Dark Age Fiction: Jeff Blackmer's Blog

I have the privilege today of interviewing Author Annia Lekka, from Athens, Greece. A few years ago I read an excerpt from her book, Fishtail Mountain. What I remember most about it was the way it made me feel. I was captivated. Since then I’ve had the privilege of reading her novels ‘Lydia’s Letters and ‘The Perplexing Case of Seraphim Karalis.”

Jeff: Annia, what do you love about Greece and what would you tell people about it that don’t live there?

Annia: People seem to have an image of Greece being long sandy beaches, turquoise waters and heat. That is definitely a big part of this country, but it may surprise people to know that Greece is also a country with lots of contradictions and it varies in both climate and landscapes. Its geographic position makes is a true gateway to the east, the west, the north and south. Its history stretches back over the centuries and I honestly don’t believe there is one part of the land that doesn’t have something else buried underneath it! There are too many things to love about this country: the sun, the most incredible seas, the numerous islands (each one offering something unique and different), old traditions which can be both fascinating and entertaining, tasty fruit and vegetables, its oil, olives, ouzo, yoghurt, mastic, wines, saffron and other edible delicacies…and I can keep going on and on!  However, if I were to pick one thing I love most about my country, I’d say it’s this particular versatility that never ceases to amaze me. You could be warming up by the sea one minute, then the next, up in the mountains wrapped in a scarf and jacket, trying to fight the chill. I love this juxtaposition in sceneries and temperatures which, I must admit, is echoed in the people, too. There are many colourful characters in Greece and most people are warm and hospitable. It’s certainly not a boring humdrum life here!

J: I understand you have some exciting things happening with your writing. Could you share some of that with us?

A: I have just started a new novel all about colour. This is thrilling for me, for various reasons. Firstly, I finished my fourth novel in June of this year, so I didn’t expect to be starting a new novel so quickly, but the speed with which this one is being written in both excites and frightens me a little! Secondly, this particular story appeals to my innermost nature because I am a very visual person, and being able to research into the making and history of colour pigments is thrilling. Also, inspiration for this novel seems to be coming in complete ‘downloads’. By that I mean that I feel like chapters are coming to me whole and, sometimes, I even start panicking a little, worrying whether I can write everything down fast enough before the ideas leave me. For example, one night, my husband and I were coming home on the Vespa, and I started ‘seeing’ one of the chapters forming. I kept having to repeat the ideas in my head over and over again, so as I wouldn’t forget them, and when we got home, I wrote them down! That Vespa ride felt like it lasted a lifetime!

A few more exciting things…firstly my short memoir, Alice, will be published in the Go World Travel magazine Chance Encounters anthology in December, and secondly, I will be doing a small reading along with other new writers in a week’s time as part of an arts event. Feeling both a little nervous as well as happy!

J: When did you decide that you were a writer, and that you must write?

A: I am not too sure exactly when I made the conscious decision to become a writer, but I have been writing for as long as I can remember. Whenever I was upset, or happy, or wanted to express something I was feeling, I’d write it down. Writing (and painting) have an immediate effect on me, one of clarifying and releasing whatever I keep inside, as well as relaxing me. So, although when I was younger I wanted to be a ballet dancer, an actress, an opera singer, an artist, an archaeologist and a number of other professions under the sun…it feels that all these interests and pursuits were building up to me realising that what I wanted more than anything, was to write.

J: Greek is your first language and yet you write in English. Have you done any creative writing in Greek?

A: I started learning English when I was 7 years old and my family moved to London. Until then, I’d never spoken a word of English. But, school was in English, (as were my friends), and I was young, so it quickly replaced Greek for me. Whenever I wrote something creative, I never wrote in Greek. I have tried writing creatively in Greek, but it always feels stiff and unnatural. So, I stick to English.

J: I understand you’ve written four different novels thus far. Could you tell us a bit about them? Do they share any common characteristics?

