Patricia Sands

Author

summer

Summer sales!

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Bonjour everyone! As summer quickly slips away, I hope you have been enjoying getting out and about again with family and friends, staying safe and reading some good books!

In between enjoying beautiful Georgian Bay weather, I’ve been hunkered down in my editing cave working on my next novel. I can’t wait to begin sharing more news about this story soon!

There’s so much good news to share here, I hope you find something that makes you want to add it to your library. In case you have not seen these graphics floating around social media, I wanted to share them with you before the end of August so you don’t miss these great bargains!

Waving across the pond (s) to the UK and to Australia! Amazon has kindly placed all three of the Love in Provence novels on sale for the month of August in your special part of the world.

.99GBP and $1.49AUD! If you already have your copies, now is a great opportunity to do some holiday/birthday shopping and pick up ebooks for family and friends. The instructions are easily followed on the book pages on Amazon. Simply pop on to your country’s Amazon page for my novels and make your choices! Then lose yourself in the south of France ~ no passport, no packing!

It’s such a pleasure to receive emails and comments from readers (along with reviews, of course). Here’s a recent message that made me smile!

“I discovered your series through Melissa Seeley Face Facebook event. Read first one in record time and ordered the next two as well as Christmas novella. Simone speaks to me. I can relate to her story. She’s settled within herself now but her past still stirs her memory. I’m 73 and she’s my new role model..along with Judi Dench! Old Crones don’t mess around.”

I loved writing the character, Simone Garnier. She first appears in Promises To Keep and was full of wonderful surprises for me too!

In the USA, Drawing Lessons is available for .99 until the end of the month. Just click here. Here’s one of my favourite reviews.

Betty Taylor of Reading is My Passion captures the essence of the story, without spoilers, in her 5* review.

“Author Patricia Sands gives us a beautifully written story of human frailties and human strengths, of facing a major change in your life and learning to move on, of healing.

When I began this book I was expecting it to be a romance novel, but romance is actually only a small part of the story. And when it does enter the story it is beautifully done with a slow progression of two mature characters getting to know each other. But the strength of this book lies in how GREAT characters from various backgrounds with their own mix of life challenges come together to further their love of art and how they compassionately share their collective life experiences and lessons in support each other. For the main protagonist Arianna it is truly a life-changing two weeks as she struggles to come to terms with her new life.

Ms. Sands’ love of the French countryside is revealed in her stunning descriptions. I was so enthralled I just had to view the images myself on the internet – images of the walls of Aigues-Mortes, the wild horses and the enormous salt deposits of the Camargue.

I was able to totally lose myself in this delightful story and highly recommend it.”

In addition, Lavender, Loss & Love ~ Book #3 in the Villa des Violettes series is $1.99 all around the world and waiting for you. Have you begun this series? It was written after so many readers asked to spend more time with Katherine and the beloved characters from the Love in Provence novels. It was such a pleasure for me to revisit them and discover their new adventures on the pages … and introduce some new friends as well. Here’s the link for all of those books.

When Amazon puts our book on sale, the hope is that we will be discovered by new readers. Feel free to share these sales with your friends!

And now for a great giveaway that you (and any reader you know would be interested) can enter until the 25th! Look at this bonanza of books waiting to belong to one lucky winner.

ONE WINNER. 52 BOOKS. OPEN INTERNATIONALLY. ~ Ready, set, GO!

Click on this link to enter.

It’s sunflower season in southern Ontario! Are they blooming in your part of the world too? I simply can’t resist these golden blooms and the memories they bring of discovering beautiful fields in Provence on our tours. Hopefully 2022 will have us back in the south of France making new memories to share with you. Perhaps you will be there with us!

I hope you enjoy this photo. I’ll share a story in another post about that gorgeous confit pot I had shipped over from France … an impulsive moment that brings me a smile every day. Do you ever do something totally on the spur of the moment?

Stay well, dear friends, and happy reading/ bonne lecture!

August means it is still summer!

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Do you know people who start saying summer is almost over once the month of August begins? I do! I go to great pains to point out that our summer is just at the halfway mark. The warm weather season in Toronto is short enough without some folks wishing it away! So keep doing all those summery things and set the naysayers straight!

I took this shot while we were on a bike ride last week. It still looks like summer to me! What do you say?

I don’t have a post today, but I do have my July newsletter to share with any of you who may not subscribe. If you do subscribe, but did not receive this last week, please let me know. Sometimes the mail delivery system has a kink or two!

 
Newsletter #47

 

How is your summer going? I hope the answer is a resounding “GREAT” for most of you. If any of you, or your loved ones, are living in one of the areas around the world affected by the terrible wild fires, please know you are in the thoughts and prayers of many.

It’s three weeks today since I returned from the south of France. As you know from my last two newsletters, every day was memorable. However, it didn’t take too long to get settled back into life in Toronto.  After time away, it’s always so good to get caught up with family and friends. (And then get back to serious writing, of course!)

We love the view from our condo (above), but I can’t say France is far away from my thoughts! Bring on 2018!

I must admit I didn’t accomplish a lot of proper writing while I was away. What I did was a tremendous amount of observing and absorbing and note taking. My camera shutter was steaming! Details, images and memories were captured that I will use as I write more stories for you.

The header shot in this letter is one of my favourite photos from this summer. The colours, textures, and play of light/shadow were impossible to resist. I walked past this door whenever I took one of several routes to the daily marché in Antibes. It took my breath away every single time.

