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Concerns about the involvement of AI in fiction writing and other human art forms

It’s very disheartening (and alarming) to know authors have started to use AI platforms to create books. This makes it so hard for authors who still refuse (and will always refuse) to do the same. So these authors who refuse to use AI (and I am one of them) are in a bit of a pickle. I mean, how do you compete with an AI that’s tireless and all brilliant?

But AI-written books can be a form of a ‘threat’ for the readers as well. In terms of quality, for one. Book-writing is an art form, as we all understand. Are we sure that what the AI offers will amount to what a human being can offer to a reader? Writing a novel involves the heart and the soul of the writer – plus, a mystical connection with something ethereal, something ‘out there’ that even though every fiction writer experiences as a ‘download’ of information, they often have no idea where the inspiration is really coming from. Anyone who’s ever written a novel understands this statement.

Reducing the art form that is called fiction-writing to something a piece of code can put together (using its admittedly powerful and brilliant skills), is something that the human race cannot possibly benefit from. Why? Because, as I said, the writing process will not involve the workings of a living soul. What makes good writing is the quality (and the height) of the emotions the reader experiences. When a reader laughs out loud or reaches out for a hankie as they read, it’s only because the human being who wrote the book did the same as they read it themselves previously. This creates a connection between the author and the reader that no AI can ever form.

To be honest, I am very concerned that the ‘soul-less’ pieces of writing churned out by an AI will in time change the experience of the readers, habituating them to it, enough for them to ultimately settle for less. There’s also the matter of plagiarism to consider, whereas there’s no relevant legislation in place involving AI.

In case you’re not aware, an AI devours everything out there as it trains itself before it’s ready to become a ‘writer’ itself. And when I say ‘everything’ I don’t just mean the classics. It registers the works of contemporary authors too. For what I know, AIs have access to all books EVER WRITTEN, including mine.

But are they licenced to do that? No, they are not. There is therefore an ethical matter to consider here, as this is plagiarism if a passage from an author’s book winds up in an AI’s piece of writing.

But is it plagiarism if an AI wrote it when there’s no legislation to call it so? How then, will a human writer ever be able to protect their copyright in a court of law against an AI software platform or an author who used AI software to write the offending book? You see where I am getting at here?

Things are not that simple. And they are bound to have severe implications in the authors’ sales/lives in the long run. The AI platforms that provide the software make it sound like it’s the best thing ever… They promise authors high earnings if they jump first into the game. They say, ‘Get the AI to write a book for you. You publish it, and everybody’s happy…’ But no, not really. I don’t see authors becoming happy, for one. Including those who will let an AI write their books for them.

I am very curious about the readers out there, about what they will choose to do. It will be good news for me to hear that readers will actually tell the difference and will not enjoy an AI book anywhere near as much as one written by a human being. But what if they do? Now, that is my greatest concern…

Consider someone who is forced daily to eat the food of a bad cook… The first time they may think it’s yukky, but if they try it again and again, in time it may taste a little better. Why? Because the human brain is hardwired that way. It gets used to bad experiences with repetition.

So, when you ‘consume’ something of a lesser quality long enough, sooner or later, you will compromise… you’ll begin to forget what you used to ‘consume’ before, so this bad soup (or bad book, as the case may be) starts to seem okay… And, in time, it even becomes wonderful!

And, just like that, we could all wind up witnessing masses of readers worldwide queueing outside the big stores to get the next paperback of the most celebrated AI out there. Sounds like a sci-fi story? No, not really. That may very well be our near future if we’re not careful. If we don’t nip this in the bud.

If we allow this craziness to start with literature, then what stops an AI from trying its ‘hand’ on painting next? How about photography? Music-writing? Screenplay writing? Or even fashion design? What will become of our world if we let AI take over and make decisions for us about our entertainment, what we eat and what we wear?

And here’s another question for you to perhaps mull over: Does art have any value when the thinking, emotions, traumas, and the whisperings of the soul of a human being are not involved in its birth? I’ll let you answer this question for yourself.

Regardless of all that… I expect you’re feeling curious to read a book written by an AI. I’ll be brutally honest. SO AM I! But being curious is not the same thing as opting to buy such a work again and again. As I said earlier, AI is presenting a threat not just for authors but for all kinds of artists.

