For What It's Worth


Friday, December 11, 2015

Guest Post & Giveaway: Laura Florand - Five Favorite Things to Do in Paris



 
It’s my 6 year Blogoversary on December 15th and I’ve asked 6 of my favorite authors to stop by this month and share 5 book-ish things.

In case you missed it - the first author guest post was 5 TV Shows I've Binge-Watched While Writing Amy Jo Cousins



Today’s guest is Laura Florand, author of the Amour et Chocolat and La Vie en Roses series. I don’t think I can adequately express how much her books mean to me. They transport me to faraway places and allow me to fall in love again and again. No one is allowed to bother me when I have a Luara Florand book to read!

Her writing is simply gorgeous and as a blogger, I've always found her to be a wonderful, generous and professional author to work with.

I’m so happy to have Laura at the blog today talking about her favorite 5 things to do while in Paris –a place near and dear to her heart and the backdrop of several of her books.

I also loved these two powerful blog posts about Paris written by Laura about Paris. here & here



Five Favorite Things to Do in Paris
1. Start down a street in a quarter you like and turn the wrong way.
Don’t try to find yourself for a while. You can always pull out your GPS later. Or maybe even speak to a stranger to ask for directions.

2. Go into the most beautiful pastry shop you see and pick out the most beautiful dessert in the window or the one with the most unusual flavors.


IMG_1429

Then eat it. And enjoy every bite.

3. Rent inline skates or a push scooter and go skating along the Seine after dark.
Start at Notre-Dame and go all the way to the Trocadéro. Start on the Left Bank and switch to the right around, perhaps, the Pont Neuf or the Louvre. Stop at Trocadéro, on the esplanade above the fountains, and wait for the change of the next hour, when the Eiffel Tower starts to glitter. It’s the perfect viewing spot.

4. Pick a quarter of Paris that no one ever talks about, that doesn’t hold a single one of your top 10 monuments and museums to see.

Then go explore it.

5. Go to the Louvre and try to avoid the crowds.
Really. Wherever most people are going, go the opposite way. Make it a game to go toward the emptiest places. See where you end up.

6. Have some chocolate!
IMG_1425

Okay, that’s more than five things, but really…you should.


About Laura Florand

Laura Florand burst on the contemporary romance scene in 2012 with her award-winning Amour et Chocolat series. Since then, her books have appeared in ten languages, been named among the Best Books of the Year by Library Journal, RT Book Reviews, and Barnes & Noble, received the RT Seal of Excellence and starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist, and been recommended by NPR, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. In 2015, NPR gave her the enormous honor of naming her Chocolate Kiss to its list of the Top 100 Romances of all time.

After a Fulbright year in Tahiti and backpacking everywhere from New Zealand to Greece, and several years living in Madrid and Paris, Laura now teaches Romance Studies at Duke University. Contrary to popular opinion, this means she primarily teaches French language and culture and does a great deal of research on French gastronomy, particularly chocolate. For more information, please see her Website | Facebook | Twitter


WishUponJasmine_323x500Ruthless.
That was what they said about Damien Rosier. Handsome. Wealthy. Powerful. Merciless. No one messed with his family, because to do so they would have to get through him. No one thought he had a heart. Not even the woman he gave his to.

Cynical.
That was what they said about Jasmin Bianchi. A top perfumer of her generation, Jess had achieved  commercial success by growing a protective shell over a tender heart. The one time she cracked it open to let Damien in, he crushed it—after a night of unbelievable passion.

Lovers.
That one magical night couldn’t survive the harsh light of dawn. When Jess woke up to discover the man in bed beside her had stolen her company, she fled.

Enemies.
Now she’s come to the south of France with a threat to his family heritage. If he wants to reclaim both it and the woman who walked away from him, he’s going to have to fight as dirty as only Damien can.

But Jess knows how to fight dirty, too. And these days, she has nothing left to lose.
Certainly not her heart. ~ Goodreads


Giveaway!


To celebrate my 6 year Blogoversary - I'm giving away a bag of goodies. Just enter below or on any of the 6 author guest post throughout the month of December. (It will be the same rafflecopter form so you only need to enter once)

Sorry US only - I do have an international book giveaway going on right now - link in sidebar!

Gift bag includes a journal, bookmarks, magnets, sticker, pin and one mug of your choice ($15 value) from Bookworm Boutique







27 comments:

  1. So is it the right date now ;)
    Hihi.

    Anyway, Paris, would love to go, would love to eat there

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Reading one of her books is a pretty good substitute if you can't visit in person :-)

      Delete
  2. Isn't it wonderful when you come across a book that transports you to a different time/place. One of the great joys of reading for me, I can't understand people who aren't moved by books.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As much as I love reading there are few books/authors that transport me to other places like Florand does. I absolutely love her writing.

      Delete
  3. When in Paris... whenever that is for me.

    Happy 6th! Gosh that's quite the achievement, glad I met you and I hope you wont quit soon!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If I didn't bail this past year then I think I'm here to stay!

      Delete
  4. It would be so easy to get myself lost anywhere... I don't even have to intentionally do it! :) Also, have chocolate is my favorite request on this list. :D

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow 6 years! That's amazing! <3 Congratulations. I hope I can reach 6 years one day, too!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Skating along the Seine, that sounds amazing1

    ReplyDelete
  7. I would love to visit Paris someday. I love all these ideas, especially the one about going the opposite of the crowds in the Louvre and stopping at a bakery to grab something fun to eat!

    -Lauren

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can't go wrong with pastry in my opinion lol And I always love going to the non tourist spots when I travel.

      Delete
  8. *throws confetti* Happy Blogoversary..six years is awesome. I would love to visit Paris!

    ReplyDelete
  9. The idea of getting lost in Paris and finding a wonderful bakery. Happy Blogversary!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Happy Blogoversary! Paris sounds like fun with the food & history.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks. I would love to go to Paris one day.

      Delete
  11. Laura Florand is absolutely amazing. Not only is her writing beautiful but I love how friendly and accessible she is to her fans.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Laura Florands books sound great ♡ and so does Paris! Thank you
    Happy Blogoversary!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Shannon O'Shea SchmiegDecember 13, 2015 at 4:29 PM

    I adore Laura's novels! Happy 6th to you. Keep on blogging. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh I loved wandering around Paris years ago and the dessert shops. Oh my word. Amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  15. 6. is the most important part, it needs to be mentioned ;)

    ReplyDelete
  16. wow, 6 years is awesome (come to think of it, my next will also be 6!), congrats and too many more reviews! and thanks for the fun giveaway

    ReplyDelete
  17. awesome advice by Laura. great author I have featured in some virtual book tours. and I'm French, so I can tell you she' s right!

    ReplyDelete