Jennie Goutet's Blog: A Lady in France

I think it has been about a year since I last wrote, and since my desire to pop back in and say hi has been steady for a while, I thought today would be a good day to take the plunge. I have just spent the morning in Paris taking pictures and short video clips for a book promotion, and decided to share some of the photos here. Everyone likes Paris, right?

The series is actually set in the Georgian era (well, Georgian era for the UK although the series itself will be set in Paris). 1774 to be precise. Therefore, I will have need of the Louvre in my setting, although the monarchy was in Versailles at that point. But I will not need the pretty glass pyramid.

Nor will I need the Eiffel Tower, but that’s always fun to spot in the distance. If you want a sneak peek at that series and the other three talented authors who will join me in contributing to it, you can find it here.

Since I last wrote, we hosted a Ukrainian teen for a year. Sviata. And her mom and sister came regularly as well. That was a neat experience and we hope to see them again. The dad was exempt from military service at last because of his eyesight, and we were able to meet him earlier this fall.

(Tuileries below).

We did our usual Bretagne vacation with the extended family, and not for the first time we wondered if this would be our last time. The cousins are all getting too big, although they still love to see each other. And we can’t go in the years we visit the States (like this upcoming July).

We also did the teen camp in the Swiss Alps again. That was such a rich experience as always. We had lots of Ukrainians again this year, and this time we also had twins from the Czech Republic. I think we’ll be having more teens from Eastern Europe in the future.

Juliet is in her second year of university for art (2D animation) and she’s such a delightful, creative soul. Gabriel is a high school senior and will probably do something along the lines of business management. He’s really good at leading. William is in 10th grade and it’s too soon to tell what he will do. Right now, the only thing that interests him is basketball. So we just go with the flow. (My two boys are taller than my husband now – both over 6 feet).

Christmas decorations are starting in Paris.

I’ve just completed my 12th Regency book (and my 15th book overall). Philippa Holds Court won the New England Reader’s Choice award – 1st place in Historical Romance. My books are translated in four languages, and the fifth (Spanish) is in the works. My next release is next Tuesday, which is also my birthday! So I plan to celebrate by wandering around Paris again, but this time with my husband.

In January (yes, almost a year ago) I traveled to Salt Lake City for the first time to meet some good writer friends, and I hope I’ll get to do more trips like that. It’s been a while since I’ve done anything like travel solo just for fun. I’m trying to figure out which writer conferences will be the most worth it in terms of seeing friends and learning new things.

And at the end of November, I’ll be doing a Meet & Greet author event in Paris, then a much larger one in April. That one is multinational (the RARE event) bringing together 200+ authors with 1000+ readers. That is going to be fun. (And a bit intimidating).

We continue to serve in our church and host. In fact, our newly furnished guest bedroom is almost never empty. We’re sort of thinking it would be a good thing to have a break from hosting, maybe just for a month or two. We don’t mind, but sometimes it’s nice just with family. And as our teens grow, we realise how little the time is we have left with them in the house. (sob). Got to take full advantage.

Something I miss about my blogging days is that I feel like I was more engaged in living then than I am now. For one thing, I had little ones, so you needed to be hands on. Every celebration and holiday took on a special significance. Every meal had the chance of being something new – and every trip was filled with excitement. Now they’re teens with earphones in, and I spend a lot of time working. If I’m not writing, I’m reviewing narration or translations, or I’m working on ads or marketing. I could seriously work 12 hour days if my family didn’t still need me. Fortunately, they still do need me.

But that’s why it was so nice to get out and walk. And to remember I live right near Paris. And to remember that while I can feel quite old (turning 54) I’m still fairly young. And what a shame to exchange real life and real living for being parked in front of the computer every hour of the day. Besides, autumn is my favorite season, and I don’t want to miss it.

So this is what I’m thinking of. It’s time to live a little, even if it means producing less. That can’t possible be a bad decision.

If you want to read my upcoming release, you can download it here. It will also be available on library applications. Print is coming soon. I just got the cover for it, so I need to put that up. And! It will be available for free (with ads) on YouTube, along with all my other audiobooks. You can find me on YouTube here. Listening to audiobooks can be a fun way to get through chores.

And finally, I have a bookstore now. (Jennie Goutet Books). It will also have merchandise on it. (I’m waiting to get the files from a French artist I admire). But more importantly, it has my books. The designer is currently working on the site, so what you see is not the final design. But it’s fully functional. Click the image below to check it out.

And that has been how I’ve spent my year. You can get more regular news by signing up for my author newsletter, here. Or you can just stick around for my next post. Hopefully some time before 2025. Sending love and warm wishes!

The post Lovely, lovely Paris. And my news for the past year. appeared first on A Lady In France.

Hi friends, let me start by saying …

I mean, I’m not ordering you to be grateful or thankful or anything like that, but ’tis the season to at least consider it. Sometimes it can be good to force the focus on gratitude a little because it does shift one’s perspective. I find it otherwise exceedingly easy to complain.

Here are a few things I, personally am grateful for.

Our house is, at last, completed. This is only a small glimpse of the outside (it’s now too dark out to get a better picture), but you can see how beautiful the white and black are together.

Painting the front stairs is up to us.

And we love this bathroom upstairs:

The four bedrooms all have mezzanine beds, which gives them tons more room.

We now have a nook in the stairwell that holds our plants (and “une maie” which traditionally held bread that now holds our Christmas decorations, which we’ll be putting out soon).

And I finally have my long-awaited office. It is where the boys used to share a room.

The artwork for my three illustrated books is on its way and will go on that big blank wall up there.

I’m grateful for my family. For my larger family that I grew up in, for the family I married into, and for the family I live with every day.

We have an extra teen in the house. Svyata comes from Dnipro and she’s staying with us for the school year. We’ve become close to her parents, especially her mom and little sister, Dunya, who lived with us for a month. She takes that fourth bedroom on the top floor, goes to the local junior high, and does gymnastics 3x a week. Juliet, Gabriel, and William are all doing great in their respective schools and studies, and other than all of us being busy there’s not a ton of family news since my last post.

I’m grateful for my career as a writer, and (hey, what do you know?) I want to give you some news about that. I have a YouTube channel and you can listen to all my books for free. It’s still new, so not all the books are up yet. But it’s here with four books up so far:

If you’d like to be notified of new audiobooks as they come out, click HERE to subscribe to my channel. The narrator, Stevie Zimmerman, is honestly fantastic.

I’ve also got a couple of books that are free or on sale. A Regrettable Proposal is free! (My publisher didn’t tell me it would be so this was a nice surprise – I was notified by a reader). You can click on the image below to access the free version.

And the paperback versions of books 2 and 3 are dirt cheap if you get them directly from the publisher. (As in $.99 cheap). A Faithful Proposal is here. And A Daring Proposal is here.

And since Christmas is soon upon us, A Yorkshire Carol will be just .99 from Nov 29 through Dec 2. You’ll have to mark it on the calendar, though, because it’s not for a few more days.

The link is here. And of course you can always listen to the book for free on my YouTube channel. I’ll be putting this one up next week. Finally, in case you missed it, A Whimsical Notion finally came out last month, kicking off the Daughters of the Gentry series.

It’s a perfect Thanksgiving read because it’s set in the fall. (Get it Here)

I’m grateful for Jesus. Despite writing comfortably about faith, I tend to shy away from statements that sound (to my own ears) on the cliché-ish side, such as the one I just uttered. And trust me, this is my own issue – I’m just being open – so I hope you won’t take offense.

