STELLA QUINN'S TRAVEL BY THE BOOK POST#1: How a book retreat on Amorgos, Greece, reminded me why I love writing

Destination reading ... it's a thing. Let me explain.

[Image credits Canva, all images purchased.]

I’ve been thinking for some time about starting a podcast called Travel by the Book. The premise is this: I (or one of my writer mates) travel somewhere, and I (or they) read fiction (preferably) or non-fiction (grudgingly) set in or near the travel destination, and the podcast then discusses not only the travel journey, but also the reading journey. Did we fall in love with the setting? How was the place different from the era in which the book was set? Did we notice social change, stunning architecture, a surplus of annoying tourists? How awesome was the food?

What’s stopping me from turning this idea into reality? Time, of course. I’m time poor because I have to prioritise writing my own books. Then there’s my fear of the pitfalls of editing audio. (Also commitment issues, lol.)

But in the interim, you will not be surprised to learn I have no fear of writing articles, so welcome to the this not-quite-a-podcast Travel by the Book post. Let me tell you about Amorgos Island, Greece.

First: Amorgos

Why did I go? I had edits to finish on A Snowy River Summer, (out March 2025) and nothing gets me editing as efficiently as a deadline, so I needed to get those edits done. Also, going to a Greek Island has been on my bucket list since forever. Lastly, I saw a writing retreat being advertised by Imagine Greece Retreats which was offering a mix of the writing side of fiction (research, craft) and the practical side (marketing), both of which are of course important to any writer no matter what stage of the writer’s journey they’re on.

I flew in from Dubrovnik to Athens, and I stayed overnight near Monastiraki Square, where the retreat group were meeting for an authentic Greek dinner. I do not think I have ever seen so many people eating and drinking in the one place as that night. Not hundreds, but thousands of people. I found that astonishing. Overwhelming, even. I was grateful the retreat host Jonas had given us all great directions. I was early (I’m always early) to dinner so I spent some time browsing market stalls and checked out the old building near the square. And by old, I mean old. Hadrian’s Library, in fact. 2nd century AD, parts of it. Yep … old.

Next day was an early taxi, a seasickness tablet, a long and a short ferry ride to Amorgos, a bus trip across a mountain, and when, late afternoon, the bus pulled into the narrow gravelled way at the entrance to Lakkia Village Hotel, I fell in love. With everything. The bougainvillea, the blue doors, the white walls, the braying donkey, the ksiro lefko krasi, the olive trees, the balmy breeze, my room, the mythos beer, the hosts, the lurking aunties who ran the kitchen, the hottie serving drinks at the bar, the freaking tomatoes.

I could go on, but this seems like one of those times where I should let the pictures do the talking, so here we go …

Just 9 of the 1000 photos I took on Amorgos

Second: How Amorgos reminded me I love writing

Our writing hosts for the week were thriller author Jonas Saul, historical and fantasy author Chris (CC) Humphreys, with guest appearances by thriller writer Rania Stone. My fellow attendees came from as many countries as they did backgrounds: Panama, Germany, the States, Athens, Canada and Australia, journalism, nursing, logistics, the travel industry, retail, and finance to name just some. Our goals in writing were just as diverse: fantasy, memoir, creative non-fiction, contemporary drama, historical fiction, travel and how-to guides …

The thing about hanging out with fellow writers is that they just get it. What “it” is I struggle to articulate, but here goes: writing is a solitary pursuit and other writers get that; imposter syndrome is real; hanging out with other writers and talking about fight scenes or white space on a page or voice or research rabbit holes is like lighting a bunsen burner under my writing mojo. It fires me up enough to get through the solitary writing months ahead …

Also, the sea helped my busy brain take a back seat for a while. So did the sky. And the rocks and the olive trees and the grilled eggplant at the breakfast buffet. The ginger cat curled up on the raffia seat, the village dog, the timber boats rocking at the dock. All these things reminded me of beauty, and time, and stillness, and focus and what matters to me: writing.

