Category: Travel

Blog Book Tour | “Quicksand: A Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery” by Gigi Pandian Readers who appreciate Lara Croft or Tia Carrere’s ‘Relic Hunter’ will happily find a new Professor Adventurer who finds extreme joy in digging up the past!

Posted Wednesday, 29 April, 2015 by jorielov , , , , , 2 Comments

Ruminations & Impressions Book Review Banner created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Unsplash Public Domain Photographer Sergey Zolkin.

Acquired Book By:

I was selected to be a tour stop on the “Quicksand: A Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery ” virtual book tour through France Book Tours. I received a complimentary spiral-bound* ARC copy of the book direct from the author Gigi Pandian, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

*This is my first spiral-bound ARC copy of a novel to receive, as what is unique about it is the layout of the pages, as there are ‘two pages per sheet’ of the ARC itself! The flow of the narrative goes from right to left, as the first ‘page’ is set to the right and then the first full page shifts back to ‘left to right’, then if you turn to the third page, it’s in the right order but all the pages are double-sided. It goes with saying I had to adjust to reading it in this style, as at first I thought it was all in reverse! It is the first time I can honestly say I understand other dyslexics and how reading can cause you unexpected problems, as I never had the issue with left to right or right to left, but as I’m finding as an adult dyslexic, everything changes once you leave your childhood years!

A notation on why I love my local library: I borrowed the first two novels in the series via ILL (inter-library loan) in order to understand the flow and pace of the character’s journey. The unique part is that both paperback copies of “Artifact” and “Pirate Vishnu” arrived from public libraries in the PNW: Pacific Northwest! This is an example of how blessed I am for being able to use inter-library loan via my local library and how awesome WorldCat is to connect us to books which are outside the collections of our local library systems! This is one key reason I link books I am highlighting on my blog to WorldCat because depending on where you live, the book will let you know if it’s available to request; either locally or through ILL’ing!

“Artifact” arrived via the North Central Regional Library in Wenatchee, Washington whereas “Pirate Vishnu” arrived via the Timberland Regional Library in Turnwater, Washington. Both copies were paperbacks and only lightly read which made the experience for me as a book blogger discovering a ‘new to me author’ truly enjoyable! I have added the entire series and the novella to my “Book Wishes” List on Riffle! I hadn’t realised there was a ‘prequel’ to the series hidden inside of an anthology until after I received the books via inter-library loan; much to my delight the anthology is also available to borrow in the future!

This is why I stress that local libraries are a wicked resource for readers everywhere to use, not just for those of us who blog our reading lives but for anyone who is curious about an author, a book, or a non-fiction topic to research: a local library and the resources they can provide you with are unparallelled! When I am being writerly I can happily attest I love conducting my research via my local library as well, because you can quantitatively gather materials you cannot have on hand otherwise.

Why adventure and archeological artifacts interest me :

A very little known fact about myself is the original dream I had as a youngster, wells, wait, if I were to be truly honest, the second dream I had as a ‘field of choice’ was to become a Historical Archaeologist. Mind you, I was greatly attached to the aspects of being a Paleontologist prior to settling on archaeology, but my interests wavered a bit to settle on ‘historical’ as I toyed with the idea of ‘Nautical’ (although that would need a PADI certification to achieve!) before uncovering Forensic Anthropology; for the 80s this was a radical idea of thought as the 90s were only just on the fringe of beginning. Not quite your typical rising sixth grader who had a penchant for parapsychology ontop of digs, bones, and the past hidden below the ground!

I was always quite intrigued and motivated by the ‘explorers’ in fiction, as my favourite childhood adventurer series was penned by Frank Perretti and called the Cooper Kids Adventure Series. Ironically or not, it’s not a trilogy or a quad, and has more books in the series now than when I first read them as I have the original boxed set with the original illustrations! Smiles. It was a natural curiosity to become attached to Indiana Jones (movies 1, 3, and 4 respectively; the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles serial most definitely) and Lara Croft as brought to life by Angelina Jolie in the motion pictures. I truly loved Tia Carrere’s serial as well (Relic Hunter) but only had the pleasure of seeing it sporadically. Definitely a serial to see if I can borrow on dvd whilst I’m not gathering a ‘new to me’ BBC serial! (Hallo, Foyle’s War and Last Tango in Halifax!)

To me, living vicariously through adventure novels (oh, I had forgotten I read the novels for Indiana Jones too! oh! I had forgotten to mention the Graphic Novels, too!) is a wicked sweet joy of mine! I do not read adventure novels often enough, and it’s definitely an under-read area of literature I’d like to explore in the future! I even have my eyes on Classical Lit offerings such as the Joseph Conrad novels, and of course, definitely reading about Aubrey and Maturin throughout Master and Commander! I love a wide range of adventures, from deep sea diving to archaeological digs to the high sea epics of the historical past to a contemporary jewel heist or an espionage thriller. Honestly, there is so much randomness to the adventure genre that you just never know what you will uncover next! Isn’t that the beauty of it?! For me, it definitely is! Hence why I am grateful to have found Gigi Pandian and Henery Press!

