View in browser Newsletter #78 May 28, 2020Bonjour! Here comes June! May seemed to blow by in the blink of an eye, in spite of continuing to shelter at home. How was it for you? Along with all my writing projects, I continued to treat myself to reading more books in a month than I ever have before. I also visited with a few wonderful book clubs via Zoom, which is always a lot of fun. (I’d love to visit with yours!) There were many family/friends Zoom chats and online bridge games too. Seriously, our social calendar was b u s y … and we didn’t have to dress up! The best news here is that our Corona Virus numbers continue to decrease. Another reason to celebrate is that spring finally arrived in Toronto. What a difference it makes to go out for a walk in warm sunshine and see beautiful blossoms all around. I hope you are experiencing the same good weather and seeing the same kind of beauty around you.  I spend a good deal of time lingering in my photos which I love to share on social media and here with you. I also use the images as writing prompts … and even more, as a way to feel pure pleasure. Particularly now when we can’t necessarily go where we may want to be. That, as you know, for me is the south of France. So here are a few shots for us to enjoy together, almost as if we were there at this time of year.      The newsletter header shot is a park in Nice and this gorgeous tree below is a jacaranda, always in bloom at this time. The first time I ever saw one was in Australia and I was surprised to discover them in France. Do you have these where you live?  I’ve been busy working on preparing box sets of The Villa des Violettes Complete Collection and can now tell you that these ebooks are available on Amazon, Kobo, and Nook. All three novellas that were published last year are together here. The print copy is also available and it’s a BIG book! Lots of good reading there. 🙂 So much of what we do in writing is a collaborative experience. My friend, renowned Florida Everglades artist and conservationist, JoAnn Sanborn, created the wagon full of violets for these sets and inside you still see the wonderful covers created by Clare Strohman and Donna Fedele. The formatting talents of Carolyn Ring pulled everything together. I’m so grateful for their friendship and the opportunity to work together.   These days I am busy working on the 10th anniversary edition of The Bridge Club which will publish in the autumn. It’s great fun for me to be back on the pages with these women. As I work, I’m listening to the music from the 1960’s on as the story works through the decades and I’m loving it! I will keep you updated as things progress. It’s hard to believe it is ten years this summer since the book was first published! The original story will have a new edit and there will be an entirely new chapter added at the end bringing you up to date on these great friends. I’m honoured and excited to share with you that there will be eight brand new bridge hands contributed by Canada’s own international bridge expert, Audrey Grant! How cool is that?There also will be a new cover, on which we’ve already begun to work.  June is going to bring a big sale from Amazon for the Love in Provence trilogy. With over 2000 reviews and a 4.3 out of 5 star rating, readers all over the world love these stories. All three ebooks will all be available for $.99 each in the USA for the whole month. Now is the time to pick them up as gifts for others if you already have yours. The sale begins June 1. Click right here for your copies. Alrighty, time to show you this month’s giveaways. I’m happy to say that all three authors are Lake Union Publishing ‘sisters’ and Sandi Kahn Shelton is also part of our very special author team at Blue Sky Book Chat. As always, to enter simply send your email to patriciasandsauthor@gmail.com. This month let us know what you are most looking forward to doing once the world around you opens up little by little. Please specify your choice of book. All winning names are randomly drawn. Good luck! Bonne chance!Giveaway #1 ~ Sandi Kahn Shelton aka Maddie Dawson is offering an ebook and a print copy of her hot off the press new release A Happy Catastrophe. Her bio is long and hilarious. The short story is that she grew up in the South, born into a family of outrageous storytellers–the kind of storytellers who would sit on the dock by the lake in the evening and claim that everything they say is THE absolute truth, like, stack-of-Bibles true. The more outlandish the story, the more it likely it was to be true. Or so they said. Today she lives in Connecticut and turned out pretty normal, as she says: married, children, dishes in the sink, deadlines, laundry, sleep deprivation, toothpaste cap lost, cashmere sweater in the dryer by accident. Connect with Sandi by clicking here.  