• 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

Yellow Labrador Retriever

Party with the pups … and authors who love them!

January 10, 2025 by Patricia Sands

I hope you will join us on Sunday, January 12, at 10 a.m. Eastern to party all day at My Book Friends on Facebook. Read about the books, chat with the authors in their posts and enter for a chance to win signed books. It’s going to be fun! Here’s the link.

Treat yourself to the series! Snoopy always has the best advice! We can all use some puppy comfort right now. I will be at the party happy to share with you about my contribution, A New Leash on Life.

The series is about a litter of eight yellow Labrador Retriever pups. Each story is a
stand-alone, although there is one thread that runs through it that involves Leslie, the breeder. The books are short, novella size, and each a delightful quick read. The epilogue at the end of my story, lets you know how Leslie’s adventure played out.

Those who enjoy my books all know of my love of pets and that all of my novels, set in France, have a dog named Picasso who has become much beloved by readers everywhere. He coincidentally is a yellow Lab!

This story begins here. The last thing cat-owner Libby Moore wanted was a dog, let alone a mischievous 8-week-old puppy! She reluctantly agreed to take the pup for a few weeks until her son and family returned from Australia. He had been sent on a short-term contract that was unexpectedly extended and they had made arrangements to take the pup months before that occurred.

After all, who can refuse the pleas of grandchildren. What followed is something none of them would have imagined.

I had such fun writing this new story about the pup named Chance and meeting new totally unanticipated characters. When I began the story I truly had no idea where it was going and after a major shock occurred in the plot, suddenly two surprising characters came into the story and I fell in love with them. I hope you do too.

See you there! Good luck winning some signed print books.

Filed Under: Blog, Contests, Uncategorized, Writing Tagged With: A New Leash on Life, book giveaways, Dog stories, Dragonfly Cove Dog Park series, Patricia Sands, puppies, series, Yellow Labrador Retriever

January 6th ~ la fête des rois in France

January 6, 2025 by Patricia Sands

Eat cake like a king!

If you are in France (or Louisiana, hello N’awlins!), it’s again time to celebrate  … oui …  bien sûr … more food! Don’t you love it? This time it’s all about a rich, almond cream (frangipane) enveloped by layers of light, flaky pastry (feuilleté).

Another joyful opportunity to bring friends and family around the table to share La Galette des Rois/The Kings’ Cake, takes place on the first Sunday of January or January 6th and recognizes Epiphany, the arrival of the three wise men (Magis). The history of this special pastry can be  traced to Roman times.

If you read my Love in Provence series, Kat first finds out about the tradition in Book #2, Promises to Keep. 

During the French Revolution, the name was replaced with ‘Gâteau de l’Égalité’ (equality cake), as the word ‘king’ was a little out of fashion!

It’s so popular, many patisseries make the scrumptious cake through the entire month of January.

The cake is cut in the specific number of slices for the people present, with one extra symbolic slice for the first poor person passing by. The youngest child  (or the most innocent adult, if no children are present, which can result in great hilarity) goes under the table and calls out who will receive each slice to ensure fair distribution. The greatest excitement comes when one person discovers la fève (a lucky charm) hidden in a single slice. Just don’t accidentally bite down on it … they’re usually a small porcelain or plastic trinket!

Bon appétit!

canstockphoto12196982

Click here to read an excellent account of the history and traditions of this special fête by my friend, Margo Lestz.

And while you are feeling like you are in France, pick up a copy of the fabulous Book One of the Love in Provence series. Amazon has the ebook on sale for ALL OF JANUARY! Magnifique! Click here for your copy or the copies you want to gift to your besties!

Here’s more news on our newly released series about the most adorable pups! There’s a giveaway for January just waiting for you to enter! Win all eight books ~ signed print copies plus a few surprises!

Wanna win the whole series, all printed and pawtographed? Woof, of course, you do!
Here’s how you can fetch this awesome prize:

  1. Give this post a LIKE! Give it a virtual belly rub!
  2. Pawsitively drop a comment with a picture or meme of your doggo self!
  3. Tag three of your coolest canine-loving pals. Let’s make this party grow!
    Oh, and if you really want to increase your chances, share this post with your fur-tastic pack! More shares, more treats!
    When the clock strikes January 31, we’ll pick one lucky doggo, who will be proudly announced in the original post. So, cross your paws and wag those tails – it’s time for some serious fun! Good luck, fur-iends! 🐾📚❤️
  4. Click here to enter!
    Ready to binge on the whole series?
    See all books here on Kindle and in print:
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLTKBJ78

I couldn’t resist leaving you with this sweetie! Happy reading everyone! I hope you are safe from the snowstorms ~ cuddle up with a good book and a warm drink! Stay cozy.

Filed Under: Author Promotion, Blog, Contests, France, News, Uncategorized, Writing Tagged With: A New Leash on Life, Dragonfly Cove Dog Park series, Kindle sale, new release, Patricia Sands, puppies, The Promise of Provence, Yellow Labrador Retriever

Primary Sidebar

The Secrets We Hide is a BEA Winner!

Newsletter

Sign up for my monthly newsletter

Please wait...

Thank you for joining me!

Join Me Here!

RSS
Facebook
Facebook
fb-share-icon
Twitter
Visit Us
Post on X
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 10 of your favourite women’s fiction authors

Join me and 10 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
Post on X
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 © 2026 By Patricia Sands · Theme created and maintained by Bakerview Consulting

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.