Annette Charlton's interview of Patricia Sands, A Favourite France Author

Annette assures you that, if you don't already love Patricia's novels or haven't yet toured with my lovely dynamo of a friend, you're going to love getting to know her in this meet-the-author post.

Patricia Sands - A Favourite France Author

Patricia lives two hours north of Toronto, but her heart's other home is the South of France where she spends part of each year on the Côte d'Azur. Patricia’s work has been described as “Celebrating the rewarding friendships and bonds women share, [with] stories that examine the challenges life often throws in our paths. Location features prominently in all of her novels. Her philosophy is that it's never too late to begin something new, to seize each day and be a possibilitarian! As the saying goes, just do it!” (Amazon bio)

Found in good bookstores, on Amazon and other online book outlets are Patricia's books: The Bridge Club, Love in Provence Series, Drawing Lessons, Les Villa des Violettes Series and The Secrets We Hide. Now let's meet the gorgeous Patricia Sands…

Going back to the beginning of it all and the start of your writing career, what inspired you to write ‘The Bridge Club’?

I began writing by accident! I began writing The Bridge Club just for my real-life bridge group. Ten women who have been friends since we were in our late teens/early twenties. And still are friends, I might add.

My husband had recently retired and sadly some health issues had become a problem and we were home a lot. I had time on my hands and began the book. It was really only after the women’s encouragement to publish it because they said I was “telling women’s stories that their book club’s would want to read”. I began taking writing courses and workshops and became seriously involved with the craft of writing.

After ‘The Bridge Club’, you transported us all to Provence with your ‘Love in Provence’ book series. This includes three novels that centre around Katherine and her bold move to Provence, her newfound love Philippe, and the test of where her heart calls home. Had you travelled to Provence often before writing this series? And if so, how did you narrow down what towns and locations to include in your books?

Yes, since 1998, my husband and I had been spending extended times in the south of France, mainly through home exchange or rentals. Once I realized I wanted to write another novel after The Bridge Club was published, I knew I would set it in the south of France.

I was intimately knowledgeable about the Côte d’Azur and Provence by then. Antibes stole my heart during my first visit there and we returned often.

Readers who wrote me about The Bridge Club mentioned they loved seeing main characters who were mature and not just 30-somethings. So the lives of women over fifty became my focus. My love affair with that part of the world actually began in 1967 when I backpacked with friends after university. It has only grown stronger every year since then...

continue reading Patricia Sands – A Favourite France Author, by Annette Charlton, on A French Collection website.

About A French Collection, A French travel & lifestyle blog about life in France, travelling and events in France, delicious French recipes and book and film reviews. We also share our everyday experiences of living in a tiny farming village in Brittany.  Bonjour et Bienvenue!

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