Blog Book Tour | “Quicksand: A Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery” by Gigi Pandian Readers who appreciate Lara Croft or Tia Carrere’s ‘Relic Hunter’ will happily find a new Professor Adventurer who finds extreme joy in digging up the past!Quicksand: A Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery
by Gigi Pandian
Illustrator/Cover Designer: Fayette Terlouw
Source: Author via France Book Tours

A thousand-year-old secret room. A sultan’s stolen treasure. A missing French priest. And an invitation to Paris to rekindle an old flame…

Historian Jaya Jones finds herself on the wrong side of the law during an art heist at the Louvre. To redeem herself, she follows clues from an illuminated manuscript that lead from the cobblestone streets of Paris to the quicksand-surrounded fortress of Mont Saint-Michel. With the help of enigmatic Lane Peters and a 90-year-old stage magician, Jaya delves into France’s colonial past in India to clear her name and catch a killer.

Genres: Action & Adventure Fiction, Archaeological | Anthropological Historical Perspectives, Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945), Contemporary Romance, Cosy Mystery



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 978-1-941962-30-5

Series: ,


Published by Henery Press

on 10th March, 2015

Pages: 280

Published By: Henery Press (@HeneryPress), part of their Mystery Collection
Available Formats: Hardback, Paperback and Ebook

{ Book One: Artifact: A Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery }

Add to Riffle + Public Library

{ Book Two: Pirate Vishnu: A Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery }

Add to Riffle + Public Library

{ Prequel Novella of the series: Fool’s Gold part of ‘Other People’s Baggage’ Anthology }

Uniquely it is mentioned all three novellas in the set are inter-connected!

Add to Riffle + Public Library

Converse on Twitter via: #JayaJones

About Gigi Pandian

USA Today bestselling author Gigi Pandian is the child of cultural anthropologists from New Mexico and the southern tip of India. After being dragged around the world during her childhood, she tried to escape her fate when she left a PhD program for art school. But adventurous academics wouldn’t stay out of her head.

Thus was born the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery Series (Artifact, Pirate Vishnu, and
Quicksand
). Gigi’s debut mystery novel was awarded a Malice Domestic Grant and named a “Best of 2012” Debut Novel by Suspense Magazine.
Her short fiction has been short-listed for Agatha and Macavity awards, and she also writes the new Accidental Alchemist mystery series.

She takes photos of gargoyles wherever she goes, and posts them on her Gargoyle Girl blog.

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Read an Excerpt of the Novel:

Quicksand by Henery Press

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

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Posted Wednesday, 29 April, 2015 by jorielov in 21st Century, Action & Adventure Fiction, Amateur Detective, ARC | Galley Copy, Archaeology, Art, Art History, Artwork Provenance, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Book Cover | Notation on Design, Book Cover | Original Illustration & Design, Bookish Discussions, Bookmark slipped inside a Review Book, Compassion & Acceptance of Differences, Contemporary Romance, Cosy Mystery, Crime Fiction, Equality In Literature, France, France Book Tours, French Literature, History, Indie Author, Lady Detective Fiction, Library Catalogues & Databases, Library Find, Library Love, Local Libraries | Research Libraries, Modern Day, Multi-cultural Characters and/or Honest Representations of Ethnicity, Postal Mail | Letters & Correspondence, Scribd, Travel, Treasure Hunt

Blog Book Tour | “The Way of Tea and Justice” by Rev. Becca Stevens A non-fiction reflection on social justice, empowering women, and striving for a world where ‘fair trade’ truly lives up to it’s name!

Posted Friday, 27 February, 2015 by jorielov , , , 2 Comments

Ruminations & Impressions Book Review Banner created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Unsplash Public Domain Photographer Sergey Zolkin.

Acquired Book By:

I was selected to be a tour stop on the “The Way of Tea and Justice” virtual book tour through JKS Communications: A Literary Publicity Firm. I received my complimentary copy of The Way of Tea and Justice direct from JKS Communications in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Inspired to Read:

Ever since I first started watching Law & Order: SVU I’ve been keenly aware of non-profit organisations that reach out to women in need as much as women who need help to turn their lives around after domestic violence or tragedy. Even before my watching of the series, there were segments on a life-changing non-profit knitted into Walker, Texas Ranger where Alex (Walker’s future wife) would reach out to the women in her community and help them get a fresh start to their lives. The lead actress in SVU was inspired through her character to create the Joyful Heart Foundation to help women in real-life the show depicts through the gritty story-lines. I became a strong advocate for Gimme Shelter before it was releasing in the theaters, as I had stumbled across the real-life story of the woman who founded the center where unwed mothers could find safe harbour for themselves and their unbourne children. By the time I caught sight of The Way of Justice and Tea it simply felt like the right book to read at the right time as I love celebrating how women are empowering other women to carry forward after devastating adversity.

