Sometimes you really don't want to know...
When a French woman asks the elderly Reverend H.S. Watchman for directions outside a Phoenix grocery store, he instantly falls in love with her youth and beauty. He sees Dominique as a lost soul, and maybe, through helping her, he can forget about the aches and pains of aging.
But as he seeks to grasp this taste of youth, will he lose something important?
A short story by K. S. R. Burns, best-selling author of The Paris Effect.
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Interview with the Author Why did you write The Paris Effect? This is easy. I am a member of two book groups. We love talking about stories and characters, why we liked or didn't like a novel, what books and reading mean to us. I've done a lot of pondering about what makes a satisfying reading experience. Simply put, I wanted to write a novel that my book groups would enjoy reading and talking about.
What kind of story is it? Reviewers call it an engrossing adventure that's both funny and touching. Literary types would probably say it's a coming of age story because the main character, Amy (who loves all things French, and is diet-obsessed and believes French women don't get fat), takes the first big risk of her life by running away to France, soon learning the truth of the expression, "Wherever you go, there you are." I call it a tale of self-discovery that for the reader doubles as a virtual mini-vacation to Paris, giving a unique glimpse of Paris life.
You also wrote Paris Ever After, a standalone sequel to The Paris Effect. So I don't need to read The Paris Effect first? Correct! Each book can be enjoyed on its own, but like a café crème and macaron, they go great together. Both stories take you on a journey through Amy's Paris, which is a Paris few casual tourists ever see. But each story has its own path-a surprising, often unpredictable path of self-discovery as Amy struggles to confront the challenges being thrown at her.
Many books have been written with Paris as the setting. What sets yours apart? Who doesn't like a Paris love story? For many of us, Paris is the ultimate romantic dream destination. And don't get me wrong-Paris is truly as romantic as it's cracked up to be! But it's also a multilingual, multinational metropolis of street hustlers, diesel fumes, and pickpockets. Amy encounters all of these and more, including some wonderfully kind strangers. She gets to know a Paris that few casual tourists ever see. And so will you. Thanks for reading!
