Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!
Today is my second Head of Zeus Christmas interview with an author I’ve learnt more about hosting blog tours for this publisher ahead of being able to source her stories! Let’s give a warm welcome back to Ms Baggot as earlier in the year I hosted another lovely convo with her as well! My converstion today will wrap-up my featured posts, guest features and other delights I get to share and host on behalf of Head of Zeus for 2020! I’ve only been hosting with them off/on for the last two years and I must admit, I’ve had a lot of wickedly delightful moments talking with their authors and learning more about the stories they are publishing every year. This also marks my final Christmassy interview for the season but there is more #blogmas Christmassy content coming until the dawning hours of New Year’s Eve!
This particular story is a Contemporary Christmas Romance set in Paris – a setting I regularly visit in Historical Fiction (generally in war dramas) and a city which I very rarely get the chance to see through a Contemporary lens! My heart has been with Paris though recently especially due to the fire at Norte Dame Catheral and other well known tragedies which have happened in the city. The most heartwarming end cap on the fire for me was when I heard about the bees and how they were unharmed, saved and are still living out their lives as only bees can as they not only survived the fire but they preserved a bit of the catheral which has been a beacon of hope for so many over the generations it has stood as a landmark in Paris.
I happily just found out that “A Perfect Paris Christmas” is currently available via Scribd on audiobook – I did not have the chance to listen to it ahead of my tour stop as I was struck down with a moderate migraine this week however, it renews my hope more titles I desire to read and/or hear in audio by Head of Zeus are inbound to Scribd! For those who read ebooks, there is a copy for you, too! Happy Christmas, dear hearts!!
Why I wanted to host a spotlight & interview
for this new Christmassy story ‘A Perfect Paris Christmas’:
As the founder and host of @SatBookChat – I am constantly seeking to find new stories featuring strong women in the centre of Romance & Women’s Fiction. I read an equal amount of Contemporary and Historical stories within these genres of interest whilst encompassing all the lovely sub-niches of their literary styles as well. This New Year 2020 I am also seeking out Feminist Lit which celebrates the kind of stories I am enjoying to discover as well. All of which I try to champion and showcase in the chats I host on Saturdays – wherein writers, readers, book reviewers, book bloggers and the rest of the bookish community on Twitter get to engage with one another. Thereby as a regular reader of these stories I was delighted to find a #newtomeauthor to start seeking out to read!
I have such a fond affection for Christmas (as a holiday and as a season) to where I love to spend my Decembers with a bit of a reprieve from hosting book reviews and focus strictly on guest features and/or showcases of stories wherein I might have extracts to share OR other #behindthebook insights which will help us all sort out which books are good fits for us as readers and which ones might be best for others instead. I love having my Decembers full of #blogmas posts, however, I believe this year, for 2020 I might have exceeded my personal expectations of what I can feature from 1st to 31st December!
This particular story stood out to me because of the Hope it has for knitting our lives together even when it doesn’t appear the timing is right for anything to go well. Sometimes you have to embrace the serendipitous nature of how our lives can take a circuitous route into our future and at other times, taking a leap of faith chance to go ‘somewhere’ new is just what we need in order to find ourselves exactly where we need to be! I love this about the premise and of course, having two people continuously meeting up with each other in ways that may or may not feel as if it were predestined is my kind of Christmassy Romance as well!
Be sure to brew your favourite cuppa and enjoy this delightful holiday inspired Q&A!
A Perfect Paris Christmas
Subtitle: Can one handsome stranger show her how to love again?
by Mandy Baggot
Keeley Andrews knows more than anyone that you only live once. So when she receives an invitation to spend two weeks in Paris, all expenses paid, she jumps at the chance.
Ethan Bouchard has had the worst eighteen months of his life. He's ready to give up on everything, including his hotel chain. So when he meets Keeley, it simply isn't the right time.
As Keeley and Ethan continue to bump into each other on the romantic Parisian streets, they can't help but wonder whether this is fate telling them to let go of the past and leap into the future...
Head to Paris this Christmas and fall in love under the lights of the Eiffel Tower with best-selling author, Mandy Baggot.
Places to find the book:
ISBN: 978-1838933456
Also by this author: My Greek Island Summer
Published by Aria Fiction
on 1st October, 2020
Published By: Aria Fiction (@Aria_Fiction)
a Digital First imprint of Head of Zeus (@HoZ_Books)
Formats Available: Trade Paperback, Audiobook & Ebook
Converse via: #APerfectParisChristmas, #WomensFiction and #HeadOfZeus
Please enjoy this extract from “A Perfect Paris Christmas”
ahead of my conversation with Ms Baggot wherein we talk Christmas & writing!
Lizzie brandished the fork like it was a light sabre and she knew exactly how to use it. ‘Do you know how many people die each year from toaster accidents?’
‘Er… no,’ Keeley answered. She had a feeling her mum was just about to tell her though.
‘Seven hundred,’ Lizzie said. ‘Seven hundred idiots who should know better. You know better!’
