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.

I’m very fortunate that my library supports not just authors, but travelers. They have been hosting a new series here, called The Vicarious Traveler. It’s basically like the old vacation slide shows of the 70s, but with better photos.

With a fabulous crowd, all of whom were very much in love with Paris, I presented photographs from my Bonjour 40 trip, read excerpts from my book, and showcased my top forty things to see and do in Paris. I did have one problem in putting it together.

As I was combing through photos, I began to have this funny feeling. Kind of queasy. Kind of sad. Filled with longing. I was worried it was stage fright, but that wasn’t it. I was homesick. I lived in Paris for only a month, and yet looking at those photos made me really miss the city, my friends and how I felt there. I felt so at home in Paris, that I’m nostalgically homesick for it. Isn’t that strange? Isn’t that wonderful?

I thank the library for allowing me to relive my dream trip, and to experience that feeling. Even more, I’m grateful to say that my local library has accepted my e-book Bonjour 40, and they are in the process of adding it to their catalog. I’ve grown up in the shelves of libraries, so it’s lovely to now be a part of their continuing programs and collections.

What have you done for (or at) your local library lately?

Here are a couple voice-over excerpts from the presentation
About bread and cafés
About Paris photos in the mornings

Attendees received copies of my photographs, and filled the room with laughter and sighs…

I love books. I do. In spite of my first book being released as an e-book only (for now), and owning a Kindle, I love them. A big part of why I love books is the mere fact that I love bookstores. Especially small, independent, or used bookstores. I like the way they smell with all that bookbinders glue, and I like touching covers that have been lovingly fondled by page addicts. I like the people–those introverted, brilliant, well-read people–who hang out, own or covet bookstores. Here are a few of my favorites from my travels.

Too Many Books, Roanoke, VA ~ Linda, the owner, helps narrow down her 85,000+ used book collection. Her suggestions are magnificent.
Mermaid Books, Williamsburg, VA ~ Fabulous downstairs shop with shelves tacked with bookish cartoons (I featured one last week), and a great American History section.
Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, VA ~ Quaint, with a great Virginia author section, and it makes me want to write.
Tattered Cover, Denver CO ~ Their magazine department is the bomb (I know that’s an old word, but I don’t know the recent one. Phat? Bad? Rad? Hot?) Regardless, they make me want to own a bookstore.
The Strand, Manhattan, NY ~ 18 miles of books, best book bags, and a basement of reader copies to scoop up.
Abbey Bookshop, Paris ~ Who knew Canada had so many authors with books in Paris. Free coffee with maple syrup adds to their story.
Shakespeare and Company, Paris ~ The reading room and history there make your purchase memorable.

Next week I’ll also be visiting an amazing wall-to-wall book extravaganza known to everyone in Oregon: Powell’s Books in Portland here I come!

Which, and where, is your favorite bookshop?

I work on my own. I spend a good portion of my day alone between my writing and design. Lately I’ve been partnering up with folks to get some outside interaction with my 224 Design branding and copywriting work. I’m doing it because I have this lovely wardrobe that often plays second fiddle to yoga pants. (Once, I even did a Skype video-conference wearing a professional top and my pink flannel PJ bottoms with little doggies on them. It was a low point, but one I use occasionally to gloat around friends who have eight-to-five jobs working for “the man.”)

Really though, I’ve begun collaborating because my work needs a jolt. After seven years of having my own design studio, and more recently adding “Author-Alone-in-Coffee-Shops” to my titles, the design work just seemed to be getting routine from the solidarity. I loathed the feeling of boredom, and my clients certainly don’t come to me for brands that are predictable.

Collaboration can be delightful. However, it really requires the ability to put “the way I always do it” on the back-burner and try something new with other creative people whom I trust. I know in the end “our projects” will be more effective for the client, and more rewarding for us both. I also know the folks at my local coffee shop will be happy not to see the yoga pants quite so often.

When was the last time you collaborated and how did it go?

My write-a-book adventure began when my father asked me, “Where are you going for your fortieth?” A trip to Paris, a forty-day blog kept for friends and family, 2145 photos, five months of editing, a new brand, a long to-do list of publishing tasks, and here we are. Bonjour 40 is born.

It really began with a solitary endeavor. Writing takes quiet moments picking the right words to ensure the reader is standing where you are. The right phrase can bring them with you down wormholes through time, to imaginary or fantastic places, or to unexplored feelings in well-known destinations like Paris.

Publishing, however, is a team effort. Two editors reviewed my book. Two programmers built my website and linked social media components. An editor cut my book trailer. I designed and wrote the pieces they used. A publicity team is implementing tools to speak about it. There is overwhelming support from families and loved ones, and everyone is hoping for avid readers so there may be more writing. It began with one, but it takes a village.

As I say in Bonjour 40, “I see they, too, are gambling on us. They truly believe we will produce a case of award-winning vintage from just one vine.” As the book is released this week, I can only raise a glass and say to everyone merci beaucoup! Here’s hoping everyone likes to drink. The e-book is now available on Amazon. Come join me in Paris.