Beef and Lentil Soup

Just love this cooler
weather now in Cyprus, still nice to go to the beach but in the evenings I'm
feeling a little chilly, craving something warm and comforting. How about a
hearty, delicious soup full of goodness?! I found this recipe which is a meal
in itself, served with lovely fresh bread, just perfect!  Hope you like it!!  
Ingredients
2 tbls Olive Oil
750g boneless stewing
beef, cut into cubes
Salt & pepper
3 celery stalks,
chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 large onion,
chopped
6 garlic cloves,
chopped
1 ½ tsp chopped rosemary
leaves
1 ½ dried oregano
1 can of tomatoes
2 cups of lentils,
rinsed
1.3 cup fresh
parsley
Method
Heat the oil in a
large heavy pot over a medium heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt & pepper.
Add to the pot and brown on all sides until brown, about 8 minutes should do
it. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a bowl and set aside.
Add the celery, carrots,
onion, garlic, rosemary and oregano to the pot. Sauté until the onions are
transparent.
Return the beef to
the pot and any accumulated juices from the pot.
Add the tomatoes and
cover with water. Bring to the boil. Now reduce heat to medium, cover and
simmer until meat is just tender, stirring occasionally and if needed add a
little water.
Add the lentils and
continue to cook until tender, add water if necessary but make sure you're left
with   a lovely thick sauce. Season with salt and
pepper. Sprinkle with the fresh parsley.


Androulla xx

Alice's Wonderland



Little Muse Theatre presents Alice’s Wonderland

Written by Catherine Beger (Former Co-Director of Antidote Theatre)
Directed by Torkild Lindebjerg
Designer: Liene Kalpisa
Cast: Catherine Beger & Lefteris Moschvias

Alice’s Wonderland is a devised musical adaptation of the children’s classic: Alice in Wonderland. Directed by Torkild Lindebjerg, the underlying theme is how a child can find their own voice, as they grow in confidence empowered by their personal exploration. Using a unique combination of live percussion, song and theatre

The Carnival has come to town! Mr Apollonius is a travelling showman and he is eager for his daughter Alice to follow in his footsteps. But each and every one of us has our own song to sing and our own white rabbit to chase......tumbling into Wonderland Alice meets a host of strange characters and begins a journey of discovery to find her own voice.

Sunday 17th November 11am & 4pm
Sunday 15th December 11am & 4pm

In English

For information and reservations: 96216435

----------------------------------------------------

Το Θέατρο Little Muse
παρουσιάζει
Η Αλίκη και η Χώρα των Θαυμάτων
της Catherine Beger (πρώην συνδιευθύντρια στο Θέατρο Αντίδοτο)

Σκηνοθεσία: Torkild Lindebjerg
Σχεδιασμός: Liene Kalpisa
Ηθοποιοί: Catherine Beger & Lefteris Moschovias

Σε αγγλικούς διαλόγους.

Η Αλίκη και η Χώρα των Θαυμάτων είναι μια μουσική προσαρμογή του κλασικού παιδικού μυθιστορήματος: Η Αλίκη στη Χώρα των Θαυμάτων. Σε σκηνοθεσία Torkild Lindebjerg, το έργο περιστρέφεται γύρω από το πώς ένα παιδί βρίσκει τη φωνή του ενώ αποκτά αυτοπεποίθηση μέσω της προσωπικής αναζήτησης. Το έργο αποτελεί ένα μοναδικό συνδυασμό κρουστών, τραγουδιού και θεάτρου.

Το θέατρο έρχεται στην πόλη μας! Ο κ. Απολλώνιος είναι ένας περιπλανώμενος θιασάρχης και ανυπομονεί να ακολουθήσει και η κόρη του τα βήματά του. Όμως ο καθένας μας έχει το δικό του τραγούδι να τραγουδήσει και το δικό του άσπρο κούνελο να κυνηγήσει...μπαίνοντας μέσα στην Χώρα των Θαυμάτων η Αλίκη συναντά διάφορους περίεργους χαρακτήρες και ξεκινά το ταξίδι προς την ανακάλυψη της δικής της φωνής.

