Pichets in Paris Publishing is now live!

Pichets in Paris has opened for business. Her publishing company is now live.

Her first publication will be Book One of a Paranormal Romance, Under the Tuscan Moon, set in Medieval Tuscany. Watch this space for links!

In the works:

• Books Two and Three of the classical Paranormal Romance series
• A non-fiction How to Write Flash Fiction, including several flash fiction stories
• A romance series of short stories, set in Italy and Paris

Love Locked in Paris - a fictional romantic story using the bridge locks in Paris by moi.

It's time for RomanticFridayWriters,. We are a group of writers who post to a theme every second Friday. The stories are generally romantic, but not necessarily 'romance' with a HEA ending. If you're a writer of prose or poetry you are welcome to join up. Visit our dedicated site and read the Submission Guidelines.

I recently posted pictures of a stroll along the Left Bank on this site, and promised a romantic story using the locks. That's one of the reasons I'm posting on my Pichets in Paris blog this challenge. And the reason I've gone all out with my photos...hope you like this Special Edition.

 

Love Locked in Paris

The  most romantic day of my life – Notre Dame's aged bricks and soaring buttresses kissed by sunset – the lock-filled  bridge to the Left Bank – lovers sharing wine.

My candy pink dress with its French Poodle embroidery flared around my knees. Pink satin 4-inch heels complemented my black net stockings. A tiny posy of white roses felt just right.

Mitch, devastatingly handsome in his black suit kissed the ring on my finger – could things get any better?

‘Let’s do it!’ he said.

We walked to our chosen spot midway across the bridge. Mitch reached into his pocket and flipped the copper in his hands.

‘I had it engraved.’

I wrapped my arms around his waist and read – ' Capt'nFlynn, Mastarata  25-June-10’.

'You used our special names!'

We looped the lock over the wire and clicked it shut. A passing tourist took our photo.

‘Let’s come back every year,’ I said.

‘I can’t think of any better way to celebrate our love.’ 

☁☁☁

Tragic how the skies were smudgy today, not brilliant like two years ago.

Tragic that my emotions were so raw.

Finally, I found it - bright and shiny in the gloom.

Ironic.

I attached the tiny plastic envelope.

I sobbed for our fractured love.

Darling Mitch

I could have trusted you instead of showering you with jealousy.

I could have travelled with you instead of putting my job first.

I could have forgiven you for your indiscretion instead of throwing you out without listening to you.

Your Dearest Polly

I strolled along the Seine, then ordered mussels in garlic cream sauce at our favourite restaurant in the Latin Quarter.

The 17^th Century hotel was not at all romantic without Mitch. Climbing the winding stairs was just a chore.

The door opened before I could turn the key.

‘Mitch! What - ?’

‘Same as you I imagine.’

‘But –‘.

‘I read your letter.’

‘Then you  -‘.

'I saw our photo album.'

'I needed reminding.'

‘I’m sorry sweetheart. It wasn’t you who needed reminding  – it was me. I’ll do better. Will you take me back? I'm so sorry. I love you..’

I twined my arms around his neck and soaked his shirt with my tears.

‘I love you Mitch. I don’t want a life without you.’

His arms felt so right, around me where they belonged – how could it be any better?

©DeniseCovey2012


WORDS: 393
FULL CRITIQUE ACCEPTABLE

If you enjoyed my story and would like to read more, click on the names on the linky below...

It's time for our challenge, Three Things You Could Have Done Better. 

This is a prompt to challenge you to write of feelings, emotions, reconciliation, acceptance... Are you going to write a letter to your love? Or do you think you should visit someone, explain yourself.

The prompt suggests First Person POV, but it's up to you.

Check out the Challenges Page for more suggestions.

If you haven't posted before, check out the Submissions page.

GUIDELINES: 400 words of prose or poetry. Must contain a romantic element, small or significent.

The Linky will close July 30 at 1am AEST. (AUST is about 16 hours ahead of the US).

HOW DO I LINK TO RFW?

• WRITE your story or poem
• POST it on your blog between Thursday and Sunday
• COPY the direct code 
• LINK UP with your direct code in the Linky at the RFW site
• LEAVE a comment after posting
• READ as many entries as you can. leaving a comment. Consider following their blog if you like what you see.
   

Can't wait to read your story/poem.

Any problems linking? Just missed the deadline? Email Denise at den.covey@gmail.com

 

 

1.	Rahul Miglani (Desire v/s Destiny)	6.	Roland Yeomans	11.	radwa pony
2.	Anna of Annas Adornments	7.	Heather Murphy	12.	Linda Katmarian
3.	Francine Howarth	8.	Adura	13.	Andy
4.	Donna Hole	9.	SALLY
5.	Denise Covey	10.	Madeleine

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

A Stroll Around the Left Bank

It's amazing how alive Paris is. A walk around Paris at an time of day in any season, will leave you richer for the experience. Last visit we stayed at this gorgeous 17th Century hotel right on the Seine, opposite Notre Dame. We didn't have to walk far to be immersed into Parisian life. Have a stroll with me...

Right opposite our hotel were the Left Bank artists and booksellers. Great for browsing.

