Win April in France Books! Meet the Authors!

Want to be in the April in Paris mood? Enter to win one of these four great books as part of our giveaway!

Today, I'm interviewing the authors about the France we'll find in their books--and some of their favorite spots!

Anita Hughes, author of FRENCH COAST

Why did you choose France as a setting for your book?

All my books are set on gorgeous locations: Monarch Beach, San Francisco, Lake Como and now the French Riviera. I love to feel I have gone somewhere wonderful when I write (and read) and I can't think of anywhere I would rather be than the French Riviera. The scenery is spectacular and it has delicious food and gorgeous fashions and elegant, sophisticated people. Ever since I watched TO CATCH A THIEF with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly many years ago, I fell in love with the Carlton-Intercontinental Hotel in Cannes. So that is where I set FRENCH COAST!

What image of France do we find in your novel?  

The France you will find in FRENCH COAST has gorgeous hotel suites and beautiful beaches. You will find outdoor markets full of fresh bread and cheese and local fruits and vegetables. You will find boutiques and galleries and sleek yachts waiting in the harbor. You will find a France that makes you want to sit in an outdoor cafe on the Boulevard de la Croissette and nibble croissants and drink dark espresso. 

Tell us about your favorite April in Paris or April in France place?

I love the Hotel du Cap in Antibes because it is like a large French chateau. The grounds are spectacular and the rooms and lobby are very elegant. It has been a favorite of artists and celebrities for decades and I learned a fun fact when I was researching it for FRENCH COAST. Matisse used to stay there every August and he would never sign a check because he didn't want anyone to have his autograph!

Lisa Barr, author of FUGITIVE COLORS

Why did you choose France as a setting for your book?

Paris chose me--isn't that always the case? My protagonist Julian Klein born Yakov Klein in Chicago had to reinvent himself to survive. Painting was breathing for him; painting was truth. FUGITIVE COLORS is the story of what happens to young Julian, who gives up his orthodox religion to move from Chicago to Paris to paint freely in the early 1930s ... and the price tag for following his passion. FUGITIVE COLORS asks: How far would you go for your passion? Would you kill for it? Steal for it? Destroy others who get in your way? Or, protect it at all costs? The intensity of art and passion--the ultimate love affair--needed the perfect backdrop to match it. Where else but Paris?


What image of France do we find in your novel?  

You will find yourself in Paris on the 'eve' of WWII, at the height of artistic expression, and the beginning of the Nazis rise to power. Many--particularly young people--left their native homeland for the excitement and freedom provided by the City of Light, where expression of one's art was all that mattered. Of course, if you join my cast of characters, you will be drinking cappuccinos in cafes, and later, finishing off a good bottle (or two) of Bordeaux. Paris was the draw for young artists, writers, and philosophers--those whose raison d'etre was to think outside of the box, and to create. Julian will have his A-Ha moment in Paris, among fellow artists who become friends and lovers, and ultimately foes. He will see both Paris in the Spring, and much later, as the pages turn, Paris in her darkest moments.


Tell us about your favorite April in Paris or April in France place? 

I can't pick just one--please forgive. Let's just say, St-Germain--Cafe de Flore for breakfast (because that’s where my characters meet for the first time), and then a metro ride to the historic Montmartre, where one loses all sense of place and time among the colorful cafes, the people-watching, the studios and galleries. If I can squeeze in the Rodin Museum late afternoon (am I being greedy?), I will have had my perfect Parisian moment. And then, of course, throwing my shopping bags (yes, I shopped too) onto a chair at Le Deux Magots, ending the day with a lovely glass of wine, al fresco, of course.

Heather Webb, author of RODIN'S LOVER

Why did you choose France as a setting for your book?

The setting chose me, really. I knew I wanted to write my second novel about brilliant sculptor Camille Claudel and her tumultuous love affair with Rodin--their story had captured my heart back in college in my French film class. They lived in Paris during a time we consider quite romantic when art flourished and many new movements were afoot (impressionism, the beginnings of cubism, & then the modern period). As a former French teacher (and since my first novel, BECOMING JOSEPHINE) also took place in France, it was a natural choice.

What image of France do we find in your novel? 

"My France" is graced with art salons, studios filled with apprentices, passionate people, and inventions from the era. Also, it was a difficult place to be a female, especially a female artist, at the time. Though France was far more progressive on the feminist front than many other countries, equality was still lacking across the board. I highlight this aspect of French society in the novel as well.

Tell us about your favorite April in Paris or April in France place? 

I have two favorite moments that took place in April in France. The first was in Paris when it was raining, believe it or not. I ducked into a cafe with two teachers I was traveling with. We drank a bottle of wine and laughed and nibbled on bread and a cheese plate. We had just escaped a group of students who were with the tour guide so we relished this quite little corner, and the warmth of the cafe. Plus, one of my favorite parts about the city is all the people watching. We had a great time watching Parisians meander or scurry by.

The other was in Eze in the south of France near Nice. It's a tiny, old village situated high on a cliff that overlooks the Mediterranean Sea. The sun lit up the sky that day and the water was so gorgeous, I had a hard time leaving. 

Adria J. Cimino, author of PARIS, RUE DES MARTYRS

Why did you choose France as a setting for your book?

I live in Paris and was intrigued by the fact that I could cross the same people on the sidewalk every day for five years, yet never know anything about them. I asked myself: What would happen if a few of these strangers met, and the encounters made a difference in their lives? The city of Paris itself also was inspirational, with its mix of beauty and desolation, promise and despair.    

What image of France do we find in your novel?

I was fascinated by the city’s impact on its inhabitants and visitors. It isn’t the same place for each person. For some, it is a place of beauty, a sanctuary. And yet, for others, it’s like a prison. Some of the characters in PARIS, RUE DES MARTYRS thrive in Paris, find their salvation here, while others feel as if they are doomed. It was interesting to see Paris from a few different perspectives and that is what I hope to share with the reader through this story.

Tell us about your favorite April in Paris or April in France place?

This is when the parks and gardens of Paris absolutely dazzle… I love taking a walk through the Jardin de Luxembourg or the Jardin des Plantes and admiring the latest blooms. One of my favorite Paris spots is the Ile Saint-Louis and in the spring, as soon as the temperature rises and the sun shines, I head to the traditional ice cream shop Berthillon, buy a cone and enjoy the lovely view of the Seine. And of course, I can’t forget one of my all-time favorites, the Rue des Martyrs. Like the characters in PARIS, RUE DES MARTYRS, I take a stroll and stop at a café to observe the world around me.