Keeley could see her mum was getting emotional, and not simply the kind of emotional she usually got when she started making festive wares for afternoon teas, Christmas fairs and fundraising afternoons. This was almost the kind of emotional she got when she talked about Bea.
‘Sorry,’ Keeley offered.
Lizzie put the fork down on the worktop with a bang, then shifted past Keeley to tackle the toaster herself. ‘Why are you making a crumpet anyway? There’s low-sugar muesli in the cupboard or there’s fresh fruit – clementines and a Galia melon – or…’
‘Blueberry jam,’ Duncan offered. ‘The Forresters won’t be able to have it now the seal’s broken.’ He let out a grunt as finally the globe was hooked in place. ‘There we go! Perfectomundo!’
Keeley watched her mother deftly, somehow, pull the crumpet from the toaster. It was dark brown, slightly burned around the edges, just as she liked it. She could almost taste it. A thick layer of butter melting into the fluffy inside…
‘I’ll leave it out for the birds,’ Lizzie said, taking it towards the patio doors and their small patch of decking, leading to grass and then her dad’s man-cave where he kept his dart board and homebrew kits.
‘What? Wait!’ Keeley said. ‘That’s my breakfast!’
Lizzie stopped, crumpet between thumb and forefinger like it was a land mine she had unearthed from the kitchen tiles and she needed to keep really still in case it exploded in her face. ‘Keeley, come on, don’t be difficult, darling.’
Difficult? Keeley pushed her tongue to the roof of her mouth and pressed hard into her palate. She could already feel where this was going. It would start out as caring, then move swiftly on to running down a tick list for those people living a heavily monitored life. It would end up with Keeley feeling incredibly guilty.
‘Lizzie, love…’ Duncan began, slowly descending the ladder, the ball above his head turning the kitchen into something akin to a Eurovision stage. Keeley wasn’t sure it was rotating as evenly as it would have if Bea were still here.
‘No, Duncan, don’t you get involved now. You never usually want to be involved. It’s always me who has to do the tough love while you stand behind me encouraging our daughter to put her health in jeopardy.’ Lizzie made a face, crumpet still dangling. ‘“Nothing wrong with Dominos in moderation as long as you avoid the stuffed crust”. “You are what you eat… and no one ever wanted to be a guava”. It’s not funny! None of this is funny! I’ve lost one daughter. I don’t want to lose another one!’
The crumpet crumbled and Lizzie crumpled, folding her body in on itself like she was an origami swan someone was making very badly.
What makes Christmas perfect for you and your family?
Baggot responds: The best thing about Christmas is the time together. It’s probably the only time in the whole year where we aren’t working, rushing somewhere and, with all the Bank Holidays, there’s nothing taking out attention away from some chill time. Of course, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without all the great food! I have to admit, as soon as December begins, I am loading my trolley with pate, cheese boards, chocolates and things I don’t tend to buy at any other time of year!
What inspired the story within “A Perfect Paris Christmas”?
Baggot responds: The idea for A Perfect Paris Christmas just came to me one day. Honestly, that’s how it happens most times. I can get an idea driving in the car, or in the bath, or sometimes I’ve had a dream that’s sparked an idea for a novel. With Keeley and Ethan’s story I wanted to explore loss and finding a reason to believe in the good things in life again. I hope it’s also full of family, friendship and fun too!
What is your favourite comfort food at Christmas?
Baggot responds: See above and that full trolley of goodies! Cheese plays a big part in our Christmas menu plans, as does the traditional turkey, roast potatoes, vegetables, stuffing, thick gravy… I’m hungry now!
What is your favourite part of Christmas? Decorating? Spending time with friends or family? Cooking/baking the delights? Or something else?
Baggot responds: It’s definitely the family time! Watching my children open their presents and smile at what’s inside, having dinner together, watching films or playing games, the simple stuff is often the best. We usually deck the tree on 1 December and that’s when festive music and films can begin… although I usually dip into Christmas books well before that!
Everyone has their favourite Christmas drink, what is yours?
Baggot responds: Mulled wine! What’s better than warm red wine full of spice and all those gorgeous fragrances as it simmers on the hob?! Can I have some now?!
When it comes to Christmas decadent deserts which have you enjoyed the most over the years and which one is your favourite?
Baggot responds: I’m really not a dessert fan but at Christmas my husband always makes two trifles. One for us to share… and one for him! Strawberry jelly and sponge fingers with custard and cream. Yum! We always have to wait a while after dinner before we indulge though!
Your characters are embarking on a travel excursion to embrace the unexpected and live life for the moment – how important was it to showcase their willingness to shift forward despite the circumstances which inspired the leap of faith?
Baggot responds: The moving forward and reestablishing a new zest for life is the whole core of A Perfect Paris Christmas. It firstly shows how easy it is to slip into a rut when your life is thrown up in the air. And then, hopefully, it shows how – with a bit of self-belief and help from your friends… or a handsome stranger… – things can be brought into a new perspective.
