newsletter Archives - Patricia Sands

Here’s Newsletter #85 ~ in case you did not receive it

March 29, 2021 by Patricia Sands Leave a Comment

Newsletter #85 March 20, 2021
Bonjour!
Mea culpa ~ In response to many who asked, I did not write a February newsletter. My excuse is that it was a short month and I ran out of time. To be honest, I also had run out of inspiration … my Covid fatigue! Thanks for understanding … and for being so concerned.
It’s official! Spring arrived today! The Vernal (Spring) Equinox apparently arrived in our part of southern Ontario at 5:37, March 20. And for our friends south of the Equator, that is of course the Autumnal (Fall) Equinox. Whichever it is for you, I hope you are happy to see the seasonal change.
Grammar rules state emphatically that the seasons are common nouns and not capitalized, but that never feels quite right to me. They feel more important than that! Oh well …

Even though I won’t be in France to enjoy this season again this year, I keep thinking of all the wisteria that will be in bloom throughout the country right about now. This month’s header photo is a sweet reminder of that.
And here are a few more wisteria memories from France … if you’ve seen them before, please enjoy again.

It will be a good few months before we see those blooms here. Do you have abundant wisteria where you live?
At the first house I ever owned in Toronto, there was a lovely vine that had been around a long time. I drive past that house from time to time and smile to see it is still healthy and beautiful.

Does it feel like spring in your neighbourhood? Here in The Blue Mountains of southern Ontario, it does feel like winter is on its way out. BUT … and that’s a big BUT … we’ve been known to have snowstorms as late as May, so I’m not counting more cold weather out at this point. The good news for skiers up here is that there is still plenty of snow on the hills and we are enjoying that after the hills were in lockdown until a few weeks ago!

Have you been reading any books lately with intriguing locations? Corsica has been on my mind recently. That’s partly because my novella, A Season of Surprises, is on sale until the end of the month. It’s Book Two in the Villa des Violettes series and in that story Kat and Philippe spend some time touring Corsica on Philippe’s vintage motorcycle. If you have not read it, now’s the time to grab a copy! $.99 US until the end of the month. Click here for the link.

My husband and I and some friends took the car ferry from Nice one summer and spent five days touring around that stunning island. I will never forget driving up vertiginous windy roads through well-forested hills and rounding a corner to suddenly see a change to a breathtaking rocky landscape. The island’s rugged beauty is as captivating as the food and culture one discovers there. Corsica is definitely well worth a visit.

And now to this month’s giveaways. It’s a pleasure to introduce you to two more of the six authors who joined me on the Pulpwood Queens panel I mentioned in my last newsletter. Bette Lee Crosby was the sixth author and we are waiting another month or two for her newest novel to be released. Then she will visit the newsletter with a giveaway. Stay tuned! If you have not read anything by these authors before, you are going to be thrilled to learn about them now.
I am so grateful to all of my author friends who generously offer free books each month. To enter to win one of these books, you know the drill … send an email to patriciasandsauthor@gmail.com and, this month, mention the location of a story you have recently read. Good luck/bonne chance with the random draws for winners!
Giveaway #1 ~ Laura Kemp is offering 2 ebooks of her debut novel, Evening In The Yellow Wood. She is a teacher who loves to write about her home state of Michigan. She is not only a talented writer, but also a beautiful singer. You may have seen her perform with her Irish band during our St. Patrick’s Day Literary Parade on March 1^th. Annie McDonnell’s The Write Review has links to all the videos of this entertaining day! When not writing, Laura enjoys musical theatre, hiking, swimming, reading and performing with her Celtic band- Si Bhaeg Si Mohr. She also enjoys spending time with her husband and children as well as her dog, two hamsters, two gerbils, ten chickens, two horses and eight (and counting) cats.

Connect with Laura here.
Here’s the blurb: Abandoned by an eccentric father on the eve of her twelfth birthday, Justine Cook has lived with her fair share of unanswered questions. Now, ten years later she leaves her life in southern Michigan and heads north to the mysterious town of Lantern Creek after seeing his picture in a local newspaper. Once there, she discovers her father had been leading a double life and meets the autistic brother she never knew—a young man who is mute but able to read her mind.

When a local girl who looks like Justine is mysteriously murdered, she joins forces with sheriff’s deputy Dylan Locke to capture the killer. But the more they dig for clues to the past, the closer they come to discovering a secret someone will kill to protect. Justine begins to show signs of supernatural power and eventually must stop an immortal enemy that has hunted her family for generations.

Giveaway #2 ~ Diane Zinn is offering two ebooks of her debut novel, The All-Night Sun. Diane is originally from Long Island, New York. She formerly worked at AWP, the Association of Writers & Writing Programs and also created the Writer to Writer Mentorship Program, helping to match more than six hundred writers. She helped develop the #WritersServe project, which spotlights free writing workshops happening in settings such as hospitals, prisons, and shelters. Diane also taught creative writing for ten years at colleges in the Washington, DC area. She lives in Fairfax, Virginia, with her husband and daughter.

