Known for her novels about Greece, 61-year-old British author Victoria Hislop is now an honorary citizen of the country where she keeps a vacation home on Crete, where she spends several months a year.

Hislop's book The Island, including the history of the tiny island of Spinalonga – the last leper colonly in Europe – off Crete, was a sensation in Greece and brought her legions of fans in the country and elsewhere.

Greece’s President Katerini Sakellaropoulou has signed an honorary naturalization order declaring the citizenship for Hislop, given the honor for promoting modern Greek history and culture, the decree published in the government gazette, said Kathimerini.

Under Greek law, honorary naturalization may be granted to people “who have provided exceptional services to the country or whose naturalization serves the public interest, such as actor Tom Hanks, who converted to the Greek Orthodox Church and who, with his wife Rita Wilson – of Cypriot heritage – has a summer home on the island of Antiparos.