Κυριακή 17 Νοεμβρίου 11πμ & 4μμ
Κυριακή 15 Δεκεμβρίου 11πμ & 4μμ

Για περισσότερες πληροφορίες τηλεφωνήστε στο 96216435

LPN Weekly Hang out

Coming January 2013  ...



If you are looking to make new friends, hang out and have fun with like minded Mums Dads Carers & Kids Join us every Wednesday between 4pm- 6pm :0)



Check out what’s on 

Monthly schedule
Coming Soon




For further Information 
info@larnacaparnetsnetwork.com

LPN Interviews the Young Writer and Author of ''The Lands Beyond'', Marie Lange


It's with great pleasure that we share this most recent exclusive interview on Larnaca Parents Network with the young, talented and passionate Marie Lange.

Marie Lange is a young writer and author of the youth fiction book ''The Lands Beyond''. The most impressive fact is that she was only 15 when she wrote it and already has her book published on Amazon!

This interview was conducted on September 20th for LPN, when the young writer was invited to our offices with her mother. In this interview, Marie talks about her first book, her passion for writing and introduces us to her world.

Q: First of all, nice having you here with us. When did you come to Cyprus and why ?

A: I was born in Germany to German and American parents. I came to Cyprus in January 2009 because my father is a missionary and this is the reason we moved to Larnaca. We plan to stay open-ended, and we like it here.

Q: Why did you decide to write a book?

A: I like writing, I like creating stories!. When I started writing I had this picture in my head of a whole new world that I wanted to get down on paper. It was really fun creating it!

Q:We had a look at your book and we feel that your story seems to be a combination of science fiction and a fairy tale. What inspired you to write your first book?

A: Thank you... I have always liked reading. I've been reading since I was four and I have been writing stories for about two years now, mostly writing fan fiction stories. My mother told me about NaNoWriMo, which is National Novel Writing Month... It's a program in the US where you write a novel in 30 days.

Q: Is NaNoWriMo a competition for young writers?

A: Not quite, you don't win as such, you just do it! You complete it and then you feel really glad because you finished a book! You write 50,000 words in 30 days and I thought I should give it a try and... I got a book out of it!

Q: What is the story of your book?

A: It's about a girl called Zephyr. She is 15 and she lives in Chicago. She can control the air and the wind etc, and she can fly too, something that I always found fascinating! She goes to this other world, a world of new friends, new powers but also new dangers. She starts training her powers at the school and then the government of the country collapses and these powers start trying to take over the world. Now she has to control her powers and adjust to her new life... So, read the book and find out the rest! [laughing]

Q: Are characters based on someone you know or fictional?

A: The main character is based a lot on me but I think she is much nicer than I am [she laughs] and the relationships between Zephyr and her friends are very similar as we are about the same age.

Q: Is there a message in your book that you desire readers to grasp? Is this a happy ending story?

A: Yes, there is ... I don't like sad endings, there are depressing... It's about working together and overcoming differences! These are four types of ''elementals'' that are different and have a long history of not getting on well, but these four teenagers have to work together and overcome their differences! So, it's primarily about working together... People are people and it doesn't matter what society thinks you are. People should accept you for that.

Q: Are you going to write a sequel?

A: Yes, I have started to plan it and I am going to start writing it next year. However, this time I am going to have a plot already worked out, something that didn't happen with my first book.

Marie while working on her book
 Q:What was the process of publishing your book on Amazon?

A: It took me a month to write it. I wrote it by hand and then typed it into the computer every few days. Then, the editing took another five months. I think I had about three or four drafts, where I had to check the spelling and if the story flowed correctly, and if I had anyone acting out of character and so on. I set the book up at Createspace, which is a company associated with Amazon. A friend of mine helped me because he had already published a book and had a good understanding of how things worked. I was a little confused and he helped me with the formatting. It didn't cost anything except shipping the proofs, because I had a coupon for five free copies from NaNoWriMo for "winning." There were things that I could have done to distribute it further but I would have had to pay money, however as it was already on Amazon, I didn't pay a single cent, so that was good.

Q: Were your family and friends supportive while you were writing your book?

