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Smashwords or Draft2Digital? My experience:

Hello peeps! Today I will share with you my experience with Draft2Digital (D2D) whom I chose to make a freebie book available to all major e-stores. In the process, I stumbled upon formatting issues that I share here. This post will also give you a couple of good reasons why you may choose not to publish your paperback with them.

Let me explain, first of all, that for my novels, I give exclusivity to Amazon, having registered them to KDP Select from day one. As a result, until recently I had no experience with Smashwords or Draft2Digital to make a book of mine available to other sales venues.

Back in the Fall, as I planned to publish a perma-free poetry book to attract new readers to my romance trilogy, I downloaded and began to read Smashwords’ infamous Formatting Guide. I am not ashamed to say, even though I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in IT, that the darn thing gave me a headache and I quit reading half way through. Next, a wonderful touch of serendipity provided the perfect solution. It was brought to me via an article by The Kindlepreneur (Dave Chesson) which showed the pros and cons of Smashwords VS the new kid on the block, Draft2Digital. The said post declared that Draft2Digital is preferable to Smashwords. For me, the biggest advantage of D2D was that they don’t expect you to read a mind-boggling formatting guide to apply, or to cough up a fee to a formatter to do the hard work for you.

So, without further ado, I registered with D2D and had my free poetry booklet sent out to new sales venues in no time. However, I did encounter an unexpected problem with the formatting and this is why I am blogging to tell you all about it. D2D converted my books into ePUB and MOBI format but it wasn’t done in the immaculate way Amazon Kindle does it… For my books, I use a .19 inch indent for every new paragraph. With Amazon Kindle, my book’s indents and line spacing look exactly as they do in the original Word file I upload.

When D2D converted my Word file into ePUB and MOBI format and asked me to check them for errors, I was surprised to see they didn’t look right at all. Take a look at two different passages in the book and you’ll know exactly what I mean:

 

The first line is all over the place in comparison to the rest of the text in any given paragraph – anywhere but honoring the .19 inch indent of the source file I uploaded. Now, here is where it got a bit awkward. I wrote to D2D’s Customer Services Dpt and asked for help to fix the problem, telling them I chose them instead of Smashwords as I didn’t know a great deal about formatting. To my surprise, I received a rather stiff response: “We are not proofreaders nor do we offer a full formatting service, even though we do help when asked to correct minor formatting issues.”

In the same email the agent declared: “Our conversions are made in Standard Narrative Fiction format which means that after every page break or scene break the first paragraph of the section is not indented.  If you look at any print fiction book on your shelves at home you will see the same standard format.”

The agent then offered a solution of sorts – to change the setting of my book from Standard Narrative Fiction format to Block Format, which changed the look of my book into this:

It’s not perfect but, as I had no other choice, I took it. As you can see, all the indents are gone. Furthermore, in the poems, the line spacing has increased… As I said, I had no other choice. At least this way there were no ugly discrepancies that jump out at you when you look at any given page. The agent told me she changed the setting in my book permanently so if I upload a later version it will retain the Block Format setting. So, if you go the same route as me and pick D2D, keep in mind if you encounter the same issues to ask for the Block Format option as opposed to the Standard Narrative Fiction format.

Truth be said, I do feel rather let down about that. In D2D’s home page, they state: “Your style guide is our style guide… Just get us your manuscript and we’ll do all the technical stuff for you.” I’ll say to that that there’s a whole world of difference between this statement and their agent’s response when I asked for help to fix the formatting issues. But, I do admit I was given an automated fix that met me somewhere half way. So there you have it – certainly not perfect as all the original indent and line spacing formatting is lost, but I didn’t have to bother with a formatting guide and it cost me nothing. In these respects, D2D delivered the promise. The publication process to the sales venues was incredibly fast and efficient too, with separate email notifications for every different channel. An excellent, FREE service.

D2D provides an option to publish your paperback with them using Createspace. I gave this a miss for a number of reasons. For starters, why give the middle man a percentage when you can publish with Createspace directly? The publishing procedure on Createspace is quite simple and self-explanatory. Other than that, be warned of these two important reasons why you may want to opt out of publishing your paperback using D2D:

  • D2D only provides one trim size option for paperbacks: 5.5″x8.5″ with black and white print and cream paper. If you’re publishing a non-fiction book this restriction becomes an even bigger problem as the standard out there is cream paper for fiction and white paper for non-fiction.
  • If, like me, you have to use the Block Format option with D2D as discussed above, it will work for your ePub and Mobi books sold out there in e-form but the setting will be lost when D2D sends the file to Createspace. The agent actually told me so – so your paperback may have the bad formatting shown above (if your original Word file looked on ePub and Mobi like mine did originally).

So, there you have it. My experience with D2D – Where I felt it delivered 100% and where it rather failed me. Mind you, I believe this company has a great future ahead of it and it seems active with closing new deals. A few days ago they emailed to advise they sent my book to a new partner – 24Symbols – and will continue to do so with any new e-stores they start collaborating with. Hopefully they will provide more formatting options in future as to do a better job, and maybe one day they will manage to convert Word files in the immaculate way Amazon Kindle does, leaving all line spacing and indents as they are in the source file. We can hope. I certainly do. So, thank you D2D! It was wonderful you came to the rescue to save me from that appalling Smashwords formatting guide. Yuk! Isn’t being indie hard work enough? Kudos to any of you out there who have braved the Smashwords path – I am in awe of you – but for any of you who’d struggle with that ghastly formatting guide like I did, at least now you have a good alternative. Despite the unfortunate formatting issue, I don’t regret my choice and will certainly pick D2D again.

Have you used Smashwords or D2D? What was your experience?

Thanks to D2D, Poetry from The Lady of the Pier (a selection of poems from the trilogy and a short story of sweet romance) is now available FREE on Amazon US &UK, iTunes, Kobo, Nook, Inktera, Oyster, Scribd and 24Symbols.

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FREE Download Links: http://effrosyniwrites.com/books/poetry-from-the-lady-of-the-pier/

 

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Book review: An Almost Perfect Christmas by Donna Fasano

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Christy is a hospital nurse who volunteers to help Aaron give his little girl, Izzie, the perfect Christmas at home. Izzie suffers from leukemia so Christy feels compelled to work with Aaron–a widower for the past two years–as they try to tick off every item on Izzie’s Christmas list. This story tugs at the heartstrings, as one would expect, and Donna Fasano’s masterful pen does it with a mixture of drama and lightheartedness that allows you to keep reading without feeling heartbroken all the time. It is a dramatic theme, after all, and the two adults seem to be living their sweet romance almost guiltily considering the tragedy unfolding. Still, the romance is what gives Christy and Aaron the strength to carry on, little Izzie being the glue that binds them together. If you’re looking for a Christmas book that will stay in your memory, this one is the perfect, short read and won’t disappoint. Grab a hankie and lose yourself in this heart-stopping, spell-binding Christmas tale.

 

My rating:

5-stars

A spell-binding Christmas tale!

 

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Looking for a heart-warming, short Christmas read?

Trust USA Today bestselling author Donna Fasano to deliver the perfect choice!

