for fun
Is there a more picturesque setting for a movie than the city of Paris? There are so many wonderful books and films from every genre set in the City of Lights. During my Twitter book launch party for
A Magnificent Crime (which is set in Paris, of course!) it was one of our most lively discussions. I promised to write a round-up post of movies set in Paris, so here it is.…
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If you’re planning your first trip to Paris, there are a few things you must see and do. Paris is my favorite city, and I’ve been lucky enough to have visited several times. It’s also where I set my
soon-to-be-released second novel, A Magnificent Crime.
Planning your first trip to Paris? Here’s a list of ten things to see and do, for a classic Parisian experience:
1.…
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I don’t keep it much of a secret how deeply
I love Pinterest.
One of my favorite ways to use Pinterest, as an author, is to create a board for each of my books. Recently I’ve been tweaking the board for my next novel,
A Magnificent Crime (the sequel to
A Beautiful Heist). Basically, it’s a collection of various images that convey the feel and the flavor of the book…plus a few itty-bitty hints about the setting and the story.…
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Over on my YMC blog this week, I posted a piece called
The Journey Of Motherhood. It’s a story told in GIFs (you know, those little looping video snippets?). And I have to tell you, I had a total blast putting it together. Giggled my way through the making of it, in fact.
I’m hoping it can bring a similar smile to your face.…
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I just sent the final copyedits for my latest book back to my editor, so I find myself with a little breathing room again. What to do? Ooh, I know…
I’ve been wanting to create a book club kit for
A BEAUTIFUL HEIST for a while. But I thought–why not go beyond merely providing discussion questions? Let’s take this up a notch.…
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I grew up in Ontario but moved to the west coast ten years ago. Winter for me here in British Columbia, well…let’s face it: it’s not really winter. Still, I like the excuse to indulge in a cozy winter cocktail or two. In
my books, my heroine is a cocktail lover, big-time. Me, I usually prefer wine, but I do like to mix it up from time to time (whoops–see what I did there?).…
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What to give the booklover in your life? Well, books, obviously. But what if you’re not entirely sure of their reading tastes, or which books they’ve already read? Well, how about one of these book-inspired gifts? (Clicking on the image will take you to the buy link.)
1. Jane Austen Scarf
Gorgeous words printed on luxurious fabric. What’s not to love?…
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Who doesn’t love a
good heist movie (or, ahem,
book)? Although sometimes, the real thing can be just as dramatic and exciting.
If you know me, you know I’ve got a bit of a thing for infographics, and here’s one I was sent a while ago that’s right up my alley. Enjoy!
Copyright SimpliSafe Wireless Home Security…
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I’ve seen a few people do this on their blogs, and I decided it was time to try it myself. In completely random order, here are 100 things I love:
Good coffee
Paris
Yoga
Going to the movies
Getting up early when the house is dark and quiet
Wine
Train travel
The soundtrack to Out Of Africa
Dark chocolate with sea salt
Nail polish
Pinterest
The sound of spoken Italian
Sangria
Running
A man in a well-cut suit
The airport
Being a mom
Writing
Egg cups
Bookstores
High heeled shoes
James Bond
The rain
New York City
A warm fireplace on a cold night
Olives
Spending half an hour finding the exact right word
Having the exact right word come to me like a bolt from the sky
The smell of freshly cut grass
Dresses
Travel
The head massage while my hairdresser is shampooing my hair
The English countryside
Cream tea
Going to the ballet
The fall
The color pink
Five star hotels
European history
Indiana Jones
Vineyards
Downton Abbey
Goodreads
The smell of lavender
Popcorn
People who wink, and not in a creepy way
Boots
Raspberries
African safaris
The sound of the ocean
Gelato
Sunset with a glass of wine
Sunrise with a cup of coffee
Martinis
NFL on Sundays
Good thin crust pizza
Dancing
Parisian croissants
Dry humor
Songza
Christmas
Open air markets
A clean kitchen
Twitter
London
Paper
Lipgloss
TV/radio announcers with rich, gravelly voices
Eating in restaurants
The feel of freshly washed sheets
Bubble baths
Singing in the car
Caffe affogato (hot espresso poured over vanilla gelato)
Thunderstorms
Sushi
The sound of my kids laughing
A heartfelt compliment
Grocery shopping
The word quintessence
The moment of departure on an adventure
The feeling of returning home
Cheese
Writing in a coffee shop for hours
Tuscany
Reading a great first line in a book
Umbrellas
Shakespeare
French fries
Van Halen
The BBC
Making lists
Dressing up
Music from the 80s
Tulips
Handmade Mother’s Day gifts
Brunch
Libraries
Caprese salad (ripe tomatoes, fresh buffalo mozzarella, basil, balsamic)
The movie Moulin Rouge
Chasing dreams…
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I’m an avid reader and I always have been. So when someone says to me, with a vaguely superior air (and this happens surprisingly often): “Oh, I don’t read fiction. I don’t have time for that. I’m too busy; I have more important things to do…”, well, this is how I feel:
I’m sorry…what did you just say?
Today’s post is my contribution to
Tackle Your TBR Read-A-Thon , a super fun reading challenge hosted by
Tressa’s Wishful Endings and
Colorimetry.…
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