This week I’m sharing a draft of the introduction to A Year in a French Life: Volume 3. As Jackie and I continue shaping the manuscript, I thought it would be fun to invite you behind the scenes. Also, Joyeux Anniversaire to Max, who recently turned 31! (Video follows).
“À PROPOS“
At the time of this writing, we are nearly halfway through the manuscript for what will be A Year in a French Life: Volume 3. My daughter’s job is to keep writing while I handle the behind-the-scenes mechanics of publishing: collecting the blog stories, weaving them into the manuscript, selecting photos for each chapter, deciding on a cover, and fine-tuning the text.
As the sun rises over the Mediterranean, another day of editing begins. To shift my energy for this next half of the book, I’ve ventured out of my routine by moving my laptop into the garden. I’m not sure I’ll be able to concentrate with cars motoring past, pedestrians chatting, and all the screaming yard work, but I’ll try. I look past the murky fountain water and notice the first water lily opening. Beneath it, a tiny fish darts by. The koi have had babies! Farther ahead, in old wine barrels, my husband’s tomato plants are about to blossom. I picture crispy tomato tarts all summer long!
At my feet, Ricci keeps watch while the doves, Mama and Papa, take turns landing beside my laptop. They’re hungry all the time. I should get up and feed them again. Instead, I hunker down. By hunkering down week after week, we’ve gotten this far in our little memoir!
The feeling should be one of excitement or even satisfaction, but when the neighborhood garbage truck grinds to a halt before our house, my thoughts scatter.
I try to focus on my computer screen. Suddenly, it dawns on me that the name of this book series may no longer be apropos.
After all, A Year in a French Life evokes images of life in France. And yet half the stories now take place in America! The title, taken from my blog column, fit perfectly for Book One, and when halfway through Book Two my daughter joined in, I wasn’t thinking about titles—I was celebrating a collaboration.
I give in to the birds, feeding them until the grimy truck finally lurches away with our déchets. I mentally toss my garbage thoughts into the trash with them. Peace returns along with the soft coos of the doves in the pepper tree above, like an intermezzo between scenes:
Act One: The author tosses out a book title.
Act Two: She reels it back in again.
Act Three: Still unfolding…let’s see where it leads…
Part of this story unfolds in France, where a middle-aged American is now living her fourth decade in the country she once only dreamed of. Another part unfolds in America, where a young French woman is building a life of her own. Jackie’s stories bring a fresh perspective to these pages, widening the landscape of our family story in ways I never could have imagined when the series began.
I draw in a deep breath, reminding myself that everything is unfolding as it should—much like the first water lily opening in the garden, or Jean-Marc’s tomatoes steadily climbing toward summer.
On that note, welcome, dear reader inside our lives. Follow me in from the garden to where one family member is about to say au revoir yet again…
Did you enjoy the intro to the next book? If you had never stumbled upon our story, would this chapter encourage you to keep reading? Thanks for your thoughts!
FRENCH VOCABULARY
les déchets = garbage, trash
à propos = regarding, about
au revoir = goodbye
REMERCIEMENTS
Thank you to the following readers for your donation this past week to this journal!
Sheryl W. in Scottsdale. AZ
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BOUCHE-À-OREILLE
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Max is 31?! Oh my Lord, I’ve been reading this since he was a little kid running around. Happy birthday to Max, and felicitations on the next phase, your collaborative memoir, which I’m sure will be fabulous.
Bon anniversaire to your darling son. And how about Tales of Two Cities or A Pen in Each Port, a mother and daughter share the delights of each life, or (if only your darling daughter had a pet) Tails of Two Cities, haha. Or Franco-American Folios or Delights At A Distance, mother/daugher tales of two cities…or…I’m out of bad ideas.
Bonjour Kristi. I really enjoyed reading your thoughts for intro to the new book. I’ll look forward to reading what you chose for the title and, hopefully, both your and Jackie’s behind the scenes reasoning for it. Bisous
Bonjour, and all the best on your new venture. But unfortunately, it must be adieu from this Canadian. Thank-you so much for sharing life in France.
Hi Kristi,
Happy Birthday to Max! The cake looks yummy!
Best wishes on the next memoir!
Before it was mentioned in today’s post, it had occurred to me that the second book in the series AYIAFL (A Year In A French Life) had more American vignettes in it than the first, and the third is likely to have at least as much Stateside as the second. The stories are all interesting. Yet I think the focus should be predominantly French, to go along with the title and general theme.
I am eager to read the books regardless, and love the pictures. In this post, the one of Mama or Papa dove was amazing. And I’m sure Max will treasure his birthday photo with the gorgeous water in the background.
What a thoughtful reflection on your day. So many sights, sounds and feelings pull us in different ways, making it hard to focus. I love the way you recount them to us-giving the sense we are right beside you like the doves. Good luck on putting the new book together. That is not an easy task.
While you may think of your posts as your job, the rest of us see them as an opportunity to view the world in a new way, to reach out and understand a fresh perspective. We all need that experience to help us understand our own lives and make sense of the chaos that sometimes exists. Thank you for sharing your life.
Bonjour Kristi!
I loved today’s post, and I am grateful that I still get it in my email. I’ve been reading it for over 20 years I think, so I must be subscribed. Right? The photographs are inspiring, as are your confessions of writing in the tranquility/everyday racket of the garden. You’ve chosen a good life❤️ you’ve intentionally created a GREAT life out of it.
Our dears Kristi and Jackie,
First of all,joyeux anniversaire to Max! I am with Lynn,I’ve been privileged to be sharing your life( lives!) since he was little! Wow! Blessings always!
Dear Kristi, are you kidding? Not only am I motivated to keep reading new chapters in your upcoming book,but please let me preorder it now!!!
Another wonderful post,gorgeous pictures,and super vocabulary!
Thank you( as always)!
Arms tight around you all.
Love
Natalia xo
Happy Birthday to Max! Happy writing to you! I know you have the best helper with Ricci by your side.
Looks like Max enjoyed a great meal to celebrate his birthday.
As always, your photos are gorgeous! All of you look great and happy, even Ricci! Waiting for Volume III.