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Category Archives: Books/writing
Maigret: France’s Favourite Flic
Before you ask, flic is colloquial French for a police officer. Commissaire Jules Maigret is probably the best-known French fictional detective, created by the novelist Georges Simenon (who was actually Belgian). When we first moved here and my French was … Continue reading
Millau: Towers, Markets and Bridges – Guest Post by Angela Wren
I’m thrilled to welcome back to the blog Angela Wren, whom I had the great pleasure of meeting at an authors’ event in Carcassonne in September. Angela is a Francophile, who has visited many more corners of France than … Continue reading
Posted in Books/writing, Places
Tagged Angela Wren, Emma Calvé, Jacques Forêt mysteries, Millau, Millau Bridge, Millau glove-making, SW France
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Ma Vie Française #6: Author Jane Dunning
Today, I continue my occasional series of interviews with people who have made their life in France or who have a particular attachment to it. Jane Dunning’s love affair with France began in earnest in the 1990s and she has … Continue reading
The Pros and Cons of Brits in France
Peter Mayle, the doyen of writers about the good life in France, died recently at the age of 78. His book, A Year in Provence (1989), describes how he restored an 18th-century farmhouse near Ménerbes in the Luberon with the … Continue reading
Four Famous Frenchwomen
Today is International Women’s Day. It celebrates women’s achievements and highlights the plight of the millions of women around the world who are oppressed, living in abject poverty and certainly not considered equal to their menfolk. Fellow blogger Finding Time … Continue reading
Posted in Books/writing, French life, History, Personalities, World War I & II
Tagged Déclaration des droits de la Femme et de la Citoyenne, Eleanor of Aquitaine, feminism, France, French women, International Women's Day, La Princesse de Clèves, Madame de La Fayette, Olympe de Gouges, Simone Veil
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The Little Free Library Inaugurated at Saint-Antonin
So many words have poured out in the past few days, and no doubt will continue to do so, about the horrific events in Paris this week. I can’t add anything to them that isn’t trite or obvious. So … Continue reading
Posted in Books/writing, French life, Places
Tagged books, Expat, library, Little Free Library, living in France, reading, Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val, street library, SW France
10 Comments
Parisot Literary Festival 2014: how did it go?
This poor old blog has been a bit neglected of late, but that’s because so much has been going on that it’s been hard to get to it. One of the local events that has taken up some of … Continue reading
Corsican Vendetta in Fiction and in Reality
We have recently returned from our fifth visit to Corsica, the setting for my novel, The House at Zaronza (reissued in April 2018). L’Île de Beauté is a captivating place, with a savage beauty and a culture all its … Continue reading
Posted in Books/writing, Corsica, History, Personalities, Places
Tagged Colomba, Colomba Carabelli, Corsica, Fozzano, Olmeto, Prosper Mérimée, The House at Zaronza, vendetta
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Parisot Literary Festival October 2014
A heads-up about the second Parisot Literary Festival/Festival Littéraire de Parisot, which will take place this year from 10th to 12th October. Parisot is only a small place with about 500 inhabitants but there’s a lot going on. This event … Continue reading
It’s Never Too Late to Start Writing
Originally posted on Jane Bwye:
Happy Birthday, Vanessa! You can be a young writer at any age, Vanessa Couchman tells me. She is one of the more recent Crooked Cat “finds”, and I can vouch for the quality of her…
Posted in Books/writing
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Figeac: Medieval Gem
Every time we go to Figeac I ask myself why we don’t go more often. About 50 minutes’ comfortable drive from here through attractive countryside, it’s no particular hardship to get there. You often need an incentive to do … Continue reading
French Women and World War I
It can’t have escaped anyone’s attention that the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I is almost upon us. Huge amounts have been written about almost every aspect of the war. But some topics have received less … Continue reading
Another excerpt from ‘The House at Zaronza’
With a little over two weeks to go before publication, here is another short extract from my novel The House at Zaronza. The story is set in early 20th-century Corsica and at the Western Front during World War I.
