Portals to New Worlds: Book Blast, Giveaway & Interview: Promises to Keep by @patricia

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Title: Promises To Keep
Series: Love In Provence # 2
Author: Patricia Sands
Audience: Adult
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Formats: E- Book
Pages: 200 pages
ISBN: 978-0-9919313-3-0
Date Published: September 2014

Falling in love with the south of France was no surprise to Katherine. Choosing to walk away from her past and start over was completely unexpected. A new country, a new lover, and the promise of a bright future beginning in mid-life … who knew?
Now there were the exciting dreams of restoring the property on the Cap, of beginning a new career, of experiencing the traditions of Christmas in Provence, of falling even more deeply in love with the man who inspired these hopes.
It was all so perfect, until it wasn’t.
She had embraced new possibilities in life and given her heart only to discover something was being kept from her. Something terrible from her lover’s past. Something that could destroy everything.
What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, had become her mantra. Would it be enough?

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In the walled courtyard where he had parked, Philippe held the car door open for her. It was a courtesy that seemed to be second nature to him, and Kat appreciated it every time. Then he went to unlock the gate. On his way back to the car, he paused and plucked a folded paper from behind the wiper on the driver’s side. His jaw tightened and he quickly looked around the courtyard. He scrunched the paper and shoved it into the pocket of his jeans before sliding heavily into his seat. Kat had never seen him angry before.
“What was that?” she asked.
“Rien du tout. Nothing, nothing at all,” he answered abruptly.
Putting her hand on his arm, Katherine repeated her question. “I saw the look on your face. It looked like it was something, not nothing.”
Philippe exhaled loudly before he covered her hand with his and lifted it to his lips. “Sorry, Minou. It’s nothing to worry about, and I’m sorry I spoke so sharply.”
“But –”
He squeezed her hand, but he looked pained and his voice had an unfamiliar edge to it. “Seriously, we don’t need to talk about it. It’s just some business from a long time ago that I thought was finished …”
A hush hung in the air. Then Philippe started the engine and they drove off.
Torn between wanting to know what was bothering him but not wanting to push, Katherine stayed quiet as Philippe navigated the town’s narrow streets and drove them into the countryside.
She had learned years earlier, after being scolded and humiliated by James, that she needed to stay out of some matters. Her throat tightened at the memory. His verbal attacks had felt physical, like a kick in the stomach, and completely foreign to her. She had not experienced or witnessed anything like it before she married him. It had crushed her.
Now she struggled to banish those painful memories. She looked straight ahead, taking some deep breaths but saying nothing, until she knew exactly what it was she wanted to say.
She turned to Philippe and touched his cheek lightly. “You know I’m here if you want to talk about it.”
He nodded, staring intently at the road. “Frankly, I hope we never have to talk about it. It’s something that should not be part of our life together. I’m sorry you saw this.”
After a moment, he glanced at her and tried to smile. “I will make it go away, I promise.”

Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?

Karen, I’m certain I am much older than most of the authors you interview. I began writing The Bridge Club after I turned sixty just for my real-life bridge club, eight women who have been friends for over forty years. I was encouraged to publish the novel and, after looking into the process, decided to self-publish. I’ve been many things in my past life, including an educator, but I know I will be a writer for the rest of my life. It’s exciting to begin a new career at this stage of life and I am often asked to speak to women’s groups about that now.

When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?

The day I held the hard copy of my first novel, The Bridge Club, in my hands.

How long did it take to get your first book published?

Since I was not thinking “publish” when I began and then had a lot to learn, The Bridge Club evolved over a few years.

Do you do another job except for writing and can you tell us more about it?

Writing is a full-time job for me.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words what would you say?

I have just published my third novel, Promises To Keep, and it is Book Two in the Love in Provence series that began with The Promise of Provence. I received so many emails from readers asking for more of that story, that I turned it into a series. There are six books planned.

In less than twenty words … In mid-life, Katherine’s adventure and rediscovery of love in the south of France continues to unfold with unexpected twists.

Who is your publisher? Or do you self-publish?

