Buy the Book Tours: "Solitary Desire" by Kim Defforge Book Blitz

About Kim Defforge

Born in the U.S. and now, an expat living on the French Riviera. As a former French teacher, and lifelong Francophile, I currently enjoy writing: books, and sharing news, information, and amusing stories on my blog, "24/7 in France." 

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About Solitary Desire

A story of a woman in love with all things French, who accomplishes her dreams through hard work and determination - driven by the overwhelming desire to be who and where she was meant to be. Conveying amusing candor, Defforge takes us along on her journey as she narrates the life events that weave an emotional tapestry, from adolescent imagination to adult life situations. A true story of twists and turns and the author’s courage to follow it. Inspirational and engaging - the perfect read for those who wish to pursue their own life dreams.

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Excerpt

“An invisible thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break. May you be open to each thread that comes into your life – the golden ones and the coarse ones – and may you weave them into a brilliant and beautiful life.”
(Chinese proverb)

The usual rite of passage, testing one's wings so to speak, generally happens as a 20-something. So, why was I doing it as a 40-something? It’s okay, I told myself, 'pas de problème'. I am an independent, competent, and mature adult. (Aren't I?)

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Solitary Desire by Kim Defforge
Genre: Memoir

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• Publication Date: January 23, 2013

Paris, France--One of My Dream Vacations!

Every since I took French in high school, I have had a dream to go to France one day--specifically Paris, France.  Why did I fall in love with Paris?  I suppose it is my love for history, art, culture, and travel.  I have never forgotten much of what I learned in French class, and A Tale of Two Cities (which partially takes place in Paris) is still one of my favorite books.  Who knows--maybe one day I will get to fulfill this dream!

Copyright by Moyan Brenn

When most people think of Paris, I think the Eiffel Tower is the first thing that comes to mind.  And I will admit that it would be one of the top things on my list.  Even after all these years, it is still a gorgeous landmark, and the idea of seeing it at night sparks my interest.

But this is the top landmark I love to see--the L'arc de Triomphe.  I remember studying about it and always finding it so fascinating.  And, of course, that puts me right on the Champs Elysees, the famous path in Paris. For me, this has always been more a symbol of Paris because it is more centralized.  And I guess it makes sense.  My love for history comes through when I consider this since it is a symbol both of the Revolutionary War and Napoleon!

And, of course, what is a trip to Paris without visiting the famous Louvre, probably the top art museum in the world!  Even though visual arts have never been a strength of mine, this is so historic that I have no choice but to visit it.  

Now, I have shared the top three sites, but I must admit that I don't want to just be caught up in all the "tourist" things in Paris.  I want to discover local culture and flavor, and so let me turn to the places where I would love to eat.

When I think of Paris, I think of going to local cafes and local cuisine.  Le Cafe Marly, which overlooks the Louvre, sounds exactly like my style.  It is a cafe, and it is near one of the places I long to see.  According to what I have read, they offer something for everyone including children.  That would be important because I would love for my daughter to come with me.

And what is a trip to Paris without visiting a bakery?  I would love to try Rose Bakery since it sounds reasonably priced and casual.  And everything is organic and fresh.  This is definitely on my list!

Now we come to the most important part of the trip--the accommodations.  I don't want to stay at fancy hotels, but I want it to be clean and offer enough amenities for me to be comfortable.  I know it sounds strange, but I still remember my French teacher preaching at us that it was worth our while to stay in hostels if we visited France.  And I am pleased to see there are some right in Paris.

The Peace and Love Hostel has really good reviews, and it is under $100 a night.  So it sounds good to me. I might have to reconsider if my daughter truly did come with me because they say hostels are best for singles.  So I might try the Leonard de Vinci which has five star user ratings and is still under $100 per night.

I might even stay at the Hippodrome Hotel which is classic and described as "not an American copycat."  It might be the best bet merely because it sounds like I would have a chance to be a part of the local culture and not just be surrounded by tourists.  It does seem that the options are endless!

Gogobot allows you to tap into the knowledge of your friends when planning a trip anywhere. You can find like-minded travelers and inspiration for your next vacation, creating easy-to-use wishlists you can return to again and again.

And when you are not in vacation mode or planning a trip, you can discover hidden gems in your own neighborhood for entertaining guests or a weekend staycation.

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Gogobot. The opinions and text are all mine.

This Day in History October 22, 1845

By George Newnes (1851-1910) (Players of the Day) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Ever heard of Sarah Bernhardt?  She was a French/Dutch/Jewish actress born on this date in 1845.  She was a very emotional actress known for the pathos of her death scenes.  At the age of 15, she bought a coffin, and sometimes she slept in it!  Goodness, that really is unusual!  She was often referred to as Divine Sarah.  An injury forced her to have her leg amputated, and she replaced it with a wooden leg in 1915.  She kept acting in roles where she was mainly seated.  This French actress was known worldwide, and died in 1923.

