Laura Florand's Blog, page 39

THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH reveal!

Come see the cover for THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH--it's a whole new direction!--and get the first glimpse of what it's about, over on Romantic Times today.

I'm really curious to hear what people think! And I hope you'll be excited to find out who it's about. :)

http://www.rtbookreviews.com/rt-daily...

First glimpse of THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH!!

Come see the cover for THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH–it’s a whole new direction!–and get the first glimpse of what it’s about, over on Romantic Times today.

I’m really curious to hear what people think!  And I hope you’ll be excited to find out who it’s about.

 

Indonesia and Brazil, here we come!

The Chocolate books are going to Indonesia and Brazil! Is that not fun? (That is, they’re going to be translated there.) May I just state for the record that if any publisher wants me to come along with the books, the way my lovely lovely dream publisher in Italy did, I am ENTIRELY GAME.  I will even learn how to say “Chocolate” in Indonesian and Portuguese and everything.

This is so fun. I was just thinking how cool it was that I would now be read on all continents, and then remembered the penguins in Antarctica and thought DARN. They’re going to be a holdout.

CHOCOLATE THIEF giveaway

Mina of Mina’s Bookshelf is offering a copy of THE CHOCOLATE THIEF (the book that started it all!) to one lucky commenter.   Here’s your chance to win a copy of the first book! Or send your friends over there, the ones you’ve been trying to convince they should give it a try. (You have been doing that, haven’t you? Right? Right?)

Please DO feel free to check out her lovely review of THE CHOCOLATE KISS while you’re at it.  Really.  Feel very free.

Here’s some of what she says about THE CHOCOLATE KISS, which just makes my day or week or month: “Remarkable, as usual, Florand’s descriptive narrative and strong sense of space and vivid depiction of the Parisian setting, particularly charming during the winter season. I love the spectacular visuals of the cobblestone sidewalks of the Île-Saint-Louis carpeted with snow, Magalie’s cozy apartment on the seventh floor of a 17th century building, a blurred view of the Eiffel Tower, the yellow-pink of a lazy dawn, la patisserie down a narrow and charming street, a cup of chocolat chaud…I found myself traveling back to my beloved Europe on the pages of a book. Superb!”

Thanks, Mina!

Paris in the Snow

For those of you who like the scenes in the snow in THE CHOCOLATE KISS, you have to go see all the photos of yesterday’s snowfall.

Here’s where we’re talking about some of them on my Facebook page (it’s a public page, you don’t have to be on Facebook), the ones that show scenes from the book.

And here’s a link to the City of Paris’s album of photos.

So pretty.

50 lbs of Dog Food or the Relativity of Weight

Conversation with husband over the phone while at Costco:

Me: “Honey, didn’t we feed the dog cat food last night? Do we need dog food?”

DH: Oh, yes, that would be great. Can you pick some up?

Me: OK, although…all the bags are 50 lbs.

DH: Oh, good, then we won’t have to think about it again for a while.

Me: 50 lbs.

DH: Yeah, I got that…wait…you can’t lift 50 lbs?

Me: It’s not just lifting it! I have to get it under that wiggly cart! And get it back out!

DH: …but it’s only 50 lbs. Is that hard?

[Can I just note for the record that for our entire marriage, I've picked up the pet food maybe a dozen times, because in most stores it weighs 20 or 25 lbs, and therefore DH considers it his responsibility. I think it started when I wrestled a bag one day while pregnant. But none of this is clicking in his brain today. He's stuck on the fact that 50 lbs might seem heavy to someone, how could that possibly be?]

Me: No, it’s not hard. I mean, maybe. I mean…I can do it! I can do it!

DH: Look, just don’t worry about it, I’ll run out later.

Me: NO! I CAN DO THIS!

See, this is one of those spots where the life experience of men and women diverges so sharply. I have to WORK on my upper body strength to handle 50 lbs competently. Most men can be as sedentary as they please and still never think twice about it.

And while my back is killing me today , can we please hear it for the women here who can manipulate a 50-lb dog food bag with no problem? I know you’re out there. And while I dig out my old Jillian work-outs so I can be among your number again, go ahead and give yourself a shout-out.

CHOCOLATE KISS = Recommended Read from Dear Author

So much good news for THE CHOCOLATE KISS these past two weeks.  I’m very flattered and pleased to share that THE CHOCOLATE KISS is a recommended read from Dear Author.  Reviews and reactions have been so generous to this book that the first couple of weeks of its release have been one big WOW for me.  I’m very touched, and want to say a big thank you to all the readers out there who have stuck with me since BLAME IT ON PARIS or who have been willing to pick up a new book from an author new to them and give it a try.  I hope you enjoy it, too!

And if you’re looking for something to warm up a cold winter day but don’t have THE CHOCOLATE KISS with its hot chocolate recipe on hand, I’ve got my very simple easy heart-warming (in more ways than one, I hope!) chocolat chaud recipe over on Romance Cooks.  Enjoy a nice evening with some chocolat chaud!

CHOCOLATE KISS receives RT Seal of Excellence

I’m very honored and thrilled to announce that THE CHOCOLATE KISS has received this month’s Seal of Excellence from RT Magazine.

“Each month the RT editors select one book that is not only compelling, but pushes the boundaries of genre fiction and stands out from all the other books that are reviewed in that issue and on the website.”

Lots of Great News for the Chocolate Books

Lots of flattering things happening for the Chocolate books the past week or so.

Sunita at Dear Author picked THE CHOCOLATE THIEF as one of her best reads for 2012.  And THE CHOCOLATE KISS is a Dear Author Recommended Read for January, but the review isn’t up yet.

Jackie at Romance Novels for Feminists picked THE CHOCOLATE KISS for one of her best reads for 2012.  It’s also a recommended read from Mandi on USA Today.

And Romantic Times picked THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH (that’s the one coming in August) as one of their 13 most anticipated books for 2013.

I am floored.  That is such an avalanche of compliments.  I’m really, really touched.  Thank you to everyone who is reading these books, I’m so glad the stories could bring pleasure to a few people.

Here’s wishing everyone lots of great reading in 2013, and lots of great chocolate…and lots of other great things.   Make it your number!

 

Talking about CHOCOLATE KISS on NBC-17 My Carolina Today

Talking a little bit about THE CHOCOLATE KISS as a guest on My Carolina Today, today.