Patricia Sands

Author

If it is France...

If it’s Friday, it must be France …

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Plage de la Gravette, Antibes

It may be September but in the south of France summer is still in full swing. I love posting this photo for a few reasons. Firstly, because I know who is sitting in those chairs and that fills my heart every single time I see the image. Secondly, it reminds me of a time when some of our family was visiting with my husband and me in Antibes one summer. Different family members (have I mentioned we have seven ‘kids’ … and now some of the grandkids are old enough to visit on their own too!)and friends often came to stay for a while during our summers there and we loved every minute.

I posted this quote on Instagram the other day and am happy to share it here with you. “There is nothing that can equal the treasure of so many shared memories.” ~ Antoine De Saint-Exupery, author of Le Petit Prince.

So true, is it not? Hold onto that thought, dear friends. Go back and linger in some of your photo albums and treasure the memories.

I’m dropping in here today to remind everyone that the three Love in Provence ebooks are on sale for September for .99 US each. Thanks to Amazon! I love it when they put my books on sale.

So if you have not begun the series yet … or never got around to finishing it … what? You definitely should! Or gift some copies to friends … easily done on the Amazon page. Let me know if you don’t know how. I will be happy to help!

Have you read all three novels? (Did you know that the Villa des Violettes series carries on the stories of the same beloved characters?)

It’s so satisfying creating graphics using my photography and this shot of Tourrettes sur Loup is dear to my heart! It’s a view that is suddenly in your face when drive round a corner on the winding road from Grasse to Saint Paul de Vence. I can’t tell you the number of times we’ve stopped so I can capture this image … it is irresistible to me!

In fact, our September #southofFrancememories tour is specially planned so we make this same stop. Then our group stays to have lunch and explore this enchanting village.

In The Promise of Provence, Kat first has this same experience from the back of Philippe’s vintage motorcycle! Quelle surprise!

Here’s a link that will lead you to all three books … or you can find the book links here on my website.

If you are free an hour from now at 8 Eastern, Friday, join me and nine author friends as we have some fun on The Write Review helping to celebrate Kerry Anne King’s fabulous new book, Other People’s Things! It’s a great read. Come and party with us! Here’s how to play!

Bon weekend and bonne lecture tout le monde. Stay safe this weekend and enjoy a good book! Perhaps one of these!

À très bientôt! See you soon!

If it’s Friday, it must be France …

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Bonjour ~ how can July be here already? I just got started on June …

I hope summer has arrived in all the best ways where you are. Our thoughts are with everyone who is being hit with the extreme heat waves and also those impacted by the condo tragedy in south Florida. Here is some information on how we can help.

I hope in some small way the blog posts you receive from authors and other bloggers bring some good moments to you. I’m beginning July by sharing with you my most recent newsletter. I’m up to my eyeballs on edits for a new book and hope to share more news of that with you at a later date.

For now, please enjoy the lavender … breathe in! And enter to win an Amazon gift card! Why not?

Newsletter # 87                                            June 21, 2021

Bonjour,

Happy Summer Solstice! I know how happy we all are to welcome summer and hopefully bid a loud good riddance to the dreadful pandemic. I trust you are all safely vaccinated as the world begins to open up again. It’s hard to believe that June is well on its way to being over.


Under normal circumstances, I would be in France right now with one of our tours. We would be ready to spend some time in the enticing lavender fields of Provence, but that is still not happening. I’m counting on 2022. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy a few minutes imagining ourselves there. If only I could infuse these photos with fragrance!


The header photo of this letter is from one of the most special … and favourite … places to view lavender, the Cistercian Abbaye de Sénanque. Dating from 1134, the abbey remains an active monastery run by a community of monks who gather seven times a day to pray. If you plan to visit, arrive very early to beat the crowds at this time of year. A tour of the abbey is recommended.


