December 2021 Newsletter      sophiakouidougiles.com

We are in the midst of the holiday season that started with Thanksgiving, a time that I hope brought you joy and connection to friends and family. It was special for me; I spend it with my son, his wife, my two grandsons and dear friends. I am grateful to have them living close by. 

During this holiday season, besides preparing for Christmas, I think of my heart homes in Seattle, Washington and Thessaloniki, Greece, places I hold dear. Each city gifted me family, friends, lifelong connections, and shared stories. I am thankful for family, new and old friends, and readers! I appreciate your notes, your reviews and comments about my memoir and all manner of communication, virtual, written and in person.

The best way I know to wrap up 2021 is to stay with the old tradition: examine this time of endings that offers opportunities for new beginnings. The year has fueled my days with excitement at the launch of Sophia’s Return. I am grateful to so many teachers, mentors, classes, writing groups and my wonderful publishers, Εκδόσεις Τυρφη and She Writes Press. Certainly, birthing Sophia’s Return, has been on top of my list this year, as Επιστροφή Στη Θεσσαλονίκη was in 2019. Join in to watch a recording of a joint and virtual book launch of Sophia’s Return with Joanna Eleftheriou, author of This Way Back, moderated by Christine Noelle. Or you might opt to hear two lively podcasts and interview by Annie and Stacey of nuwriters about Sophia’s Return. And this came just in time to share with you: Sophia’s Return is a finalist in the Autobiography/Memoir category (silver seal) given by the American Writing Awards!

But as C.S. Lewis wrote, “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”

As this year ends, I like to think about three questions that help me plan for the next one:
•       What did I enjoy and want more of next year?
•       What did I learn that I know I do not want to repeat?
•       What is incomplete and I need to attend to?

I hope you find them useful. Incompletes are a great way to identify new goals. After all the later was what motivated me to explore the past and write Sophia’s Return. You may find them worthy to pour some energy to and get some answers. Right now, another incomplete for me is my new, unfinished project. It is a novella based on Greek mythology that is currently in revision. I hope to have more updates on that in 2022.

Featured Guest

It is time to introduce Lily Iona MacKenzie, my Canadian Featured Guest, and her new book, another novel: The Ripening: A Canadian Girl Grows Up. The author delivers a powerful story about Tillie’s young years and self-discovery. To my question. “What process do you use when you write fiction?” Lily answered:

“In 1994, I married my current husband, who, at the time, had two young children, 4 and 10. I was an adjunct teaching rhetoric at a handful of Bay Area colleges, in addition to my role as wife and mother. Clearly, I didn’t have a lot of time for my writing, but I discovered, if I write every day for at least an hour, I can produce a lot of material.

Since I started that practice, I’ve completed four novels, hundreds of poems, and numerous articles, short stories, etc. I don’t aim for any set number of pages or words per day. I just try to satisfy my need to write on a regular basis. If I don’t, I get cranky, as my husband can attest to.

With fiction, whether it’s short or long fiction, I don’t have a clear idea of where I’m going. Usually, I start with an image or an idea that I follow until it resolves itself. My short story “Priscilla the Python” grew out of an article in the New York Times about a snake that appeared in someone’s toilet. My novel Curva Peligrosa, started with an image from another newspaper article of a tornado attacking a town in Alberta, Canada. This is my process!”

In the Sun and in the Rain aspires to bring you writing from many corners of the world, and introduce creative friends, who in the dark days of coronavirus, gift us with their work. Consider their work for your Christmas gift giving. Feel free to share this Newsletter with your reading and writing community and friends who can also subscribe. 

Have a happy holiday season and may the New Year bring you much joy, fulfillment, good health and surround you with loving family and friends. Live long and prosper!

Best,

Sophia