A: My first three novels are not a trilogy but they are interrelated. They all take place on the largest of the Princes’ Islands, (in the Sea of Marmara), now called Büyükada, and Istanbul, during 1830-1912. Although the novels can be read separately, certain characters appear in two novels, and there are threads that can be picked out like connecting dots, a bit like the way Krzysztof Kieślowski includes certain characters that were in one film, in the background of another film in his trilogy, Trois Couleurs: Bleu, Blanc, Rouge. In the same way, these novels have different main characters and stories, but there are similarities, too. The first novel is about the owner of the Turkish baths on the island, the second is about one of the families who owned a hotel right by the pier, and the third one, is about the gravedigger of the island. And the way they connect? I’ll give you an example: the gravedigger, Seraphim, also appears in the second novel but as a very minor character, and his father is mentioned in the story with the Turkish baths owner.

My fourth novel has nothing to do with the previous three. It takes place both in Athens of 2014/15 and in Paris of 1896. There are two main characters and they come together in an unusual way. My Greek main character is a young architect called Simos, and my French narrator, is a woman artist called Madeleine. And somewhere in between the two, there’s the French composer, Erik Satie. This novel deals a fair amount with art and music, and has a lot to do with letting go and forgiveness.

J: What genre do you usually write in and why are you drawn to that genre?

A: I don’t think I can place my writing in only one genre. Being a very visual and observant person, my work is quite vivid and colourful. It can be quirky and unusual. Dreams are vitally important to me, and I often use images I’ve seen during sleep in my books. I am drawn to magical realism, but also love researching, so this means I enjoy writing historical fiction, too – but with a twist. My stories usually have a strong voice and narrative. Everything we do in life revolves around people, so understanding how a person thinks and feels is something that moves and intrigues me. So, put all these together….and I honestly can’t answer what genre my writing fits into.

J: Where do you get your inspiration from and how does a story come together for you?

A: Different stories come together in different ways. As I mentioned above, dreams offer a whole world of inspiration for me. Some dreams have become complete stories and others have helped with a scene, but I use them a great deal. Other times, I might see a person on a bus or the tube and be fascinated by their features or an action of theirs. This might spark the beginnings of a novel. And there are times when I’ll hear a story on the news or from someone, and this will ignite something…and a story emerges. So, I think, the safest thing to say is that I don’t only have one way of approaching a story.

Now, the way they come together also varies. With some books, I’ve written out a very rough outline of how the story will go. But, with others, they seem to write themselves. I’m comfortable with either approach. Each one is challenging in its own way, so I give them the time they need to percolate and allow them to show me how they want to be written!

J: What can you tell us about your current project?

A: My current project started as an idea when I went to the exhibition on Making Colour at the National Gallery in London this August. Colour is so important to us all – unless you have some form of colour blindness – and this exhibition although small, was truly inspiring. My main character is an Art Historian. This is exciting as I’m now researching into all aspects of colour, both in life, in symbolism and in art. It is different to my other novels in that there will be a book contained within the book. I don’t know how it will work out, but I’m enjoying it tremendously!

I’d like to thank you, Jeff, for your great questions and the chance to speak about myself and my writing. It’s been great sharing these things with you…over virtual tea and biscuits! It’s been a treat!

J: Thank you, Annia for letting us get to know you a bit more and for sharing your inspiration with us!

Bio

Annia Lekka was born in Thessaloniki, Greece, but grew up in London. She obtained a BA (Hons) in Theatre Design from Central Saint Martin’s College of Art & Design, and was awarded a scholarship by Royal West of England Academy for research studies in Nepal. She has worked as a set and costume designer in Athens and London, and as a stage manager at the Athens Concert Hall. In 2008, she gained an MA in Creative Writing (with Merit) from Lancaster University. In 2009, her short story, Medicine Man, was published in the Year Zero anthology, Brief Objects of Beauty and Despair. In 2011, her short story, The Unfolding, came joint-second in the Ifanca Hélène James Short Story Competition. In 2012, her novella, Fishtail Mountain, was longlisted for the Cinnamon Press Novel/Novella Competition. In 2014, her short memoir, Alice, was chosen for the Go World Travel magazine Chance Encounters anthology, which will be published in December 2014. Annia lives with her husband and three children in Athens. She has completed four novels and is currently working on her fifth.

