Amour in Avignon follows a struggling young woman who travels to Provence, southern France, to visit her aunt and joins a thespian troupe where she finds romance. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I was a high school French teacher and college professor who was one of 15 recipients of a National Endowment of the Humanities Scholarship for Teachers to participate in Le Festival d’ Avignon, the world-famous Festival of Theater which attracts 500,000 people each year to the vibrant city of Avignon, in the south of France. While I was there for the month of July 2009, I studied (and even performed in!) French plays and attended live performances of all types of theater: classical tragedies, puppet shows, flamenco dances, comedies, musicals, and avant-garde presentations of Theater of the Absurd. It was an unforgettable experience and the inspiration for my novella.

Why choose this place and time for the setting of the story?

I LOVE the south of France and the region of Provence, and I was captivated by the city of Avignon, which is famous for le Palais des Papes–the Palace of the Popes–where the papacy was transferred from Rome during the 14th century. I felt that with the rich history, beautiful setting, and vibrancy of the Festival of Theater, Avignon would be the perfect backdrop for a contemporary romance.

What was the inspiration for the love story and the connection the characters have?

While earning my MA in French literature, I read the classical tragedy, Cyrano de Bergerac. I absolutely adored the film of the same name with Gérard Depardieu, Vincent Perez, and Anne Brochet. My novella, Amour in Avignon, is a modern retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac, set amidst the backdrop of le Festival d’ Avignon. As in the original work by Edmond Rostand, Amour in Avignon features two best friends who fall in love with the same woman. My protagonist, Ludovic Brissac, and antagonist, Auguste DesMoulins, are expert fencers, just as Cyrano and Christian are skilled swordsmen in the classic play.

What will the next book in that series be about and when will it be published?

Although Amour in Avignon is a stand-alone novella, I have written another steamy, contemporary French romance, Flames of Flamenco, which takes place in Montmartre, the bohemian heart of Paris. It’s the story of an American teacher who travels to Paris to study language and culture and meets a talented painter who is also a passionate flamenco dancer. She becomes his Muse as he introduces her to the secret delights of the City of Light.

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