Bonjour Patricia

This letter will probably arrive as the long American Thanksgiving weekend is drawing to a close. Is everyone resting today?  I trust you all enjoyed a memorable time ~ either with family, friends and fine food or quietly at home in your comfy clothes or perhaps serving a meal at a homeless shelter. In whatever way you spent your Thanksgiving, I hope that it was a good day with an attitude of gratitude prevailing.

Our Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated in October and it’s my favourite holiday. When we asked the question of you last month, it seemed that Thanksgiving was the winning response there too.

With December on our doorstep, we all know what’s coming next. I’m not sure I’m ready, are you? I see a lot of decorations up already!

But one thing I am ready to do is send off my 2018 calendars. All the orders have been placed. We should have signed calendars ready to mail in two weeks’ time, to those who ordered them.

As usual, I’m also offering a chance for five people to win a calendar. If you would like your name entered in the giveaway, follow our usual procedure and send an email to patriciasandsauthor@gmail.com with the words “Calendar Giveaway”. Good luck!

I’ve been working on a new photo essay of Nice which means I’ve been spending many happy hours (in between writing) sifting through my albums. I thought I would share a few shots in this letter.  The header photo is of the rooftops of Vieux Nice. As much as I love to take photos of doors (see today’s post on my blog) and windows in France, I also have a thing about rooftops. Do you?

This entrance to an apartment building is on a street in Nice I often walk down. It’s on my way from the train station to the Promenade and it makes me smile.  It’s a perfect entrance for a writer, don’t you think?

And here are a few more random shots in Nice. It’s the perfect town for strolling and photo ops are endless.

Okay, enough dreaming for me. Back to the letter!

Congratulations to the October giveaway winners of print and ebooks:  Kay Simmons,  Tanya Grygaski, Kathleen O’Donnell, Debbie Scarpari,  Carol Luciano, and Petrina Bennett.

Betty Apsley is the winner of the French market gift box! Félicitations!

Amy Cooper, my indispensable right hand, is always on top of things so I’m certain you have all heard from her by now. If not, please let us know.

Here are the tempting giveaways for this month. Good luck everyone!

#1 ~ Ho! Ho! Ho! Women’s fiction author, Judith Keim is kicking off the holiday season in our giveaways this month with two signed copies of Christmas at the Beach House Hotel. A hybrid author who both has a publisher and who self-publishes, Judith writes heart-warming stories of strong women who face challenges and find love and happiness along the way.

Originally from Elmira, New York, Judith now makes her home in Idaho with her husband, their long-haired dachshund, Winston, and other members of her family. Connect with Judith here.

A brief synopsis: Ann and Rhonda are fed up with the way the new, majority owners are changing The Beach House Hotel from the small, elegant hotel they once owned and operated into a tacky, South Beach wannabe property. What’s their only recourse? Buy back the property to save it from getting even worse. And with the new management ruining Ann’s daughter’s plans for a Christmas Eve wedding, they have to get to work right away to regain control of the hotel. Facing a number of challenges along the way, including rumors of Vaughn’s dalliance with Ann’s old nemesis, Lily Dorio, Ann and Rhonda work to make it the best-ever Christmas at The Beach House Hotel.

Amazon review: “I could not put this book down… as a matter of fact I read it in one day.”

#2 ~ To keep up with the holiday spirit, Andrea Hurst is offering two ebooks of her delightful new release Christmas on Madrona Island.

Not only a successful women’s fiction author, Andrea is also a literary agent. When not visiting local farmers’ markets or indulging her love for chocolate, Andrea enjoys writing stories that take readers on a journey to another place and leave them with an unforgettable impression. Her books deal with friendship, family, and the power of love.

She lives with her little dog in the Pacific Northwest, on an island much like the fictional Madrona, with all of its natural beauty and small town charm. Connect with Andrea here.

Here’s a brief synopsis: With challenges mounting, will the true meaning of Christmas prevail and make this the merriest season of all?

 This holiday season, enjoy the most wonderful time of year with the residents of Madrona Island in this heartwarming novella from the Amazon Bestselling author of The Guestbook. This Christmas story takes place a few years after the end of the third book, Island Thyme Cafe, in the Madrona Island series. However, this book can be read as a standalone. 

Amazon review: “A heart-warming Christmas story about family (both 4 footed and 2), friends, giving, and the bustle of the holiday season. Take time in your schedule to read this and recharge yourself.”

#3 ~ Next, attention all foodies! Fellow women’s fiction writer, Peggy Lampman is offering an ebook of her delicious new release, The Welcome Home Diner , and a print copy of her first novel, The Promise Kitchen. Trust me, Peggy’s writing is equally as scrumptious as her recipes!

From Birmingham, Alabama, after graduating from the University of Michigan, Peggy moved to New York City, where she worked as a copywriter and photographer for Hill and Knowlton, a public relations firm. She moved back to Ann Arbor, her college town, and opened up a specialty foods store, The Back Alley Gourmet. After selling the store, she wrote under a weekly food byline in The Ann Arbor News and MLive. Connect with Peggy here.

Here’s a brief synopsis for The Welcome Home Diner: Betting on the city of Detroit’s eventual comeback, cousins Addie and Samantha decide to risk it all on an affordable new house and a culinary career that starts with renovating a vintage diner in a depressed area of town. There’s just one little snag in their vision.

Angus, a weary, beloved local, is strongly opposed to his neighborhood’s gentrification—and his concerns reflect the suspicion of the community. Shocked by their reception, Addie and Samantha begin to have second thoughts.

Will the neighborhood open their hearts to welcome them home?

Amazon Review for The Welcome Home Diner: “The first thing I have to say about THE WELCOME HOME DINER by Peggy Lampman is this story will make you so hungry!!!! With mouth-watering descriptions of food throughout, I could almost taste the rich pancakes drizzled in maple syrup, so my advice is make a cup of tea and have a lovely piece of cake to hand when you settle down to read this touching novel.”

Brief synopsis for The Promise Kitchen:

Shelby and Mallory couldn’t be more different. But through their shared passion for food, they form an unlikely friendship—a bond that just might be their salvation.

This heartwarming and lyrical tale reminds us that family isn’t necessarily whom you’re related to—it’s whom you invite to your table.

Amazon Review for The Promise Kitchen: “This is a wonderful book that has a uniquely southern voice and food is one of the main characters, as it is in many of our lives.”

As always, to have your name entered for the random draw for each giveaway, send an email to patriciasandsauthor@gmail.com. This month, please let us know the name of your favourite holiday story or song. Good luck with the draws! Bonne chance!

With the giveaways in my newsletter, 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 on Amazon and Goodreads, even better, and always appreciated. Trust me … I didn’t realize this until I became a novelist. Before that I had never written a review. Now, it’s the first thing I do when I finish reading a story.

The holidays are a great time to give books as gifts, so I will be doing a Goodreads giveaway for five print copies of Drawing Lessons in December. As soon as we know the dates for this, I will send a quick announcement out to all of you. I wouldn’t want you to miss it!

While I was going through my Nice photo files, I kept coming upon photos of pan bagnat. This traditional Niçoise sandwich is often described as salade Niçoise in a bun … and that’s about right! We often pick one up from a boulangerie to have for lunch or go to the market for the ingredients and go home and make one. They are delicious! And apparently I enjoy taking photos of them too! So here’s one for you.

Here’s a good recipe for this easy to make meal. I’m pretty sure I’ve written about these tasty treats in an earlier newsletter, but I couldn’t resist it again when Nice is on my mind! Bon appétit!

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!

À bientôt!