Visit Amazon   US   UK

 

Logo 280x178 w font AR HERMANNHave you enjoyed this post? Follow the blog (see right sidebar) and miss no more posts! Sign up to Effrosyni’s newsletter to keep up to date with her news and special offers (very sparse emails). Interested to read more? Head over to Effrosyni’s Blog, where you’ll find her earlier interviews, book reviews, author tips, travel articles and even Greek recipes!

 

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Interview with bestselling author, Martin Crosbie

Woo-hoo! It’s not often that I have indie superstars on my blog the likes of Martin Crosbie so excuse my big excitement today! When Martin accepted to do the interview, I couldn’t believe it. Goes to show that sometimes, all you need to do is simply ask. Martin is a bestselling author with a recent kindle scout winner in his arsenal: his crime novel, The Dead List. His book, How I sold 30,000 eBoooks on Amazon’s Kindle, is always handy in my office, a ‘promo bible’ for all intents and purposes.

 

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Outlines the methods the top 5% of successful self-published authors utilize to produce their eBooks in a professional, cost-effective manner.
Shows what happened after Amazon changed the rules and what you need to do right now to adjust your strategy.
How to adopt the philosophy that will allow promotional opportunities to come to you.

In February 2012 Martin Crosbie’s self-published eBook “My Temporary Life” hit Amazon’s top ten overall bestseller list. The next month Amazon posted a press release revealing that Crosbie had made $46,000 in one month, with one book. Prior to this, his novel was rejected one hundred and thirty times by traditional publishers and agents. In the months that followed, “My Temporary Life” and its sequel have been consistent sellers, often sitting atop Amazon’s rankings. Crosbie’s story has been mentioned in Publisher’s Weekly, Forbes online, and other media outlets around the world. In fact, Amazon referred to him as one of their 2012 success stories in their year-end press release. “How I Sold 30,000 eBooks on Amazon’s Kindle-An Easy-To-Follow Self-Publishing Guidebook” tells the story of how he became a full-time writer, detailing the specific steps he took to find and connect with his readers. Plus, it describes how he adjusted his strategy when Amazon changed their systems.

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#1 BESTSELLER – ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
#1 BESTSELLER – CONTEMPORARY FICTION

“It has everything, simply everything-a coming of age, a romance, and a thriller all rolled  into one delightful read.”

Malcolm Wilson learns that everything is always temporary. Growing up, he’s raised by a promiscuous mother who can’t stay out of trouble, his best friend is a thirteen-year-old alcoholic, and the masters at his tough Scottish school are always raising their canes in his direction. When he becomes an adult, he escapes, and chooses the safe route, watching the world from a distance. Everything changes the day he meets the beautiful, alluring, green-eyed Heather, and when he learns of Heather’s own abusive childhood and the horrific secret she’s been carrying, Malcolm decides to help her. And, this time he’s not backing down, whatever the cost. The first book of the “My Temporary Life” Trilogy tells a story of love, friendship, and what it truly means to be a hero. A top-ten overall Amazon best seller, this grand, sweeping story has been enjoyed by readers all over the world.

Be sure to check out Martin’s other books-My Name Is Hardly – Book Two of the My Temporary Life Trilogy, Lies I Never Told-A Collection of Short Stories, How I Sold 30,000 eBooks on Amazon’s Kindle-An Easy-To-Follow Self-Publishing Guidebook – 2014 Edition, and Believing Again: A Tale Of Two Christmases.

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The dead man’s head rests on a halo of blood. His hands are locked together as if in prayer. Rookie police officer John Drake is first on scene. His superiors want to call it an accidental death, but he isn’t convinced. In his previous life, Drake saw his share of dead bodies. He knows this was not an accident. When he uncovers a list with five names including the name of the dead man, there’s only one question. Are the names on the list suspects or potential victims?

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Hello Martin and welcome to my blog!

Hello Fros, it’s great to be here!

First of all, congratulations for your latest novel, The Dead List – a Kindle Scout winner! Was it the first time you submitted a book on Kindle Scout? How did you find the process?

This was my first Kindle Scout submission; yes. The process was exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. During the thirty days you try to build interest without bombarding your followers with requests to check out the preview of your book. So, I guess in some ways it was just another normal day for a self-published author. I believe in this book, I think it’s a great story and really wanted to tell it. I’m hopeful that Scout will help me reach more readers than I could by myself.

What has inspired you to write The Dead List?

It’s very loosely based on a true story. I was originally told about a dead list type of situation by a man many years ago. I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, but this gentleman was the last man standing. I always found the whole process fascinating but I wasn’t sure how to tell the story. And, you know how that works. You eventually buckle down, create your characters and let them fill in the blanks. It seems to have worked.

Yes, indeed it has! Martin, I’ve read your book, How I sold 30,000 eBooks on Amazon, and thought it was a wonderful tool for indies. I keep it handy near my desk for its great tips on promotion. With the indie world being so fluid, how hard do you find it to keep revising this book so that it can stay updated? How often do you need to do it? And would you be happy to share here a tip that you have learned since you last revised the book? I’d love it if you could share one here the first time!

Thank you for reading my book, I’m glad you find it useful. The book is taken from workshops that I have taught and you’re right, it’s difficult to keep revising as the indie world continues to evolve. As you know from the book I believe that approaching your career in an ethical manner and following a professional process rather than one or two distinct things will help you connect with readers. Having said that though, I still believe that if a writer has written a great book it will find an audience. So, the best thing we can do is keep writing and continue to become better writers. I don’t know if I can give you a tip, but one thing I have learned recently is that I can write faster and produce more than I believed I could. Others were doing it so I’ve been trying to increase my output. Whether all my scribbles will be published remains to be seen, but for me, I know I can write more than I have been. My writing mentor always told me there’s no such thing as writer’s block. Writing is a job and we just put the words together until they start making sense. I believe he was right.

I agree with you that writer’s block doesn’t exist. It’s just lack of determination, and the absence of a solid writing plan/method. Sometimes, a decision for better time-management is all you need. What other writing have you done? Anything else published?

I was very fortunate with my first book. I published My Temporary Life at the end of 2011 and readers really enjoyed it. A major Canadian newspaper wrote a story on me when my book hit top ten overall on Amazon and called me a “traditional publishing reject”. I’m one of those authors who was lining his walls with rejection emails. I had 130 of them for that book before I published it on my own. My Temporary Life is a tough book to categorize. It’s part coming of age, part adventure and part romance. Nobody quite knew what to do with it, but readers seemed to like the book and posted positive reviews. I was very lucky.

Perhaps it was luck in part, but I am sure it all started with the brilliant-writing bit, otherwise people wouldn’t have spread the word about it in the first place. I think you’re being very humble, Martin!

*chuckles* Perhaps, thank you.

Any hobbies or interests that you enjoy in your spare time?

Brandy, 30K book, and me

I enjoy movies with subtitles. There are a couple of very good film festivals locally each year and I love sitting in dark theatres watching foreign films. And I have a black lab who walks me most days. Plus, I’m a lapsed runner. I’ve run several half marathons and a full marathon. It’s my goal this winter to hit the treadmill consistently so I can train outside next spring and get back to long-distance running. And now that I’ve said it out loud I actually have to do it.

LOL! My husband is a marathon runner and I know the kind of commitment and inner strength it takes to do this. You have my full respect! Do you see yourself in any of your characters, or do any of them have traits you wish you had?