Posted in Books/writing, Corsica, History
Tagged books, Cap Corse, Corsica, novel, The House at Zaronza, Writing
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An excerpt from my forthcoming novel, ‘The House at Zaronza’
I’m getting very excited about the publication of my historical novel with Crooked Cat Publishing, which is only just over a month away. I’m also delighted with the cover, above. Between now and 29th July, I’ll publish a few short extracts, starting … Continue reading
Posted in Books/writing, Corsica, Places
Tagged books, Corsica, Crooked Cat Publishing, Historical fiction, The House at Zaronza, Writing
20 Comments
Unexpected Finds About World War II at a Vide-Greniers
It’s that time of year again. You only have to park the car for five minutes and you find your windscreen bristling with flyers for vide-greniers (jumble sales). Around here, there’s at least one a week for the foreseeable future. … Continue reading
Meet My Main Character from My Novel ‘The House at Zaronza’
Today, I’m taking part in a blog hop for historical novelists, entitled ‘Meet My Main Character’. I was tagged by fellow writer and Writers Abroad colleague Dianne Ascroft who wrote about her main character last week.
Posted in Books/writing, Corsica
Tagged Cathie Dunn, Corsica, Crooked Cat Publishing, Dianne Ascroft, Main character, novels, The House at Zaronza, Writing
25 Comments
My novel, The House at Zaronza, to be published by Crooked Cat Publishing
I’m thrilled to announce that my novel, The House at Zaronza, will be published by independent publishers Crooked Cat Publishing, probably this summer. The novel is based partly on a true story, which we discovered on holiday in Corsica in … Continue reading
Posted in Books/writing, Corsica
Tagged books, Corsica, Crooked Cat Publishing, Lorraine Mace, The House at Zaronza, Writers Abroad, Writing
30 Comments
Parisot Literary Festival 2013: the Verdict
‘I [want to] congratulate you on a tremendous literary festival. We enjoyed it immensely and marvelled at the quality of writers you attracted.’ We’ve received many kind comments from people who attended the festival during the weekend of 11th-13th October. … Continue reading
Behind the Scenes at the Parisot Literary Festival
First, a reminder to anyone who lives in the area or is visiting that our first Literary Festival will take place in Parisot this weekend (11th-13th October) with a line-up of both French and British authors. See the programme on … Continue reading
Goose Fat and Garlic
A few weeks ago – only just found time to write about it – I attended the launch of a new edition of Goose Fat and Garlic, a book about the cooking and recipes of SW France. Jeanne Strang, who … Continue reading
Posted in Aveyron, Books/writing, Food/drink/recipes
Tagged Aveyron, books, Ferme Carlès, food, Goose Fat and Garlic, Jeanne Strang, recipes, SW France
15 Comments
Ex-Pat Writers – Contribute to a New Anthology
Originally posted on Vanessa Couchman:
The online ex-pat writers’ group, Writers Abroad, of which I’m a member, will be publishing its fourth anthology this year, with the working title of Far Flung and Foreign. We are looking for other ex-pat…
Posted in Books/writing
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A Great Way to Celebrate Three Years
My blog is three years old today. It has survived the terrible twos and is now learning joined-up writing. And it has readers as far apart as Nova Scotia and Qatar. It will not have escaped your notice that today … Continue reading
Posted in Books/writing, French life
Tagged anthology, blogs about France, books, expat writers, Foreign Encounters ebook, France, Writers Abroad, Writing
12 Comments
Foreign Encounters Book Launch
I’m a bit late reporting on this event, which took place about 10 days ago. Blame this wretched novel I’m working on for National Novel Writing Month. I have almost reached the requisite 50,000 words but mine is going to … Continue reading
Posted in Books/writing
Tagged books, Foreign Encounters, living in France, médiathèque de Parisot, Parisot, Writers Abroad, Writing
20 Comments
French Provincial Cooking
When pondering what to serve dinner guests this coming Saturday I reached for my disintegrating copy of Elizabeth David’s French Provincial Cooking. Not because I expected to copy a user-friendly recipe but because it is chock-full of ideas. First published … Continue reading
Posted in Books/writing, Food/drink/recipes, Personalities
Tagged Elizabeth David, food, France, French cuisine, French Provincial Cooking, Writing
15 Comments
Foreign Encounters, a New Anthology from Writers Abroad
Writers Abroad, the online writing group for ex-pat writers I belong to, is publishing a new anthology today, entitled Foreign Encounters. It contains short stories, non-fiction and poems by writers who are, or have been, ex-pats. They live in, or … Continue reading
Posted in Books/writing, World War I & II
Tagged books, Expat, Foreign Encounters, living in France, Writers Abroad, Writing
9 Comments
A Romantic, and True, Corsican Tale
Wherever I go, I find out so much more if I speak to the locals. This was certainly so during our recent – fourth – visit to Corsica, where we always find new things to see. We would not have … Continue reading
Posted in Books/writing, Corsica, History
Tagged Cap Corse, Casa Maria Corsica, Corsica, love letters, Nonza, Writing
14 Comments