A: Yes, my family supported me emotionally and gave me the space I needed! However, they were asking me for the end of the story but I wasn't telling them! Also, I have a friend, Charis, who wrote a novel as well, so the two of us talked a lot about our novels, how to get our characters to do what we want them to do, how hard it is etc. It was fun having someone to talk to!

As Marie came along with her mother, we had the chance to have a discussion with her as well and find out more about her daughter.

Q: Do you consider your daughter to be different from other children of her age? 

A: Doesn't everyone thinks that his or her daughter is unique? It's exciting and interesting, and at the same time I'm surprised that she thinks she has only been writing for two years now, because I would say she has been writing for 12 years!

Q: Do you remember your daughter's first story?

A: Her first written story was when she was about five years old and was about Peter and Jane going to the circus!

Q: Back to you Marie...Do you have any favorite TV cartoon characters?

A: Not really, no! I read books! I do not watch TV. At home we have about 3000 books so ... I read... Not all of them of course... yet! [laughing]

Q: Do you consider yourself different than other children?

A: Not really, I believe everyone is different... as my book suggests. Everyone is different but they are still people! I think being home educated I have had the freedom to invest in my hobbies, to have time to write and read books. I like reading a lot more than most other people my age I guess. But there are people who are doing many more things than I do, so I don't believe I am much different from others... I just prioritize writing.

Q: Do you have any other hobbies except for writing?

A: I  play violin. I started when I was nine and I have played in orchestras in Nicosia and Limassol. I am considering studying music but I'm not too sure about it yet.

Q: What dream do you have about your future?

A: I have no idea yet! I think it would be ideal if I could be a concert violinist but I know that is really hard. I also want to keep writing. I am not planning to get rich, I just want to write my books.

Q: What is the ideal world for you?

A: Ideal world? Heaven! Everyone working together!

Marie receives the 1st shipment of her book

We wish the best of luck to Marie, to keep on writing and achieving her goals. We will keep an eye on this young girl because we believe she has a bright future. 

You can find her book on Amazon US, Amazon Denmark and Amazon UK and we highly recommend this to our audience!

This interview was conducted for LPN by Christos Aspros and was supported by Sharon Mckinley.

Larnaca Municipality - Press Release - 14-18/10/2013

As part of the effort to provide accurate information to Larnaca citizens and to the general public regarding the activities and operations of the Town, you can read the weekly newsletter Press Release here.

www.larnaka.com

CULTURAL EVENTS
For information Larnaca Municipal Cultural Services tel 24657745 , 24629333

THEATRE
Tuesday, the 15th 8:30 pm
MUNICIPAL THEATRE
TRS - 018 Scene "Romeo and Juliet for Two " of Kostas Gaki Athena Moustakas , Kostas Bibby . Director: Kostas Gakis . Entrance € 12 & € 6 ( pupils, students , soldiers , pensioners , unemployed )

CINEMA
Wednesday, the 16th , 23 & 30 8:30 pm
MULTIPLEX WAREHOUSE ROAD SAINT LAZARUS 81-83
ITALIAN FILM DAYS
Wednesday 16: «SignorinaEffe» the WilmaLabate ( drama , 2008, 95 ' )
Wednesday 23: «GliAmicidelBarMargherita» of PupiAvati ( comedy , 2009, 90 ')
Wednesday 30: «Caravaggio» of AngeloLongoni ( biography , 2007, 180 ' )
Language: Italian ( with English subtitles )
Organizers : Embassy of Italy & Larnaka Municipality
Admission is free

THEATRE
Saturday, the 19th at 4:00 pm
MUNICIPAL THEATRE
TRS - 018 Scene " Trelantonis " Penelope Delta . Directed B. Murianthopoulos . Entrance € 6 ( suitable for all ages )

Charity Event
Sunday, the 20th 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 pm
BENCH BEACH / SQUARE KIMONOS
24th Radiomarathonios Love Feast Larnaca. Artistic program , activities for children and charity bazaar .