Just because so many of us love lavender, here are a few more shots from France. I must admit I was not a big fan until the first time I stepped out of the car beside a field in full bloom. The heady sensation breathing in those scents for the first time is an unforgettable memory.


Although, this lavender field in the last photo is small, it is the one that is most special for me. This is the garden at the back of the monastery/asylum of St. Paul de Mausole, just outside St. Remy de Provence. It’s a place we visit on our women’s tour and I write about it in Drawing Lessons. Vincent van Gogh looked out on this garden as he spent one of his final (and most prolific) years there. A visit to the monastery is always a spiritual experience and I am counting the days until I’m back there in September 2022 to share it with our tour.

While I’m on the topic of lavender, here’s some good news! Book #3 in the Villa des Violettes series, Lavender, Loss & Love, is on sale for $1.99 right now.  Click here to
order your copy.



I hope in another month or so to share some new information about that series. Stay tuned!


In my last newsletter, I offered gift cards rather than free books and that idea was very well received. I still want to share books by author friends and will do so again in the autumn. For the summer, I am going to continue with gift cards … and who doesn’t like shopping for a new book or two?


I’m in the midst of editing my next novel and this one is LABOR INTENSIVE, let me tell you. So I’m cutting back on my summer newsletters to spend that time deep in my editing cave. I promise it will be worth it when the novel comes out. I don’t have a definite date on that yet, but will keep you posted. 


To enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card, simply send an email to patriciasandsauthor@gmail.com and tell me something special you have planned for the summer. We will let random.org software choose the winners. Good luck! Bonne chance!



Congratulations to the previous newsletter winners:
Sue Ahn, Karina Thibodeau, Diane Bryant



Recently I spent a week visiting with the great book community of Bookish Road Trip on Facebook.   On Thursday, 24th, at 7 p.m. I had a LIVE chat there with Melissa Face, author of I Love You More than Coffee. If you did not join us Live, you can always view the video at your convenience.

Before I sign off, here’s a reminder about The Good Life France’s quarterly ezine. The summer edition is out and, as usual, Janine Marsh has done a fine job! Filled with exquisite photography and excellent articles, it’s free, fabulous and all about France! What could be better? Click right here to open and enjoy.


Since I’m doing a bit of lavender overload this month, here are a few recipes you might find enticing! I’ve posted them before and would be truly interested to know if you have tried any of them. I’m always looking for new recipes using lavender, so please do share!


My wish is that you are feeling as hopeful and optimistic about the future as I am. There are still reasons to be cautious and if you are recovering from the lingering effects of Covid 19, my thoughts are with you. 

Once again, to all essential workers who sacrificed so much to keep the world turning for the rest of us, our eternal thanks.
And now, back to edits!



Stay well, my friends, be kind to one another, read a lot and appreciate every single day. Profitez de tous les jours! I’m reminded on a regular basis that the best part of being an author is hearing from readers. I value the messages I receive from you. Thanks also for sharing my books with your friends and for the reviews you write. It’s all most appreciated and inspiring. See you next month!

If it’s Friday, it must be France …

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Bonjour tout le monde! This week it is my pleasure to welcome author and foodie extraordinaire, Carole Bumpus, for a visit. A freelance food/travel writer, Carole has a new release (August 2020) to share with us. You may remember her from last year when she dropped by to talk about her wonderful book, Searching for Family and Traditions at the French Table, Book One.

Read on to see reviews and a synopsis of her new book, Searching for Family and Traditions at the French Table, Book Two, Savoring the Olde Ways Series. I promise you it is as delicious and informative a read as Book One. Hard to put down!

