About Me
My name is Ilias Agapiou. I write about the things we don’t say—about those who are afraid, who remember, who are drowning. Writing wasn’t a choice—it was a way to survive.
My stories explore identity, memory, and silence. I’m a queer author writing in the language of wounds—but also of hope. I live in Amsterdam, but my words belong everywhere.
If you’ve ever felt like the world has no room for you—come in. These pages were written for you too.
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I’m the author of Mom, Dad...I'm Drowning.
I wrote this book because I needed to. Because silence can drown you louder than any noise, and for a long time, I lived inside that silence.
Writing has always been the one place where I could breathe. It became my way of making sense of the chaos—of giving shape to the things I couldn’t say out loud. This book is a piece of my truth, but it’s also for anyone who has ever felt like they’re drowning while the world keeps spinning around them.
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I didn’t write this as someone who has all the answers. I wrote it as someone who’s still learning how to stay above water—someone who believes that stories can connect us in the moments we feel most alone.
I live in Amsterdam, and when I’m not writing, I’m probably thinking, creating, walking, listening to music, or spending quality time with my friends, my partner and my lovely cats.
Thank you for being here. Thank you for reading. That means more than you know.
Biography
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I was born in Athens in 1996. Ever since my school years, I’ve been searching for every possible way to feel free. That search led me to the arts—acting, music, and dance—which have remained my deepest forms of expression to this day. Theatre, piano, singing, dance—these became my refuge.
Throughout my school and university life, I was actively involved in various theatre groups, performing in numerous productions. My favorite was Corpse Bride by Tim Burton, a play in which I not only portrayed one of the characters but also composed and performed the original music live during each show.
In 2019, after completing my studies in Greece, I moved permanently with my partner to Amsterdam, the Netherlands. We left Greece in search of acceptance and freedom, and we are grateful to have finally built a home together—with our two adorable cats.
For as long as I can remember, I have been writing—song lyrics, original music, personal songs, stories, and short fiction. Writing has always been a way for me to express what I carried inside. It is this urge to express my inner world that led me to write my first book.
Through this work, I wanted to give voice to my fears, my experiences, and everything I went through growing up. I hope this book can serve as a starting point—or even just a spark—for each reader to reflect, question, and begin an inner dialogue about diversity, acceptance, and unconditional love.
At the end of this journey, perhaps you will be able to embrace every person who happens to be like me. Like me, like Orpheus, or like Odysseus.