Lineup | LITERATURE | Monika Athanasiou
Melbourne, Australia
Monika Athanasiou, née Nowacka, was born in Warsaw in 1969. She came to Melbourne in 1981, aged twelve, with her parents and brother. She has been writing poems since childhood. Monika graduated from RMIT with a Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Technology. Together with husband, George, she has completed a Diploma in Professional Writing and Editing at Victoria University. She has taken part in various poetry competitions, occasionally winning prizes. She presented her poems at PolArt Melbourne 2015. In 2018 she published a book for children, titled I Think I Have Swallowed Butterflies. The book, which is written in verse and illustrated by artist, Con Constantinou, deals with feelings of anxiety and shyness. Monika is a member of Polish Australian Writers, a self-help group for people documenting their family histories. Her forthcoming book, titled Sezony/ Seasons will be a bilingual poetry collection.