GIVEAWAY: Win a copy of The Lying Guest set in SRI LANKA
Sharing Greek Stories with the World
28th October 2023
Hello TripFiction! I’m Maria A. Karamitsos, a journalist, author, and proud Hellene. I’ve worked in Greek media for more than 21 years and have contributed to two books about Chicago Greeks. I also recently completed my first novel, which opens in Chicago’s original Greektown in 1959. If you enjoy stories with complex characters and family secrets, you’ll love this one! The story is mixed with a heaping helping of Greek culture and traditions, a cup of immigrant experience, a spoonful of Greek food (you might get hungry), and a dash of Greek dance (you might yell ‘OPA!’). A historic event—the demolition of Greektown—takes place during the story. But at its core, it’s the story of how far a family would go to protect itself from shame and the devastating power of secrets. I’ll keep you posted on that.
I’m the daughter of a Greek immigrant father and like my Greek-American mother, was born and raised in Chicago. I’m a proud Greek. I love my motherland and feel incredibly blessed to have been bequeathed such a rich heritage and culture. But I believe with that comes a responsibility to carry the torch, and spread the word about Greece, Greek culture, and all the amazing accomplishments of Greeks around the world. This is reflected in my work in Greek media and community involvement.
These days, I mostly write about books by Greek authors, books set in Greece, and about Greece and Greeks. As a proud Greek, not only do I enjoy reading works by Greek authors but also from those written from the perspective of non-Greeks. They’re love for Greece shines through and makes me love it even more. Also, I actively promote these books—through my interviews, reviews, in my newsletters, and on social media. When I’m not doing that or working on my own projects, I work with authors to promote their work in the Greek community. I’m on a mission to amplify these authors’ voices!
Maria A Karamitsos
My work has appeared in many Greek publications—I also ran my own, called WindyCity Greek, for four years—and currently, I write a literary column for NEO magazine. Additionally, I co-host author events with local organizations. Throughout my tenure in Greek media and as a blogger, I’ve had the pleasure to interview many authors and write about their books. As a result, I’ve become a sought-after book reviewer! What a joy it is to receive those advanced review copies—I often get to read books before the general public. And I sometimes get to read manuscripts before they’re published. It’s fun to be a beta reader and make suggestions on a work as it’s taking shape.
Who doesn’t like to be transported via books? 😉 I’d heard about TripFiction a few years back and have found some fantastic books here. Then I joined the mailing list. In August 2023, I received a newsletter that included a blog post, 10 Great Books Set in Greece. I immediately tweeted it: “This is a great start!” and included the link and tagged TripFiction. Tony and I connected, and he sent me a link to all the books about Greece on the site. It’s quite a collection! But there are so many more. I reached out again—I’m on a mission after all—and offered to send more titles to add to the site. Tony responded enthusiastically and said I should post about them here. But first an introduction. So here it is!
Watch for more Greece on these pages. There are so many wonderful authors and books, and I want you to know all about them. Put on your seatbelts. Let’s take a virtual trip to Greece!
You can learn more about me at mariakaramitsos.com. Let’s connect on socials! Facebook, Twitter (X), Instagram
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I’m so excited to see this collaboration between TripFiction and Maria A. Karamitsos. I’ve been enjoying and learning from both for years now, and I can’t wait to see what emerges from this connection.