• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Patricia Sands

Author

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
    • Can I visit your Book Club on Zoom?
  • Books
    • The Bridge Club
    • Love in Provence Series
      • The Promise of Provence
      • About Promises to Keep
      • I Promise You This
    • Drawing Lessons
    • Les Villa des Viollettes series
      • The First Noël at the Villa des Violettes
      • A Season of Surprises at the Villa des Violettes
      • Lavender, Loss & Love at the Villa des Violettes
    • The Secrets We Hide
  • Travel
    • Photography, France & d’Ailleurs
  • Instagram
  • If it’s Friday, it must be France…
  • Contact me

recipe

November’s news ~ #51

December 1, 2017 by Patricia Sands Leave a Comment

Bon weekend, everyone! In case you haven’t read my November newsletter, it’s posted here for your convenience. Enjoy! Enter the giveaways! Bonne chance!

View this email in your browser
Newsletter #51                            November 24, 2017

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!

If you have read Drawing Lessons and can find a minute to leave a short review on Amazon and Goodreads.  I thank you in advance.

AmazonUS | AmazonCA |  AmazonFR  |  B&N  |  iTunes

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • More
  • Pocket
  • Print
  • Email

Filed Under: Author Promotion, Blog, Uncategorized, Writing Tagged With: authors, books, France, giveaways, newsletter, November, Patricia Sands, readers, recipe

Sharing my October newsletter

October 30, 2017 by Patricia Sands 4 Comments

  • Subscribe
  • Past Issues
  • RSS
  • Translate

 

Last day of summer
View this email in your browser
Newsletter #50                                      October 22, 2017Bonjour Patricia

Autumn is setting in all around us in Toronto. What’s happening in your neighbourhood? To those of you who are living near the terrible fires or in the midst of the lingering effects of all the other recent disasters, we send our hopes that you are safe. For others who would like information on how we can help out, click right here.

We’ve had quite a few days when the weather fooled us into thinking summer is lingering. But the changing colours of the leaves and piles of pumpkins outside shops send an undeniable message.

To my Canadian friends, belated Thanksgiving wishes. This was the first time in 40 years that I had not spent Thanksgiving weekend with my family. Instead I was in Florida at the Novelists, Inc. writers conference. Even though I missed our traditional turkey dinner, I thoroughly enjoyed being immersed in learning and networking in the world of writing and publishing for a few days.

Many of my favourite writing friends were there too. It’s one thing to work together online, but it’s so good having time to share ideas and plan future projects in person.  There might have been wine and a few delicious meals involved too.

In this photo, you see (from left to right) Heather Burch, Bette Lee Crosby, Christine Nolfi, Judith Keim, Ashley Farley, and me. Please permit me a moment to gush ~ not only are they talented writers, but also great fun and absolutely first-class women. As many of you know, we are part of the Women’s Fiction Fans book lovers group. Have you joined us on Facebook? Our next book event is November 7th and, as always, there will be lots of great book chat and oodles of book giveaways. Click right here to get all the latest news!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month around the world and my friend, author Liza Perrat, has shared her personal story on my blog. She is also offering a giveaway of two of her Bone Angel box sets. Pop over, by clicking here, and leave a comment to enter. More importantly, read Liza’s touching post and the following comments. I hope you will take a moment to add yours.

This month it’s time to give away the French market gift box that I put together last summer for one of you. All those memories of good times browsing markets in France is causing me a bit of melancholy. I think I’ll just have to spend a day immersed in my copy of The Good Life France’s autumn ezine. That always helps! Have you read yours yet?

Here’s a photo of the contents of the gift box. To have your name entered for the giveaway, send a message to patriciasandsauthor@gmail.com (as usual) and tell us which character you found the most interesting in Drawing Lessons (apart from Arianna and Jacques). Bonne chance!

As you can see, there’s a tea towel, a small serving tray, Provence-themed napkins, Maxim’s chocolate, fleur de sel, herbes de Provence, a lavender sachet, French soap, a Van Gogh 2018 calendar and a signed copy of Drawing Lessons.

Here’s one more market scene, just so we can all dream. This was taken in the Wednesday market in St. Remy-de-Provence. It’s one of my favourites, spreading all through the narrow streets and filling the squares of this charming town. When we do a women’s tour, we always plan a lengthy visit on that day. Everyone loves it!