Our Women’s Fiction Fans Summer Party was an enormous success, and we are so grateful to all of the enthusiastic readers who joined in the fun! We can’t begin to thank you enough! Congratulations to all the winners of books, bags and macarons! Those were just some of the sought after prizes!

If you haven’t had an opportunity to join our group, just go to this page and click on “joined”.  It’s as easy as that!

I would also like to invite you to join me at our #LakeUnionAuthors page. Click on this link and be connected. Every week one of the 72 authors signed to Lake Union Publishing hosts the page. I will be hosting from August 7th to 13th and hope you will find some time to visit with me then.

With both of these groups there is absolutely no commitment on your part, except to learn about new reads, chat with authors and connect with book lovers like yourself. You can be as engaged as you like … or not. But do be part of the community! We look forward to spending time with you!

The aim of these friendly groups of authors and readers is to share thoughts and comments about books (old and new), or simply talk about reading in general … or anything else that’s on your mind. Ask us questions, enter our giveaways, enjoy our special events and, by all means, please invite your friends!

Now it’s time for this month’s giveaways!

You are no doubt familiar with my friend and fellow Lake Union author, Christine Nolfi, as we are often involved in author events together. We’ve met several times in person and will be together again at the Novelists, Inc. (NINC) writers conference in October. Can’t wait!

A few months ago, Christine gave away copies of her new release Sweet Lake. This month you have the opportunity to win one of two ebooks of the sequel, The Comfort of Secrets. Isn’t it a beautiful cover?

From an Amazon reviewer: 5 stars ~ “This is a delightful and charming story that describes the Wayfair Inn in Ohio and the quirky, complex and complicated characters. Many of the characters are the same as in the first book.”

Award-winning author Christine Nolfi provides readers with heartwarming and inspiring fiction. Her novel TREASURE ME, Liberty series book 2, is a Next Generation Indie Awards finalist. The Midwest Book Review lists SECOND CHANCE GRILL, Liberty series book 1, and the other Liberty books as “highly recommended”. Connect with Christine here.

Our next giveaway is for one of two ebooks of the exciting new release, I Wish You Happy, from another fellow Lake Union author, Kerry Anne King. I don’t know how Kerry manages all she does. She spends her days working as an RN in a clinic, spinning her tales early in the morning and in the evenings after work. She believes passionately in the idea of the “whole self” and is ever in pursuit of balancing mind, body, and spirit. She also writes fantasy and mystery novels as Kerry Schafer.
Connect with Kerry here.

From an Amazon reviewer: 5 stars “I Wish You Happy is a heartfelt book, a story that exudes warmth and feelings. The characters in this book are quirky, genuine, and a bit tortured; they are all searching not only for their own happiness but also for the happiness of the people they love.”

As always, to have your name entered for the random draw for each giveaway, send an email to patriciasandsauthor@gmail.com . This month please tell us your favourite summer activity. Good luck, everyone!

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, even better, and always appreciated.  Good luck! Bonne chance!

Congratulations to the winners of last month’s giveaways: Camille Clark-Laclergue, Donna Faulkner, Cynthia Daniel, Barbara Taptich, Helen Hoadley, and Janet Graham.

Amy, my irreplaceable 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.

Who wants to win a Kindle? Take a chance in this event and add some new books to your summer reading list. Good luck. Click right here to enter!

A few summers ago, we discovered this delicious drink at Le Phenecia, an excellent Lebanese restaurant overlooking the Med in Antibes. They call it Lebanese Lemonade and here’s the closest recipe I could find. At the restaurant they said they added only a pinch of sugar. To help sweeten, they added a dash of fleur d’oranger, as the French often do.

You may have to play with the recipe a bit for sweetness. Make sure the mixture has a nice frothy topping. It’s deliciously refreshing!

I took this photo one day in Antibes when I met a reader who asked me to sign her copy of I Promise You This. That made the moment even more pleasurable for me!

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!

Thanks and mille mercis to everyone who has pre-ordered my new novel, Drawing Lessons. If you still haven’t, you can do so by clicking right here! Right now I’m awaiting the final sign off on the manuscript. We’re eager to have the book available on Net Galley for everyone who is interested in writing a review. Stay tuned! I will let you know the minute it is there.

 

Summer’s over? How did that happen?

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Well that’s it, right? Labour Day (or Labor, for our friends south of the border) weekend, no matter where you live in North America, is the signal that summer is over. In Toronto, the Canadian National Exhibition (fondly referred to as The Ex or the CNE) has been a feature during the last two and a half weeks of August beginning in 1879. When the Ex is on, you know the bell is tolling!

Of course there will still be nice weather (hopefully) but students are in their classrooms, summer holidays planned and anticipated for so long are in the memory bank, and fall/winter clothes are in the shop windows.

Did you take a lot of photos this summer? I did. Well, okay, I’m always taking photos no matter what the season or the reason.

What images from this summer will stand out for you?

Digital photography has had such an impact, I only know one person who still buys film for her camera. Do you? Do you print some of your photos and keep them in albums or do you store everything on disks or post them on a blog? Do you have a camera or do you take all your photos on your phone? I’ve been astounded by the quality of some cell phone photos.

I’m really interested in hearing how your approach to photography has changed in the last few years so, if you have a minute, leave a comment and let me know.

In the meantime, I’ve attached a terrific photo slideshow of summer images compiled by The Denver Post. Just click on the link below to see it. Afterwards, make a slideshow of the favourite photos you took this summer!

Captured: The Last Days of Summer | Plog — World, National Photos, Photography and Reportage — The Denver Post.