Here’s the blurb: Marnie MacGraw and Patrick Delaney have been in love for a few years now, enough to realize that they are imperfectly perfect together. Still, there are some things that maybe need a little attention. Marnie’s ebullient; he’s brooding. She thrives on change; he prefers stability. She sees marriage and parenthood in their future, but he can’t see beyond the shadow of an earlier tragedy.Then an eight-year-old surprise from Patrick’s past shows up on their doorstep, cartwheeling into their lives and spinning things in all directions. While it’s not exactly the change she envisioned, it looks like instant family to Marnie. But Patrick, afraid of being hurt again, retreats further into himself. Suddenly, two very different pieces of a beautiful puzzle find it harder and harder to fit. How can Marnie trust in the magic of the universe when it seems to be doing its best to knock her off her feet?But some love stories are worth waiting for. And what’s love without a little chaos anyway?Giveaway #2 ~ Camille Noe Págan is offering one ebook and one print copy of her recent novel, This Won’t End Well. I love her quirky characters and laugh-out-loud humour. In her words, her fiction focuses on love, loss, and making the most of this wonderfully messy life. She is also a journalist specializing in health, (articles in The New York Times, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parade, Time, or WebMD.) and most recently served as the health editor at Real Simple magazine. She has lived in Brooklyn and Chicago and is now settled in Ann Arbor, Michigan with her husband, two children and a nutty dog (her words!). Connect with Camille by clicking here.  Here’s the blurb: No new people: that’s Annie Mercer’s vow. It’s bad enough that her boss sabotaged her chemistry career and her best friend tried to cure her with crystals. But after her fiancé, Jon, asks for space while he’s gallivanting around Paris, Annie decides she needs space too—from everyone. Yet when Harper moves in next door, Annie can’t help but train a watchful eye on the glamorous but fragile young woman. And if keeping Harper safe requires teaming up with Mo, a maddeningly optimistic amateur detective, who is she to mind her own business?Soon Annie has let not one but two new people into her life. Then Jon reappears—and he wants her to join him in France. She’s pretty sure letting anyone get close won’t end well. So she must decide: Is another shot at happiness worth the risk?Giveaway #3 ~ Steena Holmes has a brand new release, The Perfect Secret, and she is offering a print copy to one lucky reader. Steena and I met ten years ago when we were both new to publishing and I treasure our friendship. She lives in in Calgary with her husband, three daughters and assorted dogs, including the cutest muse ever, Charlie. In Steena’s words, “For me, realizing my passion was to write, that THAT is who I am, I started to find joy in the roles I played in my life. Mother, wife, friend, entrepreneur … Now everything I do is about my passion. Whether it’s traveling, writing, enjoying each cup of coffee or snuggling with my sweet Charlie…I am determined to live my life with passion and live it fully.” Connect with Steena by clicking here.  Here’s the blurb: Everyone has secrets—some deadlier than others. She was on cloud nine after accepting an offer of a lifetime. A simpler life than what she was accustomed to. What could go wrong? Starla Bishop learned to survive in the foster-care-to-jail system in New York City. There she learned the tools and skills she put to work later to con jewel thieves, drug traffickers, and mobsters out their fortunes. Now fresh out of her latest stint in jail, she accepts a too-good-to-refuse offer—a perfect life on a silver platter. Starla has everything she ever wished for: a simpler life, a normal life, a new start with new job, a straight job—as receptionist for Soil and Springs Landscaping run by a famous botanist. And it got even better—a whirlwind romance and engagement to her boss’s charming ex-husband.But everything comes with a price. When bodies start turning up in the gardens of her employer, Soil and Springs Landscaping, Starla and her fiancé are hauled into jail for questioning. The revelation of Starla’s secret, previous life and her special skills make her a prime suspect. How much does Starla want the perfect life, and did she use her special skills to keep it, or is this just her biggest con yet? The shocking truth is closer than anyone thinks? Everyone has secrets, some worth killing for.  