Author: Effrosyni Moschoudi

by

Vasilopita, the Greek New Year cake with the hidden coin

Greek custom dictates that every family cut a Vasilopita on New Year’s Eve, which is a traditional cake with a hidden coin inside. The person who finds the coin in their piece will have good luck all year! The word ‘Vasilopita’ originates from Agios Vasileios (St Basil). It literally means ‘Basil pie’. The Greek Santa is Agios Vasileios, not St Nick. The legend of him bringing gifts started like this…

When Agios Vasileios was the bishop of Caesarea in Asia Minor, a ruthless tyrant and his army threatened all people of Caesaria to hand over their gold or perish. St Basil was forced to ask the poor city folk to bring to him their meagre gold possessions. According to legend, a miracle rid the city of the tyrant in the end so the gold was never handed over to him. When St Basil was presented with the task to return all the gold to the people, he decided to send to every household a little bread, each of which contained one golden coin or item of jewellery picked randomly. This is how the custom of the Vasilopita started!

Traditionally, the father or the mother of the house cuts the cake, naming names as they cut… First, they cut a piece for Christ, a second one for the Virgin Mary, another for the house, which they set aside. And only then do they start naming each person of the household as they cut. This way, if the coin is found during cutting, they know who it belongs to. If the coin is found in one of the first three pieces, it is placed in the corner of the house where the family keeps their icons, for good luck. In Greek homes, this corner is often found in the parents’ (or the couple’s) bedroom.

In my humble opinion, everyone who participates in this custom is a winner… There’s plenty of laughter to be had and a strange excitement blossoms in every home during this process, as if the coin is real – a coveted piece of gold…

Why don’t you have a go to see who wins the coin in your home this year? There’s plenty of time still! In Greece, Vasilopita cakes are baked and cut for good luck all the way till the end of January.

Here’s my recipe. Enjoy!

 

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

Vasilopita, the Greek New Year cake with the hidden coin! #holidayseason #desserts #Greece Share on X

Limited time offer! Get The Boy on the Bridge for FREE, along with the short story collection, Facets of Love, with your sign up to Effrosyni’s newsletter. Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu! For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

by

Delicious Greek Christmas desserts

Hi, All! Today, I am sharing about the Greek traditional desserts for Christmas, the New Year cake with the hidden coin, and some delightful cookies too! These change shape in the oven and are the perfect fun thing to do with kids this holiday season. Enjoy, and happy holidays!

I love the Greek Christmas desserts you can see here but they present a problem for me each year. I can’t help myself and start eating them from very early in the month of December. By the time Christmas arrives, I have to look for trousers one size bigger to wear haha

But, looking at this picture from my local bakery, can you really blame me? Especially if you’ve tasted Greek Christmas desserts and know just how yummy they are.

Here they are, in more detail:

KOURABIES (Plural: KOURABIEDES)

These tiny round cakes have a solid dough that’s rich in almond chunks, and they are dusted heavily with icing sugar. They can also be found in the shape of a crescent. A classic festive prank in Greece is to offer someone a kourabies and dare them to say ‘Thothoros’ as they chew. This is just the Greek name for Theodore. It’s not the meaning, but the making of the sound that matters here. The result is always the same! A sprinkle of icing sugar emitted from the person’s mouth to dirty their own clothes. Not recommended in the times of covid – but it has to end sometime, doesn’t it? So keep in mind for later, if you’re a prankster. Trust me. It’s priceless.

MELOMAKARONO (Plural: MELOMAKARONA)

These golden delights can easily become a favorite, especially as in the recent years bakers and sweet shop owners have gone a step further to coat them with milk chocolate or dark chocolate! Personally, I never go for those, as I find them sickly sweet. The classic melomakarona of this picture are more than adequately sweet on their own. The taste is all in the honey syrup and the heavenly woody spices (cinnamon and cloves). Melomakarona come in soft and harder varieties. The softer the better, in my humble opinion.

DIPLA (Plural: DIPLES)

These pastries are fried, then sprinkled with chopped walnuts and drizzled with honey or syrup. The ones my mother used to make looked like short ribbons with serrated edges, and sometimes she’d fold them in thirds. The classic shape one can find in the shop, though, is the rolled up one you see in the picture. After all, the name Dipla is derived from the word Diplono, which means “To fold”. I have to admit that diples, being fried, are not the healthiest option, but they are definitely my favourite of the three, with melomarona following closely behind. Diples are crunchy and fluffy – a temptation I personally find impossible to resist!

