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Articles by Patricia Sands
Love, Lavender and Lights: Holidays in Paris and Provence
Christmas is coming! Joyeux Noël! I’m certain we all have our favorite place to spend this special holiday. It may not come as a surprise that France happens to be mine. In my new novel, The French Effect, I loved setting the story in December and January so I could write about the way France comes alive in December … not only in Paris, but also in Provence. Two unforgettable styles.
New Lives in New Lands: 5+ Journeys of Reinvention
After enjoying a great read about life in another country, do you ever daydream about living elsewhere? I’ve always dreamed of starting a new life in the south of France. While that hasn’t happened for me (yet!), I’ve found joy in creating characters who do live that fantasy. My Love in Provence series — and the standalone Drawing Lessons — bring that dream to life on the page. Over the years, readers have shared how much they’ve enjoyed living vicariously through those stories.
Book Locales That Draw You In and Make You Feel at Home
Where do you like to go in a story? Travel has been as much a part of my life as reading. When I wasn’t travelling, I was drawn to stories that took me to places and immersed me through wonderful narratives. They were stories set in richly descriptive locations that draw in the reader not just through characters, but also through place. After many trips to Europe, one summer my husband and I swapped homes with friends who lived in Menton, on the French Riviera.
Writers and Friendship: Co-authoring a Series - Women Writers, Women's Books
By Patricia Sands It has been fifteen (wonderful, for me) years since my first novel, The Bridge Club, was published. One thought I always express when asked about the best things I’ve learned in this writing world is this: the global writing community is collegial, supportive, encouraging, and all about friendship in the commitment to being the best writers we can be. It’s a privilege to be part of it.
Why Traveling with Your Grandchildren Is a Great Bonding Experience
Have you tried traveling with your grandchildren? If you haven’t, my husband and I heartily recommend the experience! In recent years, multigenerational travel has become a growing market. An emerging subset based on this is grandparents and grandchildren are taking trips together, leaving the parents at home. My husband and I are quick to attest that such trips are great bonding experiences filled with wonderful memories. Good planning is the key.
Literary Life Lessons: 7 Titles About the Power of a Great Mentor
BookTrib is excited to present the first 2021 Women's Fiction Writers Association (WFWA) curated list of books. Now fourteen-hundred members strong, WFWA is an international professional organization for writers of women's fiction. January's list features seven stories where a mentor, some with good intentions and others questionable,
Falling in Love with the South of France: Women’s Travel Tips from Author Patricia Sands
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5 Reasons Nordic Pole Walking is Amazing for Older Women
Nordic pole walking originated in Finland in the early 20th century as a summer training exercise for cross country skiers. The real breakthrough of this activity as a practiced exercise came in 1997, when a Finnish company, in cooperation with athletes and sports medicine experts, invented a new wrist strap system to make the present-day Nordic walking technique possible.
Let’s Hear It for Book Clubs!
As an author, I love visiting with book clubs. Do you? As a reader, I love being part of a book club for all sorts of reasons you will see below. Recently there seems to have been a marked upswing in book clubs inviting authors to visit both in person or online. IMHO, nothing beats the in-person visit that allows for meaningful interaction in a short time with a wide variety of readers … not to mention delicious snacks and beverages. There’s definitely a foodie component to many book clubs.
Home Exchanges Help You Live Like a Local When You Travel… Age is Not a Factor!
*A sophisticated condo in the heart of Vienna. *An elegant apartment on the top floor of a regal palazzo overlooking the Grand Canal in Venice. *A 500-year-old village home in a hilltop town in Tuscany. *A modern, bungalow on a top-rated golf course set amidst the mountains near San Diego, California. *A spacious 4-bedroom French country home with pool and classic provençal blue shutters and doors set in the middle of a private vineyard in the south of France.
5 must-sees in Marseille from the well-known to the secret... - The Good Life France
Marseille is one of those places that you simply can’t visit just once. There’s so much to discover, so many facets to this bustling cosmopolitan city that you find you just have to go back. 5 million people a year visit the city. It’s the second largest and also the oldest city in France, a major point of transition and trade for thousands of years. And, with loads to see and do, Marseille makes for a great year-round holiday destination.
10 Ways to Dare to Live a Wholehearted and Authentic Life After 60
Did you or didn’t you make New Year’s resolutions last year? Studies show there are those who go through the process year after year. Inevitably, disappointment follows. An alternative offered in recent years, is to create intentions. Resolutions equate with promises. Intentions more easily become a part of who we are. They are mindsets. A subtle shift from resolutions is all that’s required to set one on the path to success. But are we all able to make that shift?
Think warm, please!
If it’s Friday, it must be France … I’m hearing from my friends in Nice that it is ch-ch-chilly and une vague de froid, a cold wave, is in the weather forecast. The annual Carnaval de Nice is well under way and it’s not nearly as much fun having to be bundled up to brave the elements.  So let’s think warm for everyone there! To read about all the colourful craziness of this festival, which began in 1830, click on the following link.
Living the dream in Provence
If it’s Friday, it must be France … This photo is one I took from the top of the hill in the beautiful village of Bonnieux. There’s something about that patchwork quilt landscape that inspires one story after another. Today I’m happy to bring you a visit with Keith and Val Van Sickle who are living the dream of spending part of each year in Provence.
5 Tips to Keep Playing Tennis as You Age
The older I get, the more I realize that age is no reason to stop playing tennis, or any sport for that matter. In fact, as the “golden years” sneak up on us (really, what are they anyway?) and the demands of family and employment lessen, we may have more time to participate. Needless to say, illness and ongoing health issues may not allow us to do everything we wish, but that can be a factor at any point in life.
Busting the Myth! You’re Never Alone in the Writing Community
This is a little embarrassing. But it also is a reminder to me of how quickly time flies by. In 2011 … I know! … that’s just ridiculous … and I apologize … I wrote this post about women’s friendship for Women Writers, Women’s Books.
Thank you to artists, Lake Union Publishing and you!
If it’s Friday, it must be France … This Sunday, October 1, is the launch day for my fifth novel, Drawing Lessons. I’m happy to finally share this story with readers and owe a big thank you to the amazing team at Lake Union Publishing for making this launch happen. Writing the story is just part of the journey.
You Are Never Too Old to Join a Book Club!
There are people who love chatting about books. Then there are others who have no desire to join a book club. Which are you? If you believe you are the latter, please continue, gentle reader. Did you know you might live longer if you join a book club? So says a report by UK researchers. That’s advice I would like to believe! Live longer by reading books and sharing your thoughts with others.
Seduction Alert! The Basque Country of France
It was a rainy day, after a long drive. I must admit we weren’t prepared for what awaited us in the Pays Basque of southwest France. We really had not done our travel homework as thoroughly as usual. And, in retrospect, we decided that had been a good thing because the sheer pleasure of what we found in Biarritz, on the Bay of Biscay, and beyond was something we will never forget.
Believe in the beauty of your dreams~BOAW2015
Here we come again! It’s the fourth anniversary of the Beauty Of A Woman blogfest hosted by the talented women’s activist, journalist and writer, August McLaughlin. I hope you will find a quiet time in the next little while to visit all of the participating blogs. The messages are inspirational, informative, entertaining and … well … beautiful.
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