The book is based loosely on childhood summers I spent in Greece visiting the Greek half of my family
Mima Tipper – 18 May 2025
The Back Flap
For fans of Jenna Evans Welch and Barbara Dee, a timely and uplifting contemporary YA story of a young girl risking all for self-truth, family, and first love over one sun-drenched Greek summer.
Ready—set—look out, world! Kat Baker is about to explode . . . onto the high school scene, that is. All she has to do? Spend July and August training with New Canaan High’s cross-country team, become a running goddess and, come fall, claim her place as the team’s star freshman runner.
When her mom shocks her with the unwelcome news that the family will spend the summer exploring their roots in the rustic Greek village of Paralia, Kat’s sure her high school popularity plan is toast. Once in Paralia, punishing heat and cultural clashes force her to launch a risky and covert training strategy to keep her running-star dreams alive. And it is during these hidden sessions that Kat is swept into late-night encounters with Theofilus Zafirakis, a beautiful but off-limits Greek boy.
As Kat’s lies mount, her secret odyssey spirals out of control, finally putting one of her cousins in danger. In the end, it takes the unexpected meddling of a village full of crazy, wonderful—and not so wonderful—Greeks for her to open up to her Greek side and stand strong, discovering at last that the key to belonging anywhere is belonging first to herself.
About the book
What is the book about?
Kat’s Greek Summer is about a 14 year-old girl who risks it all for family, first love and self-truth over one sun-drenched Greek summer.
Here’s a brief description of the book: soon to be high school freshman Kat Baker is all about training for the cross-country team this summer. Then her Greek mom knocks her off-course by dragging her to Greece. To meet the family. How can a girl train in ninety-billion degrees? And with a sharp-eyed Yiayiá watching her every move? Determined to keep her running dream alive, Kat embarks on a risk-filled odyssey, discovering that self-truth is at the heart of dreams, first love—even family—and that it is up to her to speak up and claim the heritage that is uniquely hers.
When did you start writing the book?
I began work on Kat’s Greek Summer in the fall of 2008 during the second semester of my MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts
How long did it take you to write it?
Writing a solid first draft took about a year and a half. I then revised it over the next several years, putting it aside and taking it back out for more polishing.
Where did you get the idea from?
The book is based loosely on childhood summers I spent in Greece visiting the Greek half of my family
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
In the initial drafting, there was a much deeper #MeToo thread in the book that took me several drafts (and the feedback of a respected mentor) to realize wasn’t working.
What came easily?
The one easy aspect of writing my book was creating the Yiayiá Sofia character as she’s very like my own Yiayiá Kalomira
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
As I said above, I did borrow a lot of my own yiayiá’s character to create the fictional yiayiá in the novel. That said, though all of the characters are fictitious, many of them are blends of my Greek relatives and of Greeks I encountered over the years (both in Greece and in the US).
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
Oh, that’s a tough question. I am an avid reader in really all genres, so I have many, many influences. I suppose I will point to Holly Black as being a huge influence as well as Martine Leavitt. Both of these writers create fantastic, fast-paced stories with characters that are deeply realized and authentically motivated. I adore their books, and always have these story and character concepts in mind when I’m writing.
Do you have a target reader?
The target reader for Kat’s Greek Summer is a young reader in grades 6-9, though I believe my book has a lot of appeal for older readers, so I’d call it an 11+ read.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
My process seems to be to: 1) have an idea; 2) noodle about it, like write a summary of sorts, in my journal; 3) if I’m still intrigued after writing the summary, I begin drafting. I don’t make a formal outline at this point, but with most projects I seem to have the broad strokes of the story and characters in my head; 4) then I start writing chapter by chapter. I try always to stop by leaving myself in the middle of a scene, so it’s easier to pick up the next day; 5) when I’m actively drafting, I make daily word count goals, and try really hard to keep them. As I always have lots to do, and am easily distracted, I am a big believer in the “kitchen timer method” where I set a timer and don’t get up until it goes off. I am not a “fat” writer for a first draft, so it doesn’t take me too long to get to the end of a first draft. After the first draft is complete, I let the manuscript sit, sometimes for weeks or even months. Then I go back and do what I think is the real writing, i.e., revise, revise, revise.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I create an outline only after the first draft is done. I may think I “know” what the story is and where it’s going, but I like to be open to being surprised by characters and plot twists. After I do a complete draft, I put it aside for a while (sometimes a month or more) and then go back and read to see what’s working and what’s not working. At this point I make an outline for the revision (and all the revisions that come after).
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I edit only minimally for the first draft. I might make a note, like “I’m not sure about this,” or some such, but I don’t like to get hung up with editing at the first draft point. So much changes in revision that for me that kind of editing is a waste of time.
Did you hire a professional editor?
Normally, I work with critique partners. My writing colleagues are all well-practiced in the art of giving constructive feedback. I’ve only “hired” a developmental editor once and that is for my next book coming out in June of 2026. That said, that book had already been revised multiple times before I hired the editor.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
I don’t listen to music while I’m writing, but when I’m working on a particular project, I will choose to listen to music that might be inspiring to that project when I’m cooking, driving, etc.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
Oh, yes😊 And I did have an agent for a while. We parted ways amicably a few years ago as she wasn’t really representing what I was writing anymore. I have huge respect for agents, and even interned with one for a year. As such, I have a solid idea of how hard they work, and how much they have to do. I did try to get an agent again with a couple of other manuscripts, but then learned about hybrid publishing and chose to go with that model.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
My relationship with award-winning hybrid Spark Press came as a stroke of luck as a friend was publishing a memoir with SP’s sister imprint She Writes Press. I followed my friend’s progress and experience, and was impressed with her process. That’s when I decided to submit my own manuscript. Spark Press has a fairly selective process for the books they take on, and for a young teen lit title I needed a press with a solid distribution arm.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
Spark Press designed my book cover, and I adore it. I’ve gotten so many compliments on it, and feel very lucky to have been able to work with the extremely talented professional design team at SP.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I am working with a publicist and part of the service I’ve chosen includes some marketing.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
As I’m a first-time indie author, I still have a lot to learn before attempting to hand out too much advice. I suppose one thing I’ve learned and that I’d share with an indie author newbie is that they need to understand fully the genre of their book. For example, as a writer for children and young adults it is critical for my work to have access to solid distribution, because without distribution it’s virtually impossible to reach my targeted audience.
About You
Where did you grow up?
I grew up mostly in Connecticut
Where do you live now?
I live in Vermont, and have since 1989.
What would you like readers to know about you?
For this question, I’ll pull from my short bio. I’m half-Greek-half-American, and I believe my writing reflects that mixed heritage, making my work a little bit old-country, a little bit rock and roll; one foot wandering through the dreamy realm of myths and faerie tales, the other running on the solid ground of fast-paced, contemporary story. I earned my MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and I’ve published YA fiction in Hunger Mountain and Sucker Literary Magazine. Beyond devoting most of my time to writing, I also help out at a small local indie children’s book store called Inklings Children’s Books in Waitsfield Vermont. I am committed to promoting literacy and to supporting the writing community.
What are you working on now?
I’m doing final revisions on my next book, coming out in June of 2026. I don’t want to give too much away yet, but it’s a contemporary paranormal young adult novel.
End of Interview:
For more from Mima Tipper, visit her website. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter, or Bluesky Social as well as see what she’s up to on Substack.
Get you copy of Kat’s Greek Summer from Amazon US.