Photo of me and Jean-Marc in 1991. Today, enjoy an extended sound file in French as Jean-Marc summarizes our story. Now that our vineyard memoir is written, we have arrived at a critical step: finding an agent and then a publisher for the hardcopy edition. Your help is vital! Please study the following synopsis in English and in French, and help answer the questions that follow.
Today’s Word: féerique
-magical, stellar, enchanting, fairy tale
The Lost Gardens is the story of a man who pursues his dream of making the ultimate Bandol wine. After experiencing the harvest at his uncle’s vineyard in the world-renowned Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Jean-Marc Espinasse makes a life-changing decision. He quits his job as an accountant in the cosmopolitan city of Marseille, and moves his young family, including his American wife, to an isolated domaine in the windy, inhospitable Rhone Valley. There begins an unbridled pursuit of his wine fantasy, which takes him on a whirlwind of bipolar ups and downs.
In a take-turns husband/wife narrative, Jean-Marc chronicles his battle with a longtime mood disorder, aggravated by a mysterious family tragedy, and his painful struggle as he comes up against a never-ending string of obstacles at the vineyard–from a near-death accident in his wine cellar, and again on his tractor, to the ultimate threat of a lawsuit which leads to his final breakdown and loss of the winery. In her chapters, Kristi shares her determination to stay sober on two consecutive vineyards, her own struggles with anxiety, and her escape into blogging and gardening. Throughout the story, she considers the mystery of love as she analyses her difficult relationship with her soulmate, from its fairytale beginning in the South of France to a total breakdown of the heart when the love is lost, somewhere among the wine and the vines.
With the vineyard and gardens slipping away, the couple has nowhere to turn but to each other. Through the storm there emerges a story of faith, hope, and love, and what it means to stay committed in the darkest moments.
Audio recording: Click here to listen to the book synopsis in French
The Lost Gardens est l'histoire d'un homme qui poursuit son rêve d'élaborer le nec plus ultra des vins de Bandol. Après une vendange chez son oncle, dans le célèbre vignoble de Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Jean-Marc Espinasse a une révélation. Il quitte son emploi de comptable dans la ville cosmopolite de Marseille et installe sa jeune famille, y compris sa femme américaine, dans un domaine isolé de la Vallée du Rhône, venteuse et inhospitalière. C'est là que commence la poursuite effrénée de son rêve de vigneron, qui l'entraîne dans un tourbillon de hauts et de bas bipolaires.
Dans un récit à tour de rôle, Jean-Marc raconte son combat contre ses troubles de l'humeur de longue date, aggravés par une mystérieuse tragédie familiale, et sa lutte douloureuse contre une série interminable d'obstacles au vignoble – d'un accident qui frôle la mort dans son chai, et un autre sur son tracteur ou la menace ultime d'un procès qui le mène à sa dépression finale et à la perte du vignoble. Dans ses chapitres, Kristi parle de sa détermination à rester sobre dans deux vignobles consécutifs, de ses propres luttes contre l'anxiété et de son mode d'évasion dans le blogging et le jardinage. Tout au long de l'histoire, elle se penche sur le mystère de l'amour en analysant la relation difficile qu'elle entretient avec son âme sœur, depuis son arrivée féerique dans le sud de la France jusqu'à son désespoir lorsque l'amour se perd, quelque part parmi le vin et les vignes.
Avec ces jardins qui leur échappent, le couple n'a plus qu'à se tourner l'un vers l'autre. À travers la tempête émerge une histoire de foi, d'espoir et d'amour et de ce que rester engagé signifie dans les moments les plus sombres.
QUESTIONS
1. An important question that publishers will want to know is this: What other books out there on the market resemble our story? In reading the synopsis above, does our account bring to mind anything else you have ever read with a similar theme? Please name those books in the comments section.
2. Does the English-to-French translation reflect the subtleties within the text? Do you have any suggestions or corrections?
3. What new words did you learn today via our text? We hope this bilingual edition has been as helpful to you as it has been to us. Thank you very much for your help with our book!