Note: This is not a recipe post, as you can see, mainly owed to the fact that I’ve never tried my hand at making any of the main three Christmas desserts. It’s hassle-free at the bakery, if you ask me LOL! But, if you’re feeling eager to try, just google the name of the dessert with ‘Akis’ next to it, and it should take you to the site of famous Greek chef Akis Petretzikis. All his recipes are awesome! This is the one for melomakarona, for example!

 

Ok, so these are neither Greek nor Christmas cookies either, but I love to bake them on new year’s eve, then put them on a platter with chocolate coins for good luck. They look fantastic and the added bonus is they are not as punishing to your waistline as you’d think! There is no trace of chocolate or butter in them – instead, they contain cocoa powder and sunflower oil, but taste fluffy and chocolatey as if they were the real thing. I call them Magic Snowballs because when you put them in the oven they look like little white balls and then something whimsical happens! They start to change shape right before your eyes…

GO HERE TO GET THE RECIPE. THEY ARE PERFECT TO BAKE WITH KIDS. ENJOY!

 

Last but not least, this is the Greek New Year Cake with the hidden coin inside. It is called ‘Vassilopita’ and is baked on new year’s eve in honour of St Basil (the Greek version of Santa Claus). Check out my recipe here!

 

 

OOPPAAA! SIGN UP TO MY BIMONTHLY NEWSLETTER AND GET 3 BOOKS FROM ME AS A WELCOME GIFT! SEE BELOW FOR THIS OFFER!

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

Greek Christmas desserts are amazing! #Greek #desserts #christmas Share on X

 

Get Effrosyni’s FREE books with your signup to her bimonthly newsletter! Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

NEW! A historical paranormal romance box set. This is the timeless love story that will stay with you forever. Set in Moraitika, Corfu and Brighton, England. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3HEvMPG
Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3pAP3rf

 

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon

Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu!

 

For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

 

by

Happy December! Here’s an early Christmas gift from me

Happy December to all! I am thrilled today to share with you all a FREE copy of my latest book, The Boy on the Bridge. I have made it available as a free book on Story Origin (mobi, epub or PDF) for those willing to try my bimonthly newsletter.

Also, I’d like to do something else today that I don’t do often – and that’s to ask for your help. That is, just a few seconds of your time. You see, The Boy on the Bridge has been shortlisted in the annual awards of Readfree.ly, so I would greatly appreciate it if you could give it a quick vote to support me. I would be forever grateful to you!

VISIT READFREE.LY TO VOTE FOR THE BOOK. IT IS LISTED IN THE ROMANCE CATEGORY. THANK YOU!

VISIT STORY ORIGIN TO GRAB THE BOOK FOR FREE!

 

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

A FREE romance that is shortlisted for the readfree.ly awards! #PNR #freebie #freebook Share on X

 

 
A young man determined to protect his girl… A teenage boy offering prophecies… and a series of unexplained events. Check it out on Amazon: https://bit.ly/3ke2O9U

   Want The Boy on the Bridge for FREE? Grab it here!

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Check it out here

370 pages of Corfu summer bliss! This beach romance will make you fall in love… Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
To grab “Facets of Love” for FREE, go here! Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to Corfu! For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

by

Cooking crabs from a Greek island… and offering FREE books!

Scroll all the way down to gain access to my latest newsletter that lists a plethora of FREE books right in time for Black Friday weekend!

My elderly father made me jealous all the time last summer while holidaying on the island of Limnos. In the tiny village where he was raised there’s a quiet beach that has a lot of treasures in store for those who know where to look. Often, my father and I would talk in the evenings on the phone and he’d tell me he’d caught a crab or two that afternoon (and once, even a small stingray!) using nothing but his hands or a small stick during his walks on the beach with his dog. Many a time he’d made me envious, just to think he’d bring one or two crabs home from a walk, just enough for one man to boil and enjoy with his ouzo. I mean, how awesome is that? He said that for many years the crabs had disappeared from the beach but this year they had returned in large numbers. So I jumped at the opportunity to ask him to give me a batch from the frozen ones he’d brought to Athens so I could give them a try. Though I had crab during ouzo time as a child with my parents, I only had the odd leg that’d been boiled in water. I’d never tried the whole thing and certainly not in a tomato sauce with pasta. I was eager to try this meal, as I’d heard the taste was amazing. This was my chance!

