Penelope Kourtzi is a distinguished Greek author, known for her historical and lyrical novels, as well as her research in uncharted areas, with her writing highlighting hidden aspects of culture. With a scientific background at a postgraduate level in Biotechnology and Genetics, she is active in the business world, though her greatest passion is writing. Her works include bestsellers such as Kumquat, Thirteen Patches, The Principoto, The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lover, and The Girl with the Snail—the book behind the television series The Beach on ERT.
She is also the story originator of the long television series The Beach, aired on ERT and ERTFLIX. She serves as the creator, co-producer, and screenwriter of the short film The Beach, developed for the Film Office of the Region of Crete, and is the co-creator and screenwriter of the mini web series 30.