Nicolai's Daughters

This week I have finally been able to turn my attention back to my own writing. It isn’t easy to get re-acquainted with my characters or their stories particularly after such a long absence.

Close to 70 years have passed since the end of World War II, yet its influence prevails. Or at least, that’s the theory I wanted to explore in my novel, _Nicolai’s Daughters._ To be honest, when I first began the project, I wasn’t sure where I was going with the story or what I wanted to say about this war.

I should feel vulnerable and intimidated before entering a room of book aficionados. I wonder if I will have anything to say of value. Will they feel good about the discussion we’ll have? The participants are not discussing just any book.

Billed as _FictionKNITstas,_ this year’s tour begins on May 27th in Victoria and sees participating all-Canadian female authors, each one from a variety of independent Canadian publishers, partnered with knitters for a twist on the traditional book tour.

A man goes to a party because he wants to belong, impress a friend. Some drunks beat on him. He’s never invited back. Still he wishes he could be. A street person asks for some change. No one makes eye contact.

It keeps me connected to what is happening in Greece, a place I still consider my homeland.  By reading the Greek papers I’m looking to get a different perspective, perhaps a little more insight than what might be reported in our own media about the economic and political crisis in Greece.

Pique Newsmagazine review of Nicolai's Daughters

Stella Leventoyannis Harvey, a founding member of the Whistler Writers Group, discovered inspiration for her first novel while visiting a monument to the Nazi massacre of 696 Greek men and boys in the Achaean region of Kalavryta.

It’s over. It ended in a bar in Montreal (Blizzarts) exactly one week after it started in a knitting shop (Beehive Wool Shop) in Victoria.

Vancouver Sun Review of Nicolai's Daughters.

It’s over. It ended in a bar in Montreal (Blizzarts) exactly one week after it started in a knitting shop (Beehive Wool Shop) in Victoria.

I love meeting new people and getting to know them, love hearing their comments, love their many questions, just plain love all human interaction, particularly since my work typically requires I toil alone.

It’s no revelation that writing can often be a tiresome, thankless job. Authors can spend weeks, months even years weaving their narrative without any sort of significant feedback, so when something positive comes out of that process, it can be an overwhelming experience.

Winnipeg Free Press Review

The jellybean dispenser on the credenza by my desk was given to me by my son and daughter-in-law years ago. My grandchildren fall over themselves to fill it whenever they can.