If you would like to read excerpts from her work, please visit her website: www.annialekka.com
or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Annia-Lekka/82893230212?fref=ts as well as on
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annialekka

I am so pleased to be able to interview Suzanna Burke, an author who I’ve gotten to know a bit over the past few years. Suzanna is from Sydney, Australia.

Jeff: In the last twenty years or so, we Americans seem to have rediscovered Australia. What’s one thing Australians roll their eyes at that we completely misunderstand? And, what’s something about Australia that you wish we knew?

Suzanna: I think the most common misunderstanding stems from the enormous size of Australia. I lost count of the numbers of folks that suggested that they might visit Sydney, and drive to ‘the outback on a day trip, returning the next day. We Aussies tend to stir the pot as well which doesn’t help matters at all, with the wags amongst us, and there are many, going along with the misconception and adding fuel to the problem by offering day trip suggestions, such as um … why don’t you popup to Cairns for the day, watch out for the crocodiles though they’re nasty bastards when they’re hungry.

The drive to the outback would take at a minimum eight days each way; on some of the roughest terrain in the country. And that time frame wouldn’t allow for staying at some of the most beautiful places we have to offer, during the road trip.

We don’t have superhighways connecting the big cities to our far flung inner heart, we certainly have them connecting city to city, with some in between old highways just to add to the experience. And as for Cairns by road … allow an absolute minimum 10 days, each way.  Depending on the season. The wet season is much more difficult as roads are often cut by floods.

As for something about Australia that I wish you knew, one of the funniest things is the use of the word pissed. I have actually had a conversation with a lovely American guy, he said he was pissed, and I replied ‘Wow, really? You sure don’t look pissed, you carry it well”. He scratched his head and asked what I meant. I responded with, “Well … you’re walking straight, and not slurring your words at all” It was then that he asked, “What do you Aussies mean when you say someone is pissed?”

I replied. “Pissed? Are you serious?” One look at the confusion on his face told me he was. “Um … pissed is being drunk as a skunk. Fall down, throw up, drunk. You know, let’s all party just ‘cause we can and wake up still pissed”

I gave him a look that said, what the hell else could it mean? He roared laughing and kindly explained that in The States if someone says they are pissed, the mean really ticked off, angry as hell etc. I laughed in turn … because here in Oz we say we are really pissed-off, if angry. So close and yet so far.

J: I know your first two books, Empty Chairs and Faint Echoes of Laughter were non-fiction and very personal, talking about the unbelievably horrible abuse you endured as a child. I’ve read that you took great solace in reading and learning. Could you talk a bit about that?

S: I had started school at age eight, and left permanently aged almost eleven, so my reading skills were very limited, I only began to read once I hit the streets, aged eleven, as it was not permitted at home. So when I was out of there and free; I began going to the public library. It was air-conditioned which was the initial attraction for me, and then I discovered a whole world of books. Wonderful, glorious books. I would stay all day just looking at first, and then when I found I could read the books free of charge as long as they didn’t leave the library (I had no address so could not borrow) I became addicted to learning. My lack of reading skills caused confusion for quite a while, but the librarian was a wonderful lady and she happily answered my unending questions about pronunciation and all manner of things. I still smile at the fact that I write just about everything in American English. The books I was drawn to were predominantly by American authors. One of my earliest favorites was and remains ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee.

I had a thirst for knowledge that was and remains unquenchable. Looking at maps and even discovering a globe of the world which was my first experience of thinking of the planet as round. Things that most kids know very early I did not.

Then I discovered discarded newspapers. Wow what a minefield that opened up! Plus they were handy to sleep on when I had done reading them. I still hunger for more information.  My memory isn’t as sharp as I’d like it to be these days, but learning something new each day will hopefully stimulate it for a while to come.

