| Patty Apostolides - Author and Poet...... |
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May-June 2008
Dear reader,
Thank you for visiting my website. There are a variety of topics to entertain you, from excerpts of my latest novel, to articles about writing, as well as links to Greek sites and Greek authors.
I've always loved flowers and gardening, and these months I'm enjoying the white, pink, and red azalea bushes that abound in our yard and the neighborhoods. We also have the dogwoods and scented irises that always seem to pop up and hang around Mother's day. Also, some pink roses have arrived, as well as other flowers. We had a mild winter this year, so we were not surprised to see that our two baskets we left outside, that held our strawberry plants last year, have resurrected new strawberries. It won't be long before we're biting into those juicy, red berries! Strawberries have high nutritional value and taste so good! Our composting efforts are paying off this year. Last year, we decided to start composting all our scrap vegetables and fruits. The trick to making it work is not to add any oil/fat/meat into the scrap pile. Once a day, we go outside with the scraps and dig up a section of dirt and dump them in there. The dirt has become very rich and our newly planted tomato plants already are showing little flowers.
Soon, I'll start on my writing next novel. I'd love to get any feedback from readers as to what they thought about the previous novels. For those of you who are mothers, Happy Mother's Day! "The Lion and the Nurse" is a perfect read for Mother's Day, as it's about a Greek mother whose daughter returns to the island to help take care of her, but the mother is intent on one thing - getting her daughter married.! Read more about the book below.
One of the newest updates to my website is the International news section from all over the world. Please see below. I may add more news links in the future.
Stay tuned and stay safe! Don't forget to buckle up when driving! It can make all the difference between life and death!
A World To Live In
What would it be like
When peace replaces fear -
People living peacefully
In unison and in love with life!
What would it be like
When all children are given a chance to be born
And raised by mothers and not by strangers
To have a home to come to.
What would it be like
If sickness vanished and health reigned-
And smiles came easily on our faces
During times of distress.
What would it be like
If we all loved our neighbors
And there were no wars
But a healing, quiet peace
That saturated all our beings
So much so, that we would
Never want to leave
This world we live in.
- by Patty Apostolides
January 2008
"The Lion and the Nurse" is a story that takes place on the beautiful Greek island of Kos, where Hippocrates, the famous physician, was known to teach and heal people. This romance is about a nurse who returns to the island to help her ailing mother and finds love in the process. Her healing powers are able to save others, but not herself. When she experiences her own mortality, she witnesses the breathtaking power of love. .
The novel is now available! Look for it in the books section of this site and/or in your favorite bookstore! Read an Excerpt from Chapter 1
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“Patty Apostolides’ novel, which takes place on a “typical” Greek Island, Kos, is truly a proper follow-up to “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” although it comes from a different direction – Americans experiencing the Greek culture in Greece.” - Michael Bilirakis, former Congressman
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“What impressionism achieved on the canvass, Patty Apostolides seems to accomplish on the printed page – and her psychological insights are remarkable. A stunning achievement!” – Nicholas D. Kokonis, Ph.D., Author of the award-winning novel Arcadia, My Arcadia
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“Patty Apostolides has done it again! Just as in Lipsi’s Daughter, The Lion and the Nurse captures the beauty and charm of a Greek island in a love story that is more than a love story. This romance about Cassiani, a nurse who returns to Kos to help her ailing mother, is also about the triumph of eternal values, such as truth and caring, over materialism and deception. It is also about the loneliness and the struggles of two widows and about how love transcends all planes, even in modern times. This book is a real page-turner. I couldn’t put it down!” - Aphrodite Matsakis, Ph.D., Author of Growing Up Greek in St. Louis
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“The Lion and the Nurse is a wonderful story of love amidst the beautiful island of Kos. It can take you back to your Greek roots or let you fly through a new entertaining adventure. It’s a “feel good” story!” – Katherine Lambros Matrakas, MS, RN, CAPT, USPHS
"Lipsi's Daughter" is a unique Greek romance that takes place both in Greece and in America. It embraces Greek orthodox beliefs, as well as Greek traditions. It is the first of its kind. There is nothing like it out there. This novel depicts the Greek American and Greek cultures in a romantic Greek island setting, titled “Lipsi’s Daughter.”
