I’m so excited to announce that my new book ‘Petits Plaisirs: A French Twist on Life’s Little Pleasures’ is now available in ebook format, with the paperback to follow soon. It’s available on both Amazon, and my personal ESHOP,.

 

This may be my favourite book I’ve written to date. It allowed me to escape the long Nova Scotia winter and immerse myself in a daydream shaped by French culture, everyday beauty, and the art of living well.

 

‘Petits Plaisirs’ was born from a love of France and a fascination with the small moments that make everyday life feel more beautiful. It’s an armchair escape to Paris and beyond, but more than that, it’s an invitation to slow down, savour, and bring a little French joie de vivre into your daily routines.

 

Whether France is a place you’ve visited, a place you dream of, or simply a culture that inspires you, ‘Petits Plaisirs’ invites you to notice more, live with intention, and find beauty in the everyday.

 

Bonne lecture!  Happy reading!🇫🇷❤️ 

Did you know that I was a guest on a podcast? I chatted with my internet friend @aftonporter about my favourite book, “Paris in my Panties”. If you love all things French, it’s a fun one to listen to. 🇫🇷🥐 I hope you are having a relaxing Sunday!

Here's the link you can copy and paste if you are interested:

Listen Here

I’m continuing along my sneak peek into the pages of my newest book, “Paris in my Panties: Live Your Best (French Inspired) Life”.

Chapter 23: Wear Cut-Offs à la Française

Since I live a rural lifestyle, denim represents the backbone of my wardrobe. As a result, I spent a lot of time analyzing the denim choices of Parisians during my latest trip. Jeans are really popular in Paris, which suited me perfectly! For the most part, I spotted wider-leg and straight-cut varieties (not many skinny jeans in sight). Although I noticed washes from dark to light, I didn’t see a lot of heavy distressing. I did, however, notice many women sporting rough-cut hems. I think it’s a great way to add an edge to your jeans without going over the top. 👖

If you swipe over to the next photo, you’ll see a snapshot I took of a Parisian woman wearing “cut-offs” that really caught my attention. I love the classic combination of black jeans and a white shirt. Doesn’t she look casual chic? The rough-cut hems add that bit of edge (as did her cigarette that isn’t shown in the photo!)😂

I had this pair of jeans set aside for tailoring (at 5”3” most of my bottoms need to be shortened). I decided to take a DIY approach and chop the hems off myself. I ran them through the wash a couple of times and they frayed perfectly. I didn’t stress about cutting them because I had purchased them second-hand on @poshmarkcanada for a fraction of the retail price. These are the Riley high-rise straight crop by Agolde. Of course, you can also buy jeans that come with frayed hems.👖❤️

Are you a fan of this look?

 

I’m continuing along my sneak peek into the pages of my newest book, “Paris in my Panties: Live Your Best (French Inspired) Life”.

Chapter 19: Embrace Les Arts

The city of Paris is one giant gallery! You don’t have to buy a ticket to a museum or art gallery to be immersed in beauty, history, creativity, and art. There are works of art at every turn—from awe-inspiring historical monuments to enticing store windows, impromptu street art, and masterpieces on my plate.

When was the last time your visited one of your local galleries, or bought a ticket to a live performance? Now that restrictions have lifted, it’s a great time to get out and soak up some art in your local area. You can also choose to live as the French do and add your own artistic flair to everything you do, from getting dressed to plating your food. Have fun expressing yourself!

Today I’m continuing with my sneak peek into the pages of my newest book, “Paris in my Panties: Live Your Best (French Inspired) Life”.

Chapter 10: Become Your Own Master Chef

French cuisine is world-renowned! Although we didn’t dine in any Michelin-starred establishments in Paris, the food was divine. Food doesn’t need to be complicated to taste good. I enjoyed the simple omelets offered in cafés and bistros immensely.

Become your own “master chef”. Learn how to prepare just one simple dish to perfection. Study cooking techniques, source the freshest ingredients, and infuse your efforts with love.

I thought it would be fun to provide a sneak peek into my newest book, “Paris in my Panties: Live Your Best (French Inspired) Life”. The title definitely grabs people’s attention, so let’s have a look at what’s hiding between the pages…

Chapter 32: Escape

I could have parked myself in this spot next to la fontaine Médicis in le jardin du Luxembourg for hours. It was so peaceful, serene and magical…all the elements required for a perfect escape. Paris is a big city, but there is no shortage of quiet corners to seek rest and solitude for one’s body and mind.

Look for opportunities throughout your day to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life. Escape the office during your lunch break and find a quiet spot outdoors. (Please, no eating at your desk.) If you work from home, it can be difficult to separate work from home life. Designate an escape room in your house where work is not welcome. A corner of your deck is a great option! Turn your bedroom or bathroom into a sanctuary with soft lighting and soothing scents and sounds. Designate these areas as device-free zones and escape into the present moment instead of a trip down the rabbit hole of social media!

 

If you are a big reader, I think you would enjoy connecting with Mary-Lisa Russo. She is a fellow writer with a book of poetry coming out soon! She is also a skilled book reviewer. I find her reviews to be insightful, thoughtful, detailed and spot on! I’ve added quite a few books to my summer reading list based on her recommendations.

