A Parthenon in Pefki: Further Adventures of an Anglo-Greek Marriage shares the journey you and your wife have been on combining your lives and making memories together. What was the inspiration for the original and fascinating idea to write this series of books?

My journey began when Alex and I fell in love. Alex, being Greek, lived in a suburb of Athens, while I lived in London. We agreed I should move to Greece as our long-distance relationship blossomed. Her incredible and loving family warmly welcomed me with open arms.

When I first arrived in this beautiful country, my fiery Greek wife made it a mission to convert me from a strait-laced Englishman into something resembling an Achilles-type character with sharpened sword and wits to match. My transformation would sometimes be hilarious, always embarrassing, but would change my outlook on life and open my eyes to the world around me.

My books cover my introduction to Greek life, cultural differences, and laugh-out-loud moments together with my becoming more Greek every day. This feeling just had to be shared. My first book, A Parthenon on our roof, became an overnight success. The second in the series, A Parthenon in Pefki, is also riding high in its Amazon category and quickly gaining ground. My third book is due to be released soon, Musings from a Greek village, and the next in the Parthenon series is coming next year.

Both Alex and I are very proud of the reception our books received. From the day of publication, they both became best sellers on Amazon worldwide. They reached number one in the category of Greek Travel, Humorous Essays and remain in the top 20 in Australia, USA, and UK. Gold medal winner. The Global Book Awards. Biographical–Travel.

What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?

Writing a book about our lives together in Greece was a project which I enjoyed immensely. So many incredible experiences, visits to idyllic Greek islands, exploring the traditional foods and hospitality. But the most important message to share in my books is the love and kindness shown by the Greek people. The Greek word philoxenia, literally meaning “love of strangers,” is an example to the world.

What is one of the most unexpected or humourous moments you had once decided to build a new home on Pefki?

There are so many laugh out loud moments. Being arrested and spending the day in police cells for building a wall was one memorable experience. Being introduced to the local homemade fire water, Tsipouro. The only challenge is getting past the first glass. The first sip hits the back of your jaw like a hammer. You feel you have poured concentrated lemon juice into your mouth as it causes a shooting pain just below your earlobes. Then the burn starts. As you gather the confidence to swallow, your throat tries to close to protect itself. You must resist your body’s gagging instinct to rid itself of this interesting flavour, but you must persist. As you swallow the first mouthful, fire runs down and settles on your chest. First-time drinkers usually assume they are suffering a heart attack at this point, but it soon fades away, leaving you sweating and disoriented.

Here, life is simpler. If you miss a bus, there’s probably another tomorrow. Things run in a different time zone. People are more relaxed, there’s no pressure to rush and keep appointments and everyone is happier for it.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from your story?

Greek family values. Families are closer here. Older people are respected and loved. It is unthinkable to make a family decision without the approval of Grandma or Grandpa. People treat others with love and respect, regardless of their occupation.

Everyone is proud of what they do. Job satisfaction here has always been high. There is no class structure in the village, and everyone is proud of their work. Our friend Maria spends the summer months helping in her brother’s taverna. She also helps her mother as a cleaner in some of the hotels. Her father transports them from workplace to workplace in a battered transit van. When not driving, he is the local cheese maker.

In many countries, people look down upon workers who perform the menial tasks. People in many countries consider road sweepers and cleaners as invisible necessities, while they perceive themselves as superior because they have higher-paid jobs.

Not here. Maria is proud to be a cleaner. Demitri is proud of his wine. Maria’s dad makes the best cheese in the village.

Then, at the end of the day, everyone comes together as one enormous family. The cleaners relax with the hotel owners. The woodcutter chats with the doctor, the charcoal maker and the mayor share a glass of Tsipouro. Everyone is equal in our village.

Here, your status in life is not what you do, it’s who you really are. Long may that last.

Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Amazon