Choosing AI-generated art means that with our hard-earned money we are failing to support human artists instead. And most artists are forever plagued by a lack of sufficient funds. This would seriously threaten the survival of many. Many will be forced to stop creating their art and go get a mundane job instead. One that will make them as soulless as the AI, I will add. Their talent will be kept to themselves, never put to good use, their works never shared. And that, in itself, is the epitome of misery for any given artist.

For what it’s worth: I urge you to resist this AI takeover on the art of literature. For the reasons I have explained, I find it unethical and demoralising. But, of course, you can decide for yourselves on that.

Now, something you should be aware of, either way: Writers who use AI platforms to write their books for them, are obliged to declare this clearly inside the books. So, you have the chance to know what you’re buying and reading. Just make sure to read the copyright page carefully. If it states that the writer is a piece of software, you may want to think twice before buying it. If you lean towards supporting human writers, that is.

Hopefully, this new, appalling trend will create a big bubble that’ll soon blow over. And it’s all up to us. All of us, human beings, to make the right choice and support each other. It’s always up to us to choose to protect or not to protect our own – and the true essence of art, if I may add.

For all the reasons I have put forward, I ask you to consider protecting and upholding the importance of the living soul in the creation of any art form out there.

 

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

Concerns about AI-written books. What are the implications for authors and readers? #writers #indieauthors #authors 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.
 
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Can negative emotions such as stress, sadness, or anger cause disease?

I found this quote by Hippocrates mounted over the exit of the hospital where my father was treated recently. It reads the following, in Greekgood v:

“Before you cure someone, ask them if they are willing to leave behind all that makes them sick.” ~Hippocrates

It struck me as 100% wise and true, but also as a huge irony, seeing that conventional medicine focuses on the body and often overlooks the importance of the mind and the spirit in the process of healing as well as the catastrophic effects of negative emotions.

Those who’ve followed me for a while know that I keep a natural approach to maintaining good health. I am passionate about healthy living/eating, and also about discovering ‘alternative’ practices and techniques to manage negative feelings (including stress) and to keep myself healthy.

To me, all diseases are psychosomatic. Even if what causes a disease can be something wrong in our diet or lifestyle, or a certain nutrient deficiency, the catalyst is always a negative emotion. According to the philosophy of Qi Gong (an ancient Chinese healing practice that I am fascinated about), every major organ can become sick from a specific negative emotion. Given enough time, fear hurts the kidneys, for example. Sorrow hurts the lungs, stress hurts the stomach and the spleen, anger hurts the liver, and malice or bearing grudges is bound to hurt the heart. To Qi Gong, disease is nothing but negative emotion (stale energy) stuck in the body.

Using Qi Gong exercises or a Qi Gong healing practice, the energy meridians are cleared of the stale energy. Qi flows effortlessly along the meridians anew and thus health is restored. It sounds very simple, I know, but it certainly works. In the past year, I have learned to do simple Qi Gong exercises at home to get the Qi moving and remove stale energy. I’ve also attended an online seminar to learn the basics of the ancient healing practice of Qi Gong. It’s very self-intuitive and it makes me very excited when I work on someone and get to guess where they have pain or discomfort!

But it’s not just Qi Gong that I picked up in the recent years that helped me change the way I look at dis-ease. There’s also the amazing medicine of Dr Hamer that tells us that every disease has an emotional trigger…

Back in the 1970s, Dr Hamer began to develop the ground-breaking Germanic New Medicine – nowadays more commonly known as ‘German New Medicine’. According to his findings, every dis-ease has an emotional trigger. In response to that detrimental emotional trigger, the mind runs a ‘program’ in the body, which we call dis-ease, and which has a cycle and a healing phase.

Dr Hamer charted the human brain, recording which part of the brain corresponds to which part of the body. He noted that in the case of every dis-ease, the brain acquires marks that look like shooting targets in the corresponding part of the brain for the ailing part of the body.

His colleagues used to hand him the brain MRIs of their patients and Dr Hamer would tell them which dis-eases their patients had in the past and in the present time, based on the look of these target marks. According to him, when the brain runs the ‘healing’ program, it can employ viruses, bacteria and fungi in the body to eat away at anything that needs to go – cysts, fibroids or cancer tumours, for example.