But I am grateful for him because at a time in my life where I could barely manage to put my own socks on, he revealed himself to me. And I resonated with the “a bruised reed he will not break; a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.” I resonated with the “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” And I resonated with “In this world you will have many troubles. But take heart. I have overcome the world.” As I get older (I just turned 53 on Monday), I realise increasingly that there is so much I cannot do – so many weaknesses, so many limitations. I’m grateful that my salvation doesn’t depend on my own efforts, and that my very life is richer and more perfect because of how Jesus lived, not how I live.

As this is a sort of spontaneous, chatty post, I think I’ll end it here. You all know by now that my posts are not regular. (You can get more regular news on my newsletter here). But it’s nice to check in from time to time and remind my readers I’m still here. I do still love my old blog, which has been a pretty big part of my life.

Let me therefore close with some seasonal wishes. Have a wonderful holiday – and month in general – as we ease into Christmas and the new year.

The post A Most Happy Thanksgiving to you appeared first on A Lady In France.

My blog accidentally sent out a random post yesterday (I think it was my most recent post from the summer), and I’m not sure why. But it was a reminder that my blog needed a little love. In truth, I have been staring at this blog for months wanting to write something but have not been able to find the words because so much is happening. Despite my lack of words to describe life, it tends to steamroll ahead anyway.

But there are many things of note. For one thing, Juliet is turning 18 in a couple of days. When I started my blog, this is what my children looked like. 

And this is what they look like now (from our recent trip to Dominican Republic).

We wanted to have this memory – this time away in the Caribbean while we had three children who were still minors and living at home. Not that my daughter is going far next year – she will be studying illustration in an art school in Paris. Gabriel is now taller than Matthieu, and William is taller than me. I confess that I allowed myself to get a little lost in the old pictures and posts from the beginning of my blog as I searched for these photos. What a great storage place for memories.

Our house construction is finally getting resolved. Remember that disaster? The abandoned construction project that we’re still making loan payments on? These are not the most wonderful pictures, but you see us here in our current state – en route to having a complete house with a bedroom for everyone plus a guest room. (The one shown on the right is my daughter’s, and all the rooms will have a mezzanine bed to give more floor space).

Apart from the 4 bedrooms we need for our family, we will end up with a guest room (new), and with the old rooms, what is supposed to be an office for me and a tiny sitting room for Bible studies or when we need to have private conversation with someone. However … given the situation in Ukraine, we’re just waiting to finish the work with the hopes that we’ll be able to host people from one of our churches in Ukraine.

They are still coming into Paris and other cities in Europe, and we’re coordinating with our sister churches to meet that need. The war is hitting close to home. We have no more oil on the shelves, apart from olive. And we now have several families (women and children) added to our church and teen ministry in Paris, along with a shared prayer list for all the husbands, sons and family they’ve left behind. We’re hunkering down to serve for the long haul.

I am writing, still writing. I have one recent release, which I love, that takes place in Waterloo. Tons of research and heart went into that one, and it was hard to let go of when it was finished. You can click on the book cover if you want to see it on Amazon. It has been getting great reviews.

I also have an upcoming release in May that I’m very excited about. It’s the last in the Clavering Chronicles series and the one that’s being distributed by Elm Hill to bookstores. This one is much lighter in tone. You can also click on this cover if you want to find it on various sales platforms.

And finally, I have a cover for a new book which is gorgeous, but which I’m having trouble writing. Matthieu and I have planned a quick trip to Lincolnshire so that I can get inspired. It’s for a new series I’m starting called Daughters of the Gentry.

What’s neat about this cover is that I hired an illustrator I admire (who did the Folio version of Georgette Heyer’s Venetia), and the portrait is one of my daughter’s classmates who was kind enough to let me snap a picture of her for the artist to paint. This whole series will have illustrated covers, and I’ve got all three models set out. My books are also now being translated into German, French, and Portuguese.

Writing really does eat up much of my time, which is why you see me less here.

Of course I’m still cooking and baking, but less so. Lately I’ve been making this strawberry yoghurt cake for when we have people over. I’m laughing at myself because my last recipe on this blog was also a variation on the traditional yoghurt cake. If you click the link, you’ll see the original recipe.

It’s the simplest thing to make if you need a cake in a pinch. You use the pot of yoghurt to measure and it all goes into one bowl, which makes it a breeze.

A yoghurt, 2 pots of sugar, 3 of flour, 3 eggs, a teaspoon each of baking powder and vanilla, and a half teaspoon of salt. Last of all, you need a pot of bland oil (harder these days without the sunflower). My kids love having chocolate chips in it (2/3 – 1 cup), and I’ve started adding this freeze-dried strawberry powder I have on hand and it’s delicious. 1 tablespoon of that if you want to try it. Into a greased round pan it goes, then into a preheated oven (at 350°F) for about 40 minutes. And there you go. So simple to make, so delicious.

One of the reasons I keep staring at my blog and missing it is that life was simpler when I was blogging and not writing books. (I mean, I was poorer, but life was simpler). I was forced to live life by blogging about it because it meant taking photos, and cooking delicious recipes that our family could then eat – and paying attention to the all moments in our family’s life, whether big or small. My life now is so much more hectic with a 2-3 books a year publishing schedule and teens who need sounding boards (us) as they forge their identities. I didn’t know life with teens would be so busy.

A few weeks ago, I decided to start taking sabbaths. On Sundays, I spend time outdoors. I can do anything in the house (even laundry), but I can’t do anything book-related or computer related (unless it’s a quick deadline thing, like approving the latest cover, which happened last Sunday). Just like blogging, it forces time to slow down. I take walks with Matthieu and listen to the kids. We watch movies, I cook better meals and spend a little time in the garden. It has been healthy.

Tomorrow is Easter when I will once again take my sabbath. We’ll go to church (now meeting without masks, all together once every two weeks, and in homes on the off-weeks). We’ll come home and I’ll make lamb, potatoes and green beans. We’ll spend time in the garden and I’ll read my latest Mimi Matthews book (actually I have an advanced copy and it’s great). We’ll eat our chocolates and remember what is good despite being conscious of what is difficult. 

In French, the word for Easter is Pâques – the same word for “passover” – and it means “passage”. The parallels here always strike me. Jesus was crucified on the passover. In Exodus, the Israelites passed from the land of slavery through water into the land of freedom. Under the new covenant, Jesus provides passage through the waters of baptism, taking us from the slavery of sin to that of redemption, freedom, and eternal life.

Matthieu has a French Chouraqui Bible, which tries to stay as close to the Hebrew language as possible, including in the New Testament (which is in Greek and Aramaic – but there it keeps the Hebrew spirit). This means that the language is not fluid, but it’s authentic adding deeper layers to its meaning.

On Pentecost, when all the devout Jews returned to Jerusalem for the Festival of Weeks, Peter and the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit manifesting as tongues of fire. This verse in Actes 2:36-38 describes what happened at the Pentecost, 40 days after the resurrection (in traditional scripture):

– 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

– 37 Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we do?

– 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

In the Chourqui, verse 38 translates roughly to this:

Petros tells them, “Make return! Let each of you be immersed in the name of Yeshua the Messiah for the remission of your faults: You will receive as a gift the Sacred Breath.”

Jesus came so we could have remission of our faults and receive the gift of the Sacred Breath. And that concept is so, so beautiful.

Happy Easter, to all who have and long for the Sacred Breath.