– I originally expressed this earlier in the month on Jorie’s Box of Joy

Rainbow Digital Clip Art Washi Tape made by The Paper Pegasus. Purchased on Etsy by Jorie and used with permission.

Blog Book Tour | “The Way of Tea and Justice” by Rev. Becca Stevens A non-fiction reflection on social justice, empowering women, and striving for a world where ‘fair trade’ truly lives up to it’s name!The Way of Tea and Justice: Rescuing the World's Favourite Beverage from it's Violent History
by Rev. Becca Stevens

What started as an impossible dream-to build a café that employs women recovering from prostitution and addiction-is helping to fuel an astonishing movement to bring freedom and fair wages to women producers worldwide where tea and trafficking are linked by oppression and the opiate wars.

Becca Stevens started the Thistle Stop Café to empower women survivors. But when she discovered a connection between café workers and tea laborers overseas, she embarked on a global mission called “Shared Trade” to increase the value of women survivors and producers across the globe.

As she recounts the victories and unexpected challenges of building the café, Becca also sweeps the reader into the world of tea, where timeless rituals transport to an era of beauty and the challenging truths about tea’s darker, more violent history. She offers moving reflections of the meaning of tea in our lives, plus recipes for tea blends that readers can make themselves.

In this journey of triumph for impoverished tea laborers, hope for café workers, and insight into the history of tea, Becca sets out to defy the odds and prove that love is the most powerful force for transformation on earth.

Genres: Current Events, Non-Fiction, Women's Studies



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

Published by Jericho Books

on 4th November, 2014

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 256

Published by: Jericho Books (@JerichoBooks)

an imprint of Hachette Book Group, Inc. (@HachetteUS)

Available FormatsHardback, Trade Paperback, & Ebook

Converse via: #TeaAndJustice

About Rev. Becca Stevens

Becca Stevens is one of the premiere preachers and speakers in the United States proclaiming love as the most powerful force for social change. She is an Episcopal priest and founder of Magdalene, residential communities of women who have survived prostitution, trafficking and addiction. She founded Thistle Farms in 2001 which currently employs nearly 50 residents and graduates, and houses a natural body care line, a paper and sewing studio and the Thistle Stop Café. She demonstrates that love is good business and raises millions of dollars annually for the organizations she runs.

She is a prolific writer and has been featured in the New York Times and on ABC World News, NPR, PBS, CNN, and Huffington Post and named by the White House as one of 15 Champions of Change for violence against women in 2011. She was recently named 2014 Humanitarian of the Year by the Small Business Council of America, has been inducted into the Tennessee Women’s Hall of Fame, and was conferred an honorary doctorate by Sewanee: The University of the South.

In fall 2013, Stevens launched the first Thistle Farms national conference welcoming attendees from over 30 states. Her newest book, “The Way of Tea & Justice: Rescuing the World’s Favorite Beverage from its Violent History,” will release in 2014. Stevens lives in Nashville with her husband, Grammy-winning songwriter Marcus Hummon, and their three sons.

{ Excerpt taken from her Press Release Q&A }

Why was a café your next step to expand your current initiatives with Thistle Farms and Magdalene?

Thistle Farms, as a national model for social enterprises run by survivors, began in 2012 to welcome more than 1,000 individual per year coming to immerse themselves in our model. It made sense to open a café and offer healing tea, while at the same time expanding employment opportunities for some of the residents and graduates of the residential program called Magdalene.

Why do you think tea is so powerful? What is it about tea in particular that brings people together?

Tea can’t help but draw people together as the kettle is heated and the tea is steeping. Some tea connoisseurs have referred to tea as an elixir of the gods! It is calming and invigorating. It is warm and healing.

Hundreds of teacups were donated to the café, each with a story attached. What is one of your favorite “teacup stories?”

There are so many stories of survivors that are inspiring. I love the Japanese cup from a survivor of an internment camp during World War II who was in her 80s, and wanted to remind the women of Thistle Farms to never lose hope.

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Posted Friday, 27 February, 2015 by jorielov in 21st Century, Balance of Faith whilst Living, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Clever Turns of Phrase, Compassion & Acceptance of Differences, Domestic Violence, Eco-Friendly, Environmental Activism, Environmental Conscience, Environmental Science, Equality In Literature, Green-Minded Social Awareness, History, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, JKS Communications: Literary Publicity Firm, Lessons from Scripture, Lyrical Quotations, Memoir, Mental Health, Modern Day, Multi-cultural Characters and/or Honest Representations of Ethnicity, Non-Fiction, Philosophical Intuitiveness, Poetry, Political Narrative & Modern Topics, Realistic Fiction, Social Change, Spirituality & Metaphysics, Sustainability & Ecological Preservation, Tea History, The Natural World, Trauma | Abuse & Recovery, Travel, Travel Narrative | Memoir, Travel Writing, Vignettes of Real Life, Women's Fiction, Wordsmiths & Palettes of Sage, World Religions