When Dad handed me a few crabs for my freezer, I was so taken by their beautiful gray & blue colors, and surprised too, as I knew this wasn’t how they looked when cooked. The mystery was solved once I put them in boiling water. They magically turned red instantly before my very eyes. I was worried about how I was going to extract the meat from them, so in case you’re wondering too, don’t let that sway you. I go in detail at the end of my recipe about where the meat is and how you can get it. And I do admit… It WAS kind of creepy to cook such large crustaceans – they looked somewhat like giant cockroaches, LOL, but the taste…. OH, THE TASTE!!…. it made it all worthwhile.

So if you’re feeling creeped out too, know it’s worth it for what you’ll be tasting if you try this recipe! Ready? Here we go!

INGREDIENTS (for 2 people)

2 crabs

2 medium sized beef tomatoes (skinned and grated)

1/3 of a pack of tomato puree (doesn’t have to be specific, just enough to make the sauce more deep red)

1 onion and 1-2 garlic cloves chopped

8 tablespoons of virgin olive oil (or what you normally use for pasta dishes)

1/3 teaspoon of cayenne pepper that’s slightly spicy (or chilly, if you prefer it hot!)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional)

parsley (chopped)

PREPARATION

Wash the crabs well using a clean brush or toothbrush (I have a dedicated toothbrush for the kitchen, very useful!) Brush their legs well, especially.

Fill a big pot halfway with water (you’ll use this water to boil the pasta after, and some of it will also go in the sauce). When the water boils, throw the crabs in. DO NOT ADD SALT!

After 5 minutes, turn over the crabs and boil for another 5 minutes, then take them out and put aside (TOTAL 10 MINUTES TO BOIL THEM).

Pour the contents through a sieve into a bowl underneath to get the liquid. Then pass the liquid through an ultra-fine mesh strainer to remove the sand and other debris. Make sure to stop pouring before you get to the bottom where the sand will have settled. I don’t have an ultra-fine strainer so I use a typical small strainer and line it with cotton wool.

Put the water into a pan and leave aside to cook the pasta in it later.

Now, in another pan, fry the onion and the garlic in the oil in medium heat for about 2 minutes, until the onion turns a little transparent. Don’t fry too long or the garlic will burn. Add the grated tomato and the passata and cook uncovered for a while until the liquid diminishes.

Add a little of the water for the pasta and stir. Add turmeric, if using. Cayenne (or chilly) and black pepper. DO NOT ADD SALT YET.

Add the crabs and a little more water. Not too much liquid. Better to add later, if need be, so keep checking it. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn over the crabs halfway.

In the last 10 minutes or so, add salt to the sauce, and cook the pasta in the other pan, using the leftover water (and salt.)

If you have too much liquid in the sauce, uncover and cook in higher heat towards the end, as needed.

When done, take out the crabs and, using the special pasta utensil, spoon the pasta into the sauce. This way, some of the starchy water will be added too for more taste. Add chopped parsley and mix well.

If you don’t have the special pasta utensil, save a cup or two of starchy water before straining.

Add starchy water as needed to ensure the meal is loose and not sticky.

Serve immediately with the crabs on the dishes and enjoy with a green salad.

NOTES: If you buy frozen: I defrosted the crabs overnight in the fridge, but, from what an aunt told me since, she puts her frozen crabs straight into the boiling water. So it’s up to you!

After cooking, the crab is soft enough for you to remove the pincers and the legs and break them using your fingernails to get to the meat inside. Some bits are easier than others to get to the meat. As for the body, if you turn it upside down, there is a crack where you can sink your nails to open up the body. Inside, you will instantly get a biology class lesson (LOL!) as you will notice the lungs in the middle (they are brown and look like leaves). Ignore those, and only pick the meat on either side where the legs and pincers connect to. Actually, some of that meat may be extracted along with the legs and pincers when you pull them out, so you can leave the body for last to get to any leftover meat.

To be frank? I didn’t really care about picking the meat from the crab. And, if using crab of the same size, do not expect to enjoy crab meat in adequate quantity. BUT! For me, the pasta is all the money! This is where the deliciousness is! Enjoy, and let me know in the comments what you think, if you try this 🙂

Hungry for more? Browse through all my recipes here: https://effrosinimoss.wordpress.com/category/greek-recipes-2/

 

Get The Boy on the Bridge for FREE on Story Origin!

Or, check it out on Amazon HERE

This Black Friday weekend, discover alluring Greek corners of paradise! Only 99 cents!

