Moment of Inspiration:
In the summer of 2008 I was in the UK working as a visiting researcher at the University of Surrey. During this time I was contemplating a scenario where man could trick satan and god. I was reading something that Richard Feynman said once, about supersition and humanity, and I was trying to find a way for humanity to leap forward in time and rid herself (humanity is a she in Greek so it feels right to be a she in english too) of superstition, like star signs, god and the devil.
I was outside the student house smoking and drinking a cup of coffee. Just like that, like a bug walking down the wall it came to me 'It happens once every thousand years' I took a drag on my cigarette and thought that it should be a rare thing to do. As a matter of fact, according to the church's dogma you cannot deal with the devil. There is only one account in the apocrypha of someone who managed to do so. The bug went in. 'it is not common but every one thousand years it is probable for a mortal to trick the immortal'. So it has started. An old woman. An old, gentle and kind, beyond any suspicion woman would use the ambiguity of the language (in particular the english language, which is so ambiguous) to draft a contract that can trick the devil.
The book took nearly two years to materialise, mainly because I had to do some research on a few subjects, as well as research on my field of science to keep my job.
I was outside the student house smoking and drinking a cup of coffee. Just like that, like a bug walking down the wall it came to me 'It happens once every thousand years' I took a drag on my cigarette and thought that it should be a rare thing to do. As a matter of fact, according to the church's dogma you cannot deal with the devil. There is only one account in the apocrypha of someone who managed to do so. The bug went in. 'it is not common but every one thousand years it is probable for a mortal to trick the immortal'. So it has started. An old woman. An old, gentle and kind, beyond any suspicion woman would use the ambiguity of the language (in particular the english language, which is so ambiguous) to draft a contract that can trick the devil.
The book took nearly two years to materialise, mainly because I had to do some research on a few subjects, as well as research on my field of science to keep my job.
Nanny Ma
The surname was borrowed from a friend of mine. It got wedged in my memory one day when his wife called his grandmother 'Nanny Marshal', and he for short called her 'Nanny Ma'. I found it sweet and as soon as I began writing the book I thought that this is how I would name her. Basilica is the name of my grandmother. Unlike most of the women in her village she is blond with blue eyes and has a light complexion, I suppose she is of slavic decend, hard to tell as they did not keep records of family trees at the time. However, she once told me that her grandmother did not speaking Greek, but she is not certain of the language she did speak, so there you have it.
The one whose name has no meaning in our world:
My grandmother used to tell me fairytale stories to go to sleep, she used to create little myths, secrets and tricks of magic that the child hero would use to escape from the forces of darkness.
The one whose name has no meaning in our world:
My grandmother used to tell me fairytale stories to go to sleep, she used to create little myths, secrets and tricks of magic that the child hero would use to escape from the forces of darkness.
Maestro Nikos
This could not be anyone else but my grandfather Konstantinos. Story has it that when my grandmother was young, in order to dazle her and make her come away with him, he promised her a yellow dress with a yellow hat, a yellow handbag and yellow high heels. I think that my grandmother uses it as an excuse for running off with him to ger married. I believe that there is a deeper love story.
Young Mihai, the young gypsy who courts Basilica is a younger version of my grandad Kostas. Therefore it makes sense for Basilica in the book to fall inlove with them. They are like one lover once lost and found again.
Unfortunately my grandfather passed away in 2007. I loved him dearly and still miss him. My uncle looks so much like him and reminds me of him, somehow filling the void that my grandad's passing left behind.
My grandfather was a prolific story teller and story maker. He would make up adventures for my entertainment. He spoke of imaginary feats and heroics during WWII. In his stories, he travelled to the moon with a rocket he made out of an abandonded car chasis, he saved my grandmother from the Nazis by driving a tank to stop the firing squad, he found Nazi gold in the mountains and gave it to the goverment to help rebuilt Greece after the war. He was an amazing granddad when I was a little boy and a great drinking companion when I grew up.
Young Mihai, the young gypsy who courts Basilica is a younger version of my grandad Kostas. Therefore it makes sense for Basilica in the book to fall inlove with them. They are like one lover once lost and found again.
Unfortunately my grandfather passed away in 2007. I loved him dearly and still miss him. My uncle looks so much like him and reminds me of him, somehow filling the void that my grandad's passing left behind.