The post Strawberry cake, Art school, Ukraine & Easter sabbath appeared first on A Lady In France.

Oh wow. My blog. I’ve missed you!

Readers, I’ve missed you, too. I have about an hour – a breath of time – to give an update for those of you who don’t get the more regular updates of my author newsletters. (Those come out once every two weeks, and if you want to subscribe, you can do so here).

My children have grown.

Considering that I started my blog 12 years ago, they have grown hugely! Juliet has one more year in school before she goes to either prep college or university for animé / comics. She’s been illustrating stories her entire life so it makes sense as a career. Gabriel enters high school (10th grade), though he looks older and is about 6 feet tall. William is in 8th grade, and all three of them will be going to the same private school that focuses more on arts / personal development than the standard French curriculum – although they’ll all take the BAC, which is the complicated exam for a French high school diploma.

We’ve been to Brittany again for the 13th consecutive year, and Matthieu and I had a date in Saint-Malo. The only time we’ve missed our annual date was last year and it was because of Covid restrictions. This time we were both vaccinated so we were happy to eat out again and see the gorgeous city.

We’re currently in Switzerland on a couple’s retreat in Ovrannaz while the kids are at pre-teen camp. Will is there as a participant and Juliet and Gabriel are teen counsellors. It is so nice to be alone for a week and take advantage of the amazing views / hikes, as well as the thermal baths (spa, steam baths, Hammam, sauna, ice baths).

My husband prefers being behind the lens or I’d put a picture of him, too. We’re having a great time. The kids’ camp is on the other side of the mountain. 10 kilometre’s by bird. 70 kilometres by road, since we have to drive down the mountain, then around, then back up again.

My writing career has taken off (thank you, God), and I’m more of a writer than a blogger these days. I earn a living from it, which is something I never did from blogging. I write only Regency romance now (as some of you know), although my memoir and two contemporary romances are still available for sale.

My first Regency was published with Cedar Fort, and I just got a cover makeover for the first two books. The third book is written and is on pre-order. It will be out on February 8th. I am more excited about this story than any before it because it takes place during the Battle of Waterloo. I did so much research on it, and much of the story is based on real events. As a result, my heart is quite invested in this one.

Alongside the Memorable Proposals series is the Clavering Chronicles series, that I have published independently. The exciting news about this is that I’ve signed a contract with a division of Harper Collins Christian Publishing called Elm Hill to distribute the three books to bookstores in the US and other English-speaking countries. The Sport of Matchmaking is set to come out in May of 2022, and I have yet to write it, although I know what it will be about. The first two books will be out in bookstores early February.

And right now, I’m working on A Yorkshire Carol, which is part of another Multi-Author Series. Each book is a stand-alone tale, but it’s connected to the books of other authors in the series. His Disinclined Bride was part of the Seasons of Change series, and A Yorkshire Carol will be part of the Christmas Match series.

If you want to read one of the books, my Amazon page is here (and I almost forgot that A Faithful Proposal is just .99 right now). They’re also available on audio. (The Cedar Fort books are exclusive to Audible, but the other ones are on all platforms). I’ve got other ideas for stories, but I have to write these two books pretty quickly before the end of the year, so I’m going to slow down a bit next year and try to enjoy this amazing life.

If you’re one of my long-term readers, tell me how you’re doing in the comments! I know you’ll understand why I’m much less often on the blog these days, but I still have no plans to close it since eventually the kids will grow and life will slow down a bit. I know I’ll have time again for food posts and faith posts and all the stuff I love to write about. Thanks for your patience in the meantime. À bientôt!

The post Highlights appeared first on A Lady In France.

Hello friends-from-a-time-gone-by  …  a time when I blogged several times a week. There are moments in my life like today that make me want to pick up the pen (ok, open the Mac) and connect with you because the world is lovely (despite it all …) and I’m at peace and I can breathe a bit.

There are other times when I can’t even imagine contemplating a blog post, and most of those times have to do with books that need to be written on a deadline and other crazy life events. So I’ll tell you about all the book news that is keeping me so busy at the bottom. That way if you’re not interested you’ll have already gotten the essentials that brought you here: the latest news from yours truly (that won’t have much to do with recipes today – and maybe only a tiny bit to do with faith).

Family news

Juliet, my classically trained ballerina daughter is in the 11th grade, and she decided to stop taking ballet and shave her head in the back for a punk look. (For the moment it’s hidden unless she wears a ponytail but she’s ready to go even shorter). She is an artist. She draws fantasy comic books and has done so in every scrap of spare time since she was little. She has started at a private school that can accommodate more of the art training to prepare her for university. The high school is pretty ordinary looking (but small).

However, the elementary school is housed in this building.

It’s just magnificent, isn’t it?  This is not my photo – it’s the school’s. It’s so rare to get snow like this in the Paris area. We decided to send our boys there next year, as well, because they have a well-rounded education program as opposed to the French system, which is very Math-Science oriented and works for kids who fit into a mould. My boys  actually do well with Math and Science but I still think they would be happier at the private school. There are social internships, business internships, and they prepare theatre shows. The program is similar to my public school experience growing up in Upstate NY but vastly different from France.

Gabriel is now 15 and he’s doing great. He’s taller than my husband, is doing well in school, plays trumpet – and I think I mentioned he got baptised last summer in the glacial waters of the Alps. You need only scroll back for photos to see how far we’ve come. He was 3 when I started this blog. William is 12 and he was only a year when I began. He’s going through a tougher growing phase, and one Gabriel went through about the same age. I think a change in school will be great for him. He’s got a very curious mind and is a profound thinker. He spends hours and hours watching shows about animals.

This is us 2020 style.

NEWS FLASH

My husband interrupted my post to call me to come watch the president’s inauguration. I cried happy tears. And when President Biden said that people were watching all over the world, I waved at the TV. My family and I were part of the celebration all the way from France.

As for many, it’s been a challenging year. I have it easy in the sense that people in France generally respect the mandate to wear masks in public spaces and we have kept our death rates from multiplying exponentially. It’s also easy because I’m a writer and both my husband and I work from home. But isolation is a very real thing, despite having a healthy family and lots of connection through zoom.

I miss restaurants (not that we even went all that much), I miss church and seeing people in person instead of over zoom. I miss going to a gym and inviting people over. I think about how much harder it is for people who don’t have a warm family environment or financial security. I pray for these things for those who suffer.

It’s been hard to write my latest book, which required a lot of research. The story covers British parliament in 1819, but not in a dry dusty way. I mean, it is a romance after all. And for a romance you need to have happy, light thoughts – to be inspired in order to inspire others. I have not been. Between the current events and my difficult manuscript that seemed at times impossible to write, I was working under what felt like an oppressive cloud.

A cloud that somehow lifted today. It’s probably the combination of having finished my book and sent it off to the editor, of electing a president who will uphold the constitution, and of potentially, possibly being able to move forward on a house project that’s been sitting dormant for 5 years after our construction company abandoned us. So a new wind of change and hope seems to be blowing, despite of how hard it is for so many in many areas.

See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:19

Since I last wrote, there have been lots of little things that happened. We finally got new couches to replace our 20-year couches.

(The plastic curtain in the back is part of our abandoned house project. Drafty attic with no insulation). The couches are not nearly as comfortable as our old ones, but we gave up on trying to find French ones that are as plush as the old Jennifer convertible ones. At least they’re pretty.

We also celebrated our wedding anniversary in a Paris hotel the night before France declared a new lockdown. Quarantine began the next day.