I was teaching a workshop a couple of years ago and a couple of ladies kept referring to me as “Malcolm”. Malcolm was the protagonist in My Temporary Life. When I told them I wasn’t him they repeated in unison, “Oh yes, you are.”

Malcolm has become a favorite character of many readers. I receive emails from his admirers telling me what he can and cannot do in the follow up books. It’s been quite interesting to see how folks have taken such a personal interest in him. When asked I tell people that even on my best days I don’t think I’ll ever be able to measure up to Malcolm, but we can dream, can’t we.

What you just said might as well be the best elevator speech you could give for your book. I am hooked! What are you working on at the moment? Tell us a little about your current project(s).

I’m writing the second book in the John Drake (The Dead List) series. I will probably submit that to Kindle Scout also. I’m also playing around with a short novel that is still in draft form. It’s the follow up to a Christmas romance I published a couple of years back –Believing Again – A Tale of Two Christmases. And, I am always plugging away at the third book in the My Temporary Life trilogy. One day I will be pleased to announce that it is complete.

What genres do you read mostly, and what are you reading now?

As I write this I’m due to leave on a short holiday so I’m filling my kindle with books. Amazon has many of the classics available for free and I’ve been taking advantage of that. I recently completed a Wilkie Collins book and enjoyed it very much, but right now I spend every night with Madame Bovary. She’s quite a woman, I mean book. She’s not real, is she? Was she? Either way, I’m enjoying my time with her very much.

Do you have any advice for other indie authors?

Don’t rush it. Put the best product you can out there and take your time doing it. If you’re not happy with the result then go back and find more beta readers to freshen it up before you publish. And, don’t be afraid of criticism. I’ll once again paraphrase my writing mentor. He told me to listen very carefully to everything he said and consider his comments. Then if I didn’t agree throw them out the window because nobody knows your work better than you do.

Great advice! Are there any sites or writing tools that you find useful and wish to recommend?

I write a monthly article for Indies Unlimited. Those guys volunteer their services to try and help the Indie author community. I highly recommend you check them out. And, I keep a list of tools for authors on my own website too.

Well, Martin, it’s been a huge honor to have you here with us today. Thank you so much.

Thanks for having me, Fros, this was fun!

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In a press release, Amazon called Martin Crosbie one of their success stories of 2012. His writing journey has been chronicled in Publisher’s Weekly, Forbes Online, and Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper. Martin’s latest novel The Dead List is a Kindle Scout winner and published by Amazon’s Kindle Press.

He makes his home in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.

 

Visit Martin’s Amazon page  US   UK

Visit Martin’s website

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/martin.crosbie.3

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Martinthewriter

 

Logo 280x178 w font AR HERMANNHave you enjoyed this post? Follow the blog (see right sidebar) and miss no more posts! Sign up to Effrosyni’s newsletter to keep up to date with her news and special offers (very sparse emails). Interested to read more? Head over to Effrosyni’s Blog, where you’ll find her earlier interviews, book reviews, author tips, travel articles and even Greek recipes!

 

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How to NOT lose your reviews on Amazon

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Image by Dave Chesson (Kindlepreneur)

Boy, do I have awesome tips for you today.  I’ve just had an epiphany, and I’m blogging immediately to share. I owe this epiphany to the genius that is Dave Chesson, or as he’s otherwise known, The Kindlepreneur. Have you ever had your Amazon reviews deleted? Or are you an author affected by this with reviews in your own books? Fear not, because thanks to Dave, we’ll all have a few ideas from now on to protect ourselves!

Let’s face it – we all give out copies of our books to friends, or readers we meet online, hoping for an honest review to be posted at some point. Personally, I’ve never asked close friends or family members to review for me and, as my books are written in a foreign language to them, chances are they never will either. But, I realize, some of you may have gone this far out of desperation – I am not judging! – but did you stop and think that this is actually a surefire way for Amazon to catch you out?

As you will see on Dave’s post and on the embedded youtube video therein, the easiest way for Amazon to catch you getting a family member to review for you is by your mutual postal address or bank account.

Now, on to the more elaborate ways that Amazon may be associating you with a reader: Dave puts forward a very educated guess that made a light bulb go on in my head. When you read it, I’m sure you’ll know he has to be right! Personally, I’ve never made this mistake and have never had my own reviews deleted (phew, at least, so far!) but knowing what I know now, I finally feel more confident I am well protected and know how to protect my reviewers as well.

But, before you head over to Dave’s site to be amazed, I’d like to share one of my own theories:

When an author friend asks you to uptick an Amazon review for the umpteenth time, don’t. And don’t keep doing it for several authors either. I mean that ‘yes’ you can click on to make the review more helpful. Why? Because a sophisticated algorithm on Amazon will find it child’s play to work out that an author who keeps clicking ‘yes’ (or ‘no’, for that matter!) on the reviews of the same people’s books over an over has to be their buddy. Think about it. Even if Amazon doesn’t associate you with a specific other author, if you keep doing this for several authors, chances are Amazon will brand you as a reviewer with an agenda… then all your reviews could be deleted in one go. Scary, huh?

Now, head over to Dave’s awesome post. Believe me, you’ll get more info than you think! For example, his advice to publish on paperback before you launch the kindle, if you care to sell more paperbacks, is great. It is a clever little trick that will ensure your paperback will be listed on the top (instead of the kindle) in the searches for your book (this may be useful to non-fiction authors of reference books that sell more easily in paper form).

CLICK HERE FOR DAVE’S AWESOME POST

I highly recommend the site of Dave Chesson for his tips on Amazon Kindle, so while you’re there, make sure to register for future posts. You’ll get an awesome freebie book and, trust me, you’ll be thankful you listened to me when you read it!

 

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Interview with Greek-Australian author, Mary D. Brooks

Hello peeps! Today, I am pleased to welcome a Greek author from Down Under! Mary D. Brooks is one of the latest additions to eNovel Authors at Work, who writes urban fantasy set in Greece during WWII. Check out these stunning covers:

 

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It’s 1942 in German Occupied Greece during World War II, two women, one Greek, the other German must work together to help Jews escape. They have to put aside their mutual antipathy to each other to accomplish their clandestine operation. They know that one wrong move will put an end to their lives.

Fourteen year old Zoe Lambros’ faith in God is shattered after her mother’s death at the hands of the German Commander. She determines to defy the enemy in every way she can–including a festering urge to kill the German Commander’s daughter, Eva Muller.

Eva Muller has a tortured past, and a secret, if revealed, will lead to certain death at the hands of her father. Despite knowing the risk, Eva is working with the village priest to help the Jews escape. With her activities closely observed, Eva needs help to continue the clandestine operation. Zoe is not who Eva has in mind but they have to find a way to work as a team.

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Eva Muller and Zoe Lambros return in the award winning second novel of the Intertwined Souls Series. Eva and Zoe migrate to Australia seek refuge and a new life at the end of World War II in the ‘Land of Milk and Honey’. They try to fit into a society marred by prejudice and must hide their love for each other. Eva struggles with the ramification of her tortured past as she tries to overcome the mental constraints forced upon her. Zoe’s dream of being an artist is just a dream but Eva has a plan to make that happen even if means working at a menial job.

Shadows from their past and machinations of old enemies plunge them into mortal danger. They are about to find out the hard way that moving thousands of miles away does not protect them from those that wish them harm.

