Laura Florand's Blog, page 12
March 20, 2015
ALL FOR YOU news
Exciting news! In May, I’ll be launching a new series. (Yes, two in one year. I know that I am crazy! I know!)
After considering where I was going with future books, we decided that rather than tacking Célie’s book onto the Amour et Chocolat series, I needed to give these three women their own space and their own series. So while you may have previously seen an excerpt of Célie books under the title Once a Hero as an upcoming Amour et Chocolat book, that was all just to confuse you.
Célie’s story, ALL FOR YOU, will launch the new series PARIS HEARTS. Never fear, it does still take place in Dom Richard’s salon and you’ll get to see him, but the series arc will be the stories of three young women in Paris, trying to make their careers in the male-dominated world of French haute cuisine.
If you are a blogger interested in participating in the cover reveal or in reviewing ALL FOR YOU, please sign up here.
(If you wish to review on Amazon, Goodreads, etc., but don’t have a blog, please sign up here to be in the drawing for possible ARCs.)
I love this story, and am very excited to be launching this new series.
Here’s the blurb:
PARIS HEARTS
RT Magazine calls her works “silky and addictive”, Publishers Weekly says they’re “decadent”, and Library Journal says they’re as “sexy and flirtatious as… poignant and caring”. Now international bestselling author Laura Florand brings you her sexiest, sweetest series to date: Paris Hearts. Three young women trying to make their way in the most romantic city on Earth must learn how to open their hearts to love, passion, and adventure. Book 1, All for You, coming May 5, 2015.
ALL FOR YOU
(Paris Hearts Book 1)
Some crushes aren’t meant to be
When her older brother’s best friend left to join the Foreign Legion, eighteen-year-old Célie moved on to make a life for herself as a Paris chocolatier. Now, five years later, the last thing she needs is another man to mess up her happiness.
Let alone the same man.
But five years in the Foreign Legion is a long time for a man to grow up, and a long time to be away from the woman he loves.
Especially when he did it all for her.
Half strangers, more than friends, and maybe, if Joss Castel has his way, a second chance…
Coming May 2015! Sign up here to be emailed as soon as it’s released.
Click here to add it on Goodreads.
March 19, 2015
Friday Book Club! What do you recommend?
I’m starting Friday Book Club early because I need book recs! After a lovely re-read of Laura Kinsale’s Flowers from the Storm for our class (and before that, several Terry Pratchett books), I then got bogged down in not one but three different books that everyone else raved about and that just didn’t do it for me. (When this happens, I always start to feel like E.T.–alien and odd on some strange planet.)
Maybe I need a good non-fiction book again. But I’m really hankering for a great fantasy like Martha Wells writes, or Lois Bujold, or Ilona Andrews, only I’ve read all theirs and they don’t write fast enough! Maybe it’s time for some more re-reads–my weekend with Pratchett and Kinsale was lovely.
What are you reading? Any recommendations for me or everyone else? Anything you’re looking forward to?
Happy Weekend! (Sure, a little early–why not? Let’s pretend it’s Friday already!)
March 13, 2015
Friday Book Club: Granny Weatherwax
This Friday Book Club is in honor of Terry Pratchett. I think I will curl up with Granny Weatherwax all weekend, because every woman needs a healthy dose of Granny Weatherwax in her life from time to time. I first tried to read Terry Pratchett when I was a teenager, and Granny did not work at all for me–she was the antithesis of the heroine I wanted to read about. Later I read Good Omens, which Terry Pratchett wrote with Neil Gaiman, and could not stop laughing the whole way through. Then I read Small Gods, and then I was hooked and tried the Granny Weatherwax novels again, and, with a tiny bit more wisdom in me than when I was a teenager, I realized what a priceless character Granny Weatherwax was. I do very strongly recommend her if you haven’t tried.
How many of you have read Pratchett? His wit and what I can only describe as intellectual grace will be very much missed.
In other books, this Monday author Jessica Scott will be joining us for the Unsuitable series, which we will do for the first time as a book club experience–discussing alpha masculinity in romance novels and both Jessica’s book ALL FOR YOU and a much-loved favorite of hers and mine, Laura Kinsale’s FLOWERS FROM THE STORM. So I was re-reading those earlier this week. (That event will start at 4:45 Monday, any of you in the area who want to join us.)
And, in case you missed it, Nalini Singh’s ROCK HARD is out! I had the pleasure of reading that a couple of weeks early, and it is so sweet and sexy and fun. I definitely recommend it.
What about you? What are you reading? Anything you’re looking forward to? Anything you recommend?
March 6, 2015
Friday Book Club: What are you reading?
I had the most wonderful evening with a book club last night! I love hanging out with smart, amazing women. And they brought chocolates (from Miel Bon Bons Fine Chocolate & Artisan Bake Shop ) AND I got to give away my very first set of Chocolate Vice mugs, so all in all…how much better an evening can you get? smile emoticon
What is going on with our Friday Book Club? What are you reading this week? Anything you recommend? Anything you’re looking forward to?
