Author: Lila Lacroix
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: June 20 2013
College sophomore Sophie Burnette has just been dumped by her boyfriend, is losing touch with her high school friends and is generally tired of her life in her small Midwestern city. When she sees an ad for doing a semester abroad, she jumps on the opportunity.
Philippe Vaillancourt is a graduate student with a turbulent past who can’t help but immediately fall for Sophie when she walks past him in the park one day.
Sophie’s heart, however, has already been captured by local photographer Jacques Lafleur who shows her a Paris Sophie couldn’t have dreamed existed. But when circumstances throw Sophie and Philippe together, and she begins to realize she’s heading down a dark and dangerous path, will Philippe be able to bring her back, or is Sophie already in too deep?
What Keeps a Series Going in My Mind?
One of the questions I’m often asked is whether or not I wing a story, if I let the characters develop on paper, or if I have an idea of where the story’s going in my head before I write it.
To be honest, my personal method is a little bit of both. I always have an outline of what I want to happen in a book. Usually it’s 1-2 pages long. I know where I want to go with the characters in a general sense. What I don’t always figure out ahead of time, however, is the details.
For example, in A World Away, I didn’t decide until I was writing the words on the page that Sophie would have a love for art, especially Greek statues, and that it would be one of the main things that brought her and Philippe together. That was just the sort of thing that I like to leave until I’m actually writing the book, the sort of trait that I like to have characters develop as I’m writing.
As for when I write series, I do need to have a beginning and an end to a series before I even start. If I write one book and I don’t intend for it to be longer than that, I know it will end up being terrible if I artificially extend it. I have to have an idea for every single installment in a series, and know where it’s going before I start.
Philippe and I met at the Louvre this time, since it was both our days off. We decided to make a morning of it, and I felt that familiar tingle down my spine as I saw him approach, as I’d gotten there first. I really need to start being the one who shows up later for things, this makes me seem desperate I thought to myself as he came up to me and kissed me on the cheek again.
“Hello, Sophie. I’m glad you’ve decided to explore the museum with me again. It certainly is more fun with company, especially company as sexy as yourself.”
“Well, I don’t even need to go into the museum to see art when it’s standing right here in front of me,” I replied, my eyes twinkling. If Philippe wanted to flirt with me, I sure as hell could flirt right back at him. Who knew, this was our day off. Maybe after the museum we would go back to his place, or mine, and then… well, the instant I started thinking about it I felt my panties moistening, my breath catching in my throat, my pulse racing. I hoped Philippe didn’t notice. More than that, I hoped he felt the same way.
“Shall we begin, my lady?” Philippe asked, leading me towards the entrance to the museum. We walked together in silence as we headed towards the French Paintings section. Philippe wanted to show me some of the best works of his homeland.
We were led through paintings so incredible, so realistic, I was amazed. Philippe explained to me that the heyday of French painting was after the Renaissance, in the classical period, and then impressionism.
“Most of the best impressionist works in Paris are at the Musée d’Orsay, not here, but the best Classical works of this country are in these rooms” Philippe told me.
When we arrived at the painting by Jean Louis David, The Consecration of Emperor Napoleon and the Coronation of Empress Josephine, I was amazed. The name of the painting was a mouthful, but it was nothing compared to the actual artwork. I had seen the painting before, of course, printed in some of the books I’d read about Art History, but that was nothing compared to seeing it in real life.
I had expected the painting to be maybe two feet high by three feet wide. Instead, the painting absolutely filled the room. It was at least twenty feet high, and thirty feet wide. The painting was basically life size, with Napoleon in the center standing around six feet tall as he held high the crown he was about to place on the head of his wife, Josephine.
“That’s incredible,” I whispered to Philippe as we gazed at the painting.
“It is. The coronation took place in Notre Dame, so if you have been inside of the Cathedral, you have seen the spot where this very moment took place.”
“It’s funny to think that such an incredible event, such a monumentally important part of history happened in a building through which it is easy to walk through, and that we can see where Napoleon stood as he crowned his queen.”
“Yes, precisely. Napoleon in fact crowned himself as well, although the Pope was in attendance to make him emperor. I love this painting, when it was finished Napoleon exclaimed that one walks into the picture, that it is not a painting, and I agree with that sentiment completely. It is so realistic, it is one of my favourite examples of Classical French painting.”
We stayed for a while, absorbing the enormous impact of the painting together while sitting on one of the soft black benches offered throughout the Louvre. I rested my head on Philippe’s shoulder, and it felt right. It felt perfect, like I belonged here with him. I was so comfortable with Philippe, so happy, I had never felt like this about another man before, ever.
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Lila Lacroix is a young writer who loves to write steamy new adult romance novels. As an English major also who waits tables to minimize the damage to her finances by student loans, Lila loves to relax by dreaming up love stories by young people learning to find themselves.
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I would love to hear your thoughts. :) HAPPY READING !!!!