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Eva and Zoe Lambros return in the third novel of the award winning Intertwined Souls Urban Fantasy Series. They have left Greece and Germany behind, taking their secrets of new paranormal abilities, visions of the future and their love back to Australia to finally settle down for that sought after family life they so desire.

Their plans unravel when Eva is involved in a shocking accident that reveals misguided good intentions from the past will have repercussions for her future. Zoe is overjoyed to learn that their wish for children will finally be realized when she finds out she’s pregnant but she has to contend with the possibility of losing the woman that she loves.

The truth about the origins of Eva’s gifts are revealed but is it too late to save Eva’s life? Secrets from the past, visions of the future and supernatural mentors takes Eva and Zoe’s lives out of ordinary and uneventful. Truly, No Good Deed goes unpunished.

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Tags: lesbian fiction, urban fantasy, historical, WWII

 

Hello Mary and welcome to my blog!

Hello Fros – thank you for inviting me.

What has inspired you to write the Intertwined Souls Series?

Two very special people in my life put on the path that led to my very first novel. My grandfather Kyriakos Mitsos from Larissa, Greece who was in the Greek Resistance during the German occupation of Greece in World War II and my adopted grandmother Evelyn Elephan who was an Auschwitz survivor. I met Mrs Elephan when I was 10 years old and she influenced my life in a profound way.

When I was ten I met Mrs Elephan and she became my adopted grandmother because my parents worked shift work and she took care of me. I learned what those numbers on her arm meant and when I was old enough she gave me a book called “I am Rosemarie” by Marietta D. Moskin. It was about a teenager living through the Holocaust. Mrs Elephan and I then had in-depth conversations about the Holocaust and I had a million questions. She told me one day that I was going to write about the people that history books don’t talk about. It wasn’t a wish of hers; it was a statement of fact. I was going to write about the unsung heroes who tried to save the Jews and others. Someone tried to save her but in the end they were found out and she was sent to Auschwitz. Mrs Elephan was the first to encourage me to write after I said (at the tender age of 10) that I was going to be a writer. She said ‘Do it Mary, I know you can.”

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When I was thirteen I visited my grandfather in Greece. He was a pigeon breeder and we would sit up on his flat top roof with his pigeons when the sun would be setting and tell me stories about when the War came to Larissa. I was a history nut and I was in heaven; hearing a first hand account of a truly historic moment in Greek history in a town that was 5000 years old was EXTRAORDINARY and a gift. When I would go back downstairs I would write down what he told me so I wouldn’t forget it. I was beyond deliriously happy to be in Greece, the land of my birth and heritage.

My visit lasted three months and it was one of those life-changing moments. Neither Mrs Elephan nor my grandfather lived long enough to see my first book “In the Blood of the Greeks” get published. It’s set in Larissa and is about two women on opposite sides coming together to save Jews and in the process they save themselves. It incorporates what my grandfather and my adopted grandmother possessed in abundance: courage and strength against the odds.

When I started to research the book, one thing led to another and I found more horrific things that included gay men and women and incorporated that into my story. I have a lot of gay friends and along with the stories about Final Solution of the Jews, their story also resonated with me. I wanted a different take on the war and it’s victims in addition to Larissa having a huge Jewish population that was almost destroyed in the rush to exterminate them. So many lives were intertwined.

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When I was 36 years old I went to the Holocaust museum in Washington DC. Another amazing woman who survived the holocaust once again changed my attitude to life. I don’t remember her name but I remember her words as she recounted her story in the survivor videos. I stepped out of that building with a new mindset on September 8, 2001. The holocaust and the victims of Hitler’s brutality and inhumanity have been interwoven into my life since I was ten years old.

Thank you for sharing this with us, Mary. That was truly compelling and whetted my appetite for your series! What other writing have you done? Anything else published?

I’ve written two more fiction novels: Awakenings, and Hidden Truths. Also, two novellas and two adult coloring books to relax the mind.

Do you see yourself in any of your characters, or do any of them have traits you wish you had?

I think every writer puts part of their personality in their characters. Both of my main characters have bits of me in them but not fully. I wish I had Zoe’s bravado and take-no-prisoners attitude. I’ve got a smidgen of it but not the full glorious Zoe version. It’s fun to write them and just let go.

Do you have any advice for other indie authors?

Tell a good story, support your fellow authors and work hard. You want to be an indie author? Get down and dirty and find out as much as you can. If you don’t know something, ask. There is bound to be someone who has already asked the question and you will find the answer. Learn from others who have gone before you and give credit where credit is due.

Are there any sites or writing tools that you find useful and wish to recommend?

I have a ton of sites I like to visit. Here are a few:

http://enovelauthorsatwork.com/ – I found this site quite by accident while doing research on book promoters and it has been a fantastic resource. Many times I’ve gone in to check if a certain promotor is listed.

http://writershelpingwriters.net/ – I love this site. Run by the authors of The Emotion Thesaurus which is one of my favorite reference books.

http://www.indiesunlimited.com/ – again found when doing research and has been a useful site.

http://www.thebookdesigner.com/ very useful info about designing the exterior and interior. I typeset my own novels and I’m a cover designer (although I have only done two covers: A Widgie Knight and Book 6 Nor The Battle To The Strong which hasn’t been unveiled yet).

http://www.thecreativepenn.com/ – LOTS of useful info here and one of my favorite sites.

http://www.theindependentpublishingmagazine.com/ – very useful and up to date.

http://www.amightygirl.com/blog/ – any site promoting positive messages about women and girls is a must.

http://www.writersdigest.com/ – got a ton of their books and very useful information

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ – I’m fascinated by human behavior so reading this site is a great way to understand the human mind.

And a ton of other great sites – I use Feedly as an RSS reader to easily catch up with all the blogs and news sites.

As for writing tools, I use Scrivener, Word, In Design, and Photoshop.

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Thank you for sharing these, Mary. I’m sure they’ll prove useful to many. Choose a male and a female character from your book and tell us which actor and actress you’d cast to play them in a film adaptation.

 Oh that’s already been done! We filmed scenes from my novels in Los Angeles in Feb 2015. Eva and Zoe came alive – well they are alive in my head but I saw them in real life. Kat Cavanaugh (Eva) and Penny Cavanaugh (Zoe) – an awesome married couple – agreed to be my characters. They even look like them. They feature on the covers of my books.

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What do you enjoy the most as an indie author that you imagine you wouldn’t if you were traditionally published? If you had a choice would you still go indie?

 I’ve been published by small press publishers from 2000 to 2015 and then I took control of my own books in March 2015. I love the control it gives me to be an indie author. I’m a control freak when it comes to my work and setting the agenda for my work and how to do it is liberating. If I had to do it all over? Absolutely. No one cares about your work more than you and frankly no one is going to care more about how to market them or show love for them more than you. It was overwhelming at first but once you sort out the noise and get down to the good stuff, it’s a great journey.

Who is your favorite poet? Quote a couple of lines from your favorite poem.

I have three favorite poets: William Earnest Henley, Rudyard Kipling and Leonard Cohen. Here is an excerpt from Invictus by William Earnest Henley:

“It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.”

A terrific poem, indeed. Thank you for being here with us today, Mary!

Thank you for this opportunity, Fros!

