REBIRTH IN THE AFTERLIFE
About this ebook
In a Dutch scientific laboratory, a groundbreaking computer program is developed that allows hypnosis specialists to make a person’s hidden past visible. The memories of a married couple who volunteer for the experiment unfold across large monitors-layer after layer of their previous lives revealed, even as the truth edges dangerously close to their very existence.
Cussel follows their souls through countless incarnations, from prehistoric times to the modern era. The two first appear as Boa and Anaconda in their earliest, primitive forms; later as a Dutch count and a remarkable beauty who protects the Low Countries from the terrifying scourge of the “flying bats.” Their path carries them into early American history, where they emerge as a French hitman and an irresistible prostitute, ultimately leading to their darkest reincarnations as prominent figures within Hitler’s Third Reich.
The result is a novel that plays with time, identity, and the mysterious riddle of existence. Cussel blends history, fantasy, and psychology into a story that doesn’t just read-it resonates, offering a rare adventure within Dutch literature and joyfully stretching the boundaries of its genre.
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About the author
Ivan Stoyanov is a Dutch writer of Bulgarian origin.
Since 1990, he has lived in Amsterdam, working under the pseudonym Barry Cussel.
He is the author of novels inspired by mysticism, fantasy, and magical realism.
Ivan Stoyanov – Barry – was born in 1958 in the village of Mihaylovo, Vratsa region, Bulgaria.
From an early age, he showed a passion for art and literature – painting, writing stories, and experimenting with sculpture.
In the late 1980s, he moved with his family to Sofia, where he took part in the social and political changes in Bulgaria.
In 1990, he moved to the Netherlands in search of new inspiration and opportunities.
There, a new chapter of his life began.
He not only adapted to his new environment but also developed into a multidisciplinary artist and innovator.
His artistic career started in the city of Leiden, where he devoted himself to painting and sculpture.
He organized several successful exhibitions marked by symbolism, expressiveness, and deep philosophical meaning.
In 2005, he founded the online magazine Emigrant-BG, which operated until 2017.
It became one of the leading media platforms for Bulgarians abroad, offering news, analysis, interviews, and cultural content.
He also collaborated with national and international media, writing about the Bulgarian diaspora, cultural identity, and global trends in art and literature.
Together with his wife, Doris Alexandrova, he participated in all World Meetings of Bulgarian Media organized by the BTA (Bulgarian News Agency), presenting his research and insights on cultural processes within the diaspora.
In 2000, he graduated in Internet Engineering in Arnhem and later specialized in computer graphics and film art.
Combining his passion for art with technology, he created interactive digital projects, visual installations, and film productions.
For fifteen years, he worked as a programmer and software engineer in various companies, mainly in the banking sector.
Despite his technical career, he continued to write and established his own publishing house, Baridor, which he still runs today.
Since 2014, he has been working at the EYE Filmmuseum in Amsterdam, contributing to cultural and educational film-related projects.
In 2015, he produced the documentary series “Biographical Portraits of Prominent Bulgarians in the Netherlands” (13 episodes), featuring inspiring life stories.
A year later, he directed the film “The Netherlands – My Second Homeland”, screened in Amsterdam, exploring the lives of immigrants and the cultural exchange between Bulgaria and the Netherlands.
His literary career began in 1996 with the novel “The Blood of the Black Tulip”, translated into English in 2005 and distributed through Amazon.
Critics described it as “a powerful novel comparable to the works of Stephen King,” recognizing it as a new stage in Bulgarian fantasy literature.
In 2015, the first part of his trilogy “The Mystery of the Lost Ring” was published – a magical story blending history, mythology, and the supernatural.
Four years later came the second part, “Hell 1666 Amsterdam”, where the characters from the first novel enter a new world ruled by Kasul.
In 2020, both novels were released as audiobooks narrated by his wife, with a total length of over twenty hours.
They were made freely available to the Bulgarian public via the BDJ website.
That same year, he began writing the third part of the trilogy, “Paradise 2020 Amsterdam.”
Through his versatile work and broad creative scope, Ivan Stoyanov (Barry Cussel) has made a lasting contribution to literature, art, film, and digital culture.
He does not merely tell stories – he creates worlds that inspire, provoke, and leave a lasting impression.
