Bonne fête du muguet!

If it’s Friday, it must be France …

Happy Friday to you! I’m doing last minute organizing and packing … as you will see below, we are off to the Côte d’Azur on Monday. And you know me … I couldn’t be happier!

So I’m posting the newsletter here that just went out yesterday. If you already received it, I hope you enjoy the photos again!  It’s got all the news I want to share and … full disclosure … I’ve got to finish packing!

Fasten your seatbelt and prepare to take off with me on Monday. It will be magnifique over there and, if you like, I’ll be delighted to take you everywhere with me!

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APRIL NEWSLETTER

Bonjour!

Are you ready for some warm spring weather? I am! It really hasn’t reached Toronto yet, although we’ve had some nice sunshine. I’m ready to stop wearing a jacket! Bring on the sandals!

Hopefully this time next week I won’t be grumbling about the weather. We will have arrived in Antibes! As most of you know, this header shot is one of my favourite views of the town that stole my heart.

My husband and I have rented a quaint, restored fisherman’s cottage for 5 weeks in the vieille ville, a few minutes from the daily marché. Yes … that marché where Kat met Philippe.

I can’t wait to take you along with me! Stay tuned for photos.

This is one of the neighbouring streets that I’ll stroll to go to the market, and I promise to take you along many other charming streets just like it.

When I’m in France, I’ll share a new photo or short video every day on Instagram. Click here for the link to my gallery.  Apart from sharing my photos, I love IG because of all the other amazing photography you find there from all over the world, and on just about every topic you can imagine. It’s a free app on your phone. If you enjoy photography in one way or another, check it out! Be sure to say hi to me if you do.

In my last newsletter, I mentioned I had completed the developmental edit for my new novel. Today I returned the copy edit to my editor at Lake Union, and now I wait for the proofread to come to me and the cover design. As you can see, it’s a lengthy process! But I love every bit of it and always learn something. Most importantly, it means we’re working hard to bring you books of the highest quality.
I hope to show you the cover in the next newsletter, before anyone else sees it.
What I can tell you now is the title ~ Drawing Lessons ~ I mentioned the story about the title in my last newsletter … and I give full credit to my husband!
Here is Amazon’s book description. You are seeing it before anyone else!
                                        *****

The author of the Love in Provence series returns to the South of France with a poignant portrait of a woman who must learn how to create a new life for herself . . .
Sixty-two-year-old Arianna arrives in the South of France for a two-week artists’ workshop full of anticipation but burdened by guilt. Back home in Toronto, she has been living with the devastating diagnosis of her husband’s dementia and the heartbreak of watching the man she has loved for decades slip away before her eyes. What does her future hold without Ben? Before her is a blank canvas.

Encouraged by her family to take some time for herself, she has traveled to Arles to set up her easel in the same fields of poppies and sunflowers that inspired Van Gogh. Gradually, she rediscovers the inner artist she abandoned long ago. Drawing strength from the warm companionship and gentle wisdom of her fellow artists at the retreat—as well as the vitality of guest lecturer Jacques de Villeneuve, an artist and a cowboy—Arianna searches her heart for permission to embrace the life in front of her and, like the sunflowers, once again face the light.
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After falling in love with all of my characters in the Love in Provence series, it was a challenge at first to get connected to an entirely new collection of personalities. That’s part of the fun of writing fiction! It didn’t take long before all of these characters became very special to me as the story unfolded and I got to know and love them! I think you will like them too!

This is one of the streets I often visualized as the characters were strolling in Arles, taking notes and sketching in their art journals.

Giveaway time!  Today we have three! It’s fun to see how many of you enter the giveaways, so I’m thrilled to offer these great books to you this month. Good luck! Bonne chance!

I hope you enjoy meeting authors who might be new to you and connecting with those you already follow. Savour their books, find out more about the writers and pass along their information to your friends. The best way to hear about a good book is by word of mouth from dedicated readers like you. If you have time to write a short review, even better, and always appreciated.

Giveaway #1 ~ Janine Marsh’s memoir My Good Life in France is available for pre-order and will be published on May 4^th! She is offering two ebook copies here. As the creator of The Good Life France website and magazine, you’re no doubt very familiar with her. It’s quite a ride to read the story of how her adventure has unfolded. Here’s my blog post about it.

Connect with Janine here.

Giveaway #2 ~ Popular crime writer  (25 books! Wow!), Diane Capri, is offering two ebooks of Wasted Justice, part of her best-selling Willa Carson series. It’s a mystery involving mothers and her readers love it. Diane says she “writes mystery, thriller and suspense for the same reason she reads: for fun, excitement, to find out what happens, why people do what they do, and how to bring justice to an unjust world.” Full of thrills and tension – but smart and human too.” —Lee Child , #1 World Wide Bestselling Author of Jack Reacher Thrillers

Connect with Diane at her website.

Giveaway #3 ~ Kay Bratt is the author of eleven full-length novels and two children’s books. She is offering one ebook and one print copy of her touching novel Wish Me Home.  In her first work of contemporary women’s fiction, bestselling author Kay Bratt draws on her own life experiences to create a raw, yet inescapably warm, novel about friendship and a wary heart’s unexpected capacity to love. And there’s a dog!

“In this inspiring story of a woman’s search for the deepest wish of her heart, Bratt paints a realistic portrait of the dark side of the foster care system, while simultaneously reminding us that there is always hope, and that home and family can be found in unexpected places.” —Kerry Anne King, bestselling author of Closer Home and I Wish You Happy

Connect with Kay at her website.

For those of you who are new to the newsletter, all you have to do to enter our giveaways, is send an email to patriciasandsauthor@gmail.com and let us know which book you would like. Please indicate if you would like an ebook or print. This time we’re asking you to share with us whether you read novels on your phone or not. Don’t be shy to admit it … I do! (Practically all the time, thanks to this chaotic schedule I seem to keep!) I love having all my books with me whenever I want them.

Congratulations to last month’s winners:  Jackie Tansky, Beverly Eanes, Linda Kish, Jane Pinder, Barbara Mitchell, Athena Kelly, and Margaret Bostock. I’m sure you’ve already heard from Amy and received your books.

I will be sending the audiobooks to Jackie and Beverly in the next day or two.

News Flash ~ The Bridge Club is discounted to $.99 until the end of June because of some marketing promotions.  If you already have a copy, gift some to your friends!

As I mentioned last month, a few writers have organized another Meet The Author event in Nice on June 3. Here’s the information about  the venue and I’ll put the other details on my FB page in a week or so. I’ll also let you know in my May newsletter. If you have any friends in the area, please share the info with them. It’s always an entertaining few hours and we’re making it even bigger and better than before! Allez!

I’m going to dash now as I’m off to visit with a book club this evening ~ one of my favourite things to do! Don’t forget to let me know if you would like to organize a chat with your book club ~ we can always do it through Skype or FaceTime ~ no matter where you are. Talking about books is always fun!

And, since I’m dashing I thought I would leave you with one of my favourite quickie recipes for entertaining. We all have left over cheese from time to time, oui?  I’m popping this cheese photo in just because I like it … and I love this cheese … but, seriously, you can make this yummy treat with any kind of cheese and mixing a few together often is even more delicious! Just pick up a fresh baguette and you are good to go.

Make some Fromage Fort … and if you do, tell me how it worked for you. Click here for the recipe.

My next newsletter will be from Antibes and I’m excited to chat with you from there again!

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!

Bon appétit et à bientôt!
 

P.S. If you would like to read some of my past newsletters, you can do so at this page on my website.

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK FROM ANTIBES ON THE DAZZLING COTE D’AZUR!