Vibrant Imaginative People

June 2025, Issue No. 40

Your VIP Newsletter from Soulla's Writing Room

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Hello my VIP and welcome to your June newsletter which I am sending to you from beautiful Zeeland in Holland.

I’m here for ten days enjoying, and embracing with a full heart and much gratitude, a much-needed retreat with a dear friend in Buitenplaats Ouedendijke Chalet Park. I am writing, taking in the fresh air on long evening walks, visiting local arts exhibitions and craft festivals, basking in the sunshine and welcoming the cooling intermittent showers... it's blissfully calm, peaceful and inspirational.

And the writing is flowing... I'm happy to say I have almost finished the formal book proposal for my first non-fiction book. My writing has taken me on a rollercoaster of emotions as I have pondered over the right words, the right format, the right headings... sometimes it's been painstakingly slow and other times I could not write fast enough, as I was so inspired and deeply rooted in my work. The book itself has a few tweaks to go... my writing process is a messy, heart-connected one so things don't always "fit" right when I read through, but they do "feel" right.

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Let's Write Together

As I walk the quiet roads and write among windmills and wildflower borders, I’m reminded that some of our richest stories begin in stillness. So, I’ve put together a few writing prompts for you—simple invitations to slow down, notice, and write from wherever you are. No pressure. Just presence.

I hope the prompt sheet will give you some time to sit and write, reflect and grow, in a way that connects with your heart, your spirit and your soul.

And if you don't want to write, draw, paint, sing, dance, move your body, sit with your thoughts... that's okay too.

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Book Reviews and A Giveaway

It's been a while since I ran a giveaway here so I thought I would do this as I am in this beautiful haven of peace and tranquillity...

To qualify: If you have read any of my books, please leave a review (I know this can feel like a chore but it doesn't have to be long or clever. A simple star rating and a line saying 'I loved the book' or 'I really enjoyed Soulla's writing...' is totally okay.)

You can add your review to Amazon (or any other platform where readers hang out)

In return, for every book review you leave from today until 3rd July 2025 (that gives you a whole week) you will be entered into the giveaway to receive:

a beautiful Zen Colouring Book, an organza pouch filled with

beautiful seashells 🐚°‧🫧⋆.ೃ࿔*:･from the beach here in Zeeland,

a Greek Mati 🧿 as well as a personally written

and signed thank you card from me.

To enter: Leave your review. Let me know the name which will appear on the review. Tell me on which platform it will appear and for which book. I will look out for it.

Book reviews make all the difference in helping new readers discover my books, push the titles higher up that ladder of visibility and wider distribution... thank you so much for your support and good luck! I will announce the winner on 3rd July 2025 on my Instagram account.

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Uncovering the Past and Greek Pirates

Delighted to be sharing this little gem of a memoir with you which was brought to my attention by Maria A. Karamitsos. This is a true-life adventure which would make any lover of Greece, history, or travel, sing with joy!

Huge congratulations go to Australian author, Shelley Dark on the release of her debut travel memoir (November 2024) about her transformative solo journey to a storied Greek island, called Hydra in Winter: An Island Escape in Search of a Greek Pirate.

Sharing the Press Release for Hydra in Winter...

When Shelley Dark learns that her husband is related to an infamous Greek pirate, she sets out on a mission to uncover the past. In 1829, her husband’s great-great-grandfather, Ghikas Voulgaris, was one of only seven Greek pirates who narrowly escaped the gallows to become one of Australia’s first Greek convicts, and the only one to leave descendants. Hydra in Winter is a light-hearted travel memoir, and uncovers a little-known chapter of early Greek-Australian migration as well as highlighting the tiny island of Hydra’s pivotal naval role in the War of Independence.

While she is drawn by Hydra’s reputation as an enclave for literary figures including Leonard Cohen, George Johnston, and Charmian Clift, she is more intrigued by this much older history. Armed with an insatiable curiosity, Daniel Klein’s Travels with Epicurus in her bag—and with a tight two-week deadline—she arrives focused and determined.

But Hydra has other ideas. Right from day one, the island works its magic.

In this effervescent and whimsical diary-style memoir, the author documents her

progress, weaving together beautiful descriptions of the island and its people, thought-provoking reflections on aging, self-discovery, and a growing passion for writing. It’s filled with amusing observations, warm encounters with the locals, and the heady joy of finding a new interest.

As Shelley tries to uncover the truth about the pirate’s family—her in-laws—by

researching the powerful ship owning family of that name, and as she discovers more of island’s history and unique architecture, her playful narration brings readers along for the ride, sharing laugh-out-loud moments while encouraging them to reflect on life’s bigger questions.

“What struck me most about Hydra? It’s not just the stunning setting—that’s a given. It’s the way the island sidesteps all the pressures of modern life,” Shelley said. “There are no cars—just donkeys dozing along the deserted quay or plodding up cobblestone steps past whitewashed buildings. Even in winter, the bougainvillea refuses to give up. The hills turn green with winter rain, and in the tourist off-season, the locals greet you as if you’ve just been away for the weekend. No one understands the word ‘hurry’. Hydra in winter doesn’t just slow you down. It makes you re-evaluate your pace entirely.”

Her search for answers leads her not only to the island’s archives where the helpful staff temper her urgency, but also on breath-taking hikes over hills and along quiet trails with views of the glittering Argolic Gulf. She delights in her apartment, situated right on the port inside a shipowner’s mansion—built by the pirate’s family—and in the local cuisine, delicious Greek wine, and fresh seafood. What begins as a frantic search for answers morphs into something much richer: a deep connection to the island, its people, and its history.

Here's little bio for you:

After a lifetime raising cattle on Queensland’s Granite Belt, Shelley Dark and her husband traded life in the bush for the beaches of the Sunshine Coast. When she’s not writing novels, travelling and capturing her world through an iPhone lens, she’s marvelling at her clever grandchildren. Shelley is a member of the ALLWRiTE Club, a dynamic and supportive writers’ group of memorable characters worthy of a novel on their own.

The book is available across all online book retailers. I hope you enjoy your escape to Hydra and if you would like to connect with Shelley (she looks like a lot of fun from the pic above!) you can find her on Instagram and Facebook, @ShelleyDark

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Until next time and just before I sign off...

I wanted to share a magical moment experienced with the dear friend I am holidaying with; we created a beautiful mandala from foraged beauty in a her Zeeland chalet's garden. After collecting vibrant flowers, long stems of swaying grasses, and shimmering seashells collected from the beach, we captured a mindful moment created in ephemeral art: a testament to friendship, deep gratitude and the simple joys of summer. This corner of Zeeland feels extra special now!

I wish you all a truly wonderful new month ahead and let me know what you liked most about this month's newsletter!

Sending veel liefde -- lots of love -- from the Netherlands.

Soulla xxx

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