I’m writing from a small studio in the South of France. Outside the sun is shining, the babble of French floats up from the cobble-stoned square, and my little furball, Sunday, a true writer’s cat, lies curled in my lap, snoring softly.

I was a young teenager when I read Somerset Maugham’s The Razor’s Edge, partly set in Paris after World War I. (If you haven’t read it, you should. It’s a fantastic read. You’ll love it!)

I was a bit older when I read Andrea Lee’s excellent Sarah Phillips, the story of a young black woman who grew up in Philadelphia and moves to France.

At some point, I plunged into tales about the African-American diaspora in Paris in the 1920s – not just about Josephine Baker, but Langston Hughes, Eugene Bullard, and Bricktop, among others, too.

I’d always wanted to be a writer, but by then I wanted not only to be a writer but a writer in Paris!

Years went by. There were responsibilities. And somehow the dream of living in Paris faded. It became a dream deferred. I did manage to get to Europe, though. I lived in Munich and visited Paris off and on.

Then I met Michelle. She too lived in Munich and became a dear friend. It was she and her husband, Dédé, who introduced me to the South of France. I fell in love with it.

She’s gone now, but I still hear her, encouraging me, cheering me on as I recounted my dream of being a writer based in France. Of course, she’s not the only helper I’ve had. I’ve been blessed to have incredible friends and family who all said, “Go on! You can do it.”

It’s because of them that I now find myself ensconced in Provence, a land of lavender and fine wine and cheese.

Every morning I wake up, amazed to find that I’m really here. I look at Sunday and say, “We really made it.” As the sun rises, she and I stand at our window, watching the vendors set up their stands for the open-air market on the street below. It’s magical.

We’re in a temporary rental. Eventually, we’ll move into the rental I’ve found. It’s small but charming, bright and clean, right off one of the main squares of this medieval town. The fulfillment of this writer’s dream.

Never give up on your dreams. No matter how out of reach or unlikely they may appear to be. Bless those who support you, who believe in you when you can’t summon the strength to believe in yourself.

Thank you to those who’ve purchased copies of Dear Sister Dead. A big shout-out to Kay McLeer, Anne Kavcic, Anne Hayes, Cortez Law III, and Gifford MacShane for having provided reviews. Your support means the world to me.

Last but not least, a very special thanks to Rob Goodman. He reached out and asked about having a large print edition. It was an excellent and thoughtful suggestion, one that was deeply appreciated. So, now Dear Sister Dead is available in large print! Check it out and tell me what you think.

À la prochaine!