Reaching for Independence: A Novel of Greek Struggle for FreedomHardcover, 26 September 2023

Reaching for Independence is both about war and about love. Conflicts are set in the nineteenth century during Greece's chaotic War for Independence from the Ottoman Turks. Historic heroes include: Laskarina Bouboulina- a fearless widow who who launches the Revolution with her own merchant ships, and Lord Byron- the British who uses his wealth and successful military talents to support the Greek forces. Widowed Dr. Mikos and his two teen-aged daughters, Zoe and Lyrica, move from Hydra Island to Greece's mainland Nafplio to establish a hidden clinic. The sitting room of their home has been converted to another clinic for the less-critical wounded soldiers. The girls tend them during the day. Although betrothed to Captain Philip Kalivas, Zoe realizes she has feelings for his younger brother Iscos when he is brought wounded to her home. As Greece throws off the Turkish yoke, and Nafplio becomes the first capital of the newly independent nation, the actions and choices of the main characters could cause a civil war. It's a story about family, love, betrayal, and grief.