THEATRE PERFORMANCES BY "SKALA"

THEATRE
Saturday, the 19th & 26th 8:30 pm
Sunday, the 20th & 27 8:30 pm
Pattichion THEATRE "ladder"
Second Stage "The Rooster of Annettas " Michael Pasiardis
Director: Andreas Melek ( Premiere October 19, 2013 )
Entrance € 12 & € 7 ( pupils, students , soldiers , pensioners , large families )

THEATRE
Sunday, the 20th & 27 10:30 a.m.
Pattichion THEATRE "ladder"
Children's Tent " PoukyMpou the Elf of the Forest" by Helen Artemisou Photiadou
Director: Monica Meleki . Entrance € 7 ( suitable for all ages )

WORKS
The Technical Department of the Municipality informs the public that among 14- 18/10/2013 the following structures will be conducted:

  • Construction of sidewalks on the streets of Lefkas (continued )
  • Repairs Excavating service routes Iris , Helen Palaioginas and Lefkas
  • Repairs Excavating boardwalk in Seaside Front Foinikoude
  • Maintenance and cleaning trays / culverts on roads Onisilos , Tefkrou , Onasagorou and Kalogera
  • Culvert placement for puddles behind Terasanta
  • Plastering - bogiantisma wall of Metropolis Street Hamit Bey
  • Configuration green space in the park on the street Efrosini Tarsi (continued )
  • Rubbing roads / premix in Vergina

FINANCE DEPARTMENT
The Economics Department of Larnaca Municipality informs the public that there have been sent notices for Rights chaff, tax professional and licensed professionals premises for 2013.
Payments can be made in all the Banks, Cooperative Societies, through JCC and online.

The public should trim its debts to the Larnaca Municipality time within the specified time frame.

WASTE WATER PROJECTS
Larnaca Sewerage Board informs the public that between 14 - 18.10.2013 construction works will be carried out at the following streets :

  • Ilisos Street
  • Area by the Technical School of St. Lazarus (in front of the Technical School )

URBAN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES
The "Mediterranean Network for the promotion of sustainable urban strategy and three new urban strategies (USUDS)", has been approved by the European Programme ENPICBCMED and will last approximately 20 months.
For more information visit:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/usuds.larnaka
LinkedIn:
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=275803576&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile
Blog:
http://www.larnakausuds.blogspot.com

Δήμος Λάρνακας - Δελτίο Τύπου - 14-18/10/2013

Στα πλαίσια της προσπάθειας για έγκυρη ενημέρωση των δημοτών και γενικότερα του κοινού σε σχέση με τις δραστηριότητες και τις ενέργειες του Δήμου, δημοσιεύουμε εδώ, εκ μέρους του Δήμου Λάρνακας, το εβδομαδιαίο ενημερωτικό Δελτίο Τύπου.


ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΤΙΚΕΣ ΕΚΔΗΛΩΣΕΙΣ 
Για πληροφορίες Πολιτιστική Υπηρεσία Δήμου Λάρνακας τηλ. 24657745, 24629333

ΘΕΑΤΡΟ 
Τρίτη 15 8:30 μ.μ.
ΔΗΜΟΤΙΚΟ ΘΕΑΤΡΟ
ΘΟΚ – Σκηνή 018 «Ρωμαίος και Ιουλιέτα για Δυο» των Κώστα Γάκη, Αθηνάς Μουστάκα, Κώστα Μπίμπη. Σκηνοθεσία: Κώστας Γάκης. Είσοδος €12 & €6 (μαθητές, φοιτητές, στρατιώτες, συνταξιούχοι, άνεργοι)

ΚΙΝΗΜΑΤΟΓΡΑΦΟΣ 
Τετάρτη 16, 23 & 30 8:30 μ.μ.
ΠΟΛΥΧΩΡΟΣ ΑΠΟΘΗΚΕΣ ΟΔΟΣ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΛΑΖΑΡΟΥ 81-83
ΗΜΕΡΕΣ ΙΤΑΛΙΚΟΥ ΚΙΝΗΜΑΤΟΓΡΑΦΟΥ
Τετάρτη 16: «SignorinaEffe» της WilmaLabate (δράμα, 2008, 95’)
Τετάρτη 23: «GliAmicidelBarMargherita» του PupiAvati (κωμωδία, 2009, 90’)
Τετάρτη 30: «Caravaggio» του AngeloLongoni (βιογραφία, 2007, 180’)
Γλώσσα: ιταλικά (με αγγλικούς υποτίτλους)
Διοργανωτές: Πρεσβεία Ιταλίας & Δήμος Λάρνακας
Είσοδος ελεύθερη

