October 2022 Newsletter      sophiakouidougiles.com

After three years of the ‘Covid confinement’ in and close to my Seattle home, it is wonderful to be travelling again. Making up for lost time, I have returned to Thessaloniki, my natal home, grateful to be walking in its streets and find it is much the same, as I left it three years ago.

There is a lot of joy in the familiarity I experience: streets named after ancient, historic and contemporary Greek people; neighborhoods that have a special character (Modiano market, Kapani, Ladadika). I love the city squares, the cobblestone streets, the Byzantine walls, old buildings with grand architecture erected since the 17th century that we, locals, know by the names of the families that owned them or their purpose: Alatini, Siagas, School for the Blind, Orphanage Melissa and many more. I am a visitor but when I come to Thessaloniki, I consider myself a local resident and fall into the late dinner hours, the special stores to find particular items and always, look for music, with dated songs of my time, our particular rhythms and famed composers, (Theodorakis and Hadjidakis).

I love hearing my native tongue and picking up where I had left off with family and friends. The sense of place and roots runs deep. Check out the beauty of a sunset.

In the evenings, when I walk the 3.5 mile boardwalk with its unique parks, crowded with locals, moms pushing prams, dads carrying kids, teens laughing and arguing, old men twirling their worry beads, I know I am home. Who wouldn’t want to stop by and have their picture taken by the umbrellas?

What is in a name? Thessaloniki? An entire world. I have a special attachment to this place, and have written about it in Sophia’s Return/Επιστροφή Στη Θεσσαλονίκη. I also realize that when I select books to read, the place is one element that I track and expect to travel to in their pages. Place often feels like a living character, a vital part of the story.

Featured Guest

I just finished reading a novel that uses the name of a small town in its title and am delighted to introduce Linda Stewart Henley, the author of this highly entertaining novel, Waterbury Winter. Linda is the author of a second novel, Estelle.

I suppose, in anticipation of my travels, this is the question I raised with her, curious about what research she had to undertake when she set out to write her books, and Linda responded:

“Compared to the research needed to write Estelle, finding information about Waterbury was easy. Estelle, set in New Orleans in 1872-72, required reading about Degas’ family and life in that era. It took many books and a good art catalogue to grasp the details necessary for the story. Waterbury, Connecticut, a middle-sized town, is one that has seen better days, like the protagonist Barnaby. Once the center of the brass industry, present-day Waterbury doesn’t attract much business and very few books have been written about its history. I found three slim volumes and, in combination with the internet, developed a picture of the setting. I have never been to Waterbury, so I hope I got it right. The characters are all fictitious, so I didn’t need to do any research there.”

Kirkus Reviews writes about Waterbury Winter: “A reflective, witty, and fun story that elegantly crosses genres and addresses intriguing themes.” Read the first chapter by clicking this link. Then find your copy.

In the Sun and in the Rain aspires to bring you writing from many corners of the world and introduce creative friends the world over. From the blue skies of Thessaloniki, I wish you a joyful fall and many journeys, by train, bus, air, or sea, and through books.

Feel free to share this Newsletter with your reading and writing community and friends who can also subscribe. Live long and prosper!

Best,

Sophia 

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