And here you see me reading my latest book (photo opp) because my wedding anniversary was the same day as my latest release, His Disinclined Bride. The book came into Paris with me.

BOOKS

That naturally leads me to tell you what has been keeping me so occupied all these months – what fills up my days.

In 2020, I put out 3 books, and I’ve got a fourth coming out in March of this year. My writing pace is much faster, but I still have a lot of input from editors, critique partners , and ARC readers to make sure the quality is the absolute best I can do. For those of you who have been with me for a long time, I hope you’ll consider following this new venture of mine. Maybe you’ll end up liking the genre, even if you’re not familiar with it. It’s like Bridgerton without the sex.

If any of these books catch your fancy, you can click on the cover to get to their sales page. And I’ve put the links up of the ones that are on audio, too.

A Faithful Proposal is the second in the Memorable Proposals series, published by Cedar Fort. The publishing company will be redesigning the covers to make them harmonious, especially since the last in the series, A Daring Proposal, will come out mid-September. They are also working on the audiobooks right now. This one came out in February, so was actually written in 2019.

A Fall from Grace was published mid-April and it’s my first indie-published Regency. The book hit #1 in the Regency Romance category on Amazon and has stayed in the top 100 ranking for the last 10 months. It’s now on audio, narrated by Stevie Zimmerman. It’s the first in the Clavering Chronicles series, and came out mid-April. And it’s on audio everywhere, but here are a couple places to find it. Author’s Direct, Chirp, Apple, Audible, in addition to all the other audio platforms including your local library.

My next one to come out was His Disinclined Bride at the end of October, which I mentioned earlier. This one also hit #1 in the Regency Romance category and has stayed ranked really well in that category since it came out. It’s part of the Seasons of Change series, which is a multi-author project with other talented authors. This book is also on audio. Author’s Direct, Chirp, Apple in addition to all the other audio platforms including your local library. And! His Disinclined Bride is on sale for $1.99 on Apple iTunes for two days!

And finally, my most recent one is the one I’ve been working on that’s scheduled to come out March 1st. Philippa Holds Court is on pre-order, and it’s the sequel to A Fall from Grace.  This will be on audio too, as soon as I can get the finalised manuscript to my narrator so she can begin the work. As a reminder, you can read the blurbs and review on the Amazon pages by clicking on the covers of these books, or just type Jennie Goutet in Amazon and see all my books, including my memoir and 2 contemporary romances.

So yes, I’m no longer “just” a blogger, although I do love this space to come and share about my life here. I have less time for the food posts and in-depth posts on faith or travel, although it doesn’t mean I won’t do them anymore. But if you came just for me, you can still find me over on my newsletter and through my voice in each one of the books I write.

I’m still light-hearted from having completed a difficult novel that had bogged me down for months. And I’m filled with hope and joy from watching the inauguration and by the fact that God always gives us new beginnings no matter where we are in life (even if today didn’t feel like a victory for you).

Above all, may you have joy and peace in your corner of the world that comes from something deeper and more long-lasting than what is visible to the eye – something that cannot perish, spoil or fade. xo

The post And just like that … 3 months have gone by appeared first on A Lady In France.

Hi folks! I’m here with an easy recipe that I’ve been wanting to share, as well as some of our summer news, the back-to-school, and my books. Let’s start with cake!

This is a remake of a post I did eight years ago on a standard French goûter (pronounced goo-tay, and which means snack). Yoghurt cake! The French generally bake using weights and not standardised cups and spoons, so this simplifies their lives since in this recipe they don’t have to weigh anything. This is the old yoghurt cake recipe, which is plain. And today I’m just modifying it to what my kids prefer – chocolate chip yoghurt cake. It just involves swapping the sugar and adding the chocolate chips. Simple!

The ingredients:

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In one bowl, add the yoghurt and fill the container with 2 pots of brown sugar.

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Add 3 eggs, a container of blended vegetable oil, 3 containers of flour, a teaspoon each of vanilla and baking powder, a half-teaspoon of sea salt, a cup of chocolate chips, and mix it all together! Pour it into a 9″ cake pan.

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Bake for about 30 minutes, but check to make sure the inside is cooked.

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You can sprinkle confectioner sugar over the top when you serve. (See why my kids like this? I do too because it’s so easy to make).

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This summer was busy. As for most of you, I imagine, the school year fizzled to a halt, and we were left wondering if we would be able to do any of the things we had planned for summer. In the end we were able to do everything, which made for a fun (if eventful) summer. We started with our usual 2 weeks in Brittany with the extended family.

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We were then home for a week and a half before William left for the pre-teen camp in the Swiss Alps. We as a church hesitated a lot over this one, because as much as we have faith, we respect the government’s advice on meeting during a pandemic. (The government did allow groups of our size).

In the end, we decided to go ahead with the four weeks of camp (pre-teen, teen, students, mission prep) but with certain protocol in place that included being very careful in the weeks leading up to the camp (wearing a mask in public, taking our temperature before coming and while on-site, and many other things). To our relief, not a single case of Covid erupted in the four weeks of camp, despite uniting people from several different countries.

Matthieu and I have been serving in the teen ministry, so it was our first year at teen camp instead of pre-teen camp. We started the week by baptising our son, Gabriel, in the glacial alpine waters.

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And we spent the rest of the week in a sort of paradise of beauty everywhere we looked, and tons of fun, silliness and spirituality which makes the kids (and adults) want to return each year.

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Following the camp, we went to Le Gers region (about an hour from Toulouse) for a family wedding. Once again, we prayed for protection against the virus and it was granted. The cases have been picking up in France, but the regulations regarding wearing masks are more strict so it does offer some protection.

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And now my kids are back in school. My daughter is in a private school that focuses on art, which is great but is farther away. My two boys are at the local school and all of them have to wear masks all day. Like all of us, this constraint (especially after months of home schooling last year) requires courage and adjustment. This year, Juliet is in 11th grade, Gabriel is in 9th, and William is in 7th. When you think that the very first photos I shared of them on my blog were these …

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you realise how old this blog is!

My latest book, His Disinclined Bride, (on pre-order here*) is sent off to the editor so I’m feeling accomplished. It’s a short-lived feeling, though, and I’m already feeling the … itch? pressure? to work on my next one.

A Fall from Grace is starting to fall a bit in sales since it’s been out for 5 months, but it’s still holding pretty strong, and now the audio book is out. It’s everywhere except Audible for the moment, since that platform is taking longer. All my regencies will be on audio if you like to listen rather than read. Here is my storefront with Author’s Direct, which is just another audio platform but offers better support to the authors.

So that’s the cake, and that’s our news. I truly hope all of you are finding ways to thrive in these strange times. 

(*affiliate link)

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Chocolate Chip Yoghurt Cake   Print Prep time 10 mins Cook time 30 mins Total time 40 mins   Serves: 6-8 Ingredients 1 plain yoghurt 2 pots of brown sugar 3 pots of flour 3 eggs 1 pot of oil 1 teaspoon baking power ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup chocolate chips Instructions Combine all the ingredients and mix (by hand is okay). Use the yoghurt pot to measure the sugar, flour and oil. Preheat the oven to 375° and then bake in a 9" cake pan for about 30 minutes. Check with a knife to make sure the inside is cooked. 3.5.3251

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The post Chocolate Chip Yoghurt Cake appeared first on A Lady In France.