I am proud to be an indie author and belong to a number of excellent writing groups that share information and promote each other. There are many viable options available to writers these days that do not involve traditional publishers. In fact, many trad-published authors are switching to the indie world.

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?

That’s hard to say as it depends on the length of the story. I found I wrote Promises To Keep faster (one year) than The Promise of Provence (two years) because it is a continuation of the story and the foundation was already there.

What can we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?

For the next while, I will be writing the same women’s fiction as I complete the Love In Provence series.

What genre would you place your books into?

My books are categorized in the womens/romance/travel fiction genres.

What made you decide to write that genre of book?

I think it is important to share women’s stories. I like to write narrative to which women of all ages can relate and I also encourage my readers to embrace change as we get older and to continue to take on new challenges and adventures. I travel a great deal and spend a lot of time in the south of France … really my heart lives there. Location is like a character to me and it plays a large part in my novels. My readers, in general, also love stories set in the south of France and enjoy all the details I include.

Do you have a favorite character from your books? And why are they your favorite?

I have to say a new character who appears in Promises To Keep is my current favourite. Her name is Simone and she is a sprightly 95 years old. Seventy-five years ago she was an undercover agent in the French Resistance and more recently has helped the French National Police accomplish a major drug bust.

How long have you been writing and who or what inspired you to write?

I have been writing for eight years.

Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?

I write every day and often for most of the day because of the demands of social media, maintaining a blog and website and responding to requests for guest posts. It’s really a full-time job.

Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?

I pop in to the sales sites (Amazon, iTunes, etc) from time to time to see what readers are saying. Personally, I hear from readers regularly through emails and those are the most important “reviews” for me. Over 1,100 readers subscribe to my monthly newsletter and that is the support I find most inspiring.

Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?

The title usually evolves as the story is written. For Promises To Keep, I offered a choice of four titles to the newsletter subscribers and they voted. That was a lot of fun and I will probably do it again.

How do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?

Most of the places are real and I often use the names of friends for characters (with their permission, of course)

Which format of book do you prefer, eBook, hardback, or paperback?

I prefer paperback when I am reading print. However, I truly have become a convert to eBooks and read 99% on my iPad or my iPhone. (I’m a little embarrassed to admit the latter but it’s just too convenient at times!)

What is your favorite book and Why? Have you read it more than once?

I have too many to list!

Your favorite food is?

Sushi

Your favorite singer/group is?

Too many to list! I love all sorts of music and often listen to it while I write.

Your favorite color is?

Turquoise

Your favorite Author is?

I read a wide variety of genres so there are too many great writers I enjoy. I couldn’t begin to choose just one.

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Patricia Sands lives in Toronto, Canada, when she isn’t somewhere else. An admitted travel fanatic, she can pack a bag in a flash and be ready to go anywhere … particularly the south of France. With a focus on travel, women’s issues and ageing, her stories celebrate the feminine spirit and the power of friendship. Encouraging women of all ages to stare down the fear factor and embrace change, Patricia has heard from readers (men too!) ages 20 to 83.
Her award-winning debut novel The Bridge Club was published in 2010 and her second novel, The Promise of Provence recently received a 2014 National Indie Excellence Finalist Award in Literary Fiction. An Amazon Hot New Release in April 2013, The Promise of Provence was also a USA Best Book 2013 Finalist ~ Women’s Fiction. Patricia returned to France in September 2013 for a book signing, hosted by Heidi’s English Bookshop in Antibes. While there, she also spent a month researching her next novel, Promises To Keep, released September, 2014.
Thanks to reader requests, these two most recent novels set in the south of France are now the beginning of the Love In Provence series. There are six novels planned.
In June 2014, Patricia led two 10-day tours of the French Riviera and the countryside of Provence. These trips were based on The Promise of Provence, with the Women’s Travel Network. Let her know if you would like to go next summer! She is already counting the days to the next tour which is scheduled from June 22 to July 4, 2015.
Find out more at Patricia’s Facebook Author Page, Amazon Author Page, Goodreads or her blog where you will find links to her books, social media, and monthly newsletter. The latter, sent once a month, contains special giveaways as well as her photography and information about the south of France, her home away from home. She would love to hear from you!