Connect with Diane here.
Here’s the blurb: Lauren Cress teaches writing at a small college outside of Washington, DC. In the classroom, she is poised, smart, and kind, well liked by her students and colleagues. But in her personal life, Lauren is troubled and isolated, still grappling with the sudden death of her parents ten years earlier. She seems to exist at a remove from everyone around her until a new student joins her class: charming, magnetic Siri, who appears to be everything Lauren wishes she could be. They fall headlong into an all-consuming friendship that makes Lauren feel as though she is reclaiming her lost adolescence.

When Siri invites her on a trip home to Sweden for the summer, Lauren impulsively accepts, intrigued by how Siri describes it: green, fresh, and new, everything just thawing out. But once there, Lauren finds herself drawn to Siri’s enigmatic, brooding brother, Magnus. Siri is resentful, and Lauren starts to see a new side of her friend: selfish, reckless, self-destructive, even cruel. On their last night together, Lauren accompanies Siri and her friends on a seaside camping trip to celebrate Midsommar’s Eve, a night when no one sleeps, boundaries blur, and under the light of the unsetting sun, things take a dark turn.

Ultimately, Lauren must acknowledge the truth of what happened with Siri and come to terms with her own tragic past in this gorgeously written, deeply felt debut about the transformative relationships that often come to us when things feel darkest.

Good luck/Bonne chance! As always, 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 if you take a minute to thank an author when you win a free book or post a photo on Facebook, trust me, we all appreciate that more than you know.

Congratulations to last month’s winners: Sharon Haan, Laurie Nelson, Lisa Hudson, Sharon Person, Patricia Ratcliff, Peggy Clark.

Have you joined the Blue Sky Book Chat facebook group? If not, I hope you will click on that link and become part of our book-loving community. There’s nothing for you to do except enjoy the camaraderie and great information about books and authors.

One of the entertaining things you will find on Blue Sky are great author chats and this Sunday evening is not exception. Two weeks ago Bette Lee Crosby and Kay Bratt went viral!

Now here’s what we have going this Sunday (21^st) ~ check out this graphic! I know! How exciting is this? The Chicken Sisters was a recent Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick and we’re excited to have K.J. Dell’Antonia dropping by! I hope you will join us. Mark your calendar and be sure to say hello. Here’s the link.

Speaking of sales, THE BRIDGE CLUB TENTH ANNIVERSARY EDITION remains on sale until the end of March. $.99 US.
With Mother’s Day coming up this is a great gift for mothers and grandmothers and bridge players too! Bridge is not a big part of the story, but at the end of eight chapters there is an in-depth bridge hand + advice for playing contributed by Canada’s bridge expert, Audry Grant. A real bonus for those who love the game!

I was lurking on Janine Marsh’s fabulous The Good Life France page and notice she had posted her recipe for Pain Perdu / French toast. Do you follow this site? If you don’t, you really should. There’s no other better place to find everything you want to know about France. I know I have shared another recipe for this before, but I trust everything Janine does. Here’s the recipe she shared! I’m going to make it tomorrow morning! Bon appétit.

I think we are all beginning to breathe a little easier as vaccinations roll out. But there’s still a lot we don’t know about Covid, so please continue to take care of each other and listen to the experts. We aren’t out of the woods yet but hopefully we are getting there.

My heart goes out to those suffering loss in so many ways.My gratitude and admiration to all those people 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 keep sharing this graphic until the day comes when we can all do our part again. No matter what, we will never stop saying thank you to all who keep life going for the rest of us.

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.
Spring is here and with it vaccinations and forward movement to better things. Keep believing!

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January Newsletter

February 13, 2021 by Patricia Sands Leave a Comment

Newsletter #84 January 27, 2021

Bonjour!
Well, how are you doing in this new year of ours? We said goodbye to 2020 and with a minimum of fanfare, compared to most years, we welcomed 2021. We kind of had high hopes, didn’t we? And sadly … we are still clinging to those hopes as not much has changed where the virus is concerned. So we need to dig in and keep the battle going.

If I could, I would send these sunflowers to each of you with a wish they would bring you a smile and hope. Most people I hear from are feeling the effects of “COVID fatigue” … and no wonder! Who knew the virus would go on this long.

But, as I say to our grandkids, this is a war and we all have to do our part to fight it. Imagine if people in Britain during the Blitz of WWII had said, “I’m tired of this and I’m not going to use my black-out curtains anymore.” Or if people in war zones where bombs could fall on them at any moment, went out and partied because they felt like it? We are fighting an invisible enemy and must do all we can to obey rules meant to help everyone.

I hope you are doing all you can to keep yourself and others safe. And I hope that my photos of France bring a smile and a momentary escape. Like you, all I can do right now is enjoy them too. Are you spending time going through your own photo albums and reliving happy memories?

Right now in the south of France, the mimosa trees are about to burst into bloom.