J: Being subjected to such terrible abuse can often destroy a young life. How were you able to find the determination to keep going and find a better life?

S: Was it determination? I guess maybe that word covers it .I think I was also very lucky. Right place, right time scenario. I watched television in the house I had lived in. It was an escape from the ugliness. I figured that not all these shows were purely make believe. They showed me a world where kids went to school, where education was rewarded, and exploring the world was a rite of passage. I am pig-headed, stubborn and a dreamer as well, when you combine those things and toss a little unhealthy skepticism to the mix you get what? Apart from confusion that is.

I guess you get the multi-faceted person that is me. I still believe I have things left to accomplish. My life is good these days, but my bucket list is still endless. Guess I’ll be adding to it till I’m too old to care anymore.

J: You’ve mentioned the refuge of reading and learning, the taking in of information. When did you first become interested in writing, and telling the story of what you had endured?

S: I had never considered becoming a writer. It never entered my mind that I may have something of interest to say, or enough intelligence to create a whole new book of fictional characters. My writing started as a way to reach a darling little girl named Jenny. You think I was young to be on the streets at age eleven? Jenny wasn’t certain how old she was, but the rest of us guessed at about six, maybe seven, and no older than eight. Jenny was so badly damaged, she didn’t want to be touched. She would scream if someone got too close, and she cried herself to sleep every night. I got in the habit of telling her stories where she was always the Princess, she was always the victor and never the victim. She could slay dragons and sleep in Angel’s wings for comfort. The others used to listen as well. Jenny memorized the stories and began asking me for a particular one. She would become distressed if I didn’t remember exactly how the story went. So I took to writing them down on paper bags, the borders of newspapers, and finally in an exercise book that one of the other kids got for her. Then I would read them to her. She began to lose that haunted, hunted, look. The advent of a baby doll in her life given as a Christmas gift by one of the dockworkers, saw Jenny sleeping at last without crying herself to sleep. It gave her something to love that would never change.

I made a promise to the woman she became. I promised her that someday I would write down our story, the story of our lives in the place we called ‘The Palace.”

Jenny took her own life before I had honored that promise. I wrote’ Empty Chairs’, but too late for her to know. That is one of my greatest regrets. ”Faint Echoes of Laughter covers my time with Jenny and the rest of the crazy bunch that we were.

J: I think people assume this is a cathartic process. Was it for you?

S: No. It was as far from cathartic as it gets … for me. People did assume it was a cathartic experience as I’m certain it is for many folks sharing these types of memories.

For me it was a relentless cycle of pain. Things we block from our memory because it’s too painful and damaging to our psych to revisit them. When I allowed these things to resurface they caused a good deal of damage. I had horrendous flash-backs which I dealt with by drinking. I couldn’t sleep without nightmares. I began to seek out time to be alone, eventually isolating myself almost completely from my family and friends.

I had never been a person that would permit a counselor or psychologist to enter my world, though it had been suggested many times. I had not discussed my past with any but a few close friends who would never betray me. I had experienced periods of depression in my life. But nothing like the depression that consumed me when writing these books. ‘Empty Chairs’ concluded abruptly because I became too ill to continue writing. Then I started getting emails from total strangers telling me that I had somehow helped them by talking so openly. They asked me to please tell them how I was doing now.

‘Faint Echoes of Laughter was written to bring myself and a few kind people some sort of closure. It covered my time spent with Jenny and the rest of the wonderful kids.It was easier to write in many respects than “Empty Chairs”. The memories associated with ‘Faint Echoes of Laughter’ were, whilst still emotional, easier than dealing or rather not dealing with my earlier life.

J: Is there any more of that story to tell?

S: No. I’m done. I’m content these days with writing fiction. I enjoy writing fiction. Besides … I get to kill off all the Sociopaths in fiction. Many of them based on folks I met back then. Retribution in a kind of weird way.

