One look at this indie author on Twitter or Instagram and you will know she is from another land. Despoina Kereidou is from Greece. A place, notably famous for its seas and islands, which Desponia says "makes for a perfect summer destination."
Photo of Author Desponia Kemeridou
Despoina enjoys writing Paranormal,
Contemporary romances, and urban fantasy
Fairy tales along with poetry.
She first started writing at age 13. "I clearly remember that I had stories in my head and wanted a way to get them out. So, I decided to start writing them down and let me tell you, it was a wonderful feeling. I have written ever since."
Every writer has a place they like to be when writing, and Desponia is no different. She told The Writing Wall Blog her desk was the best place to put stories to paper. "It's my personal space and my favorite spot in the house. Did I mention it's black? Black is my favorite color."
As for what inspires her to come up with these magical tales Desponia said, "I can't say if there is something that inspires me to write in particular. My stories usually come to me as dreams, or thoughts I have throughout the day. You could say that most of the time I am daydreaming."
Whatever is a daydreaming writer to read? Well, Despoina was reading Little Women by Louisa May Alcott when we caught up with her and Darling, There are Wolves in the Woods by Lydia Russel. Anytime she gets to read romance Desponia says she is happy, but "paranormal and fairy tales are a bonus!"
Aside from writing this author has another passion, photography. Despoina says she enjoys visiting her grandparents who live in a wooded area. This space affords her long walks, she can take with her camera in hand to snap some beautiful photos.
At the moment Despoina is working on her third book. Each book is written in her native language of Greek and then translated to English for her worldwide readers. In her free time, she enjoys drawing, reading, listening to music, and of course taking photos of her natural surroundings.
Having read Fated to Meet You I will say I recommend it. Especially for readers who enjoy time travel and romance together. It is not a long read, but definitely a great fairy tale for those who adore fantasy. Think The Time Travelers Wife meets Enchanted.
Despoina's advice to others who are wanting to self publish, "I chose self-publishing because I didn’t feel like my genre fit in with the traditionally published books. It’s a difficult road to follow, but it’s worth it in the end. To self-publish a book, you must first make sure it’s been edited and formatted. Beta readers and ARC reviewers are a must, in my opinion. Having an already established audience on different social media platforms is a great way to start because they will be the first to support your upcoming release. No audience, no sales. Last, but not least, promote your work like mad and engage with your audience."
Perhaps the best of all is Desponia's favorite quote by Frederick Perls, "I do my thing and you do yours. I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, and you are not in this world to live up to mine. You are you, and I am I, and if by chance we find each other, then it is beautiful. If not, it can't be helped."
Beautiful words from a beautiful writer. To follow Desponia on social media, or to purchase your copy of her books visit the following links below. Be sure to head over to the Writing Wall Podcast page to catch Desponia reading an excerpt from Fated to Meet You available tonight at 6 p.m.
She will also be giving listeners a sneak peek into her upcoming book Mark of a Demon scheduled for release on July 25th.
We want to congratulate Despoina on her upcoming book and wish her all the best in her writing endeavors!
Twitter: @DKemeridou
Website: kemeridou.com
A new Writer of the Week is featured every Monday. Be sure to also follow The Writing Wall on Twitter @TheWritingWall, or on Instagram @writingsonthewall85 for the latest. You can also listen to the podcast every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month. Just search for The Writing Wall on Spotify, Google Cast, Breaker, and more. Thank you to our Writing Corner Wednesday authors, writers, and poets!