Sunday 13 May 2012

Three questions

The honesty is in flower all around the garden. There's always far more purple than white. My first question to all of you knowledgeable people out in Blogland is, will it come true from seed if I save the seeds from the white plants?

I recently finished reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, a novel by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. It's a book that manages to be entertainingly light, but has a serious heart. The subject is the German occupation of Guernsey during the second World War, and how it affected the islanders. Goodness - how we take our freedoms for granted. Apparently there's going to be a film of it too.

After that I read Joanne Harris' The Lollipop Shoes, for the second time. I enjoyed that very much as well, even more than her novel Chocolat which preceded it. It's set in Paris, you see, and in a few weeks I am off there myself. So my second question is, what other novels can I read which are also set in Paris? Classic or modern, I don't mind. Have already done A Tale of Two Cities and Les Miserables.

My third question is whether anyone can recommend vegetarian cafes in Paris. I have earmarked a couple that I've spotted on the Internet, but there's nothing like a personal tip from someone who's been. I am unlikely to go hungry in any event, with all that bread and cheese to sample. And maybe even some chocolat.

Not much writing news this week, although I was shortlisted for the spring Flash 500 competition. The judge was Margaret James, and if you go to the 'winning entries' page, she makes some helpful comments about what she was looking for. (Mine is the last one on the shortlist called 'When She Comes Home'.) The next closing date is at the end of June, if anyone wants to enter. There are very healthy cash prizes, results seem to be announced promptly, and it's a good place to try out your 500 worders.

Meanwhile, it's actually stopped raining and we are officially no longer in a drought zone. Just popping out to pull up some weeds...

23 comments:

Maggie May said...

Thanks for the link to Flash 500 and well done. I shall definitely be sending something off.

joanne fox said...

Good luck Maggie!

Joanna said...

I'll try that competition. Thank you, Joanne. And well done for the shortlisting.
I believe The Ladies' Delight (Emile Zola) is set in Paris, but it's along time since I read Zola. Ther's also Therese Raquin, which I studied at school ,also set in Paris.
As for vegetarian restaurants, I don't recall seeing any. We had trouble getting one waitress to understand what we meant by vegetarian! I don't eat meat, but I do eat fish and had a lot of salads over there, so I wasn't too badly off.

Have a wonderful trip, Joanne. I'd love to see Paris again. I fell in love with the atmosphere and elegance of this amazing city.

Old Kitty said...

Vegetarian eateries in Paris!??!?! GOOD LUCK!!!! LOL!!! I've not been to Paris in a while but my trips to other parts of France is always an occassion when I eat out. Usually the chef is nice and makes me an omelette!

Yay for being shortlisted!!! Take care
x

joanne fox said...

Thank you for your suggestions on books, Joanna. Guess I can keep going on salads if necessary - I also eat fish occasionally, but prefer veggie if poss. Good luck if you try the comp. I'm sure you'll do well.

Kitty, I think I can manage the French for omelette, so that should be OK too!

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

I have no recommendations, and wish you all the best in finding a good book and a place to enjoy! Sometimes as you well know, the best part is in the 'finding!' ~Enjoy!!~~

joanne fox said...

Thank you Kim. I will!

MorningAJ said...

My honesty is always white. I'd LOVE some purple. No idea what the genetics involved is. You could get any kind of colour!

bazza said...

Set in 18th century Paris, Patrick Suskind's novel Perfume is a great read but a tad horrific! (Also a good film).
Enjoy Paris!
Click here for Bazza’s Blog ‘To Discover Ice’

joanne fox said...

Morning AJ, I think the white is much more delicate. I'll have to experiment with seeds, and we could swap!

Bazza, I do remember now that I read Perfume many years ago. Not too horrific for moi! Perhaps I'll read it again if it's in the library.

Teresa Ashby said...

I love honesty. We had some at our last house, but only the purple. Good luck growing more of the white.
Have a lovely time in Paris :-) x

joanne fox said...

Thanks Teresa. I'm not going for a little while, but I am enjoying the anticipation!

Rosemary Gemmell said...

The honesty is lovely but I can't help with the question! Well done on the Flash Fiction. How lovely to be planning a trip to Paris - can't think of a novel at the moment, but daughter, Vikki, mentioned one recently.

Biddy Fraser said...

'Cheri' by Colette is set in Paris and you'll love it, Jo. Colette wrote loads of books and 'Cheri' has also been made into a film. I read 'Cheri' and 'The End of Cheri' when I was in my teens - not showing off - didn't understand a lot of it, but the writing is beautiful, exquisite. The story is about an ageing courtesan and her much younger lover, and how he finds that no one else can live up to her. She kind of spoils him for any other relationship. It's also about beauty - objects, pearls, for instance, people, Paris. Absolutely haunting.

joanne fox said...

Thanks Rosemary, I did enjoy Vikki's lovely post about Paris on her own blog.

Oh yes, Colette, of course, Biddy. Years ago I did read something of hers, but I can't remember what! Will look for Cheri in the library, as I don't think it was that one. Thanks for the suggestion.

Diane Fordham said...

Congrats on being short listed :-)

joanne fox said...

Cheers, Diane.

Jenny Woolf said...

I have always found honesty runs true from seed. It's a wild flower or at least I have seen it growing in the wild. Beautiful

I know one veggie cafe in Paris but can't remember its name, unfortunately! So that isn't much help although I might remember the name if I heard it or saw a photo. There's a cute little restaurant, very tiny, from La Reunion, near Montparnasse station and I had a very nice veggie meal there although I don't know if it is wholly vegetarian.

joanne fox said...

Thank you Jenny. I will have to tie a thread around the white plants so I know which ones to save seed from when they ripen.

I will look at Montparnasse and see what I can find!

Librarian said...

It's a few years since I have read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, but it was one of only very few novels I am thinking about re-reading.

Have I welcomed you yet as the latest follower of my blog? I don't think so - therefore: Welcome! :-)

joanne fox said...

Thank you Librarian, I know I will enjoy continuing to follow your posts.

Suzanne Ross Jones said...

Congratulations on being short listed. Great news.

Afraid I've only been to Paris once and a long time ago. Hope you find some nice places.

joanne fox said...

Thanks Suzanne. x