J: After these first two books, you went off in a totally different genre and wrote Dudes Down Under. Could you tell us a bit about that? And I understand there could be a sequel?

Dudes Down Under is a fond memory. I actually began it before Empty Chairs, and kept writing it during the writing of my two non-fiction works. Dudes was my relief valve. I took the pressure down by creating totally off the wall characters with the craziest humor and dialogue ever. Cyril (The talking croc with great dress sense) will always remain in my heart… Diabolical rogue that he became, he allowed me to cut loose and have a mountain of self-indulgent fun.

Sequel. No, I had considered it, and perhaps one day I will write another book like Dudes. But my love of writing has steered me in another direction, for now anyway.

J: There are also rumors of an upcoming psychological thriller?

S: Yes indeedy! The book is complete and with my publisher Thorstruck Press, to be edited and released in the near future. ‘Acts Beyond Redemption’ is the name of the book, and I am so damned excited about this one. So; what do you get when you have a jaded FBI task force in search of a serial killer; where the body count stands at sixteen? Then, you toss in one serial killer who is not exactly who or what she appears to be; mix with that a government that knowingly unleashed biological warfare for a price; plus an unrelenting series of deaths that includes one of the highest ranking men in the U.S.A.? “What do you get?” You get, “Acts Beyond Redemption” Book One. I anticipate a three book series with this one. It’s a thriller, it relies heavily on my knowledge of Sociopathic behaviors. I hope it’s an enjoyable page turner. I really hope so, ‘cause I sure as hell enjoyed writing it.

J: Do you have any specific genre of writing you prefer?

S: So far, the Psychological thriller has been the most enjoyable. But I have so many other genres that I’d like to try to see if we are a good fit. About the only genre I wouldn’t consider at all would be science fiction. Even with a great deal of research I doubt if I’d have the talent to make it readable and feasible. I enjoy reading it far too much to ever attempt writing it.

J: What has your writing and publishing journey been like? Was it anything like you expected?

S: I can say very little about the publishing journey without it sounding like sour grapes.

Let me just say that I’m forever grateful to Taylor Street Publishing for publishing my first three books. I have made some wonderful friends as a result of my time with them.

Having my books withdrawn from publication eighteen months ago with very little notice, stunned me. I got over it, and am utterly delighted to be now with Thorstruck Press.

‘Howz that for a non-committal comment? I should be a damned politician.

As for the writing experience I love the whole process, (excluding editing)  If my muse isn’t in a great mood I can’t write a single word; but those times when the muse is happy I can barely type fast enough to keep up with the thought process. I’ll read over what I’ve done and discover characters that have expanded well beyond what I had intended. I don’t have a plot pre-planned, just a basic outline; the muse fills in the details.

J: What’s something you’ve wished interviewers would have asked you about (but haven’t) that you’d like to talk about?

S: I can’t think of anything offhand, Jeff. The stuff I’m passionate about has little to do with my writing. I could write pages on Cyber bullying, abuse, alcoholism and the recovery from addiction. All large topics and not really suitable for the interview process.

Let me say a big thank you for having me here. The questions you asked were great; I hope the folks will enjoy reading the interview as much as I did whilst responding to them.

J: Suzanna, thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. This was fun and so very interesting!

Suzanna is on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/StaceyandSuzie?fref=ts

Her blog can be found at: http://sooozsaysstuff.blogspot.com/

Her author profile on Thorstruck Press can be found here: http://www.thorstruckpress.com/suzanna-burke.html

 

Today I have the privilege of interviewing Tee Geering, one of my fellow authors at Thorstruck Press. As she mentions in her recent blog post we decided to team up to help each other with our editing. I’m excited for the opportunity!
Tee is originally from Hastings, Sussex, England but has made Kent, often referred to as “The Garden of England,” her home. Aside from writing, Tee has made friends with a number of the local squirrels, foxes and birds that seem to wander through her garden.

