English and Latin (she also studied French for two years and Russian for one), she moved to the United Kingdom in 1991 and lived there for the next eight years. She first started to study for a BA Combined at SOAS (School of Oriental & African Studies, London University) in Comparative Religious Studies & Indonesian Studies, then changed to The London Metropolitan University, and graduated in an HND in Leisure and Tourism Studies and a BA in Tourism Studies with Marketing.. She moved back to Germany in 1999 to embark on a new adventure: being a mother of three wonderful children. At the beginning of 2015, Tirza started to publish her books, and with currently over 30 published, continuously working on more, she is a creative hothouse. In April 2017, an Arabian Mau cat called Taani from Dubai joined the family. In 2018 and 2019, she founded Goddess Reiki, and loves to write about and work with Goddess archetypes to explore her psyche and help clients in this process with their self-development. To this day, despite her many academic achievements, her many talents and skills, Tirza Schaefer has a progressive personality and always strives to expand herself in many areas. A non-extensive list of her qualifications are: *University Graduate *Mother *International Author *Usui Reiki Master/Teacher *Founder of Goddess Reiki *Practicing Witch *Voice Over Artist *Empowered Empath *Goddess Facilitator *Intuitive Reader & Healer Thus, you can never find “the final sentence” for her vita. Her life is an ongoing work of art, of character building, of an expanding personality, yet ultimately always moving forward, always striving for new, for more, for added quality of life, of herself. Tirza is a woman who is as steadfast and loyal as she is adventurous and surprising. It is exciting and worthwhile to observe her further to see what she will come up with next. You never know…

Book preview

Dedication

Idedicate this book to all those who love narrative and poetry, who have wonderful stories in their heads and write them down to bring delight, excitement and all sorts of wonderful reading experiences to those who pick up their books or listen to their tales.

To those who appreciate the beauty and love contained in the lines of a poem or the tenderness of a heart-wrenchingly beautiful romance.

To those that cry when they listen to Shakespeare or Jane Austen or any other literary outpourings that were conceived with so much passion and love.

To those who never allow their imagination to be diminished or squashed, who have visions and see fairy-tales unfold in their heads.

You are the story masters, the ones that conceive and delight in narrative and poetry for the sake of its beauty. You bring light and culture in an often too cold, clinical and mundane world.

Be blessed and never stop dreaming!

Contents

Dedication

Contents

The Story

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Books by Tirza Schaefer

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

The Story

This time, Tirza Schaefer heads east to a little Bulgarian village at the coast of the Black Sea, not too far from Burgas. Keturah is an author from London who is running away from a life she doesn’t want anymore and an ex-boyfriend and his current girlfriend who are stifling her to death. She has plans to stay in an apartment overlooking the Black Sea and simply work on her book. Then she meets Luben, the driver who takes her to the apartment from Burgas airport, and her resolve as to staying away from all men falters.

However, you can run from others but never from yourself. The London situation catches up to her in unexpected ways and Keturah has to take a hard look at herself and determine how she wants her life to look like and whom she wants in it. Luben helps her in this and without noticing at first, points out not only their cultural differences to her but also differences in their outlook on life. After a beach party, however, Keturah starts to see things more clearly. If only there wasn’t this publishing contract that could destroy all she has gained.

This book tells the story of a straight couple. However, Luben, the male MC, has a lesbian sister who lives together with her life partner. In this way, LGBTQ issues are thematised within the story in a loving and also spiritual context, as well as touching upon human rights.

Follow Tirza on Social Media

Website & Newsletter

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Books2Read Author Page

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All Other Social Media Links, Promotions & Events

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LinkTree

Books by Tirza Schaefer

Romance

Romantic Poetry

Love Expressed

.

Romance Series

The Milf Diaries

Izzy

Ria

Reyna

Sassy

Calendar Boys

.

Seals in Spain Trilogy (Read in Order)

Book 1: Tank

Book 2: Dom

Book 3: Seb

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Band of Brothers Trilogy (Read in Order)

Book 1: Drew

Book 2: Zee

Book 3: Rico & Chad

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Tirza’s Christmas Tales (Standalone Themed Seasonal Novellas)

Book 1: A New Family For Christmas

Book 2: Christmas in Montana

(more to come)

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Her Harem, A Reverse Harem Series in 12 Parts

Book 1: Black Veil

Book 2: Wild Thing

Book 3: Gold Digger

Book 4: Guardian

Book 5: Warrior

Book 6: Takana

Book 7: Wedding

Book 8: Angel

Book 9: Dream Catcher

Book 10: Naughty

Book 11: Princess

Book 12: Dinner for One

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Romantic Standalone Novels

Balcony Above The Sea

Badass Heroes

Opposites Attract

Born To Be Wild

In The Event of Love

Cloud Nine

Sealed Brothers

Dating A Hero

Chopped Encounter

Birthday Present

The Dark Duke

Snake Goddess Rising

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Romantic Standalone Novellas

A Little Slice of Heaven

(part of the Summer Heat anthology)

The Navy Seal’s Nanny

Kisses In Darkness

The Right Kind of Wrong

Love In The Sky

Marine Party

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Please note that my romantic literature contains explicit and graphic sexual content, hot kink and at times, some mild violence and is therefore aimed at a mature adult audience. All novels come with a guaranteed happy ending and no cheating and will melt your heart as well as your panties!