Mimosas Mimosas I wrote about mimosas in Book 2 of the Villa des Violettes series, A Season of Surprises. Kat had never seen the spectacular fragrant blooms and went on a hike along part of the Route du Mimosa, needless to say taking tons of photos.
Here’s an excellent article from my friend Carolyne Kaiser-Abbott in her Perfectly Provence website. Take a minute to enjoy the beautiful photos and information. The Route is a perfect day trip, just 130 kilometres or 80 miles of golden bliss!

And now for some random shots that I hope bring you pleasure. I looove the rooftops of France as much as doors and windows ~

You’ve no doubt seen me post this photo (below) before as I love to share it. These are the women on our 2018 Memories Tour, when we spent a day at this magnificent mas (farmhouse) outside of Arles picking grapes in the vineyard and dining al fresco in the stunning surroundings. It was a good opportunity to take some photos with my novel Drawing Lessons, since the story is set in that area … and the ladies were only too willing to oblige!

What a great day that was … just like the previous eleven! How Deborah Bine and I hope our tours can begin again soon. Our optimism runs high! Click here to read my article in this month’s JourneyWoman newsletter, to tempt you and other friends to join us!

I’m posting that photo again because (a) I love to as it makes me smile remembering these fabulous ladies and the great time we shared together and (b) to share the news that Drawing Lessons has been having a busy time lately.

First, the novel is one of the chosen reads for the Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys 2021 Book Club (a November bonus book).

Who? Pulpwood wha… ? You ask. Let me explain. Two weekends ago I had the opportunity to talk about Drawing Lessons on an author panel moderated by Annie McDonnell, when I attended (virtually, of course) the Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys International Book Club 2021 Girlfriends Weekend Zoomathon Slumber Party … hmm, yes … I can hear you muttering and wondering what on earth I’m talking about. You can read about it in this article I wrote for Women Writers, Women’s Books.

And yes, we all wore a tiara for four days. It’s Pulpwood creator Kathy L. Murphy‘s rule ~ “Where TIARAS and CROWNS are mandatory and reading our good books is the ONLY rule!” Who says authors’ lives are too serious?

This week I was delighted to receive this notification from the Womens Fiction Writers Association and BookTrib. “BookTrib is excited to present the first 2021 Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA) curated list of books. Now fourteen-hundred members strong, WFWA is an international professional organization for writers of women’s fiction.

January’s list features seven stories where a mentor, some with good intentions and others questionable, shapes the lives of the characters. From historical to contemporary works, some even based on true events, this month reveals the power and influence mentors have in our lives.”

I’m particularly proud that Drawing Lessons was chosen in conjunction with six other stories that show how through friendship, support and mentoring, we help others who may be coping with challenges.

As those of you know who have read the story, the protagonist Arianna has gone to an artists’ retreat near Arles after more than a year of heartbreaking challenges with her husband’s frontal lobe dementia. Through the kindness and encouragement of the artists guiding her and through listening to their stories, she begins to see hope and promise for the future. In this time of COVID, we know only too well how important it is to help each other through challenges. Kindness counts.

Here’s a new trailer recently created for the story.

Here’s the link to Amazon to order Drawing Lessons or ask your favourite indie bookstore to order it for you. You also can have your library bring the book in if it is not there yet. It’s easy! Just ask!

And now to this month’s giveaways. It’s a pleasure to introduce you to three of the six authors who joined me on the panel I mentioned above. I’ll have the other authors in my next newsletter. If you have not read anything by these authors before, you are going to be thrilled to learn about them now. I am so grateful to all of my author friends who generously offer free books each month.

To enter to win one of these books, you know the drill … send an email to patriciasandsauthor@gmail.com and, this month, mention your current favourite read. We love to hear book tips and share them. Good luck/bonne chance with the random draws for winners!

Giveaway #1 ~ Nola Nash, has recently released two books in her Crescent City series and is offering two ebooks of Crescent City Moon, Book One. Originally from south Louisiana, Nola now makes her home in Brentwood , Tennessee, with her three children. Her biggest writing inspiration was the city of New Orleans that gave her at an early age a love of the magic, mystery, and history.
When she isn’t writing, Nola is teaching middle school English or hosting The Second Line Show – A bookish live talk show on Facebook and YouTube. She also considers tacos and coffee major food groups.

Connect with Nola here.
Blurb: Things put underground in New Orleans don’t often stay there. Even things that should – like bodies, and secrets.
How do you fight an enemy you can’t see that can kill on a whim? In 1820s New Orleans, on the eve of her twenty-first birthday, Zéolie Cheval discovers the mangled body of her father murdered in his bed and a maniacal voice haunting the recesses of her mind. When the priest sent to comfort her is killed while the house is swarming with police, Zéolie becomes entangled in a web of mystery that takes her from the French Quarter, to the Ursuline Convent in the Ninth Ward, and deep into the Louisiana swamps.
Officer Louis Saucier, who is losing his heart to Zéolie and his grip on logical reality, helps her find the pieces to her puzzle. The mother superior of the Ursulines offers assistance from a mediumistic nun and a voodoo priestess, blurring the lines between the spiritual and the supernatural.
After opening the family crypt to find it uninhabited, Zéolie realizes that her father lied about her mother’s death – amongst other things. Now, Zéolie must come to terms with magic she inherited from her grandmother and the price that comes with it.
Step inside the magic and mystery of the 1820s French Quarter to see if an unlikely menagerie can help Zéolie take down a murderous maniac while she shields the officer she loves. Can she harness powers she didn’t know she had? Or, will she make the ultimate sacrifice?

