About Kalina Tomova

Kalina Tomova was born in Haskovo, Bulgaria. She earned her degrees in Accounting and Pedagogy from the University of Economics in Varna. While her career has navigated through various roles involving computers, accounting, and education, her true passion lies in literature. She creates poetry, prose, and lyrical expressions that blend personal contemplation with cultural insights.

Since 2008, she has been residing in Chicago, USA, becoming a prominent voice within the Bulgarian community. She has covered social and cultural events, taken part in literary readings, and collaborated on projects with various organizations and fellow creators. Her contributions include acting as a correspondent for Bulgaria Sega newspaper (2008–2013), co-founding the Literary Club Bulgarian Word (2009–2010), and serving in the Union of Bulgarian Writers in the USA and Around the World (2010–2013), which was later renamed the League of Bulgarian Writers, where she has been a board member since 2020. Additionally, she holds the position of Vice President at the Salon for Bulgarian Culture and Spirituality, is part of the Board of Directors for the children’s studio Televizioneri, and is a member of the Confederation of Bulgarian Cultural Organizations and Artists Abroad.

Her writings have appeared in Eurochicago and Literary World, in addition to several anthologies such as Word and Colors from the USA and the World, Lyuboslov , Bulgarian Word on the Literary Globe, 55+ Bulgarian Authors in the USA and Canada, Colorful Rug, Reader on Demand, The Colorful Salt of the Planet, among others. She frequently engages in creative collaborations that bring together various art forms, contributing to the dynamic cultural landscape of Chicago.

Kalina Tomova has authored several books, including the novel The Secret of the Silver Thread (2012, Bulgaria; 2022, USA), the audiobook The Smile of the Light – a collection of poetry, reflections, and stories (2012, USA), Drawings on the Sand – poetry, impressions, prose (2022, USA), Dance of the Souls – poetry (2023, USA), and a two-volume short story collection Interwoven Worlds (2024, USA), which includes Visions and Illumination.

Here is what Kalina shares about herself:

“It is difficult to fit a person into a frame, into a verbal picture. Only strokes of his essence hint at a portrait, some image, trying to gather the immeasurable. Because each one is a universe, built from countless other universes. A pulsating essence in the frequencies of the Universe. As a part of all this, I am happy that after so many years of searching for myself, I was able to see behind the curtain of the limitation that we ourselves have set, to forget who we are, where we came from and why we are here to discover the Path... to our essence. This moment is unforgettable. Of insight, of returned, marking a new beginning - of return to oneself.

Life is a beautiful adventure that everyone has chosen for themselves before embarking on it. A synthesized thought, manifested in matter to create the worlds they inhabit. To open up to others, to manifest themselves. And to generously distribute the Light from which he came into this illusory world. If we understand who we are, what we can build with thought and unlock the Love that we carry in our hearts, we can instantly turn our lives into Paradise. But The Paradise, described in the sacred books as something distant, chimerical, dreamed of, depends on us - on me, on you, on each one. Let us look with the sense of creators in our hearts and unlock the power that we carry. Paradise is here, a step away from us. Thought shines with a call - to do it!

For me, words are the means to give myself away, to draw paths to the horizon, to reach others. The word gives me meaning, charge and direction - to unfold outward, to the world, to create and reach everyone who would understand me... You could learn more through my books. In each of them lives something of me.“