Author • Photographer • Traveler • Reader
“Whenever I start feeling sad that I’ll never make it Paris, I’ll read this book again. It’s the next best thing to actually being there.” – Vicki, writer for I’d Rather Be at the Beach blog.
Bonjour 40 was reviewed on the blog, I’d Rather Be at the Beach. Thanks so much for such a wonderful look at my new book!
I’ve recently published a guest-post on the blog Gutsy Living. Thank you to Sonia Marsh for including me on her wonderful, adventurous blog. You can read the article I posted about my Bonjour 40 adventure on the Gutsy Living blog here! Enjoy.
It’s First Friday again. (How on earth is it December already?) As the holidays approach, and gift-giving time draws near, I’m featuring artist and friend Jennifer Hays. Jen and I worked together years ago in a small ad agency. She’s now a Senior Art Director in New York, but on the side, she, like most designers, pursues another art form. For her, it’s hand-made jewelry under the label Heirloom Originals.
Jen’s pieces are like nothing I’ve seen before. They are a mix of old antique chain, chandelier pieces, vintage scarves, rare findings, and salvaged leather. She hunts down the individual elements, takes them apart, twists, gathers and clips them together to create brand new creations with antiqued yet sturdy chains, clasps and hooks. Each necklace or bracelet is unique–no two are alike because parts are simply found–sometimes in bundles, but sometimes alone and neglected and waiting for her to come along to scoop them up. The collection is constantly updated with newly discovered textures, colors and materials.
With Jen’s creative eye, each finished piece is art directed and lovingly photographed by her as well. Close-ups show knots and details. Glass lies on wood to show structure. Necklaces strung on a vintage mannequin give a sense of length and wearability–showing Jen’s practical side.
If it’s a one-of-a-kind gift your looking for, made by the delicate hands of thoughtful American designer, using repurposed materials, look no further than Jen Hays. Her pieces are limited, so shop early.
Her Heirloom Originals are on Etsy and on Facebook.
(If you’re curious, you can also check out Jen’s day job creative projects at WorkAndThings.)
For 40 days, between Thanksgiving and January 2nd, Bonour 40 is now just $1.99 (on sale from $4.99). So this year, you can give everyone Paris! For book trailers, information and where to buy, go to books.
No doubt about it, the publishing and e-book world is new and ever changing. It has publishers, authors and even readers asking many questions. Several times since the launch I’ve had recurring questions from readers about how this whole e-book thing works. Although it’s not Friday (when my blog usually appears), I thought it would be worth chiming in with a few holiday how-to tips to make e-book gift giving and e-reading easy.
1) How do I give someone the an e-book like Bonjour 40?
You don’t need an e-reader. On Amazon.com, in the Kindle section, select the book, and click the button to the right that says “Give as a Gift.” It will ask for the recipients e-mail or yours. It will send a link to the recipient (or to you to forward to them) which they can then use to download the book. Sorry, but on Barnes & Noble and iTunes, you can only give them a e-giftcard and suggest to your recipient which book you hope they buy.
2) What if we don’t have an e-reader but we want to read Bonjour 40?
Both Amazon and B&N offer e-reader applications for your computer. You can download Kindle PC or Kindle Mac, or Nook PC or Nook Mac. Then you can buy and download the book to read on your desktop or laptop. There are also apps for Android and iPhones as well.
3) Will there be a Bonjour 40 print version?
Traditional publishers have typically launched hardbound books first, then paperbacks, then e-books. Basic marketing sense tells us we should reverse that process. If e-book sales are strong, then a print version will naturally follow with hardbound and special editions for collectors. So for today, it’s the e-book that is available (and for 40 days it’s only $1.99). Hopefully, a special edition coffee-table photo book won’t be too far behind.
“A Must Read Travel Memoir. This mid-life memoir about Karen’s decision to spend her fortieth birthday in Paris is not only a delicious read, but it’s full of stunning photographs.” – Lisa Steinke, B&N Community Blog
The Unabashedly Bookish, Barnes & Noble community blog, graciously reviews Bonjour 40 and interviews Karen
Read the full review & interview
“Oh how I loved this … let me count the ways… I loved Karen’s photos, the capturing of memories. I wanted more!” – The Eclectic Reader Blog
Bonjour 40 gets 4.5 stars! Read the full review
“Bonjour 40 made me want to plan a trip for my 40th birthday in a few years, it was just that compelling… and I hope to read more from her in the future.” – Crystal, My Reading Room Blog.