Visit Amazon: http://bit.ly/1MpLgjL

In my latest newsletter, I am sharing a bunch of FREE kindle books to suit various tastes and the latest that’s fun from my life in Greece. It’s all bound to put a smile on your face! Check it out: https://madmimi.com/p/9f0d231/preview

 

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

FREE books, and fun news from Greece! #writerlife #freebies #indiebooks Share on X

   

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Check it out here

370 pages of Corfu summer bliss! This beach romance will make you fall in love… Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
To grab “Facets of Love” for FREE, go here! Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to Corfu! For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

by

A heart-warming romance and a strange cat

Hello, All! I am writing today to share a bunch of freebies from my latest newsletter and, also, to share about a young cat that came to my garden out of the blue and wouldn’t go away!

But first, here’s a suggestion for your reading pleasure:

FREE WITH KINDLE UNLIMITED! Two girls, their lives fifty years apart. One haunting… and one love that won’t let go. This paranormal new adult romance trilogy will keep your heart warm all the way to Christmas!

Sofia, a young student, always follows the rules of her over-protective family. But this is about to change…

Sofia is reluctant to talk to boys. Her family is strict and gossip in her village on Corfu is relentless. But Danny, a British tourist, is too charming to resist. As she falls in love, strange dreams about a woman dressed in black begin to haunt her…

“I could feel the warm sun and sandy beaches even on a cold dreary day.” ~Helen Johnson Brumbaugh, Amazon reviewer

“Moschoudi’s writing was impressive; sweet and delicate yet powerful, like a punch rolled up in silk.” ~Nicholas Rossis, author of The Pearseus series

Book 1, The Ebb, can be enjoyed as a standalone read. Only $0.99 for a limited time!

VISIT AMAZON

This kitty came to my garden out of the blue. When I tried to shoo it away it left me gobsmacked with its reaction. For two days, it caused a bit of a ruckus with my cats, but it all ended well. Read all about it in today’s newsletter. You’ll discover a bunch of free book offers in the process too!

 

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

FREE books, and fun news from Greece! #writerslife #freebiefriday #books Share on X

New book! A young man determined to protect his girl… A teenage boy offering prophecies… and a series of unexplained events. Check it out on Amazon: https://bit.ly/3ke2O9U

   Want The Boy on the Bridge for FREE? Grab it here!

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Check it out here

370 pages of Corfu summer bliss! This beach romance will make you fall in love… Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
To grab “Facets of Love” for FREE, go here! Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to Corfu! For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

by

FREE spooky books and pumpkin soup

Hi, All! I’m getting excited for Halloween and offering a plethora of FREE spooky books in my newsletter today! Scroll down for the link while I stir this soup, will you?

Hmmm… My soup is almost ready. Now, I’d better make a start on the crunchy bat wing frittata. Hey! What’s in the cauldron, I hear you say?

Yum! Homemade pumpkin soup, that’s what!

And not just with any pumpkin, but with a Hokkaido pumpkin that is incredibly yummy and tender. I don’t know about you but I wash its skin well and leave it in! It is soft and has a wonderful texture when cooked. Plus, it means, you get even more beta-carotene 🙂

I liquidize the soup before serving but leave out about a cupful of chunks so I can throw them in the plates for decoration.

My recipe includes ginger and parsley, and it’s so warming and nutritious – an excellent choice for Halloween and any wintry evening, for that matter. You won’t find it in my recipe, but these days I also add 1/2 a teaspoon of turmeric to the cauldron (sorry, I meant the pot!)

Turmeric adds extra nutritional value to the dish. Plus, the color yellow makes a striking contrast to the green lizard tail salad I serve on the side (just kidding!)

GET THE RECIPE – MINUS THE LIZARD TAILS!

 

FREE spooky episodes! Lizzie is not your average tourist. She’s going to Greece on a mission. And it involves a shape-shifting, evil witch!

 

CHECK OUT MY NEWSLETTER FOR MY LATEST FUN NEWS FROM GREECE. HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS IN ATHENS AND A MULTITUDE OF SPOOKY KINDLE FREEBIES AWAIT YOU IN THIS ISSUE. HAPPY HALOWEEN, ALL!

 

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

FREE books, and fun news from Greece! #authorlife #freebiefriday #spooky Share on X

New book! A young man determined to protect his girl… A teenage boy offering prophecies… and a series of unexplained events. Check it out on Amazon: https://bit.ly/3ke2O9U

   Want The Boy on the Bridge for FREE? Grab it here!