Book Review | “100 Places in France Every Woman Should Go” by Marcia DeSanctis | a travelogue of insight to a sensory awareness of France as one woman connect’s to the country’s internal heart

Posted Thursday, 6 November, 2014 by jorielov , , 7 Comments

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100 Places in France Every Woman Should Go by Marcia DeSanctis

Published By: Travelers’ Tales (@travelerstales)

Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook

Converse via: #100PlacesInFrance & #FranceBT

Acquired Book By: I was selected to be a tour stop on the “100 Places in France Every Woman Should Go” virtual book tour through France Book Tours. I received a complimentary copy of the book direct from the publisher Travelers’ Tales, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

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Book Review | “100 Places in France Every Woman Should Go” by Marcia DeSanctis | a travelogue of insight to a sensory awareness of France as one woman connect’s to the country’s internal heart100 Places in France Every Woman Should Go

Told in a series of stylish, original essays, 100 Places in France Every Woman Should Go  is for the serious Francophile, for the woman dreaming of a trip to Paris, and for those who love crisp stories well-told. Like all great travel writing, this volume goes beyond the guidebook and offers insight not only about where to go but why to go there. Combining advice, memoir and meditations on the glories of traveling through France, this book is the must-have in your carry-on when flying to Paris.

Award-winning writer Marcia DeSanctis draws on years of travels and living in France to lead you through vineyards, architectural treasures, fabled gardens and contemplative hikes from Biarritz to Deauville, Antibes to the French Alps. These 100 entries capture art, history, food, fresh air and style and along the way, she tells the stories of fascinating women who changed the country’s destiny. Ride a white horse in the Camargue, find Paris’ hidden museums, try thalassotherapy in St. Malo, and buy raspberries at Nice’s Cour Saleya market. From sexy to literary, spiritual to simply gorgeous, 100 Places in France Every Woman Should Go  is an indispensable companion for the smart and curious traveler to France.


Places to find the book:

on 9th September, 2014

Format: Paperback

Pages: 380

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About Marcia DeSanctis

Marcia DeSanctis

Marcia DeSanctis is a former television news producer for Barbara Walters, NBC and CBS News.

She has written essays and articles for numerous publications including Vogue, Marie Claire, Town & Country, O the Oprah Magazine, Departures, and The New York Times Magazine.

Her essays have been widely anthologized and she is the recipient of three Lowell Thomas Awards for excellence in travel journalism, as well as a Solas Award for best travel writing. She holds a degree from Princeton University in Slavic Languages and Literature and a Masters in Foreign Policy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

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It isn’t everyday you have the pleasure of reading a travelogue writ in the style of a personal diary to the level where one woman’s peripheral intuitiveness lends a hand towards giving the reader a thread of insight that most travelogues do not typically yield. The format of this travelogue is one of the best I have come across due to the nature of how the list of 100 Places is formatted to be revealed. I am going to highlight my Top 5 sections as I want to give a sampling of the joy I experienced whilst reading this non-fiction account of Ms. DeSanctis’s travels within France.

She left such a strong impression on my heart as to eclipse the idea I haven’t yet travelled there myself by placing my mind inside her own shoes as she relates her own story as to create the feeling I was transported there whilst seeing everything she saw herself. To me that is the best part of reading travel fiction and travel non-fiction narratives; they allow us to employ the nature of what excites us as adventurers without necessarily needing to leave our home.

For most of us, travel in today’s world is cost prohibitive and/or we have to become more selective in our choices per year as to where we can afford to traverse. By picking up this guide of the 100 Places of whom gave the author an alarming connective tie to the countrymen and women of France, it will ignite a passion inside your own heart to either walk in her own footsteps or dare to sort out the parts of France that speak to your own spirit of taking an expeditionary route through this remarkably historic country.

Within the Introduction to this travelogue, we start to see the inklings of how DeSanctis first became enamored with France and not surprisingly there is a foodie connection to her passionate joy! I, for one, can fully understand how food can be a gateway into a country as for me it was India of which lent not only a curiosity of spirit for their culture and art (I maintain a healthy penchant for Bollywood films) but it was through the expressive nature of their spices and foods which translated directly into a passion for the people of the country. I can fully respect how a piece of bread (in the author’s case it was a croissant) can quite literally excite your senses for more exploration! (on my behalf it was naan!)

As she bespoke a curated passion for watching Audrey Hepburn movies (alongside Cary Grant) set in France, I smiled most readily because I completely concurred with her sentiments! Hepburn not only translated her characters as though she embodied their souls, but she had the formidable presence on screen to translate the setting and the scope of where the story was set. She redefined how to present a character and how to effectively endear to give a homage to where the character either lived or interacted. She is one of a kind in this regard, except to say I felt the same whilst watching Ingrid Bergman who was just ahead of her on the screen.