Giveaway #2 ~ Claire Fullerton offering two ebooks of her newest, multi-award-winning novel Little Tea, set in the Deep South. Claire hails from Memphis, TN. and now lives in Malibu, CA. with her husband and 3 German shepherds. She is also the author of 12 X award winning Mourning Dove and 3X award winning, Dancing to an Irish Reel, set on the west coast of Ireland, where she once lived.

Connect with Claire here.
Blurb: One phone call from Renny to come home and “see about” the capricious Ava and Celia Wakefield decides to overlook her distressful past in the name of friendship.For three reflective days at Renny’s lake house in Heber Springs, Arkansas, the three childhood friends reunite and examine life, love, marriage, and the ties that bind, even though Celia’s personal story has yet to be healed. When the past arrives at the lake house door in the form of her old boyfriend, Celia must revisit the life she’d tried to outrun.As her idyllic coming of age alongside her best friend, Little Tea, on her family’s ancestral grounds in bucolic Como, Mississippi unfolds, Celia realizes there is no better place to accept her own story than in this circle of friends who have remained beside her throughout the years. Theirs is a friendship that can talk any life sorrow into a comic tragedy, and now that the racial divide in the Deep South has evolved, Celia wonders if friendship can triumph over history.

Giveaway #3 ~ Michelle Cox is offering two ebooks of A Girl Like You, Book One in her multiple award-winning Henrietta and Inspector Howard series. She also writes a weekly blog dedicated to Chicago’s forgotten residents. She suspects she may have once lived in the 1930s and, having yet to discover a handy time machine lying around, has resorted to writing about the era as a way of getting herself back there. Unbeknownst to most, Michelle hoards board games she doesn’t have time to play and is, not surprisingly, addicted to period dramas and big band music. Also marmalade.

Connect with Michelle here.
Blurb: Henrietta Von Harmon works as a 26 girl at a corner bar on Chicago’s northwest side. It’s 1935, but things still aren’t looking up since the big crash and her father’s subsequent suicide, leaving Henrietta to care for her antagonistic mother and younger siblings.
Henrietta is eventually persuaded to take a job as a taxi dancer at a local dance hall―and just when she’s beginning to enjoy herself, the floor matron turns up dead. When aloof Inspector Clive Howard appears on the scene, Henrietta agrees to go undercover for him―and is plunged into Chicago’s grittier underworld.
Meanwhile, she’s still busy playing mother hen to her younger siblings, as well as to pesky neighborhood boy Stanley, who believes himself in love with her and keeps popping up in the most unlikely places, determined to keep Henrietta safe―even from the Inspector, if need be. Despite his efforts, however, and his penchant for messing up the Inspector’s investigation, the lovely Henrietta and the impenetrable Inspector find themselves drawn to each other in most unsuitable ways.

Congratulations to last month’s winners: Theresa Timlin, Audrey Wick, Karen Matson, Jean MP, and Debbie Bishop

Are you a member of Kindle Unlimited? If so, you can read the three novels of the Love in Provence Trilogy for FREE! SERIOUSLY! If not, of course, each of the ebooks costs less than your favourite latte, so treat yourself to a wonderful adventure if you haven’t already.

For this month’s recipe, I’m sharing one of my favourites ~ Julia Child’s Leek and Potato soup. In fact I just made this two days ago and we devoured it with gusto, as we always do. We eat it hot in the winter and in the summer serve it cold with chopped chives on top (Vichysoisse). Also, I use chicken or vegetable broth rather than water and don’t always add the heavy cream. It’s delicious with or without. Bon appétit!

Before I close, I know I’m repeating myself here from my past letters, but these thoughts are on my mind constantly.

If your health or that of someone you know has been affected during these challenging times, 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.

So many 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 keep sharing this graphic until the day comes when we can all do our part again. No matter what, we will never stop saying thank you to all who keep life going for the rest of us.

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. 2021 is here and with it we hope are vaccinations and forward movement to better things. Let’s follow guidelines, wear a mask where we should, and continue to be kind and helpful to each other. Treasure the memories of past moments and believe those times will return. Stay safe.

My November/December Newsletter ~ warmest wishes to all

December 16, 2020 by Patricia Sands 4 Comments

Newsletter #83

Whoooosh! And there went November! Sadly, the virus did not disappear with the month but instead became more pervasive and deadly. I SO long to be able to begin my newsletter with happy news like the good old days. So far it simply is not happening and my heart goes out to all who are suffering. I know there is very little joy in our days right now, but my wish is that it will soon return for everyone.