For more information, please check out:
http://www.answers.com/topic/sarah-bernhardt
http://www.theatrehistory.com/french/bernhardt001.html
http://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/sarah-bernhardt.html

This Day in History October 15, 1987

David Wright [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

It was on this date in 1987 that a very rare storm occurred called the Great Storm of 1987.  It hit England and France with a vengeance, and no one was really prepared for the 80 mph winds that wreaked havoc on these areas.  It is believed that this is a "once in 200 years" phenomenon.  

I have to admit I don't remember this storm at all, but often the U.S. doesn't cover world weather all that well.  And I wouldn't have been watching the news much at this point in my life.

For more information, please check out:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19926031
http://news.sky.com/story/997773/great-storm-of-1987-how-disaster-developed
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Storm_of_1987
http://famousdaily.com/history/great-storm-of-1987-rare-occurrence.html

This Day in History September 12, 1888

By William Morris Agency (management). (eBay item photo front photo back) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

So have you ever seen this person pictured above?  I have, and I have even seen some of his movies.  His name is Maurice Chevalier, and he was born on this date in 1888, in Paris, France.  Before his musical comedy fame, he did several odd jobs including painting, carpentry, and more.  In 1901, he began his career in theatre, and he became quite well-known in France.

In WWI, he was wounded, and he was also a prisoner of war for two years.  It was during that time that he learned English.  After his release, he went to England, and even though he was still singing in French, he found success.

Following the war, he found a degree of success in American movies. He made a few pictures with Jeanette MacDonald (she rejected his advances which made things quite tense).  He continued to find success in Hollywood, and whenever he spoke English on film, it was always with a heavy French accent.  Amazingly, his real English sounded much more American.  

During WWII, he was accused of conspiring with the Nazis, and he did not return to Hollywood until the 1950's after his acquittal.  He made the film Gigi (that's where I first saw him), and he received an Honorary Academy Award for it.

His final contribution to the film industry was the singing of the title song in the Disney film The Aristocats.  He died in Paris January 1, 1972.

For more information, please check out:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002001/bio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Chevalier
http://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/maurice-chevalier.html

This Day in History July 8, 1951

Imagine this one.  On this date in 1951, Paris, France celebrated its 2000 year birthday!  And actually, they say it was much older than that.  Historians tend to think it was founded in the year 250 B.C.  I had no idea the city was that old!  A Gallic tribe know as Parisii settled an area of Paris around this time.  In 52 B.C., Julius Caesar and the Romans took it over.  Lutelia was the Christianized name of this city (midwater dwelling).  In 987, Paris became the capital city of France.

Today, some two million people live in Paris, and ten million more live in the surrounding areas.  It is still a popular tourist destination, and it also retains its reputation for being a center for food, fashion, culture, and commerce.  It is a place I have longed to visit for so long, but I doubt I will ever make it!

For more information, please check out:
http://craighill.net/2012/07/08/july-8-1951-paris-celebrates-2000th-birthday/
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/paris-celebrates-2000th-birthday
http://famousdaily.com/history/paris-celebrates-2000th-birthday.html

This Day in History March 20, 1792

Okay, I know it is a little gruesome--okay, it's downright disgusting! But it was on this date in 1792 that France adopted the use of the guillotine as the official means of execution during that horrific time called the French Revolution.  It was actually considered a more humane form of execution since it did its job in one fell swoop rather than two or more whacks to behead someone with a sword.  And it was also a means of equality amongst citizens.  There was only one way to be executed whether you were peasant or nobility.  The use of the guillotine was only abolished when the death penalty was overturned--1981.

I have to admit that the French Revolution does intrigue me.  While I am grateful that I never had to witness the guillotine in its heyday, historical fiction from this time period of history has always interested me.  One of my favorite books is A Tale of Two Cities, and I also love The Scarlet Pimpernel.

For a lot more information, check out these links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillotine
http://timelines.com/1792/3/20/the-guillotine-is-adopted-as-the-revolutions-official-means-of-execution
http://www.edinformatics.com/inventions_inventors/guillotine.htm
http://parksfacts.blogspot.com/2010/11/guillotine.html

This Day in History February 10, 1970

Another sad day in history to share with all of you.  On this date in 1970, the worst avalanche occurred in Val D'isere, France.  Thirty-nine people, mostly young boys, were killed.  Here is how the story played out.

