Sally Jane Smith is available for interviews, literary panels, book clubs and readings. For review copies, additional photographs, further information or any other media requests, contact Sally Jane Smith.
Main destinations covered in the Packing for Greece series
Book One (2023): Unpacking for Greece – Athens, Monemvasia, Sparta, Methana, Meteora, Santorini, Rhodes
Book Two (2024): Repacking for Greece – Athens, Delphi, Corfu, Butrint (Albania), Kefalonia, Nafplio, Mycenae, Epidavros, Poros, Hydra, Methana, Aegina
Book Three (TBC): Packing for Crete – Heraklion, Knossos, Agios Nikolaos, Spinalonga, Mochlos, Chania, Aptera, Chora Sfakion, Loutro, Rethymnon, Gortyna, Phaistos
Potential interview questions
The author is happy to answer any questions about her books, her travels, and her writing. There’s no need to keep to a script but – in case it is helpful for the interviewer – here’s a selection of possible questions to get the ball rolling.
About the books:
- Your first book is about Greece but it starts in Sri Lanka. Can you tell us about that?
- The ‘Packing for Greece’ series is billed as an armchair travel experience. Where do the books take their readers?
- Given that you’ve travelled in 34 countries, why did you choose to set both your books in Greece?
- How has Greece changed your life?
- What is the significance of the titles, Unpacking for Greece and Repacking for Greece?
- Your books are filled with references to stories. Can you tell us about this theme in your work?
- Tell us about your mother’s diary.
- What have been the most gratifying moments in how your books have been received?
- Tell us the story behind the photograph on the cover of Unpacking for Greece?
- Who has been your most surprising reader?
- Where can readers find your books?
- Can you recommend another book our listeners / readers / viewers / audience might enjoy?
About Greek travel:
- Do you have any tips for first-time travellers to Greece?
- Is it possible to experience much of Greece without a car?
- Is it better to travel to the islands by ferry or by plane?
- What do you enjoy most about the Greek lifestyle?
- Is there anywhere you think of as your ‘Greek home’?
- What are your favourite Greek island destinations, and why?
- What are your favourite Greek mainland destinations, and why?
- Where will your next Greek trip take you?
- It’s clear from your books that you are in a committed relationship, but you most often choose to travel solo. Why is that?
- Has your partner ever been to Greece?
About the writing journey:
- What do you think is the essential ingredient in good writing?
- How long did it take to write Unpacking for Greece?
- (Given that it took almost seven years to write your first book,) how was it possible to publish Repacking for Greece less than a year later?
- What is the most useful investment you’ve made in learning the craft of writing?
- What tools would you recommend for travel writers who are trying to recall sensory experiences, sometimes months or years after they took the trip?
- What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book?
Sally Jane Smith 