For those who have had the good fortune to remain healthy, in the United States, I hope your Thanksgiving was celebrated safely and with someone you love. If we dig down deep, we can be reminded that there is much for which to be grateful and we need to hold on to that. Our Canadian Thanksgiving occurs in October, so there were no big turkey feasts for us this month.

I’ve been so busy with the release of the Tenth Anniversary edition of The Bridge Club, that I found myself behind with other things … like this newsletter. So this is going to be a combined November/December mailing.

The new book launch went well and I’m happy to have it out to readers now. Thank you to those who have already posted reviews. We’re excited about the beautiful new cover. Full credit for the cover goes to the talented Sharon Clare of Clarity Book Cover Designs.

This is still the original story with a few small revisions and then a completely new epilogue that brings the women together in 2020.

Here’s the announcement:
It’s release day for THE BRIDGE CLUB TENTH ANNIVERSARY EDITION IN PRINT AND EBOOK! For every woman who believes in lifelong friendship! This is a great gift to yourself or for your BFF (hint – holiday shopping!) and if you are a bridge player, BONUS, as there is a new bridge hand at the end of each of eight chapters, contributed by Canada’s international bridge expert (and wonderful friend!), Audrey Grant.

HERE’S THE LINK FOR YOUR COPY ~ https://amzn.to/3lPG7d2

There have been so many great graphics created for this edition of The Bridge Club and this is one of my favourites.

As I mentioned, for you and those bridge players in your life, this new edition contains eight original bridge hands by Canada’s international bridge expert, Audrey Grant. For more information about Audrey, check out her website BetterBridge.com with the very cool logo.

I hope you have been discovering ways to bring new diversions into your life as we all deal with lockdowns and more confinement at home. As I’ve mentioned previously, going through photos is one way I escape. I hope you continue to find some pleasure from these photos, as I do. The beauty of photography is how memories are captured and retain their magic in our hearts.

I took this first photo from the roof terrace of a sweet, restored fisherman’s cottage that we rented in Antibes a few years ago. The view takes us across the azure water of the Mediterranean to Cap d’Antibes. Fans of my Love in Provence trilogy will be able to imagine Kate and Philippe’s Villa des Violettes set on the hillside, shaded by the magnificent Umbrella and Aleppo pine trees.

I hope some of you have been getting a lot more reading done during this past year.

I am so grateful to all of my author friends who generously offer free books each month. To enter to win one of these books, you know the drill … send an email to patriciasandsauthor@gmail.com and, this month, mention your favourite holiday food. Further down this letter you will discover mine. Good luck/bonne chance with the random draws for winners!

Giveaway #1 ~ My dear friend, Heather Burch, is offering two ebooks of her newly-released novel, Whispering Beach. Heather is an international bestselling author of contemporary fiction, romance and angsty teen urban fantasy. After years in sunny Florida, she recently moved back to her hometown in Ozark Mountain country where any nearby coffee shop may become her office for the day. Connect with Heather here.

Here’s the blurb: But Angela’s journey is also one of self-reinvention as she navigates life free from the bonds of her controlling ex-husband. With her handsome neighbor and new friend, mystery novelist Ryan North by her side, Angela embarks on a voyage of discovery but the trail quickly runs cold until she’s whisked away to the romantic streets of Paris, France. She realizes the bonds of love shared by her groundskeeper and the young woman run as deep as the brooding Atlantic Ocean.

Along with that love are dark secrets, long hidden, but with the power to threaten life as she knows it.

Giveaway #2 ~ Here are two lovely seasonal reads! Christmas Sisters and Christmas Kisses are the first books in this exciting new series, that my sister Blue Sky Book Chat author Judith Keim introduces to you here. Judith writes heart-warming novels about women who face unexpected challenges, meet them with strength, and find love and happiness along the way. She enjoyed her childhood and young-adult years in Elmira, New York, and now makes her home in Boise, Idaho, with her husband and their two dachshunds, Winston and Wally, and other members of her family. Connect with Judith here.

The first book is FREE, SO EVERYONE CAN DOWNLOAD. YAY!CHRISTMAS SISTERS – the first book of six books in the Soul Sisters at Cedar Mountain Lodge series and is an introduction to the characters in the series and is FREE. Here’s the blurb: Random circumstances brought them together. Love made them family.
When a terrible accident takes Madeline Kirby’s husband and only child, the school guidance counselor is sure she can’t go on. Left behind with nothing but her work and an empty heart, she vows to survive Christmas by reaching out to comfort someone else who knows similar pain.

Fostering four motherless children for the holidays is supposed to be temporary, but as Maddie tends to defensive Stevie, distrustful Jo, delicate Alissa, and frightened little Hailey, the ache in her own heart slowly becomes bearable. And before the season of giving comes to an end, it becomes clear that life intended for them to find each other. Judith’s story: CHRISTMAS KISSES comes next and is the story of the youngest, fifteen years later. Hailey Kirby plans to spend a wonderful Christmas holiday at the Cedar Mountain Lodge with her family, celebrating her sister’s wedding as Maid of Honor. Things go awry when the wedding is called off. Hoping to comfort her sister, her mother and three sisters decide to go ahead with their winter vacation plans at the Lodge.

