Vibrant Imaginative People
January 2022, Issue No. 6
Your VIP Newsletter from Soulla's Writing Room
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Hello my VIP
If I haven’t already said it to you Happy New Year and welcome to your first newsletter of 2022. It feels like this month has zoomed by but I've managed to get back into a routine of sorts, after the festivities and celebrations of Christmas, which has really helped me with my focus and my productivity.
The first month of the year is often regarded as a dull month which suppresses our happiness and dampens our mood with grey skies, bitterly cold winds and grey lashing rain.
However, long walks, wrapped up like an eskimo (!), have helped me to keep moving and given me the chance to escape the confines of home as well as giving me the chance to "walk and talk" under bright blue skies with friends and family, which has been lovely. I've even managed a cuppa sitting outside a cafe in the sunshine...
What has January been like for you?
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Book News
I’ve got two exciting pieces of book news!
Firstly, huge thanks to those of you who have offered to beta read The Village House in February. Your support has been phenomenal and there's an offer from a book club not far from me so I will be able to do an in-person follow up too! I will be in touch with you guys by email soon.
And some news relating to The Summer Will Come which will be especially interesting for my Greek readers.
The Greek translation has been completed after eighteen months of working in collaboration with a wonderful translator based in Sheffield, England.
For those of you not familiar with the story, it is set in 1950s Cyprus, the home of my parents and grandparents before them. It follows the journey of two families, set against the real history of Cyprus at the time, who leave to make a new life for themselves in London. Translating the story into Greek was a natural thread to follow and a great way to get me thinking and reading Greek again which I haven't done on such an advanced level since my A Level Greek studies back in the mid 1980s.
The translator is doing a final proofread before I can start approaching Greek publishers. So if anyone reading this has any contacts with the Greek publishing industry I’d love to hear from you. This is such an epic moment for me and a dream come true, honestly I’m moved to tears. From the very first draft of the book in English I knew in my heart that the story just had to be told in Greek.
This project has pushed me out of my comfort zone across so many different levels but it has been equally an exhilarating and exciting time. It has allowed me to embrace the Greek language in a written form, which I have not done so consistently in years. I’m so happy to be able to share this milestone in The Summer Will Come’s journey which celebrates its fourth birthday in March this year.
What books have you read which have been translated from or into another language? Have you read any books in more than one language? What did you notice about the difference in the way it read from one language to the other? I’d love to hear your suggestions and experiences.
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February Focus Days
There are two fabulous focus days coming up next month which I wanted to share with you.
17th February – Random Acts of Kindness Day
I absolutely love this! Smile at a stranger, send a cute message to a friend, send a handwritten love note to your husband or wife, boyfriend or lover, help someone with their shopping, shout out your favourite author, teacher or colleague, help a friend who’s struggling with something, call your mum before she calls you, join a neighbour for a natter or organise a virtual cuppa.
21st February – International Mother Language Day
This is a wonderful day to celebrate languages from around the world. The school I used to teach in had over 67 languages spoken amongst the staff and students! There was such colour and beauty in the diversity everyone brought with them.
And of course, this ties in beautifully with reading books (especially The Summer Will Come, right?) in another language, honouring our Mother language and remembering and honouring those who came before us.
“Through globalisation, many languages are under threat of disappearing altogether but they are a crucial aspect of preserving
cultures around the world. At least 43% of the
world's estimated 6000 spoken
languages are endangered. Every two weeks, a language completely disappears, and the cultural and intellectual
heritage is gone with it. 40% of the people in the
world don't have access to education in a language
that they understand.”
(You can read more here with twinkl – a wonderful teaching resource I use when tutoring)
How will you honour these two days? I’d love to see your photos so please tag me in on Instagram using @soullasays or on Twitter @schristodoulou2 – I’m looking forward to your posts.
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Inspirational Life Cards
“Love your life, trust it and learn to accept what it brings…
learn to live with gratitude and harmony.”
Soulla Christodoulou
Creating these cards has been a labour of love and something I’ve been working on for over a year. There have been moments of doubt, moments of pure joy and many moments of “JUST DO IT”. So many of you have helped me along the way and encouraged me with your lovely messages and suggestions and I can finally say my Inspirational Life Cards are here!