For the ‘dis-ease program’ to stop running in the brain, the patient needs to pinpoint which was the stressful or upsetting or otherwise emotionally negative situation that triggered their dis-ease in the first place. Germanic New Medicine is truly a remarkable medical method, and I have full faith that it will gain more ground in the years to come.

I have a British friend in India who has saved the lives of at least 200 terminally ill cancer patients in this country so far using the Germanic New Medicine method. Just by talking to them and helping them find the trigger that gave them the cancer. He works for free, treating poor families there.

Those patients were told by their doctors they didn’t have long to live. They could help them no more and basically sent them home to await the inevitable. But this man sat them down and asked them a few questions to pinpoint what happened to them emotionally around the time when the dis-ease started. That conversation was all that was needed. Every time. You see, once the patient realizes, the dis-ease ‘program’ in the brain is ceased and a new ‘program’ for healing kicks in.

FREE! Read it, and you’ll never think of cancer the same way again!

The Brit in India I just shared about is an author called Danny Carroll and this is his new book.

Today, I am pleased to offer you the chance to read Danny’s amazing book for FREE! It is a short read – about 80 pages, but the knowledge it packs is so inspiring that I believe it’s a true life-changer. I hope and expect it will flick that switch in many people’s minds to realize that they have way more control on overcoming disease without medical assistance than they tend to think. And then, perhaps, they won’t be as dependent on a medical system that is often found to be ineffective, to say the least.

The author is happy to give out free copies of his book to anyone willing to consider posting a review on Amazon upon reading. To claim your free copy, simply email the author directly at dc@danny-carroll.com

A presentation of the book by the author:

My name is Danny Carroll, I have been researching cancer for nearly two decades, and spent the last seven years helping terminally and chronically ill cancer patients, who medical doctors had given up on, to fully recover their health. And I am not a doctor.

My teacher was a traditional medical doctor specialized in research and in 1978, discovered a critical link between emotional trauma and cancer when he was diagnosed with cancer two months after his 19 year old son was shot and murdered. His subsequent medical discoveries are quite extraordinary.

“This is one of the most empowering books on cancer you will ever read. We are so used to symptom treatment being our medical standard of care today. Everyone deserves to know and understand that their bodies have the innate power to heal themselves. This is our birth right that we need to accept, acknowledge, and activate. This book helps you to do just that.” – Tessa Anthia John Guerra, Licensed Psychologist & Psychotherapist

Email the author at dc@danny-carroll.com to request a FREE copy of this book. All he asks is that you will consider posting a review on Amazon upon reading – if you choose to do so.

Update: Now, you may also purchase the book on Amazon. It is a bestseller!

VISIT AMAZON  US   UK

 

Fascinating stuff, huh? If you’d like to know more, there is a free book on the internet that analyses the philosophy of Dr Hamer’s Germanic New Medicine. It also lists all diseases with real cases recorded by the doctor himself, with advice for healing.

I use it as a reference book to look things up (it’s been accurate so many times!!) but it’s very ‘meaty’ in many parts, getting into fascinating details about the philosophy of this medical practice and the workings of the human mind.

The book is called THE PSYCHIC ROOTS OF DISEASE BY BJORN EYBL. Just google it and download a FREE PDF. Other electronic formats may also be available.

Alternatively, you can buy the paperback on Amazon:

VISIT AMAZON  US   UK

On the subject of cancer, I highly recommend this book. It explains things simply and mentions various protocols on how to beat the dis-ease naturally. The author, Ty Bollinger, has made an amazing documentary on the subject, which I’ve watched on the Internet and found mind-blowing. See my review of the book and links to the first couple free episodes of the docuseries here: http://effrosyniwrites.com/2017/12/04/book-review-the-truth-about-cancer-by-ty-bollinger/

 

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

Can emotional triggers cause disease? Find out how Germanic New Medicine can help. FREE books on the subject #disease #cancer #freebooks 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.

 

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How to grow sprouts in a jar. Delicious and packed with nutrients!

Hi All!

Today, I am sharing a bunch of free books in my newsletter, including a very special book from a man who is saving cancer patients in India, just by talking to them! Interested to hear more? Scroll all the way down for my newsletter link!

And now, to tell you about this exciting new discovery I made…

I recently watched a video by nutrition expert Mike Adams about how to grow sprouts in glass jars and got so excited I immediately set out to find jars with suitable lids. I just had to grow sprouts in a jar! It looked so easy to do. Growing alfalfa seeds in particular seems to offer a wealth of health benefits.

