Dear Readers,

Our book is ready! After a last-minute hurdle getting this bébé up onto the bookshelf, ça y est — a beautiful paperback edition, brimming with full page photos, is now available for purchase.

This is the second volume in the series A Year in a French Life—a lively chronicle of language, family life, and love in France and beyond.

Thanks to the wonders of technology, and after one year of writing these stories in real time before a live audience (vous même!), publication was nearly instant. There was just one final question in the print-on-demand process: did I want a BAT—un bon à tirer—a physical copy to inspect before making the book available to readers?

The proof could take up to ten days to receive.

Though we were one month ahead of schedule and had time to spare… who can possibly sit still at a moment like this? I was so eager to complete the final step…that I leapt.

Hitting the “publish now” button over at Kindle Direct Publishing, je me suis jetée à l’eau.

Next, I went onto Amazon and quickly purchased a copy for Jackie (as our book wasn’t yet available in France). My daughter and co-author would receive it in two days, in time to look it over. By ordering a full-price book and choosing priority shipping, it would arrive by Sunday… or should have.

When I called to update Jackie, she explained she was in Connecticut for the weekend. Mince! Over our WhatsApp video chat, she introduced me to Sandy, the German shepherd she and Vin were dog-sitting. A snowy landscape framed the young couple as they lounged beside a large window overlooking a wintry landscape at Vin’s parents’ home.

The two were enjoying a cozy getaway from Brooklyn, but they would be home soon, Vin assured me—in time to flip through every page and report back.

“I just need you to assure me it has all ten fingers and toes.” I was about to explain the fingers and toes idiom when I remembered Jackie’s beau is American.

“We’ll let you know as soon as we can,” Vin assured me. Not long after, I received an update from Amazon—Jackie’s copy would be delayed two full days. Turns out my co-autrice would not be the first to verify the final result.

Meantime, our book quietly began making its way into the world after a small heads-up announcement in my WhatsApp channel. A few readers wrote to say they had already ordered copies. Jim M’s note was short but encouraging: “Amazon promises for tomorrow. Loved the first book.” And Gayle P. shared: “I just ordered it!!! Can’t wait to see it up close.”

I couldn’t wait to see it either! In the long hours that followed, I steadied myself by remembering something Jean-Marc shared years ago, after inviting me to leave Arizona and move to France—another leap into the unknown:

Qui ne tente rien n’a rien.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

As I forego today’s sieste to camp out near the front door until Amazon delivers, my stomach suddenly flutters. It has been a long time since I’ve had les papillons. I remember this thrilling feeling when the airplane descended over Phoenix at night, the desert sparkling with lights, and the excitement of returning to my country… a young bride with two Franco-American toddlers in tow.

This, too, feels like a sentimental landing. Our book—Jackie’s and mine—has arrived. Chances are readers may receive it even before the two authors do. If that happens, would you please assure us our baby has all ten fingers and toes? We are waiting to hear.

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If you’d like to welcome this new book into your home, you can order it here.

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FRENCH VOCABULARY

ça y est = that’s it / it’s done / it has happened
vous-même = yourself
le BAT (bon à tirer) = final approved proof before printing
se jeter à l’eau = to take the plunge
le livre = book
mince = darn / shoot / rats
la co-autrice = female co-author
Qui ne tente rien n’a rien = nothing ventured, nothing gained
les papillons = butterflies (in the stomach)

To order a copy of A Year in a French Life: Volume Two, click here.

REMERCIEMENTS
Thank you to the following readers for your donation this past week to this journal!

Sheryl W.
Monica G.
Barbara P.
Virginia B.

Whether you’ve been reading for years or just stumbled upon this little corner of France, thank you for being here. These stories continue thanks to reader encouragement. If you’d like to help maintain this journal, here are a few simple ways:

🌿 Zelle – to Kristin.espinasse@gmail.com
🌿 PayPal – Click here
🌿 Credit card – Click here

Gift the book A Year in a French Life to a friend. It’s packed with colorful photos and vocabulary.

Ricci recommended this book to her book club and thinks your book club might like it too. Some even mentioned it makes a great Valentine’s gift, even to oneself! Get your copy here.

Ricci and Jackie, my daughter and co-autrice, holding the first volume in A Year in a French Life. Thank you for telling a friend about our books. And if you have read any of them, your review at Amazon is so helpful and appreciated!

VIDEO OF THE “UNBOXING”
I recorded a short video moments after opening the package and meeting the book for the first time. You can watch it here.