Hailey works in town as the children’s librarian, and under the pen name of Lee Merriweather is secretly the author and illustrator of picture books. Young children adore the stories of Charlie and his dog, Zeke, including Regan, the niece of Nick Hensley, a rock star musician who’s recently moved back to Granite Ridge. When he reaches out to the author to seek permission to write songs to go with the stories, Hailey is forced to confess who she is and the painful reason why she’s been hiding behind a pseudonym.

As Hailey and Nick put their creative minds together, they form a friendship that quickly grows to much more. Hailey learns to trust and discovers some chances in life are worth taking.

Giveaway #3 ~ Now here’s a treat! The exceptional Laura Bradbury, author of the delightful Grape series, has just published a fabulous cookbook with her friend, Rebecca Wellman. Rebecca is a talented photographer as well as an author. They are truly a dynamic duo! Laura’s giveaway is a wonderful gift for you or a special person on your list, one hardcover edition of Bisous & Brioche.Connect with Laura here.

Here’s the blurb: A book of recipes from the author of the Grape Series memoirs that will transport you to a rustic French cottage surrounded by vineyards, no matter where in the world your kitchen might be.

For years readers of Laura Bradbury’s bestselling Grape Series memoirs have been clamouring for the secrets behind all the mouth-watering meals described in the stories about her life in Beaune, Burgundy. Together with her friend, photographer and cookbook author Rebecca Wellman, Laura shares recipes that have been handed down through her husband Franck’s family or passed on by French friends and neighbours, and that now feature regularly on the menu at her house.

Bisous & Brioche features classics like vinaigrettes, madeleines, crêpes, crème fraîche, tarts, cassoulet, coq au vin—dishes whose names alone will warm the heart of any Francophile. The recipes are served up with anecdotes about their arrival in Laura’s life and are accompanied by Rebecca’s sun-soaked photos of market visits, meal prep, and lazy lunches in the vineyard.

Giveaway #4 ~ Every year I produce a calendar with some of my photos from France. I have two to give away! Please try and email soon so we can mail them off to you before the end of the year.

Congratulations to last month’s winners: Sandy Pochapin, Joyce White, Jackie Peters, Sandy Fields, and Jan Tomalis.
My December gift to readers is the $.99 price for The First Noël at the Villa des Violettes. Click right here for your copy or to gift the book to someone.

I hope you will mark your calendar for December 21^st, when I will be chatting with readers about The Bridge Club Tenth Anniversary Edition at our Blue Sky Book Chat book club evening. 7 p.m. Eastern. It would be great to see you there! I haven’t got a graphic for it yet … things have been a bit busy promoting the release and this just reminded me I better get that done!

As I mentioned, the holidays this month are going to be very different than ever before. Most of us will not be out in stores shopping, but don’t forget how easy it is to buy books online from your favourite book seller. Independent bookstores have provided amazing service through this pandemic with easy online browsing and they either deliver books or have curbside pick up. Let’s continue to support them when possible!

Do you pass along holiday baking recipes in your family? One of my favourite traditions of the season is baking shortbread, just as my grandmother and mother did with me and my children. For many years now this has been a special day with our grandchildren.

Here’s my Gram’s shortbread recipe. Give it a try! It’s simple and delicious!

1. 1 lb. salted butter – softened overnight

2. 1-1/2 cups golden yellow (brown) sugar (no substitution, Gram insisted)

3. 4 cups enriched white flour

In a glass or ceramic bowl, mix #1 and #2 thoroughly by hand (this is important) and then gradually add #3, again mixing by hand, until dough does not stick to bowl.

Flatten with your hand and cut cookie shapes. Add sprinkles if you like. Bake at 300 F for 15 to 20 minutes (depending on oven) on ungreased cookie sheet.

When cookies begin to look golden brown, they are done.
You can decide how dark you like them. Enjoy plain (our favorite) or add sprinkles before baking or icing when cool.

WARNING: these cookies are extremely addictive! Let me know if you try them.
Thank you all for another year of connecting. It has certainly been unusual and we can only hope that 2021 will being a vaccine to everyone and a return to some sort of normal. In the meantime, I’m repeating myself here from my past letters, but these thoughts are on my mind constantly.

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 keep 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 keep life going for the rest of us.

Let’s follow guidelines, wear a mask outside and in crowds, and continue to be kind and helpful to each other. Treasure the memories of past holidays and believe those times will return. Stay safe.

See you next year! 2020 be gone!

Sharing my May newsletter

May 29, 2018 by Patricia Sands 5 Comments

Hi everyone! Bonjour and Buon Giorno!

I’m traveling in Italy with my husband before we settle in Nice on June 5th. We are revisiting some of our favourite places here and, as you can imagine, my camera shutter is steaming. Check in to my Instagram account if you would like to see some of my shots from Italy … a bit of a change for me, oui?

In the meantime, here’s my May newsletter that went out last week just before we left Toronto. There’s still time to enter the giveaways!

