Jeff–Saturday
There’s a new club on Mykonos called the Billionaire. For those of you who can’t begin to imagine what a place with such a name could possibly be offering its clientele, perhaps the above photo will kickstart your imagination.
And for those of you interested in the bigger picture, one that shows the common road traveled by Billionaire and Backpacker alike, the below photo might just give you the perspective you’re looking for.
Frankly, I’m tired of all this high season madness, so much so that Barbara and I are taking off for a four-week jaunt around the Cyclades, expecting that by when we return home, normalcy will have returned. That’s normal by Mykonos standards.
But enough about glitz and gory. This about a more upbeat topic. Me.
Six months ago, I wrote of how thrilled I was to have achieved a childhood dream by seeing my eleventh Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis novel, A Deadly Twist, included as one of four abridged novels appearing in a bi-monthly volume of Reader’s Digest Select Editions.
As I noted in January, I grew up in working class Pittsburgh, where a Reader’s Digest magazine could always be found lying somewhere around the house, and most assuredly in every doctor’s and dentist’s office. To me, authors whose names appeared on the bindings of its Condensed Books (as they were called between 1950 and 1997) were like gods to me. Seeing my name on the binding of volume #383 had me feeling as if my game jersey now hung in the rafters alongside some of my writing idols.
New developments now have me flying up among those rafters unassisted by old jersey #44, in a moment of childhood-dream-come-true déjà vu that has me pinching myself.
The news is simply this. My 2022 entry in the series, One Last Chance (#12)–set on the Greek island of Ikaria–also has been chosen to appear in an upcoming volume of Reader’s Digest Select Editions! And on top of that, A Deadly Twist will be appearing in a Reader’s Digest volume for Australia and New Zealand.
I’m beyond words at these incredible honors. It makes this guy who maneuvers a 15-year-old Suzuki Jimny in the land of the Billionaire happy and deeply grateful to all who made it happen for me.
Thank you.
–Jeff
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Congratulations! As one who worshipped those Reader's Digest magazines as a kid, I understand the thrill of being included!! Fantastic!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jackie, and by the way, I loved your article highlight the new word you learned as the secret for living life well in Greece! So true.
DeleteCongrats!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Anonymous.
DeleteWhat great news, Jeff! Congrats!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Michael! It truly blew me away.
DeleteOh my, I had totally forgotten about those Readers Digest stories. I am thrilled for you! As far as getting away from your beloved Mykonos for a while, good for you and Barbara. I can only imagine by exploring the islands and it's people, it must give you new inspiration each time you leave and witness the changes and sometimes no changes, for the better. You and your beautiful wife are both artists, and with the beauty of landscapes from Jersey to Greece and the people must continue to inspire you both.
ReplyDeleteHow very blessed you are through hard work and stamina it must have taken to get where you are, but that's nothing new for you...👍
Thank you, Anonymous. Barbara read your comment had only one word to say..."Beautiful!" Of course, I dare not disagree with her. :) You're right about how inspiration on such visits always surprises us--even when the island is familiar to us. This time we leave Mykonos and travel to Koufenissi, Iraklia, Tinos, Andros, Syros, Naxos and Mykonos. Whew. But I'm not complaining.
DeleteThat second-to-last photo proves that behind every great book is a great woman.
ReplyDeleteThere's no getting away with a Wizard of Oz distraction ploy on you, my keen-eyed friend.
DeleteCongratulations great news and enjoy the weeks away from the madness of Mykonos.
ReplyDeleteWe're looking forward to it. A couple of weeks back we were on Naxos for a few days, and friends complained about the traffic and crowds on their island. I could not help but point out that compared to Mykonos, their island was a cemetery.
DeleteCongratulations - and mazel tov for having the sense to head to the Cyclades.
ReplyDeleteIt's absolutely the polar opposite of Mykonos...though not in a heat sort of way. :)
Deletecongratulations and enjoy your jaunt around the Cyclades!
ReplyDeleteThanks, and shall do, Anonymous!
DeleteThat's such a lovely homey goal because I too remember those Reader's Digest compilations. In fact I just found some on my deceased Mom's bookshelf and kept them out of reminiscence. So good for you Jeff and also for you and Barbara getting out of mad Mykonos!
ReplyDelete