Uh, h-hello there.
Oh, a reader. Hi!
I’m Andrei Atanasov, criminal lawyer and, more importantly, writer.
You may or may not know me already. Regardless, I figured this newsletter needs a proper introduction. That’s what this post is for.
If you’ve been here a while, and are wondering why you’re receiving this as an email after all this time, it’s because I took
’s advice to actually send my introductory post, also called a “Hero” post, out to my subscribers. That way, people who might find it useful are sure to see it.Cool. So, where am I again?
You’ve reached Practice Space, my curated corner of the internet.
This is a storytelling newsletter, which means I publish short, literary essays and stories inspired by some of my favorite authors, while trying to discover my own voice and hone my craft.
For my essays, think Sherman Alexie meets David Sedaris, while my fiction reads like Raymond Carver had one too many drinks with Roberto Bolaño and decided to call up Yoko Ogawa for a chat.
Care to share some samples?
Great idea! Here are a few of my favourite pieces I’ve ever written. Enjoy, bud.
Essays
Dancing In A Supermarket - Is anxiety making your life miserable? How about saying “Screw it!” and just bursting into dance? That’s what I did, and it felt awesome.
The Spark - My contribution to The Books That Made Us. This is an essay about Yasunari Kawabata’s Thousand Cranes, a subtle novel of familial ties ruined by secrets. My journey toward becoming a writer began with this book, and the very special person who led me to it.
Three Pieces - Three bite-sized pieces of memoir, a little darker than my usual fare.
The Lords of Summer - A story of a lost friendship, green fields, and bygone summers.
On Talking With Strangers - Or how I made an unlikely friend amid the rubble of a dilapidated store.
YOU DIED. So What? - An essay on Dark Souls and the power of pressing on.
Short Fiction
The Worst Possible Moment - Flash fiction told from the perspective of a recently dead wife. Who is she? Why did she die? Will she get her revenge? So many questions.
Okamoto - A short story of war. David Okamoto, a Japanese-American inspired by the glory-filled tales of his veteran father, joins the army to find his own version or glory. What he finds instead is something much, much darker.
Santa’s Last Job - Santa’s real name is Graham Rozenkrantz. He’s a homeless man, and the job of being Santa is the only thing that keeps him going year after year. But all good things come to an end, and one week before Christmas in 2023, he’s fired from his job. To top it off, he’s dying, so this will likely be his last Christmas. Will he survive for long enough to make one last child’s dreams come true?
Snow-Fox vs. Leukemia - What do you do when even your awesome superpowers aren’t enough to save your son? Snow-Fox comes to grips with his son’s cancer, and the fact that the only one who’ll be able to save little Georgie is himself.
A bit more about you?
My name is Andrei Atanasov. That’s a pen name, but it’s surprisingly similar to my real name.
I’m based in Romania, where I work as a criminal lawyer, but my real passion has always been literature.
I’ve been a voracious reader for years, ever since my high school Romanian teacher introduced me to the wonders of the literary world, and I have been writing seriously since the end of 2019, when I penned a surprisingly intense short story about a man who sets himself on fire.
Since then, my stories and essays have been published and reprinted in numerous literary magazines, including Flash Fiction Magazine, Every Day Fiction, and The Bitchin’ Kitsch.
These days, my work tends to be lighter in tone (even, sometimes, comedic), though not always.
What I’m most interested in is substance: complex feelings, profound ideas, characters that feel alive, and stories that feel important. This concept defines what I write much better than genres.
How often will I hear from you?
I don’t adhere to a strict schedule, but I try to publish 2-4 pieces a month. They come out at the end of the week, usually on Fridays.
Why don’t I post weekly, like most How-To-Substack newsletters nowadays recommend? My policy is that I don’t want to flood your inbox. I’ll only publish things I deem valuable, essays or stories that have a better reason for existing than “because I need to publish this week”.
By the way, your logo is awesome! Who created it?
Thanks so much! The logo illustration and handwriting were designed by the amazing Jason Chatfield of
. He’s drawn for The New Yorker, Wired, and Variety magazines, so you know he’s the real deal. If you need any graphic work done, you can’t go wrong with Jason. He’s a consummate artist and a pleasure to work withIn closing, what can I say? If you enjoy stories with substance, you’re in the right place. Or rather, space.
I hope you stick around.
—A.
I love Clyde.
Hey Andrei,
Great to have this introductory piece, even though I feel I know you already :)
Love the minimalism of Clyde. Hadn't heard of Tayasui.