Desanka Nikolova publishes "Sef za tajni": a book that turns reading into self-reflection
A hybrid book of stories, exercises and a dialogue with ChatGPT that asks readers to confront their past and continue their story.
Desanka Nikolova has published a new book titled "Sef za tajni" with Zbor Publishing House in Veles. The volume invites readers to treat reading as an active encounter with their own memories and feelings — a text that does not end on the final page but continues in personal reflection.
The book's central message is summed up plainly: "Don't let the past be your cage. Let it be a safe of lessons; unlock it and continue writing your story." The phrase functions as a guiding metaphor: the past kept behind locks can teach rather than imprison, if a reader is willing to examine it.
"Sef za tajni" resists easy classification. It is neither a conventional novel nor a self-help manual. Instead, Nikolova blends storytelling, essayistic reflection, exercises and reader-facing questions into a hybrid form that converts the reader from a passive observer into an active participant.
Characters, themes and a modern conversational turn
Through the characters Vera and Ljuben, the book explores familiar tensions of contemporary life: hidden pain behind apparent strength, the fear of abandonment, unspoken words, damaged trust, family and romantic relationships, guilt, the need for personal boundaries and the courage to carry on after disappointment. The chapters that follow each story include practical exercises, questions and space for the reader's own notes.
One notable section — titled "Face to face, one-on-one with ChatGPT" — stages a dialogue between the author and artificial intelligence about vulnerability, the past, love, trust and self-knowledge. By introducing this modern conversational element, the book blurs the line between author, text and reader and opens a different kind of literary exchange.
Desanka Nikolova was born in Veles. She graduated from the Faculty of Philology "Blaze Koneski" in Skopje and holds a master’s degree in human resources management. "Sef za tajni" is published in Macedonian by Zbor Publishing House — Veles in a first edition with a print run of 500 copies. The editor is Emiliya Zlatkova-Anastasova, the proofreading was done by Marietka Petrovska, and the cover design is by Hristijan Anastasov. The book includes photographs from private archives. A promotion event is planned for 25 November in Veles.
Photo: privatna arhiva
