I had no literary experience when I decided to write my first series Waiting for Summer. The idea actually came to me while I was changing the clocks for daylight saving time around my home. I’d toyed with the idea of writing a book for a few years but once I started to culminate this particular story, I decided it was time to take the plunge.
Anna-Maria Athanasiou
I wrote my first series in secret. I ended up scribbling away ideas and scenes for a few years before I eventually started to write the two-book series. It took me fourteen months to finish it, and only when it was practically complete, did I admit it to my family and friends.
I live in Limassol, Cyprus with my husband, two sons, a golden retriever and two cats but I was born and raised in Leeds. I’ve used both locations as settings in my books simply because I love both cities.
I’m actually a qualified hotel caterer but haven’t been able to pursue that career. However, I do the next best thing and always feature food, restaurants, nightclubs and hotels in my books. It’s my way of living out my dreams.
I spent 18 months in Switzerland as part of my course and planned to go back. I managed to secure myself a job, once my studies were over, but then I met my husband and those plans obviously changed!
I’m a strong believer in fate. It’s a theme I explore in my new trilogy La Casa d’Italia. I find it intriguing to think that certain situations, obstacles or people we meet throughout our lives, are put in our paths to veer us towards a particular direction.
I’m an avid baker. I’m constantly coming up with new recipes. My family has recently become heath food fanatics, so I’ve made it my mission to create healthy treats for them. Though I enjoy the challenge, I do tend to just eat the naughty kind myself. One of my vices is that I love cake.
I also like a drink too – another of my vices. Thankfully my husband is tee total by choice, so I always have a designated driver! I love a single, malt whisky, a good wine, never Chardonnay, mostly from the old world… just in case you see me in a bar and want to buy me a drink!
I have an unhealthy obsession with shoes; my third vice. I’m too ashamed to admit to how many pairs I actually have, suffice to say they’re stored in another room as my wardrobe space isn’t big enough!
My books are pure fiction but I always include experiences of mine. It may be an incident that happened to me and I’m able to integrate it into the story, or a distinct conversation that had some impact on me. It’s my own way of making my novels just a little bit more personal, almost a catalogue of events that only I know about.
About Anna-Maria Athanasiou
Anna-Maria Athanasiou wrote her first books, the Waiting for Summer novels in secret, firstly because she never thought she’d finish them and secondly, it was a completely new territory for her. Throughout her life Anna-Maria had regularly created scenarios and stories in her head, thinking that one day she would finally put them down on paper. Eventually, in the September of 2011 she took the plunge and started to write down an idea that she'd been creating for almost ten years.
Waiting for Summer books one and two are the result of her small idea, and she finally had them published in September 2013 and June 2014. The love story and her characters, Sylvie and Nick, captured the hearts and enthusiasm of her readers, spurring Anna-Maria to carry on with her writing.
Anna-Maria has since been asked to collaborate with other authors on two charity anthologies, and has recently worked together again on a new charity anthology, due to be published soon.
She lives in Cyprus with her family and has penchant for cake, tea, whisky, wine and a healthy obsession with shoes. Anna-Maria loves the fantasy land of romantic fiction, and is passionate about bringing her stories and characters to life.
For Starters and Heavenly Fare, the first two books in her new trilogy La Casa d’Italia series, are now available.
About the Author
Anna-Maria Athanasiou is originally from Leeds in the UK but for the last twenty two years she had lived in the heart of the Mediterranean on the island of Cyprus. Limassol is her adopted town where she lives with her husband, two sons, Golden Retriever and two cats. She had her debut novels, Waiting for Summer Book One and Two published in 2013 and 2014 having written the series in secret, never expecting to finish them or to be published.
Since then Anna-Maria has been asked to guest write articles for The Glass House Girls, an online magazine for women, and contributed to two charity anthologies, They Say I’m Doing Well and Break the Cycle.
Anna-Maria is a member of the Association of Authors. For Starters and Heavenly Fare are the first two books in the La Casa d’Italia trilogy. Her dream was always to have her own restaurant and though she never realised her wish, Anna-Maria managed to create it within the pages of La Casa d’Italia, confirming her belief that dreams really do come true.
