NTU academic celebrates new novel exploring family, loss and reconciliation
Nottingham Trent University (NTU) academic Eve Makis is celebrating the release of her latest novel, Where the Earth Holds Secrets, with a special event at Nottingham's Five Leaves Bookshop, featuring readings from NTU Creative Writing students and an opportunity to hear from her publisher.
Part mystery, part family saga, Where the Earth Holds Secrets follows the search for a missing man in Cyprus, exploring the impact of disappearance, unanswered questions and the enduring effects of loss on families across generations.
For Eve, who teaches on NTU's MA Creative Writing course, the novel has a deeply personal connection. Of Cypriot heritage, she drew on her family's experiences following the disappearance of her uncle during the 1974 Cyprus invasion. Although the novel is not a retelling of her uncle's story, the experiences and stories she grew up hearing helped shape its themes.
Eve said: “Writing this book was a way of exploring what that kind of loss does to a family over time.”
The novel was also inspired by the work of Sevgül Uludağ, a Turkish Cypriot journalist who dedicated her life to finding the graves of people who went missing during the conflict in Cyprus. Through her investigations across both Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities, Sevgül helped grieving families find answers about their missing loved ones, while also building bridges between communities on a divided island. It was through Sevgül's work that Eve's uncle was eventually found and laid to rest, four decades after his disappearance. Eve describes the novel as a celebration of Sevgül's remarkable work and the lasting impact she had on families affected by the conflict.
The plot also draws inspiration from several real-life stories, including that of a missing man whose remains were discovered after the location of his grave was identified by a fig tree growing in an unusual place. It is believed the tree grew from a seed from a fig he had eaten before he was killed.
The writing and research behind the novel took four years, with support from Arts Council England and the Society of Authors. Although Eve did not initially set out to write a book about peace, she hopes the novel will contribute to greater understanding and reconciliation. Sevgül, who passed away in May, described the book as a work that would help promote “reconciliation and peace and understanding”.
Join Eve for a special book event
Taking place on Tuesday 17 November, special event at Nottingham's Five Leaves Bookshop will give readers the opportunity to meet Eve, discover more about the inspiration behind her latest novel and hear about the journey from manuscript to publication.
The evening will also showcase emerging writing talent from NTU, with students from the MA Creative Writing course sharing readings from their own work. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet Eve's editor at Claret Press, Katie Isbester, and ask questions about the publishing process.
Everyone in the School of Social Sciences at NTU would like to congratulate Eve on the publication of Where the Earth Holds Secrets and wish her every success with the book and its launch.