THE book

[Alice Abbott]

OK, I've decided to have a bash at the book my sister suggested about our experiences in France so I need some input from you guys. As it will be strictly therapeutic I was thinking of looking at one of those self-publishing deals where it ends up as a downloadable ebook. Has anyone here ever tried that before?

I don't want it to be yet another "We renovated a house in some backwood or other, aren't we clever" type book but something a bit more interesting. And definitely not any sort of self-important pompous rambling (I think of the "When Is" who gave us a blow by blow account of wallpapering their "lounge") but something which people might even find helpful and entertaining. We've certainly made enough mistakes from which people could learn and many more they could have a good giggle over (the mayor's face when he met me out with a wheelbarrow, with geisha facepaint, chicken feathers in my hair and singing at the top of my voice springs to mind...)!

So I thought of a combined book, a sort of "Food for Free", "Driving over Lemons", "Moosewood Cookbook" and "The Downside of Dysfunctional Hippy Families" (I made that one up!).

Does anyone have any more suggestions? I have lots of notes in my diary (I will try to update the blog as it is way behind yet again) and I don't think I've even mentioned our first year here in that. I've chatted to Mack and he suggests I need to start with the day we first arrived here, which is when the guttering & drainpipes finally fell off (three storeys worth) as he kicked the kitchen door to make it open. I can then go back later to explain what made us decide to give up a perfectly comfortable life to end up living in a tent pitched in the living room here for months on end). Actually I thought I might start with the mayor story - a reader would have to keep going to see what sort of lunatics they were being introduced to...

All ideas gratefully received. But don't expect a finished product too quickly!

[Berti]

hi alice, your description of the "combined book" sounds really LOVELY, to start with.
And indeed, do also include all the mistakes you made........
People want to read, what to expect but also, how NOT to do it, with the most juicy descriptions you can think of.
If its going to be specifically France (which is totally likely huh? ) how about a section with "how to get in touch with the french and make them your friends" and also "where to go in case of XXXXX when you need a xxxx person" etc.
Most books pass up on the last few, because usually its nothing more than just a diary that was printed.

Its good indeed to start with the arrival and go back later, to how this idiot adventure came about ;)
did you realise how LUCKY you really are!! you do what others dream of. be proud of yourself and write when you can.......we all will patiently await the results!

Unfortunately I have not yet experiences with ebooks but pretty sure someone on here will chime in on that!
Should not be too hard, I think!
Good luck and stay in touch!

[fran]

Alice, I love your blog and find your lifestyle fascinating and I bet I am not the only one. I like the idea of a combined book and think it would work. You are a very good and interesting writer who engages the reader and you have a great story to tell, so go for it and good luck
Ps I have a Master's Degree in Literature so know a little bit about the subject of books!!!

[boboff]

I thought a blog was meant to be regular!

I would say that the mix is a great idea, it would be like a Doring Kinsley guide to moving to France sort of thing, chapters on Language, culture, cooking, legal system, retail, challenges, ecology of the country, background to the governance and politics etc. Keep taking lots of pictures.

Title, In France every thing is not "gite" like it is back home..... Catchy? No, well I am not the writer!

Best of luck to you.

[Millymollymandy]

I think just your adventures would be more interesting than any 'how to live in France' type factual book - there are tons of them about and the info needs updating every few years anyway! A lot of your adventures would cover this sort of thing anyway as you face up to how it all works in another country. Good luck Alice.

[MuddyWitch]

Not sure I can add anything constructive, but I love your writting style & think you are very wrong (on the skills thread) to say you are no good at it! You have a lovely, natural, 'chatty' way with words that is a HUGE skill.

Breath duly baited for the result!

MW