Hello, fellow incorrigibles! My name is Maria Nicolette, I’m a writer from Islington.
"She is a passionate writer, a creative mind, an adoring daughter, a caring wife, a supportive friend, a fun-loving woman, multi-talented individual, and an undying feminist and disability activist. She loves the colour ‘fuchsia’ and her dream would be to be on TV!"
Raised in the Islington, I grew up in a matriarchal cypriot home.
I was brought up to be ambitious. So, I worked hard and achieved an MSc Management degree from the prestigious Cass Business school, becoming an and developed an entrepreneurial passion.
I have always been creative. My glamorous mum who works in Harrods taught me everything about luxury fashion and styling. Believing I could combine my managerial skills with my passion for fashion I went on to achieve a destinction in Fashion Design – possibly to follow in my mother’s footsteps!
Though my ambition and creativity have been strong traits in my personality, I never quite found ‘my place’ in society. Until now.
As a writer I am able to combine both of these and still have the freedom to speak my truth.
And here is my truth.
As a writer…
I am an Ambitious Disabled Woman who has struggled with adversity in my career. Over the years, the societal barriers and discrimination I have endured as a woman, of cypriot minority, with a chronic illness, have led me to write about a life less ordinary and to share my works here on my blog to help inspire other ambitious women who suffer barriers in society around their disabilities.
I write what I am passionate about; Female Empowerment, Disability Awareness, Diversity and Inclusion, Flexible Working, and Work-Life Balance.
As a contributor to The Everyday Magazine you will find my works published every month related to these topics.
Other topics I love to write about are: charitable awareness, leadership and enterprise, entertainment, arts and culture, luxury fashion, socio-economics, well-being, and biodiversity.
As an author…
Under my pen name, Elaunda Rox I currently write fictional short stories prompted by my studies in ‘Creative Writing’.
My aspiration is to become a fantasy fiction author.
What inspires me the most is the imagination that comes with fantasy, the ‘other-wordly’ experiences, being transported to somewhere beyond this real life.
What motivates me is the need to escape this hard life, to release my anger that comes with the discrimination I have endured, into creativity, peaceful contemplation and beauty of the written word. Storytelling helps me become who I want to be, not what society boxes me into being.
As a PR and communications geek…
I had my first taste of public relations when I volunteered at M and F Health (previously known as Munro and Forster), an award winning healthcare PR agency.
I fell in love with the creative projects and teamwork at the PR agency, working on an EGFR lung cancer mobile phone app, a self-monitoring anticoagulation device, and sun screen for protection against skin cancer!
Being exposed to a PR agency environment I learnt how to write press releases, I interacted with representatives of national press, I created the press packs for distribution to press officials, and assisted in the PR events which included handing out PR gift bags.
I have also volunteered as a PR and Communications Assistant for the Braing Injury Hub, of The Children’s Trust, writing news releases on topics of acquired brain injury in children and young adults, and a number of blog updates for the charity.
Writing is my life! So, it is natural that I am working as a Freelance PR and Communications Specialist and with my varied experience I am able to complete PR projects for my dedicated clients.
Hobbies
Traveling and Cultural Exploration
I love to travel and make detailed itineraries to fit around my treatment when I go overseas, though it doesn’t deter me! We go on short weekend breaks with my husband exploring the UK and France. I love explorig alleyways, nooks and sidewalks with my husband in the City of London where we find secret gardens and unknown derelict buildings. I enjoy exploring different cultures, emersing myself in the food, art and local people’s lives. My wish is to do it more!
Entertaining!
I am a natural entertainer and my dream would be to go on TV. I have been a Feature Film Extra – Mission Impossible 5 with Tom Cruise! I love taking part in local community plays, and I do gothic cover songs with my friend Alan. I love to dance and sing, taking part in talent shows in my youth. I wish to do more of it as I get older!
Gardening and Biodiversity
I love flowers and evergreens, and spend my time gardening in the spring and summer months. I find gardening one of the most relaxing times, and enjoy the summer most in the sunshine sitting back looking and the beautiful colours my flowers make. I also enjoy exploring the local cemetries where I can ‘meet’ the local wildlife like birds, squirrels and foxes! I go for nature walks organised by local volunteers and my favourite holiday was in South Africa seeing african animals!
Art-love and Investor
Anywhere you find art I will be there! I grew up visiting the National Gallery on the weekend with my mother and I was obsessed with Impressionism and Pre-Raphaelite Era. Classical art has always been my favourite. As I grew up and moved close to the City I enjoed time at the Tate, and contemporary art became a huge part of my life. I then met a lot of street artist and became friends, and visit independent galleries where I invest in street art!
Interests
Everything Gothic
I adore anything gothic. From ‘The Gothic’ event at the British Library exploring Romantics and Victorians, to ‘Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty’ and the gothic romanticism explored in luxruy fashion. I even saw ‘Vulgar’ at the Barbican exploring fashion in all it’s vulgarity including the ‘gothic’. I attend gothic clubs like Slimelight and Reptile in London, I do gothic dress and very much enjoy the dark gothic ideas in art. I especially love Victoria Frances and all Vampyre art, as well as vampyre and gothic victoriana events and parties. I love gothic architecture, especially taking pictures of cathedrals.
Geek-dom
I am a total geek and enjoy time with my friends and husband gaming; I like MMO gaming and TERA is my favourite. I have played RPG including Dungeons and Dragons and absolutely love puzzle games too like LEGO or sitting on my phone solving Professor Leyton clues. Though not often, I also do cosplaying at events like Comicons. Though my favourite pass-time is to visit Forbidden Planet with my husband and to buy graphics novels: my favourites are Monstress and Lady Mechanica as I am a huge feminist. I love watching all the latet superhero movies and series, I adore Wonder Woman – feminist again!
Fantasy Worlds
I have adored fantasy since I was a child, the elves and orcs, dragons and faeries. I visited Glastonbury for ‘The Faery Faire’ and met my idol, Anne Stokes – her beautiful unicorns, dragons and fantasy gothic art inspires me the most. Fantasy fiction is my favourite, I read all fantasy from epics like Lord of the Rings to Young Adult like A Court of Thorns and Roses. My favourite game is ‘Heroquest’ – I am waiting for it’s new release next year! I chose to become a fantasy fiction author as I am so in love with this genre. In gaming I alwaays pick worlds like TERA when I play MMOs as I love the graphics.
Luxury Fashion
Though listed last this will be a firm favourite of my interested. I am such a shopaholic and I am lucky to have my mother who works at Harrods where we share plentiful times enjoying luxury shopping sprees. I did a Fashion Design course as I love fashion so much, and spend my money also on independent designers to support their work. I love the idea of luxury lifestyle so I own my fair share of bags, clothes shoes and homewares which I like to invest in eclectic pieces to fulfill my lifestyle aspirations. I met my idol Diane Von Furstenberg at Claridge’s hotel and have been to London Fashion Week enjoying the best of fashion.
FOllow ME
Let’s get together.
The Incorrigible Islingtonite 