I was born in Cyprus but, after the Turkish invasion, my parents fled the island and

settled in Australia for the next 15 years before returning to their homeland and consequently,

acquainting us with our roots – roots which felt familiar yet far away. I then went on to receive

my B.A in English Literature from Royal Holloway, University of London. Living in three different

countries before the age of twenty-one, gave me insight into this internal misplacement, whether

my own or those around me, whether geographical, psychological or both. I am fascinated by those

who feel trapped by circumstances and the coping mechanisms they rely on. At its axis, my writing

explores internal misplacement, the powder keg and frayed ropes between the outer and inner self,

set against the backdrop of taut relationships.

For the last twenty-five years, I have been teaching English in both private and public schools in

Cyprus. It is creative writing though, where I come alive, find, lose and re-find myself. It’s wonderful

to have overcome my fear of submitting and getting out there. Any writer is given a wonderful wind

in their sails seeing their work published or nestling in short and long lists. In 2020, I was one of

three Cypriots lucky enough to have had the opportunity to be mentored by awesome Jennifer Makumbi

under the Commonwealth Foundation. This one-to-one mentorship spun my writing round and then some!

In June 2023, I was selected as an Oxbelly Fiction Fellow for their inaugural Writers Retreat. This

programme was under the directorship of Chigozie Obioma whose vision was to bring storytellers

from different backgrounds together to share, help and learn from each other. This was held

concurrently with Oxbelly’s Episodic programme. In the eight days, hosted in stunning Costa Navarino,

Greece – our group of five (ten fiction fellows in total) were mentored by the amazingly incisive Rebecca

Makkai. On top of that we were treated to masterclasses, readings and discussions by notable writers

and poets like Anuradha Roy, Nadifa Mohamed, Scott Cairns and Mary-Alice Daniel. A life-changing experience!

Additionally, seeing my fellow writers from the Oxbelly group flourishing is so uplifting and the same

goes for the writers in my monthly critique group!

Currently, I am writing a novel that picks up where certain Greek myths left off because I love musing

upon the ‘what ifs?’ of Greek myth. My novel is set it in the wild Cypriot landscapes I live and roam in.

I’m also working on a collection of short stories.

I love works with more than a few dollops of magical realism: think Angela Readman’s poetry and

short stories. I also adore Maria Taylor’s poetry and Eowyn Ivey’s ‘The Snow Child’ is a novel I often return to.

Phillip Pullman’s writing is, of course, a burning flame for me.