My brain is rusty as I attempt to write on my blog when it was once such a snap to do. Since I started the blog eleven years ago, so much has changed. My youngest, who was in diapers when we moved into this house, is now a pre-teen, and my eldest is working on getting her driver’s permit. (The license will not happen for two years). My middle child, at fourteen, is taller than me. And I’m a full-time writer.

Most of my personal news now gets shared on Facebook, in my Reader Group, and in my author newsletter that goes out once every two weeks. Ideas for the more meaty topics that used to go here have sort of dried up in the whirlwind life of fiction writing and full-time publishing, mothering teens, leading the teen ministry at church, and just trying to survive. But I constantly get new subscribers to this blog (hello, friends!), and I’m sure my old subscribers wonder from time to time how everything is, so I’m taking a minute to catch up.

France has come partially out of quarantine, and life is starting to feel more like it once did. I went back to the gym for the first time, but since they blocked off every other machine, I was able to (for example) work out my outer thighs but not my inner thighs since the two machines were side by side. I wished it had been the reverse. I wore a surgical mask because it was less hot than my cloth ones, but for grocery shopping and every other outing, I wear the cloth. Although the masks are mandatory on public transportation and for all medical visits and many shops, I’m seeing only about half the population wearing them. So I think people are starting to relax. I believe that another wave will hit, so although I welcome a limited number of people in my home now without masks, I always wear them when going to public places.

School has been half-day only (alternating half the school in the morning and half in the afternoon) for two weeks now after home schooling for a couple months. Starting Monday, it will be mandatory for all students except high school (why? I don’t know), although it continues to be half-days. They have two more weeks. All assemblies are still closed (church, clubs, movies) but other things are starting to open up – like my gym and restaurants with special physically-distant seating. So we’re still cautious, but getting a flair for living again.

We’ve had a wave of financial bad luck. Many of you will remember the saga of our unfinished construction project. We still have to put a plastic curtain in the uninsulated staircase leading to the third floor to keep the cold out of our living room, and there are still not enough bedrooms for our children (who are getting really, really big). The new roof even leaks in bad storms.

Despite the astronomical loss and the loan we’ll be paying off for the next 15 years, we also lost everything we paid to the lawyers (who eventually advised us to drop the case), and even the insurance got off the hook from reimbursing us for the damage caused in the construction (but it would cost just as much to sue them). So, except for the final lawyer’s bill, which we got today, we are back at square one. No money, and an unfinished house. In the past week, our small car has also completely broken down, our vacuum cleaner took its last breath, and our dryer started smoking. It’s almost humorous, except it’s not.

But! We’re still reaping the benefits of so many people coming forward to help us with our garden. I know the grass doesn’t look great right now – it’s all brown, despite being watered and I think it’s because we cut it too short – but we are growing plants and vegetables and are just enjoying being outdoors to look at it all. Here are some of the vegetable boxes and arches that we got from my collective 50th birthday gift.

We’ve been using this garden a great deal since there have been a lot of Bible studies and baptisms lately. I feel like I’m in the full-time ministry, which I love … except I wouldn’t mind having a little more time to write so I don’t feel like I have to squeeze it in – and also more time to spend relaxing as a family. We had a family meeting last night to talk about how we can stay connected despite how busy life is. But what better way to use a broken-down house than for the perfect plan of God? He promised a better one in heaven anyway.

My latest book, A Fall from Grace, has had an astonishing launch (for one such as I, who is used to a spectacular fizzle on the majority of my books). It remained a best-seller alternating between several categories for over a month and is only starting to dip a little in sales now more than two months after the launch date. My two other Regencies continue to have much better ranking as well, so that has been such an encouragement. It will also off-set some of the smaller financial … surprises.

As for my current project, I’m in the process of writing a novel about a marriage of convenience as part of a multi-author series. Below are the covers and participating authors (which I think look so harmonious together), and if you click here or on the image, it will take you to the order page where you can purchase (or pre-order) the books in the series.

I love writing Regency, and I’m so glad I found my audience – people who love reading my books!

So, I spend these days pulled between everything writing-related (working on my next book, critiquing fellow author books, researching, sorting out ads and keeping up with social media); ministry stuff (Bible studies – of which I am currently in several, almost one every day – keeping up with the teens, taking care of my local group, most of whom have come recently to a deeper faith); my children (trying to figure out how to keep them occupied – that does not include screen time and does include more physical exercise – praying to have more quality time with them, which is not my strength, since I’m a bit of a loner, and helping them to grow into wonderful adults), and trying to keep the house functioning. Sometimes I wonder how I got so busy and what I can do to make sure I’m not missing out on the most important things.

But life is really, really good despite it all. There are many moments where I look around at all the green in our garden and smell the linden blossoms when I walk under the canopy of our tree, or observe my children spontaneously washing the dishes (it does happen occasionally), or catch a smile and wave from my husband working from the studio in our garden as I walk by, and all I can think of is Ecclesiastes 5:20

They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.

and realise that this is me. This is my life. 

I hope you are all well. I do plan to do a recipe in the next two weeks that is too good not to share. It’s a modification of my yogurt cake and my kids always clamor for that one. It was good to catch up here. (See, Jennie? That wasn’t so hard).

Until next time!

I have missed not doing any food posts on this blog and couldn’t resist putting up this turmeric rice dish, since it’s so simple. My kids like it so well, we’ve had it twice since quarantine started. We eat it as a main meal with green salad on the side when we just want something simple.

Before I get to it, can I tell you about my latest book release? I know it’s coming hot off the heels of my last book release in February, but that’s only because one was traditionally published and this one is indie-published, so the timing is a bit random. As always with my latest novels, this is set in the Regency period. If you like Jane Austen (or know of and like Georgette Heyer), you might like this one. You can click on the image below to download on Amazon (or get the print version), or click on the image on the sidebar of my blog. These are Amazon affiliate links, as an FYI, which means I earn a little if you happen to purchase from my website.

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My physical therapist told me that turmeric is an anti-inflammatory spice. I bought it in pill form from the Solgar brand, and she said to take it in intervals as a “cure” for 2 weeks, and not on a regular basis. When we visited our friends in India, his dad grew turmeric in his garden, which was really cool. It’s a green plant about waist-high and the turmeric powder is found in the root.

I’m really not sure where this recipe comes from. It was probably inspired from an Indian dish, but my Congolese friend makes a very similar dish, and that’s the one my kids know and like. Mine is pretty close to hers, but the measurements are my own.

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Wash 2 cups of white rice. I do this by putting it in a bowl and swirling it with water then draining it, using my fingers to catch the grains of rice, and I do this 3 times. I used an organic Thai rice, which is a little fatter than the normal Basmati I use. That’s only because all the shelves were empty at the beginning of the quarantine and this was all I could get.

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Chop up a large onion (or use frozen onions like I did) and stir-fry it in 2 tablespoons of oil – olive or vegetable – until soft. Add the washed rice and a half-tablespoon of turmeric.

Then add four cups of water and a large chicken or vegetable bouillon cube (smoosh it until it dissolves).  Bring the rice mixture to a boil, stirring regularly. And when it starts to boil, turn the heat down and cover it. You’re going to want to cook it for 15-20 minutes. Check it after 15 and see if there is more water to absorb. If not, leave the cover on to continue steaming.

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When the rice starts cooking, heat a small pan of water and add 1 1/4 cups of frozen peas once it starts boiling. Cook it covered for 12 minutes, then drain. If you start the water boiling at the same time as you start the rice, they will both be done around the same time. Note: I’ve done this with canned peas too.

