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Patricia Sands

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The Promise of Provence

I’m late! I’m late!

October 18, 2013 by Patricia Sands

I’m feeling a bit like the White Rabbit in Alice In Wonderland today! Tomorrow it will be a week since we arrived home from France but it feels like that happened yesterday. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do.

Photo credit: Pinterest
Photo credit: Pinterest

I feel terrible that I completely missed the International Day of The Girl, but I also know that these initiatives carry on through the year. If you missed it like I did, it’s not too late to go to the Facebook page and raise your hand in support of education for girls. Go ahead … do it photo9321now … I’ll gladly wait … and share it with your friends. Thanks! Why should some girls be denied the privilege of education that we are so fortunate to have in most parts of the western world?

Last evening I had the good fortune to attend a talk given by the intrepid journalist, author and human rights activist, Canada’s own, Sally Armstrong. For decades she has spent time in some of the most war-torn parts of the world working towards improving the rights of women and girls. She is a powerful and engaging speaker and has recently published Ascent of Women, with its hopeful message that the world is indeed changing thanks to women raising their voices.

Much of her talk last evening was focused on Afghanistan, as she was the guest of  Oakville-based Canadians In Support of Afghan Women . Funds raised went to support the Lantern Fund, a teacher training initiative, organized by the not-for-profit Canadian Women For Women In Afghanistan.   These women are a force to be reckoned with ! (It’s okay to end this sentence with a preposition … I checked … )

Click here to read an article about the evening.

As always, Sally’s message was inspiring and this particular aspect resonated with me. She spoke of how young women in Afghanistan are taking hold of change in their country, against terrible odds and great danger. And they are making progress. One small way we can help to show these brave young women and men (… yes, they are actually being successful in having young men join their fight for change!), is by liking their Facebook page, Young Women For Change,  and helping to share their message. Once again, social media is helping to strengthen a cause. Click here for their website. Be part of it!

And not to forget … If it’s Friday, it must be France …

They just don’t make windows like they used to!

Nice-PSandsPhotos
Nice-PSandsPhotos

Are you busy catching up with “stuff”, like I am, or do you have a nice relaxing few days planned? Whatever the case, I wish you a bon weekend!

 

Filed Under: Blog, Social issues Tagged With: Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan, Canadians In Support of Afghan Women, CSAW, CW4W, education, France, International Day of The Girl, Oakville, Patricia Sands, Sally Armstrong, The Bridge Club, The Promise of Provence

Alice Munro ~ 2013 Nobel Prize winner for literature

October 11, 2013 by Patricia Sands

Canadians are celebrating not only Thanksgiving this weekend (my favourite holiday!) but also this week’s exciting announcement that Alice Munro has been

PhotoCredit-Wikipedia
PhotoCredit-Wikipedia

named the winner of the 2013 Nobel Prize for literature.  Bravo!

Perhaps Canada’s best known author at this time, she has kept the bar raised on the art of short-story writing for several decades. The Clinton, Ontario, based writer is the 110th Nobel Laureate in literature but only the 13th woman to win the distinction and the first woman from Canada. We are proud!

No stranger to winning awards, her long list of achievements include:  the Man Booker International Prize (2009), two Scotiabank Giller Prizes (2004, 1998), three Governor General’s Literary Awards (1986,1978, 1968) The Commonwealth Writers’ Prize (2005), the Inaugural Marian Engel Award (1986), the American National Book Critics Circle Award (1998). Her last published collection, Dear Life in 2012, garnered her a third Trillium Book Award in June.

A strong role model and influence on many woman writers, this honour will only enhance that. If you haven’t read any of her work, I strongly urge you to do so.

Dance of the Happy Shades 1968

Lives of Girls and Women 1971

Something I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You 1974

Who Do You Think You Are? 1978

The Moons of Jupiter 1982

The Progress of Love 1986

Friend of my Youth 1990

Open Secrets: Stories 1994

The Love of a Good Woman 1998

Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage 2001

No Love Lost 2003

Runaway 2004

The View from Castle Rock 2006

Carried Away: A Selection of Stories 2006

Too Much Happiness 2009

Dear Life 2012

Source: Alice Munro’s Official Facebook page

Wishing all Canadians a happy Thanksgiving!

My DH and I will be in the air all day tomorrow returning from our month in France. We’re thankful for the wonderful opportunities we have had here and look forward to catching up with our family and friends.  How will you spend this holiday weekend? 

images

Filed Under: Blog, Social issues Tagged With: Alice Munro, France, Nice, thankful, Thanksgiving, The Bridge Club, The Promise of Provence

Be there or be square!

October 4, 2013 by Patricia Sands

SEE YOU TODAY ~ October 4th ~  AT  HEIDI’S ENGLISH BOOKSHOP IN ANTIBES, 24 RUE AUBERNON FOR THE BOOK LAUNCH OF THE PROMISE OF PROVENCE IN FRANCE!

PSandsPhotos
PSandsPhotos

THE FIRST DRAFT OF THIS NOVEL WAS WRITTEN IN ANTIBES AND THE SETTING FOR THE LAST PART OF THE STORY IS ALSO ANTIBES AND THE REST OF THE COTE D’AZUR … SO WHERE BETTER TO LAUNCH?

THE CHAMPAGNE IS ON ICE!

WE ARE READY TO PARTY!

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE LET US KNOW YOU WILL BE WITH US IN SPIRIT FROM WHEREVER YOU HAPPEN TO BE!

TPOP_sm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE POST I WROTE 2 YEARS AGO, WHILE I WAS LIVING AND WRITING IN ANTIBES, AND SEE WHY THIS IS A BOOKSHOP NOT TO BE MISSED!

More later! Bon weekend!

Filed Under: Blog, Contests, France Tagged With: Antibes, book launch in France, Heidi's English Bookshop, Patricia Sands, The Promise of Provence

Fangirl moment …

September 20, 2013 by Patricia Sands

If it’s Friday, it must be France … Really? It’s Friday again? So soon? It’s been a busy, wonderful week in Nice (with the usual side trips that are so easy to do here …) but somehow I’ve even managed to get in some work on my WIP. * doing a happy dance* We’ve got an early train to catch to Toulon and then a quick ferry ride to beautiful Saint Mandrier tomorrow to visit friends for the weekend. So this will be brief! I just wanted to share my total fan-girl … okay, but fan- lady  just doesn’t have the same ring … moment with you. After spending the day in Antibes – and it was SO good to be back there – catching up with Heidi at the Bookshop and Julie and Victor at Choopy’s and good friend Antonia, my DH and I hopped on the train back to Nice to meet up for an apèro with Ted and Joan Jones. Ted is the author of The French Riviera ~ A Literary Guide For Travellers. If you spend time in this part of the world, you need to have this book with you.  Trust me!  Click here for a post all about the book that I wrote when we were staying Antibes two years ago. All I want to say right now is that it was a distinct pleasure to meet Ted, at long last, and Joan as well! I even got his autograph!

Meeting Ted Jones!
Meeting Ted Jones!

What are you up to?  Bon weekend!

Filed Under: Author Promotion, Blog, France, If it is France... Tagged With: Antibes, Choopy's Cupcakes and Coffee Shop, France, Heidi's English Bookshop, Nice, Patricia Sands, Saint Mandrier, Ted Jones, The French Riviera A Literary Guide for Travellers, The Promise of Provence, Toulon

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