Finding sprouting seeds online was easy, but the jar was a totally different story. It proved impossible to find glass jars with mesh (plastic or metal) on the lid. Once again, hubbie saved the day. He cut up the metal lid you can see here and added a sheet of plastic mesh. That did the trick to grow the sprouts twice, then the lid began to rust, which wasn’t good. So he made a ring out of plastic to use as a lid. Using brass nails he then attached some plastic mesh to the lid. This did the trick just fine.

Basically, I put a spoonful of organic alfalfa seeds in the glass jar, fill it with filtered water and leave it standing upright covered with a towel away from sunlight for 10 hours (the seeds should not be left to soak much longer).

I always start soaking the seeds in the morning. Then, in the evening (10-12 hours later max), I drain the water and put the jar upside down in a narrow container, a little tilted, in indirect sunlight. I use a strainer to sit it on, with a breakfast bowl underneath, and I rest it against a wall to be safe. Anywhere in a sunny room will do, as long as the sunlight doesn’t directly shine on the jar.

After that, twice a day, morning and evening (about 10-12 hours apart), I fill the jar with water and drain it immediately. I repeat 2-3 times to rinse the sprouts well, then leave the jar in its makeshift cradle upside down. That’s it.

You can start eating the sprouts after 4-5 days of doing this twice a day. I leave them for about 5-6 days in the jar in the way I explained, then I drain well and put them in a container in the fridge to enjoy in salads or sandwiches. They are delicious!

If I start eating from the jar, I cannot stop haha. They are so crunchy, a wonderful texture. Last time, I threw in a few broccoli seeds too (they have a slight kick) so I enjoyed a mix with the alfalfa seeds. It was very nice. Radish seeds are supposed to have a kick too, but I haven’t tried those yet. Always use organic, no matter what sprouts you go for.

You can watch Mike Adams’s short video HERE

I hope it will inspire you the way it inspired me.

Serving suggestion

This is a new book (only short, about 90 pages) and it is offered for free in my latest newsletter. Read it and you’ll never think of cancer (or any other dis-ease) in the same way again! This is a book by a very special Englishman, who learned a ground-breaking medicine method from a doctor and is now practicing it in India, working for free, saving the lives of terminally ill cancer patients that the medical system could help no more. All he does is talk to them… and this simple intervention saves their lives, somehow, thanks to this amazing medical practice that is still to be discovered by the masses. It sounds strange, I know, but it works!

Check out more details in my newsletter: https://madmimi.com/p/de35261/preview

 

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:

Fun news from a Greek author and FREE books for all! #ian1 #freebiefriday #Greece 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.

 

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Greek halva dessert step by step recipe

 

Greek Lent calls for halva dessert with semolina! Here’s how to make it, step by step!

Today, I am pleased to share with you the traditional recipe for Greek halva. It is both yummy and nutritious. The cloves, the cinnamon stick, and the lemon rind in the syrup along with the generous sprinkle of cinnamon on top of this Greek fasting dessert will please your palate no end!

GET THE RECIPE!

In my latest newsletter, I am sharing a load of FREE books! You’ll also find the latest from my life in Greece – this time, some recent photos from Lent Monday in my little seaside town. Enjoy!

 

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:

Fun news from a Greek author and FREE books for all! #asmsg #freebies #Greeklife 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.

 

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Greek calamari stew, Lent Mondays of old, and FREE books for all

This dish uses cuttlefish or squid (calamari), and it is equally delicious with pasta, rice or potatoes.

The recipe I am sharing today is my father’s – and it’s cuttlefish stew with tubular pasta. You’ll find in it, however, useful notes if substituting the pasta with rice or potatoes. The sauce tastes divine, containing, among other things, red wine and bay leaf. The lemon juice added at the very end enhances the taste even further.

GET THE RECIPE!

In my latest newsletter, I am sharing a bunch of FREE kindle books and the latest from my life in Greece. In this issue, I share memories from Lent Monday weekends of my childhood. Enjoy!

Hey! The Ebb is FREE today! Go to Amazon to grab it 🙂

Make sure to download my permafree books too!