She actually found me and reviewed my two most recent works (“Seashells in my Pocket” and “Paris in my Panties”) These reviews were unsolicited (She purchased the books herself). She is a true book lover!! I am anxiously awaiting the release of her new book! ❤️📖📚📕

Fécilitations! Congratulations to my giveaway winner @carolineescuti. Please send me a DM with your address and I will pop your book and journal in the mail ASAP.

Thank you to everyone who entered. I’ll be sending out a newsletter very shortly, so please look out for it in your inbox. I’ve been toying with the idea of using my newsletter more often as a means of communication, as opposed to relying solely on social media. My loose plan is to send them out once a month. (If you are like me, you too might crave a break from social media now and then!)

Happy Thursday!

⭐️⭐️ GIVEAWAY ⭐️⭐️ It’s time for another little giveaway!

Today I’m giving away a copy of my new book “Paris in my Panties”, along with a pretty, matching journal. (As a side note, I sell matching journals to all my books on Redbubble. There is a link in my profile that will direct you to my Redbubble shop.)

In order to enter please:

1) Leave a comment on this post just to say "hi!"

2) Sign up for my newsletter by clicking here and following the menu

If you are already a member of my newsletter list, then all you need to do is leave a comment and let me know you are previously signed up.

I will draw the winner on Thursday, July 28th at 8am ADT. One entry per person and open to all countries. Good luck! 🇫🇷❤️

Thankfully I have Coco and Junior keeping watch of my house. They just announced that the Amazon van was driving up my driveway. 🐶📣. I was so excited to get my paperback copies of “Paris in my Panties”. They are so pretty! I think they would look lovely displayed on a bedside table since they have a dreamy look to them ⭐️💕. Happy Friday! 😘

 Just a little note to let you know that Paris in my Panties is now available in paperback.

 

It’s very exciting for me to see my book next to Peter Mayle’s “A Year in Provence” on Amazon. This is a snapshot of Amazon’s best seller list for Kindle on French travel. (It changes by the hour).

Many years ago, I read Peter’s book called, “A Dog’s Life”. It’s such a charming and comical little read. It’s written from the perspective of Boy (his dog) and tells the tales of his adventures living in Provence. I actually credit this book with sparking my love for Provence! Have you read it? I think it’s time for me to pull it off the bookshelf for a re-read.

I love travel books because they allow you to escape to a foreign land from the comfort of your home. My new book “Paris in my Panties” is meant to do just that . You’ll jet you off to Paris for a quick, light and fun little getaway, and return home with some inspiring ways to live a richer, fuller, French inspired life. I hope you'll join me on this adventure to the City of Light!

Bonjour mes amies!⁣
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I'm so excited to announce the release of my new book, 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙋𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨. (Yes, you heard that right...my panties! ) If you are a lover of all things French as I am, then this is the book for you. It's currently available in Kindle format on Amazon, and the paperback will be out shortly.⁣
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Although this book was inspired by my recent trip to Paris, it draws on my experiences travelling in France over the last couple of decades. It represents a compilation of my musings on how to live your best life, with a French twist (bien sûr). Writing it was my attempt to capture the essence of Paris and bring it home in my suitcase. I wanted to find a way to live a French inspired life, even though my roots are firmly planted in Canadian soil!⁣
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Do you share in my desire to Frenchify all aspects of your life? If so, jet off to Paris with me! Learn how to invite a sense of joie de vivre into your everyday by embracing beauty, wonder, mystique, lightheartedness, style, simplicity, romance, history, culture, art, connection, fabulous food, and a joyful attitude.⁣
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𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙋𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 will spark a sense of enthusiasm in you and inspire you to carry a piece of Paris in your heart (and panties!) wherever you go!⁣
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I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

While I'm waiting for the manuscript of my new Paris-inspired book to be formatted, I've been doing some reading. I usually slip into reader-mode after an intense period of writing. ⁣
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Swoon....I'm in love with this book, 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴"by @janicemacleodauthor (Yay! fellow Canadian 🇨🇦) It represents the full collection of her 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘓𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴, complete with full-color illustrations. The pairing of the artwork and words is powerful. I feel transported to Paris each night before bed. I'm only allowing myself 3 letters per day as I want to savour the experience. ⁣
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Have you read this book? Have you read her other title 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘓𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴? I'm working my way through it as well. There is a bit of overlap in the letters, so when I come to a letter, I refer to the color version in the hard cover.⁣
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She also sells her letters through subscriptions on her Etsy account. What a great gift for Francophile's in your life (yourself included of course!)⁣
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𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘪 Janice for your beautiful books! 🇫🇷🙏

 

I have a new book coming out in a couple of weeks! It might just be my favorite one so far. I’m super excited to get it wrapped up and ready to go. I’m just going through the final edit right now.

Here is a sneak peek of some of the artwork by my talented friend @flourishellis . She’s always there to bring my ideas to life. Thank you/Merci Elli! 🎨👩‍🎨