ΘΕΑΤΡΟ 
Σάββατο 19 4:00 μ.μ.
ΔΗΜΟΤΙΚΟ ΘΕΑΤΡΟ
ΘΟΚ – Σκηνή 018 «Τρελαντώνης» της Πηνελόπης Δέλτα. Σκηνοθεσία: Β. Μυριανθόπουλος. Είσοδος €6 (κατάλληλο για όλες τις ηλικίες)

ΦΙΛΑΝΘΡΩΠΙΚΗ ΕΚΔΗΛΩΣΗ 
Κυριακή 20 10:00 π.μ. – 8:00 μ.μ.
ΕΞΕΔΡΑ ΠΑΡΑΛΙΑΣ / ΠΛΑΤΕΙΑ ΚΙΜΩΝΟΣ
24ος Ραδιομαραθώνιος Πανηγύρι Αγάπης Λάρνακας. Καλλιτεχνικό πρόγραμμα, δραστηριότητες για παιδιά & φιλανθρωπικό παζαράκι.

ΠΑΡΑΣΤΑΣΕΙΣ ΘΕΑΤΡΟΥ «ΣΚΑΛΑ»

ΘΕΑΤΡΟ 
Σάββατο 19 & 26 8:30 μ.μ.
Κυριακή 20 & 27 8:30 μ.μ.
ΠΑΤΤΙΧΕΙΟ ΘΕΑΤΡΟ «ΣΚΑΛΑ»
Δεύτερη Σκηνή «Ο Πετεινός της Αννέττας» του Μιχάλη Πασιαρδή
Σκηνοθεσία: Ανδρέας Μελέκης (Πρεμιέρα 19 Οκτωβρίου 2013)
Είσοδος €12 & €7 (μαθητές, φοιτητές, στρατιώτες, συνταξιούχοι, πολύτεκνοι)

ΘΕΑΤΡΟ 
Κυριακή 20 & 27 10:30 π.μ.
ΠΑΤΤΙΧΕΙΟ ΘΕΑΤΡΟ «ΣΚΑΛΑ»
Παιδική Σκηνή «ΠούκυΜπου, το Ξωτικό του Δάσους» της Ελένης Αρτεμίου Φωτιάδου
Σκηνοθεσία: Μόνικα Μελέκη. Είσοδος €7 (κατάλληλο για όλες τις ηλικίες)

ΤΕΧΝΙΚΑ ΕΡΓΑ 
Η Τεχνική Υπηρεσία του Δήμου πληροφορεί το κοινό ότι μεταξύ 14– 20/10/2013 θα διεξάγονται και θα συνεχίζονται τα πιο κάτω τεχνικά έργα:
  • Κατασκευή πεζοδρομίων στις οδούς Λευκάδος (συνεχίζεται) 
  • Επιδιορθώσεις εκσκαφών υπηρεσιών στις οδούς Ίριδος, Ελένης Παλαιογίνας και Λευκαδός 
  • Επιδιορθώσεις εκσκαφών πεζοδρόμιων στο Παραλιακό Μέτωπο των Φοινικούδων 
  • Συντήρηση και καθάρισμα σχαρών/οχετών στις οδούς Ονήσιλου, Τεύκρου, Ονασαγόρου, και Καλογερά 
  • Τοποθέτηση οχετού για λιμνάζοντα νερά πίσω από την Τερασάντα 
  • Σοβάτισμά – μπογιάντισμα τοίχου της Μητρόπολις στην οδό Χαμίτ Μπέη 
  • Διαμόρφωση χώρου πρασίνου στο πάρκο στην οδό Εφροσύνης Ταρσή (συνεχίζεται) 
  • Επαλείψεις δρόμων/ πρέμιξ στην περιοχή Βεργίνας 
ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΙΚΟ ΤΜΗΜΑ
Το Οικονομικό Τμήμα του Δήμου Λάρνακας, πληροφορεί το κοινό ότι για το έτος 2013 έχουν αποσταλεί οι ειδοποιήσεις για τα δικαιώματα Δημοτικού Φόρου Ακίνητης Ιδιοκτησίας, Δικαιωμάτων Σκυβάλων, Επαγγελματικού Φόρου και Αδειών Επαγγελματικών Υποστατικών. Για τα προηγούμενα έτη συνεχίζεται η είσπραξη με προσεπιβάρυνση 10%.
Πληρωμές γίνονται σε όλες τις Τράπεζες, Συνεργατικά Ιδρύματα και μέσω του διαδιχτύου και της JCC.

