French Illusions: My Five Best Writing Tips

My first memoir, French Illusions, My Story as an American Au Pair in the Loire Valley, took me three years and countless hours to complete. During that time, I studied and learned how to write. Of course I also hired editors to finalize the process.

Travel Journaling – It’s Easier Than Ever

I’m not sure who, or what, prompted me to keep a diary during my trip to France in 1979, but I’m sure glad I did. Without it, my book, French Illusions, My Story as An American Au Pair in the Loire Valley, probably never would have been written.

Name Changes in French Illusions

Back in 2007, when I decided to write a story based on my diary, I knew that I would have to change the names of people and places to protect identities. This was especially true with regard to my host au pair family. Acquiring permission from them was out of the question. Totally out of the question. Read my book and you’ll understand. Additionally, over thirty years had passed since I spoke with anyone I’d met in France. I no longer had any contact information.

A Delectable Memory

My diary from 1979 recounts my adventures living and working as an au pair in the Loire Valley, at the Château de Montclair, in France. Most of my diary entries revolved around my relationships with the family, but on occasion, I included recipes of favorite drinks or meals.  

A Favorite Character in French Illusions

Years ago, while writing French Illusions, My Story as an American Au Pair in the Loire Valley, I particularly enjoyed recounting interactions with Antoine, my four-year-old ward at the Château de Montclair. He was such a sweet, goofy kid and he often voiced his affections for me with exuberant enthusiasm. His antics made me smile more often than not and I remember him fondly to this day. Here is an excerpt from my memoir. 

The Château de Montclair

The Loire Valley in central France is dotted with elegant, large, stone structures, or manors. Many of these “chateaux,” flanked by rows and rows of fertile vineyards, have been handed down through generations of families.

French Butcher Shop Blues

In 1979, while I worked in France as a nanny for the Dubois family, I experienced many unusual situations, but my visit to the fromager volaille in Songias was one of the most “memorable.”

Loire Valley Markets

Most villages within the Loire Valley in France have have a Sunday market at least once a week during certain times of the year. These markets are often a mix of wines, beer, fresh fruits and vegetables, flowers, home-made goods and clothing. It’s a real treat to wander from stall to stall sampling products and visiting with the vendors about their wares.

Au Pair Language Challenges

My life working as an au pair in France in 1979 was especially challenging because of the language barrier with the children. From the beginning, four-year-old Antoine was far more forgiving then his seven-year-old sister, Colette.  She thought less of me because I didn’t speak French and no matter how hard I tried, no matter how much my French improved, she never fully accepted me as her nanny.  The garden scene below from French Illusions: My Story as an American Au Pair in the Loire Valley, gives the reader a clear picture of this complicated relationship. 

Have You Tried Pinterest?

It’s free to join Pinterest, an innovative site, started in 2010, where you can create “boards” filled with your favorite photos. You’ll find everything imaginable, recipes boards, wedding boards, travel boards, pet boards, you get the idea. The site is easier than ever to use, and I’m thrilled that now you can move around your photos to create accurate sequencing or add visual appeal on boards.