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. Write a short review, thanks! The best way to hear about a good book is by word of mouth from dedicated readers like you. And trust me, we all appreciate that more than you know. Here are the lucky winners from last month:  Lynn Washington Rettig, Fran Thomson, Veneta, Clare O’Beara, Lysette Lam, Linda Moore, Karen Mercer, Michele Waite, Julie Sambell Don’t forget to sign up for our Blue Sky Book Chat monthly newsletter! Have you joined our group of welcoming book lovers? Do you pop by our page to join in the great chat and giveaways? I hang out there every day with good friends Bette Lee Crosby, Alison Ragsdale, Peggy Lampman, Sandi Kahn Shelton, Marilyn Simon Rothstein, Judy Keim, Barbara Davis-author, Kerry Schafer, Loretta Nyhan~ join us! Blue Sky Book Chat followers and friends will now be able to sign up for our newsletter!! We’re excited to be able to offer you this chance to know more about us, our books, and, of course, to have some bookish fun! Sign up now to get a free download of our favorite recipes!! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/2Smq0I5  Are you getting tired of cooking during these days of home confinement? I know I am! I envy people who love to prepare three meals a day … day after day. You are blessed!For all those Francophiles who would like to serve some traditional French cuisine, Rachel Ray has put together a fabulous collection of recipes … EASY recipes … the kind I love! Take your pick from thirty recipes right here. Bon appétit!  Hang in there, everyone. We are slowly making progress against this terrible virus. If your health or that of someone you know has been affected, I hope the road to recovery is in sight. If there has been a tragic loss, please know everyone mourns with you. 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 have had your employment seriously impacted and are being forced to rethink how the rest of your life looks. You have strengths. Keep believing in yourself. 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 gratitude and admiration 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. I will continue sharing this graphic until the day comes when we can all do our part. No matter what, we will never stop saying thank you to all who are mentioned below.  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. Please stay safe. Let’s follow guidelines, wear a mask outside and in crowds, and continue to be kind and helpful to each other. See you next month!   If you have enjoyed this newsletter, please share it!Patricia Sands, AuthorPO Box 175, Toronto Canada You received this email because you signed up on our website or made a purchase from us.Unsubscribe |
monthly newsletter
June Newsletter
Coucou! That’s yoohoo in French … and I like it! If you did not receive my June newsletter, here’s a chance to read it. For anyone who would like to subscribe, just add your email address in the column on the right, where indicated. I’d love to have you join us. You’re welcome!
Newsletter #69
Bonjour,
Happy summer solstice! There’s a shocking heat wave in some parts of Europe right now … a canicule, is the word for it in France. We hope wherever you are, you are managing to keep cool and hydrated.
The header photo this month is from Corsica, also known as the “beautiful island” and the “scented island”. We visited this captivating part of France a few years ago and I enjoyed sending my characters, Kat and Philippe, on a motorcycle trip there in my latest release. A Season of Surprises, Book Two in the Villa des Violettes series, became available on June 20th. It’s always a thrill to publish a new story and I want to thank all the readers who have already written some wonderful reviews. I’m working on Book Three and hope to have it ready for you in November.
Enjoy a few moments on the island of Corsica …
While I’m on the topic of enticing destinations, let me share this information about a dream trip put together by my good friend, author Jacquie Gauthier. Jacquie makes her home in South Africa now and her Soul Safari is the stuff dreams are made of. In her words:
What is a Soul Safari? It’s a 10-day journey of introspection and exploration. An opportunity to connect with nature in the African Bushveld, and to connect with yourself.
Our home is Ngama Tented Safari Camp, located on a private game reserve just outside of Kruger National Park. This charming, intimate camp is the perfect place for yoga, meditation, and Zen bush walks among the zebras and giraffes.
(No yoga experience is necessary; I teach an African flavoured yoga that is suitable for all levels.)
Ngama is also ideally located to allow us to go out and explore; Big 5 game drives, rugged mountains, the world’s largest living canyon and Kruger National Park.
We also get to enjoy the colour, culture and cuisine of South Africa. The next Soul Safari is November 17 to 26th, but we are now also taking bookings for 2020.