 

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:

Fun news from a Greek author and FREE books for all! #iartg #freebies #Greece 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

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.

 

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Healthy water remedies, Greek leek risotto, and a load of FREE books

Do you have leeks in the fridge? You can make this sweet ambrosia in no time!

Prasorizo is a wonderful Greek risotto that’s perfect for vegetarians and vegans. The main ingredients are leeks (prasa) and rice (rizi). The aromatic dill and the tang of the fresh lemon juice really make it!

Get my recipe now, along with the similar risotto ones that use spinach (spanakorizo) and cabbage (lahanorizo)!

GRAB THE RECIPE!

 

VISIT MY LATEST NEWSLETTER FOR SUPER-HEALTHY WATER REMEDIES YOU CAN EASILY PREPARE AT HOME WITH BASIC NATURAL INGREDIENTS. THEY ARE HIGHLY BENEFICIAL FOR WEIGHT LOSS, CLEAR SKIN, BAD THROAT, ENERGY BOOSTING ET AL. YOU’LL ALSO GET TO CHOOSE YOUR BOOK VALENTINES IN TIME FOR THE BIG DAY FROM A PLETHORA OF FREE BOOK OFFERS!

 

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:

Fun news from a Greek author and FREE books for all! #iartg #freebies #romance 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!

 

 
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Chocolate mousse in a cup, a musical coconut, and freebies for all!

Watch me play the kalimba in this short Facebook video

He he. I can’t stop chuckling. Until December last year, I didn’t even know what a kalimba was. The kalimba (or ‘thumb piano’) originates from Zimbabwe, a musical instrument traditional of the Shona people.

It all started with a video ad on Facebook and instantly I was hooked! I had to get my hands on one, hoping to add some new joy to my life with its sweet sound. When I told Andy, my husband, he grew excited as he lived the first eight years of his life in Zimbabwe. He said the air was often full of the sounds of kalimba as people played in their homes. I was so glad to hear that, as I had purchased a second one, just for him, as an impromptu new year’s present. Finding out I’d bought him something that could help him recapture a fond memory of his childhood gave me even more joy to give it.

It was thrilling for both of us to unpack our kalimbas when they arrived at our door shortly after Christmas but the excitement quickly turned into disappointment.

Our kalimbas were out of tune! Plus, we had no idea how to tune them. However, we didn’t need to fret for long. My amazing hubby took action at once! The ‘amazing’ bit is well deserved, believe me. I am not just being partial here.

If you’ve been reading my emails for a while, you may recall that last year Andy made me a jewellery box using an ancient Japanese technique to blow-torch the wood. Or that he has restored an old motorbike that used to be only good for scrap, turning it into a glistening beauty that he is now pleased to ride back and forth to work. Still, his capacity to make anything he sets his mind to never ceases to astound me.

In a matter of five minutes, he had used Youtube to find out how to tune a kalimba. Then, he strode to the front door, announcing he was going to his shed, and I felt hopeful.

Under an hour later, he came back looking like the cat that got the cream, holding up this tiny hammer that he’d just made, using scraps of wood and metal that lay about in the shed (see photo above). I was so impressed! Then, he proceeded by tuning the kalimbas to perfection… I am still unable to believe it. And I feel so lucky. I mean, what do people do in this case if they don’t have a shed with an Andy in it? LOL

It’s been less than a month and I’ve already memorised 4 tunes in the kalimba in my spare time. I take just a few minutes a day to play and commit old and new key sequences to memory. And the joy I get from these few minutes last me all day. There is a plethora of Youtube videos for 8-key kalimbas so there’s lots more to learn.

Already, I am aspiring to get a 17-key kalimba later on as the sound on those is way better, plus the extra keys help to play more songs. I have my eye on a specific one already but I am delaying it until I have mastered this one first. I’ve always been ‘weird’ like that, I guess. Always delaying gratification and giving any endeavour a fair chance to bloom before I skip on to the next one 🙂 Besides, I am thinking, if my humble 8-key kalimba could only speak, it would no doubt ask me to give it enough attention so it can reach its full potential. And, if you’ve hit the video link above you will undoubtedly agree that I am nowhere near an 8-key kalimba virtuoso as yet haha

After making the little tuning hammer, Andy didn’t stop. Next thing I knew he was busy with a ‘secret project’, buying coconuts at the supermarket and a tiny dessert spoon set at a local thrift store.

