We chat with author Christopher Cosmos about Island of Ghosts and Dreams, which follows a woman from a small Greek village who finds herself swept up in the long and storied history of her island—and its far-reaching impact—in this unforgettable story of love, passion, and resistance.
Hi, Christopher! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello and great to meet everyone! I’m a Black List screenwriter and bestselling Greek-American author who grew up in the Midwest USA and graduated from the University of Michigan, where I attended as the recipient of a Chick Evans Scholarship.
My novel Island of Ghosts and Dreams, which is a love story set on Crete during WWII, and after, has just been published by Pegasus Books, and I’m so excited to be sharing it with the world.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
When I was very young.
I loved the way it made me feel after reading a good story, or watching a great movie, or even listening to a wonderful song and so at some point, I decided why not do the same thing and choose that path for a career and tell the stories that had been passed down to me, and make people all over the world feel similarly, too.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: I’m actually not sure. Maybe a Spiderman comic?
- The one that made you want to become an author: The Mists of Avalon.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: There are so many, but in this moment, perhaps; Normal People; The Song of Achilles; Captains and the Kings; The Son.
Your latest novel, Island of Ghosts and Dreams, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Lush, Romantic, Historical, Greek, True.
What can readers expect?
I’ve often described it in the vein of a Greek Braveheart meets Nicholas Sparks – that is to say a big, bold, national epic with a grand and breathtaking (and at times, complicated) love story at the center of it.
I see it in the same vein and tradition as novels like The Island by Victoria Hislop, The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje, Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier, Dr. Zhivago by Boris Pasternak, or Out of Africa by Isak Dineson.
Where did the inspiration for Island of Ghosts and Dreams come from?
I’m Greek-American and so the inspiration for it came from growing up and hearing first-hand accounts of what Greece did during WWII, and how Greece helped the Allies to win the war, and save the world.
I always thought it’s something I would hear about in school and history classes, but I never did. As I got older, I thought, “someone needs to tell these stories,” and then I thought: “why not me?”
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I’ll say the main character: Maria.
I don’t want to talk about her and her journey too much because it would contain some spoilers, and I explain why at the end of the novel, in my Author’s Note, but to put it more vague – she’s one of the most complicated but also beautiful characters I’ve ever had the privilege of bringing to life, and I’m so proud of her journey which is similar to the journeys of so many during this time, including so many in my own family.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge when writing stories like this is that it’s true, and so many of the people in it are real, and actually lived. I want to make sure to do justice to that, so I feel an incredible amount of pressure to try to get everything emotionally correct.
What’s next for you?
We’ve got a lot coming up! Please follow along on Instagram @christophercosmos for all info and updates, amazing pictures of Greece and my travels and work, and that’s also the best place to contact me.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
I’ve become a massive fan of the new Plot Twist podcast, hosted by my friend Victoria Aveyard and Soman Chainani. So, I’ll say the two novels they have coming out later this year – Tempest by Victoria Aveyard, and Young World by Soman Chainani!
They’ve documented the writing and publication process extensively on the podcast, and can’t wait to check out both when they’re released.
