Patricia Sands

Author

The Promise of Provence

CBBH Photo Challenge: Ancient & Modern

by

You know how I love photo challenges! When I saw this month’s topic on the CBBH Photo Challenge on Marianne’s East of Malaga blog, I knew precisely which photos I wanted to use.  In all of our travels, nowhere was the contrast between ancient and modern more vivid to me than in Rome.  With the blink of an eye, the new contrasted with the old no matter where you looked.

First, then …

Forum/Rome-PSandsPhotos
Forum/Rome-PSandsPhotos
Colosseum/Rome-PSandsPhotos
Colosseum/Rome-PSandsPhotos

Where the price of entertainment could be your life …

Colosseum/Rome-PSandsPhotos
Colosseum/Rome-PSandsPhotos

And now …

Via Condotti/Rome-PSandsPhotos
Via Condotti/Rome-PSandsPhotos
Via Condotti/Rome-PSandsPhotos
Via Condotti/Rome-PSandsPhotos

Where the price of entertainment could still be your life …

Rome-PSandsPhotos
Rome-PSandsPhotos

Part of the fun of this challenge is visiting other participants’ blogs to see what photos they have chosen. Here are just a couple of my favourites!

Don’t miss this fabulous post~secrets of Paris revealed! Theurgetowander.com

And a look at ancient and modern in Scandinavia – Forestwoodfolkart.wordpress.com

This challenge got me thinking about what might be good subject matter for ancient and modern in my own back yard. It’s not so obvious in a young country like Canada but I’m taking my camera one of these days and thinking outside the box. Where would you look?

 

Franglais anyone?

by

Paris-PSandsPhotos
Paris-PSandsPhotos
If it’s Friday, it must be France …
Parlez-vous franglais?

The government in France has a branch whose job it is to defend the purity and proper usage  of the French language.The Académie Française was created in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII.It has forty members, known as ‘immortals’, who hold office for life, and the body is the chief authority on the French language and publishes an official dictionary.

Created by ChristieJ on the Keep-Calm-O-Matic site
Created by ChristieJ on the Keep-Calm-O-Matic site

 Article 24 of the statutes of the Académie Française states that “The principal function of the Académie is to work, with all possible care and diligence, to give clear rules to our language and to render it pure, eloquent and capable of treating arts and science.”

However, that doesn’t always work. Certainly advertising campaigns in France and the wide use of social media is only adding to the issue of “franglais” .
Here’s the Wikipedia definition: “Franglais means a mangled combination of English and French, produced either by poor knowledge of one or the other language or for humorous effect.“
Le parking, le best-of, le jogging, le shopping and le hot dog are just a few examples. I’m guilty of using franglais every time I say, “Bon weekend”. Somehow that just works for me!
Click here to read an article from BBC News Magazine on the subject.
In June, my friend Anne-Marie Simons dropped by the blog to talk about her book of delightful vignettes on life in France, Taking Root in Provence.
Book cover smallHere’s another of her amusing commentaries, this time on the subject of language in France.
“Which brings me to my favorite subject:  Franglais.
One of the pleasures of living in France is the language and the numerous bookstores. It is a bit of a surprise, therefore, to discover how little respect the French have for languages other than their own. On French radio and television Anglo-Saxon names are regularly tortured beyond recognition, and every foreign word—no matter what its origin—comes out sounding French. All English-language television programs are dubbed, with famous drawlers like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood speaking in staccato French. The French love American movies as long as they are in French.
Yet, France is still the first tourist destination in the world and in cities like Paris and Aix-en-Provence a timid effort is being made to accommodate non-French-speaking visitors. This can have surprising results, sometimes missing their intended goal but all the richer for it.
Check these menu items:
Croque-Monsieur = Crunch Mister
Canapés à la Crevette = Shrimp Sofas
Herbes de Provence = Grasses of Provence
 Assiette Américaine (hamburger) = Round Loaf with Sesame Seeds Furnished with a Chopped Steak
Pavé de Saumon = Salmon Paving Stone.  
Bon Appétit!”
If you haven’t discovered Anne-Marie’s blog, Provence Today, I suggest you check it out. It’s my go-to site for informative posts about what is newsworthy in French culture today.
This seems to be giveaway season for me! 
Southern Writers Magazine ~ a fabulous site for readers and writers ~ is offering some signed copies of your choice of The Bridge Club or The Promise of Provence.  Click on the link to the left of this post … and bonne chance!
Next Friday I will be announcing the lucky winners of the giveaway offered in The Provence Post. There were so many fabulous responses, it was difficult to pick just three! 
Bon weekend tout le monde! After being away without internet or cell service for three days this week, I will be paying the price and attempting to clear out my inboxes! What are your plans?