Always confronting to see the homeless in any city, and in Paris it's no different.

Love these little water fountains. Water for all.

There's always something happening on the bridges. Check out the locks in the background.

Don't you love these symbols of eternal love? I'm off to write a story about them...

Hope you enjoyed your stroll through Paris. Call again...

Visit Aix-en-Provence through Peter's Paris

Well, I'm sitting under leafy trees in Aix-en-Provence, amazed by translucent light, enjoying a coffee and baguette - in my dreams. I'm in Brisbane enjoying a lovely autumn day, dreaming of my next trip to Paris, that would be after my July/August trip to Fiji!

I'm sorry I don't have time to post my own pictures this week, but if you've dropped by I direct you to Peter's Paris, a wonderful blog I follow. Peter has moved to Paris now that he's retired, the lucky man, and posts wonderful pictures and text on many aspects of Paris/French life. I always find time to drop by.

Here is the link:

Now wouldn't I love to be in this picture? Yes!

http://www.peter-pho2.com/2012/05/aix-en-provence.html

Enjoy!

If you don't already have Peter on your list, follow him and vicariously enjoy Paris/France...

But I did travel to Paris vicariously yesterday. Went to the French Corner, a wonderful French decorator shop and chose matching table lamps for my French chic bedroom. The one on the far right.

As you can see the shop is crammed with goodies. I got bigger crystals on my lamp. 

Let's go to Mont St Michel on Tour de France day! First Aussie win!

The sun sets over Mont St Michel

On our last visit to France we got very lucky. We'd planned to stay in Mont St Michel overnight and were delighted to get an email from our hotel advising us that our booking coincided with the Tour de France. They actually thought we'd be upset as some roads would be closed and your could only walk to the Mont on this day. Well, as our hotel was about half a kilometre from the Mont I didn't see a problem. We were delighted! And this was the year when the Aussie, Cadel Evans, took the gong! It was a pretty awesome day, swinging between trippin' up the Mont and cheering on the cyclists.

First view of the Mont in the distance is pretty spectacular

Getting closer is exciting

Let's hurry back! The Tour de France riders are approaching and my husband (recently returned from our visit to Morocco is so excited I thought the gendarmes would arrest us as suspicious characters. But they took no notice...) 

First sighting! Is Cadel Evans (the Aussie winner for 2011) in the lead?

Man, here they all are already! These guys mean business. The palindrome or whatever they call it.

Took a lot of gendarmes to keep us in order. 

I had to escape to the cloisers of Mont St Michel to recover from all the excitement.

Hope you enjoyed your visit to Mont ST Michel on July 7, 2011. Go Aussie!

Driving through the Dordogne, France, and the stunning Rocamadour

On our last trip to France, we managed to find the time to spend a few days in the Dordogne. What a beautiful area in France's South-West, foie gras country.

Gorgeous bridges spanning gorgeous rivers

Gorgeous, peaceful canals to pause and reflect

Another bend in the river

We arrived in the beautiful medieval town of Sarlat, our base for our stay, to find the town in holiday mode.

Meandering the medieval streets half the night was such fun

Rocamadour was one of the most gobsmacking sites - a town built into a cliff. We were just 2 of the million people who visited in 2011.

Wasn't it wonderful to be walking these medieval cliff streets and feasting on foie gras.

View from the top of Rocamadour

The church is really built into the top of the mountain. Wow!

Just thought this grotto was so beautiful, right at the top near the church

Maybe I could realise my dream of owning my own restaurant. A Vendre (For Sale) down the old stone streets in Rocamadour

I hope you enjoyed your trip to the Dordogne and Rocomadour

Come back soon!

Free Easter reading if you like chick lit!

A delightful author I follow at Chocolate for Writers, Juliette Sobanet, is offering the kindle edition of her very excellent novel, Sleeping With Paris, free over Easter. I love this book (ah, pa! I had to pay for it!) but I thought I'd let you know it can be yours gratis!

Amazon synopsis:


Sleeping with Paris won first place in the Women’s Fiction category of the 2010 Washington Romance Writers Marlene Awards and was a finalist in the 2010 Valley Forge Romance Writers Sheila Contest.


Charlotte Summers is a sassy, young French teacher who is two days away from moving to Paris with the love of her life and from fulfilling her dream of studying at the prestigious Sorbonne University in France. But when she discovers her fiancé’s online dating profile and has a little chat with the busty red-head he’s been sleeping with on the side, she gives up on committed relationships altogether and decides to navigate Paris on her own.


Determined to stop other women from finding themselves in her shoes, Charlotte creates an anonymous blog on how to date like a man in the City of Love—that is, how to jump from bed to bed without ever falling in love. But, with a slew of Parisian men beating down her door, a hot new neighbor who feeds her chocolate in bed, and an appearance by her sleazy ex-fiancé, she isn’t so sure she can keep her promise to remain commitment-free. 


And, when Charlotte agrees to write an article for a popular women’s magazine about her Parisian dating adventures—or disasters, rather—will she risk losing the one man who’s swept her off her feet and her dream job in one fell swoop?