Put together your own group (minimum of 8 required to have exclusive use of the camp) or meet new friends on one of the open tours.
For more information contact Jacquie at jaxisclever@hotmail.com or send her a message on the “Soul Safari with Jacquie Gauthier ” page on FB.
I’ve got more exciting news, so will just get right on with this month’s great giveaways. Two of my sister authors from our #BlueSkyBookChat group are offering great reads for you.
Giveaway #1 – Alison Ragsdale is offering two ebooks of her brand new release, The Art of Remembering, which will be out July 16th. A proud Scots lass, Alison was born in Edinburgh and the connection to her homeland has never left her. Her novels are set in the stunning Highlands and islands of Scotland. A former professional dancer, and marketing executive, Alison now lives near Washington DC with her husband and dog.
Here’s the blurb: Professional ballerina, Ailsa MacIntyre, is at the peak of her career when her world is shattered by a shocking diagnosis. Life-saving surgery leaves her with a fractured memory, little recollection of her husband, Evan, and none of her career as a principal dancer.
While recuperating at home, Ailsa hears beautiful music coming from the apartment upstairs, and the sound of the grand piano at the hands of a talented new neighbor sparks her muscle memory. As her recovery progresses, the broken pieces of her past gradually re-emerge, a picture not quite as idyllic as Evan would have her remember. Ailsa must navigate the conflicting visions of her past, and potential future, as they collide.
Giveaway #2 – Sandi Kahn Shelton, who also writes as Maddie Dawson, is offering two ebooks of her bestselling novel, Matchmaking for Beginners. Her bio is long and hilarious. The short story is that she grew up in the South, born into a family of outrageous storytellers–the kind of storytellers who would sit on the dock by the lake in the evening and claim that everything they say is THE absolute truth, like, stack-of-Bibles true. The more outlandish the story, the more it likely it was to be true. Or so they said. Today she lives in Connecticut and turned out pretty normal: married, children, dishes in the sink, deadlines, laundry, sleep deprivation, toothpaste cap lost, cashmere sweater in the dryer by accident. The full catastrophe, as Jack Kornfeld put it.
Here’s the blurb: Marnie MacGraw wants an ordinary life—a husband, kids, and a minivan in the suburbs. Now that she’s marrying the man of her dreams, she’s sure this is the life she’ll get. Then Marnie meets Blix Holliday, her fiancé’s irascible matchmaking great-aunt who’s dying, and everything changes—just as Blix told her it would.When her marriage ends after two miserable weeks, Marnie is understandably shocked. She’s even more astonished to find that she’s inherited Blix’s Brooklyn brownstone along with all of Blix’s unfinished “projects”: the heartbroken, oddball friends and neighbors running from happiness. Marnie doesn’t believe she’s anything special, but Blix somehow knew she was the perfect person to follow in her matchmaker footsteps.And Blix was also right about some things Marnie must learn the hard way: love is hard to recognize, and the ones who push love away often are the ones who need it most. You can connect with her by clicking this link.
Giveaway #3 ~ is from me! I’m happy to offer two ebooks of A Season of Surprises.
Here’s the blurb: The Love in Provence characters are celebrating a glorious spring on the Côte d’Azur. There are sweet-smelling blossoms, buds bursting into bloom, explosions of golden mimosa, dazzling sunshine, a shimmering sea … and a worrying disappearance! A hidden past is uncovered and shocking truths are revealed. But life goes on. Kat and Philippe welcome their first B&B guests to the Villa and continue to be busy with other demands, all the while keeping hope alive as police search for their friend. A special request from Simone and an unexpected appearance turn a planned motorcycle trip in Corsica into so much more. Springtime at the Villa des Violettes is filled with secrets and surprises. Congratulations to last month’s winners:
Valerie Hildebrand, Faith Creech, Alyson Widen, Rina Horenian, Tcelia Klosowicz
As always, send your entry for these giveaways to patriciasandsauthor@gmail.com. Names will be chosen randomly using random.org. This month please tell us your favourite summer beverage for keeping cool! Good luck with the draws! Bonne chance!
