Who am I?

I don't have a typical writer's story. I was born in a Greek family just south of Boston. My dad was a first-generation restaurant owner; his dad emigrated from Tripolis, Greece. My mother was born during World War II: Kato Patisia, Athens. They immigrated after the Greek Civil War. Her father was a ballroom dancer and a philospher, and he and his wife were around the musicians of their day. They left everything for a better life. I was raised in the Greek-American community and in our restaurant, observing society from an early age.

Struggle

Developmentally delayed and dyslexic, I struggled in school. My talents were often ignored or devalued. I required special education. But at the same time, I loved to draw maps, and within these maps were stories of people, which was an escape from the chaos around me. But isn't that what life is, a struggle?

The education of life

I attended the University of Massachusetts, and by the time I graduated, I hadn't ever read-for-pleasure a full book. I decided to dedicate myself to reading, and understanding the English language. I tried twenty-odd jobs, from client-care advocate to educational publishing production specialist to rideshare driver. I lived in Miami and in Los Angeles, and poor health slowly overtook me. In 2017, I survived Hodgkin lymphoma, a blood cancer. During this time, I worked on screenplays and, later, manuscripts.

Remission

And in 2018, I met my future wife Jennifer Safrey, a published and award-winning author, and copy editor. We were both on a break from writing, but on a trip to Camden, Maine, we encouraged each other to write again. I'm able to write first because of my good health, and, second, her.

My Stories.

I’m a Massachusetts-based, Greek-American writer, and I write relatable, simple fiction to introduce the broader reading public to Greek culture through my characters’ issues of identity, their place within family and society, and their need to realize their dreams before time passes them by.

• WHAT AVA DIDN'T TELL US: Manuscript completed (out on submission)
• THE INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANT: MS completed (out on submission)
• THE HEALING STONE: A Chemotherapy Journey and an Angel’s Unresolved Sin: MS in final edits
• AN AMERICAN NAME: Short-story collection, MS completed

Anything else you want to know about me? Demand my stories.