(The only difference between us, as I am a bit younger than the author, my “Sabrina” was not Ms. Hepburn but rather Julia Ormond — we blissfully walked away with the same appreciation for living a life where you do not allow your insecurities to interfere with your innermost dreams and desires.)

The way in which DeSanctis presents the allure of being in France is an insightful recollection of how we can lead full lives but have bits of who we are a bit absent as well. The country not only has a way of evoking a proper sense of history but an evocation of femininity and a re-definition of a well-lived life by not only having our senses fully exposed to the liveliness of a French life but to bring out anything that might have previously inhibitiously held us behind.

I found this element of an intangible difference in how life is lived within the film version of “The 100 Foot Journey” based on the novel I have not yet had the pleasure to read but of which exemplifies the same pursuit of not merely existing season to season but passionately living through sensory experience rooted in a connection to community, art, culture, and the interconnectedness of humanity. To intuitively thrive in the everyday hours whilst surrounding yourself in the places which enrich your mind, heart, and soul.

| Section One: #3 Homage to La Môme |

Music has always been a central focal point in my life as it has captured a piece of my own soul in such a way as to alleviate me out of stress or to cultivate an emotional response to a piece of instrumentation, vocalisation, symphony or score for motion picture in such a way as to transcend the moment in which the piece is heard. Music has a cadence of passion knitted into the chords, the harmonies, and the in-between moments that is especially unique to the artist who conceives the idea of what translates into an audio narrative of a story unspoken through words. Even when words are attached to the musical composition itself — they tell only half of the story which evolves through the instruments who accompany the voice.

[ it should be known I was listening to Programme #664 Dark Wisdom via Hearts of Space (hos.com) whilst composing this blog post — where string instruments evoked the gutting emotions of humanity. ]

Whilst reading her passages of appreciation on behalf of Edith Piaf, I started to conjure inside my own mind how beautifully dynamic this woman would have been on stage; how creatively evoking her voice would have spilt straight through my heart and soul whilst I would be seated in audience of her performance; and what a gift it would have been to witness her vocality first-hand. There have been a few times in my young life where I have been in the presence of a true performer of unexplained talent and grace, whose very voice was an instrument who could create music on a level that is not even able to be related in recollection through words; as most sensations of music are felt rather than spoken. Our thoughts and our impressions on music are on a completely different level of understanding than spoken dialogue (hence why music is being used to reach autistic children who otherwise cannot communicate).

Finding out there is a residential museum celebrating the life of the legendary and iconic singer made my heart sing with curiosity! I love finding tucked away museums which are housed in unexpected places, that take you on an internal journey back to the time and era the person lived. I always fancied visiting museums and other historic sites where only half the story of the person is known in the exhibits and the other half simply has to be felt by the person who visits the site with an open mind. Read More

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Posted Thursday, 6 November, 2014 by jorielov in 21st Century, Anthology Collection of Stories, Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, Chefs and Sous Chefs, Cookery, Debut Author, Essays, Foodie Fiction, France, France Book Tours, French Literature, Indie Author, Interviews Related to Content of Novel, Life in Another Country, Literary Fiction, Non-Fiction, Post-911 (11th September 2001), Short Stories or Essays, Travel, Travel Narrative | Memoir, Travel Writing, Travelogue, Vignettes of Real Life

*Blog Book Tour*: Taking Root in Provence by Anne-Marie Simons

Posted Saturday, 30 November, 2013 by jorielov , , 4 Comments

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Taking Root in Provence by Anne-Marie Simons

Taking Root in Provence by Anne-Marie Simons
Published By: Distinction Press, 1 March, 2011
Official Author Websites: Taking Root in Provence Site; Provence Today (personal blog)
Available Formats: Trade Paper
Page Count: 212

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Acquired Book By: I was selected to be a stop on the book tour for “Taking Root in Provence” hosted by France Book Tours. I received a complimentary copy of “Taking Root in Provence” in exchange for an honest review by the publisher: Distinction Press.  I was thankful to be placed on the tour as I am attempting to read more non-fiction as time shifts forward into the New Year! I always thought I might appreciate travelogues as they are a bit of a window into the life of someone who lives elsewhere from here! I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Inspired to Read: My interest was piqued to read travelogues, travel diaries, ex-pat living adventures, & life overseas in a different country of origin by the motion picture “Under the Tuscan Sun”. I was completely enthralled with the story, the premise, and the execution of the film as it unfolded. I saw it initially at least three times in the theaters when it premiered, and since then, I have lost count! I oft quote directly from the story as there were wonderful lines of life lessons & philosophical musings that can directly apply to anyone’s life. I sought out the book that inspired the motion picture (same title) but felt that if I had read it, I might in-effect change my perspective of the film and that wasn’t something I wanted to do!