I am editing Célie’s book and working hard on the next two, so this week I haven’t been reading much. I’ll have to figure out what to curl up with this weekend. How about you?
March 2, 2015
Hot Chocolate Cups Go To…
I see there is a great love of hot chocolate cups here. 
(You know, those cups that some people use for coffee, but not me!)
I ended up drawing 6 names instead of 2, just because 2 seemed kind of inadequate to the interest. 3 from the email list and 3 from here on FB.
Never fear! I have a limited edition run of these. They are for book clubs and for YOU, so I will give away another every week or so until we run out.
Some people asked if I would sell them. Honestly, it’s too much hassle. This is just something I wanted to do for fun because what is a better symbol of curling up with the pleasures of life than a cup of hot chocolate…maybe under a cozy throw by the fire with a good book?
It seemed a little way to spread some happiness around! I hope so!
So today we have Carmin, Susan, and Gloria from the email list (emails sent) and Chris D., Amy D (of the macarons! do you think she draws luck on herself from all that goodness she makes?), and Lynn L, and Michele A, from Facebook and the blog.
(I know, that makes 7. The thing is, since I believe Lynn was the one who suggested the quote in the first place, I was going to send her one anyway as a thanks, so I drew another. I cannot find the old post where people were brainstorming quotes, now, though, so let me know if you think you were the one to mention it! My mind is a sieve these days.)
Happy chocolate drinking! I’ll draw another name next week to keep the chocolate cheer coming against the snow!
February 28, 2015
A Cup of Hot Chocolate
Look what’s finally here! The hot chocolate cups! Just in time for spring probably, sigh. (Okay, so we get a little swamped over here and not everything gets done. But all this snow was motivating, hot chocolate wise.)
Who wants one? With a little bit of Valrhona nestled inside so that you can make your own cup of hot chocolate to get through this long winter–or maybe, who knows, celebrate the start of spring? (Any sign of spring yet where you live?)
I’ll pick one name from Facebook and one from my new releases email list, so you can enter both places. (Sign up for email list here.)
The Chocolate Rose in Indonesia
The Chocolate Rose goes to Indonesia! I love this “old stamp” look that Bentang Pustaka is doing with the latest books in this series. It makes me want to pack up a trunk and catch an ocean liner to far-off places. How about you?
February 27, 2015
Friday Book Club! What are you reading?
Friday Book Club! What are you all reading this week? I have had a great reading week–first of all, I got to read Nalini Singh’s Rock Hard early, and it was such a great, sexy, comforting read. The heroine calls the hero Mr. Tall, Dark & Carnivorous. I love it! And just wait until you get to the prenup.
I also tried Rose Lerner’s True Pretenses, which I really loved. Very unique, rich characterizations.
Friend Elyssa Patrick ‘s Try With Me came out this past week, and it’s her most moving work in this series to date–but still with her characteristic sweet sexiness.
(Speaking of friends, friend and colleague Katharine Ashe has her latest in her Prince Catcher series out this week–I Loved a Rogue. A Desert Island Keeper for All About Romance!)
And Courtney Milan is coming for our Unsuitable series at Duke this Monday (5pm! open to the public!), so this weekend I’m going to be re-reading her Suffragette Scandal to have it fresh in my mind for the talk.
So…clearly I’ve been on a reading spree. Did I mention we’ve been snowbound here? With the power out for most of yesterday? Best thing to do between playing in the snow was to cuddle under a throw by the fire and read.
What about you? What are you reading? Anything you recommend? Anything you’re looking forward to?
February 21, 2015
February 20, 2015
Friday Book Club! I’m reading Virginia Kantra, Thea Harrison, & Stephen King–you?
Friday Book Club! What are you reading?
I’m re-reading Virginia Kantra’s CAROLINA MAN to have it fresh in my mind for next week’s UNSUITABLE talk (Wedn Feb 25, 5 pm!). It is just so profoundly good and well-written that it relaxes all the tension in my neck just to read it–I just love the characters and how beautifully crafted the story is.
AND I HAD SUCH A SPECIAL TREAT THIS WEEK! Thea Harrison sent me an advanced copy of her May release, MIDNIGHT’S KISS! I love her writing so much! This one was another wonderful book, but if you haven’t read her before, I recommend starting right at the beginning (Dragon Unbound). She writes paranormal. (Nalini Singh recommends her highly, Nalini Singh fans here!)
Oh, and I picked up Stephen King’s ON WRITING. Great book. He’s such a superb writer, and it’s fun to see how much I agree with and the couple of things so far that I disagree with. (I’m going to write a post on adverbs one day, I swear. They have their place and power!) In any case, as he says, writing is a lifelong apprenticeship, and any writer could definitely learn a few things from him!
What about you? What are you reading? Anything you recommend? Anything you’re looking forward to?