Παρακαλείται το κοινό όπως τακτοποιήσει τις οφειλές του προς το Δήμο Λάρνακας έγκαιρα και μέσα στα καθορισμένα χρονικά περιθώρια προς αποφυγή πληρωμής πρόσθετων επιβαρύνσεων.

Urban Sustainable Development Strategies 
Το πρόγραμμα «Μεσογειακό Δίκτυο για την προώθηση της αειφόρου αστικής στρατηγικής και οι τρεις νέες στρατηγικές αστικής ανάπτυξης (USUDS)", έχει εγκριθεί από το Ευρωπαϊκό Πρόγραμμα ENPICBCMED-και θα διαρκέσει 20 μήνες περίπου.
Για περισσότερες πληροφορίες επισκεφτείτε:
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/usuds.larnaka
LinkedIn: 
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=275803576&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile
Blog: 
http://www.larnakausuds.blogspot.com

ΑΠΟΧΕΤΕΥΤΙΚΑ ΕΡΓΑ
Το Συμβούλιο Αποχετεύσεων Λάρνακας πληροφορεί το κοινό ότι μεταξύ των ημερομηνιών 14–20/10/2013 θα διεξάγονται κατασκευαστικά έργα στους πιο κάτω δρόμους:
  • Οδός Ιλισού 
  • Περιοχή Τεχνικής Σχολής Αγίου Λαζάρου (μπροστά από την Τεχνική Σχολή)

Chicken Korma



Apparently this week is 'Curry Week', good excuse to choose a recipe from this popular and much-loved cuisine. Curries always remind me of my Uncle Andy, a great lover of curries, who introduced me to my first curry dish. Growing up, I never liked this spicy dish and whenever my Mum cooked a curry, I preferred to have something else, until I visited my family in Cheltenham. My Uncle, who sadly died a few years ago, being a stubborn man, decided this won't do and off we went to have a family meal in a lovely little Indian restaurant. He ordered a few dishes,which he put in front of me, I tried them, but no, it just didn't work. Uncle Andy was not about to give up, so he called the waiter, ordered another dish, which was brought before me. I took a bite and that was it, I was hooked, that dish was Chicken Korma. Growing older, I have become more adventurous with my curry dishes but this one remains my favourite, because, like I said many times, food is not always just about stirring our taste buds but also about the memories and people attached to that particular food experience!!

Ingredients
2 tbl soil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves
4 cardamon pods, crushed
4 chickenbreasts cut into bit-sized pieces
3 garlic cloves, crushed
4 cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 tsp ground coriander, 1/4 tsp allspice, 1 ½ tsp cumin,1/2 tsp turmeric,1 tsp mild
chilli pepper
2 tsp tomato puree
75g ground almonds
250ml chicken stock
200ml cream
Salt & pepper
50g flaked almonds

Method
Heat oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion, cloves and cardamom pods for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften.
Add the chicken, garlic and ginger and, after frying for 4 minutes, add all the remaining spices. Stir around in the pan, allowing them to release their flavour into the chicken.
Add the tomato puree, ground almonds, stock and cream and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes until reduced to the consistency of thick cream. Taste and add seasoning.
Scatter over the toasted almonds and serve rice and naan bread.

Androulla
xxx

LPN Interviews the Young Writer and Author of ''The Lands Beyond'', Marie Lange

It's with great pleasure that we share this most recent exclusive interview on Larnaca Parents Network with the young, talented and passionate Marie Lange.

