ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Much of this novel was written on Whadjuk Noongar Boodja. I pay my respects to the Elders, past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded.

Thank you to my parents, Nicolas and Maria Tsokos, for fostering my love of reading and writing from a young age and always prioritising my education above everything else. I also want to thank my sister Tess and brother Con for sharing our special and unique childhood together. I hope that you’ve enjoyed reading Matia.

Thank you to my grandparents Amelia and Con Tsokos, my dearest Yiayia and Pappou, whom I was lucky enough to live close to my whole life until very recently. I think of you both everyday and will miss you always.

My other Yiayia, Despina Couanis, who left us very early. And two of my great-grandmothers whom I spent time with as a child, Aspasia Pilatis and my Yiayoula, Mary Zounis. And to all the other Greek and Greek-Australian women along the way. Thank you for the strength and inspiration as I’ve written these stories.

Many years ago I spent time in Evia, Greece with my family there and although the island of Aeaea is fictional in this story (and taken from mythology), I have used it as inspiration for the novel. Thank you to my family in Greece who have always been so welcoming.

I want to thank my mother’s side of the family for the years of Greek weddings and traditions from Kastellorizo that captured my imagination as a child, and gave me the inspiration to write about them.

Thank you also to my extended family, cousins, friends and colleagues all over the world. You have all helped me write this book.

Thanks to my writing tutors in New York in that brutal winter of 2013–2014, Martha Ellen Hughes at NYU and Lisa Garrigues at the 92Y.

To my writing groups who have been extremely generous with their feedback on this novel and various other manuscripts over a number of years – Alison Davis in Perth, and online – Kate Galloway in Sydney and Mary Smith, Susan Swan and Clare Zinkin in the UK. Thank you. A special thank you to Mary for her amazing help in the final stages. I owe you a manuscript.

Thanks to friends Deanne and Peter Bouhlas. Thanks Deanne for help on the traditions. Thanks Peter for checking the Greek I’ve used in the book. All mistakes/interpretations are mine.

Thanks to the Debut Crew 2024 for the writing camaraderie. I hope more of us get to meet in person as we navigate this new world together.

I also want to thank all my friends and readers who signed up to my newsletter and literary subscription – Kaló Taxídi – I really appreciate your support. If you’ve enjoyed reading Matia, please look it up online.

A special thank you to Kate Pickard, who chose this manuscript for publication amongst the thousands she receives. Huge thanks also to Lauren Pratt, Nicole van Kan and the whole UWAP board and book production team. Thank you also to Kirstie Innes-Will for the polished editing, Mika Tabata for the stunning cover and Brendan Fredericks for getting the word out. It’s such a pleasure working with you all on Matia.

The biggest thank you to Duncan, for being a wonderful partner and consequently patron of the arts, supporting this book and me over many years and equally, to our amazing children, Louis, Juliet and Thomas, for being their wonderful selves everyday. I’m so incredibly lucky and grateful to be on this journey with the four of you. Thank you.

Emily Tsokos Purtill, 2024