Therefore, I settled it into my mind that there would be ‘other’ stories to seek out! This is the first accounting of life overseas that has held my interest to take-on! I realise the setting is of France not Italy, but the appealment for me is not necessarily on the country itself, but on how people can pick up their lives by relocating elsewhere whilst discovering a piece of their lives they never knew they could achieve! I love the zest of adventure, the uncertainty of the risk, and the bliss of forging a new path by jump-diving in with your whole heart! Of course, having a wicked sense of humour is a step in the right direction, as when I requested to be put on this blog book tour, I was smiling as wide as a Cheshire cat as my laughter had carried me off into joyful ruminations! There are times in life to dare to create your own destiny!

Author Biography:Anne-Marie Simons

Anne-Marie Simons has worked as a translator, teacher, journalist, sportswriter (covering Formula 1 races), and director of corporate communications.

Her Argentine husband, Oscar, left a career in international development banking to become an expert on Provençal cooking and other local pleasures. [from the publisher’s website]

Synopsis of the Book:

Two expatriates left Washington DC in search of the ideal place to retire where climate, culture, accessibility and natural beauty all had a role to play. Curious about the vaunted quality of life in the south of France, they traveled the length and width of Provence where, preferring the city to the countryside, they decided to settle in the ancient town of Aix-en-Provence. That was in 1998 and Taking Root in Provence is the story of their slow integration into the French mainstream — both easier and more difficult than expected but ultimately successful.

In a series of vignettes Anne-Marie Simons gives us a warts-and-all picture of life among the French and with warmth and humor shares her lessons learned. Contrary to most publications about Provence, this book focuses on life in the city rather than the quiet countryside, and promises to be both informative and revealing to those who want to spend more than a passing holiday here. [from the author’s website]

Taking Root in Provence by Anne-Marie SimonsRead an Excerpt:

COOKING SECRETS, PP.20-21

Food is important in this country and everybody cooks well, men and women alike. All social life takes place around the table, where one talks about food above all else. Recipes are exchanged, addresses offered, and recommendations made. It soon becomes apparent that not all market stalls are alike, not all farmers sell home-grown produce, and not all truffle vendors are honest. Of course, restaurants are not forgotten and recent discoveries are either praised or viciously attacked.

In asking for advice it is important, however, to consider the source. For example, a Parisian friend with a house in this area responded to our request for restaurant suggestions by saying, “In Aix? On ne mange pas à Aix.” (One doesn’t eat in Aix). A bit severe, we thought.

Food debate is not limited to the dinner table, and it is not uncommon to overhear discussions like this one at the markets: “Potatoes in brandade de morue? Jamais de la vie, Monsieur! Oh, your mother did? Where are you from? Alsace? Well, perhaps they do over there, but not in Provence. No sir! Just make sure you use a good olive oil. Now, what are you going to serve with that? Soupe au pistou? Excellent idea. You’ll want the three kinds of beans, onions, basil, carrots and tomatoes, this, that and the other…” while the other customers not only patiently wait but begin to participate. “You may also want to add courgettes, monsieur” says a woman in line. “And make sure you add lots of garlic,” says another. “My wife doesn’t like garlic but she doubles the parmesan cheese at the end” says a man. “Curieux,” says another with eyebrows raised. And so goes the daily market…

Daring to Forge a Path

In the very Introduction section of the book, I could draw a discerning eye towards the familiar: wanton dreams of relocating to a ‘place’ that ‘feels right and true’ to where you can firmly place down roots due to ‘belonging’ amongst those who live there. I might have been bourne in the Southern half of the United States (the Southeastern bit of it), but I have always longed to live in a climate where I could truly thrive on Autumn & Winter changes in season as much as captivating my wanderlust to roam, explore, and unearth cherished memories for the rest of my days! I wouldn’t constantly remember ‘oh, I’ve been there!’ or ‘it was alright a few decades ago’ or even ‘ah, alas Winter is only two short months this year!’ IF you have the tendency to ‘blink’ you will completely miss the two seasons in the Southeast I adore the most! I knew right there, in the opening sentences of Taking Root in Provence, I was about to emerge through a window portal in the shoes of a wife and husband who dared to do exactly what I want to do myself! If only for one small difference, as I am choosing to relocate within the States rather than outside of them!

I can relate as well, to selecting a slower pace of living rather than a hectically chaotic one! Where the empathsis is on appreciating your day rather than surviving it! I think we all are striving to find our niche and ideal spot for living the life we each dream possible to envelop our everyday lives. Each of us with our different wants, needs, desires, dreams, hopes, aspirations, and interests to fill a book at least ten times wider than the Earth herself; should always seek out where we’re being led and of where we are meant to be living next. I even can relate to the soft echoing murmurs of choosing to relocate to an area where the locals regard their secrets and their style of living to a large degree of protectiveness from allowing outsiders to gain the same information they have had for generations. In part, this is one reason I had such a bubble of a laugh when I first choose to read this tale! I was cheekily remembering a tale of similar origins!

