I had the pleasure and honor of interviewing the author Ms. Kissoudis with the aim of introducing her book entitled “Purple Shadows” from Grafima Publications.
Let's see what he told me:
1.Tell us a little about yourself and how your love for writing began?
“I was born and raised in beautiful Thessaloniki, in a family full of love!!! From a young age, my heart
Literature won out, as I showed a particular interest in literary texts and poetry. It was then that I began to write and
I have my own stories, my own poems, my thoughts and feelings.
After high school, I found myself following the path of journalism, studying at KEFKS and doing a professional internship.
at the television station TV THESSALONIKI, where I worked there for five years. This was followed by TV EUROPE ONE, TV
MACEDONIA and BS. At the same time, I worked on the radio and in various magazines. My journalistic environment was mainly
news reporting and specifically the writing and presentation of news bulletins or other informative broadcasts.
At some point in my life, I found myself living in Athens, where I stayed for 15 years. Fortunately, however, I returned to my homeland.
and for the last 9 years I have been living here. Thermaikos is my home and life by the sea is my oxygen. My everyday life is full of musical sounds, as I am married to a remarkable Musician and we have a teenage daughter, whom we love dearly!!!”
2.Where did you get inspiration for your book?
From life itself!!! Although "PURPLE SHADOWS" is a fictional story, based on my imagination and emotions, it touches
sensitive aspects of real life!!! …perhaps the inspiration was born from a childhood memory, of the image of an abused woman, combined with the news about the continuous horrific murders of women at the hands of their partners…
...maybe the superficial human relationships I see around me, while everyone is looking for real friendship, true love,
eternal love, honest professional relationship...
…perhaps I was influenced by the useless spending of ourselves in the pursuit of happiness… a happiness that we ultimately have to search within ourselves to find…
...perhaps our constant struggle, for a better tomorrow, that never happens today...
All of this together, I think, led me to write the PURPLE SHADOWS.”
3.What is your favorite quote from your book?
"It is particularly difficult for me to focus on a single passage from the book, as I love many parts of it, especially those that
the mental world of the two heroines is revealed. However, I can distinguish the last three chapters of the novel, along with its ending. And because it is not right to reveal the ending of the story, I will take you on a journey through an excerpt from the middle of the book, which I equally love.
"...my journey...I was finally going where life wanted to take me...even though deep down I felt like I wanted to run away and
disappear...
A thousand images came to mind. I felt a thousand emotions. In just a few seconds. The image of my father appeared in my mind.
my mind… How could I leave and leave him behind? For what reason? The figure of my mother, jumped into my thoughts…
….the car accident. That night, transformed into a wicked witch, planted an unbearable pain in my heart. The absolute misery! The cracks in my eyes and my soul that never left that night. The funeral. The last goodbye. The despair. The confusion. The emptiness that death leaves. To feel nothing but pain and misery. Unable to overcome the horrible reality and bring back my man. Like an invisible hand that had managed to get inside me and was trying to rip out my insides…
The pain is indescribable.
A thousand images. Of sadness and loneliness. They came unsuspectingly to gnaw at my mind. In just a few seconds. A sob made
to come out of me, but I stifled it, because I didn't want my colleagues to see me. And then unexpectedly, the memory of Alexis sprang up,
feeling my heart tighten again. In just a few seconds. Realizing that the relationship with him was a waste of my love, leading to the pain of his betrayal. This suspended motion, between the shock of infidelity and the immense anger of betrayed love. The absolute emptiness of it. Dragging my heart, over and over, over the naked sight of
of his betrayal and to hurt. The mourning of a relationship that ended. And then my tolerance, in his audacity, for a forgiveness. His hard claim for a reunion. A struggle to drown my feelings, to manage, to cross alone, to the opposite bank, without him. To manage not to return. A thousand images. Of betrayal and sadness. In just a few seconds. And in all of this, to entangle my confused feelings, of that unexpected proposal for Athens. In
just a few seconds. A voice inside me screaming, not to leave my place. My mind walking mentally, through the streets
that I grew up and loved with all my heart. To feel the sweet breeze of a sea that I adored and always accompanied me. To feel that I choose to abandon my own existence. And all this in just a few seconds. Images of life, countlessly mixed
emotions and I faced the opportunity of a lifetime, looking her in the face... because that's how everyone else saw her, except for
me…
A thousand images came to my mind. I felt a thousand emotions. In just a few seconds! I imagined my departure. My suitcases in hand. A seat on the bus. My tearful eyes, in the farewell of farewell. What was I going to do? What did I want such a disturbance? So many images came so suddenly, in just a few seconds and they managed to hurt me deeply. In just a few seconds! And just as I suddenly took off and traveled to my mental world, so abruptly I landed in reality.