Newsletter #56 May 21, 2018Bonjour Patricia

Spring has finally arrived in Toronto! I hope it has appeared in all its glory in your neighbourhood too. One sign of spring in France is the proliferation of peonies ~ les pivoines ~ in the markets and florist shops. I can’t wait to bury my nose in them.

As I write this, fireworks are bursting into colour in the night sky over Lake Ontario. We are enjoying the performance from our condo as we celebrate the last hours of Victoria Day. If you aren’t Canadian, allow me to explain. This is the unofficial start to summer here and Mother Nature has blessed us with appropriate weather.

Along with glorious pyrotechnic displays, this long holiday weekend also traditionally involves picnics, bike rides, hikes, parades, garden planting and long lines of traffic heading to various areas of cottage country. Opening cottages, getting boats in the water, clearing summer properties of reminders of winter storms, are hallowed May 24th rituals for many Canadians. We all hope for a warm summer to enjoy those efforts.

One of my spring rituals is preparing to leave for France. Planning and packing has been the focus this week as well as spending time with family. Now my husband and I are ready to fly off tomorrow evening. *doing a happy dance*

We’re taking a sentimental side trip to Italy for twelve days before we arrive in Nice. I’ll take you along in Instagram and blog photos and hope you will enjoy the journey.

Having said that, I still have a little to-do list, so I will move right along with this letter! As always, there are some great giveaways and in a variety of genres. It’s gratifying to see so many of you enter your name each month and thank you also to winners for taking the time to send thanks to the authors whose books are sent to you. I’ve heard from many of my author friends how much they appreciate your thoughtfulness. Book lovers rock!

Giveaway #1 ~ A Bad Night for Bullies (The Goolz Next Door) by Gary Ghislain. This is a book for children over 8, either to read with them or for them to read on their own. There are some scary bits that are totally offset by the humour.

Gary is offering 1 print copy to any destination!

Here’s a blurb: In this humorous, witty ghost story, Harold, who uses a wheelchair, accepts a mysterious artifact from a horror novelist’s daughter and discovers that while it may help him fight bullies, its power can’t be controlled.

This school review puts everything in perspective very well. Kids love this book and parents approve of the important lessons about values skillfully woven into the narrative.

“From School Library Journal
Gr 4–7—Harold, a wheelchair user since an accident at the age of seven, is a quiet 12-year-old. He lives with his mum and enjoys the quiet little town of Bay Harbor. But the arrival of a famous horror writer, Frank Goolz, and his two daughters, sees Harold’s world shaken up as he suddenly finds himself skipping school, chasing ghosts, and battling the bullies he’s been trying to escape for years. Not only do the adventures take a paranormal turn, but Harold is quickly drawn to Ilona Goolz, and a budding romance adds a bit of a realistic touch to this fast-paced supernatural jaunt. VERDICT The ending hints at more to come from Frank Goolz and his outfit of paranormal sleuths. Younger middle grade readers looking for something spooky without too much gore will snatch this up.—Stephanie Wilkes, Good Hope Middle School, West Monroe, LA”

Connect with Gary here.

Giveaway #2 ~ A brand new release from bestselling Canadian author Steena Holmes. I know many of you are very familiar with Steena, a sister Lake Union author, mother of three busy teenagers and prolific author. She describes herself as a writer, travelholic and coffee addict. I might also add chocolate lover extraordinaire … and I can prove it! And just as sweet!

Steena is offering one ebook and one audiobook! She also asked me to include this comment from her. I’m blushing … but we do share a special friendship. “It’s rare to find people you connect with right away. It’s even rarer for the connection to last for years. I feel that with Patricia (who is a full bottle of awesomeness herself). Thank you for sharing me with your readers!”

Her new story is creating quite a stir! The Forgotten Ones, is a spellbinding novel about an unspeakable secret that could destroy a family.

Here’s the blurb: Elle is a survivor. She’s managed to piece together a solid life from a childhood of broken memories and fairy tales her mom told her to explain away bad dreams. But weekly visits to her mother still fill Elle with a paralyzing fear she can’t explain. It’s just another of so many unanswered questions she grew up with in a family estranged by silence and secrets.

Elle’s world turns upside down when she receives a deathbed request from her grandfather, a man she was told had died years ago. Racked by grief, regrets, and a haunted conscience, he has a tale of his own to tell Elle: about her mother, an imaginary friend, and two strangers who came to the house one night and never left.

As Elle’s past unfolds, so does the truth—if she can believe it. She must face the reasons for her inexplicable dread. As dark as they are, Elle must listen…before her grandfather’s death buries the family’s secrets forever.

“Buried secrets, a family mystery…The Forgotten Ones is a haunting tale of loyalty in the face of mental illness and the name of love. Heartbreaking, utterly compelling, the kind of book that grips you and will not let you go far beyond the last page.” —Tosca Lee

Connect with Steena at her website by clicking here.

Giveaway #3 ~ Another new release! Also from a sister Lake Union author! Award-winning writer, Camille Di Maio lives in historic Williamsburg, Virginia with her husband and four children. Her third novel, The Way of Beauty, is an expansive story that brings the reader on a journey through the first 63 years of twentieth century New York.

