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Today, I’m joined by my longtime friend Mike Mizrahi—yes, we go way back. Mike’s career took him from an undergraduate degree in journalism to a Master's in corporate communication. He had a career as a corporate spokesperson, but his real passion found its home in writing historical fiction. And his latest novel, The Weight of Loyalty, is a great achievement. I read it with great interest; a powerful, rich exploration of the perils of wartime on the Greek Isles.

It’s a sweeping story of love, sacrifice, and moral conflict, set against the backdrop of World War II on the Greek island of Kefalonia. Inspired by the real-life survival story of Royal Navy seaman John Capes, Mike weaves the tale of Oliver Graham, a British submariner, and Natalía Giannatos, a Greek woman whose life is touched by war, love, and spiritual searching. Think James Michener meets Ernest Hemingway—with a splash of Greek wine and Orthodox mysticism.

We discuss why historical fiction matters, what drew Mike to this particular time and place, and how personal research—a research tour on the island of Kefalonia—shaped every detail from the rugged landscape to the local cuisine to miracle-working monks.

But this isn’t just a war story. It’s a love story on many levels—and a deeply reflective one at that. Mike wrestles with big questions: the cost of conscience, the meaning of faith, and what it really means to be loyal.

If you’ve ever wondered how fiction can serve as therapy—or how an author channels personal values into imagined worlds—this conversation’s for you. So stay tuned, and enjoy this rich, thoughtful dive into The Weight of Loyalty with my good friend, Mike Mizrahi. SHOW NOTES

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