Storytime on Amazon!

Storytime is now on www.amazon.com.

Get this English book from amazon or from www.lulu.com

The first story of this book will soon come out in Greek-it is now at the printer waiting for its turn!

The new title is bilingual (Greek-English) and has one story; the story of The White Snail that deals with self esteem problems and caters to all kids and to those who are kids at heart.

The bilingual edition will be distributed to local bookstores and kiosks. It will also be available online via the publisher's site at Aggelia.

We are looking for a national distributor who will market it to other parts of Greece. We may also co operate with international markets.

The publisher and I would like to connect to international charities who would be interested in getting this book at a discount. For any inquiries, please contact Bill at bsavvanis@aggelia-online.gr

Street party!

Life radio street party on 23-12-2008

In Corfu town

http://www.corfuland.gr/corfu/portal/video/online-web-cam-broadcasting

Have fun!

The new title

The new book of Vasilis Savvanis Publications comes out soon.
Title:
The White Snail.

It caters to young readers and all the family as it addresses issues of self-esteem, racism and people's differences.

More information on the site

http://support49100.blogspot.com

New Editions in Corfu

A new publishing company is going to launch their first book for kids soon.

The aim of this company is to help kids and families in need, so most of the profits from their books or other products will be donated to various non profit organizations that are linked to kids and families.

Their blog is in Greek for the time being, but it will also be in English in due time.

Visit them at support49100.blogspot.com

Everybody can help by buying one of their products.

Paypal option.

Comic Strip

I have created some comic strips for the print local publication, Aggelia Online.
This is one of them. It' s in Greek though.
The title is
Snail Talk (Sally talk - saligari=snail in Greek).

The character, as you can probably see, is a snail, female, called Sally.

SCRIPT
Title of story: The confession

Bubbles:
1. To tell you the truth...I like LOTTO...
2. The truth is that I like BETTING too...
3. But I also love the roulette. This is the...
4. ...naked truth!

on her shell there is a sign: Confiscated!



More strips next time!

Read my Angel story!

An Angel in my Arms

by Liana Metal

I was lying in bed half asleep, when I had a feeling of something warm and eerie surrounding me. Suddenly, I saw myself standing in the middle of a room, and I knew I was not in my house, but in someone else’s. I was holding a baby in my arms.

It was soon just after Christmas when my pen friend Marie, from Toronto, Canada, told me the good news. "I'm going to have a baby! Imagine that, after so many years of expecting a miracle I'm finally going to become a mom! I am thrilled that I’m going to have a child at this age! Isn’t it a miracle? Peter can’t believe it either. We are both so excited and can't wait for the great day."
A week later I got her letter.
"I believe God has finally heard my prayers," she wrote," and I am grateful to Him. I’ve never lost my faith that one day I would have my own child. The doctor said I may have difficulties, but I believe that God will help me once more. Please, pray for me."
I read the letter of my pen friend over and over again, in amazement. Marie and I had been friends for over twenty years, since the day I found her address in a school magazine, and despite the great distance that separated us - I live in Greece- we clicked from our very first letter. It looked as if we had known each other for a long time, probably since our early childhood years, and we shared a lot of our daily problems, and good news as well.
That day, I was happily surprised when I read her letter. I had always known she wanted a child, but somehow, God had not let her have one, despite the fact that there was no obvious physical reason for this. Now that her husband, Peter, was in his late fifties and Marie in her early forties, they were going to become parents for the first time.
The announcement of her baby-to-come must have been a great surprise to both of them as well as to everybody else who knew them. I wrote back to her instantly, sending a beautiful card with a baby carried by a pelican.
“Please, tell me when the baby is due,” I wrote. “I would like to know. Everything will be fine so don’t worry. I pray for you every day. God will give you a beautiful baby, and I am grateful to Him for helping you.”
Weeks passed, and one day I got a letter from Marie.
“My baby is due in September,” she wrote. “The doctor already knows the sex of the baby but we told him not to tell us. We want to have a surprise.
I am still very worried about the possible implications of the birth, but when I am thinking of my baby, I forget all about it. I just want to have a healthy baby.”
I knew how she was feeling. Being a mother is a unique experience that a woman cannot take for granted. I kept writing to her trying to encourage her that everything would go on as planned.
“Don’t lose your faith,” I wrote. “If you strongly believe that you are going to succeed, then you will. Nothing bad can happen to you, so just let yourself enjoy these moments of happiness. Think that it is God’s will to happen this way, and everything will be done as He has planned.”
September came and my thoughts were there, with Marie and her baby. Then one night, something strange happened.
I was lying in bed half asleep, when I had a feeling of something warm and eerie surrounding me. Suddenly, I saw myself standing in the middle of a room, and I knew I was not in my house, but in someone else’s. I was holding a baby in my arms.
I looked at the baby. There was a hazy light all around and the baby smiled at me opening his blue sparkling eyes. I also noticed that the baby’s hair was golden.
I felt warm and strangely peaceful as I was holding the beautiful baby in my arms. Somehow I knew that that was not my baby. A voice inside me told me so.
When I opened my eyes the next morning the image of the baby was still vivid in my mind. The whole dream- was it a dream?- looked so real, I wasn't sure what to believe. I kept wondering whose baby I was holding for I had not forgotten the voice telling me, ‘this is not your baby’.
A few days later I got a letter from Marie.
“I had a baby girl last week,” she wrote. “She’s so beautiful! She’s got golden hair and bright blue eyes. I’ll send you a picture of her soon. I can’t tell you how happy Peter and I are! For the first time in our life we’ve experienced the ultimate feeling of happiness. We keep looking at our little girl and still can not believe it!”
Then I remembered my dream. I was ecstatic. It felt like the baby I had seen that night was Marie's. I wrote back to her and asked her about the exact date of her baby’s birth. It was as I had guessed. Everything fell into place. Marie had her baby on the night I had that strange dream. I was thrilled. I had to let her know about it, so I sent her a long letter describing in every detail what I had seen that night.
She was amazed too. God had given me a sign that everything was going to be fine with her. The little angel I was holding in my arms that night showed me that faith could do miracles. Marie’s life changed dramatically from that night on. We all prayed and hoped to be able to see more of God’s miracles.
Today, Marie lives happily with her husband and her only daughter. Her little angel has grown up and is studying in college. Life is good to them and they are grateful for God’s support, we all are.

Liana Metal is a teacher; artist and writer based in Europe. Visit her at www.lianametal.tripod.com

(This story is included in the Angel anthology titled: "Then Along Came an Angel" compiled by Julie Bonn Heath http://www.amazon.com/Then-Along-Came-Angel-Deliverance/dp/141410443X/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222082602&sr=1-7

Cards

Would you like some greeting cards from Corfu?
Easy!
Just email me and you can have original cards from Kerkyra any time. The cards are all individual, in black ink and water color or tempera. See the sample on the left.

These cards are ideal for gifts or decorating your house. Pick up a picture from those available and an original card will be created just for you.

For those outside Greece there is a paypal option.

My new book for kids

Title: Story time
Three stories for kids of all ages
Publisher: www.lulu.com
2008

Print paperback and e book
http://www.lulu.com/content/3577463

An old picture

The small church of Ipapandi used to look like that just a few years ago. Now a cement path joins the church with the land at Kommeno place, after Tzavrou crossroad. It is a popular place for weddings and baptisms as the view is unique.

I painted that spot many years ago and I have it in two mediums: in pastel and charcoal(this one) and in oil. Still now it is a wonderful place to visit.

Olive trees

Olive trees have always grown on this island.
The olive tree in the picture is very very old. You can actually see through it!

Water color on paper.

New acrylic painting

Mermaids.
Acrylic on canvas, 1.00x0.50 cms

My latest paintings

Corfu town-the old town.

Acrylic on canvas.




Korakiana village.
Acrylic on canvas. Right picture. Tempera on paper.

New painting

Acrylic on canvas.

The girl I've recently painted took me several days to complete. I hadn't painted for years in acrylic, when, one day I suddenly felt the urge to buy new acrylic colors and start creating.

Some of my new paintings are on sale at the Bazaar in Corfu town.
It is located at Spirou Vasileiou 23 in Karteria (Kefalomantouko) or you can call them at 26610.21713 / 6936.873700

Summer time is just around the corner!

Looking forward to lying lazily on a sandy beach?
Summer is almost here!

This little picture I came across yesterday reminded me of the lovely beach at St.Gordios, on the western side of Corfu. The drawing is a mixed technique: Some white chalk, some black pencil, white gouache and tempera.

I always keep lots of sketches in an old file in the store room, and from time to time I love searching and picking up those that remind me of special occasions. In case some of you wonder who this lady on the beach is, well, it's not me. It was sketched years ago, from an old black and white picture my mum used to keep in a box. It shows my mum in the early 60s!

For the Greek readership

O Ξενώνας

(Translated from the original, The Hostel, by Liana Metal, at www.lulu.com)

1

Το κουδούνι του μικρού ξενώνα στο Τσίζικ, στο δυτικό Λονδίνο, ήχησε δυνατά. Ομως, κανείς δεν άνοιξε την πόρτα.

Η Νίνα προσπάθησε ξανά. Πίεσε με δύναμη το δάχτυλό της πάνω στο καφετί κουμπί για αρκετή ώρα και περίμενε με ανυπομονησία να φανεί κάποιος. Μα πάλι, κανείς δεν εμφανίστηκε. Εκανε μερικά βήματα πίσω και κοίταξε τα κλειστά παράθυρα που ήταν στην πρόσοψη του ξενώνα.

Οι μπλε κουρτίνες έκρυβαν καλά το εσωτερικό των δωματίων. Μήπως κάποιος την έβλεπε; Επιασε με την άκρη του ματιού της μια ανεπαίσθητη κίνηση πίσω απο μια κουρτίνα, αλλά δεν ήταν και σίγουρη. Αποφάσισε να πάει λίγα μέτρα πιο ΄περα, στα αριστερά της εισόδου, που ήταν μια μικρή αυλή. Οι ψηλοτάκουνες μπότες της έβγαζαν περίεργους ήχους καθώς περπατούσε με προσοχή πάνω στο ψιλό χαλίκι της αυλής.

«Ισως να είναι κάποιος εδώ» σκέφθηκε . Δεν ήθελε να γυρίσει πίσω στο ξενοδοχείο που έμενε προσωρινά χωρίς να έχει βρεί καινούργιο μέρος να μείνει. Κι έπρεπε οπωσδήποτε να βρει ενα πιο φθηνό μέρος να μείνει μέχρι να τελειώσει τις σπουδές της στην Αγγλία.

Τότε πρόσεξε την πίσω πόρτα στην πίσω άκρη της αυλής. Χτύπησε με το χέρι. Δεν υπήρχε κουδούνι. Καμιά απάντηση! Περίμενε για λίγο και ξαναχτύπησε. Τίποτα. Τότε πρόσεξε, λιγο πιο αριστερά, μια μικρή άσπρη σιδερένια πόρτα που έμοιαζε με πόρτα αποθήκης. Αυτή τη φορά ήταν τυχερή! Μόλις χτύπησε, η πόρτα άνοιξε αμέσως!

«Γειά σας!» μια έντονη και τραχιά φωνή ακούστηκε από το άνοιγμα της πόρτας.

Μια ηλικιωμένη καλόγρια ξεπρόβαλε στο άνοιγμα και κοίταξε τη Νίνα ερωτηματικά, μ’ενα τεράτσιο χαμόγελο χαραγμένο στο πρόσωπό της. Τα χονδρά της σκούρα γυαλιά πέσανε στην άκρη απο τη μακριά της μύτη όπως έγυρε ελαφρά μπροστά για να δει καλύτερα τη νεαρή κοπέλλα.

«Καλημέρα» είπε η Νίνα ευγενικά. «Χτυπούσα το κουδούνι στην είσοδο πολύ ώρα, αλλά κανείς δεν μ’άκουγε...θα ήθελα να μιλήσω με τον υπεύθυνο του ξενώνα».

Η καλόγρια συνέχισε να της χαμογελά.

«Α, καλά» είπε αργά αργά. «Ισως η υπεύθυνη αδελφή να είναι ακόμα στο μοναστήρι. Θα την ειδοποιήσω τώρα αμέσως. Σε παρακαλώ, πήγαινε πίσω στην κεντρική είσοδο και περίμενε εκεί. Ενα λεπτό θα κάνω, εντάξει;»

Μετά, πριν προλάβει η Νίνα να φύγει, τη ρώτησε με περιέργεια:

«Είσαι επισκέπτης;»

«Οχι, απλά ενδιαφέρομαι να μείνω για λίγο στον ξενώνα» απάντησε η Νίνα. «Μια φίλη μου μου σύστησε αυτό το μέρος και θα ήθελα να το δω...ξέρετε...» πρόσθεσε μη ξέροντας τί άλλο να πει.

«Ξέρω, ξέρω» είπε η καλόγρια. «Μια που γνωριστήκαμε, εγώ είμαι η αδελφή Ελεν και αν με ξαναχρειαστείς, ξέρεις που θα με βρεις!»

Χαμογέλασε πλατιά στη Νίνα και μετά εξαφανίστηκε μέσα στο μικρό δωμάτιο κλείνοντας την πόρτα πίσω της.

Η Νίνα προχώρησε στην είσοδο του κτιρίου.

«Για να δούμε» σκέφθηκε. «Θα μπω τελικά μέσα να δω πώς είναι;»

Κράτησε τη μακρια διάφανη ομπρέλλα της και τη μεγάλη μπεζ τσάντα της με το ενα χέρι και με το άλλο, χτύπησε πάλι το κουδούνι. Εσφιξε τη ζώνη απο το τουίντ παλτό που φορούσε δυνατά. Ηταν παγωνιά εκείνο το πρωί και επρεπε να περιμένει τόση ώρα μεσα στο κρύο. Τελικά, η μεγάλη σιδερένια πράσινη πόρτα άνοιξε.

«Καλημέρα αγαπητή μου!» μια άλλη καλόγρια χαιρέτησε τη Νίνα.

«Παρακαλώ, πέρασε μέσα. Συγνώμη για την καθυστέρηση».

Οδήγησε τη Νίνα σε ενα μικρό γραφείο, στο τέλος ενος στενού διαδρόμου.

«Πώς μπορω να βοηθήσω; Εγώ είμαι η αδελφή Αμέλια» είπε.

Η Νίνα συστήθηκε και μετά της εξήγησε οτι χρειάζεται ενα δωμάτιο να μείνει.

«Κατάλαβα» είπε τότε η αδελφή Αμέλια και ‘ανοιξε ενα χονδρό μπλε βιβλίο.

«Υπάρχει μόνον ένα δωμάτιο αυτή την στιγμή, στο ισόγειο. Αλλά είναι για δυο, ξέρεις, έχει δυο κρεβάτια».

Η Νίνα ανακουφίστηκε που τ’ άκουσε. «Ευτυχώς!» σκέφθηκε. «Δεν θα ψάξω άλλο!»

«Τέλεια!» απάντησε. «Μου λέτε πόσο κοστίζει;»

Δεν ζήτησε να δει το δωμάτιο. Δε χρειαζόταν. Θα το νοίκιαζε οπωσδήποτε!

Το ίδιο απόγευμα, η Νίνα μετακόμισε στον ξενώνα Αγία Μαρία Μορέττι. Ηταν η πρώτη φορά στη ζωή της που θα έμενε σε ξενώνα που τον φρόντιζαν καλόγριες και ένοιωθε λίγο περίεργα, αλλά συγχρόνως αυτό το μέρος ήταν και ενδιαφέρον και ασφαλές γι αυτήν.

«Το δυτικό Λονδίνο είναι τέλειο!» της είχε πει πριν απο μέρες μια φίλη της. «Ομως,πρέπει να βρεις ενα καλό μέρος να μεινεις. Αυτός ο ξενώνας είναι ήσυχος και ασφαλής. Το ιδανικό μέρος για μια φοιτήτρια!»

Είχε δίκιο. Το Λονδίνο, στις αρχές της δεκαετίας του 70, ήταν ενα μείγμα απο διαφορετικές κουλτούρες και το άνδρο των Χίπις και των ναρκωτικών. Ετσι, μια κοπέλλα σαν τη Νίνα θα έπρεπε να κοιτάξει την ασφάλειά της πάνω απ’ όλα.

Πραγματικά, ο ξενώνας ήταν ήσυχος και ασφαλής, αλλά ήταν και ασυνήθιστος και την γέμιζε περιέργεια. Ηταν το δίχως άλλο ενα μέρος, που μια κοπέλλα στα τελευταία χρόνια της εφηβείας της θα έβρισκε ενδιαφέρον να μάθει και να εξερευνήσει, αλλά σίγουρα όχι να μείνει εκεί για πολύ! Κανονισμοί κάθε είδους κρατούσαν τα κορίτσια του ξενώνα φυλακισμένα ανάμέσα απο τους ψηλούς τοίχους που περιέβαλαν το κτίριο και απαγορευόταν να τραβήξει κανείς τις μπλε κουρτίνες που σκέπαζαν κάθε παράθυρο για να μπει μέσα το φως.

Εδειξαν στη Νίνα το δωμάτιό της. Ηταν στο τέλος του διαδρόμου, κάτω απο την ξύλινη σκάλα που οδηγούσε στο πάνω πάτωμα.

«Πιο πολύ μοιάζει με κρυψώνα και οχι με υπνοδωμάτιο» σκέφθηκε η Νίνα όταν το είδε. Αλλά δεν την πείραζε πολύ. Ηταν μαθημένη στις δύσκολες καταστάσεις. Ενα άλλο δωμάτιο που είχε δει την περασμένη εβδομάδα ήταν πολύ χειρότερο. Δεν είχε ούτε θέρμανση.

«Θα ήθελα ενα μονό δωμάτιο όταν γίνεται» είπε στην αδελφή Αμέλια.

«Ισως τον άλλο μήνα, να υπάρχει ενα ελεύθερο» είπε η αδελφή.

Η Νίνα κάθησε πάνω στο κρεβάτι. Το στρώμα ήταν σκληρό και τα σκεπάσματα λίγα. Ευτυχώς που υπήρχε μια σόμπα με αέριο που άναβε τα βράδυα κι έτσι ήταν εντάξει. Θα έπρεπε να αγοράσει μερικά πράγματα ακόμα για να είναι πιο άνετα. Ηξερε πως δεν έιχε τη δυνατότητα να ξοδέψει πολλά, αλλά μόνο τα τελείως απαραίτητα.

Η Νίνα τακτοποιησε λίγο τα πράγματά της και μετά έκανε μια βόλτα στον ξενώνα. Πρόσεξε οτι στο χωλ υπήρχε ενας τηλεφωνικός θάλαμος. Εβαλε ενα κέρμα στο τηλέφωνο και κάλεσε τη μαμά της.

«Γεια σου μαμά» είπε βιαστικά. «Τώρα μένω σ’ενα ξενώνα , στο δυτικό Λονδίνο. Θα σου στείλω τη διευθυνσή μου σε μια κάρτα...ναι, θα στη στείλω σήμερα κιόλλας...μην ανησυχείς, είμαι εντάξει, ναι, είναι ασφαλές μέρος...υπάρχουν καλόγριες εδώ, ναι, καλά άκουσες, καλόγριες!»

Η Νίνα της εξήγησε οσο πιο γρήγορα γινόταν για να μην της τελειώσει ο χρόνος. Οταν κατέβασε το ακουστικό, πήγε μια βόλτα να δει το μέρος γύρω της.

(to be continued)

(Read the English version at
www.lulu.com)

The White Snail ( a story for kids of all ages)

The White Snail

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

A small snail lives in a large garden. He is one of a large family of garden snails, all brown but the little white one.

They all live happily together, and slide along the green grass and the green leaves of the vegetables. They love eating leaves and they are always hungry!

Soon the vegetables have small and big holes on them, for there are small and big snails everywhere in the garden.

The white snail likes strolling on the fresh grass and looking around. He loves the warm sun above. He loves the colorful flowers around him.

He even loves the birds chirping happily over him, but he takes care to hide well in his white home every time one of them comes closer!

He is a happy snail living in a beautiful garden. Then, one day, it rains.

Small raindrops fall everywhere in the garden. There are raindrops on the green grass, on the petals of the flowers and on the vegetable leaves.

The garden sparkles like a million stars!

"Wow!" the white snail says. "It's fantastic!" And he sets off sliding on the wet grass. He strolls until he reaches a huge lettuce.

"I am going to climb on this juicy leaf," he says and slides upwards. But halfway he stops.

He sees a small raindrop. It is crystal clear, like a mirror. He looks inside, and there he suddenly sees himself.

"Oh, " he says, "that's me! And this is my white home!"

He thinks for a while and then he says:

"I don't like it. I don't like my white home! I want to have a brown one, like all the other snails in the garden!"

And from this day on, the white snail is sad.

"How beautiful the other snails are! And I am so ugly!" he says to himself over and over again.

Every time he looks at his white home he becomes very unhappy.

But one bright day, he has got a bright idea!

"Wow!" he says.

He quickly takes a brush and some brown paint and starts painting his little home.

"It's going to be so beautiful," he says. "I am going to have a brown home soon."

He smiles happily and goes on painting. A sparrow flies over him and stares at his brown home in surprise. Then a bee buzzes over and circles around him for a couple of times before flying away to tell the strange news to her friends in the hive.

Read the rest of the story along with two more stories for kids at

www.lulu.com

where my book, Story time, is on sale. You can order either a print copy or download the ebook.

First painting

This is a popular sight in Corfu town. This picture shows the monastery of Vlachairena which is opposite Mouse island, another sight of the island.

This picture was created in winter time, just after a storm. You can see the seaweeds on the shore and the cloudy sky.

This painting is a mixed technique. I have used crayons and charcoal on grey paper and I have added highlights using ordinary chalk.

New blog for my stories

Welcome to my new blog!
This is my place for stories and artwork too.

Thank you for visiting!

Liana