Camille is offering one ebook anywhere and one print copy.

Here’s the blurb: Hearts and dreams evolve in the shadow of the once-magnificent Penn Station.

Vera Keller, the daughter of German immigrants in turn-of-the-century New York City, finds her life upended when the man she loves becomes engaged to another woman. But Angelo Bellavia has also inadvertently opened up Vera’s life to unexpected possibilities. Angelo’s new wife, Pearl, the wealthy daughter of a clothing manufacturer, has defied her family’s expectations by devoting herself to the suffrage movement. In Pearl, Vera finds an unexpected dear friend…and a stirring new cause of her own. But when Pearl’s selfless work pulls her farther from Angelo and their son, the life Vera craved is suddenly within her reach—if her conscience will allow her to take it.

Her choice will define not only her future but also that of her daughter, Alice.
Vera and Alice—a generation and a world apart—are bound by the same passionate drive to fulfill their dreams. As first mother and then daughter come of age in a city that is changing as rapidly as its skyline, they’ll each discover that love is the only constant.

““The Way of Beauty is a charming multi-generational love story, but it is more than that: it is a story of family, love lost, and love found…A loving tribute to the workers who risked their lives and health in building iconic structures in New York City…” —Historical Novel Society

Connect with Camille here.

Giveaway #4 ~ Rituals of The Dead: An Artifact Mystery is the third in the exciting Adventures of Zelda Richardson series by Jennifer Alderso n. Jennifer S. Alderson was born in San Francisco, raised in Seattle, and currently lives in Amsterdam (the Netherlands). Her love of travel, art, and culture inspires her ongoing mystery series, the Adventures of Zelda Richardson. Her background in journalism, multimedia development, and art history enriches her novels. When not writing, she can be found in a museum, biking around Amsterdam, or enjoying a coffee along the canal while planning her next research trip.

Jennifer is offering two ebooks.

I also want to give Jennifer a shout-out for being the creator of the TRAVEL BY BOOKS Facebook page. It’s a fabulous place to discover books, both fiction and non-fiction, that carry you off to wonderful places around the world. Be sure to drop by on a regular basis!

Here’s a blurb: Art, religion, and anthropology collide in Alderson’s latest art mystery thriller, Rituals of the Dead, book three of the Adventures of Zelda Richardson series.

Art history student Zelda Richardson is working at the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam on an exhibition of bis poles from the Asmat region of Papua—the same area where a famous American anthropologist disappeared in 1962. When his journal is found inside one of the bis poles, Zelda is tasked with finding out more about the man’s last days and his connection to these ritual objects.

Zelda is pulled into a world of shady anthropologists, headhunters, missionaries, art collectors, and smugglers – where the only certainty is that sins of the past are never fully erased.

Join Zelda as she grapples with the anthropologist’s mysterious disappearance fifty years earlier, and a present-day murderer who will do anything to prevent her from discovering the truth.

“Jennifer Alderson’s first-hand experience and meticulous research make this well-written novel a fascinating read. Her attention to detail is bound to captivate anthropology fans. It also poses the moral question as to who owns the rights to ancient artifacts and how they should be treated. The protagonist, Zelda Richardson, is an engaging, ethical researcher that readers will easily applaud. My compliments to Jennifer Alderson for another enjoyable read.” – Pamela Allegretto

Connect with Jennifer at her website by clicking here.

To have your name entered for one of these great prizes, as always, send an email to patriciasandsauthor@gmail.com and answer the following question. Where will your summer travels take you or are you planning a relaxing staycation?

It’s always a pleasure to offer these giveaways. 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.    Congratulations to the winners of the last newsletter giveaways: Valerie Hildebrand, Jan Tomalis, Carol Boyer, Mary Furman, Robin Batterson and Marla Bradeen.

Good news for our UK readers this month! Amazon is featuring Drawing Lessons in its May Avid Readers Promotion for £1 ~ DEAL until the middle of June! If you already have your copy, why not gift some to your friends? That’s what I do whenever I see a great book on sale.

And speaking of the UK, did you watch the royal wedding last Saturday with millions of others of us? Wasn’t it a wonderful diversion from the usual news? If you are still feeling in the mood for something kind of British, here’s a wonderful dessert with a French flair. This recipe is from one of my favourite bloggers, who is also on Instagram ~ Jill Colonna, of Mad about Macarons. She’s a Scottish-French foodie, who lives in Paris, and is absolutely delightful! The photo is from her blog too.

Try her Macaron Berry Sherry Trifle and let me know how you like it. Bon appétit!

I’ve got to dash. It’s almost time to go to the airport and I still have a few of those little last-minute “things” to take care of. As long as they don’t involve packing one more item in a suitcase, I’ll be all right!

See you from France next month!

À bientôt!

If you have read the The Bridge Club or any of the Love in Provence books or Drawing Lessons and can find a minute to leave a short review on Amazon and Goodreads. I thank you in advance.

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