We chat with author Erin Palmisano about The Secrets of the Little Greek Taverna, which will whisk you off to a Greek Island where food and wine are the stuff of life, where friendships lift you up, and love has a way of catching you when you’re least expecting it.
Hi, Erin! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi fellow team nerds! Though I am originally from Maryland, I have lived in a lovely little town in New Zealand called Nelson for the past fifteen years, where my partner Dan and I own and operate three restaurants. We have both been in hospitality for over twenty years, he a chef and me front of house, so food and restaurants are a huge passion and a central part of life. My other great passions are travel (fun fact: every travel tale mentioned in the book are true stories from my many years of world travel!), books (both reading and writing), wine, and – wait – did I mention food? I was so excited to bring all of these passions together in my first novel!
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I think my love of writing and storytelling went side by side with my love of reading, and my earliest memories are filled with books. They were not only entertaining, inspirational, and influential – they were also my friends. I always wanted to write stories that would affect others the way my favorite books have affected me.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Oh gosh, I don’t know! I’m a child of the 80’s though, so the books that come to mind as the first ’big kid’ books would have been by Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, and Roald Dahl.
- The one that made you want to become an author: I remember reading Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret when I was a child and that was when I started avidly writing journals. I remember being so inspired to read a book that was about a real girl, with real feelings, living real life with real problems, too.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Flowers in the Attic. I remember getting the series when I was twelve and reading those books and I was so unbelievably affected. I don’t even know why! I’ve read the series eight times!
(Were they supposed to be lightning answers? Oops….)
Your debut novel, The Secrets of the Little Greek Taverna, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Friendship, food, travel, romance, magic.
What can readers expect?
I wanted to write a novel that charmed and delighted the readers from start to finish. To whisk them away to Greece, the quirky characters of the small town of Potamia on Naxos winning them over and making them laugh. To believe, just for a moment, that magic could happen, that it was happening. Oh, and to finish each chapter very, very hungry!
Where did the inspiration for The Secrets of the Little Greek Taverna come from?
Out of writer’s block! I started writing this story in lockdown in 2020. Originally, I sat down to write a travel memoir but decided instead that I wanted to write something fictional, something escapist and transportive – something I’d want to be reading during lockdown! So I took my new character Marjory ‘Jory’ St. James, an avid and passionate traveler, to Greece to explore the island of Naxos (a favorite place I’ve been), and fall in love. It started as a contemporary romance, actually. When I got writer’s block, about 20,000 words in, I stumbled upon one of my boyfriend’s 473 cookbooks, hit the Greek shelf, and decided to write a recipe. Suddenly Cressida, a minor character that that stage, became a magical baker! The Secrets of the Little Greek Taverna suddenly had a title, a plot, a dream and a vision.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved writing comedic moments! Some of it came in the first draft but when I got to the editing phase of really developing the characters, I started creating quirks and idiosyncrasies, and adding in a good deal of humor. When someone tells me they had a laugh out loud moment when reading my book I get a little thrill.
This is your debut published novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
Writing, editing, writing, editing – for about a year before beginning to submit. And then, like all writers and artists, the road was paved with rejection! I was submitting the synopsis to agents for a year before it was picked up by a publishing company. Once the journey began and I was signed to be published, what a journey! The realization that your life dream is becoming a reality, the work involved taking your idea and turning it into the best version of itself on the page with amazing editors to help. And then publication day – to see it in a bookshop! Greatest day of my life.
What’s next for you?
I am currently editing my next novel which will come out this time next year. This next novel takes place on the Chesapeake Bay of Maryland, where I’m from. It will have all the elements that I loved writing about in Taverna – food, wine, friendship, travel, romance, and a good bit of magic.
Lastly, are there any book releases that you’re looking forward to picking up this year?
I was so excited that Emily Henry had a new book, Funny Story, coming out, so I’ve been waiting for that for months! She is the queen of laugh-out-loud moments. I’ve been so busy editing the past month I haven’t had time to read so I cannot wait to get on the plane tomorrow (to come back to the US for the launch in Maryland!) and spend a fourteen-hour flight just reading her book!