While the rice and peas are cooking, fry up some bacon. 14 pieces, to be exact. (I ended up with 13 since I ate one). Chop that up.

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Then, all you need to do is assemble. Mix the yellow rice, the peas, the chopped bacon… and I added a teaspoon of sea salt. Stir it, and you’re ready to eat!

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Do you see how simple that is? And you’ll be feeding your family a fine dose of one of the healthiest spices there is in a super yummy format.

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Stay well, friends.

Turmeric Rice Dish   Print Prep time 30 mins Cook time 20 mins Total time 50 mins   Serves: 5 Ingredients 2 cups white rice ½ tablespoon turmeric powder 1 large bouillon cube 1 large onion 2 tablespoons oil 1¼ cups frozen peas (or canned) 14 pieces of bacon 1 teaspoon salt Instructions Wash the rice. Chop the onion and stir-fry it in oil using the casserole you will use for the rice. When the onion is soft, add the washed rice, turmeric, bouillon. Stir until the turmeric turns all the rice yellow, then add the water. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and cover it. Cook for about 15-20 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil and cook the frozen peas for 12 minutes. Fry the bacon in a separate pan and let it drain on paper-towels. Chop the bacon, and add that and the drained peas to the cooked rice. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, stir all together and serve. 3.5.3251

 

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In France, we are ahead of the States in experiencing the effects of the virus, and are currently in week two of a government-imposed, country-wide quarantine, which means that you may only go out for doctor or pharmacy, for groceries, for an hour of sports (alone or with a child, and far from others), or for essential work – and you need a document stating your purpose and an ID in case you get stopped or you face a fine.

But I would say it’s coming up on three weeks that I have started to become aware of how much more dangerous the virus is than the simple flu – and why. Three weeks ago this coming Sunday we still had church, but there was disinfectant gel provided and we were encouraged not to give the standard greetings (two kisses, a handshake, or a hug). I briefly spoke to a doctor friend of mine, who is one of the most laid-back people I know, and when I saw how concerned he was, I knew I needed to take it more seriously than I had been.

That Tuesday, I got together with my girlfriends to do our Bible study and shared scriptures on fear and the greatness of God because one of them was already afraid and hadn’t come to church for fear of contracting the virus. There was an underlying criticism on my end – that she wasn’t faithful enough, which is why she was afraid. I’ll talk more about that below. The following Saturday, we were supposed to have teen service, and some parents suggested canceling it, but I didn’t agree. My thought was – if we’re still going to work or school, why should cancel an event for God?

That Thursday, I drove to La Defense to meet a friend, who wasn’t really aware of the virus, and I told her to keep distance (no kisses) but I could see she didn’t really get it. Later, I found out she already had the virus when we met but didn’t know what it was. I also went clothes shopping that day, although I held my breath when I was near people and tried to keep a distance. I tried to avoid touching handles and I had my disinfectant gel. And honestly it wasn’t all that fun. I was more than ready to come home when it was all over.

The next night – Friday night – Macron announced the closing of school, and I listened to the announcement with great relief. We had already canceled our teen event, and I was just starting to realise that we needed a quarantine – especially when I saw what was happening in Italy. I don’t know if any of you saw the video clip of the American minister’s wife in Milan (Rachel) on CNN or on the Today Show, but it’s someone I know since we’re in the same church. I knew how serious the epidemic had gotten from my friends there, and I knew it was coming our way.

On Monday, I went grocery shopping as though we would be quarantined, though for the moment only schools were closed. I wore my reading glasses and a mask that we have for light construction projects. Someone laughed at me with my mask when I walked into the mall, and someone else took a video of my overflowing cart. (I would like to say in my defense, however, that much of it was perishable items that would last us about two weeks and a big bag of fertiliser and grass seed and some plants also took up space. So I wouldn’t say I was exactly depriving other people of what they needed).

The store didn’t have any toilet paper – or I couldn’t access the aisle because of the people – and I bought gluten-free pasta, which I need anyway, and organic red and black rice, and dried biscottes instead of sliced bread since they didn’t have any of the usual things left. And let me tell you, it was a sea of a humanity, and I was so SO glad I had my mask. When I got home, my kids and I washed all the packaging before bringing it in, and I took a shower and washed my hair and put my clothes in the laundry – and I’m not at all a germaphobe, normally!

That night, Macron declared a general quarantine (with the certified reasons for going out). Six times, he said, “We are in a war.” For us, the major shortage of masks and beds and respiratory machines and medical staff will be a major problem, as is the case in almost every other country. He shared about the economic bailout plan and how he wouldn’t leave the small businesses hanging, and how they would get more masks and protective gear as soon as it could be bought and produced. And they’ve been talking about nothing but Covid ever since. They use the TGV to transport ICU patients to other hospitals that are less full, and Germany is even taking some of our patients on the Eastern border since they have much more equipment.

The next day, Tuesday, my son got sick. All of us had mild symptoms, actually, but my son was the worst with fever. He didn’t want to eat and took a nap (two major signs something is wrong). The fever only lasted 2 days, and he coughed a little for about a week, and since I’m pretty sure it was the virus, I know we were really lucky. Now we’re settling in to life with home schooling and quarantine, and I’ll mention a bit more about what we’re doing down below. But first I want to talk about the range of emotions I’ve felt under the threat of the virus and this worldwide pandemic, and include some scriptures that are putting things into perspective for me.

DENIAL, THEN FEAR

It’s so hard when you’re watching the news every night and seeing the absolute lack of control and lack of resources we’re facing. It makes it harder when you keep looking for symptoms in yourself or your family and wondering – is this is it? – or is that it? Or perhaps you actually get it. We have some friends in church that have contracted it, and fortunately all have come through, even some of the more severe cases, without needing hospitalisation. We’re waiting to hear on family members of friends. And then we had our own mild case in the family, which was not reassuring when I didn’t know which way it would go.

This scripture helps me to keep the panic at bay. (In the NIV it says, do not be dismayed, but I love this New American Standard version).

‘Do not fear, for I am with you;

            Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.

            I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,

            Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Isaiah 41:10

I think about this a lot when the fear starts to creep up. If you’re feeling particularly afraid right now, I’ve dealt with my own fears and storms in these two posts, which might help. But I just love that scripture because it reminds me of the sort of hyperventilating we do when anxious.

Let me not look anxiously about me wondering what will strike next. Instead, let me look up! And seek God’s face. His eyes are already on me anyway.

CRITICAL SPIRIT

I had to apologize to my friend for being proud and critical when I thought she was just staying home out of fear. I was wrong and the pandemic was far worse than I could imagine. I see the same signs on my FB feed from people who are still watching all this unfold far away, who don’t think it will affect them. Or they think that the cure is worse than the disease (because staying home and closing businesses threatens to tank the world economy). I want to scoff at them and show them all the statistics – or even worse! Just sit back and say, “Well we’ll see who’s right.” (I’m obviously not trying to make myself look good here).

But then I remember that I, too, was ignorant, and I would not like to be judged for my past ignorance. In fact, God overlooks our past ignorance once we are made aware and change. Hebrews 5:2 speaks of Jesus as our high priest, saying:

“He can deal gently with people who are ignorant and easily deceived, since he himself is subject to weakness.”

Jesus, as a man, knew what it was to be weak, so he treats gently those who are ignorant and easily deceived. And if he, who is perfect, doesn’t scoff or disdain or rebuke in impatience those who don’t understand yet, then neither will I.

