Fragments of French

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Wanda St. Hilaire will be awarding a ribboned beret & Paris coin bag with an E-book of Fragments of French to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. (International offer) Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

After a harsh brush with her mortality, shadowed by a premature divorce, Wanda St. Hilaire pledges to be true to her primary passion—living ardently through travel. On the fateful day her life intersects with Jean-François, a charming Frenchman, on a bustling street in Lisbon, every fiber of her being feels as though she has finally entered the doorway to a magical world that she knew existed since she was a young girl.

St. Hilaire turns a complicated romantic ballet full of missteps into a collage of people, places, and cultures. Fragments of French is an exquisitely detailed travelogue of Portugal, Canada, France, and Mexico, filled with minor characters who delight with their humanity. However, what really makes this tale a standout is a gift for pacing and description to rival Tom Wolfe.

The hero’s journey is not only for the characters of our favorite stories or mythical legends. At some point, each of us receives the call to adventure. Fate summons the hero; we can refuse the call, or step into something that will turn our lives upside down, and potentially change everything we know to be true.

From feeling “completely disarmed, no fortress standing”, to embracing her untethered strength, the author turns this account of living life out loud into lessons for us all.

Read an Excerpt

My internal time clock askew, I awaken before dawn, eager to investigate Lisbon. With only one night booked in this over-priced hotel, I will search for another room in the heart of the city. Taking my breakfast and a frothy cappuccino on a vine-shaded terrace, I then wander the busy streets. I find a suitable room that is antiquated and stark, but larger than any of the others. Although I don’t need space, I like it. Retrieving my bags, I make my way back to the pensão near Rossio, the center of the action. The rotund owner is a cheery and welcoming man, and I feel that I am in safe hands. Collapsing on the small bed, I find the room warmed by the unseasonably high temperature today. I daydream about what I shall do on this trip, my brain swinging from thought to thought. Slowly, my monkey mind settles into meditation. Relaxed, I drift into a blurry theta state. Like a bud unfurling, an intense longing begins to push its way up my body and into my consciousness. Forming a prayer, I am cognizant of its power - a force that can be generated only from fervent desire and clear intent, unified in a deeply contemplative state. I pray that I will meet a man - not a typical holiday fling soon forgotten - but a real romance. A man who will rock my world.

About the Author:

Her prime passion is the thrill of travel—of experiencing other cultures, traditions, lifestyles, and languages—thus expanding her perspective.

Wanda St. Hilaire has a predilection and passion for all things Latin, and she believes life is too short not to do what you love, where you love. She spends time writing in Mexico for inspiration and to escape the frozen landscapes of Alberta.

Through writing, St. Hilaire shares what she’s learned from the high peaks of adventure and love, to the dark valleys of illness and heartbreak. Her mission is to help people overcome the self, and tap into their wise inner guidance system. Her wish is to inspire others to live true to their unique and beautiful nature.

Website: http://www.fragmentsoffrench.com
Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPp3vMOpFFw
Blog: http://www.lifebyheart.wandasthilaire.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wandasthilairethewriter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/spicytraveler

Fragments of French on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fragments-French-Unexpected-Journey-Heart/dp/189433115X/ref=sr_1_1
Companion Poetry Book, Of Love, Life, and Journeys on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Love-Life-Journeys-Companion-Fragments/dp/1894331176/ref=sr_1_3 (Inspired during the story of my travel memoir, this collection of poems and verse was first published in 2004 and became a Canadian bestseller for poetry. This second edition was created as a companion book to Fragments of French.) a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ireland: Mythical, Magical, Mystical

I recently found out that I have Irish blood.  Wonderful!  Now I can celebrate St. Patrick's Day as the real deal.  Naturally, when I got the chance to host Christy Nicholas on her blog tour I was tickled to death.  Why?  Because she's written a wonderful book on Ireland.  I asked her the following question: If you could visit only one place in Ireland, which would you pick and why? This is what she said.

 

That’s like asking what body part you could miss the least! 

 

I think I will have to say Inis Mor.  While there are so many beautiful, impressive, magical places in Ireland, this small island, only 5 miles long and 1 mile thick, encapsulates much that is charming and special about this land.

 

Inis Mor is one of the Aran Islands, three small islands off the west coast of Galway.  It is a place in which time has stood still.  Tourists cannot bring their cars on the island – to get around, you must walk, take a jitney bus, rent a bike, or rent a pony trap.  There are miles of stone walls surrounding small farm plots.  The arable land on the island has been created by generations of farmers layering sand and seaweed to create soil that will grow crops.  The main industries are tourism and fishing, and the locals do it well.

