If it’s Friday, it must be France …
For some reason, all I can think of today is the sweet taste of these luscious strawberries we purchased at a village market last month in Provence. I do believe they were the most delicious I’ve ever eaten!
Today is the first rainy day we’ve had in two months of travel. So … full disclosure here … that makes it the first day in two months that I’ve spent totally committed to writing on my computer.
I’ve been doing lots of research, note-taking,
photography, interviewing, talking with locals … spent HOURS thinking and planning … but not a lot of actual writing. Of course, there were a few hours here and there most days, but not one full, chained-to the laptop, blow-out writing day.
Once you get rolling with your WIP, those days become more and more frequent!
And that berry photo up above had a lot to do with getting me going today and pulling me directly into the words I was writing.
Photo prompts work very well for me when I’m developing a story. My character was eating strawberries … just like these … small, juicy, full-flavoured. And look at the colour! Don’t you want to pop one in your mouth too and sample that exquisite taste sensation?
I also had this next photo on my screen, helping me recall the sounds, smells and other visuals of a typical village market. The air is always filled with laughter, conversation, and greetings as friends greet each other and vendors invite everyone to sample their wares in the most engaging ways.
So now the narrative flows in earnest … I can sense it … and it feels good … the story is ready to be told! I’m well into the fifth chapter and feel excited about the way things are unfolding. It takes a while to really connect with new characters and for us to figure each other out. Truly! But you’ve heard me and other writers allude to that before. It’s part of the fun of writing fiction.
After living with Kat, Philippe, and friends for the past five years, I had to welcome some new voices into my life … and I’m liking them more and more. I miss the old familiar crew though, and look forward to getting back to another trilogy with them once this new novel is published.
Thanks for the deluge of emails I’ve received asking me to continue writing about the Love In Provence characters. I’m touched that you feel so connected to them. They will be back. I promise you this … to borrow from that last book title!
Apart from writing and all that goes into a new book, authors are also always looking at new ways to market their work. Whether we are indie authors or signed to a publisher, book marketing still takes a lot of effort from the writer.
I had some fun with our visiting granddaughters in France as we set up some shots with the Love In Provence book covers. Here are a few of our efforts.
This first shot is in front of the daily Provençal market in Antibes, where Kat initially met Philippe in The Promise of Provence. (And I better do a bit of cropping at the bottom … although it makes me smile to know that sweet hand belongs to a granddaughter!)
Then we posed Promises to Keep to replicate the cover art. Oops, we didn’t quite get my thumb out of the way!
If you’ve finished reading I Promise You This, then you will know that the door to the Mairie is an important detail in that story. There’s that cute hand again!
Next come a couple of our efforts with all three books.
I’ll be sending some of the shots to TripFiction.com to see if they are good enough to use. Even if they aren’t, we had a lot of fun setting them up.
(And here, please allow me to share a few words about travel with grandchildren: what fun! We had a week in Antibes with Meg, 17 and Jess, 15, and then a week later with Lauren, 21, who will also join us in Vienna next week. Our grandson, Ethan, 19, will also be there with us.We highly recommend the experience!)
Now back to the topic of writing. If you don’t follow TripFiction, I highly recommend you do. They feature novels set in specific locations and have been fabulous about promoting the Provence books. For those of us who enjoy a travel aspect in the stories we read, you will discover many enticing books to add to your TBR stack by checking their website and Instagram gallery.
I brought some of TripFiction’s postcards with me this summer so they could travel along, like this shot in Arles. You may spot some of them on Instagram.
So that’s the scoop for now from me. I hope your summer is going well and that you are reading a book that’s a page-turner! Feel free to let us in on the name. Readers are always looking for recommended books ~ there’s no better review than word of mouth!
And now back to writing! Bon weekend, everyone!
I love travelling with my grandchildren too. My youngest grandson, who was 12 at the time, travelled around Alberta with me as I did research on the Amanda in Alberta book. It was so much fun. The pictures featuring your books are fabulous. I must check out TripFiction! Those strawberries look soooo good. I found the fruit in Provence to be exceptional. Apricots were in season when I was there three weeks ago. We went to a village market as well and I also attended a Provencial cooking class. So much fun! I must return.
Darlene, your visit to Provence sounded fabulous! I never doubted you would love it and, yes, you must return. I agree!
I loved hearing about your travel with your grandson and can imagine what fun that was. And, yes, TripFiction would be great for your books! The woman who runs it is Tina and please tell her I told you about it. She’s a great supporter of authors and readers!
I will do that. And now I have made another blogging friend from your site, Catherine Berry. I just love how this works!!
Darlene, that’s great news! The online connections we are able to make certainly enlarge our world and make it all the more interesting. The biggest problem is finding the time to get as involved as we would like. You know what that’s all about. In the midst of novel writing there’s barely time for anything else. And now back to writing …
You are the most wonderful person I have met on IG
Thank you for all you are & do!!! Big cheers
Hugs
Kim, cafedesade on ig ???
