Mr. Ilias Kremmydas, the Greek Consul spoke highly of the book. He calls it "Greek's answer to Game of Thrones, only it's a true story!" I have to thank the Greek community, especially the Consulate, for all the support they have given me going back to 1993 when they sent me to Greece to do research.
Mr. Ilias Kremmydas, Consul of Greece
Here is the opening speech I made, thanking them and to my friends who have supported me and participated in this wonderful event:
THANKS TO MR
KREMMYDAS FOR SPONSORING THIS EVENT & THANKS ELENI KERASIOTIS AND THE STAFF OF THE HELLENIC COMMUNITY CENTRE. A
WELCOME TO EVERYONE WHO CAME TO THE LAUNCH.
MY APPRECIATION TO
THE GREEKS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED ME IN THE WRITING OF ‘SHADOW OF THE LION’.
My relationship with the Consulate of Greece began in February 1991 after a letter I had
written to the Vancouver Sun was published defending the Greek’s Macedonian
history. The consulate sent me a book about Macedonia as a way of thanks.
Following the letter, a story I wrote, “Macedonia, Greece: The Spirit of
Alexander” was published in the Vancouver Province. This story further piqued the interest of the
Greek Consul, Helen Sourani-Potamianos,
and she invited me for coffee. During this meeting she expressed thanks that a
non-Greek person should support the Greek cause reading the Macedonian
question. She was a Greek Macedonian herself and appreciated that I would
support this through my writing. I explained that I had studied this history
since I was a teen-ager and was just beginning to research and write my novel
SHADOW OF THE LION. I had also lived in Greece from 1983 – 87 and had intended
to return to Greece when the first Gulf War broke out. Mrs Sourani-Potamionos suggested that the
Consulate would help me return to Greece so I could do further research and she
arranged this with the Director for Canada of the Greek National Tourism.
Once I arrived back in Athens, a Greek journalist friend got
me an appointment with the Ministry of Culture and in turn, they arranged for
me to go to Thessaloniki to meet with the Society of Macedonian Studies. I had
an interview with Dr. Prof. Theresa
Peutzopoulou who was the secretary at the time and she also arranged for me
to meet with a professor from the Aristotle University regarding the history
surrounding Alexander the Great. However, he was unavailable, but kindly sent
me a bibliography list of book I could use for research.
For most of the ‘90’s I lived in Greece for six months at a
time doing research with the help of various Classical scholars, the Finnish Institute who arranged for me to
have a museum pass, the Norwegian Institute
and the British School library and
Gennadius Library where I did some research.
Through the years I’ve kept in touch with the Consulate here
in Vancouver to inform them of the progress of the novel, finally its
completion and acceptance by MediaAria-CDM publishers. When Mr. Kremmydas received my letter he
immediately contacted me and suggested that we meet. He has taken a genuine interest in my work,
both the novel and travel writing about Greece and links have been posted on
the Facebook page of Greece in Canada. I have even been invited, if possible,
to do some readings back East while the current exhibit “From Agamemmnon to
Alexander the Great” is on display.
I have always appreciated the help, encouragement and
enthusiastic response for my writing that the Greek people have shown and the
generosity of the Greek Consulate in helping me forward my dream, assisting
with my research and promoting my novel.
When I was in Greece this past September I was invited to
read from SHADOW at the Athens Centre and they provided a reception in the
courtyard. I was also invited to Larissa to present my book at a conference for
World Poetry, and when I returned to Vancouver, the World Poetry organization
here awarded me with an ‘empowered writer’ award. I also read to two classes of grade 9
students at the Athens Community College. The Greek people have warmly welcomed
me to their country which I consider my ‘second home’ and for this I am
grateful. Thank you, Greece. This book
is for you!
THANKS TO MY
SUPPORTERS:
To my 2 children, Alexandrea
Evans and Steven Kozak to whom the book is dedicated and my late friend
Roberto Hallberg who was such a great support while I was writing and
researching in Athens.
To my Scribblers
Writers Critique group some of whom, like my friend Susan Lundhal who spoke on my behalf tonight, were with me from the
beginning of this 15 yr journey
To my Critique readers:
Ingrid Klassen and Renate Ford who
meticulously plowed through the whole 1700 page of the original manuscript and
helped me see where I could correct and cut.
To my editor, Joyce
Gram, who is the best editor in the Lower Mainland and whose excellent
skills were noted by my publisher, MediaAria-CDM
of Bristol England to whom I am
also so grateful. When the publisher first read the novel he fell in love with
it, being a huge fan of Mary Renault. Because it was such a long novel he suggested
we split it into two parts. Blood on the
Moon is the first part of the story and the second half, The Fields of Hades will be published
in 2016. You will also note in the book my acknowledgments to writers Steven Pressfield, Scott Oden and Dr. Jack Dempsey
who were my mentors.
Thanks also to my friend, and talented artist PATRICK MCFARLANE who worked diligently
on the artwork which unfortunately wasn’t used to its advantage other than the
back cover, much to his and my disappointment.
Thanks to my brother-in-law JIM NIELSEN who kindly offered to be my publicist. And my writer friends MARI KANE who agreed to handle the slide show for me, and DIANNE MAGUIRE for her introduction.
And PETER PRONTZOS who generously
offered to write a review on SHADOW for the Vancouver Sun and participate in
this launch.
And thanks to all the
writing community including our guest reader, award-winning poet MANOLIS ALIGIZAKIS. I had the privilege
of attending a book launch for Manolis in Thessaloniki last September.
THANKS EVERYONE FOR
COMING TO THIS EXCITING EVENT.
My son Steve Kozak and me
When I was in Greece last September, I purchased a Grecian style gown to wear for this important occasion. I also bought some gold Greek patterned earrings to go with the expensive Macedonian style gold necklace that I had bought previously. My hair stylist, Jackie Love, even did my hair for me (free!) that day. So I really felt like a kind of 'celebrity' and especially with the grand reception I got and the lineup of people later wanting to buy a signed copy of my book. (I could have sold three times as many as I had on hand!)
So now the launch is over, I am busy promoting the book, lining up book readings and other events. It required dedication to get it all done but it's worth every minute of my time! I can't express how happy I am about the book finally getting published, and I look forward to volume two THE FIELDS OF HADES which will come out in 2016. Then we get to do this all over again!