How did you want to showcase the spirit of Christmas in the story?
Baggot responds: There’s nothing better than the snow-covered streets of Paris at Christmas time and the season was the perfect setting for this story. You’ve got the wintry atmosphere on one hand and the warmth of the lights and festive décor casting a romantic glow over everything. The character of Jeanne and her dog – BoBo – is very important in showcasing Christmas spirit. Kindness and helping others less fortunate than yourself run through her scenes.
What do you love most about the days and nights in December leading into Christmas week? Is it the change of season? Holiday parities or events? Or something else that gives December a special wink of joy?
Baggot responds: CANDLES! The dark nights are the perfect excuse to light even more candles! I am a huge Partylite candle fan and I especially love all the Christmas fragrances – Peppermint Snowflake, Gingerbread, Harvest Spice – and anything and everything that smells like Christmas trees, candy canes or cinnamon!
What is your top favourite Christmas tradition?
Baggot responds: Every Christmas Eve, we always do the same thing and that’s watch Die Hard or Die Hard 2 with a Chinese takeaway! I know it might not be anyone else’s idea of a Christmas tradition but it’s ours and we wouldn’t have it any other way!
What makes Paris feel especially Christmassy to you and how did you want to convey this to your readers?
Baggot responds: Paris is such a beautiful city! Full of narrow streets, museums, fantastic vistas from the Eiffel Tower and the Arc De Triomphe, so having that all the more poignant because of the time of year and the snowy weather brings the Christmas feel to my readers. People always have so many personal associations with Christmas – good memories, hard memories – and my characters are no different. I do hope that all the mentions of festive food, putting up decorations, crackling fires, seeing your breath in the air, whispers Christmas to everyone who picks up the book.
After such a turbulent year this 2020, what do you hope for this Christmas and New Year moving into 2021?
Baggot responds: Gosh, 2020 was so hard the whole world over. You will notice in A Perfect Paris Christmas that I do mention the difficulties of social distancing and hotels being closed as well as panic buying and toilet rolls… But the book is set in December 2020 with everything almost back to normal. When I finished writing the novel I really hoped that would be the case, but sadly it wasn’t to be. I know some readers don’t want mentions of Covid-19 in their escapist reads but my books always reference things that are going on in our world now – good and bad – and I always think it’s important to bring that realism into my books. We can all relate to this year’s struggles, right? That being said, this book is an emotional, feel-good, romantic read first and foremost, so any mentions of the virus I hope are sensitively done.
My hope for 2021 is happiness and health for us all and a chance to get back to doing the things we love best, whether that’s connecting with family, going to a restaurant or travelling abroad. Let’s raise a glass and hope for some normal back!
J definitely concur with her sentiments about raising a toast to the Hope we all have for the future & for a lovely New Year in 2021 without as much adverse circumstnaces to muddle through as we have had this year in 2020!!
And, a very Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you, Ms Baggot!
Follow this Blog Tour:
NOTE: Similar to blog tours wherein I feature book reviews, book spotlights (with or without extracts), book announcements (or Cover Reveals) – I may elect to feature an author, editor, narrator, publisher or other creative person connected to the book, audiobook, Indie film project or otherwise creative publishing medium being featured wherein the supplemental content on my blog is never compensated monetarily nor am I ever obligated to feature this kind of content. I provide (98.5%) of all questions and guest topics regularly featured on Jorie Loves A Story. I receive direct responses back to those enquiries by publicists, literary agents, authors, blog tour companies, etc of whom I am working with to bring these supplemental features and showcases to my blog. I am naturally curious about the ‘behind-the-scenes’ of stories and the writers who pen them: I have a heap of joy bringing this content to my readers. Whenever there is a conflict of connection I do disclose those connections per post and disclose the connection as it applies.
{SOURCES: Book cover for “A Perfect Paris Christmas”, book synopsis, author photograph of Mandy Baggot, author biography, the extracts from the book and the blog tour banners were all provided by Head of Zeus and used with permission. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Tweets were embedded due to codes provided by Twitter. Blog graphics created by Jorie via Canva: #Blogmas banner and badge as well as the Comment Box Banner.}
Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2020.
I’m a social reader | I tweet my reading life
.@joriestory Happy #Blogmas!🤶
✍️NEW Christmassy #AuthorChat Interview!
📕feat. #APerfectParisChristmas by Mandy BaggotWelcome back to #JLASblog for my second convo with a Head of Zeus author this December with an extract from the book!📕✍️https://t.co/ZICEQLTub9 pic.twitter.com/1KGxk84iST
— Jorie Story 📖🎧 (@joriestory) December 13, 2020
You're quite welcome!!👏I was #sohappy finding the #audiobook for #APerfectParisChristmas is avail via #Scribd! I am going to queue it into my #ChristmasReads as I haven't had the proper chance to read/hear one of your stories yet! I felt this was a good place to start❤️🎧📕🙌
— Jorie Story 📖🎧 (@joriestory) December 13, 2020
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