It’s a Mozart morning. I have just put on the clarinet concerto in A major to accompany my random thoughts and photos, and to celebrate three mosquito bites in the last five minutes. It’s that time of year again, with flying things, crawling things, and things that go whir in the night. Or not. I woke at three, drenched because the fan was off, and assumed there was a power cut going on. Then I noticed the streetlights were on, and further investigation proved that himself had turned off the fan. It had to go back on again. Trouble is, it’s the wind-tunnel one and too powerful for by the bed, so we’re going on a forage later to see if we can find one that’s a little less aggressive.

It’s also the time for regular returners, though this year, we’ve not seen so many. No-one is getting any younger, and many of our long-standing regulars and friends are unable to travel. It’s sad not to see them (so hello, we’re waving), and it’s sad to see the village square so quiet for June. Mind you, I don’t often see it later in the evenings, and I know some of the tavernas have been very busy, especially last weekend when it was Pentecost.

I have my work cut out for me this morning because the full cover of the next book has come back and so have the layout files. This means, another check through from me, and if all is okay, an upload. If there are some tweaks to the look of the inside of the book, I’ll have to send the files back, but changes only take a few hours. So, not long now, and there will be news of another new release. This is not one of the Symi books, I’ve not done one of them for many years, and maybe I should, but there’s a problem. Two actually. There’s so much I’d like to write but can’t because I want to carry on living here, and the books don’t sell, so what’s the point? I have to put my time to the niche series.

Anyway, those are my rambling thoughts and photos for this mosquito Mozart morning. We’re now on piano concerto 21, and I am reminded we have sonata K454 this afternoon, and my student and I will be revisiting the first movement. As well as finding fans and uploading books I must make a lesson plan.

Share on Facebook

It is 5.30, and my day begins with a pink sky, shimmering water, and the romantic sight of a boat gliding into the harbour. Behind the picture are the calls of cockerels, the onboard announcements, and the waking sparrows. Heading to my desk, I select Debussy from my library and have his music playing as I switch on the laptop to see what today will bring in the online world. My emails open in time to Clair de Lune, their headlines announcing an array of unrelated nonsense. Photo contest, miracle fat burner, security alert, Page turner awards, Goodreads updates from people I don’t know (and from a platform I rarely use), and of more interest, the full cover for my next book. Seeing that reminds me I have another blog to see to because it is Wednesday, and I try to write my author blog twice a week. Today, I can talk about the next book which is currently having its internals set out.

5.47 and already I feel that I should put on the fan because I think it’s going to be a humid day at the desk. It is going to be a costly one because I have my tax bill to pay, my accountant to pay, and there will soon be another electricity bill coming along. But before all that, I might take a moment at the window to watch the ship depart and speed majestically away, around the headland, towards its next destination.

Share on Facebook

What are we today, Gilbert? Well, today, we are waking up early due to an early night, a fan and a strange dream about the worst opera I have ever seen. Apart from the part where a train came through the audience, it was pretty dire. It had something to do with the fan, I reckon. We have two at the moment, and one is too ineffectual in the bedroom overnight, while the other is too… Well, it’s like standing in a wind tunnel. Or, maybe, standing on the beach behind Skiathos airport as a plane sets about taking off, and getting yourself blown over – as some people have done, only, the fan is much colder.  Before you ask, yes, we do have an air conditioning unit, but it’s attached to the wall in the closed-off mousandra, so of no use to mice or men, and it hasn’t been serviced since who knows when. Anyway, I am here, I have slept for eight hours, off and on, and I have a book to finish proofing and publish, which is always quite exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time.

I looked out a few of my more unusual shots today by way of illustration, including a scene of domestic bliss. That being Neil doing the cooking rather than me. At this time of year… I will amend that as it’s not only this time of year these days… At any time of year, trying to find what you want in the village shops is becoming more difficult, and very often, the supplies are thin on the ground. This used to be because tavernas got there first, but these days, the shelves seem pretty sparse no matter what. Not every day. Some days you can find fresh whatever, but on other days, it’s a case of potluck. We can’t even blame the lack of boats as we can in the windier parts of winter, so I don’t know what’s going on there. Perhaps some people aren’t paying their tabs, thus the supermarkets can’t pay for supplies. I don’t know. I’m, just saying, if you’re staying and self-catering, don’t expect Sainsburys style stacked shelves. (But do expect alliteration, apparently.)