“The author’s straightforward narrative delivers vivid imagery of both the surroundings and the people…An engaging gastronomic presentation of French history and culture.”—Kirkus Reviews

“This warm and inviting memoir will appeal to food lovers and history buffs alike. The two women examine how it was to live during a time of war, especially the Second World War, and how families managed to keep traditions alive even during tough times.”—Seattle Book Review

“…her conversational style easily draws the reader into the experience. An enjoyable book for those interested in France, WWII, and French food.”—Judy Alter, StoryCircle Book Reviews

“Bumpus weaves wonderful stories into her adventures. But, at the same time, she gives her readers fly-on-the-wall glimpses of ordinary family life, and the opportunity to savour with her the incredible cuisine of France. Whether you love France, enjoy discovering new things, want to try some of the traditional recipes at the end of this book, or just want a thoroughly enjoyable read, I highly recommend this book!”—The Good Life France

In this engaging new installment of Carole Bumpus’ heartwarming culinary memoir/travelogue series, Carole and her trusted guide and dear friend, Josiane Selvage, complete their gastronomic and cultural tour of France. The trip was inspired by Josiane’s deceased mother, Marcelle, and in a touching tribute, Carole and Josiane also search for Marcelle’s roots—a mystery created by the chaos of both world wars.

Beginning in Paris and heading north into Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Normandy, Brittany, Loire and completing the tour in the Auvergne, Carole searched for the traditional “cuisine pauvre” (peasant foods) common to the French table, but she also treasured visits to cultural sites that illuminated the French character and history: ancient cathedrals, a truffle farm, the troglodyte caves in the Loire Valley, Mont St. Michel, and the Bayeux Tapestry.

As she traveled, Carole listened to French families describe their personal histories, the myths and traditions unique to their communities, and learned the family recipes used for festivals and celebrations. But alongside the joy of discovering delicious dishes and making new friends, Carole was reminded of the sobering economic and political realities of both world wars, and the ways those wars have shaped France, its people, and its cuisine. These realities were made all the more poignant by Josiane’s efforts to uncover her mother’s family history.

A retired family therapist, CAROLE BUMPUS began writing about food and travel when she stumbled upon the amazing stories of women and war in France. She has traveled extensively throughout France and Italy, where she has interviewed more than seventy-five families to date for her food and travel blogs. She published an historical novel, A Cup of Redemption, in 2014, and her unique companion cookbook, Recipes for Redemption: A Companion Cookbook to A Cup of Redemption, in August 2015. She is an active member in The California Writers Club and The Women’s National Book Association. Bumpus lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she teaches classes on writing, does public speaking, and continues to write about women, food, and war. Visit her website at CaroleBumpus.com. 

COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Special

As you are whiling away your days at home awaiting the moment when you can get back to our lives, how about taking advantage of a special offer?  All three of my books – A Cup of Redemption, Recipes for Redemptionand Searching for Family at the French Table, Book One, which can be purchased together for one small price. $30 for all three – a discounted price of over $20 plus FREE SHIPPING. Autographed and sent directly to your door. Order Your COVID-19 Deal Here

If it’s Friday, it must be France …

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On Sunday, May 10th, Mother’s Day is celebrated in North America. Come on a flight of fantasy with me now for a few minutes. Any mother would love it!

Villa Ephrussi, in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, is a special estate to visit at any time. Our women’s tour spends an afternoon there each year exploring the magnificent villa and prolific gardens. It’s always a highlight … especially these musical fountains. Click on this link to enjoy the show! (I could not get the video of the fountains to load here ~ typical of me ~ but I hope you will click on the link to see the stunning show.)

Even if you can’t be together with other family this weekend, it’s so easy to gift books. Here’s one suggestion! 🙂 https://amzn.to/2YGgDa6

Happy Mother’s Day to mothers everywhere. So many of you are working from home and at the same time trying to take care of your family.  Some of you are home schooling children and doing your best to keep your world and theirs revolving in some kind of “normal”. Families and friends are talking to each other more than ever before. Let’s keep that going. 

So many of you are taking risks every day and leaving the safety of your home to take care of the rest of us in a multitude of different ways.

There are not enough words to express our thanks to all of you and also to all those people around that I see doing such thoughtful acts of kindness, day in and day out. Let’s keep believing that we will get through this by continuing to help each other.