Author Spotlight: Koraly Dimitriadis
Welcome back! This time, I put Greek-Australian Poet, Author, & Performer Koraly Dimitriadis in the Author Spotlight! Keep reading to learn about her, her books, and more.
Meet Koraly
The Australian-born daughter of Greek-Cypriot immigrants, Koraly Dimitriadis is the author of three poetry collections, and a recently released collection of short stories. Let’s meet her!
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Q&A with Koraly Dimitriadis
… On life and work
Where are you from? Tell us a little about you.
I was born and live in Melbourne, Australia. I always wanted to be an artist but studied accounting/computing after high school as art wasn’t really considered a career due to the migrant mentality. I married at 22 and was a ‘good Greek girl’ until I started realizing I was living my life according to what my culture and family expected rather than what I wanted. This led to me exploding out of my marriage/culture/religion which coincided with me pursuing my dream of being a writer/poet/performer.
Tell us about your Greek roots.
My parents are Cypriot migrants. I have spent time in Cyprus, performing and connecting with the local arts/activism sector.
Do you write full-time or do you have a “day” job?
I am a single mum which I consider one of my jobs. Because I was a computer programmer before I was a writer, I had some financial backing which allowed me to pursue my artistic practice, but I have from time to time worked for short stints in IT and freelance technical writing and accounting.
… On reading
What types of books do you like to read?
Anything that is passionate where I will feel deeply.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
Taylor Jenkins Reid, Elena Ferrante, Douglas Stuart, Roxane Gay, Charles Bukowski, Ann Sexton, Sylvia Plath, Anais Nin, Erica Jong, Emily Bronte, Christos Tsiolkas, Ania Walwicz, Sally Rooney, Maya Angelou, Shakespeare, Margaret Atwood.
… On writing
What inspires you?
The complexities in life that people are too afraid or embarrassed to talk about.
Does your Greek heritage influence your work? If yes, how?
Yes, I think I write from the perspective of being the daughter of migrants from post-colonial Cyprus and this definitely informs my perspective and my politics as we continue to fight for freedom from Turkey and the UK.
When did you start writing?
I was writing poetry and short stories from high school but I never thought I could turn it into a career.
You not only write, but you’re also a performer. Tell us about it.
My poetry is very much written in the moment so when I perform, I try to embody the state I was in at the time of writing. This works for some pieces of poetry more than others as some of my poetry is very theatrical—like a Greek tragedy. I have performed full theatre shows and I also make films of my poetry.
What do you like to write?
The truth. Or I like to write stories inspired by truth. Or things people don’t like to talk about but need to be discussed.
… On your books
Tell us about your first book. When did it come out?
Love and Fck Poems (Outside The Box Press; 3rd The Anniversary ed. Edition, 2023) was initially a zine that I self-published in 2011. It started selling well so I turned it into a book. It became a bestselling poetry book in Australia. It still sells today which I find unbelievable. I even did a collaborative translation in Cyprus published by ASTAMAN.
How many books have you published?
I published my fourth book in September, but it’s my debut in the short story genre. My poetry books are Love and Fck Poems, Just Give Me The Pills (Outside The Box Press; 2nd edition, 2023), and She’s Not Normal (Outside The Box Press, 2023)
Tell us about your new book.
The Mother Must Die (Puncher & Wattmann, 2024) It’s a collection of stories in various voices: males, females and children. I am fascinated by the inner workings of men. I feel that by understanding men better we can help to tackle the inequality women face. It’s about broken people trying to make their way back to hope. Stories of identity, divorce, sexuality, parenting, domestic violence, and the working-class migrant experience. You’ll get into the minds of disenfranchised characters, troubled men, children who live in two homes, and women trying to break free.
… On the future
What’s next for you?
I will do some touring next year in Europe and maybe beyond Europe—we will see! I will be continuing the search for a publisher for my novel, We Never Said Goodbye, which is a love story set in Melbourne and Cyprus; plus, continuing work on my non-fiction book, Not Till You’re Married. I’m also working to stage my second theatre show. I have released my film Yiayia Mou (my grandmother) in Australia via their national streaming service and I am searching for somewhere to place it for the rest of the world to see, but it may be on my YouTube, so subscribe there if you want to see it.
Check out Koraly Dimitriadis’ website
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