Marie Lange is a young writer and author of the youth fiction book ''The Lands Beyond''. The most impressive fact is that she was only 15 when she wrote it and already has her book published on Amazon!

This interview was conducted on September 20th for LPN, when the young writer was invited to our offices with her mother. In this interview, Marie talks about her first book, her passion for writing and introduces us to her world.

Q: First of all, nice having you here with us. When did you come to Cyprus and why ?

A: I was born in Germany to German and American parents. I came to Cyprus in January 2009 because my father is a missionary and this is the reason we moved to Larnaca. We plan to stay open-ended, and we like it here.

Q: Why did you decide to write a book?

A: I like writing, I like creating stories!. When I started writing I had this picture in my head of a whole new world that I wanted to get down on paper. It was really fun creating it!

Q:We had a look at your book and we feel that your story seems to be a combination of science fiction and a fairy tale. What inspired you to write your first book?

A: Thank you... I have always liked reading. I've been reading since I was four and I have been writing stories for about two years now, mostly writing fan fiction stories. My mother told me about NaNoWriMo, which is National Novel Writing Month... It's a program in the US where you write a novel in 30 days.

Q: Is NaNoWriMo a competition for young writers?

A: Not quite, you don't win as such, you just do it! You complete it and then you feel really glad because you finished a book! You write 50,000 words in 30 days and I thought I should give it a try and... I got a book out of it!

Q: What is the story of your book?

A: It's about a girl called Zephyr. She is 15 and she lives in Chicago. She can control the air and the wind etc, and she can fly too, something that I always found fascinating! She goes to this other world, a world of new friends, new powers but also new dangers. She starts training her powers at the school and then the government of the country collapses and these powers start trying to take over the world. Now she has to control her powers and adjust to her new life... So, read the book and find out the rest! [laughing]

Q: Are characters based on someone you know or fictional?

A: The main character is based a lot on me but I think she is much nicer than I am [she laughs] and the relationships between Zephyr and her friends are very similar as we are about the same age.

Q: Is there a message in your book that you desire readers to grasp? Is this a happy ending story?

A: Yes, there is ... I don't like sad endings, there are depressing... It's about working together and overcoming differences! These are four types of ''elementals'' that are different and have a long history of not getting on well, but these four teenagers have to work together and overcome their differences! So, it's primarily about working together... People are people and it doesn't matter what society thinks you are. People should accept you for that.

Q: Are you going to write a sequel?

A: Yes, I have started to plan it and I am going to start writing it next year. However, this time I am going to have a plot already worked out, something that didn't happen with my first book.

Marie while working on her book. 
Q:What was the process of publishing your book on Amazon?

A: It took me a month to write it. I wrote it by hand and then typed it into the computer every few days. Then, the editing took another five months. I think I had about three or four drafts, where I had to check the spelling and if the story flowed correctly, and if I had anyone acting out of character and so on. I set the book up at Createspace, which is a company associated with Amazon. A friend of mine helped me because he had already published a book and had a good understanding of how things worked. I was a little confused and he helped me with the formatting. It didn't cost anything except shipping the proofs, because I had a coupon for five free copies from NaNoWriMo for "winning." There were things that I could have done to distribute it further but I would have had to pay money, however as it was already on Amazon, I didn't pay a single cent, so that was good.

Q: Were your family and friends supportive while you were writing your book?

A: Yes, my family supported me emotionally and gave me the space I needed! However, they were asking me for the end of the story but I wasn't telling them! Also, I have a friend, Charis, who wrote a novel as well, so the two of us talked a lot about our novels, how to get our characters to do what we want them to do, how hard it is etc. It was fun having someone to talk to!

As Marie came along with her mother, we had the chance to have a discussion with her as well and find out more about her daughter.

Q: Do you consider your daughter to be different from other children of her age? 

A: Doesn't everyone thinks that his or her daughter is unique? It's exciting and interesting, and at the same time I'm surprised that she thinks she has only been writing for two years now, because I would say she has been writing for 12 years!

Q: Do you remember your daughter's first story?

A: Her first written story was when she was about five years old and was about Peter and Jane going to the circus!

Q: Back to you Marie...Do you have any favorite TV cartoon characters?