4.Relationships are difficult these days. What do you think is the reason?
“Our EGO!!! Our EGO, which never becomes US. This is responsible for difficult relationships. And it is our EGO’s fault, because we do not take care of its improvement. If each of us took care of improving ourselves, not on a superficial level, but by proceeding in deep, internal processes, then we would build healthy relationships. We get trapped in the fast pace of everyday life, chasing our happiness in material goods only, losing the essence in our relationships with others. With the absence of patience and perseverance, the tendency to flee dominates, condemning every relationship. Also, in recent years, our EGO has entered into a relationship of dependence with technology, which leads absolutely to isolation. Although technology has managed to bring us together, unfortunately it has not succeeded in our essential contact with others.”
5.What advice would you give to someone who wants to become a writer?
"To follow his dreams and never give up!!! To not be disappointed, no matter how many obstacles there are in his path and to
fight to overcome them. And of course, dedicate time to improving your writing talent!!!”
6. What are your favorite books that a girl could read, whether she is single, recently divorced, or married?
"There are many books that hold a special place in my heart and that every woman can read at any stage of life."
I don't want to do anyone any injustice, so I will randomly mention some noteworthy books that now come to my mind.
Let me start with my favorite author Alkyoni Papadaki and her book "BORA". Next are "OLD LOVES GO TO PARADISE" by Maro Vamvounaki, "NEVER WITHOUT MY DAUGHTER" by Betty Laver, "DANcing in Silence" by George Polyrakis, "LOVE WAS LATE ONE DAY" by Lili Zografou, "I CANNOT FIT IN OTHER DREAMS" by Christina Chondrogianni
and two self-help books by the unique Leo Buscaglia, "LIVE, LOVE AND LEARN" and "BUS 9 FOR
PARADISE"
7. What advice would you give to someone young to move forward in their life after a breakup?
"A breakup may not be an easy thing, which is why we need to give ourselves time to accept the fact."
It is a "kind" of loss, accompanied by pain, which with the passage of time, will become more bearable. That is the moment when we must take care of ourselves and not allow it to isolate itself. To leave yesterday where it belongs... in
past!!! We belong to the present, having hopes for the future, which can bring us a better relationship!!!”
8.What can we expect from you? What are your next plans?
“I keep writing!!! I can’t know what will reach you though. It doesn’t just depend on me. In the meantime I’m writing another
novel, focusing on women, such as PURPLE SHADOWS, which are circulated by the Graph publicationsI also have one ready.
a children's Christmas book and a poetry collection, waiting to be published!!!"
9. Favorite motto and song at this time?
“My favorite song is “MIKRES FOTHIES”, with the unique voice of Vasilis Papakonstantinou, to music by Thanos
Mikroutsikos and lyrics by Odysseas Ioannou. As a favorite motto I will write something of my own… “LIFE TAKES YOU WHERE IT WANTS”
that is, the "destiny of escape is impossible"
10.Where can one find both you and your books?
“The my books You can find them in the online store of GRAFIMA publications and in all updated bookstores. Me at the email address m.kissoudi@yahoo.gr.
11.A wish for tinamichaelidou.gr
“In closing, I would like to thank you for your hospitality and wish you and your team continued growth and travel to the brightest destinations.”