So here you go. The fruit of his latest efforts is a musical coconut. Or, should I say, a dessert-spoon kalimba? LOL!

And even if it looks great… please… don’t ask me how it sounds. I haven’t taken out my ear plugs yet, just in case haha

To be honest, even though it got tuned okay, it sounds plain awful. It has to be ore steel, I guess, and the dessert spoons don’t cut it. But doesn’t it look pretty? And it keeps my man happy. Who am I to stop him?

Seriously, by now I am convinced that a good practice for a happy life is seeking joy every day… pleasing the child we all have inside. Nurturing it, pleasing it, and allowing it to ‘play’, can only reap benefits in our lives. The kalimba is working miracles on me, I’ll tell you that. And I hope you have your own little thing that makes you smile every day. I have noticed that I sing to myself all day since I started thumping on those little keys, and I am not in the least surprised!

These chocolatey desserts are quick and easy to rustle up at home and utterly delicious. The tang of the orange zest makes these little cups of heaven! I love how small they are – ideal for guilt-free treats if you’re minding your waistline like I do. And, what’s more… no cooking necessary. They become perfect after a few hours in the fridge. I use Greek coffee cups to make them, but you can also use espresso cups or other small ones you may have at home.

GET THE RECIPE

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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!
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Fun in Athens at Christmas: Monastiraki and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNFCC)

Two wonderful days in Athens… 

(See the photos on my Facebook page)

Between Christmas and the New Year, my husband and I headed over to Athens for two days, and we were determined to visit new places as much as we could. The first novelty we experienced was the accommodation itself – as it turned out to be a totally unmanned property! The front door of the old neoclassical building at Monastiraki was locked and when we phoned the contact number to request admission a nice lady on the phone directed us how to open the keypad on the door to extract a key!

To be honest, we felt a little worried about sleeping in an old building without any staff on site – while trusting that the other guests would be as careful as we were to lock the door each time they went in and out. Luckily, all went well, and the place itself was clean and beautiful, with the typical high ceilings and the old, tall wooden windows and floors that one would expect.

Monastiraki itself felt safe to walk around in, even late into the night, and the streets were packed, especially in Psyrri where we went to admire at the Christmas lights outside Little Kook. During that first day, we did quite well in our quest to try new experiences! We went to A for Athens for coffee – a café that’s part of the hotel of the same name. It’s on a terrace and overlooks Monastiraki square with the Acropolis on the opposite hill. As you can see from the first two pictures above, the view was as spectacular as we had imagined it to be!

After visiting a few shops, we wound up at our favourite haunt – the Irish ‘James Joyce Pub’ at the heart of Monastiraki, but committed to make it a new experience, we both ordered new things on the menu. Andy had sausage with onions and I utterly enjoyed a meal I had come to miss from my days living in the UK. It was a huge dish of steak and Guinness pie and it was absolutely delicious.

The evening found us  having  dinner in Athinas street,  near  the  Athens market.  We  walked  a lot  around  Monastiraki,  Plaka  and  Psirri  afterwards, enjoying  the  lights  and  taking  in  the  city  vibe.

Even though by bedtime we thought we’d had an absolutely perfect day, little did we know that the next day would impress and please us even more! For a while now we both wanted to visit the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre (SNFCC) but never seemed to get the chance. It is situated south of Athens by the sea, on the grounds where the old Hippodrome (race horse track) used to be. The free shuttle picked us up from Syntagma square early in the morning. We were at our destination in just 10 minutes.

To say that our mouths were gaping open, on and off, as we discovered the place would be an understatement. It wasn’t just because of the grandeur of the National Opera and the National Library that are housed in the SNFCC. It wasn’t even the beautiful canal with the musical fountains that operate to the sound of music. It was the sheer GENIUS of the whole undertaking and the design of the place. I chose the specific picture above, just to show you the one thing that impressed me more than anything else:

In the picture, I am standing on top of an edifice called Faros (Lighthouse) at the SNFCC. From there, one has a generous view of Athens and the Acropolis. On the other side, one can admire the sea view. It stands at the highest ground of the Foundation. Behind me, you can see the edifice of the National Opera and the canal. Do you see what’s on top of the Opera? Grounds! Gardens! I could not believe, as Andy and I were making our way downhill after seeing that, now realizing that we were basically stepping along the top of the opera building. It was just too mind-blowing to wrap my head around it.

