Alenka's Books
My first book was published in 2018 by
Založba Amalietti (editing house)
Since then, the collaboration with the publishing house has been flourishing.
I remember starting writing on February 8th, the national holiday of Slovenian cultural heritage, and finishing it by March 31st, the month of the blue moon of the same year. The process of writing a novel for the first time in my life was really special.
Something magical came to life with every written page and every step I took into the magical world of Aunt Malya and her witchy friends.
Vilinska kri ali tovarišice prav posebne sorte - 2018
"Fairy blood or the companions of a very special kind"
is a book on traditional witchcraft - stregheria popolare. The book was published in september 2018 by Amalietti založba (publishing house).
The story tells of the power of female connection, the victory of love over hate, and the playfulness that is good to maintain even in difficult situations. Alenka Kranjac has subtly woven her love for Istrian places, fairy tales, and people into the story. I sincerely recommend reading it.
- dr. Nada Trtnik
About the book:
Alenka Kranjac's fantasy novel is a parable of the Sun, which constantly sends light and warmth into the cosmic cold to its children: planets, moons and little moons... and awakens life in them in all possible and miraculous forms and contents. The novel, as well as the Sun, are absolute optimists. Belief in the victory of love and all that is good is invincible. The novel contains the female principle of living power. And it confirms that most evil is born from fears, which are the godfathers of all wrong judgments. There is no limit to the joy of life in this work.
- MarT
Mara, vilinska kraljična - 2019
"Mara, the fairy princess"
is a book on awakening into the power of magic. A romantic novel with an unexpected twist, that explores the world of a teenage, highly sensitive girl who encounters the istrian water fairies and the Old Relitgion, that was kept alive in remote parts of Istria and Posočje (and some other regions of Friuli and Resia).
Oh, and this book … well, she's a baby! Peter Amalietti, the editor, opened a collection for her, called the Čira Čara Collection - "Zbirka Čira Čara" (a magical magic).
About the book:
A small gray castle stood on the cliff above the Bay of Koper, sheltered by mighty pine trees. Mara loved the night and the pine grove provided dark shade even on the best of sunny days. It was her refuge, her favorite corner under the sun.
In the book Mara, the fairy queen, writer Alenka Kranjac once again takes us into the magical world of Istrian fairies and the secrets of the dark depths of the human soul, and in the continuation of the story from Vilinski kri takes us back in time, far into the 17th century, where the fairy tradition was vividly involved in human lives that took deep roots in it.
Mara is a sixteen-year-old fiery queen of the black night, who, through a series of coincidences, finds herself in the safe embrace of the Istrian water fairies. Through shocking realizations, unhappy love and death, she is guided by a force that since time immemorial people have called "The Great Mother" and have always safely handed their souls over to her, saying: "Here you have me, Nikrmana!"
Ribič Livio - Livio il pescatore - 2022
"Livio the Fisherman"
This fairy tale about a fisherman and a beautiful mermaid is my first children's book. It is bilingual, written in Slovenian and translated into Italian.
"When the sun's rays gently touch the surface of the sea, the underwater kingdom begins to awaken in the depths of our bay. That's when miraculous things happen to fishermen! And when dolphins swim in our bay... Oh! Do you know who you can meet then?"
About the book:
The book was published by the City Library of Izola in Slovenian and Italian, with a support of the Ministry of Cultre of republic of Slovenia and the Italian self-governing national community of Izola.
Donators and cherished friends also supported the publishing of this book.
The fairy tale is accompanied by photographs of my crocheted dolls. The fairy tale was translated into Italian with dialect words by Mirjana Kramarič Francé, Zdenko Bombek photographed the dolls, and the picture book was designed by Irena Kresevič.
A big thank you goes to Marina Hrs, director of the Izola City Library, who suggested doll photography in place of illustrations and made the book and translation possible.
Research
The Fairy Faith
Fairy Faith is a synonym for the Old Religion of Europe. It is a vivid lifestyle religion, deeply connected to nature and is a pre-christian religion of Old Europe. In Istria, Posočje and nearby Friuli region it was still kept alive by older people. Mostly it has been secretly worshipped in remote regions.
Who is Nikrmana?
Nikrmana is "The Great Mother" of the Old Religion. She is the almighty power of Nature, the life force as a never ending cycle of life, death and rebirth, venerated in a form of Woman, the Mother, the giver of Life and a safe embrace in Death.
References
Find out more about the Goddess and the Old Religion.
- Maria Gimbutas
- Pavel Medvešček
- Boris Čok
- Carlo Ginzburg
- Uršula Lipovec Čebron
- Marko Pogačnik
The cat of Vilinska kri and Malya's Magic Dolls' Logo
The cover for the book "Vilinska kri" was designed by Dušan Jovanovič, (Jovanovic Visuals) a cherished friend and neighbour of Alenka and Marino Kranjac. He was inspired by a local black Cat that regularly visited his garden. Although the cat in the picture is black, it represents all sorts and colors of cats since cats are the most recognizable Familiars of Witches.
The magic of creating Alenka's first book connected people and friends, who all contributed to the birth of an author. You see? I told you that there is a special Key that opens many doors to creativity in the story of Vilinska kri. And there is more to explore and discover.
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