 

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Mary D. Brooks lives in Australia and has been writing since she was eight when she rewrote her favorite tv shows when stories didn’t quite end up the way she wanted. Sometimes in a world of her own, she relished the quiet to invent new stories and worlds. Mary has written non-fiction articles for Australian and US magazines but her first love is fiction. When she’s not writing, she’s designing sites, creating art or being chief editor/owner of AUSXIP.com You can find Mary’s author site at http://www.nextchapter.

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Saint Spyridon, patron saint of Corfu: his life and miracles

Today, December 12, The Greek Orthodox Church commemorates and honors St Spyridon. In Corfu, it is a special day of joyous celebration, seeing that St Spyridon is the patron saint of the island. As you may know, Greeks don’t just have birthdays; they also celebrate their name days with parties, offering sweets and receiving gifts. If I tell you that every Corfiot family has at least one member called Spyridon (Spyros) or Spyridoula (Loula), you can imagine how much partying goes on around the island on December 12!

My family always had my granddad, Spyros Vassilakis, to honor on this day, and so, it’s always been a special day for me, and even more so now that Granddad has passed away. I thought I’d blog about St Spyridon this year and share a few facts and legends surrounding his name…

Who is St Spyridon?

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St Spyridon was born circa 270 A.C. in Askeia, Cyprus. He was a pious man and a shepherd. When his wife died, he entered a monastery and, later in life, became Bishop of Trimythous. He died peacefully of old age in 348 A.C. It doesn’t sound like much, I know, but what if I tell you about the miracles performed by this legendary  man, both when he was alive and centuries after his death? In his life, he performed many miracles and even brought people back from the dead with the fervor of his prayers!

St Spyridon was present in the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (325 A.C.) where he took an active role. It is said that he converted a pagan philosopher into a Christian there and, according to legend, he performed a miracle in the process. While talking with this man, he took hold of a potshard to make a point that one thing can be three things at the same time (like The Holy Trinity can be Father, Son and the Holy Ghost). As he held the potshard, it is said that it burst into a flame, water dripping down his hand. It is said that all that was left from the shard of pottery in his hand was dust (while others say he held a brick). It is because of the specific account that St Spyridon is regarded the patron saint of potters (as well as Corfu).

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This story is just one of many that testify for this pious man’s sanctity; some of them date from when the saint was still alive and others began whole centuries after his death.

For example, when the Arabs took Cyprus (648 A.C.), St Spyridon’s remains were disinterred with the purpose of taking the sacred bones to Constantinople. However, to their surprise, the Cypriots saw that the relic was intact, and a scent of basil emanated from the grave. They took this as a sign of St Spyridon’s sanctity. The relic was taken to Constantinople and when the Turks took the city in 1453, a Corfiot monk called Kaloheraitis took the relic to Corfu and that is where it is still held today, in St Spyridon church.

The Corfiots adore their saint, and that is no surprise, seeing that he has saved their island and its people many times. For example, when a plague swept through the village of Marathias in the 1600s, it is believed that St Spyridon was sighted there and performed a miracle to drive out the plague. There is a big mark like a cross on the ancient walls of the Old Venetian Fortress and, legend has it, that the plague made this mark out of spite for being made to leave the island. The locals know where this mark is and point it out to tourists, although nowadays it’s not as clearly visible.

Another legend related to the plague has it that St Spyridon was sighted in the air dressed as a monk. He was chasing the plague that looked like a cross between a lion and a monkey with bat-like wings. The saint chased her away while beating her with a cross. When they reached the Old Fortress (Capo Sidero), St Spyridon made the plague scratch the sign of the cross on the wall and swear she’d never return.

The Old Venetian Fortress in Corfu Town that is said to carry the mark the plague made on its way out of the island…

This miracle is commemorated on Palm Sunday. The church procession stops in Corfu Town on high ground, faces the south towards Marathias and sends a blessing as a thank you to the saint.

This is the side of the fortress that bears the plague’s mark…

 

I asked Gran Antigoni about it the other day; she said the mark is visible on the wall under the cross from the Mouragia side (Mouragia is the picturesque coastal way lined with ancient Venetian buildings that leads to the old port). The other interesting bit Gran said is that the plague killed all but one man in the village of Marathias. In time, he had children with many different women, spreading his name across the village over the generations. She couldn’t recall the name but says many people in Marathias still carry this man’s surname today.

More annually celebrated miracles of St Spyridon:

During the second siege of Corfu by the Turkish fleet in July 1716, the Turks managed to take over a couple of forts on the island, including the ones in Mandouki and Garitsa. At the time, the island was under Venetian rule and fights between the rulers and the invaders went on for a month while the Corfiots prayed to their saint to save them from the Ottomans. On August 9, a terrible storm (highly unlikely in the Greek midsummer!) destroyed a great part of the Turkish fleet while several Muslims reported that they saw St Spyridon in the form of a monk rush out of his church, a torch in hand, threatening them. This sighting, along with the freak storm in midsummer and the damage to the fleet, caused panic among the Turks. It spread up the ranks and finally resulted in them leaving the island two days later.

This miracle is commemorated annually on August the 11th. A grand procession takes place in Corfu town and at night brass bands play music in Spianada square by Liston. All over the island, several varkarola (boat processions) take place too, with fireworks and singing, while the locals treat the visitors to fried sardines in many cases. Paleokastritsa and Petriti are two of the places that annually organize a varkarola.

On another occasion, St Spyridon is said to have saved the island from famine. How? He created a storm that caused three Italian boats filled to the brim with a cargo of wheat to change course and come to Corfu to save themselves. The precious cargo saved the people of Corfu from starvation and everyone knew it was a miracle because the men on board reported they saw a monk in a vision speaking in a booming voice, urging them to drop anchor at Corfu. This miracle is commemorated annually, again around Easter, this one on Holy Saturday – perhaps the  most greatly sought after day for a Corfu holiday because of the pot-breaking custom that follows the procession.

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And this is where the legends about St Spyridon end.

The following are actual events that happened without a doubt, some in my lifetime, and which were relayed to me. They are well-known all over the island:

The steeple of St Spyridon Church in Corfu town

  • A man was working on the top of the steeple of St Spyridon church once… He lost his balance and fell to the ground but stood back up, unscathed. I’ve heard this so many times that every time I look at the steeple I can almost see that poor man fall and I cringe 😀
  • Corfu airport is situated very near the sea. As the planes approach to land, if you look out the window, it almost feels like you’re about to land on water – it’s that near to the runway. Back in the 80s, this was out in the papers: a plane was having a hard time landing on Corfu airport (weather or technical trouble, cannot remember) and it was so scary and such a near miss that when the passengers landed safely they headed straight to St Spyridon church to light a candle and thank the saint for saving them. It was also reported that when they next opened his casket in the church, they found seaweed inside…
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This is the private place in the church where people are periodically allowed to come in and pay their respects to the saint. Most of the time you leave a kiss on the casket, but I’ve actually kissed his velvet slippers many times too – a rare occasion where the priests actually open the casket and let you get that close to the saint!

