While Michael was furiously editing the first 5 chapters of ‘Olympia’ (after multiple re-drafts) and working on aspects of the final chapters of ‘Olympia’, John took up a 6-week writer’s residency position in Athens, Greece (February / March, 2020) at the spectacular Agiriogiti Residence. Pictured above is one of the 5 main workspace bedrooms – suitably entitled the Greco-Roman Room (for our Greco-Italian writer, John, who also has a PhD in Greco-Roman history) – and this space, the highly stimulating Art Deco apartment complex, which also hosts Stoic philosophy classes conducted by one of the owners, Dr. Alkistis Agio, and the very colorful surrounding suburb of Kypseli proved highly stimulating. Five more chapters were generated during this unforgettable time. 

Identities from the American actor Ashton Kutcher (who also once stayed in this room) to established authors and members of the French School of Archaeology in Athens have experienced the creative stimuli of this extraordinary retreat. Dr. Agio’s sister, Matina Agio, has curated a superb collection of art, artefacts, antiques and Hellenic-inspired fashion pieces that decorate every corner of this sprawling space. See below for just a few photo ‘hints’: