The historical tragedy that occurred in Kasos during the invasion of the Turkish and Egyptian forces in May 1824 was the inspiration behind Poppy, the first novel by Margaret Lygnos.
The new author, visited Kasos for the first time in 2011, with her husband Minas, who has origins to the island.
She automatically felt a connection to the place.
“I fell in love with the island from the minute I set foot on its land, and I believe that I am more connected to it than my husband who actually has origins from there,” Lygnos said with enthusiasm.
It was the natural beauty of Kasos, the simplicity of life as well as the kindness of its people that captured Margaret’s heart. Since then, she has visited the island several times to explore its rich history. Later, she decided to write a story based on the massacre that took place there. She wanted to explore how this incident affected the people and the island.
“Until Poppy, I was writing small stories based on my life, especially my childhood,” Lygnos said. “This is a work of fiction with actual historical events woven into the story. It begins in the present-day in Greece then goes back to the time of the massacre.”
Poppy was published last November, marking the beginning of Lygnos’ journey as an author. Lygnos is now working on her next novel and intends to keep writing.