About Me.
I grew up in Thessaloniki, Greece. In the eighties I went to New York to study Creative Writing. I got my BA in American Literature and Creative Writing from Hofstra University. I studied poetry with Arthur Gregor, prose with Julia Marcus and screenwriting with Bill Hoffman, the acclaimed playwright of 'As Is'. I wrote poetry those days (I still do). By the time I was 21 years old, I had already published two books of poetry, one in Greece and one in the U.S. In 1985, I was honoured with the Nancy P. Schnader Poetry Award from the Academy of American Poets for a collection of poems.
In 1987, I moved back to Greece, and had a rich and varied academic career for 25 years. I taught American and British Literature, American and British Poetry, and Creative Writing. Meanwhile, I got a MPhil degree from the University of Wales, Swansea, for which I wrote a book-long thesis on the imagery and internal reference system in the poetry of Wallace Stevens, one of my favourite American poets.
During the years I lived in my home country, I was blessed with three children. Raising my children filled my life with beauty and happiness and I am forever grateful to them for that.
In 2014, I wrote a novel, The Loving Chef, which was published in Athens by Kedros Publishers. It did great.
In 2016 I moved to the UK. I felt I needed a bigger audience and a more liberal environment. I got a second Master's degree from the University of Birmingham and I am now in my final year in the Doctor of Fine Arts programme in Creative Writing, at the University of Glasgow. I am also teaching Creative Writing at the SUISS programme in Edinburgh, and Creative Non- Fiction: Life Writing, Memoir and Autofiction for the Lifelong Learning programme at the University of Glasgow. My students are talented and inspiring. I am grateful to them too.
I live a busy life, dreaming, loving, enjoying the company of animals (in the photo you see Ragnar, the love of my life), and getting to meet extraordinary people. I hope you enjoy some of the stuff here. Drop me a note, if you wish.
All the best,
Dora