Yvonne Payne

In 2001, Yvonne Payne and her husband bought a house in the back streets of Kritsa, a village that nestles in the foothills of the Dikti Mountains in the east of Crete. From their small balcony their breath-taking view looks out across cluttered rooftops, a huge church, olive groves, and the distant sea, all framed by the Thripti Mountains.

Over the next ten years, Yvonne explored eastern Crete extensively, read up on local history, myths, and legends while experiencing village customs to gain inspiration to write creatively. Luckily for Yvonne, this coincided with the opportunity to watch a fellow Kritsa resident, the English sculptor Nigel Ratcliffe, work on his beautiful stone monument dedicated to 'Kritsotopoula, Girl of Kritsa, who along with her rebel comrades, fought against Ottoman oppression in 1823. This carving became Yvonne's 'muse' as she researched and wrote her first novel. Yvonne continues to find local inspiration for further novels and her non-fiction guide, Explore Kritsa. You can read her a blog at www.kritsayvonne.com where your contributions and feedback are very welcome.