While I’m talking about giveaways, I want to congratulate all the winners from the September draws:  Clare O’Beara, Marti Wilson, Karina LaMonica, Sharon berger, Lynn Jarrett, Audrey Wick and Cynthia St. Germain.

Amy, 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 prizes for this month. Good luck everyone!

From Amulya Malladi, there’s one print copy of her newly published seventh novel,  The Copenhagen Affair. Here’s a blurb about it: Set in the capital city of the world’s happiest country, a comedy of manners about depression, the pressures of marriage, and the possibility of falling in love again.

Amulya is also generously offering one ebook for each of these titles: The Mango Season; A Breath of Fresh Air; and The Sound of Language.  Find out more about all of these titles on her author page.

So, to be clear, that’s four giveaways. Each is separate. It’s a book bonanza! Thanks, Amulya!

Amulya is a fellow Lake Union author and this is her seventh novel. Her books have been translated into several languages, including Dutch, French, German, Spanish, Danish, Romanian, Serbian, and Tamil. She has a bachelor’s degree in engineering and a master’s degree in journalism. When she’s not writing, she works as a marketing executive. After several years in Copenhagen, she now lives outside Los Angeles with her husband and two children. You can connect with her here.

You can find Amulya hosting our #LakeUnionAuthors Facebook page this week. If you haven’t joined our reader group, please consider it. There’s lively conversation between readers and writers and all sort of book news … including giveaways! We let you know what books of ours are on special, often before you see that news anywhere else. Click right here to check it out.

Keith Van Sickle is a technology industry veteran and lifelong traveler who got his first taste of overseas life while studying in England during college. But it was the expat assignment to Switzerland that made him really fall in love with Europe. With his wife Val and their trusty dog, he now splits his time between Silicon Valley and Provence, delving ever deeper into what makes France so endlessly fascinating.

He is offering one print copy and one ebook of his vignette-filled memoir, One Sip At A Time: Learning To Live in Provence.

Here’s what one reviewer had to say: “In ‘One Sip at a Time,’ Keith Van Sickle shares more than 60 vignettes of his time in Provence – where the bread is astonishingly good, the plumbing is hopeless, and a visit to the emergency room costs $30. It’s a quick, easy read that will pick up your spirits. It’s also a quietly subtle collection of parables that will leave you thinking about the human condition in a new way.”

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 which holiday you prefer. Is it Thanksgiving or Christmas? 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.

While I’m at it, I want to send you to visit my very special (and talented and über-informed) friend Julie Mautner’s excellent Provence Post website. You’ve heard me talk about it before … many times. She’s hosting a giveaway of two signed print copies of Drawing Lessons and two ebooks ~ click right here. I’m more than a little humbled by her post … but also immensely grateful, and happy to offer international prizes.

NEWS FLASH: If you are an Amazon Prime member, The Promise of Provence is one of many good novels available in that program at the moment.

For the third year, we are putting together a calendar featuring some of my photography of the south of France and quotes from my novels. Each year the photos are completely different. We only produce a limited number and they sell out quickly … thank you! If you would like to order one, please send $30.00 (U.S.) to PayPal, payable to psands.stories@gmail.com.  This will also cover postage, which is ridiculously expensive. Don’t forget to add your postal address.

If you don’t use PayPal and would like to pay another way, please email patriciasandsauthor@gmail.com and let us know. Amy will be coordinating the details and we will see what we can work out.

Here’s the format, so you can see what it looks like.

With autumn in the air, there are pleasing displays of pumpkins and gourds around. I can’t resist taking photos of them.


Potage au potiron, pumpkin soup, is a popular starter on the Provençal table when there’s a chill in the air. I like the recipe I’ve included here because the article also adds other interesting details. Click right here to see it.

(A little addendum: I add one medium-sized potato to the ingredients and I use light chicken stock instead of salted water. Keeping some shredded Gruyère or Comté cheese in a bowl for garnish is another option. But that’s just moi!)

By the way, thanks to all of you who send photos and let me know you actually try the recipes. That makes it even more fun when I am deciding which one to share with you.

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!

P.S. MERCI BEAUCOUP! I want to send a big thank you to everyone who purchased my new novel, Drawing Lessons, and helped to make the October 1st launch day such a success. After all the time spent researching and writing, editing, and preparing for publication, there’s always a level of anxiety mixed with pleasure as authors hope to deliver a satisfying story to book lovers. I’m grateful to you all!

