Cyprus – Schools and the Soloneion
As a London author with Greek Cypriot roots, it was my absolute pleasure to visit the Junior School in Nicosia and work with the next generation of budding writers of children from Years 3, 4, 5 & 6. Together we shared and enjoyed stories from my Invincible Voices short story collection – stories that I have written collaboratively with children. We explored the structure of stories using the Aristotelian Arc (or Story Mountain) and used our imaginations to create and plan an adventure or two of our own too. I was very impressed with how engaged the children were and by their clever and well-informed contributions.
I then went on to visit The Grammar Junior School (GJS), Nicosia in Kato Deftera. This was extra special to me as my mum is from Deftera and I was given the warmest reception. The children had created welcome banners which they held up and waved at me as I arrived in the lecture theatre – I felt as if I was on the X-Factor. I was especially impressed that the children and staff had taken the time to research my work in advance of my visit by looking at my website and reading the ‘Look Inside’ pages of the Invincible Voices books on Amazon. They had produced some excellent displays including author biographies and alternative Invincible Voices book covers with their own story idea creations.
I also owe an enormous efharisto to Christiana Christou and the SOLONEION BOOK CENTRE-ΣΟΛΩΝΕΙΟΝ ΚΕΝΤΡΟΝ ΒΙΒΛΙΟΥ for hosting me at their buzzing and brilliant bookshop where children visited for story-time and book signings. Such wonderful hospitality and what a fantastic place they have. I urge everyone to visit this store if ever in Nicosia 📚
Thank you all very much for having me back in the motherland.