Lipsi is a Greek island situated in the Dodecanese Islands of Greece. It is located next to Patmos and Leros islands. Patmos Island is the island where St. John was exiled and experienced the revelations that were written up in the Bible. For five hundred years, the monastery of Patmos ruled over Lipsi Island and the monks used the land. Later, when people migrated to the island, the monastery sold land to them on the condition that they build a church on their property. At least thirty, if not forty churches exist on the island today. Lipsi has a miracle that occurs there every year. In the 1940s, a maiden was praying to the "Panagia tou Harou" icon (The Virgin Mary of Haron). Her prayers were met, so she placed a simple bouquet of lilies on the icon. The lilies withered and remained on the icon. The following year, the lilies blossomed and gave off a fragrance on August 23rd, the anniversary date. Since then, every year on this day, the lilies blossom and give off a fragrance.
This miracle is included in the novel, as well as other interesting descriptions of island life, like vivid scenes of milking a goat in the early morning, and the strong sense of community feeling depicting people caring about each other.
"Lipsi's Daughter" is a Cinderella-style story set in the 1980s, where Ipatia, a 17 year old orphan, lives on Lipsi Island with her grandfather. She leaves for Piraeus with high hopes of obtaining a college education there. In the process, she finds love in the way of a handsome shipowner's son. Tony. Their love blossoms, but obstacles get in the way, and a car accident separates the couple. Ipatia finds herself in Chicago, where she eventually gets her degree. Tony has amnesia from the accident and doesn't remember anything or anyone, including Ipatia. Will they get together again? Read the book!
This sweet romance, which follows a young Greek woman’s journey from
a Greek island to mainland Greece to America, was a delight to read, with plenty of action and suspense. The Greek culture and its intricate variations are cleverly woven into the novel’s tapestry of human relations." - Marilyn Rouvelas, author of the bestseller "A Guide to Greek Traditions and Customs in America"
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Lipsi's Daughter brings forth a fresh voice in an age-old world. The Greek characters spring to life with their hopes, dreams, and fears. Filled with important family values, educational ideals, and an underlying religious foundation, this story is sure to please young and old alike."-Constantine Papadakis, Ph.D., President, Drexel University
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This superbly charactered and richly endowed bitter-sweet romance has all the right messages and morals that will warm the cockles of every Greek mother's heart. This is a story of an independent, strong willed young lady who challenges conventional norms, while maintaining her values. How relevant the message is for these turbulent times!- Joseph C. Keane, Hellenic Cultural Commission, AHEPAN Magazine Jan 2006
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I have also received many letters from satisfied readers who expressed their sincere feelings after reading the book. See what others are saying about "Lipsi's Daughter."
For those of you who like poetry, I also have penned an inspirational poetry book titled “Candlelit Journey: Poetry from the Heart"
The poetry book is a wonderful pick-me-upper book that has nuggets of wisdom laced through each poem. The book is a result of several years of poetry, including poems written for the online yahoo poetry group Ipatiaspoems. It's a great book to give as a gift to a patient in the hospital, or for reading in a doctor's office.
Again, feel free to browse the many interesting sites, including articles written by the author, her poetry, links to Greek sites (Greek names, recipes, news, organizations, authors,.. etc.), and more.
NEW!I've always wanted to start a writing group composed of Greek American writers and authors. I've decided to finally do it! If you are a Greek American or Greek author or writer, and would like to network and share writing ideas and tips with other writers, this is the place for you. Just enter your email below to join the Yahoogroups Greek American Authors!
Please bookmark this site before you click on a link below.
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It is good to be informed of the news on the economy, particularly the international scene. We are all interconnected through global partnerships. The news listed below on this site has been solely chosen by the news agency. In the future, I plan to add more news on other topics.
International News
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