A: Not really, no! I read books! I do not watch TV. At home we have about 3000 books so ... I read... Not all of them of course... yet! [laughing]

Q: Do you consider yourself different than other children?

A: Not really, I believe everyone is different... as my book suggests. Everyone is different but they are still people! I think being home educated I have had the freedom to invest in my hobbies, to have time to write and read books. I like reading a lot more than most other people my age I guess. But there are people who are doing many more things than I do, so I don't believe I am much different from others... I just prioritize writing.

Q: Do you have any other hobbies except for writing?

A: I  play violin. I started when I was nine and I have played in orchestras in Nicosia and Limassol. I am considering studying music but I'm not too sure about it yet.

Q: What dream do you have about your future?

A: I have no idea yet! I think it would be ideal if I could be a concert violinist but I know that is really hard. I also want to keep writing. I am not planning to get rich, I just want to write my books.

Q: What is the ideal world for you?

A: Ideal world? Heaven! Everyone working together!


Marie receives the first shipment of
books
We wish the best of luck to Marie, to keep on writing and achieving her goals. We will keep an eye on this young girl because we believe she has a bright future. 

You can find her book on Amazon US, Amazon Denmark and Amazon UK and we highly recommend this to our audience!

This interview was conducted for LPN by Christos Aspros and was supported by Sharon Mckinley.

The Larnaka Municipality's Calendar of Events

Introducing LPN … Monthly Competitions!

Our monthly competitions are exclusive to LPN members and the answer will be found somewhere within our website: www.larnacaparentsnetwork.com which is also a great place to find out about local activities,happening events and local news…

This Month's Question: 
Sponsored by K Cineplex 

Q: When did LPN start ?

Special Note: Answers should be submitted with your name in the comment section below :0) Best of luck!


Answer below and get the chance to win 2 TICKETS  for a film of your choice from K Cineplex.

Winner will be announced Wednesday 23rd October on the Website & on facebook. 

Meatloaf

I made this a few weeks ago for my guests, served warm with creamy mashed potatoes and veg., just delicious!! Also tasty when cold, I had plenty left over for the next day, served with salad and chutney. Something for the whole family, served hot or cold as a main dish with baked or mashed potatoes, perfect for picnics or sliced thinly in sandwiches for the kid's packed lunches, meatloaf is not just so easy to make but also economical and is on top of my list of the most versatile of dishes!! Enjoy!!


Ingredients

2 tbls Butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp paprika
2 cups day old bread, crust removed and diced
½ cup milk
2 tbls Parsley, finely chopped
750 g Beef mince
250 g Bacon, minced in food processor
2 Eggs
Salt & Pepper
Method

In a medium sized pot, start cooking the onion with the butter until transparent. Then add the garlic, continue to cook. Add the paprika. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Soak the bread in the milk and leave until all the milk is absorbed.

In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Now add the onion and garlic and then the bread squeezing out any excess milk beforehand.

Pack into a loaf tin (coated with a little oil). And cook for about an hour and a half on 250 decrees.
Leave to cool slightly before serving.

Androulla

Global Synchonised Breastfeeding 2013


The Larnaka Municipality's Calendar of Events

SOAR ON RAW!

Where: American Academy Junior School

When: Wednesday 25th October

Time: 8.00 pm - 9.30pm 






Erini is the author of the ground-breaking (and sky-breaking if you consider Thor’s Raw Thunderbolt) recipe book, SOAR ON RAW!,www.soaronraw.com, which gloriously entwines over 100 deities from World Mythology with vibrant, fresh vegetarian ingredients. This concept may well be a publishing first for the cookbook –and raw- world.

Her mission is to show that you can still enjoying healthy, raw vegetarian food without having to follow the lifestyle rigidly. Erini gives people the advice, tips and tools so they can go forth, deciding how much raw food they wish to bring into their life at their own pace.

Erini also runs www.rawfoodcyprus.com with passion, organising raw food workshops, talks and picnics in Cyprus. She adores creating easy and tasty recipes, spirit food, that puts a smile on people’s faces.

This is a sponsored event brought to you by Larnaca Parents Network www.larnacaparentsnetwork.com