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Check it out here

370 pages of Corfu summer bliss! This beach romance will make you fall in love… Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
To grab “Facets of Love” for FREE, go here! Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to Corfu! For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

by

Book review: Cannibal King by Nanine Case

When I was offered a chance to read an advanced reader’s copy of this book, I was dubious. Cannibals? Surely, it will have graphic violence in it! Not for me, I thought. But I was assured this book is about anything but violence. I am so glad I decided to give this a go because, had I not, I would have missed an absolute gem of storytelling. 

In the 1830s, at the tender age of fourteen, John Rummel aches for adventure. One night, he runs away from home in New England and boards a south-Pacific-bound whaler as a member of the crew. Life on the ship is misery, though, as the captain is a very cruel man. John jumps ship and winds up a prisoner of the French, who occupy the Marquesas islands. Having made a precious new friend, he escapes from prison and winds up on another of the islands. There, he is introduced to a cannibal tribe, who befriend him. He spends many years living with them peacefully, learning their customs and their language and winds up having a romance with the seductive chief’s daughter, Princess Marita. 

Marita’s love is not nurturing him, though. It becomes a poison in his heart and it threatens his life and the life of the whole tribe. Adventure and danger follow him everywhere, it seems, especially as there is an enemy cannibal tribe who hate him and, given half the chance, will betray him to the French, who never stopped looking for him since he escaped… But John, reluctant to return home for his own reasons, has grown to love this land and stays on. In time, he imparts precious new knowledge to the natives of the various tribes on the islands, and also teaches them a lesson that saves lives: to help one another rather than make war for the slightest cause…

This book is not about violence, nor does it contain graphic violence in the degree that one would expect of a book that has the word ‘cannibal’ in its title. It is really about a daring and intelligent man who, despite missing home, finds a new purpose living with savages and teaching them in ways that can help them without offending their own beliefs and customs. It’s also the sad tale of his painful love for Marita. Truly, a marvellous book, and I am so glad I had the chance to read it. 

I miss its characters, and they stay on with me now, alive in my mind, days after ending the book. This is such a feat for this talented author! Her outstanding writing made every little detail of the tribes’ villages and customs come alive in my mind’s eye, as if I were on the Marquesas islands too. I hope this extraordinary tale winds up on TV or in the silver screen one day!

I shall definitely read more from this author. Highly recommended!

(I received a free advanced reader’s copy of this book, and I made the decision to review it as to support this talented author, and to help other readers discover it.)

My rating: 5 stars!

An enthralling exotic tale of mortal danger and romance that will stay with you.

This new release is 99c for a limited time only!

VISIT AMAZON   US   UK

In my latest newsletter, I am sharing a bunch of FREE kindle books to suit various tastes and the latest that’s fun from my life in Greece. Cat lovers are especially catered for in my newsletters, more often than not with photos and the latest antics of my two cats. It’s all bound to put a smile on your face! Check it out here: https://madmimi.com/p/699bf21/preview

 

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

#Bookreview Cannibal King by Nanine Case #adventure #new book Share on X

New book! A young man determined to protect his girl… A teenage boy offering prophecies… and a series of unexplained events. Check it out on Amazon: https://bit.ly/3ke2O9U

   Want The Boy on the Bridge for FREE? Grab it here!

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Check it out here

370 pages of Corfu summer bliss! This beach romance will make you fall in love… Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
To grab “Facets of Love” for FREE, go here! Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to Corfu! For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

by

FREE books, pink skies and more feline naughtiness!

In an earlier post. I showed you Sissi’s currently preferred spot for catching birds. My husband took this photo the other day when he ventured outside, first thing in the morning. He took it to show me the small bits of feathers that were scattered everywhere before clearing it all up. Thankfully, he saved me from the sight of the poor birdie itself. By the time he’d found it it was much too late to change its sad fate.

On a happier note, here is a feeder my husband rustled up for Sissi and her mother, Loulou, so they could get some sustenance during our short breaks away from home last month. This meant we only had to ask our kindly neighbour to replenish the water bowl. Sissi went in straight to the feeder to eat when we placed it outside the first time, while Loulou, always skittish and over-careful, took a few moments to be convinced to go near it, let alone eat. Once she realized it had neither claws nor teeth, she was fine haha

In my latest newsletter, I am sharing a bunch of alluring photos, and even a short video, from the unforgettable experience I had of the sunset at Cape Sounio last month.

