Soulla Christodoulou
What lead you to write?
Hi Aaron and thank you for having me!
I guess I’ve always been a writer but taking my writing to the next level with a view of writing a book, well that all came to fruition in January 2015, when I joined a Creative Writing Class. The class opened my eyes to the real possibility I could write something people would be interested in reading. Since then I have self-published two novels and a collection of poetry and have written two further stories; one is being edited and the other is sitting as a finished first draft.
Was there a particular person that influenced you to pursue writing?
There wasn’t one particular person, no but I have been encouraged by my parents, my partner and my three children as well as my closest friends who have all been, and still are, the most amazing inspiration and loudest advocates of my work.
What is your preferred genre to write?
I’ve always referred to my books as being loosely women’s fiction or romance but having said that I have had many male readers read and review them. My themes include: relationships, friendship, family unity, immigration, the Greek Cypriot culture (I’m a UK Greek Cypriot so my roots are firmly planted in Cyprus and all its wonderful traditions) as well as the more current themes of social media, love on line and dating.
What is your favorite genre to read?
I love to read crime fiction novels and two of my most recent authors include Joe Congel and Jackie Baldwin.
What are your favorite activities or hobbies outside of work/writing?
Outside of writing I am still passionate about teaching and continue that role as a private tutor to children aged between four and sixteen years old. I teach English Language and Creative Writing. Relaxation for me always involves friends and family whether it be sitting round a table eating, going for walks, dancing or having a quiet heart-to-heart snuggled on the couch with a mug of tea.
Who is your favorite author and what do you enjoy about their writing style?
My all-time favourite author is Maeve Binchy. Her writing style is full of all the things that bring me joy; love, warm relationships, descriptive language (which some people call purple prose)which pulls you right in, ordinary lives which have depth and understanding, relationships and beautiful friendships.
What is one major struggle you have with writing?
I would say believing enough in my writing to ignore some of the so-called “writing rules”. I think if you obey all the rules, writing can suddenly become flat and lose its magic… I have gained a greater understanding of the rules and the more I write the greater confidence I have gained – especially with the wonderful reader reviews I have received – because of that I think I can break them every now and again.
Out of all of your stories, which one did you most enjoy writing?
Oh gosh, Aaron this is a difficult question to answer. After each story I feel totally “in love” with the characters, the setting, the storyline and then I let go, move on and fall in love all over again with the next. But if I had to say, I’d go with The Summer Will Come which taught me a lot about my own roots, my family’s history and the history of Cyprus.
What projects are you currently working on?
Well right now I’m working on edits and rewrites of a story with the working title, Trust is a Big Word. It’s a story, which on the surface, appears to be about an on-line romance across Twitter, but actually there’s a lot more going on and one of the characters has Cerebral Palsy. It’s about having the courage to be honest with ourselves and to take responsibility for our lives… too many people blame their partner, their marriage, their jobs for their own failures. It’s a sensitive story about two people finding love in an unexpected place… but will it work out for them?
What has been one of your strongest inspirations for a story?
My heart, real life, real issues. It’s as simple as that.
Do you place any of your life experiences into your stories?
All the time… as well as those of friends and family, and even strangers.
If your story could be made into a play or movie, what actor/actress do you think would be the perfect fit to play your mc?
In my current WIP Trevor Eve would be the perfect man to play the main character Alexander Campbell. He’s got that sexy look but without being brash or vain and he has the sexiest voice ever!
If you had enough money to travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I’d go back to India… I was there in February 2018 and it was one of my most uplifting and life-changing holidays ever. I met the people from small villages, hotel owners, taxi drivers, a father working over 200km from his family so he could earn money, the most beautiful temples and forts and I visited a wonderful library in Mumbai.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Generally, in life it’s been “If that’s what makes you happy do it” and my mum tells me this all the time. In my writing life it was a very similar sentiment from author David P Perlmutter who I met at one of his book signings in Camden, London. When I told him I’d written two books he said, “What are you waiting for? Self-publish, get your books out there.” So I did!
What is your dream car?
I don’t have a dream car but I have a dream lifestyle… writing, traveling and to always have the love and support of my family.
What part of your writing is the most complimented?
My ability to pull people right in and put them in the scene with the characters… whether it be at the kitchen table eating, walking along a beach or sitting on a crowded bus.
What part of your writing, do you feel, needs strengthening?
Well, I suppose to write tighter, which I have learnt to do. I attend a writing critique and support group bi-weekly and their feedback has been incredible. As a group we have been working together for nearly three years so we are confident in our feedback and are, sometimes brutally, honest with each other. Having said that, we laugh a lot too at some of the mistakes we make in our writing. I had a scene in my current WIP where Caramel – a cat – changed sex halfway through the sentence. I’m still laughing now.
What is your favorite mixed drink?
Pimms and lemonade… I’m not a drinker at all and I’m an absolute lightweight so I’m not the one to go out drinking with… but dancing… that is something I can do over and over again and I always seem to find the energy to keep going.
What is one of your most cherished items in your writing space?
Actually Aaron, I’ve just moved into my new Writing Room which my boyfriend built for me in the garden and I absolutely LOVE all of it. As you can see from the pictures it is an incredible space with light and beautiful views of my garden and I am surrounded by all things books and writing.
What is one thing in anything you’ve read that stood out to you? (Could be meaning or even just sentence structure.)
This is a difficult question to answer because I find that books kinda find me when I need them most… I might be struggling with a scene and then, boom, I read a book which lifts the grey and I’m able to write the scene. With regards to structure I have learnt to tighten my writing the more I write and the more experience I gain as a writer and through the work I do with my Writing Critique Group and the editing I do for other writers. Working with other writers somehow lifts the glowing light on my own writing and I can be more critical with it. However, one thing I will always like and stand by is description; I love reading description and I enjoy writing description too.
What advice would you give to someone trying to start building their platform and market their work?
Connecting with people is about being real. It’s about being more than your writing and your books… show your audience who you are; how you spend your time, where you go, who you go out with… and interact and show interest in them too. Marketing is about relationship-building and once you have that you’re well on your way to building a brand and increasing your sales and your readership.
What is your favorite food?
Aaron, I’m Greek Cypriot… my whole life revolves around food which is why so many of my readers comment on the food descriptions in my books; food is love, it’s forgiveness, it’s listening, it’s compassionate, it’s welcoming, it’s family. I eat most foods apart from shellfish… and if I had to choose one food it would be makaronia tou fournou – a Greek Cypriot dish of layered macaroni and mince meat with onions, tomatoes and mint topped with a creamy sauce and baked in the oven. My mum makes the best ever and I doubt I will ever be able to make it as good as her.
What is your favorite show/movie?
Right now, I’m binge-watching Jane the Virgin and I love the style, the funny one liners and the way the characters are flawed yet so lovable and relatable too.
Website: https://soulla-author.com/
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Amazon Page:
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Be sure to comment on the “Second Chances” post before next Tuesday to have your questions answered. I will also be putting up a Tweet and Facebook post to gather more questions before Tuesday to give more variety to the answers.
About The Author
Aaron D Brinker
I'm an Author who loves multiple genres. Growing up in a military home I have learned to love different cultures and climates. I am 39 and married to a beautiful and wonderful wife. We make our home in the Ozarks of Eureka Springs, Arkansas. My love of multiple genres is present in my stories. I love to write Fiction in the genres of Horror, Fantasy, Christian Fiction, and Thriller.
Very nice, interesting interview. I love learning about other authors.