The gardens were beautiful, to say the least. There are pine trees, an olive grove, planted herbs and vegetables of many kinds, and a large clearing in the midst of it all that is perfect for family picnics and open-air cinema viewings throughout the summer. Amidst the greenery, one finds surprises as they walk around. Delightful features and fun things for the kids to do, and some also for the adults. ‘The Maze’ impressed me the most, but as the ground was soggy from an earlier rain we gave it a miss. Perhaps next time!

People can cycle in the park or jog or just sit and enjoy nature or the beautiful canal that uses sea water, being in direct connection with the sea. Events take place in the summer period in many parts of the Foundation outdoors. It’s just a fun place to be, and I’m certainly going back – probably in the spring, when I hear it’s beautiful with the flowers in bloom.

I’d also love to combine my visit next time with one at the Eugenides Foundation with its state-of-the-art planetarium – it’s literally across Syggrou avenue from the SNFCC via an underground passage (under said avenue). The educational shows there about astronomy and nature are said to be spectacular.

If you’re planning a trip to Athens, I highly recommend you visit the SNFCC. In case you intend to use the free shuttle service, please note it does not depart from Syntagma, but only comes and stops briefly at the corner bus stop, just in front of ‘Public’ superstore. Timetables for the shuttle and all sorts of information you will find at the SNFCC website.

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FREE books, my new romance box set, and lemon pie!

Hi All! Christmas is coming and I am getting excited. Hope you are too! 

Thrilled to share the link to my latest newsletter where you will find a plethora of free books and a recipe to a delicious lemon pie. But first, my big announcement.  I am publishing a new box set containing the complete trilogy, ‘The Lady of the Pier”!

On preorder at a special price! The complete trilogy.

A historical WWII paranormal romance

Two girls, two different worlds fifty years apart, one mysterious connection, and a love that won’t let go.

BRIGHTON, 1937 Dreaming of wealth and happiness, Laura Mayfield arrives in Brighton to pursue a new life. She falls for Christian Searle, a stagehand at the West Pier theatre, but their love is put to the test when she’s offered a chance to perform there and meets Charles Willard, a wealthy aristocrat. Charles starts to pursue her relentlessly and then Christian makes a grave mistake…

CORFU, 1987 While on vacation with her grandparents, young student Sofia Aspioti meets Danny Markson, a charming flirt from the UK. Although she tries to keep him at arm’s length, worried that village gossip will get back to her strict family, she falls desperately in love. That’s when strange dreams about Brighton’s West Pier and a woman dressed in black begin to haunt her…

VISIT AMAZON

HERE’S MY NEWSLETTER! ENJOY THE FREEBIES, AND HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON!

 

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

Fun news from a Greek author and FREE books for all! #asmsg #writerslife #freedownload 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
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.

 

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Majestic views in Lake Doxa and a secret school

This view took my breath away…

My husband, Andy, and I spent one cold Sunday at the end of November filling our minds with images of breathtaking beauty at the mountains and plains of Feneos in Korinthia (i.e. the prefecture of ‘Korinthos’ – Corinth, in English).

I took this photo from the top level balcony of the stunning St George’s Monastery which overlooks Lake Doxa. The monastery of St George was originally built by the lake, but in 1693 the water level rose much too quickly and the monks fled, barely having time to save themselves. The ruins of that monastery are still underwater today. The same year, upon losing their home, the monks got to work building a new monastery high up on the mountain, to make sure history will not not repeated. In the monastery’s garden today, the monks grow a special variety of roses from the Peloponnese that are particularly aromatic.

Once a year, at harvesting season, they get to work using the fragrant flowers to make a syrupy sweet, which they sell at the monastery’s gift shop in jars. They also welcome the guests with a free treat of this sweet, and I can attest to the fact it is highly aromatic and delicious (albeit a little too sweet for my liking). Walking around the charming court of the monastery (that’s decked in stone everywhere you look) and around its different levels and corridors is a pleasure in itself. I was also impressed by the seemingly tireless tour given by an elderly monk. He was such a sweet soul and kept welcoming coachfuls of guests inside the tiny church, sharing about the history of the place in a low soft-spoken voice that rang with kindness and humility.