GUILT

We are rich, and we have it good. I mean, not so rich that we don’t have to make choices about how to spend our limited funds, but rich in the country, town, and house in which we live. When I’m out in our garden, working in the sun and looking at the flowers, I remember that there are those who are living in a chambre de bonne in Paris – a 7-story walk-up studio that’s less than 100 square feet, with no shower or kitchen, and you share a tiny toilet down the hall. I know because I once lived in one.

I have friends from the Ivory Coast who are hosting another family recently arrived (so, 4 adults and 5 teenagers and a pre-teen), and they’re living together in a small apartment. Then there are the homeless, the migrant camps, the vast 3d world countries that don’t stand a chance against the virus (much less the violence, terrorism, poverty, locusts, drought and famine) that already afflict them. How do I bear living in such privilege when others have such disadvantage?

I must honour God with what I’ve been given and also give back as much as I can. I don’t think we’re meant to live in guilt, even if it doesn’t seem fair at all. God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts, and Jesus’s shoulders are larger than mine. His shoulders can handle the burden; mine simply can’t. My role is to pray for the poor, and to serve them in whatever capacity I have, whether monetary, or time, or both. God’s job is to take care of all the needs I can’t see or reach or handle.

I know that the LORD will act on behalf of the tormented, providing justice for the needy. 

Psalm 140:12 ISV

-Who is like the Lord our God,

    the One who sits enthroned on high,

who stoops down to look

    on the heavens and the earth?

-He raises the poor from the dust

    and lifts the needy from the ash heap;

he seats them with princes,

    with the princes of his people.

Psalm 113:5-8 NIV

IMMUNE

I had a lot of good intentions to help the community, especially at the beginning of the week when we first started the quarantine. But I was tired. I needed to sleep about 13 hours a day for the first few days, probably because of the virus. I wanted to lend our tablets to some of the poorer children in the community so they could do schoolwork, but in the end did nothing because it seemed like too much work to prepare the tablets and figure out how to lend them. And I learned that most parents do have smartphones and can use those to submit schoolwork.

I varied back and forth about which charities to donate to. I asked my older neighbors once if they needed groceries (they didn’t), then felt justified in stocking my own cart at the store. I ended up giving a box of construction masks we found to our doctor, but then my good will petered out. I seemed only able to care for my own routine of kids & school, house & garden, writing, and online church.

This next scripture is about idolatry, but it’s an image that helps me keep the right perspective when I’m tempted to be immune to the needs and suffering of others, and when I’m tempted to put other things above God:

They turned their backs to me and not their faces; though I taught them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline. Jeremiah 32:33 NIV

It’s kind of like… now that my house is stocked with food (but running out of toilet paper) and my family seems to be recovered and only lightly touched by the virus, and my husband can work from home, I grow… complacent. I stop worrying. I’m not in survival – or compassionate assistance – mode. I’ve forgotten how much we all need God – always, at all times – but especially now. I’ve turned my back on Him because I haven’t needed him as much now that my fears have been calmed. Yet I’m not turning my face from Him, so that the minute I’m afraid again I’ll be able to call out.

But no! That’s wrong. That’s not what it means to belong to God, who is gentle and caring and knows even the number of hairs on our heads. The only way I can continue to remember the needs – and what I can do to meet them so that I don’t become immune – is to continue to bring them to God in prayer – daily, or more than once a day. And then act on whatever I can and see Him work. This is my relationship with God – our partnership, His power in action.

All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along. Galatians 2:10

So these are some of the emotions I’ve been experiencing in the last few weeks (including the less noble among them) but I’ve also been experiencing joy!

WHAT HAVE I BEEN DOING?

So yeah, while I think it’s important to take the virus seriously – STAY HOME AND SAVE LIVES – and to have our hearts and hands ready for the needs and our minds ready in prayer, I think it’s also important to continue to live and focus on the blessings we’ve been given. I think it’s what God also wants us to do if we can. Jesus died humbly, but he lived gloriously.

As for me, I’m enjoying my extra time with my kids and husband (who would be traveling right now). I’m enjoying the quieter rhythm, the slower pace, the quality time and the family talks.

I’m taking pleasure in my garden and spending time there. We removed the weed-fest that was under my clothes line (so that burrs kept catching on the pant legs and sheets) and covered it was tarp, bark and potted plants.

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We’re watching the tulips come up in the garden bed my husband made last year, and we’re sowing grass right next to it around the raised garden beds that we’ll use for vegetables. (This was a weed-fest too).

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I’m growing lots of hydrangeas next to my front door because I love them and hope they will grow big enough to to make dried flower bouquets.

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I’m rationing food to make it last! And I’m cooking thoughtful meals. Click here if you want my recipe index for ideas. This is ratatouille from yesterday, and today I made stir-fried leeks with cream and Dijon mustard.

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And I’m writing, of course. You know this is why I’m not often on the blog anymore. I have a cover reveal for my next book, which is coming out in April. I love this cover and am so excited about this release.

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She needs a champion. He needs one less person to worry about.

Selena Lockhart comes with neither fortune nor connections, and she knows better than to expect Society to give her a welcome—especially after her father gambled away his fortune, precipitating the family’s sudden fall from grace and Selena’s betrothed to break off the engagement. It therefore comes as no surprise that her new neighbor, Sir Lucius, treats her with disdain. Why should he look beyond appearances when her own promises so little?

Sir Lucius Clavering is not married, but he may as well be, considering he is expected to escort his widowed mother to watering holes, round out the numbers at his married sister’s dinners, and come to the aid of his scapegrace younger siblings. It doesn’t help that single women and matchmaking mamas jostle each other for his face, fortune, and title so that he’s left without a moment’s peace.

When Selena shows up at Lucius’s doorstep looking for help, he is sure it’s another ploy aimed at cutting up his prized bachelor existence. Although his prejudice does not last long, Lucius fears his first reaction might have ruined his chances with her. How can he save her from Society’s teeth when she continues to hold him at arm’s length?

Finally…  A FAITHFUL PROPOSAL in on SALE this week!

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My publisher set my most recent release, A Faithful Proposal to just .99 this week so that people will have it for an online book club I’m doing next month. If you want details, just send me an email. And you can get A Faithful Proposal by clicking here. I do love this story and thought about it long after I finished it. I hope you like it too. We still need happily-ever-afters in our world.

That’s the news from my corner of the world. Feel free to leave me a comment and let me know how you’re doing in yours.

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The post The range of emotions under Covid19 appeared first on A Lady In France.

Hi everyone! I’m still around. I get new subscribers on a fairly regular basis (hiya!) and it’s not entirely fair that I can’t keep up my former schedule of posts. For the newbies, I’ll just explain that it’s because I spend most of my time now writing novels, particularly in the Regency genre. I am a huge fan of Georgette Heyer, and the genre itself, and writing… and making money, which is not very easy to come by writing blogs.

But I have ten years worth of posts here and people are still coming for the recipes and a few other things. And I have some readers that have been with me nearly from the beginning. So I’m keeping my blog alive out of affection and the occasional desire to chat. (Or share a new recipe).

I’ve got a new release coming out on February 11 and I couldn’t be more excited about this book. I had a hard time letting go of the characters and moving on to another book when I finished it. So I’m going to give you some information about A Faithful Proposal below, particularly because the publisher has low pre-order prices that will go up when the book launches, and I want those of you who read my books to be able to take advantage of the good prices.

So what’s new? In keeping with the new style I started last November, I’ll organize it by topic. If one or all of the topics does not interest you, feel free to skip right down to the bottom where you can read about my book baby.