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Spirituality, Parenting & Children

Goddess Meditations (Series)

Book 1

Book 2

Book 3

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Spiritual Poetry

My Spirit Song

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Travelogue, Parenting and Magic

A Magical Family Holiday

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Children’s Literature

How Picasso Makes You A Genius

Chapter 1

Touchdown in Bulgaria

The airport in Burgas was crowded. For the tenth time, Keturah fretted whether or not she’d find the driver who was booked to take her to the small coastal village where she had rented an apartment for an entire month. She had decided to leave London for a while and disappear off the grid to lick the remnants of her wounds and be alone.

Admittedly, she and Jeff had broken up over two years ago, but now that he was with Doreen who got everything from him that he hadn’t been willing to give her, it was a low blow. And Doreen knew it, of course. Bitch that she was, she rubbed it in at every possible opportunity.

Keturah couldn’t take it anymore. She was sick of pretending she was above it. She was sick of pretending she was happy for them, and most of all, she was sick of pretending she was happy at all. So she’d decided to run away and gone online to find a place she could run to.

The apartment in Bulgaria had seemed like the perfect opportunity. Only now she wondered how wise this decision had been. First of all, even when she left everything behind, she couldn’t really run away from herself. But maybe some seclusion would help her face herself. But she had never been in a country that had formerly been Soviet controlled. She had no idea whether these people had even entered the 21st century yet.

The only thing she’d done well was to sell most of her belongings and put the rest in storage. That had definitely not been a mistake. It had felt like she had shed a mountain of ballast. She had stayed on in the apartment she had shared with Jeff and, although she could afford it, it had been a mistake in all other respects. She needed to let go of the past – and she’d do just that!

They had a market in the village, so she would be eating salad and bread, and write. The apartment had a washing machine, apparently, so all she needed was taken care of. The weather was warm, if not to say even hot in the summer, so she could easily dry her washing on the pretty little wrought-iron balcony overlooking the sea.

Keturah was jolted out of her reflections when a hand touched her shoulder. It was large, warm and gentle.

Miss Owen? a deep voice asked.

She turned and found herself looking into a pair of charcoal eyes that were a lot higher up than a lot of other people’s eyes here. The man was tall! And muscular. And handsome. Oh my! She’d come here to get away from men troubles and had walked right into the next ones!

Talk about you can’t run away from yourself. - You mustn’t even think about it! He’s probably some crazy macho who eats steaks for breakfast, she admonished herself mentally, trying to remember what she had read about the local culture.

She hadn’t read anything about the local culture. She had been too busy preparing running away from home. So instead, she straightened herself, raised a brow haughtily and said, Yes? Are you my driver?

Yes, Pardo Manikov is... he began, but she cut him short because his voice was way too sexy and she definitely had to get away from those eyes!

Pleased to meet you, Pardo, she interrupted him. My suitcase is here. Lead the way! I’m dying to get out of this bustle. – Do you understand me or should I speak more slowly?

I understand you, he replied and looked at her quizzically.

Perfect! She waved at him to get going.

He raised his brows, but took up her suitcase and led her out of the airport. When they got caught in an extended family of about twenty people hugging each other and some old uncle squeezing Keturah with great enthusiasm, Pardo took her hand after freeing her and stirred her safely through the crowd. Once they had cleared the people, he let go of her again. Strangely, she minded that he did.

Pardo, wait! She took his hand to stop him and he turned to her.

Yes? he asked.

Can I get some water around here? I’m terribly thirsty, she said.

Of course, but at the airport it’s very expensive. There’s a shop along the road about ten minutes from here, he said with a polite smile.

Ah, wonderful, she said, returning his smile.

He looked down. She was still holding his hand.

Excuse me, she murmured and let go quickly.

It’s quite alright, he said in his friendly way. Have you never been to Bulgaria before?

No, she answered. I’ve driven through Yugoslavia as a child and gone through Eastern Germany, but that’s all I know of what used to be behind the former Iron Curtain.

It’s still in your head? The curtain I mean, he inquired.

Yes, she admitted, a little contrite after a short reflection. I suppose it is. But you guys don’t drink like the Russians, do you?

Pardo sighed. We don’t have half the per capita consumption Italy has.

Oh, are you Muslims down here? Keturah asked, drawing the wrong conclusions once again.

You didn’t inform yourself very well before you came down here, did you? he asked quietly, a little exasperated, perhaps, yet still not impolite.

Not really, no. I booked this on a whim and I was afraid that if I read something I didn’t like, I might cancel and not come after all. And then I’d never get out, she stopped herself there, not wishing to share any private information with Pardo. Nevermind, I’ll just see what happens.

Pardo smiled and then took to educating her a little by telling her that Bulgaria was mainly orthodox Christian. Only about ten