MY INSPIRATION FOR 'A PARIS FAIRY TALE'

I'm delighted to welcome author, Marie Laval, to the blog today. We share the same publisher, Choc Lit and Ruby Fiction, and I first met Marie at the RNA York Tea last September. During the recent Choc Lit and Ruby Virtual Book Festival we shared a day and exchanged pieces about the inspiration for our novels.

Over to you, Marie!

It takes me so long to write a novel that I can’t always recall what gave me the original idea for a story. I can however remember exactly where and when 'A PARIS FAIRY TALE' was born in my imagination. I had gone shopping in Manchester with my daughter Clémence and we sheltered from the rain in the beautiful John Ryland’s Library on Deansgate in the city centre. After walking around the impressive, atmospheric building, I sat in front of a computer and played around with an interactive programme describing the history of illuminated manuscripts in medieval Paris. I was particularly fascinated by the work of Jean Rémiet, an illuminator also known as ‘the master of death’ for the way he portrayed death and illness – I know, not very cheerful! From that moment on, I was hooked… It took two years to finish the story!

If it hadn’t been for the rain, I would never have ventured inside the library that particular day and got involved in the interactive display. And if hadn’t been for my daughter standing patiently next to me for over an hour whilst I took frantic notes and muttered to myself like a mad woman, 'A PARIS FAIRY TALE' might never have existed! 

Blurb for A PARIS FAIRY TALE

Is Paris the city of happily ever afters?
Workaholic art historian Aurora Black doesn’t have time for fairy tales or Prince Charmings, even in the most romantic city in the world. She has recently been hired by a Parisian auction house for a job that could make or break her career. Unfortunately, daredevil journalist Cédric Castel seems intent on disrupting Aurora’s routine.
As Aurora and Cédric embark on a journey across France, they get more than

they bargained for as they find themselves battling rogue antiques dealers and personal demons, not to mention a growing attraction to each other.
But with the help of a fairy godmother or two, could they both find their happily ever afters? 

AUTHOR BIO

Originally from Lyon in France, Marie now lives in Lancashire with her family. She works full-time as a modern languages teacher and in her spare time she loves writing romance and dreaming about romantic heroes.

She writes both historical and contemporary romance. Her historical romance The Lion’s Embrace won the Gold Medal at the Global Ebook Awards 2015 (category Historical Romance), and best-selling Little Pink Taxi was her debut romantic comedy novel with Choc Lit.

She is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and the Society of Authors. Her native France, as well as her passion for history and research, very much influences her writing, and all her novels have what she likes to call ‘a French twist’!

A PARIS FAIRY TALE is available as an ebook and an audio book from Amazon

You can find out more about Marie on:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/marielavalauthor/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/MarieLaval1
You can also find on Pinterest the many beautiful photos of Paris and illuminated manuscripts which inspired the writing of A Paris Fairy Tale https://www.pinterest.co.uk/laval0232/

Thank you, Marie. Set in my favourite city, I love the sound of your novel and it's already on my Kindle, moving to the top of my TBR pile.  

Thank you for reading. You may also follow me on @JanBaynham and on my Jan Baynham Writer Facebook page.