There’s just one problem! I miss all of those characters. This is an issue for fiction writers when we complete a story. Since we’ve spent so much time with the personalities we’ve created, they take on a life of their own and feel real to us. I better get involved in writing the next story … tout de suite!

If you’ve read Drawing Lessons and can find a minute to leave a short review on Amazon and Goodreads. I thank you in advance.

AmazonUS | AmazonCA |  AmazonFR  |  B&N  |  iTunes

Follow Me and please feel free to share my newsletter!
Share
Tweet
Forward
+1
Pin
Copyright © 2017 Patricia Sands, Author, All rights reserved.

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

Email Marketing Powered by MailChimp

 

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • More
  • Pocket
  • Print
  • Email

Filed Under: Blog, France, News, Uncategorized, Writing Tagged With: books, France, giveaways, newsletter, Patricia Sands, recipe, writing

Marvellous Madeleine

August 7, 2015 by Patricia Sands 6 Comments

If it’s Friday it must be France …

Madeleines have been on my mind quite a bit recently. In my latest novel, I Promise You This (Book 3 of the Love In Provence series), the character Simone Garnier has quite a connection to them. I couldn’t resist the urge to enjoy more than I should have … um, a few … while I was writing.

unnamed

These classic, tiny perfect French butter cakes make my heart beat a little faster when I savour one (or two or three) straight off the cooling rack!

Often thought of as cookies by North Americans, madeleines are a delicious accompaniment to your favourite cuppa … whether it’s tea or java or simply a nice cold glass of milk. They even have a classy literary history as Marcel Proust‘s muse in his famous epic 7-v0lume À La Recherche du Temps Perdu (Remembrance of Things Past).  Although they sound a little finicky to make, let me just say this: our granddaughter Meg made them when she was 13, on one of our cookie baking days. They tasted divine! Click here for the recipe.

I guess I should add that many Starbucks cafés often sell them  … just not straight out of the oven!

Speaking of I Promise You This, I’m busy working on edits with Danielle Marshall, my awesome Lake Union editor. We also have just seen the first draft of the cover art, which I loved!

Lake Union Publishing will relaunch The Promise of Provence and Promises To Keep in early October. Here are the revised covers which have a beautiful matte finish. I Promise You This will follow in 2016.

unnamed-1

unnamed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You may              want to munch on a madeleine or two while you are reading. Do you get hungry while you read? Here’s a list of the best and worst choices to snack on while reading, in case you’re searching for some advice on the subject. 

Bon weekend everyone!

 

 

 

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • More
  • Pocket
  • Print
  • Email

Filed Under: Blog, France, If it is France..., News, Uncategorized, Writing Tagged With: Amazon Publishing, Danielle Marshall, I Promise You This, Lake Union Publishing, Love In Provence, madeleines, Marcel Proust, Patricia Sands, Promises To Keep, recipe, The Promise of Provence

Primary Sidebar

Join Me Here!

RSS
Facebook
Facebook
fb-share-icon
Twitter
Visit Us
Tweet
YouTube
Pinterest
Pinterest
fb-share-icon
LinkedIn
LinkedIn
Share
Instagram

Follow Me on BookBub

Follow Me on BookBub

Follow me on Amazon

Follow me on Amazon

Available from Amazon!

Available from Amazon!

Available Now!

Available Now!

Available from Amazon

Available from Amazon

Join me and 9 of your favourite women’s fiction authors

Join me and 9 of your favourite women’s fiction authors

The Good Life France Magazine

The Good Life France Magazine

Categories

Archives

Footer

Copyright Disclaimer

© 2020 by Patricia Sands. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use short quotes provided a link back to this page and proper attribution is given to me as the original author. All photographs on this site are copyright of Patricia Sands

Follow Me!

RSS
Facebook
Facebook
fb-share-icon
Twitter
Visit Us
Tweet
YouTube
Pinterest
Pinterest
fb-share-icon
LinkedIn
LinkedIn
Share
Instagram
  • Privacy Policy

FTC DISCLOSURE

The Federal Trade Commission requires that I disclose any relationship I have between a product manufacturer or service provider when I write about a product or service. I may receive a small commission for purchases made via affiliate links on this site such as Amazon. The above does not affect my opinion of those products and services. I am committed to sharing the work of other authors with my friends and readers.

Copyright © 2023 By Patricia Sands · Theme created and maintained by Bakerview Consulting