Paris! Je t'aime!

Don't lose your head for heights.

I think the word ambiance is French. If it isn't I claim it by its Gallic sounding-ness. Nowhere has more ambiance than Paris. In fact there is so much ambiance in Paris that the very word conjures up an existentialist smoke filled café on any pavement near you wherever you are. 

Just the other day I was there seeing one of my progeny who is spending a year there. Could I be envious? Perish the thought!

I pointed my camera at a couple of tourist traps and found myself even more trapped in the essence of the place. Tourism makes the tangential view the only possible escape from la carte postale. The featured pix are from around le Sacré Coeur area of Paris. Trouble not, I'm not about to bore you with my montage. 

I love short stories and the whole art of keeping things concise. Readers of my verbiage may be groaning in disbelief to know this!
Here is a short and very clever documentary film made in Paris by some fabulous young film makers. The words are French but the truth is universal. All I can say is that my own diet will start again on Tuesday. Maybe next week. Enjoy les religieuses. 

Emma thinx: If all the world's a stage, who wrote my bloody script?

Giving away #Love in a Hopeless Place for #Christmas and the #holidays

Pucker up.....I'm blowing my own trumpet trombone again (I can hear the groans!), my anthology of tough love stories is now out in paperback and available on Amazon for the bargain price of  USA: $8.99  UK: £5.99 and in Europe: €6.99

Good news for anyone hoping to find a FREE gift book for the holidays - there are 3 copies up for grabs on Goodreads - click HERE to go in the hat for the draw on the 18th of December - just in time for Christmas.

Here's what some of the reviewers have said about the e-book version that came out in July:

Five Stars
"Emma Calin writes with perfection and is a master of the short story. You will want to keep this collection in your bookshelf forever." Adina Luca, October 2013

"I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of short stories, and have recommended it to male and female friends."  Michael Todaro, September 2013

"All five titles explore social issues and these are cleverly interwoven into the narrative" T. Fly August 2013


If you'd prefer a digital version for your e-reader, the Kindle edition is available too, although not on a Goodreads giveaway I'm afraid, as they do not allow giveaways of e-books.


For those of you missing my brassy side or wondering about the length of my glissando .... here's a repeat performance... oh for those warm balmy days of summer!


Emma Thinx: Leaf through a real book in the Fall