My grandfather was a prolific story teller and story maker. He would make up adventures for my entertainment. He spoke of imaginary feats and heroics during WWII. In his stories, he travelled to the moon with a rocket he made out of an abandonded car chasis, he saved my grandmother from the Nazis by driving a tank to stop the firing squad, he found Nazi gold in the mountains and gave it to the goverment to help rebuilt Greece after the war. He was an amazing granddad when I was a little boy and a great drinking companion when I grew up.
The two childhood friends Tomas and Barto
The character of Tomas draws some elements from me. Barto is inspired by a very good friend of mine. We met while we were students at the University of Hull. He was studying music composition and was fascinated with avant-garde and Xenakis.
He was my vocal coach for a few months although instead of doing any lessons we were messing with the piano, smoked and drunk, and talked about music as a bridge between science and art. We considered music to be something that stands alone and agreed on some Universities having separate departments for Music, Science, Art and Humanities.
The adult characters of Barto and Tomas physiognomically are based on me and my musician friend at University. The story of the childhood years is however inspired by my friend Demos. I met him one summer when I was eight years old. Our families were camping in the same site somewhere near Isthmia. We became inseparable, riding our bicycles all day long, swimming and fishing together, making sling shots and causing menace on the camping site. One year his family did not return to the site and I have not seen him again.
He was my vocal coach for a few months although instead of doing any lessons we were messing with the piano, smoked and drunk, and talked about music as a bridge between science and art. We considered music to be something that stands alone and agreed on some Universities having separate departments for Music, Science, Art and Humanities.
The adult characters of Barto and Tomas physiognomically are based on me and my musician friend at University. The story of the childhood years is however inspired by my friend Demos. I met him one summer when I was eight years old. Our families were camping in the same site somewhere near Isthmia. We became inseparable, riding our bicycles all day long, swimming and fishing together, making sling shots and causing menace on the camping site. One year his family did not return to the site and I have not seen him again.
Lucretia
Cyprus is full of cats. They are everywhere. I love cats, they are my favourite domestic animal. This cheeky little feline appeared on my veranda one evening. She was invited by the smell of the kebabs. She was not afraid of us and she demanded to be fed. We immediately gave in to her.
She used to come every evening and every evening we fed her. We were spellbound. I joked that she became our cat and called her Lucretia. However, we suspected that we were one of the many fools who feed her, and that she probably belonged to someone in the neighbourhood. It inspired the story of Lucretia in the book and Nanny Ma's opinion that the cat was family.
She used to come every evening and every evening we fed her. We were spellbound. I joked that she became our cat and called her Lucretia. However, we suspected that we were one of the many fools who feed her, and that she probably belonged to someone in the neighbourhood. It inspired the story of Lucretia in the book and Nanny Ma's opinion that the cat was family.
Satan v God: Purgatory World Creation v New Eden Corporation
I had a great deal of fun writing about satan and god as the heads of corporations in strife. I tried very hard to picture them according to the description of the bible, but every time I brought them to my imagination I projected an image of men in suits spending their time in meetings, reviewing strategies, marketing plans and analysing progress graphs and indexes.
I hint Satan's vanity in the appearance of his immaculate clothes. During the time I was working in industry I was surprised when they told me that they had a rather conservative dress code. The role model is that of the clean, freshly shaved, suited executive. This to me is how the archangels and satan are. Lower execs and managers used to refer to the president of the company as 'god'. Naturally religion to me became a marketplace and the companies, the major players, are.... listed in the book.
I hint Satan's vanity in the appearance of his immaculate clothes. During the time I was working in industry I was surprised when they told me that they had a rather conservative dress code. The role model is that of the clean, freshly shaved, suited executive. This to me is how the archangels and satan are. Lower execs and managers used to refer to the president of the company as 'god'. Naturally religion to me became a marketplace and the companies, the major players, are.... listed in the book.
Papa George
My aunt's husband owns a vineyard. When I was in my teens I used to participate in collecting the grapes. I remember the smell of them during pressing. It was intoxicating. Papa George is the gentle old man resembling my uncle's father. The wine they produce is sold locally and it is the best in the region.