This is what my early-bird, focus-group participants said:
“delightful Soulla”
“OMG! Soulla, Soulla! These are amazing!”
“Thank you for the inspiration!”
“...a new one in my wallet every day… so cute.”
“Well done Soulla. You’ve taken something and stamped your brand on it. Love these.”
“I can touch them, feel them, turn them over!!!”
You can use these in any way you like and which fits in with your lifestyle and daily routine… draw a card each day, use them to inspire you and keep you on track, tuck them into books, pin them to your notice board, slip them into cards… their uses are endless and I am so excited to be sharing them with you.
Available for the whole of February at a special VIP Member price of £3.99 inc. P&P* (increasing to £5.99 1st March 2022) or three sets can be ordered for a special price of £9.99 including P&P.*
(*please contact me direct if you live outside the UK for postage costs)
Buy them for your friends, for your colleagues, for your daughters, cousins, aunts, boyfriends, lovers, students, mum, dad, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters... everyone needs a little inspiration and va-va-voom now and again, no?
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VIP Member Spotlight
This week’s VIP Member Spotlight is on Andri, a woman I have connected with via social media and who, like me has Cypriot parents, has had a career in education and also loves the written word.
“When I was little I wanted to be two things: an artist and a writer. Whenever I told someone that, they would tell me artists don't make money and writers, well writers have to be special unicorns to make a career of writing. I was this little kid born in Canada with Cypriot parents, who went to school not speaking a word of English. I spent my school years proving I could master the language while colouring everything I saw. Many years later, I came to understand that what we want to be as children is often the closest thing to what we really are.
Life changed my path and focus, but that was a gift in itself. A rewarding career in higher education, good friends and a wonderful family have filled my life. I realize now that I had always written, whether it was a poem before online was a thing or the writing I did in my chosen career path. I had always created, whether it was decorating my kids’ rooms or painting a canvas. I am inspired by life, by everything I see and touch, by my age, by being a woman, a mother, a lover and a friend.
I started writing poetry in my early 20s, but it wasn't until my life changed about a decade ago that I started to write and paint more. I created a blog, told stories about my ancestry and family, and even participated in a charity art show. And though things have gone up and down over the last decade, I am ready to share my gifts more broadly. My Instagram account is a great place for that, combining my many loves. My poetry is a reminder that even though we age, sometimes the brightest fires are ones that have glowed as embers, and reignite, burning even brighter.”
You can keep in touch with Andri via her blog and Instagram account:
https://crimsoncouch.wordpress.com/
https://www.instagram.com/crimsoncouchac/
I hope you enjoy the poem she has chosen to share with us.
I age. My wrinkles stacking up against smooth skin
The transitions of my aging heart.
When did wisdom become filling lines and forehead frowns,
while colouring the silver out of our crowns? I have earned
every scar and line, every faded glow and spot.
Defining my passion through aches and pains
Oblivious are those who think fire wanes – with age.
No, it gets brighter, a quiet threat burning gold and red,
as it quiets and calms, even in the rage of moments.
It is staring into your lover’s eyes as they ebb and flow,
while the sounds that escape your lips,
are telling of a time when love and pleasure and wholeness
collide. Breathe.
It is the confidence of wearing your skin no matter how painful,
How misguided, how not new it is.
And learning when to lean in and when to walk away
when poked or pushed that way.
It is the wise counsel that sometimes leaves our minds, escaping
through pursed lips.
I age, lines stacking up against my smooth skin, accompanied by
the knowing that time waits for no one and so
I will fan the flames and watch them burn bright.
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Until Next Time
Stay safe, always be kind and have a fabulously loving St Valentine's Day!
And in Greek...
Μείνετε ασφαλείς, να είστε πάντα ευγενικοί και να έχετε μια υπέροχη ημέρα του Αγίου Βαλεντίνου!
(Meínete asfaleís, na eíste pánta evgenikoí kai na échete mia ypérochi iméra tou Agíou Valentínou!)
with lots of love always ♥♥♥
Soulla xxx
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