On which cheerful note, I’ll stop rambling and head off into the day. If you were wondering about the ‘What are we today’, business at the top of this post, it’s a misquoted line from ‘Not On Your Nellie’, a British sitcom that ran from 1974 until 1975. It starred veteran actress Hylda Baker as Nellie Pickersgill. She would meet a friend in the pub who was always flamboyantly dressed, and she’d say, “And what are you today, Gilbert? Oh, you’re one of those, are you?” Which is kind of how gay people were treated on TV back in those ‘good old days.’ Meh. I’m of to work.

Share on Facebook

Yesterday was Pentecost here in Greece, which means a long bank holiday weekend with visitors from all over the country coming to see friends and family, attend church services, and take time out. It has also been a weekend of quiet, calm sunrises in the morning and feasting at sunset in the evening.

On Friday, we were at the Kali Strata restaurant, where our eldest godson grilled me the biggest pork chop known to Christendom, and our youngest one served it. Neil had a piece of tuna which was just about the same size. On Saturday, we spent the evening with their mum planning more of our winter trip, shooting the breeze, and catching up.

In between times, I started on my final read through of the next mystery, ‘Holywell Street’ and managed to get a little publicity done because someone has to try and sell these things, and that someone is me. I also push other indie authors’ work via free promotions. These, as I am sure you know, are lists of titles in a specific genre. Talking of which…

This one’s a selection of historical novels with some being romance, some comedy, some thrillers. Particularly intriguing is one titled, ‘The Organ Job (a musical mystery featuring JS Bach)’ by James Y. Bartlett. There’s also one called ‘Banyak & Fecks’ by me which is probably my most literary one to date, and not a mystery. It is a story of how a Ukrainian refugee and the son of an Irish immigrant come to meet and survive in the East End of London in 1884. It is a story about friendship.

(Click the banner to view all the titles.)

That all sets us up nicely for the week ahead, and I’m just trying to think of what other news I might… Did I tell you Apostolis in Pedi is (or should be) now fully open? Mind you, by now, everywhere should be fully open. All village bars and tavernas are up and running and have been for a while… Nope, I can’t think of anything else of interest, so I’ll get back to my editing.

Share on Facebook

Some hearsay, news, and photos. That’s it. A quick note today and I’m off for the weekend. If you are here this weekend, the church of Agia Triada is holding a celebration of its namesake (the Holy Trinity) on Sunday evening at 19.00 with festivities afterwards including music and dancing. This is the church at the top of the village. You can drive or take a taxi to Periotisa or walk up past the museum. Everyone’s welcome.

I heard on the grapevine that the taverna, Apostolis (Pedi), will be open from Saturday onwards. As far as I know, all the other tavernas and beaches are now fully operational…? (Not 100% sure, not been to a beach in about five years.) Last night and this morning, there are boats lined up along the harbour all the way to the clock tower, so things look busy down there. It’s been so long since Easter it feels like we’re having a really quiet season up here, but you have to remember, the season is only just starting. Both godsons are at their summer jobs, and don’t tell them but we’re eating at their place tonight. Godson-the-piano did well at his lesson yesterday when I shared the news that the piece he is currently learning is a grade 5 piece, and some of the scales he is playing are grade 6. We’ve successfully finished the grade four book, so I think it will be safe to say, when we finish piano and music lessons at the end of the month that he has graduated with at least grade 4 practical, and grade 3.5 theory.

Meanwhile, I have started on book nine in my new series, and will soon be releasing book eight which can’t come soon enough to boost sales. (If you ever wonder what these books are all about and why I am always bleating on about them, follow these two links: James Collins and/or Jackson Marsh.)

And now, I’ll leave you with a few more photos and wish you a happy weekend.

Share on Facebook