Vibrant Imaginative People

February 2025, Issue No.36

Your VIP Newsletter from Soulla's Writing Room

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Hello my VIP and welcome to your February newsletter!

I wanted to stat off by saying a huge thank you to all of you who responded so enthusiastically to January's news. I was delighted to hear from another editor and translator of Greek and English who has been inspired to read my book The Summer Will Come, another reader who told me how much she loved the New Year's Fun-olutions post and three people who joined me at The Greek Cypriot Brotherhood for my face-to-face book talk. It was lovely to meet these new faces for the first time!

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Language, Memory, and the Ever-present Pull of Home

This month, I had one of the most emotional and inspiring experiences of my journey as an author so far—a book event at the Greek Cypriot Brotherhood. This wasn’t just any event. It felt like a homecoming.

My mama baked Greek Cypriot cookies and a wonderful local baker created some beautiful butter-cream topped cupcakes especially for the event.

With my parents, aunts, and uncles in the audience, I read from The Magic of Miramare and enjoyed a wonderful conversation with host Nicole; it was an evening of deep, meaningful conversation about the stories we inherit and the ones we choose to tell. We talked about language, memory, and the ever-present pull of home—no matter how far we go.

It reminded me why I write. My books are more than just words on a page—they’re connections, bridges between generations, cultures, and experiences.

Sharing this moment with my community, in a space that has long been a hub for preserving heritage, was something I’ll never forget.

I loved seeing Nadia Marks and Anne John-Ligali, fellow authors I have befriended through Instagram, in the audience too and it reinforced my belief that the writing community is super supportive of each other's writing lives. Which brings me onto another related topic...

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Make Some Noise

Let’s be real—being a writer isn’t always easy. We pour our hearts into our work, but the publishing industry doesn’t always make it easy to sustain a career.

That’s why I’ve been following and supporting The Society of Authors’ latest campaign

• for fair pay and better working conditions for writers. This campaign is pushing for real change—ensuring authors are fairly compensated, protecting copyrights, and making publishing a more sustainable industry. As an author, I know how important these conversations are. Writing isn’t just a passion; it’s work, and it deserves to be valued.

If you’re an author (or just someone who cares about the future of books), I encourage you to check out what the Society of Authors is doing. The more voices that join the conversation, the better!

• Feel free to use the hashtags:

#makesomenoise

#madebyhumans

#paythecreator

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The Buzz of the Literary World

March is right around the corner, and that means… the London Book Fair!

I’ll be heading to one of the biggest publishing events of the year, and I can’t wait. I’m looking forward to connecting with fellow writers, editors, and industry professionals, sitting in on some fascinating talks, and just generally soaking up the buzz of the literary world in full force.

Last year was a fantastic three days of book buzz, book bliss and book brilliance!

Whether it’s discovering new books, learning about international publishing, or just wandering around in awe, I know it’s going to be an amazing experience.

This year I am particularly interested in the talks in the Literary Translation Centre as well as the workshops about Keeping Up with Social Media and those on Relationship Marketing. I have signed up for the seminar on the future of romance in publishing too and looking forward to learning more about the industry's book to screen insights too.

If you’re also going—let me know! I’d love to meet up, chat about books, and exchange notes on all the exciting things happening in the industry!

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Valentine’s, Galentine’s & All the Love in Between

February wouldn’t be complete without a little love, right? Valentine’s Day may be the big event, but I’m all for celebrating love in all its forms—friendship, self-love, and those little everyday moments that make life special. Galentine’s Day (February 13th) is one of my favourite traditions—any excuse to celebrate the incredible friends who bring laughter, support, and endless book recommendations into my life!

Whether it’s a heartfelt message, a coffee date, or a cosy night in, it’s a perfect reminder that love isn’t just about romance—it’s about the people who lift us up. And let’s be honest, whether you celebrated Valentine’s or not, we can all agree that February was (and still is) a great excuse to indulge in chocolate. A win-win, really.

As always, I’d love to hear from you!

What have you been up to this month?

What books have you been reading?

And if you’re heading to LBF, let’s connect!

Until next month,

Lots of love, Soulla xxx

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