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!

If you read my book “Preloved Chic”, you might remember that I’ve had a navy blue Equipment cashmere turtleneck on my wish list for over a year. Well, the stars finally aligned and I found my coveted piece on eBay recently. It’s in pristine used condition and I picked it up for about 20% of the retail price. When it comes to shopping secondhand, patience is key! That special item on your list will eventually turn up ⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is the perfect addition to my fall wardrobe and I’m looking forward to wearing it if I can get Junior to give it back. (It makes a snuggly blanky as well). What are you treasure hunting for these days? If I spot the item on your list I’ll be sure to let you know!

⭐️⭐️ 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!

I published my first book, “Elevate the Everyday” on July 6, 2020—exactly two years ago today! 🥳🎂

In May of 2020 @fionaferrisnz released “The Chic Author”, which set me off on my self-publishing journey. I devoured her book in one sitting, and by the next day I had written my first chapter. I’m not exaggerating when I say it’s probably the most life-changing book I’ve ever read. If becoming an author is one of your dreams, read Fiona’s book!

One of my favorite chapters from “Elevate the Everyday” is #9, “Get Your Daily Dose of Leafy Greens.” By leafy greens I’m referring to trees, and not spinach and kale (although a daily dose of these nutritional varieties is on my list as well.)

Getting outdoors is easy when you have dogs, because they are always begging for a walk. Even though I’m on high tick alert (yuck), I love the forest in the summer. The cool shade of the trees is so refreshing. We have a little trail that runs through our land, which is great for Coco and Junior as they love to run free. To add a bit of whimsy, I’ve been hiding little treasures along the path, such as these little elves. Yes, they have a certain tackiness to them, but they make me smile each time I come across them on my walk. This guy reminds me of the gnome that travelled the world in “Amélie”, don’t you think?

I’m hearing of so many people experiencing extreme heat. Are you able to get outdoors to walk this time of year or is it just too hot?!

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! 🇫🇷🙏

Today I’m sharing one of my summer wardrobe additions. I picked up these fun little sandals on @poshmarkcanada back in the spring. I used one of my favorite second-hand shopping techniques from my book, “Preloved Chic”. I purchased a duplicate! I already own these sandals in tan, (they are the Sol Sana Teresa slide) so I knew with certainty the style and size would fit my foot. Many preloved shopping sites don’t allow returns, so you really do have to be careful when making purchase decisions.

Have you made any preloved additions to your wardrobe lately? 

Another sneak peek into my book, “Seashells in my Pocket”.

CHAPTER 6: EMBRACE BEACH CHIC STYLE

When I think of beach style, I think easy and natural. That’s why I’m such a fan of linen. I wore this the other day when the weather was less than beachy (i.e. cold and foggy). I felt summer casual, even though the weather wasn’t cooperating.

What is the focus of your summer wardrobe?

I've had a few new followers join in lately, so I thought it might be a good idea to mention that I offer a newsletter.  I usually send them out when I publish a new book, and I have 3 new titles in the queue from now until the first of November!!! The next on in line, which has a Paris theme, should be out in about a week.

If you are interested in making sure you stay in the loop, please click here to sign up! My newsletter will make sure you don't miss out on new titles or one of my giveaways. (Yes, I love doing book giveaways.)

We couldn't find Chippy the other day. It turns out she had read "Seashells in my Pocket" and decided it was time for her to start living a beach inspired life! She made it safely back to her cage, but I think she has a new favourite hideout! 🐚 

What are you reading this summer?  I like to keep things light and airy, which is probably one of the reasons I write books in this genre!  Do you have any suggestions for me?
 

Are you looking for a light, easy and uplifting read this summer? My books make the perfect addition to your summer reading list! ☀️📚. They are all available on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback editions 🌸

 

 

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! 🎨👩‍🎨