 

  • A little girl who couldn’t walk was taken to St Spyridon’s church to attend Mass. Her parents had brought her from afar, hoping for a miracle. All of a sudden, the girl stood in a trance and began to walk. Her parents were overjoyed and after their excitement had subsided they asked their girl what had happened. She said a monk had come to her in the church and asked her to stand up and walk…
  • Back in the 40s, Corfu town was bombarded numerous times by German planes. My grandmother Antigoni was a teenager then, and she and her loved ones ran to St Spyridon church for protection one fateful morning. It was daytime. Gran said to me the Germans used to drop bombs in the day and fire at night… That morning, as the bombs dropped, the church was full. The people were huddled together, terrified, their eyes pinned to the ceiling as they listened to the bombs dropping and exploding. All at once, they saw the ceiling open up, down its whole length. They saw the blue sky for split seconds and then… just like that… the ceiling was restored. The locals still talk about it in Corfu town. My grandmother, at 91, still remembers it vividly as if it were yesterday.

The Corfiots think of St Spyridon as a living being who walks among them, listening to their troubles, protecting them, providing for them. This is why many jump at the chance to own a tiny piece of his velvet slippers… Periodically, the church replaces the slippers placed at the saint’s feet and the fabric of the old ones is fragmented and offered to the people as a ‘fylakto’ – i.e. a protective charm, if you like. It’s the tiniest bit of red velvet inside a paper envelope with a drawing of St Spyridon on it.

The remains of St Spyridon are carried out of the church and taken around town during many religious processions throughout the year. The most famous perhaps is the one on Holy Saturday just before The First Resurrection (of Christ) at midday – a joyful pot-breaking celebration all over Corfu town.

I hope some of you will leave this page feeling a little enchanted today. If this is so, then my work is done. I feel lucky to have experienced this kind of magic all my life and still can’t get enough of it. I love St Spyridon with all my heart, and like every Corfiot, I speak his name every day. “Agie Spyridona!” is something I tend to say when surprised, annoyed, amused, but especially when needing comfort.

To any of you who have a Spyros or a Spyridoula in your lives, Chronia Polla! I’ll be lighting a candle for my beloved granddad today.

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Gran Antigoni and Granddad Spyros Vassilakis photographed in Mandouki (a picturesque area of Corfu Town near the new port) back in the late 80s

 

For me, it’s no surprise I wrote about St Spyridon and his miracles via my character Mrs Sofia, in my debut novel, The Necklace of Goddess Athena. Below, you will find a short, exclusive excerpt from the book that was originally included when the book was first published but was edited out in the second edition. I thought it was apt to publish it here today for posterity.

I hope you will enjoy it.

Mrs. Sofia’s face brightened. “Spyros? Your christian name is Spyridon? Oh, psyche mou, what a beautiful name you have!” She was ecstatic to hear the boy was named after her protector saint. It was a name that had followed her all her life, like every other inhabitant of Corfu.

Everyone on the island has a bunch of family members called Spyridon or the female equivalent, Spyridoula. As baby names in Greece are carried from grandparents to grandchildren, they’re always reminiscent of precious members of one’s family, some of them—as in the case of Mrs. Sofia—no longer living. In Athens, the name is not as common, so it was a special treat for her to hear it, and to be able to savor its sound again, so far away from home. She didn’t let the chance go wasted. She loved to talk about her beloved saint, and when she offered the boy information about him, both he and his mother stood eagerly to listen. Soon, she was telling them about the two miracles he’s mostly revered for on the island: the one where he saved the city from the plague, and the other where he turned his cane into a snake. She told them he still appeared through apparitions to cripples and other patients who prayed to him, curing them beyond any logical explanation. She looked into their eyes, saw wonder, and so she carried on, telling them this time about the miracles she’d witnessed herself in the town of Corfu.

She relayed the story of the worker who’d lost his balance while on the steeple of St Spyridon’s church. He fell to the ground and stood again, unharmed. Then, she recounted the story of that terrible day during the bombarding of the city by enemy planes in the 40’s. She and many others had rushed to St Spyridon’s church for refuge, praying to him to save their lives, their eyes pinned to the ceiling, brimming over with terror. For one terrible moment, they all saw the roof of the church blow up. They saw the sky, and then, miraculously, the roof closed in again within split seconds. Shocked, they asked each other and, to their amazement, they’d all seen the same thing.

The little boy’s mouth was now gaping open, and his mother seemed equally fascinated, her eyes huge and glazed over. Mrs. Sofia had a melodic voice and the unique talent of storytelling. It charmed her listeners and her two new guests couldn’t have been an exception.

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5-stars for The Pineapple Mystery Series by Amy Vansant

Today, I have a double review to share! I could only do it this way as I wanted to make a point of recommending to you this delightful cozy mystery series by Amy Vansant, an author who is now one of my favorites.

 

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Having enjoyed The Angeli Series by Amy Vansant I thought I might give this cozy mystery a try as well. It was the first book in this genre I’ve ever read and I loved it! Vansant’s remarkable humor provided a bundle of laughs along the way, and the storyline was surprisingly intriguing for such a humorous book – I couldn’t put it down. Vansant is now one of my favorite authors, and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of her books, whatever the genre!

My rating:

5-stars

Hilarious, intriguing and unputdownable!

 

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Murder and mystery are back in Pineapple Port, and even though I thought I’d seen it all in book 1, it seems Mrs Vansant’s wicked humor is inexhaustible! The Mystery Box is another hilarious cozy mystery by this author that was well worth the wait. It is a compelling mix of dangerous villains, a ruthless ex, a character or two for whom appearances are deceiving, and the usual Golden Girls humor from the half-mad locals that had me howling continuously as I read. You don’t have to start at book 1 to enjoy this volume – it can be read as a standalone but I do recommend you read both books for maximum enjoyment. If you’re looking for laughs and mystery, then look no further!

My rating:

5-stars

A delightful mystery – highly recommended!

 

 

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Are you into dark fantasy interwoven with humor? Make sure to check out Amy Vansant’s Angeli Series. Here are my reviews of Angeli and Cherubim on this website!

 

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Interview with Effie Kammenou

Today, I am thrilled to welcome a Greek-American author from New York, Effie Kammenou. Effie’s debut novel is Evanthia’s Gift, a dramatic family saga that’s responsible for my recent bouts of insomnia… I’m finding it impossible to put it down. The more I read, the more I am intrigued about what happens next. I will be reviewing it when I’ve finished, but for now, here is the stunning cover before my chat with Effie begins!

 

final coverIn the year 1956, Anastacia Fotopoulos finds herself pregnant and betrayed, fleeing from a bad marriage. With the love and support of her dear friends Stavros and Soula Papadakis, Ana is able to face the challenges of single motherhood. Left with emotional wounds, she resists her growing affection for Alexandros Giannakos, an old acquaintance. But his persistence and unconditional love for Ana and her child is eventually rewarded and his love is returned. In a misguided, but well-intentioned effort to protect the ones they love, both Ana and Alex keep secrets – ones that could threaten the delicate balance of their family.

The story continues in the 1970’s as Dean and Demi Papadakis, and Sophia Giannakos attempt to negotiate between two cultures. Now Greek-American teenagers, Sophia and Dean, who have shared a special connection since childhood, become lovers. Sophia is shattered when Dean rebels against the pressure his father places on him to uphold his Greek heritage and hides his feelings for her. When he pulls away from his family, culture and ultimately his love for her, Sophia is left with no choice but to find a life different from the one she’d hoped for.

