“All things are ready if our minds be so.” William Shakespeare

Yes, if only my mind was ready. I’m talking about writing. Again.

It’s been another slow week of it. I get up early enough. I usually have two hours before the rest of the household gets up. I sit at the laptop in the dark (my favourite time) and hope the words come. Sometimes they do. Other times? You know.  

So I find my consolation in the research I’m doing while I’m here in Athens. Even though I’m not sure how it will all fit into my new novel, I’m doing something, moving, and that’s always a good thing. Or at least that’s what I tell myself.

I visited the Museum of the Culture of Greeks from Asia Minor this week. This is a place located in one of the suburbs of Athens. Interesting photography collection of what the Greeks call, the catastrophe, the 1919 to 1923 war with Turkey.

Unfortunately all the displays in the museum were in Greek, but thankfully with my father along for the ride, he translated a good many of the plaques for me. 

And this wasn’t the only time that serendipity played a role in my quest. I had a friend of mine over the other night. This is a woman I met a few years ago while in Athens researching my second novel. I’ve remained in touch with her ever since. She asked me about my project and it turns out her background is from the Anatolia or Asia Minor. She was a wealth of information, recommending books to read and organizations to contact to discuss my project and my questions.

I also met with the former Consulate General of Greece who used to be based in Vancouver. He was so incredibly helpful with my last novel, The Brink of Freedom. Again, he provided lots of useful information regarding the history of Greece during the period of time I’m writing about.

Next week I’m meeting with a researcher who has studied and written about the Greeks of Egypt. This segment of Greek history also factors in my new novel. How? I don’t know yet. In fact, if I’m completely honest with myself I’m not sure where all of this research is leading me, but hopefully it will end up with another novel. I remind myself to keep moving.

It’s such a leap of faith, this writing business. My mind is ready. Now I just need the story and my characters to follow.

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