A depiction of krifo skolio by painter, Nikolaos Gyzis

But, above anything else, for me, the highlight was, by far, my chance to see the tiny nook inside the roof of the monastery that used to serve as a ‘krifo skolio’ (secret school) during the time when Greece was occupied by the Ottoman Empire (1453-1821). To get to the roof, one has to take two short stairs that are more like ladders and thus require a lot of attention. The wood they are made off, and the tiny landing in between, creaked with every step, so guests had to allow up to two people to be up there at a time. Time was precious once you got to the top to admire this precious little space.

The first time, out of respect for everyone waiting below, I took a quick look and felt embarrassed to take out my camera. Luckily, the crowd dispersed later, before it was time to leave on our coach, so I was able to go back up again, my camera in hand this time, to drink in the small space a little better, more reverently as it deserved, and to take a couple of photos. I didn’t go over the high wooden hurdle to venture inside, taking the hint that the place was off limits.

Two elderly men had stepped inside earlier to take a closer look and I thought it was a bit of a naughty thing to do… but also potentially dangerous (creaking floors and all that). But anyway, the photos came out clearer than I’d expected, since the place was deeped in semi-darkness. I love the ray of light captured by the lens, which wasn’t visible with the naked eye. It gives the space that reverence I believe it has. Truly, the ‘krifo skolio’ is romanticised enough in art, just like it is in the famous painting by Nikolaos Gyzis, and it does deserve to be.

After all, every priest and every monk during the Ottoman rule in Greece must have taken it upon themselves to keep the Christian faith and the Greek language alive during those dark 400 years. Had they not decided to organize these meetings in the dark of night to teach Greek children how to read and write in their own language, as well as all about Christian doctrine, chances are the Greeks would not be today the kind of people they are – i.e. people who regard their ancestry something to be proud about and also people that keep God alive in their hearts.

The following stanza from the Greek poet Polemis illustrates the atmosphere of ‘krifo skolio’ perfectly. This is my best effort to translate it into English:

“Outside, black-cloaked desperation

The tangible darkness of a bitter slavery

And inside the vaulted church

The church that every night morphs into a school

The apprehensive light of the oil lamp

Stirs the dreams while trembling

And gathers the little slave children all around.”

When we visited the lake, I quickly turned around to realize my hubbie was nowhere to be found. Crowds had gathered everywhere to admire the local produce on offer that was laid out across many stands along the bank.

I spotted Andy again a little later emerging through the wandering tourist crowds, and he was singing the praises of the locals, saying how hospitable they all were acting. Turned out he’d only gone on a little tour by himself while I was buying all sorts of lentils from the local plains at amazing prices. He was over the moon, having been offered in that short time various kinds of rusks, cheeses and tsipouro to try. I quickly followed his advice and tried some of the samples on offer as well. He was right; it was all delicious. If you’re ever in the area, make sure to try everything. I think we did haha. And we did go away with a couple of big bags. What a saving it all was haha

I’ve already cooked beans and fava and they were both as delicious as they had promised they’d be. I am still to rub the wild oregano I got off the stalks and put it in a jar. That was incredible timing as my longstanding stock of wild oregano from Moraitika, Corfu had recently been depleted 🙂

The lake itself is phenomenally beautiful. I’d love to go back one day and go around it to drink in its beauty at my leisure. In the summer, one can even rent boats (or is it pedalos?). People can cycle along the bank all year round or rent horses and ponies. We only had a short time to enjoy the views as it was quite cold and threatening with rain, but we managed a short walk to the Agios Fanourios church. It is tiny and sits at the end of a long strip of land extending far into the lake.

Our beautiful day out continued with lunch at the village of Feneos – we had roasted lamb, Choriatiki salad, and a side dish of local butter beans in tomato sauce. All enjoyed with fresh bread as we sat by the fireplace. We couldn’t have been taken to a better place for lunch. After all the walking around in the cold, everything hit the spot perfectly.

It’s been almost two weeks since that day and my mind is still full of beautiful images. The colors on the forest trees, the sparkling lake waters, the ancient woodwork and stonework of the monastery, and, last but not least, the sunrays reaching down to the plains as they pierced through dramatic dark clouds. It all helped to take pictures I will cherish forever. This part of Greece is not well known but well worth a visit.

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