EVANTHIA’S GIFT is a multi-generational love story spanning fifty years and crossing two continents, chronicling the lives that unify two families.

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Hello Effie and welcome to my blog!

Hi Fros! It’s great to be here!

Tell me, is Effie short for Effrosyni by any chance?

No, actually, my name is Efthemia!

Oh, a lovely Greek name! What has inspired you to write your book?

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The inspiration to write Evanthia’s Gift came from a couple of sources, but it was my mother’s passing that put me on the path to writing. In 2012 my mother passed away after battling pancreatic cancer for two and a half years. I was trying to be the strong older sister, a compassionate mother and aunt, and a supportive daughter to my grieving father. I never allowed myself to fully express my emotions. One night I sat at the computer and just started writing. It was my way of working through my grief.

I’d heard stories all my life of my mother’s childhood in Athens, and her experiences during WWII as a child. My father had his own stories growing up in NYC, his tales of how his family came to America and for what reason, and his own experiences as a flyer in WWII. I took all those stories and gave life to several characters.

I knew there was a lot of truth in this book! It’s palpable as I read; I believe the best books are those that contain honest feelings and true experiences from their authors… Yours embodies both. Do you see yourself in any of your characters, or do any of them have traits you wish you had?

I see myself, or parts of myself in several of the characters. As an author, when you develop a character, their voice comes from within you. Sophia lives in my timeline and has had some of the same experiences that I had. Her emotions come from me, although her traits and talents are modeled after one of my daughters. Anastacia is my mother, and the inspiration of the story. However, I do see parts of myself in her as well. Most of the characters, even some of the men, have a tiny piece of me—a trait, a point of view, or an experience.

Which are your favorite authors, and what do you love about them?

I have a background in theatre and studied all the classic playwrights from ancient Greece to modern day, but Shakespeare still holds my heart. As for fiction, I love the classics there as well. Jane Austen and John Steinbeck are my two favorite classic authors. I enjoy women’s fiction and contemporary romances. Nora Roberts, Jude Deveraux, Sophie Kinsella, Adriana Trigiani, and Sylvia Day are among the novelists I read most often. But the one contemporary author who has captured my attention more than any other is Sylvain Reynard who wrote the Gabriel series. His beautiful use of language is breathtaking, and he keeps me intrigued with his knowledge of literature, religion, art, history, and culture.

You mentioned a couple of my favorites, Effie. And thanks for the tip about Sylvain Reynard! Do you have any advice for other indie authors?

I continue to take all the advice my fellow authors are willing to share with me. But I will say this: I have never met a community of professionals so willing to help each other. Every author I’ve reached out to has responded, and was more than willing to help and steer me in the right direction. My advice? Reach out to authors. They will help you. But the most important piece of advice I can give anyone looking to publish or self-publish, is not to rush. Take your time and do everything as it should be done. Make sure your manuscript is ready for publication. It took me almost three years to write EVANTHIA’S GIFT. It’s a long book – 548 pages. Get a critique partner and beta readers. Their suggestions will improve your work. When you think you are done and you think you have tightened your manuscript as much as you can on your own, get a professional editor. And don’t skimp on the cover. Get a professional designer whose work you admire.

I couldn’t agree more with all the points you made! Choose a male and a female character from your book and tell us which actor and actress you’d cast to play them in a film adaptation.

This is an amusing question for me because where I work we spend much of our free time casting the movie version of the characters in the books we are reading. It’s a little more difficult with my own work since I have visions in my head that are not inspired by movie stars. The other issue here is that the book spans fifty years. So, do you use two different actors for each character, or simply age them?

For the adult Anastacia I could possible see Melina Kanakaredes. I see both of them as elegant, beautiful women. For the teenage Sophia I see Mia Sara as she was as a teenager. She is actually exactly what I had in mind. Dean is harder for me. Maybe Zach Efron or Stephen McQueen (Steve McQueen’s grandson). I would rather the reader have their own vision and not be influenced by the appearance of stars, unless of course the book was made into a movie.

Zach Efron as Dean sounds ideal, so thanks for that, I’ll remember when I resume reading tonight, LOL! Tell us about your website/blog. What will readers find there?

I do not have an author blog or website at this time. I do write a food blog where I not only share recipes, but also traditions and stories that reflect the food. Between some of the chapters of Evanthia’s Gift, I’ve added recipes, ones that will enhance the Greek experience for the non-Greek reader. Since publishing the novel, I have been posting these recipes on my blog with an excerpt from the story that refers to the food.

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Well done, Effie! I also find that recipes work well to promote fiction. People love to try new tastes so you get a lot of interaction from readers on the blog and on the social media. Next question: If you could have one superpower what would it be?

I would like to have the power to speak every language. The idea of being able to communicate fluently in every country would be not only useful, but also enlightening. How wonderful would it be to fully immerse yourself in a culture?

What a wonderful answer, I love it! What were your most and least favorite subjects in school?

Without a doubt, Drama and English were my favorite subjects in school. In my last year of high school, an Independent Creative Arts Program was piloted. It was a wonderful experience. The theatre group within this program performed children’s plays for the district, improv theatre and classic plays—all of which were produced, directed and acted by the students. In college, I was a theatre major and I enjoyed the literature classes as well as the acting classes.

The subject I liked the least was science. It was my weakest subject, which is ironic since my dad was a chemist. This was also the reason I did not do well. I would ask him a simple high school level question and get a PhD-worthy answer. His answers were way over my head, and it wasn’t until I stopped asking him questions that I started to do marginally better.

If you could choose another profession, what would that be?

Without a doubt, I would be an actress. It was what I went to school for, and had always hoped to be. I think I needed a lot more nerve and a thicker skin at the time, and I never pursued this dream properly.

I can see you’ve come with lots of photos! How delightful! Can we have a look?

Sure!

Oh! This one looks intriguing! Is there a story behind it?

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Yes! The girl in the grad. cap is my niece, Athena, who had always struggled in school, but my mother encouraged her to go to college. When she was fighting through her pancreatic cancer, my mother spent time with each grandchild. She told Athena not to quit, no matter how long it took to finish. She made Athena promise to graduate. If it wasn’t for her yiayia she would have given up. She put that message on her hat because she thought she would see it from above and be at her graduation in spirit.

Oh that’s so sweet… and what about those two stunning young ladies at Paramount Studios?

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They are my daughters. Eleni, 29, is a 6th grade teacher, ballet teacher and tennis instructor. She is currently doing her PhD in administration. Alexa, 25, is a graphic designer and video art director for Real Simple Magazine. She has aspirations to someday work at Paramount or Disney studios.

I hope she succeeds. Best of luck! And this one’s in the States too?

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Yes, that’s me, my sister, Athena, and Alexa at EPCOT food and wine festival. The other photos are various ones with my husband, friends and family.

Love them! Thank you for sharing these and for this wonderful chat, Effie!

Thank you for this opportunity, Fros, to talk about my work.

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Effie Kammenou is a first generation Greek-American who lives on Long Island with her husband and two daughters. When she’s not writing, or posting recipes on her food blog, cheffieskitchen.wordpress.com, you can find her cooking for her family and friends.

Her debut novel, EVANTHIA’S GIFT, is a women’s fiction multi-generational love story and family saga, influenced by her Greek heritage, and the many real life accounts that have been passed down. She continues to pick her father’s brain for stories of his family’s life in Lesvos, Greece, and their journey to America. Her recent interview with him was published in a nationally circulated magazine.