It’s a pleasure to offer these giveaways from my writing friends. Thanks for the great response each month. I’m glad you appreciate the opportunities and are so keen to enter. In case you wonder, we read every single one of your entries and appreciate them! I hope you enjoy meeting authors who might be new to you, and connecting with those you already follow. Savor 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.
And now … TA DAAAAA … here’s SOME RED HOT NEWS…BLUE SKY BOOK CHAT IS NOW BRINGING YOU MORE FUN THAN EVER WITH AN EXCITING NEW LIVE, ONLINE BOOK CLUB!
We are thrilled to announce the Blue Sky Book Chat group will now be hosting an online Book Club, with Live Author Chats, Q & A, and open discussions each month.Our first FACEBOOK LIVE book discussion will take place on Sunday, August 4th, at 7:30 pm (EST).
Our first book selection will be “Emily, Gone” by our own Bette Lee Crosby. Already an award-winner, this novel is the tale of an unthinkable act that sets the lives of three mothers on a collision course. It is a novel that has been hailed as powerful and compelling and one that promises a stimulating discussion.
On the first of each month, we will announce our selection for the following month, so you will have plenty of time to buy or borrow the book and finish reading. The book discussion will be hosted by the author of that month’s book and in addition to providing those juicy little behind the scenes tidbits, the author will have an open Q & A discussion. We are currently working on a format which may enable us to invite some of the members in attendance to join us online to participate in the discussion.All in all, we believe these monthly book club meetings will be fun events where we can all share in the joy of reading and the fun of friendship.
All members of Blue Sky Book Chat on Facebook are welcome to join the fun–listen in, post your questions and discuss. Now there’s (should that be “here’s”?) a book club that you don’t have to leave home to attend, and you can come in your jammies!Here is where you can download a free sample or purchase your copy of “Emily, Gone” – https://amzn.to/2TM2fuA Doesn’t that sound like fun? Have you joined us yet? Click right here and get in on the fun!
I hope your weekend is filled with fun, family and friends! The coming days are full of celebration on both sides of the border here. Happy Canada Day on July 1st and Happy Fourth of July in the USA!
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!
My May Newsletter
It’s June already and this newsletter was hot off the press last week. I squeaked it out just in time!
Every once in a while I post a copy of my monthly newsletter here on my blog. If you already subscribe, then you’ve seen it and there’s nothing new here. If you would like to subscribe, just click on the link in the right column of this page. I’m still learning how to deal with the WordPress changes to setting up posts, so I apologize for the disparity in the size of some photos. I’ll keep working at it!
With almost 5,000 subscribers, I want to say thank you to all of you who enjoy my news and enter the great giveaways from my author friends. Now I have to begin thinking about the one for June! Bon weekend!
Newsletter #68 May 28, 2019
Bonjour
How are things in your neighbourhood? I’m happy to report that today we have windows and patio doors open with joyful birdsong wafting in. And I would say it is about time, Toronto!
Wisteria is just beginning to bloom here, so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to share these photos from visits to France at this time of year
Do you have wisteria growing in your garden or neighbourhood? Send me a photo if you do! I know it is prolific in some of the southern States.
Ta-daaaaaaa ~ Here’s a cover reveal we released last week of Book Two in the Villa des Violettes series. We have a few small details to finalize and then the book will be published! Stay tuned!
We’re all very happy with this new cover! The same talented artists who created the cover art for Book One, Donna Fedele and Clare Strohman, transformed the winter look into a glorious spring profusion.
In this new story, Molly refers to the explosion of purple blooms around the door of the Villa des Violettes as wisteria hysteria. It’s quite fitting, isn’t it? And yes, Molly comes to visit Kat and Philippe! I’m pleased to announce the book will be out in just a couple of weeks.
The photo below, with cover artists Clare and Donna, was taken on our South of France Memories Tour last September … and no, we did not colour co-ordinate!