For more about our story and/or to purchase the current online edition, click here.
Photo of Jean-Marc and me by Suzanne Delperdang Willis Land. The "Real Men Drive Tractors" was a gift from our friends Chris and George. Thank you for sharing this post with anyone who may be interested in our story.
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As an individual who discovered, in my fifties,
That I was bipolari find this a Val able book.
Learning of others trials and accomplishments with mental challenges is reassuring and the fact that your book explains the experience from each partners perspective and recall is supporting.
I remember a book written by a breast cancer and her husband. Her chapter covered her personal experience with the illness and his alternate chapters discussed the medical issues and research he had done during the treatment. Can’t remember titil- written in 70-80s by a couple living in Portland Oregon. They also restored a Victorian house there and were on This Old House.
Good luck with publishers! Congratulations on another success in life!
le nec plus ultra is a new phrase for me Kristi, and a useful one. All the best with the publishing. Looking forward to it. Both of you have done a great and very personal job. Best wishes, Joan
Hello Kristin,
I love that you share something so very personal in an honest way. Unfortunately, I do not yet have the french skills (I wish) to be able to help you in the way of language and translation feedback.
I am sure that your book will find a good publisher. I for one would love to buy it!
A beautiful, spiritual story Kristi! Well written in both English and French, with many well chosen expressions in both languages. (This high quality level may be difficult to maintain in all pages throughout the book, but you and Jean-Marc are fully capable of it!)
The one (small) point to mention: in “avec ces jardins qui leurs echappent…”, the object “leur” is never written with an “s”. (Otherwise, it would always have an “s” as it is always plural.) Only when the word modifies a noun (such as “their gardens”, or “leurs jardins”) is it written with an “s” because the noun is plural.
Am aware of no other similar story in print.
Keep up great work!
Fred
Thank you very much, Fred, for this helpful edit and for your positive thoughts about the book.
Ha, ha! I’ve always thought it was “ne plus ultra,” perhaps because it’s yet another thing I’ve heard but not seen written. Âme soeur was new, too, and a nice one to have.
When I read the French: “rester sobre dans deux vignobles à la vie tumultueuse,” I went back to the English because I thought I’d missed that there were two vineyards. I am nowhere near fluent in French, so perhaps that’s simply a construction I’m not familiar with.
In your last post you asked us to wish you “Bonne chance,” which I’m happy to do, AND I’ll add a hearty “Bon courage” as well. You are both so brave.
I don’t have answers to your specific questions, but I really love the format of back-and-forth narratives you have decided on. Also, the themes of mental illness and shifting directions and crushed or evolving dreams couldn’t be more timely as we continue/emerge from the pandemic. I think it will be snapped up.
Bonne continuation!
Will there be a French version of the book? And congratulations!!
Hi Kristi
I enjoyed reading this and wish you success with publication. I couldn’t find the word ‘chais’ in my huge copy of Larousse dictionnaire de la langue française. Isn’t ‘cave’ the more common word for wine cellar?
Hi Nicholas, Good question. I have noticed the words are very interchangeable. To be clear, a chai is where the wine barrels are kept.
Hi Divya, We hope so, but it is too early to know about this possibility.
Thanks, Kristi. Another new word for me! Should the entry then be ‘son chai’ rather ‘son chais’? I also wondered if ‘chai’ was a word that is local to your area down in the south which, as you know, has a very different vocabulary (the old langue d’oc) from the rest of France .
Thank you for sharing the synopsis. The topics of change, struggle with mental health, coping with isolation and other related struggles, and the realization we need one another in order to make sense of it all couldn’t come at a more appropriate time, as we are dealing with the pandemic.
Listening to the audio synopsis was a such a treat, as I was able to follow the written one and pay close attention to the pronunciation.
I think you have a book that will make for a truly special reading experience. Will it be offered in French, and in audio format, as well?
Merci, bonne chance et bénédictions pour vous!
More good questions. Can anyone reading this help us? as Jean-Marc is currently at work in his cave (pronounced kaahv).
