Book Extract: The Song Of Youth by Effrosyni Moschoudi

I’m very excited to be welcoming Effrosyni Moschoudi back to Novel Kicks and to wish her a happy publication day for her latest novel, The Song of Youth. 

Emilia wished to be young again… and then, it happened.

Emilia Paschos is feeling distraught on her 45^th birthday. Believing that she’s lost out on life, she makes a wish to be young again. Next, a mysterious gypsy called Esmera offers her the chance to become younger at will, simply by singing a song. Soon, unexpected news sweeps Emilia off to the island of Milos with an opportunity to start her life anew.

A nosy neighbor, a flirtatious ex, and an obnoxious cousin cause trouble, but then two strange girls, Elise and Chloe, turn up and begin to help in miraculous ways, being just as magical as Esmera. They are all angels, except Emilia has no idea…

Being young again whenever she wishes it makes Emilia feel exuberant, but it pales in comparison to the way Andreas, a handsome widower and newly established restauranteur on the island, makes her feel. Together, they rescue a puppy, and now she feels like she is being rescued too.

Because Andreas, who is in his 50s, has eyes only for the real her, not for her younger self. The only problem is, her angelic gift keeps expiring in the most awkward moments!

How much longer can she keep her secret? And, what will she choose? The exhilarating gift of youth… or the sweetness of love?

Effrosyni has shared an extract with us today. We hope that you enjoy. 

*****beginning of extract*****

Emilia wobbled her arms in front of the mirror. No chicken wings. Tight and perfect. Oh, I had missed you so much!’ Grinning with elation, she lifted her arms to kiss them both successively. She leaned closer to the mirror, her fingertips on every nook and cranny of her face and neck and all over her features. Spotless. Perfect. Wrinkle-free. This is a miracle! She was so excited now that she had to bite her lips to keep from screaming or thinking out loud. She couldn’t say too much. The guy could hear.

Chuckling, she puffed up her chest, cupping her boobs and squeezing. ‘Oh my! So that’s how they looked before gravity set in!’ she whispered to herself. Turning around, it was her bum’s turn to be inspected. ‘Perfecto!’

Chuckling to herself, and aware she was starting to sound like a lascivious film director auditioning a line of budding starlets, she chortled and made for the door. Her chin high, and with a 1000-watt smile, she left the room to find Aristos had been waiting at her closed front door, looking at his watch, toolbox in hand.

She had to give him credit for waiting. After all, he didn’t need to say goodbye to her. He was collecting his payment from the landlord.

I am sorry to keep you waiting. My mother…’ she began to lie, then decided he wasn’t worth the effort.

‘Yes? He said, inching toward her, his eyes dancing with interest.

She flicked her wrist. ‘Never mind.’

He bit his lower lip, then lowered his voice to a gentle whisper to say, ‘I heard you shouting in there. All okay, Babes?’

She screwed up her face. Babes? Gosh, I hadn’t missed that one. ‘Yeah, fine… As I said, never mind.’

He leaned in closer, undeterred by the indifferent gaze she knew she was giving him. ‘And I couldn’t help hearing you singing earlier. You have a great voice, you know.’

‘Thanks, but, actually, that was my mother,’ she said, her wicked sense of humour kicking in, just for the fun of it.

He pressed his lips together, studying her, and she looked toward the front door, hoping he’d get the hint. She didn’t have time for this idiot. She had to go and find Esmera.

He seemed to get the message. ‘Well, I’ve finished now, so I’ll be on my way…’ he said, but didn’t seem eager to go.

Emilia had a pretty good idea about what he was going to say next. To test the theory, and to save herself a few more annoying seconds, she strode to the door and opened it wide for him to leave.

He lingered on the doorstep. ‘You didn’t tell me your name earlier…’

‘Does it matter?’

He tilted his head slowly and gazed into her eyes, looking absolutely delicious on her doorstep, but his timing was so off that only a Delorian and a professor with a shock of white hair could ever make things work between them.

He didn’t seem to know his charms had no effect on her so he began to say, ‘Well, you live in Varkiza and so do I, Babes… I may see you in the street or at a café… And if I don’t know your name, how am I going to call you? I don’t suppose ‘Hey you!’ would be likely to get your attention!’

She had to give it to him. He was inventive. Chuckling, she replied, ‘Lia… My name is Lia.’ She had said it without thinking. Her friends in school had called her Lia. She hadn’t used it in ages. But it seemed apt, the diminutive of her name, for her younger version.

‘Lia…’ he uttered softly, letting it roll on his tongue and glide through his lips as if he had all the time in the world.

‘Anyway, don’t let me keep you…’ she said, and, despite herself, gave a shooing gesture with one hand.

Aristos took one step back in the right direction, but then he leaned one muscly arm against the wall. ‘I was thinking… Perhaps I could meet you for a coffee? Say, this afternoon?’

Here we go. ‘Thanks, but…’

He threw his hands in the air rather comically. ‘Come on, just a coffee! You’re relentless, Babes!’

She had to think on her feet. Before he called her ‘Babes’ one more time, at least. The classic excuse was perfect. ‘Actually… I can’t. I… I have a boyfriend.’

‘Oh! He put up his hands and shook them. His head too, lips puckered. ‘Stupid me. Of course you do. A stunner like you wouldn’t stay long on the market. Sorry. Meant no offence.’

‘That’s all right. Have a nice day now!’ she said and closed the door on him.

*****end of extract*****

About Effrosyni Moschoudi – 

Effrosyni Moschoudi was born and raised in Athens, Greece. As a child, she loved to sit alone in her garden scribbling rhymes about flowers, butterflies and ants. Today, she writes books for the romantic at heart. She lives in a quaint seaside town near Athens with a British husband, two naughty cats, and a staggering amount of books and DVDs. Her little town is heavenly enough, yet her mind forever drifts to her beloved island of Corfu.

The Ebb, her new adult romance that was inspired from her summers in Corfu in the 1980s, is an ABNA Q-Finalist. Her debut novel, The Necklace of Goddess Athena, won a silver medal in the 2017 book awards of Readers’ Favorite. Her ghost romance novella, The Boy on the Bridge, was a Top 10 winner in the “50 Best Indie Books” awards of Readfree.ly in 2021.

Say hello to Effrosyni via her website (where she has listed delicious Greek recipes and a plethora of blog posts about her life and travels in Greece), e-mail, Facebook, X, Amazon and Goodreads.

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Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.