It’s quite true indeed as well, if you were found to be in possession of making a radical lifestyle change, irregardless if you left your country or moved clear across it (from one direction or another!),… the flexibility of adapting to life as it arrives at your feet is a key ingredient that is needed the most! Portable as a post box, your life can be as adventurous as you dare to dream it into reality!

Locovores, Slow-Food Movement, & Getting Back to Farm to Table

Being a city girl bourne and raised, I must attest to the fact I have always known that the distance between my food on the table and from whence it came before it arrived out of our grocery bag was beyond worth comprehending! Food is trucked such large distances, its rather discerning to wonder when the ‘fresh’ produce was originally harvested much less how old the fruit is that appears as ‘fresh’ as the veg! Whilst transitioning to the countryside, I started to get involved with the local food movement in its infancy as it wasn’t all the rage ‘everywhere’ as it is now. I am referring to the standard farmer’s markets where cattlemen and livestock ranchers would be alongside the fruit growers and the vegetable farmers! Where I live now we have a seven day a week farmer’s market whose bounty is co-dependent on local crop yields, which is generally a miracle in of itself if you factor in heavy rains, severe droughts, lightning, tropical storms, and the possibility of tornadoes! I always felt the hands working the fields were a living experiment of faith, trust, courage, and patience!

Inside Taking Root in Provence, I see my future life brimming to the ear-flaps of the book, where going to ‘market’ is more of an experience in conversation than a steady picking and choosing of your weekly food needs! I love the aspect of direct communicating with your farmers, bakers, and fishmongers! Oh, the joy of conversing about cookery, farm-fresh and locally grown foods which were not trucked-in but rather delivered within a local scope of availability! She (Simons) whets your interest more and more as she reveals little surprises of what the French call ‘local and delicate’ as much as how they believe you should cook rather than accept you have your own style!

Living in places as vibrantly connected as these, where community transcends logic, and living is a co-experience with your neighbours, you start to step back in and through time as you adjust your adaptation. I would suspect that once your spirit starts to put down a threshold of roots, you would not feel as comfortable or as natural living anywhere else as your barometer of normalcy has now struck out into its own rhythm! You start to take on characteristics of your seemingly odd new neighbours and start to notice that your differences are barely even noticeable anymore! Living is an evolving journey. Each step we take, we endeavour to explore a new facet of our beings that we might not have even known was lying dormant.

I think I could argue the merits of using at least five if not eight cloves of garlic for most recipes, and how I enjoy incorporating such a wide variety of spices and herbs into the kitchen’s best turned out plates! I have a varied palette I suppose, as I simply adore: Chinese Five Spice, Garam Marsala,  Turmeric, Coriander, Cumin, Curry Powder, Cardamon, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Rosemary, Thyme, Fennel, Basil, Dill, Oregano, Paprika, and Herbs de Provence! I wonder if the French prefer including multiple spices and herbs, or if they’d rather feature one or two, letting the ingredients speak for themselves? An earthier way of cooking, for sure!

And, of course, I have long since traded in olive oil for grapeseed oil due to the higher set point! My preference is coconut oil, but lest I digress, as selecting the ‘right’ coconut oil is as dicey as selecting your favourite olive oil!

I am so enthused about where my food comes from and how to best make selections at the market, that I have now become quite the efficient sous chef in the process! I never knew the differences in shape, texture, width, or condition on the outside of fruit & veg as it directly pertained to their taste, smell, and flavourbility! If my future farmers are even half as engaging as Ms. Simons, I shall be in perpetual cookery heaven! Lest I mention, I am always celebrating the arrivals of strawberry onions, butternut squash, acorn squash, purple sweet potatoes, orange or purple cauliflower, swiss chard, elephant kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, kohlrabi, acid-free orange tomatoes, Dominican avacadoes, turnips, parsnips, apples, blueberries, zucchini, wild mushrooms, and all the other lovelies that make me giddy when ‘their season’ goes into effect! I adore using grains as well such as pearl couscous, Teff, long grain wild rice, Quinoa, pearl barley, spelt, amaranth,… as much as I want to try millet, kamut, sorghum, farro, and chia!

Eating seasonally changes your life as well. You notice things you don’t generally notice and you start to yearn for certain recipes and foods to re-enter your life whilst awaiting Summer’s wrath to conclude!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.comMy Review:

As comforting as a smooth latte sipped with hesitation for the liquid will evaporate before you’ve had your fill of its sinfully rich decadence, Ms. Simons knows how to whet the palette of her reader by slowly allowing her to soak into the life of Provence! A place which is a full-step out of time, where the bits and bobbles of differences between America & France are made most apparent in such ordinary situations (i.e. quality of healthcare, affordability of said healthcare, road accidents, quality of education, etc as outlined by the author herself) I can still ascertain what her and her husband were truly seeking whence they exchanged one country for the other! A sense of place and a sense of being that filters up through your soul, warms your heart, and invigorates your ordinary hours by having the freedom of experiencing life through a new pair of eyes! Your eyes adjust to the sights they take in, but its the little things that first appear foreign to your nature that have a way of endearing you to them in time!