As an avid cook and baker, a skill she learned from watching her Athenian mother, Effie incorporated traditional Greek family recipes throughout the book.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theater Arts from Hofstra University.

Visit Effie’s Amazon page  US   UK

Visit Effie’s food blog

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EffieKammenou?ref=bookmarks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EffieKammenou

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26069535-evanthia-s-gift

cropped-Website-header-necklace1.jpgHave you enjoyed this post? Follow the blog (see right sidebar) and miss no more posts! Sign up to Effrosyni’s newsletter to keep up to date with her news and special offers (very sparse emails). Interested to read more? Head over to Effrosyni’s Blog, where you’ll find her earlier interviews, book reviews, author tips, travel articles and even Greek recipes!

 

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Interview with Inderjit Kaur

Today I’m pleased to welcome the lovely Inderjit Kaur from India. Inderjit writes inspiring, spiritual non-fiction that uses positive language to help people face life’s difficulties and to adopt a new outlook on life that will guide them to a happier, more fullfilling existence. As you will see in our interview below, Inderjit speaks from experience. Having reached rock bottom after a painful divorce, she had an epiphany that brought her closer to her faith and, as a result, restored peace and joy in her life. Eventually, she wound up writing to inspire others in the same way.

 

elementsoflife

The four elements of life, Air, Water, Earth, Fire are the only truth which can render the whole meaning of being as a human. Are we authentic? Are we living in courage? Are we kind and in patience? Are we grateful? How we face life and respond to life is all that matters.

VISIT AMAZON  US   UK

 

 

 

meaningfullife

The author highlights all the probabilities of life that we deal with and how we can simplify, how we can add more meaning to our lives, which is the gift from the divine supreme, by just understanding the different aspects of our problems, searching broader avenues, encouraging our inner souls to seek good, think good, render good, and ultimately feel good and happy.

VISIT AMAZON  US    UK

 

 

Hello Inderjit and welcome to my blog!

Hello Fros, thank you for inviting me.

Which are your favorite authors, and what do you love about them?

I read a lot of authors and some favorites are: Paulo Coelho, Dr. Abdul Kalam, Khaled Hosseini, Richard Carlson and Robert Schuller.

The books of these authors have been a light of hope in my gloomy days, like the period in my life where I had to face a painful divorce. The book, Leaning into God When Life is Pushing you Away by Robert Schuller has been a huge inspiration.

Sounds like a great book, Inderjit. Thanks for the tip! Being an author involves a lot of sitting around. What do you do for exercise?

I do morning walks five days a week, and I also practice Yoga and Meditation.

Oh my goodness, if that’s the kind of place you go to for a walk, I envy you! If you could have one superpower what would it be?

I don’t know if that’s a superpower, but I’d love to be able to relive my childhood so I can spend time again with my father.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in life the hard way?

That you should never give up when facing the hardships of life. We all feel tempted to give up at times, but when we give up we miss the opportunity to learn. Some people prefer to dwell in self-pity or blame the entire world for their failures. But when playing the victim we run away from responsibility. Every person’s life is the outcome of their choices in life. It’s the power of choice that makes us ordinary or extraordinary.

I believe people should face life’s challenges by finding strength inside. Strength lies in our thoughts. Positive thoughts does wonders in creating positive results in people’s lives.

As a firm believer in The Law of Attraction I can only agree with you, Inderjit! Do you have any advice for other indie authors?

Work on your craft, write from your heart, read a lot, and polish your manuscript the best you can. Last, with all the above, exercise patience!

Great advice! I also think patience is key, as well as perseverance. If you could choose another profession, what would that be?

I would have loved to be a college teacher. I love to teach. Back in school I loved Zoology and Chemistry… I gave up my plans to get a degree in Chemistry due to marriage.

How would you like to be remembered?

I don’t know how I’m going to end up in life, but I’d love it if, someday, an author wrote my memoir and finished the book with the words, “And she never gave up.”

I love that! Would you tell us a little about that place you love visiting for a walk? And do you have more pictures to show us? It’s magical!

 

 

(*laughs*) Yes, it’s a place on the hills not too far from where I live. It’s caled Matheran. I don’t visit it every day, but I try to go as often as I can.

Such an enchanting place! Have you brought any other photos to show us?

 

Two more… My bookshelf and my workstation at home.

Thank you for sharing these images from your home, Inderjit. They are lovely, and equally serene, as one would expect of you. It’s been a pleasure having you here today. Thank you for your time!

Thank you very much, Fros. I appreciate this opportunity.

 

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Inderjit Kaur is an author and inspirational guide with a powerful voice, who spreads positive quotes through her tweets. Following a life-changing epiphany from a poet at the young age of nine, she marked the page as an editor of her college magazine during her post-graduation in Science at Mumbai University.

Writing, being a passion, made her perceptions change forever. After a series of adversities she launched her debut book, Living a More Meaningful Life, which is now available globally.

Considered as a positive, peace messenger through her tag line “keep smiling, keep shining”, she has inspired thousands to make positive choices that impact not only their lives but also those of others. Her blog, “A Living Series”, brims over with positive quotes that her readers can draw inspiration from.

A domestic violence survivor, single parent, full time writer, author, blogger, book reviewer, Injerjit Kaur resides in Mumbai.

Visit Inderjit’s Amazon page  US    UK

Visit Inderjit’s blog, “A living series”: https://inderjitlmml.wordpress.com/

You Tube channel: http://youtu.be/wArIlTl5CIw

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/inderjitkaur

Twitter: https://twitter.com/inderjitlmml

 

 

cropped-Website-header-necklace1.jpgHave you enjoyed this post? Follow the blog (see right sidebar) and miss no more posts! Sign up to Effrosyni’s newsletter to keep up to date with her news and special offers (very sparse emails). Interested to read more? Head over to Effrosyni’s Blog, where you’ll find her earlier interviews, book reviews, author tips, travel articles and even Greek recipes!

 

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Book Review: Sewing Can Be Dangerous by Sarah Mallery

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Sewing Can Be Dangerous was an utter delight to read because it felt like an exhilarating time travel journey. Each short story takes us to a different place and time in history. The element of sewing is always present, sometimes it’s someone’s work, other times a hobby, or a matter of life and death – a means to save a life. Mallery’s storytelling is compelling and often haunting, the unexpected twists in the end delightful. I highly recommend this book to readers who love short stories, especially to those who enjoy delving into worlds long forgotten in the mists of time. The first short story was my favorite. It haunted me for a few days after reading it; it felt incredibly real.

 

My rating:

5 stars

A compelling journey around the world and through history!

 

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Do you enjoy short stories? How about historical fiction? Check out this gem now!

Amazon  US   UK

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Would you like to meet the artist behind the book? Check out my interview with Sarah Mallery and marvel at her various artistic skills!

 

cropped-Website-header-necklace1.jpgHave you enjoyed this post? Follow the blog (see right sidebar) and miss no more posts! Sign up to Effrosyni’s newsletter to keep up to date with her news and special offers (very sparse emails). Interested to read more? Head over to Effrosyni’s Blog, where you’ll find her earlier interviews, book reviews, author tips, travel articles and even Greek recipes!