 

Our first trip, we were just there for the day, and we took a ferry from nearby Doolin.  We rented a jitney bus (the pony traps were all gone by the time we got to them) for the island tour.  We drove around the island, through narrow streets between dry stone walls.  We saw a seal colony and a thatched cottage, and then on to a small village with craft shops and a café.  The main attraction nearby was Dun Aengosa – a truly impressive stone fort on the edge of a 300 foot cliff, dropping straight down into the Atlantic Ocean.  It is a bit of a climb up to the fort, but well worth it.

 

The second time I went, we stayed two nights.  There was a film made on the island in the 1920s called Man of Aran, about the life of a fisherman. The cottage used in the film is now a B&B, and we rented that.  Our hosts, Maura and Joe, made us feel very welcome, and had a cup of tea and biscuits (cookies) waiting for us when we arrived.  It was close enough to Dun Aengosa that we could walk there the next morning and have the place all to ourselves as furious winds whipped from the Gulf Stream at 60 mph. 

 

The pace of life is slower here.  For fun in the evenings, we went to Joe Watty’s pub for great food and music.  We rented bikes and drove all around the island, seeking out the ruined churches and Neolithic structures here and there.  It’s a truly relaxing place.

 

While Ireland has so many places to visit, so many aspects of the emerald to appeal, this small island has most of them wrapped up in a convenient package to experience.

IRELAND: MYTHICAL, MAGICAL, MYSTICAL

By

Christy Nicholas

 

BLURB:  

 

Do you find yourself drawn to the magic of the Emerald Isle? Would you like to see places beyond the typical tourist traps? Come, join me on a journey through the mists of legend, into the hidden places of mystery. Immerse yourself in the legends and myths, the history that has made this island precious in the hearts and minds of millions. Along with the tales and history, there is practical information on planning your trip, budgeting your costs, and finding the best places to while away the magical hours of your holiday.

 EXCERPT:

The Magical Facet The Fair Folk

Everyone has heard of fairies, of creatures with supernatural powers to curse, to bless, to find gold, or to cause mischief. Literature and art is full of them from Shakespeare to contemporary artists Amy Brown or Jasmine Beckett-Griffith. Western culture, especially in the US, is bred on Disney’s Tinker Bell, children’s books of flower fairies from Victorian artists, and grim tales of the darker side of these Fae folk.

 

In Ireland, fairies, known as the Sídhe (pronounced shee) or the Good Folk, originate from the Tuatha Dé Danann, the people who immigrated to the island before the Sons of Míl. Supposedly full of powers, the Tuatha Dé Danann could not bear to be near iron, and therefore their superior skills were for naught. Rather than leave the land they loved, they agreed to reside below the earth. For this reason, caves are said to be entrances into their underworld homes. Traces of this legend can be seen in the classic film, Darby O’Gill and the Little People, where Darby is led under a mountain to the Fairy King’s palace. 

Ireland has countless portals, be they hills, hawthorn trees, caves, wells, or other sacred places.

A more Christianized origin of these creatures claim they are angels which fell to Earth before humans resided there. They live beneath the waves or gardens, and while some are evil, others can be helpful as long as they are treated with respect.

While many modern legends show the fairies to be sweet, kind, magical creatures, this is really a Victorian creation. The traditional views in Ireland and Scotland show the Sídhe to be mischievous to the point of cruelty a force to be reckoned with. They are not sought out by the wise. In fact, most of the herb and spell lore of an almost forgotten era is meant to instruct how to keep you from coming to the Folks’ attention.

 

 

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

 My name is Christy Nicholas, also known as Green Dragon. I do many things, including digital art, beaded jewelry, writing and photography. In real life I'm a CPA, but having grown up with art and around me (my mother, grandmother and great-grandmother are/were all artists), it sort of infected me, as it were.  I love to draw and to create things. It's more of an obsession than a hobby. I like looking up into the sky and seeing a beautiful sunset, or a fragrant blossom, a dramatic seaside. I then wish to take a picture or create a piece of jewelry to share this serenity, this joy, this beauty with others.  Sometimes this sharing requires explanation – and thus I write.  Combine this love of beauty with a bit of financial sense and you get an art business. I do local art and craft shows, as well as sending my art to various science fiction conventions throughout the country and abroad.

 

Find Christy here:
www.GreenDragonArtist.com

www.facebook.com/greendragon9

www.facebook.com/greendragonartist

www.facebook.com/greendragontravel

www.facebook.com/music-from-ireland-for-your-pleasure

www.facebook.com/musicfromscotland

www.twitter.com/greendragon9

Find Christy’s book here, and at other eBook stores:

 

http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Nicholas_Christy/ireland-guide.htm

Christy is giving away a $20 Amazon gift card to one lucky follower so follow her tour and comment often. You can find her schedule at  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/07/name-before-masses-ireland-mythical.html