This particular ski resort was operated by a non-profit group that attracted young skiers.  The morning of that fateful day, most of the occupants of the hotel were eating breakfast in the large room facing the mountain.. Without warning, there was a terrific noise followed by 100,000 cubic yards came crashing down the mountain and into the window.  Trail workers were instantly killed, and people within the hotel were alternately thrown aside and buried by the horrific avalanche.  Cars were stopped on the road, and in some places, the snow was 100 yards deep. 

Sixty other people were injured (in addition to the 39 dead).  The president of France ordered the evacuations of nearby resorts which proved to be a great idea.  There was a chain reaction of avalanches within the next few days.

For more information, please check out:

http://www.mannecy.fr/23314-avalanche-a-val-d-isere.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/english/avalanches/casestudies.shtml#53

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/avalanche-buries-skiers-in-france

This Day in History January 12, 1908

Okay, maybe this isn't the most exciting thing in the world--slim pickings today.  I really struggled to find something, but I did!  On this date in 1908, the first long-distance radio message was sent from the Eiffel Tower in France.  And it seems like that is all she wrote!

I seem to remember seeing something in passing that said this helped during the War.  And I read something else that said that this radio signal was part of what kept this tower standing after the original 20 years that it was supposed to be allowed to stand.

I have never been to France although I have dreamed of it.  I took three years of French in high school, and my French teacher wanted me to take an AP French test.  I know I could have gone on with my language learning.  When I was a senior, I actually had to help translate on a trip to New York.  I had been away from it for a year, so it was not easy.  But I did my best, and I think the lady was happy that I at least somewhat understood her.  I was unable to relate the instructions back to her.  But at least I tried!

Although there is not a lot of additional information, here are the sites I used:
http://encyclopedia.kids.net.au/page/ei/Eiffel_Tower
http://www.music.us/education/E/Eiffel-Tower.htm
http://www.bonjourlafrance.com/france-tourist-attractions/eiffel-tower.htm

This Day in History December 2, 1804

Anybody recognize this person?  You might recognize him as Napoleon Bonaparte, and on this date in 1804, he was crowned emperor of France.  He reigned from 1804 to 1815, and of course, his coronation had quite an event.  The ceremony lasted for over three hours

I probably don't need to say a whole lot about Napoleon.  All I can say is that I hope that dictators like him never take over any country again.  It is amazing to realize that someone like him had the power he did.

If you would like to read more about Napoleon and his coronation, check out these links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_I_of_France
http://www.georgianindex.net/Napoleon/coronation/coronation.html

This Day in History October 5, 1930

Did you ever used to watch the Goodyear blimp as you were growing up?  I was always excited to look up and see it in the sky or see it on TV.  I don't know why it was fascinating to me, but it was.  I can remember wanting to ride in that blimp.  I don't think about blimps much these days, but this day in history concerns a terrible tragedy concerning a blimp.

Dirigibles or Airships (the real term for blimps) date back to as early as 1783.  In 1785, Jean Pierre Blanchard crossed the English Channel with a balloon equipped with flapping wings and a bird-like tail. In 1852, Henri Giffard flew 17 miles in a steam-powered airship. They continued to be perfected well into the 20th century.

In the 1920's, the major European powers competed to build bigger and better blimps in order to rule the airspace.  The R-101 (pictured at the beginning of this post) was Great Britain's finest achievement.It was 777 feet long, weighed 150 tons, and could carry up to 100 passengers.  Six Rolls Royce engines were its source of power.

Its maiden voyage was fraught with trouble, and it was grounded for nearly a year.  And it was October of 1930 when it was brought back into service. Lord Thompson was the great champion of this cause.  He was one of the four passengers that day along with 52 crew members.  With great anticipation of a Far Eastern destination, the blimp took of the evening of October 4, 1930. (Some sites say October 5--I wish all the sites would agree.  It seems that no matter what that the crash happened on October 5.)

From the beginning, there was real trouble.  The crew accidentally released four tons of water ballast that was meant to control the altitude. They also took off in a horrible storm that was over the English Channel (even though blimps were known to be dangerous during bad weather).  Once the blimp reached the air over France, it was unable to keep level altitude.  Because of the blackness of the night, the pilots were unaware of the danger (they were flying only 250 feet above the town of Poix).  Within a very short time, the blimp began skimming the trees and then hit a small ridge.  The impact instantly ignited the hydrogen supply, and 48 of the 56 were killed (though some sites say all were killed).  Two men who at first were survivors later died in the hospital.  There are varying numbers listed,  so all I can really say is that almost all of the people on board were instantly killed.

The following video says there were 57 people aboard with 7 survivors. It is a long  video, so feel free  to watch portions of it or not at all.  But I found it sort of interesting.


For lots of great information, check out all these sites:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/blimp-crashes-in-france
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php?topic=5794.0
http://www.philbrick2255.org.uk/pdf/r101airship.pdf

Here's hoping that we all have a better day today than these poor souls.