I make my newsletters fun by sharing photographs from my life in Greece and a bunch of kindle book freebies every time!

GO HERE TO READ TODAY’S NEWSLETTER. ENJOY!

 

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

FREE books, and fun news from Greece! #catlovers #freebiefriday #freebooks Share on X

New book! A young man determined to protect his girl… A teenage boy offering prophecies… and a series of unexplained events. Check it out on Amazon: https://bit.ly/3ke2O9U

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Check it out here

370 pages of Corfu summer bliss! This beach romance will make you fall in love… Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
To grab “Facets of Love” for FREE, go here! Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to Corfu! For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

by

Murder mystery book review: Silent Strike by Melinda Colt

Wow, this was such an unputdownable murder mystery! And the dialogue so clever. I loved the interrogations especially. They made me really absorbed to the story and the mystery of it all. The detectives asked the exact questions I wanted to ask, LOL. So I felt like I was there in the room, participating. It was such a complex story, yet so easy to follow, the questions every twist raised filling up my head, deliciously tickling my curiosity, spurring me to keep turning the pages for more.

As for the romance, it was so intriguing, all the way to the final, delicious climax of it, and I really cared for these two characters. Heck, I even cared for some of the bad ones in the story!

Honestly, this was such a compelling read, definitely one to remember. The characters will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading. I wish there was a sequel to these adorable lovebirds. I must say, I thought I was blown away by Dare Game, but the author just raised the bar even higher 🙂

Highly recommended!

My review: 5 stars!

 

Do you enjoy murder mysteries? This one has lifelike characters, a riveting plot and a tantalizing romance to boot!

Check it out on Amazon  US   UK

 
 

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

Riveting murder mystery set in Ireland #newbooks #newrelease #murdermystery Share on X

New book! A young man determined to protect his girl… A teenage boy offering prophecies… and a series of unexplained events. Check it out on Amazon: https://bit.ly/3ke2O9U

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Check it out here

370 pages of Corfu summer bliss! This beach romance will make you fall in love… Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
To grab “Facets of Love” for FREE, go here! Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to Corfu! For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

by

FREE books, sunny Greek photos, and a very naughty kitty!

Clever Sissi… but naughty too! (What’s new?)

This is Sissi’s favorite new spot for stalking little birdies. Usually in the morning, straight after her breakfast on the veranda, she will jump onto this pillar (or sit on the ground under this bush) and wait for the birdies to come. This bush is full of small black berries, not proper ones, as this is just a decorative bush (if that makes sense!) That said, I had a dog in the past that used to jump up high to eat these berries. I am guessing the birdies go on there often to taste them, and my clever little kitty has noticed.

It is often that my veranda fills with feathers and bits of wings in between breakfast and lunch while I’m busy on my computer. I guess a cat has to do what it has to do. I don’t judge.

As for Loulou, she’s taken to disappearing often after breakfast, most days skipping lunch and only showing up again for dinner. One day, she didn’t show up all day and I was really worried! So the next day I went out looking, calling out her name. Thankfully, I didn’t need to go far! Going to check on the first vertical street to ours, she responded by coming out to follow me home as soon as she heard me. It was just the third house down that street, an uninhabited dwelling. She probably goes there to sit all day to have some peace and quiet LOL

I’ve seen Sissi plenty of times chasing her mother Loulou for a wrestling match when the latter is not in the mood at all, hence responding viciously, then running away. I guess bad manners have repercussions even for cats! Sissi never likes to be alone, and meows desperately when she is. Let’s hope she works it out soon – why Mummy runs away, LOL! Only she can fix this 🙂

Loulou, basking in the sunshine, on a rare occasion when Sissi doesn’t feel inclined to vex her, LOL!

 

GO HERE for FREE books and sunny photos! Fun news from my life in Greece to bring sunshine to your day. It will make you smile faster than you can say ‘spanakopita!’ Sign up to receive two of my books as welcome gifts! Oooooppaaaaa!

 

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

FREE books, and fun news from Greece! #catlovers #freebiefriday #Greek Share on X

New book! A young man determined to protect his girl… A teenage boy offering prophecies… and a series of unexplained events. Check it out on Amazon: https://bit.ly/3ke2O9U

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Check it out here

370 pages of Corfu summer bliss! This beach romance will make you fall in love… Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
To grab “Facets of Love” for FREE, go here! Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to Corfu! For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.