Ministry has probably been the most time-consuming aspect of my life, apart from my children, and writing – (and all the social media and marketing that go with being an author). Something seems to have changed in my walk with God, and I’m spending more time on my knees – literally praying on my knees after reading a comment about how James (the brother of Jesus) was called “old camel-knees” because of how worn and calloused his knees were from kneeling in prayer. I’m going through the Bible in French and highlighting different aspects with different colors (faith, courage, promises, etc.) and I’m praying through the Lord’s Prayer every day and reflecting on each aspect. When I get to “your kingdom come” I pray for the church.

We’ve had 5 neighbours get baptised in the last year and our teen ministry has about 30 teens with many of them studying the Bible. (This is why I need to spend so much time on my knees). My husband and I have also started fasting regularly. We’ve been doing this for years, but it has sort of become a permanent part of our seasonal cycles. I wrote about fasting here. So I guess what has changed is really experiencing on a personal level how incredible God is and how much He wants to be invited into our small lives so that He can transform them into something great.

FAMILY

My kids are growing. I am so tempted to post a picture of them – I did on my author newsletter (which you can sign up for here. I send out personal and writing news once every 2 weeks) – but since two of them are in the teenage stage, they don’t love being on display. Juliet is in high school – in tenth grade. She’s an artist and takes specialised illustration classes, and we are considering having her change high schools to a private one focusing on art so she can have a less hectic workload. Gabriel just turned 14 and – except for his goofy expressions – looks 2 years older. He is taller than me and shaves. He’s diligent and sweet and still plays the trumpet well. William is in 6th grade (which is junior high here). He has an incredible imagination, but thankfully turns it off often enough to listen in class. He’s doing very well.

Our big struggle is lack of time. We’re working on limiting screen time, but it can feel like a losing battle. We can’t find the right parental control that works with their phones (Redmi) and that screens both for content and time spent hanging out with you-tubers. My husband works crazy hours, and I do too if you count all the running around. But today my kids cleaned the house so I feel like I’ve done something right. (Dad, aren’t you proud that I’ve passed on giving chores to my kids?) Plus the house looks beautiful. Construction-wise, it’s still unfinished and we’re in a law suit, but that doesn’t matter. Life is still good.

I’m still eating a lot of vegan but have decided I can’t do it 100% – both for the cravings and the convenience. But I’ve been enjoying how light and energetic I feel when I do eat vegan. I did a cooking marathon for the holidays (we had a teen dance party on New Year’s Eve and with all the other activities I needed to sleep for a week to recover – I had some chest congestion too so it was partly illness-related). Thankfully things have slowed down since then.

But this Friday, our friends are having their civil wedding ceremony (the church ceremony will be in a few months) and since it’s very small, she asked me to make a wedding cake with fondant. So after breathing into a paper bag for a bit, I said, sure! So I’ll be doing that at the end of the week, as well as cooking my duck à l’orange recipe, which is also what they requested.

So yes. Life does not stop.

Let me at least share with you the book.

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Back Cover Copy:

She was born to lead London Society. He could not leave it fast enough.

With a few well-placed words in the right ear, Anna Tunstall can direct anyone to do her bidding, exactly the skill needed for one destined to be the wife of a man in politics. A summer visit to a friend’s country estate is the perfect distraction before the London Season begins and Anna can achieve her ambition of a perfect match.

Harry Aston has spurned the noble aspirations of his family to enter holy orders where he might make a difference in people’s lives. His mother’s untiring attempts to find him a wife worthy—and wealthy—enough to suit him only serve to set up his back. He has never been in love, and she should not think that suitable wives dropped down from heaven, especially not in the village of Avebury.

When Harry finds Anna unconscious on the road, and she awakens in his arms, his world shifts at her gaze. But before he can think that heaven has come through at last, he must convince Anna that her prolonged stay in Avebury is not fate’s way of toying with her, but rather opening her eyes to a new direction for her ambitions—and her heart.

A SNIPPET FROM CHAPTER THREE OF A FAITHFUL PROPOSAL :

Emily clasped her hands on her lap. “How do you find our Mr. Aston?” she asked at last.

Anna was certainly not ready to share aloud any thoughts on how she felt about Mr. Aston when even in her private reflections, she could only muster the feeling of being aware of the man. She blinked. “No begging for details of the robbery? Only, ‘how do you find our Mr. Aston’?”

Emily laughed. “I do wish to know everything, and I am more thankful than you can know that you are safe.” She grasped Anna’s hand. “But I confess your unexpected meeting with Mr. Aston piques my curiosity because before your arrival, I had thought to present you to him. I wondered what you might think of him because I thought he might be… an interesting acquaintance for you.”

“Is he not a farmer? Or in trade?” Anna asked, perplexed. Although she had a sneaking feeling the matter did not weigh so very much with her as his location did. He was not in London, so there was nothing further to discuss. Nevertheless, her unruly mind continued on its own accord. Perhaps she would not be interested in a farmer, but a man in trade… her father was in trade, and he was a nobleman. A farmer—well, he might stink of pig by the end of the day. Although Mr. Aston did not stink of pig. He did not stink at all. He was…

Solid. The word came to her unbidden.

“He is not a farmer, nor is he in trade. He is a gentleman,” Emily said, with a mischievous smile that did not bode well for Anna. She knew what kind of trouble Emily’s smiles could mean.

“How fortunate for him,” Anna declared, at a loss for what else to say. Then to fill the silence, and perhaps to cover her confusion, she added, “He did not dress like a gentleman. And he drove the rudest vehicle.”

“Oh no.” Emily raised her eyes in studied innocence. “He does not like to set himself above the villagers.”

“I can see that,” Anna said. And when Emily offered no further information, she added, “So he is a landowner?”

“He is not,” Emily said. She stood suddenly and walked to the escritoire to take a magazine that was lying there, but Anna was not deceived. She recognised the tremor of laughter hidden in her friend’s voice.

Anna looked heavenward. “I am sure you will eventually tell me, but since we have many other things to discuss—like being held up at gunpoint—what does Mr. Aston do, if he is a gentleman, but not a landowner?”

“Oh.” Emily took her seat, her eyes brimming with amusement. “Mr. Aston is our rector.”

Chapter Four

The rector! Anna would have had more enthusiasm had he been a merchant. Or even a farmer. Her distaste for men of the cloth was high, as they were generally pious, dour sort of men—or they were hypocrites. She wondered which one Mr. Aston would be. Emily was studying her with an amused expression; most likely because she knew Anna well enough to know exactly what she was thinking.

“I did wonder how you might greet the news,” Emily said. “But I will say this. John thinks highly of him, and Mr. Aston is unlike any rector I’ve yet to meet. I believe you will find there is more to him than meets the eye.”

“Mr. Aston is of no matter to me.”

“Of course not.” Anna was not deceived by Emily’s prim voice.

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KINDLE: Pre-order price is $2.99 and it will go up to $4.99 after the launch on February 11.

PAPERBACK: Pre-order book price if you order directly from Cedar Fort HERE is $15.19 down from $18.99 WITH an additional 20% off by using the code FAITH20. My friend paid around $3 in shopping. It’s available on Amazon for $18.99 (but the shipping will likely be free for you). I think buying from Cedar Fort on pre-order will be the most advantageous price-wise (plus I earn more that way, I must say).

I hope you’ll read it (and like it). Let me know if you do, and I’ll try to be back before too long.[image error]

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