Guest Post - France by Emily Williams - Bookish World Cup - France

There is something about France that always stays with you; long after you’ve unpacked your bag and the day to day life has returned. Whether is from the heavenly scent of flowers and the buzzing from the crickets as you sip wine late into the evening or the taste of cheese of freshly baked baguettes from the local boulangerie. France certainly sticks in my mind long after I’ve visited.

Holidaying in France were amongst my earliest and fondest memories. The towering sunflowers above our heads as we posed for photographs in the fields and the smell from warm croissants with jam as we (my sister and I) were sent to the campsite shop to buy breakfast with our broken language skills. The warmth of the sun and the smell of sun cream as we’d be slathered head to foot and head under the shade to play shuttlecock or ping pong. These were by far the best days of childhood.

These days, France holds more to my heart than memories, mouth-watering food and the vast countryside for exploration. Over ten years ago my parents moved over to renovate a run-down old farmhouse and transform the landscape into magical gardens with sunken hideaways and borders overflowing with flowers. A haven away from everything. My visits over to them were the highlight of my year.

It was hidden away, down amongst the flowers, in the sunken gardens that I began to sketch out the ideas for my first novel, Letter to Eloise. Although the novel, Letters to Eloise is set in Sussex, parts of the stone buildings and grounds within the farmhouse became embroiled within the novel. I could picture the house as I was writing. I love old stone farm buildings and particularly the French style of country house in Brittany, with the pretty, wooden shutters and tiled floors.

Being in France, away from home in an almost magical place, always brings out my creativity. I’d spent hours just daydreaming by the pool, watching the lizards scamper across the hot stone walls. A notepad would lay by my side to capture any ideas, which would, without fail, arrive. If I’m ever in need of time away to refresh and rebuild my mind, France is the place to go. My recent novel, Rafferty Lincoln Loves was dreamed up whilst lounging in the sunshine.

Of course, I’d fit in an enormous amount of reading too. I’d devour book after book, just whiling away time in the shade of the trees. Could anything be more perfect?

I get a peace and sense of relaxation in France that I don’t get anywhere else. That’s why my partner and I and our two (very soon to be three!) children will hopefully be moving over to France in the near future. To continue the dream with my parents and run our own farmhouse with a fairytale garden. I’ll soon be sipping wine late into the night, watching the bats diving under the lamps and daydreaming up my next novel.

I couldn’t think of a place I’d rather be.

Thank you to Emily Williams for this fabulous post about France which I have really enjoyed reading. 

Amazon UK

Letters to Eloise is the incredibly warm, witty, poignant and heart-wrenching debut epistolary novel by bestselling author Emily Williams; a love story of misunderstandings, loss, and betrayal but ultimately the incredible bond between mother and child.

‘Receiving a hand written letter is something that always puts a smile on my face, no matter who the sender is.’ Flora Tierney.

When post-graduate student Flora falls unexpectedly pregnant during her final year studies she hits a huge predicament; continue a recent affair with her handsome but mysterious lecturer who dazzles her with love letters taken from the ancient tale of ‘Abelard and Heloise’, or chase after the past with her estranged first love?

But will either man be there to support her during the turmoil ahead?

‘Banish me, therefore, for ever from your heart’, Abelard to Heloise.

Author Bio

Emily Williams lives by the seaside in West Sussex with her family and a menagerie of small pets. After graduating from Sussex University with a BA in Psychology, Emily trained as a primary school teacher and teaches in a local school. 

Letters to Eloise is her debut novel. Her new novel, the YA fiction Rafferty Lincoln Loves... will be released this year. The proceeds from the book will be donated to the British Thoroughbred Retraining Centre.

You can follow Emily on twitter @EmilyRMWilliams

Find out more about Emily’s other books on Amazon: http://amzn.eu/dzZSU0y 

Read reviews and find out more on her blog: emilywilliamsauthor.blogspot.com