While we’re waiting for my new release, I’m happy to let you know that Amazon is offering each of the Love in Provence ebooks at a special June rate of $.99 US. NOTE: JUNE 1 TO JUNE 30. If you already have your copies, that will be a great time to gift some to your friends. It’s so easy … just click on the “Give as a gift” link on the buy page! Instant gift shopping solved.
The past couple of months I’ve been busy with edits and rewrites, but there’s also been an exciting change with our Women’s Fiction Fans group. As many of you may have already discovered, the name of our book loving community is now Blue Sky Book Chat and we are bigger and better than ever.
Part of the reason we changed the format of our page was to let readers have the option to post comments about books they like or other topics. In the past, only we authors could post to you and we wanted to give all members the same opportunity. We look forward to conversations with you about literature, laughter and life! The month of June is going to see thirty days of giveaways and other prizes to celebrate our new community. Tag a few friends and join us! Just click right here!
Speaking of books, here are this month’s giveaways. As usual, there’s an excellent selection and I wish you good luck with the draws.
Giveaway #1 ~ Lisa Barr has a new release coming next week and I couldn’t be more excited about it. THE UNBREAKABLES is set in Chicago and Paris as well as the south of France (no wonder it caught my attention!). Lisa is offering two ebooks and if you don’t know her, you definitely should!
Along with writing novels, Lisa is also the editor and creator of the popular parenting blog GIRLilla Warfare: A Mom’s Guide to Surviving the Suburban Jungle.
Lisa has served as an editor for The Jerusalem Post, managing editor of Today’s Chicago Woman, managing editor of Moment magazine, and as an editor/reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times. Among the highlights of her career, Lisa covered the famous “handshake” between the late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, the late PLO leader Yasser Arafat, and President Bill Clinton at the White House in 1993.
She lives in the Chicago area with her husband and three teenage daughters.
Connect with Lisa here.
Here’s the blurb: The worst birthday ever might just be the gift of a lifetime….
It’s Sophie Bloom’s forty-second birthday, and she’s ready for a night of celebration with Gabe, her longtime, devoted husband, and her two besties and their spouses. Dinner is served with a side of delicious gossip, including which North Grove residents were caught with their pants down on Ashley Madison after the secret online dating site for married couples was hacked. Thirty-two million cheaters worldwide have been exposed … including Sophie’s “perfect” husband. To add insult to injury, she learns Gabe is the top cheater in their town.
Humiliated and directionless, Sophie jumps into the unknown and flees to France to meet up with her teenage daughter who is studying abroad and nursing her own heartbreak. After a brief visit to Paris, Sophie heads out to the artist enclave of Saint-Paul-de-Vence. There, for the first time in a long time, Sophie acknowledges her own desires—not her husband’s, not her daughter’s—and rediscovers with painful honesty and humor her essence as she reawakens both her sensuality and her ambitions as a sculptor.
As she sheds her past and travels the obstacle-filled off the beaten path, Sophie Bloom is determined to blossom.
Allowing her true self to emerge in the postcard beauty of Provence, Sophie must decide what is broken forever … and what it means to be truly unbreakable. (FYI – it’s described as a steamy beach read, and it is in parts … oh là là … but more than this, it is a well-written story about family, forgiveness and starting over).
Giveaway #2 ~ Bette Lee Crosby, a sister Lake Union Author and good friend, is offering one signed copy of her exciting new release, EMILY, GONE.
With 20 published novels, Bette Lee really needs no introduction to readers around the world and she has offered giveaways here before. It is the wit and wisdom of her Southern Mama Crosby that she brings to her works of fiction. The result is a delightful blend of humor, mystery and romance along with a cast of quirky charters who will steal your heart away. Bette is a sister Lake Union Author and I love all of her novels. She lives in south Florida with her husband, Dick, and her sweet Bichon, Sugar.
You can connect with Bette here.
Here’s the blurb: A missing child sets the lives of three women on a collision course in this powerful and compelling novel by USA Todaybestselling author Bette Lee Crosby.
