Forty years ago, the Cypriot town of Famagusta was occupied by Turkish forces. This is the subject of Victoria Hislop’s new novel, "The Sunrise," which will be released in Greece on October 22. Hislop’s literary inspiration came from the town’s empty buildings.

In an interview with the newspaper Fileleftheros, she said “I traveled to Cyprus many times; I visited Famagusta, stood near the wire and watched the city. I spent some time on the roof of the Turkish-Cypriot mayor’s office in Famagusta and tried to gather as many images as I could.” Ankara denied her request to enter the city’s cordoned off sections.

The author first visited Famagusta in 1978 at the age of 18. "I was travelling by bus. I started from London, went through several former socialist countries and ended up in Turkey. There we took a boat and went to Kyrenia, if I’m not mistaken. For three weeks I was camping. Although it was a carefree trip, it was also very strange. I was looking at a hotel in Famagusta, which looked like a resort, surrounded by beautiful beaches, yet I could not go near it. I could not understand this."