🙂
Rebonjour, Nicholas, just got off the phone with JM, who tells me the spelling is *chais* and that the word is used all over France.
But know that I am reading this article (link follows) I am doubting his spelling 😂
https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chai_(viticulture)
Thank you very much, Tere. We do hope those formats, and a French edition, will be possible.
Hi Kristi,
I can’t help with the French translation as my French language skills are much inferior to yours but my son is bilingual and schooled in France, so I asked him to correct/advise on your French synopsis. Here is what he did, though I didn’t manage to cut and paste it with the alterations in red text (if you’d prefer this way just email me on Lorraine@elflet.com and I’ll send it that way):
“The Lost Gardens” est l’histoire d’un homme qui poursuit son rêve d’élaborer le nec plus ultra des vins de Bandol. Après une vendange chez son oncle, dans le célèbre vignoble de Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Jean-Marc Espinasse a une révélation. Il quitte son emploi de comptable dans la ville cosmopolite de Marseille et installe sa jeune famille, y compris sa femme américaine, dans un domaine isolé de la Vallée du Rhône, venteuse et inhospitalière. C’est là que commence la poursuite effrénée de son rêve de vigneron, qui l’entraîne dans un tourbillon de hauts et de bas bipolaires.
Dans un récit à tour de rôle, Jean-Marc raconte son combat contre ses troubles de tempérament de longue date, aggravés par une mystérieuse tragédie familiale, et sa lutte douloureuse contre une série interminable d’obstacles au vignoble – d’un accident qui frôle la mort dans son chai, et un autre sur son tracteur, ou la menace ultime d’une action en justice qui le mène à sa dépression finale et à la perte du vignoble. Dans ses chapitres, Kristi parle de sa détermination à rester sobre dans les vignobles à la vie tumultueuse, ses propres luttes contre l’anxiété et de son mode d’évasion dans le blogging et le jardinage. Tout au long de l’histoire, elle se penche sur le mystère de l’amour en analysant la relation difficile qu’elle entretient avec son âme sœur, depuis son arrivée féerique dans le sud de la France jusqu’à son désespoir lorsque l’amour se perd, quelque part parmi le vin et les vignes.
Avec ces jardins qui leur échappent, le couple n’a plus qu’à se tourner l’un vers l’autre. À travers la tempête émerge une histoire de foi, d’espoir, d’amour et de ce que rester engagé signifie dans les moments les plus sombres.
Regarding any other books which might be considered similar to yours, I can say there are none. I’ve read a great many ‘moving to France’ and ‘An American (or other stranger) in France’ type books and also many accounts of people starting businesses, including wineries, in various regions of France but the authentic voice which you bring to your rendition is totally unique (and a great selling point!). Your voice is the thing which makes me continue to follow your blog – yes, I do value and enjoy learning new words and phrases and the was what drew me to the blog in the first place but it’s the narrative and the way you tell it, which keeps me returning year after year. So, don’t worry about originality – you have it covered!
Lastly, ‘le nec plus ultra’ is a phrase I have never come across before, so thank you for that one.
ps. We lived in the Languedoc and my son says ‘chai’ is correct – we’d call a cellar or downstair area for storage of various items (possibly encompassing a wine chai but not solely for wine) a ‘cave’. We have a’cave’ in our house and it’s a junk storage and workshop area, though previous inhabitants did make wine or at least store wine there. Our neighbours have a ‘cave’ which they keep their car in and almost everyone keeps their wheeliebins in their ‘cave’. Chai is a great southern word and in my opinion it should stay in the synopsis.
Good luck with the new book – I’ve so much enjoyed your writing and have often been very inspired by your fortitude, honesty and struggle – plus, I love your photos!