1971 – When a music festival rolls through the sleepy town of Hesterville, Georgia, the Dixon family’s lives are forever changed. On the final night, a storm muffles the sound of the blaring music, and Rachel tucks her baby into bed before falling into a deep sleep. So deep, she doesn’t hear the kitchen door opening. When she and her husband wake up in the morning, the crib is empty. Emily is gone.
Vicki Robart is one of the thousands at the festival, but she’s not feeling the music. She’s feeling the emptiness over the loss of her own baby several months before. When she leaves the festival and is faced with an opportunity to fill that void, she is driven to an act of desperation that will forever bind the lives of three women.
When the truth of what actually happened that fateful night is finally exposed, shattering the lives they’ve built, will they be able to pick up the pieces to put their families back together again?
Giveaway #3 ~ BEAUTIFUL STRANGERS is Camille di Maio’s newest release and she is offering two ebooks. Also from a sister Lake Union author! Award-winning writer, Camille Di Maio has lived in Texas, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and California, and spends enough time in Hawaii to feel like a local. She’s traveled to four continents (so far), and met Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II. She just about fainted when she had a chance to meet her musical idol, Paul McCartney, too. Now she lives in historic Williamsburg, Virginia with her husband and four children.
You can connect with Camille here.
Here’s the blurb: A legendary hotel on the Pacific becomes a haven where dreams, love, and a beguiling mystery come alive.
1958. Kate Morgan, tethered to her family’s failing San Francisco restaurant, is looking for an escape. She gets her chance by honoring a cryptic plea from her grandfather: find the beautiful stranger. The search takes her to Hotel del Coronado, the beachfront landmark on the Southern California coast where filming is underway on the movie Some Like It Hot.
For a movie lover like Kate, it’s a fantasy come true. So is the offer of a position at the glamorous hotel. And a new romance is making her heart beat just as fast. But as sure as she is that Coronado is her future, Kate discovers it’s also where the ghosts of the past have come to stay. Sixty years ago a guest died tragically, and she still haunts the hotel’s halls.
As the lives of two women—generations apart—intertwine, Kate’s courageous journey could change more than she ever imagined. And with Coronado wending its way through her soul, she must follow her dreams…wherever they may lead.
Congratulations to last month’s winners: Ola Norman, Donna Neale, Andrea Stoeckel, Susanne Nadeau, Bev Farningham, Agnes Zelgert.
As always, send your entry for these giveaways to patriciasandsauthor@gmail.com. Names will be chosen randomly using random.org. This time we are curious to know what is growing in your garden right now. Finally, we have spring bulbs blooming everywhere in Toronto … it’s been a long time coming!
It’s a pleasure to offer these giveaways from my writing friends. Thanks for the great response each month. I’m glad you appreciate the opportunities and are so keen to enter. In case you wonder, we read every single one of your entries and appreciate them! I hope you enjoy meeting authors who might be new to you, and connecting with those you already follow. Savor 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.
This has nothing to do with books, but I couldn’t help mentioning it. Are you an NBA basketball fan? Toronto is recovering after a very noisy weekend celebrating the 6thgame win of the Toronto Raptors over the Milwaukee Bucks to clinch the Eastern Conference title. For the first time since the franchise began in 1995, they are headed to the NBA finals. Most of these games were nail-biters and I think it’s going to be an exciting series against the Golden State Warriors.
There are times when a lot of the news we are reading is not very uplifting, and sports has a way of bringing people together. Whatever team you cheer for, enjoy the competition and the tremendous effort athletes put into what they do.
This month I want to leave you with an article about cheese. As you know, Philippe is a fromager in the Provence stories and cheese often makes an appearance in the stories. I hope you find this article of interest. I’m going to look into ordering some of those porous bags they mention for storing cheese. I’ll let you know how they work out! (This photo was taken at “Philippe’s” fromagerie at the Antibes market.)
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!
Newsletter #62
Do you subscribe to my newsletter? In case you don’t, I’ll post it here today. Good luck with the giveaways! Bon weekend!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