In addition to being a guest-blogger on Crystal’s My Reading Room blog, she also reviewed Bonjour 40! Thank you to Crystal for a review.
Thanksgiving and women. It was a tradition in my house that my mom, aunts or grandmother did most of the cooking. Not so, here with Ted and I. We split it. But that tradition of women doing the bulk of the work must have lead to me to working with so many women. It is those women I’m so grateful for this Thanksgiving.
When I look just at my new writing venture, it’s the women I work with who have made it easier and more fun through their talent and brilliance. To further prove the point, I recognize that with only one single exception, every host on my 40-day virtual book blog tour has been a woman. (Including my most recent review.)
My words live because of editors, programmers, networkers, publicists, printers, designers, and business owners. Kristen, April, Niki, Christina, Kelly, Dougie, Samantha, Kim, Crystal, Kortney, Brooke, Leslie and so many more. You are partners, vendors, clients, and most certainly you all feel like friends.
Absolutely, I’m thankful for my family, friends and pets. In love, for Ted. Yet on this holiday, I must say thank you ladies. My words would not reach readers without you. You clearly need a break, so I hope you’ll join me. Let’s put down that turkey baster and put our feet up with a book instead. Happy Holidays.
What are you thankful for this year?
So with all the books out there on Paris, which new one stumbled into my Kindle last week?
Sleeping with Paris, by Juliette Sobanet.
Unlike Bonjour 40, Sleeping with Paris is a fictional work. The main character, Charlotte, finds herself in Paris alone after the fiancé who was supposed to join her is found also seeing a busty babe named Brooke. But does Charlotte take it like Charlotte in Sex in the City? No! She decides instead, maybe in Paris, she could suddenly be Samantha, and she’ll keep a blog of her dating wows and woes to prove it. But is a commitment-free life all that easy? Sleeping with Paris won first place in the Women’s Fiction category of the 2010 Washington Romance Writers Marlene Awards and was a finalist in the 2010 Valley Forge Romance Writers Sheila Contest.
I recently asked Juliette a bit more about her writing, and so today my 250-word guest post is provided by Juliette. I hope you’ll take a read, curl up with her book, and find yourself sleeping with Paris and Charlotte (and, it turns out, a bit of Juliette).
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Q: Every author writes characters that contain a little of themselves. What attributes of Charlotte’s are most like yours?
Charlotte Summers is a sassy, determined, adventurous young French teacher. At times she can be impulsive in her decisions, going to any length to protect herself from heart-break, but no matter how tough of a shell she may present to the world, underneath she is really a romantic at heart. I’d say I have a little bit of all of those qualities in me, although I definitely exaggerated them when I wrote Charlotte’s character. Like all of us, I’ve had my heart broken a time or two (…or ten:) and like Charlotte, I have been at points in my life where I was ready to swear off relationships for good. But then, of course, I met my husband, and luckily I did not make the same mistakes as Charlotte once I met the right man for me!
Beyond the personality traits I share with Charlotte, we also share a common passion: our absolute love for (ie: obsession with) France! Like Charlotte, I spent a semester in college studying abroad in Lyon and one year in Paris completing my Master’s degree. During my time abroad, I totally fell in love with the gorgeous scenery, the delicious food, the leisurely lifestyle, and just about everything else France has to offer. I’ve never felt so alive or so excited about life as when I lived in France, and I tried to pass that same joie de vivre onto Charlotte’s character as she navigates her way through the enchanting City of Love.
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Sleeping with Paris by Juliette Sobanet is available on Amazon, B&N and iBooks.
Her blog, Chocolate for Writers, is wonderful for those of us in love with chocolate, France and writing, too.
Thanks for chatting with us on Compositions, Juliette. Keep writing. Keep reading. Keep helping us return to Paris.
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