The Summer Will Come by Soulla Christodoulou - Book Tour
The Summer Will Come
Set in the 1950s, the story begins in Cyprus.
EOKA, British rule, and the fight for Enosis (unity) disrupt the world of two
Greek Cypriot families, living in different villages on the island. They are
desperately trying to cope with the unpredictability of this fractious time.
Circumstances over a five-year period push both families to escape to London
where, as immigrants, they struggle to settle, face new challenges, trauma and
cope with missing their homeland's traditions and culture. Both families' lives
cross paths in London and it seems that happier beginnings could be theirs. But
at what cost? A story of passion for a country in turmoil, family love, loyalty
and treachery and how, sometimes, starting over isn't always as imagined.
Purchase from Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1976908043/
Excerpt
‘You’re
Cypriot!’ said the woman delightedly standing behind them in the queue; the
sense of comradeship instantly obvious in her beaming face. Andreas and Elena
were talking Greek in the grocery store. ‘I’m Georgette, originally from Pano Lefkara,’ she said to Evangelia,
tapping her gently on the shoulder.
‘Oh how lovely to hear another Greek voice!’ A smile creased
Evangelia’s tired face.
‘That’s how I feel when I hear our Mother tongue!’
‘So lovely not to have to try and figure out what’s being
said. Sorry, I’m Evangelia. Lovely to meet you. I’m from Kato Lefkara, fancy meeting someone from the same village.’ Elena
watched her mother’s face light up as she relaxed being around a fellow
Cypriot. Her mother had never been warmly open towards strangers and seeing her
mother smile and chatty made her happy.
‘Oh I have friends in Kato
Lefkara… Maroulla and Zeno. You probably know them being such a small
community.’
‘Oh yes, I do,’ said Evangelia, reddening slightly. ‘Their
son Niko was in the same class as my two.’
‘I hear they’re planning to come to England too.’
‘Really? I haven’t heard.’
‘There are so many moving across with the troubles getting
worse. Soon we will have our own piece of Cyprus here in the middle of London,’
said Georgette.
‘I would certainly welcome that.’
‘So you’re new round here?’
‘Yes, a couple of weeks in this area,’ Evangelia said,
composing herself. ‘My husband’s been here a lot longer though.’
‘Well welcome, truly,’ said Georgette with warmth.
‘Thank you. We’re still finding our way around. The language
and weather is the hardest thing for me. It’s grey, it’s dull, so little light.
And of course I miss my things, my pots and pans, my cutlery. We couldn’t bring
it all with us. I even miss the donkeys braying and the cockerel.’
‘Oh, I’ve been here for nearly two years and still miss my
things from home. And I can’t speak English too well. There are a lot more
Cypriots round this way though so I don’t have to make as much effort as I used
to. But what choice do we have? You’ll get used to it in time just as I have,’
she laughed. ‘Apart from the weather!’
‘God willing. Lovely to meet you Georgette,’ said Evangelia
paying for the shopping. ‘Hopefully see you again.’
‘Actually before you go, I hope you don’t mind me saying
but, I’ve got a hot water bottle I don’t use anymore. You’re welcome to borrow
it for the children for as long as you need,’ she offered. ‘I couldn’t help
overhearing your son complain about the cold. It takes getting used to.’
‘The bedroom Elena and Andreas share is freezing. There’s a
film of ice across the window panes last thing at night and first thing in the
morning. Andreas is constantly complaining about the ice box chill every
opportunity he has. It’s the first week of June and yet the cold continues to
bite at our skin.’
Evangelia, hesitantly agreed to use it temporarily and was
most grateful when one of Georgette’s sons, a strapping lad of about eighteen
years old with jet black hair and eyes to match, dropped it over a couple of
hours later. The earthenware device was eagerly passed between Andreas and
Elena to warm up their beds. They both whooped with joy as their hot mattresses
enveloped them as they settled for the night. With jumpers and coats piled over
their blankets too Elena was cosy and warm as was her brother who said he loved
the hot water bottle more than anything.
‘What a nice lady,’ Elena said, as she got into her warm
bed. ‘She had lovely hair as well didn’t she mama? Like a film star,’ she said dreamily, remembering her soft
black curls pinned into place.
‘Yes, lovely,’ said her mother fingering her dull, brown
hair which hung limply round her shoulders.
‘And her blue coat was so pretty. All those folds across the
back…it was lovely.’
‘I didn’t notice her coat but I’m so grateful I’ve met
someone who I can speak Greek to, a new friend, someone who understands what
it’s like to be in England.’
‘You can be happy here now mama. It won’t always be like this,’ she said delighted her mother
had made a new friend. ‘And the summer will come, it just has to.’
As Elena said the words an ache in her stomach reminded her
of the pain she used to get from eating too many sweet figs straight off the
trees. No figs here, she thought, and no jingly bells to alert her to the
return of Manoli’s herd at the end of his long shepherding day in the
mountains.
Author
Bio –
Born
in London to Greek Cypriot parents Soulla Christodoulou spent much of her
childhood living carefree days full of family, school and friends. She was the
first in her family to go to university and studied BA Hotel & Catering
Management at Portsmouth University. Years later, after having a family of her
own she studied again at Middlesex University and has a PGCE in Business
Studies and an MA in Education.
Soulla
is a Fiction author and wrote her first novel Broken Pieces of Tomorrow over a few months while working full time
in secondary education. She is a mother of three boys.
She
is a compassionate and empathetic supporter of young people. Her passion for
teaching continues through private tuition of English Language and Children’s
Creative Writing Classes as well as proof reading and other writing services.
Her writing has also connected her with
a charity in California which she is very much involved in as a contributor of
handwritten letters every month to support and give hope to women diagnosed
with breast cancer. One of her letters is featured in a book ‘Dear Friend’,
released on Amazon in September 2017.
When
asked, she will tell you she has always, somewhere on a subconscious level,
wanted to write and her life’s experiences both personal and professional have
played a huge part in bringing her to where she was always meant to be; writing
books and drinking lots of cinnamon and clove tea!
She
also has a poetry collection, Sunshine
after Rain, published on Amazon and The
Summer Will Come is her second novel. She is currently working on a third
novel Trust is a Big Word about an
on-line illicit relationship that develops between two people.
Social
Media Links –
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