Bon continuation,
Lorraine
My Collins Robert dictionary defines “chai” as “wine and spirit store(house)”
extraordinary story (i have been subscribed for close to 20 years) of courage, honesty, love – sounds like a subtitle but having someone extremely dear to me in my family go through something similar, i speak from experience and heart – bravo to you both! offhand, i cannot say that i am aware of any book with a similar theme/plot. as for the translation, it’s been years since i’ve lived in paris, and i don’t quite keep up with my french as i should – but it seems to be more a direct translation, rather than contain nuances, idioms, more commonly used phrases – on the other hand, it works for me who hasn’t kept up with my french! and yes, i learned beaucoup de mots chez les vignobles!
i only read REAL books – and i eagerly await announcement of your hb/pb edition – bonne chance! and thank you for your courageous and loving story!
Thank you, Jude.
Analyzes not analyses I believe. Good luck with the book!
My friend just had her book published by BookBaby. Perhaps this would be good to check it out.
I think the email address is bookshop@bookbaby.com. Or info@bookshop.bookbaby.com
They print the books as people order them and then send them out. The book came quickly and is perfect.
Good luck with the publishing. I enjoyed your book very much.
Thank you very much, Meg. As one who has read the book, your feedback on our memoir is so helpful. I will check out bookbaby.
Thank you very much, Lorraine—and please thank your son for me! Yes, please send the corrections via email. Much appreciated!
I would buy it! Oh, wait, I already have … in installments since the second chapter was released!
As painful as some parts were to read, I have enjoyed every word. Beyond that, during an excursion through Bordeaux I even had the opportunity to enjoy some of Jean-Marc’s wine!
Thank you, Susie! I see know one is used for British and one for English. As this will go to an American publisher, I will need to correct the spelling.
I am so impressed by all of this and wish I had the skill to heip you in some fashion. But just remember: “There is nothing new under the sun.” Don’t worry about another book which someone may have written. Your book is féerique and has great charm of its own! Would it be possible to print your book in English and then in French on the opposing page? This would be a wonderful learning opportunity for both French and English speaking readers while being enchanted by “The Lost Gardens”.
Bon courage and my very best wishes.
Thank you, Cynthia 💕
Thank you, Andrew, for your feedback on our book!
Bonjour Kristi,
The Olive Farm books, by Carol Drinkwater, have some of the same elements of your amazing story. Maybe their publisher?
Keep up your wonderful work. I look forward to each one. It is hard to be away from France for so long. Take care and bon chance!
Shelly in CA
Thanks, Shelly! I will mention this!
Wonderful synopsis that leaves the reader wanting more! Your life journey is
amazing! to quote French philosopher Rousseau: ” The one who has lived the most
is not the one with the most years but the one with the richest experiences”
Merci beaucoup
Robert
Have now forwarded to correct address – L etc
Excellent. Thanks again to you and your son!
I suggest you include an English translation. Lots more work for you but it would attract more attention, I think–there are not may bilingual books out there which are not for children.
Hi Kristi
‘Chai’is certainly used in Gironde for storage of wine.
Have read your blog with interest for last ten years – just wish we could return to our own French house soon! We really miss all things French!
Good luck with the book!
I agree with Cynthia’s suggestion! It would emphasize your cultural differences/voices by providing both languages, plus it would put your book into a market for people studying French/English as a learning tool as well as really beautiful, inspiring story–which, as someone else commented, will be needed after getting through a pandemic. As a French learner, I love comparing how you describe the same thing in English vs French. For you, it may be harder to see your gut-wrenching life story turn into a “textbook” for French…so I understand how that might not be your first priority. Maybe there could be parts of the book written in both? For many of us, it was our love of French that brought us to your blog…and then we stayed because your stories have always brought us closer to you! In any case, I wish you all the best for the success of the book!
Kristi, I think your main selling point should be what distinguishes your book from others that deal with overcoming adversity of any sort.
Here’s a list of such books that I just googled: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/biography-and-memoir/overcoming-adversity/
Of course there are dozens more, all of them useful in one way or another. But what sets your book apart is that it’s told from both your perspectives, with unusual honesty from each of you.