Hanging out with the retreat attendees and hosts was not only fun but it allowed me to people watch from very close up. I love a novel that digs deep into specificity (which is a word I struggle to say because I have a bit of a lisp). I think specificity is one of the cornerstones of having good “voice” as a writer. People, and people watching, are the key to specificity. Imagine we’re sitting at the bar and we overhear someone describes their wife as “my woman”. I’m remembering that. I’m finding a way to work that into a novel and have my character decide whether it’s an adorable turn of phrase that makes a partner feel loved and cherished, or paternalistic language that needs to be stomped on. (Or both, as is often the case, and maybe at the same time - the joy of language and emotion and the complicated dynamics of people!) Bring a rescue dog to a Greek island writing retreat from Germany, on a journey that encompassed planes and ferries and hire cars and taxis and buses? I’m putting you in a novel. (Hello, Andrea and Mia.) Telling me you once acted for a year on The Bill as PC Turnham? That’s right, the home of the phrase: “You’re nicked.” Well, thank you, Chris, now I want to write a crime novel. Hanging out with people, watching them, chatting with them, (okay, eavesdropping …) it’s fodder. It’s awesome, wonderful, rich fodder.

And best of all? I had the time every afternoon to scribble all this wonderful specificity into my notebook.

Looking at these photos makes me want to back this instant

Third: What is Destination Reading and why is it a thing?

Destination reading is knowing you’re going on holiday somewhere and then choosing to look about you for books set in your holiday destination, or written by someone from that destination, and then—and this is the important bit—reflecting on those reads while you’re there.

Did I reflect on My Family and Other Animals while I was in Greece? You bet I did. What flummoxed me most of all was that two of my hosts, Jonas and Rania, hadn’t heard of it, and Chris Humphreys pronounced Durrell as Duh-rell. I mean … WTF? Have I been wrong all these years pronouncing it as Duh-rull?

Did I reflect on Captain Corelli’s Mandolin? On the Mammamia movie? On Colin Firth’s misguided confidence in his singing ability? You bet I did.

And this reflection, all of it, the trivial, the inane, and the profound … all of it made my experience at Amorgos better.

My goal for my next travel experience is to lean into destination reading more deeply.

Some eclectic Greek Island Travel by the Book recommendations:

My Family and Other Animals, by Gerald Durrell

I read this as a school-set text way back in 1982, and the fabulousness of this book has stayed with me ever since. It is set on Corfu in the years prior to WW2 and it is comical and heartwarming and joyous.

Published 1956, but my bet it hasn’t been out of print ever, that’s how good this book is. Recently turned into a BBC mini series. I’ve watched the first episode and loved it.

One Summer in Santorini, by Sandy Barker

Full disclosure: I know Sandy. Which is why, when I saw her book in the Athens Airport bookstore, I squealed. Pretty sure I took a photo, too, so if I find it I’ll add it here. I haven’t read it yet, but the reviews on Amazon (all 5,371 of them as at today’s date) are raving about it.

Published 2019, available on Amazon and elsewhere.

Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, by Louis de Bernieres

Wow. Wow, wow, wow. That part where the Captain and Pelagia are foraging for mushrooms together?? Forever emblazoned on my heart. Set on Cephallonia in WW2. The book has an unusual narrative style in that the first sizeable chunk is very different in style to the subsequent chunk (Keep reading. I promise you, you need to keep reading).

Published 1994, surely available everywhere still as it’s been so popular, also a movie starring Nicholas Cage back before he turned into a mullet-sporting action hero with questionable taste in screenplays.

Dark Visions by Jonas Saul

Okay, not set in Greece. Not about Greece, no Greek references, nothing Greek at all … BUT … the reason I was on Amorgos was for a writing retreat which was run by Jonas Saul. His author wife is Greek. Her Greek aunties own the family hotel where the retreat was held. There’s Greekness on the periphery …

Dark Visions is the first in the Sarah Barrie thriller series. “The female Jason Bourne”, Jonas said to me about his Sarah. He also said during the writer’s retreat that exclamation points were the work of the devil or somesuch, so I have made a point of including some in this paragraph. Like this one! And these two!! And this triplebanger!!!

Published 2010, available on Amazon and via Jonas’s website.

Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis

Considered a classic, written in Greek and available in translation, this is set in Crete (the next island on from Amorgos) in 1946, and follows the fortunes of Zorba, who works in a mine on the island. Recommended by the destination reading blogger 25 Books Set In Greece To Read Before Visiting | A Well-Read Wanderer (awellreadwanderer.com)

First published in 1946, turned into a film in 1964, and also into a stage musical and a BBC radio play.

My next post is imminent as I have a Christmas prize to announce, and a new cover to boast about, so you’ll be hearing from me again before too long.

Until next time,

Stella Quinn xx