Guest Post by Anthea Syrokou, Author of Eventually Julie

Available on Amazon UK, Amazon US

and Amazon AU

Join Julie and her delightful and witty friends on a journey of fun, adventure, and passion. Set in and around Sydney, as well as London and Paris, Eventually Julie is a “finding yourself” romance that deals with being stuck in a rut and eventually finding the right ingredients

to live a life that is true.

Pinpointing the reason that I decided to write my novel, Eventually Julie, initially seemed like an arduous task. The character of Julie had been on my mind for some time, so the words just typed themselves at first. A writing plan soon followed, with many deflections and re-planning along the way, and a great deal of revising and editing.

As I look back, however, I recognise that it was during my counselling studies that many realisations occurred to me that inspired me to write Eventually Julie. I learned that we often place restrictions on ourselves. We may shy away from accepting who we truly are as individuals, and live our lives according to other people’s values instead of our own. This is where the character, Julie, was born.

There is often a passion; a zeal for life that is within many of us that is often repressed; needs that we aren’t even aware of that remain hidden. We often ignore our natural instincts, and choose to listen to our “automatic negative thoughts” without challenging them. We swallow these negative thoughts whole, without chewing the information and breaking it down to question its validity. We often fail to treat each thought like a hypothesis that needs to be tested and challenged. These thoughts are rapid and can be easily missed. Only by recognising that they exist can we challenge them before they begin to control our behaviour.

These are the concepts that were in the back of my mind when writing Eventually Julie; the fact that many of us can fall victim to our negative thoughts which contain many “shoulds", “oughts”, “musts”, “ifs”, and other debilitating inferences and introjections. Such restrictive language can form false beliefs and affect our choices in life — if we believe them to be true.

When writing this novel, I wanted to create a protagonist that feels so restricted with her choices; one that has so much passion within her but needs to find a way to reacquaint herself with the little girl inside — the girl who has so much confidence. Eventually Julie delves into this phenomenon; where we often mistrust our instincts and instead place obstacles in our own paths, sabotaging our dreams and our self-growth. Once we remove these obstacles and begin to rely on our internal locus of control, we discover our true selves and we can make informed choices and find meaning in life.

Similarly, the novel touches on “unfinished business” which can deter us from living in the “here and now”, as it hovers around in the background and prevents us from thinking clearly and attaining self-awareness. The protagonist, Julie, finds herself in this plight.

Nature and travelling have always inspired me. I believe that the environment can have a negative or positive effect on our state of mind. My writing is inspired by the environment I find myself in at a specific moment in time. I am constantly thinking and observing and striving to find beauty in life.

Beauty can be many things. It can be a career, travelling, a cup of coffee, music, writing, reading, art, nature — anything that inspires an individual and enriches his or her life.

Eventually Julie highlights the importance of beauty. The purity and rawness of the vineyards, one of the settings featured in the novel, has echoes with the idea of being true. The beauty of the cities in different parts of the world, and their unique and bold architectural styles, symbolise a person’s need to reach their true potential.

Eventually You is the delightful shop that features in the novel and sells organic products which all encourage acceptance and healing. The healing qualities in products such as candles, incense burners, and soaps, also highlight the theme of being true to our values.

Of course, this is all done with a dash of humour, a sprinkle of romance, and wonderful characters.

Set in and around Sydney, as well as London and Paris, Eventually Julie is a “finding yourself” romance, and is relatable to people who are stuck in a rut and are afraid or neglect to pursue their dreams and steer their own path. Julie’s career and relationship struggles will resonate with readers on a global level.

Anthea Syrokou

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About the Author

Anthea Syrokou is an author who grew up and resides in Sydney, Australia. Anthea’s love for writing was planted at a young age when she studied Greek mythology. Her love for literature continued well into her teenage years where she enjoyed reading novels from many of the great English writers. Anthea has a BA degree, majoring in Psychology and Industrial Relations, and a diploma in Counselling. She also studied Greek Literature at university and has worked in Direct Marketing, and Insurance and Investments. Anthea is currently working on her new novel, and is also writing articles and posts on everyday issues. When she isn’t writing or reading, Anthea enjoys travelling, yoga, spending time with her family, and escaping to the vineyards. A quiet house with some jazz playing in the background, surrounded by a few scented lit candles is her idea of relaxation. She lives with her husband and their two sons, and often jokes that she may be the only writer who doesn’t own a cat. Find out more at Anthea's website https://antheasyrokou.com and find her on Facebook and Twitter @antheasyrokou.