The other marketing pitch should be, of course, your considerable fan base.Even though I’ve already read the book, I would buy a hard copy (and I’d be so happy if it included photos!). I’m sure I’m not alone in this–you’ve given so much of yourself to others that it seems only right for us loyal fans to offer a little support now and then if we have the means to do so.
Just a few thoughts from someone who finds it hard to come up with a good “elevator pitch”–it seems to me yours is ready-made.
Bonne chance!
Lynne
Hi Kristi, I couldn’t come up with answers to your particular questions either but I am highly anticipating your published book. My favorite genre of books are non fiction and especially memoirs and even more so memoirs of people moving to France to realize a dream, (my list of read books in that category is endless) . Combining that with the internal struggles of two people that are so real and relatable I truly believe will resonate with so many including myself. Open candid writing I believe is the preferred style of the day. I wish you much success.
Good news, Lynne: ‘ne plus ultra’ IS correct in English — it’s the anglo version of this Latin phrase.
I’m tickled to find out here that the French version includes the ‘c’ to make it read ‘nec plus ultra’ which, I s’pose, keeps the ‘c’ silent when the phrase is spoken. Nifty difference, imo!
Hi, Kristi and Jean-Marc — it’s thrilling to be at the brink of publisher-pouncing with you! I’ve sent you an email (kristin.espinasse@gmail.com) with my one and only quibble with these synopses. To consider or not, as you two dear authors decide, of course.
Hi, Kristi,
Your book is a personal triumph for both you and Jean-Marc. I hope it can be published and made widely available. So many readers, both French and English/American would be interested in the challenges of creating and running a vineyard, as well as in the emotional upheavals and crises that so many can relate to.
In case it may be helpful, here is a list of French agencies. I can particularly recommend Gregory Messina of Linwood Messina. “L’audace, toujours l’audace!”
https://writingtipsoasis.com/literary-agencies-in-france/
I would only suggest adding ‘vineyard’ into the phrase: After a grape harvest at his uncle’s vineyard in….
It’s a riveting description in English and in French!
I hardly have time to read outside my two monthly book clubs, but this sounds like a book I would definitely squeeze in!! Good luck!
Many thanks, Ellen!
Can not wait to read this book! By the way,cute photos! Like wine you get better with age! Hot couple. 😁😍
Rebonjour, Kristi. I’ve now read that article and am still slightly confused! I’d be inclined to just use the simpler, better-known ‘cave’ that will stop most non-French speakers reaching for their dictionaries. But, to preserve matrimonial harmony, go by what JM says. After all, he’s the French speaker!
Hi, Kristi! I enjoyed both versions immensely and look forward to learning more about the quest to find a publisher. I loved both photos of you and Jean-Marc. I have the what appears to be the same skirt that you were wearing in 1991. Mine was purchased at Les Olivades and I still wear it . . . now that it fits again!
Excellent! Thank you, Carmen! Such an important word, I can’t believe It is missing from the first paragraph. Not anymore!
Dear Kristi I have loved reading your book and know it will be very successful. I hope you will both continue to write.
Words I learnt this week are chai, le nec plus ultra, tourbillon and froler. I can’t recall any similar books where you both write your story with such heartfelt feeling so I don’t have any suggestions for publishers or agents. But I read a lot and a favourite book has been All the Light We Cannot See or Toute la Lumiere ce que Nous ne Pouvons pas Voir, ( I bought a copy in French for a friend). I realise it is very different, but it is also a touching love story such as yours, so agents or publishers that specialise in this genre could be the way to go.
As I don’t have anyone to practice spoken French with I particularly enjoy listening to Jean Marc speak.
Two of our family members have made their homes in other countries, my sister in Greece and my daughter in California, and it has enriched our lives, sharing their experiences, in the same way I look forward to reading of your life in the South of France, Merci, bonne chance, Mazzie
God bless you both! You have fought for your love and your health and sanity. I do believe that this book will be an inspiration to others for many reasons and a tribute to your success in overcoming it all. I know it will find a publisher and I am eager to buy a copy. Carry on, dear friends!