As far as I know, I don’t have a Greek bone in my body. My mom’s and dad’s families are both tied to the Pilgrim Fathers about as closely as you can get. For most of my life, all I knew about Greeks was that they like to dance; eat lamb, feta, and olives; and, shout “Opa!” the way others shout, “Cheers!” So why did I decide to create a fictional Greek family for “I Knew Men?”
My main character, Anna Frazier, grows up in a typical middle-class town in southern Ohio. Her parents are divorced, her two raucous older brothers aspire to become famous rock musicians, and her mother is content staying home, surrounded by her children. Anna’s got a good head on her shoulders and she also shares her brothers’ passion for music. One thing that sets Anna’s family apart from others is her mom’s upbringing.
Her mom was raised on an island off the coast of Maine.
IS IT REAL OR IS IT FICTION?
Because my very large multi-generational Maine family has similar roots to Anna’s, I detached my story from my reality. For readers from Maine, it will be easy to figure out the vicinity of where my fictional towns are located. I had fun riffing on actual names that became Peyton, Stonevale, and Spruce Neck, but my favorite detachment was placing Greeks as the early settlers of Foxhaven, my fictional lobstering community.
My husband has Greek roots. His grandfather’s original family name was Geannakopoulos, and he was a founding member of Bangor’s St. George Greek Orthodox Church. For reasons unknown, when they came to America, he, along with his brother and sister, changed the family name to Jonason. With the stroke of a pen they turned their family into Swedes. Joh-na-son or Joe-na-son? Whichever you prefer. I would have liked Geannakopoulos.
When our youngest daughter, Isabelle, was growing up, we became active at St. George. Leaving my Midwestern Lutheran upbringing behind, I came to love the ancient religion, and was chrismated into Greek Orthodoxy when my daughter was baptized. I learned just enough about Greek culture to have created Anna’s Greek relatives with confidence, and more than enough to appreciate the side of Anna that is Greek.
When “I Knew Men” is published, I’ll be eager to hear what my Maine family thinks of how I represent a slice of island life, as well as what my Greek friends think of the ouzo that comes out every once in a while.
Opa!