She’s also spent the last twenty four years working as a volunteer for the Kent Police Force. Tee says her co-workers would say they love working with her because “she is barking mad and completely off the wall.”
Fortunately these sorts of things are usually just the side effects of being a writer.

She has also enjoyed opportunities giving lectures to ‘A’ level and Performing Arts students on creative writing. It became an extremely interesting sideline and was a natural break from editing, reviewing and writing.

Q: Tee, how far back does your interest in writing go?
A: I started to write initially in my teens for amusement, but began to write seriously about five years ago. I didn’t choose to write fantasy it chose me…

Q: I can relate to that! Fantasy seems to be like that, just sneaking in and making itself at home. So your writing has been primarily fantasy, then?
A: Well, I’ve written many short stories that at the moment are, for the moment, basically gathering dust. I will get around to doing something with them at some time. They are a mixture of crime, fantasy, and romance (though I wouldn’t consider myself a serious romance writer).

Q: How would you categorize your writing style?
A: I’ve been told it compares to J.K. Rowling and Jean M. Auel.

Q: Very good company to be in! I understand you are currently in novel writing mode. How did that come to pass?
A: Whilst sitting in my garden amongst the Shasta daisies one hot, balmy summer evening, I idly watched a spider spinning a web. I was intrigued by the intricate structure, and ease of his accomplishment. A story line formed in my mind and I began making notes. My mind was racing, and my fingers were loaded with words. A couple of glasses of red wine and Shasta was born.
I then realised there was a sequel lurking within. Another character introduced himself as Erasmus a time travelling lover with attitude. My quick fingers helped him to achieve his time travelling and within a year the trilogy was complete.

Q: That moved very quickly! And I understand the trilogy has been published?
A: Yes, whilst interviewing a publisher for the writing group I belonged to, I was both shocked and delighted to hear that they were head hunting me for publication of my books. The rest as they say…is history.

Q: Please tell us a bit about each of the books in this trilogy.
A: The three books are:
1. Eye of Erasmus
2. Shasta Summer: The Enchanted Garden
3. Shasta Summer: The Village
Eye of Erasmus was a stand alone. The publisher decided to put both of the Shasta Summer series into one book as Shasta Summer Part 1(present) and Part 2 (past).

Q: But I understand that publisher closed and you’ve come to Thorstruck Press?
A: Yes, they closed and the books are not currently available. But I have signed with Thorstruck Press and they’ve decided to put all three books together under the collective name of SOULFATE. Thorstruck will be releasing SOULFATE next month, October 2014.

Q: Are there any other projects in the making? Up and coming books?
A: Most definitely! I have another story half written in the Erasmus trilogy which my fans are begging me to finish. Meanwhile some of them are apparently rereading Eye of Erasmus and Shasta Summer in anticipation!

Q: That has to make you feel good!
A: My other major work in progress is a fantasy crime (Working title is Mirror of Darkness/Mirror of Destruction) The title evolves as the story progresses.
I was also commissioned to write a true crime of the Sandy Hook Newtown CT tragedy from a fly on the wall perspective. Originally I said no, for obvious reasons. But the story had already started to write itself in my head. I relented and continued on, but it really took a toll on me. It made me physically ill and I sobbed buckets of tears but I persevered and finished it. Highlight Hollywood has that one at the moment to read.
Also, one of my author friends who writes major crime has asked me to collaborate on a hard boiled crime novel with him. He’s enjoyed quite a bit of success as a writer so I’m very excited about that project.

Q: It sounds like we have a lot to look forward to! Tee, thank you so much for spending time with us today and letting us get to know you. I’m sure I’m one of many awaiting the release of SOULFATE next month.

Look for SOULFATE on Amazon.com

You can also catch up with Tee on her blog at: http://www.tgeering.blogspot.com

Link to her page on Thorstruck Press: http://www.thorstruckpress.com/tee-geering.html

My old website http://www.jblackmer.com was just sitting idle for a very long time. I finally got around to updating and I’m liking the way it looks! Have a look to learn about the books and see what is coming next.