Winners! … and my first newsletter is off the press!

by

When I first published The Promise of Provence, Home Base Holidays very enthusiastically contacted me and embraced this story of a home exchange in the south of France. And why not? HomeBaseHolidays-LogoThis is a fabulous company that offers precisely the same opportunities to their members that Katherine, my main character, experienced.  I was pleased to offer them two copies of my novel as giveaways on their site.

Congratulations to the winners:  Linda & Rob from Fort Worth, Texas, USA and John & Eveline from Auckland, New Zealand !

Click here to go to the Home Base website and read the rest of the post about the giveaway and comments from the winners. If you have not explored home exchange yet, this might just be the tipping point to get you started. You know I am a huge fan of home exchange and happy to answer any questions. I can assure you the friendly, knowledgeable folks at Home Base are only too willing to send you any information you wish.

MY NEWSLETTER IS LIVE!

I’ve entered into another aspect of this wonderful world of publishing by sending a newsletter every now and then. I’m not going to post each one here but thought I would share my first with you! You know how “firsts” are …
Pull up a chair and join me ~ here we go with my first newsletter!Thanks to all who sent emails after reading The Promise of Provence or left your email address at an event with me. I’m blown away by the response and will be sending out a brief newsletter from time to time to stay in touch, offer giveaways and share information.If you would rather not receive my newsletter, by all means click below to unsubscribe. No worries!Two weeks ago I attended the Romance Writers of America’s national conference in Atlanta, Georgia, along with approximately 2000 other writers at every stage of their careers. It was a dizzying four days of excellent workshops, presentations and extraordinary networking. Along with that was the wonderful opportunity to meet a group of writers with whom I’ve been connected online for two years. We have become like family so to finally meet in person was phenomenal!I returned with a firm vision as to where my writing is directed and I’m excited to say that part of the plan keeps Katherine’s story moving forward with unexpected twists. I’ll share details and give you some sneak peeks as time goes on.

On September 9th, my husband and I will be leaving for a month in Nice to visit friends and favourite places while I spend some time doing research. On October 4th there will be a lively launch party for The Promise of Provence at Heidi’s English Bookshop in Antibes. If you are in that part of the world, please join us! The details will be on my blog.

If you sent me a message saying you would like a postcard from Katherine, please be sure you left your postal address and not just your email.

I’m excited to report our first women’s tour to the south of France for next June quickly sold out, so another has been added from June 25 to July 5. It was fun to hear from some of you already booked! Click here for more information and by all means let me know if you are joining us! FYI – I’ve posted a reading list on my blog and would be happy to have any suggestion you may have.

I love hearing from you so don’t hesitate to contact me. Catch my news on my blog.

In the meantime, click here for one of my favourite recipes: Provençal New Potatoes.
Bon appétit!

If you want to join my newsletter, find the sign up form HERE.

On another note, I am dashing off with my DH to spend a few days with friends at a cottage … WITHOUT INTERNET OR CELLULAR SERVICE … GASP!

Do you ever go “unplugged”? I’m kind of looking forward to it … might even get some uninterrupted writing accomplished and find time to spend with my camera! My DH is tapping his fingers waiting for me to get out the door! See you at the end of the week – have a good one!

Monday … how’s it going for you?

by

Happy Monday everyone! I returned to Toronto from Atlanta last evening, after a two-hour delay during which the forces of nature presented a spectacular thunder and lightning/son et lumière exhibition, viewed through the massive windows of the airport terminal.

The RWA2013 National Conference which I attended for 5 days krlqqghzwas a fine experience in every way from the exceptional quality and variety of workshops, discussions, and presentations to the extraordinary camaraderie and networking of approximately 2000 writers, agents, editors and other assorted members.The keynote speaker, Cathy Maxwell, and luncheon awards speaker, Kristan Higgins, offered wisdom and humour as they shared their stories and stirred emotions.

Absolutely unforgettable was the opportunity to meet, in person, writers with whom I have formed close connections online through the past three years. The “WANA sistas” rock and memories were made to last forever!

I returned home inspired and motivated to write, write, write.

Today I am attempting to catch up on last week’s backup while I am at my desk in Toronto … admittedly watching (and dreaming of being there …) the last day of the Tour de France which my DH thoughtfully taped for me.

Thanks to this amazing virtual world. I’m also hanging out on some other websites and hope you have a minute to drop by and visit.

Suite T 2013 header

Suite T: The Author’s Blog of Southern Writer’s Magazine ~ click here to read my short post which I think will make you smile!

c600x235 (1000)

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Book’s Blog on Goodreads – click here to add your comments to one of my favourite topics! Tell me where you like to travel.

Thanks to everyone who has popped into The Provence Post too. There are a few more days before the draw for the giveaways! If only I could be writing this from there!

I wanted to share this special post from the blog of my friend, Marcia Richards. Now that’s inspiring!

That’s it for me today! What are you up to?