Over at Kobo, there’s a 30% off sale this weekend on selected books by authors like Bella Andre, Maia Sepp, and Blake Crouch. And The Pas de Deux is eligible for the discount, too!
The sale works by promo code (SPRINGSAVE) and starts today and runs through the long weekend (24-27 May). Happy Memorial Day reading:)
Sometimes a gal needs to catch her breath. Like when she’s just gone through the intense time of finishing a new book and sending it off into the world. And what better way to take a break from one love than to cozy up to another?
After The Pas de Deux came out a few weeks ago, I swapped out my writer’s chapeau for my decorator’s beret. I’ve been working on a few areas in my house and thought I’d share some before & after pics of one of the projects. It’s on the lower level (not really a basement since the house is built into a small cliff), and it’s what people see as soon as they step through the anteroom.
First off, hubby & I wanted to get a piece of furniture to anchor the space, and we made a great antique find—an old medical cabinet. Here’s a pic (hard to tell in pic, but it’s made of metal and was in rough shape with lots of rust inside & out):
And here’s what the cabinet looked like after some fresh paint and the addition of some of my many tea cups and parfait glasses. (A gal can never have too many of either, right?):
With that done, we moved on to redo the rest of the space. Here’s a pic of what the area looked like when we bought the house. Nice. But kinda dark & not us:
So cut to now, with soft colours and even softer cushions (one pic with light on, one light off):
It’s still a work-in-progress, with framed family photos on the nook wall still to come and some more lighting fixtures in the hall. But already we’re loving the “mood lift” and the beachy feel is just right.
As those who’ve read the Lora Weaver books know, I’m a big believer in keeping things light and fun. Or Blanc, as I like to call it. And now that the space is so inspirational, I just may shuttle out of my office, fill one of my fancy cups with tea, and get back to writing:)
This is the weekend launch of book 2 in the Lora Weaver Mysteries. Here’s the skinny on The Pas de Deux:
Lora Weaver is an ex-New Yorker, an ex-social worker, and could soon be an ex-everything if the identity thief poking a gun into her ribs gets itchy fingers.
On her first undercover case since swapping her social work career for a job at a PI firm, Lora is finding out that there’s more to playing Mata Hari than wardrobe changes. Much more. A fake fiancé, a fake wedding, and a fake name for starters. Never mind the dance lessons. Plus, there are undercover rules. Not that Lora’s good at following rules. But she’d better get good in a hurry because her new gig has her working alongside her ex-cop boss Laurent—a French PI who’s as hard about rules as he is soft on the eyes.
With her live-in boyfriend Adam simmering with jealousy and her best friend Camille dragging her to tea readings, Lora’s new life in Montreal gets complicated. Especially when the identity thief she’s tracking seems to be branching out to murder and Lora may be the next target.
The Pas de Deux is the second romp in the Lora Weaver Mystery series with the same mix of romance, fun, and French zest.
When I started writing the Lora Weaver series, my hubby and son were very supportive. And that support didn’t end when I finished the first book. In fact, hubby got me a card and a gift to celebrate.
I framed the card and still cherish the gift—a necklace he bought in New York, Lora Weaver’s original home (pic below of card & necklace from Eli Halili).
Super sweet of my hubby, right? But I had no idea then that it was the start of a tradition. Cut to me finishing the second Lora Weaver book and getting another card and necklace from hubby—this time the necklace bejewelled with two different stones (fitting for representing book number two).
So I’m thinking if this continues, every time I get a finish-the-next-book gift and share it here, it could be like a groundhog letting you all know the writerly bits are done and the book will be springing out to the world very soon.
The peek at the latest “groundhog” gift is below. And the full blurb for the second Lora Weaver book, The Pas de Deux, is here. Cover and book to follow in a few weeks. Thanks to all who have been patiently waiting. With any luck, the third book won’t take as long—especially if the gifts keep coming;)
Click here for more info on the first fab necklace from New York’s Eli Halili Jewelry & Design.
Maybe it’s just me, but those three words on a DVD jacket make me a tad giddy.
I’m a sucker for behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes, gag reels, and commentaries. On movies, tv shows, really anything I watch. In fact, the single biggest improvement I hope Netflix makes is to start including special features. Which got me thinking that I should start including them here at Blanc too.
One of the perks of being a writer is getting to do research. I mean, not many people get to spend days visiting locations, checking out stores, or browsing the Internet and call it work. But writers do. For me, most of what I do just feeds my process, but sometimes I take reference pics.
For instance, the pic above is of my fab dog who’s the inspiration for Lora’s dog Pong.
And this pic below is from one of Lora’s favourite areas in Montreal—Mont Royal. Also the location of a key scene in The First Faux Pas:
As is this shot of Le Pavillon building (also in the Mont Royal scene):
And this pic was an inspiration for bits of the second book in the Lora Weaver series:
And I’ve got loads more pics. So I’m going to collect them and create a Special Features section on the Books page—one for each book. I’m thinking I’ll start with the pics and maybe grow from there. Not sure what else I’ll add because I don’t want to give away any spoilers for those who haven’t read the books yet. If you’ve got any requests, though, feel free to drop me a note.
Meanwhile, here’s a pic of some chocolat chaud that Lora and Camille would love. And moi aussi. Because chocolate, hot or cold, makes me giddy too;)
