Although Maria Daskalaki, an Iraklion native, has been writing since she was a little girl, the recent publication of her critically acclaimed first novel is the fulfilment of her life's dream – for now. After all, at just 26 years old there are sure to be many more dreams to fulfil.

"I always knew I would be a writer," the author said in a recent interview, "and that my life would revolve around the arts. I made up my mind when I was in grade school and never even considered anything else."

It's not difficult to understand how Maria was able to make a life commitment at such a young age. She was raised in the perfect environment for the arts – her father, Kostas, a retired school teacher, is a writer and her mother, Vangelio, who is a painter.

"I guess I was lucky enough to inherit the talents of my parents, and that I was able to recognize it at an early age," she said.

Recognizing a talent is one thing; developing it is another. And Maria didn't waste any time with the latter.

After graduating high school, she enrolled at Ionian University in Corfu where she studied archives and library courses, graduating in 2004. The following year, Maria started working at the Youth Centre of the St. Titos Parish in Iraklion, where she is responsible for up to 200 kids. At the same time, calling upon her 10 years as an art student, she began teaching painting to children from five to 12 years of age.

Her first real break as a writer came the same year when her articles about Iraklion street life began appearing in the city's Patris newspaper. It was there that The Khronicles publisher, Sofia Klidi, first saw her work and recognized Maria's talent in capturing everyday scenes and transferring them with feeling to the printed page.

"I didn't know who she was, but I loved her writing," said Mrs. Klidi. "I knew she would be a great asset to our newspaper."

Mrs. Klidi set up a meeting and discovered to her delight that Maria was equally prolific in English as well as Greek. Soon, Maria was writing the popular, bilingual column, The Other Side, for this newspaper.

"Actually, I was quite surprised she was so young when we first met – in her early twenties," the publisher said. "She writes with the skill of someone beyond her years, a truly remarkable gift."

Maria's book, a work of fiction entitled "­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­The Secret of Aspasia", was published last month and is available in bookshops in Iraklion, Rethymnon and Agios Nikolaos, as well as The Khronicles' office in Kokkini Hani.

In her review of the novel in last month's issue of this newspaper, Mrs. Vasiliki Alexaki-Hronaki, Professor of Literature at the Iraklion School of Arts, said: "­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ The Secret of Aspasia" is closely tied up with landscapes and beloved persons from a past that enchants with legends. The past comes alive by marking future steps into personal experiences which are being bared for the sake of art, as an easily approachable present is described and put on to far away fantasy charts. 

"I feel the need to thank Maria Daskalaki who kept the simplicity and purity of childhood dreams and embroidered it with the multicoloured threads of her word, in the indelible weavings of art."

Unfortunately for Maria's many English-speaking fans, her first book is published only in Greek, but she's considering translating it to English, or writing another novel in her second language.

"It would be a major undertaking for me, but it is something I would like to try," she said.

In other words, Maria, it sounds like there's another dream for you to fulfil.