It’s a bit of a mindset and of a philosophy I have observed in life which stems from the fact that where your needed and/or where your motivated to go will always line up to occurring at the time in which you are meant to arrive! Timing I have found has a significance all of its own. I was curious what had tipped their scales for France over Spain and Italy for instance? Perhaps they read the hintings of their own path being laid before them and were wise enough to risk a short stay if it could lead to a more permanent one!

Her inclusion of fetes and events which marked the seasonal passages of time, brought me back into my own childhood where local flavour was readily seen in the parades, Harvest festival, and region specific vegetable beauty contest! (i.e. think “Grady” from “Doc Hollywood”) These are the treasured little moments that tend to get swept up under a rug in most recollections, and for Simons to draw a breath of focus on them made me smile rather fondly! She encourages you to ‘taste’ Provence as you would if you were a local. Straddling into Provencal life as though its not your very first introduction! Key insights and observations make this travelogue both hearty and enjoyable!

If you appreciate conversing with a new friend over fresh baked scones and a steaming latte in a mug, you will soak into Provence through the cleverly enticing narrative that Simons provides you to become addicted too! Your never quite certain what aspect of their French lives she will reveal, or how one of their experiences will lend its disclosure of connection to French history, but to me, those were the little nestlements of joy awaiting you as you turnt the page! As an added bonus there is a full recipe section provided by her husband, Oscar! You don’t have to tip your warming appetite aside for entering a French restaurant, as they have provided the reader with a good overview of key ingredients and recipes to bring France aromatically into your kitchen, hearth, and home!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

A heart for the natural world

I was in full gratitude reading that when they had relocated to France, they were operating on the theory that all areas have bike paths and designated trails. I would go so far as to admit, I might have considered that a working theory myself, except to say, of my knowledge of England what we would consider a walk on this side of the Pond, is rather a cross-country trek over unknown paths there! I find it intriguing how everyone who appreciates the natural world sorts out how to obtain a piece of it. I’ll admit, I never thought I’d be able to walk past a mile two years ago in January, but to say, I’ve reached the brink to walk eight miles sounds miraculous! Yet. I can do it without losing too much energy! My heart simply takes flight when I’m out-of-doors, the awe of discovery, the joy of seeing everything in its natural habitat, and being inside this hidden world from the modern world’s view is rather enticing!

I celebrated seeing that the author and her husband traded in bikes for hiking boots! As even on our trails here, I oft notice that there are only two sorts of people who are using them. Group A are the exercise concentrating souls who bike, run, jog, or otherwise engage in an excessive tenacity for burning calories than Group B, of whom I fall under as I am there for the natural environment.  Bikers whiz and whip past me, ring-ringing their little bells and claiming I need to yield to them even if the lane is free next to me! I am still lost how bikers have more rights than walkers!

I do admit that I am always slightly envious of Europeans on the level that wherever they find themselves, they are a stone’s throw from experiencing a piece of living history left behind! Our buildings are barely 200 years old if they are still structurally sound! We tend to tear down rather than repair or restore, which is a bit lopsided in thinking I’d suspect, as how else to leave a footprint behind of who we were before!? The achingly deep history of France in its buildings, landmarks, and monuments I could well imagine were appreciated when stumbled upon! As it had me flash back to when I was in the heart of the Mayan ruins in Mexico! Your touching the past whilst walking in the future! You feel a kineticity whilst visiting sites such as these as your literally in a place who has defied logic and stood through the sands of time!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.comThe “Taking Root in Provence” Virtual Book Tour Roadmap:

  1. 25 November: Guest Post & Giveaway @ Patricia Sands’ Blog
  2. 26 November: Review & Giveaway @ The French Village Diaries
  3. 27 November: Review & Interview @ I am, Indeed
  4. 27 November: Review & Giveaway @ Enchanted by Josephine
  5. 27 November: Review & Giveaway @ The Most Happy Reader
  6. 28 November: Highlights @ Words and Peace
  7. 29 November: Review & Giveaway @ Turning the Pages
  8. 30 November: Review & Excerpt @ Jorie Loves A Story

Be sure to scope out upcoming tours I will be hosting with:

France Book Tours

{SOURCES: Cover art and book synopsis of “Taking Root in Provence”,  Anne-Marie Simon’s photograph, the blog tour badge, and the logo banner for France Book Tours were all provided by France Book Tours and used with permission. Post dividers were provided by Shabby Blogs, who give bloggers free resources to add personality to their blogs. Blog tour badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. Jorie submitted  request to provide an excerpt with her book review, of which was supplied by the publisher via France Book Tours.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2013.

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Posted Saturday, 30 November, 2013 by jorielov in 21st Century, Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, France, France Book Tours, Geographically Specific, Life in Another Country, Modern Day, Non-Fiction, Travel, Travel Writing, Travelogue, Vignettes of Real Life