Kim, it’s been a delight to connect with you on IG. I’m looking forward to our Skype visit!
Wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing the photos. Beautiful.
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, Melissa. It’s always appreciated! I hope your summer is going well. They fly by, don’t they?
I always love seeing your newsletters and blog posts in my in-box because I know the photos are going to be stellar. Thanks or not disappointing.
And this: “I had to welcome some new voices into my life,” that is where I’m at right now, too. Sometimes they talk to me and sometimes they don’t, but I’m enjoying getting to know them.
Keep up the good work. Love the book covers.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
Hi Patricia! It’s always good to hear from you and I finally took some time this morning to catch up with your world. Congratulations on your biziversary and your connection with an editor. Great news all around and I left you some comments on your blog. xo
Wonderful to read so many good news, Patricia. Many books have made my summer even more successful. Many are for children and YA. For grown-ups my favorite has been Jogn Irving’s latest novel Avenue of Mysteries. But summer is not finished yet and I’m sure that Girls, on my nightstand now will be a great one too.
Enjoy the work-in-progress. I hear you when you speak of finding the flow. Such an amazing feeling. Best to you and your readers.
Bonjour Evelyne! Lovely to hear your summer has been filled with good books. My best to you too!
Gorgeous pics of your pics in situ and to know you’re having such a great time with your family. I should think you really needed that rain day to catch up a little!
Thanks, Claire. I need a month of rainy days! We are in Vienna this week with family and back in Toronto next week for some serious “nose to the grindstone” labor! So sorry our schedules didn’t work out this summer. À la prochaine!
Really interesting to hear the details of your writing day. It is true that photos help to reproduce sentiments. My husband is usually behind the camera but your post helps me understand that I should pay more attention to looking for shots myself.
Thanks for your comments, Catherine. I’m very much a visual learner and, when I began writing, quickly realized how my lifelong ‘addiction’ to taking photos was of great benefit. I’m sure you have a great many lovely images from France, so don’t hesitate to share them. You might want to start an Instagram account and post them there … another good way to meet new readers. I’ve just downloaded your book and wish you the best of luck with it.
Thank-you so much for your support. I know that you have been all the way along the route from Indie author through several books to success and recognition. It gives all of us who are starting out hope, plus your writing hints are invaluable.
PS I started an Instagram account under the name of my book only a few days ago. It did seem that it was time!
Well done, Catherine. I will hop over to IG and find you. 🙂
Wonderful post, as usual… I found some local strawberries on an online service here, Good Eggs – they are Mara de Bois, from Oakland, not France, and the closest thing to wild strawberries! The ones you posted look great, too! So do the photos, and I am not surprised. Love to read about your life, which I do envy now (can no longer travel, not even drive… and our two daughters never gave us grandchildren — but it’s OK with us. It’s their lives!)
Go back to writing now, as we all want to read more of Provence!
Love and Hugs
It’s amazing what we can find online, Martha! And you seem to discover some of the best … Mara de Bois eggs sound as though they must come from elegant hens! The church bells in our neighbourhood of Vienna are chiming a lovely backdrop to my writing and are reminding me of France … but then everything does. We are just here for the week and carry on to Toronto on Monday. It’s easier for me to leave Europe when I’m not going directly from France … know what I mean? Keep searching out interesting “treasures” online and savour each day as much as you can. Did I recommend this book to you ~ “The Little Bookshop of Paris” by Nina George? I think you might enjoy its quirkiness. I did!
Thanks for the book tip. I’ll get it now, And I understand you when you say it’s easier leaving Europe when it is not directly from France… As far A Good Eggs — they are in this area and have all kinds of goodies, all organic, from veggies to ice cream! And they deliver… The Mara de Bois I was referring to are extraordinary strawberries. It’s great for me to be able to order so many good things online, even clothes from the best stores (I have to return many, but it’s worth it, since I am not allowed to drive)… Grosses bises!
Grosses bises, right back to you! Profitez de tous les jours … online and off!
I am replying again here, as you had recommended Nina George’s “The Little Bookshop of Paris” – I loved it!!! Thanks so much for telling me about it. It’s a pity she writes most books in German, but I found one in Spanish. Do you know if she wrote The Little Bookshop in German? It doesn’t say it was translated. In case she did, her English is excellent!! Bravo!!!
Loved reading your post. I am so enjoying the travels with you. The “Promise” books were so wonderful! I didn’t want them to end. So many feeling, sights, sounds, and people filled my heart. I look forward to your next novel. Wishing you safe travels! Thank you so much for hours of joy.
Debra, many thanks for your inspiring words. I hope you know how much it means to authors to connect with readers such as you. You make all our efforts so worthwhile.