Leave a comment Posted on adult fiction, Book talk, New books, Reviews

The Paris Cooking School is already getting great reviews!

It just came out yesterday, but already, The Paris Cooking School has received some wonderful reviews! On the Better Reading site, for example, readers have contributed lots of fabulous reviews, including many 5 star ones, you can check them all out here. Just a few lovely examples below:

A tale of Sylvie (owner of The Paris Cooking School), Gabi (a talented artist suffering creative block), and Kate (searching for peace and reprieve after a deep betrayal from her ex-husband). Each character is on a separate journey of looking within, finding what sets their soul on fire, and learning to believe in themselves, discovering their inner critic doesn’t always accurately depict the truth. Sylvie, Kate and Gabi, while on very different paths, gain a deep understanding of who they really are, what they need to be happy and how to allow that happiness to impact the hope for a beautiful, soul-satisfying future. A great read, hard to put down and written in such a way that you become invested in each character’s outcome. Pennie, QLD, 5 Stars

The Paris Cooking School was a joy to read. I loved the descriptions of Paris – I want to go back, and I want to eat all those lovely dishes and drink the wine and taste the cheese. The characters and romance were delightful – a really great holiday read, or light read if you need a break from mysteries and murders and heavy subjects. Sophie Beaumont’s descriptive writing made one feel as if you were there, picnicking on the banks of the Seine, watching the people and sights. I could almost taste the strawberry tart. A story of hope and looking forward, I loved it. Joy, VIC, 5 Stars

The Paris Cooking School is a beautiful read about three women who meet at The Paris Cooking School. Two Aussie students from rival capital cities and each running away from their own suffocating lives. One the elegant owner and teacher facing unsettling issues of her own. As the book unfolds, it is amazing to see all three characters develop, grow and flourish. Is it all smooth sailing? No, but every step gives you more understanding and love for the characters. They become real so you will cringe at their outbursts and cheer for their successes. Sophie has created gorgeous and relatable characters and given us the dreamy setting of a month in Paris. It will surely be a hit! Mary, SA, 5 Stars

Many more lovely reviews from Better Reading contributors here.

Reviews have appeared on Instagram, here’s extracts from some below:

From the very beginning, l was hooked to the point that every page had my taste buds come alive. The description of the food seriously came alive through each page. It was like, l too,could taste every bite the characters were tasting. YUM! The novel centres around three gorgeous ladies who have relationship issues. Enough to have them wanting to escape reality. What a perfect way to deal with those issues by enrolling in a four week French Cooking School to learn to cook – the French way! The story links these beautiful women with perfect descriptions of delicious food as well as the sceneries of Paris with love, hope, adventure, and some good old soul searching for second chances and new beginnings. I particularly loved how the postscript takes place a year later and into their futures. This beautifully written novel is about friendships and the most incredible Parisian food. It is undoubtedly the perfect holiday read that will leave your heart bursting with all the magical feels. (Lisa at Coffee and Pages)

The Paris Cooking School is a sumptuous feast for the senses that illuminates the delectable art of combining storytelling with food. As you meander through the streets of Paris, you are immediately drawn into its living culture and realise that the City of Light itself, is a dynamic character in the novel. The cooking school provides the perfect backdrop for the characters to explore their motivations and various relationships while expressing their obvious love of French food culture with all the trimmings. There are flirtatious and romantic entanglements for Gabi, Kate and Sylvie, who are all in the midst of personal uncertainty. The paths of each of the women, although very different, intersect seamlessly, and we journey alongside with them as they navigate new paths for themselves. This novel provides a lighthearted escape for anyone who enjoys reading about love, food and travel. (The Organised Classroom)

It’s heartfelt, so beautifully written, and will make you want to fling yourself into the kitchen and onto a plane to Paris, probably both at the same time! The weaving together of stories of the three protagonists is sensitive and seamless, and I hope to revisit their Paris again! Félicitations Sophie! It’s a triumph! (Lorena Carrington)

There’s also very nice reviews on Goodreads, for example:

Reading this novel made you want to go to the Paris Cooking School for both the food and the enriched human relationship experience. There was carefully woven backstories into the novel and as well as some romances that all varied in their intensity, and an unexpected twist or two. It left me wanting mouth-watering food, more Paris, and to follow the characters as the story unfolds following the ending of this book. It was a marvellous balance between relaxing and hard to put down.
Bon Appetit! (Larissa Collins)

Author Sophie Beaumont, who was brought up in France and Australia, has an exquisite knowledge of both Paris and French food, and she has used that delightfully in this novel.
It’s an expertly crafted tale of twists and turns that draws the reader in as the characters’ lives are transformed.
The story is simply a feast, a perfect concoction of secrets, heartaches and love. (Don Baker)

“The Paris Cooking School” creates a mood which stays with you as the characters in the story come to life. This includes Paris herself; her sights, sounds, tastes and smells….A perfect holiday read, for lovers of Josephine Moon, Monica McInerney and Maeve Binchy. (Christine)

And finally, a beautiful review, in French, by Sydney-based French novelist Olivier Vojetta. Here’s a short extract:

Déjà, ce qui est formidable avec ce livre, c’est qu’en le lisant on se téléporte à Paris, on y est, on redécouvre un Paris ancien et moderne à travers les yeux de tous les personnages, et il y en a un certain nombre, c’est un roman choral…Sous les airs de lecture d’été facile, il y a beaucoup de contenu et de matière très intéressante, le tout mêlé et brodé avec talent et subtilité dans les interstices de l’histoire, en creux….. C’est un livre aussi passionnant que savoureux. Tous les personnages partagent des histoires, tristes, gaies, des histoires toutes différentes, mais qui se rejoignent en un bouquet final dans le dernier chapitre, pour ensemble créer le plat parfait.

You can read Olivier’s whole review here.




Leave a comment Posted on adult fiction, announcements, Book talk, Celebrations, Publication day, Uncategorized

Publication day for The Paris Cooking School!

Well, the big day has come for The Paris Cooking School, which is officially released by Ultimo Press today. This has been such a special, wonderful book to write, and an exciting new direction for me into full-length contemporary adult fiction. I am so happy that the novel is available in bookshops right across Australia now. And I very much hope that readers will enjoy going with Gabi, Kate and Sylvie, my main characters, on their journey to new purpose, new happiness–and new recipes!–in the heart of the most beautiful city in the world…

Huge thanks to the wonderful people who have helped make this book a gorgeous reality: my fantastic agent, Margaret Connolly who has been so encouragingly excited about this story from the start, my fabulous publisher Alex Craig, who believed in it straight away and provided such thoughtful and perceptive guidance, and to all the lovely team at Ultimo Press, for all your much-appreciated care in editing, design, publicity, and more. And a special thanks to Cheryl Orsini for the strawberry tart 🙂 It’s been a truly wonderful experience working with you all, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

To my husband David, and my children and children-in-law, Pippa, Joe, Xavier, Maryam, Bevis and Jacquie, much love and thanks for understanding why this book was so very special for me, and for being so excited for me. And to all the rest of my beautiful family, in France, Australia and the UK, lots of love and thanks for your support and encouragement always. My birth family is from south west France so though I’ve known those regions well since childhood, we never went to Paris, and I first got to know it only in my early twenties. So, a special thank you to my Paris-based family members for the many engrossing hours over many years, helping us to really get to know the City of Light from the inside, knowledge which was enriched by a six month residency in the Nancy Keesing Studio in Paris, generously awarded to me by the Australia Council. And another special thank you goes to my sisters in law in Britain whose lovely little pet provided the inspiration for a very special character in The Paris Cooking School!

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing some more about the book, including special features for readers, but right now, hurrah for publication day, and here’s to The Paris Cooking School!

PS: If you would like to read some reviews of The Paris Cooking School (there’s already quite a few advance reviews!), head over to my website, where you’ll find extracts of quite a few of them. And if you’d like to drop me a line about The Paris Cooking School, contact me here.

Leave a comment Posted on adult fiction, announcements, Book talk, Celebrations, Fiction, France, New books, News

Events for the upcoming publication of The Paris Cooking School!

The Paris Cooking School, my new novel for adults, written under the pen-name of Sophie Beaumont, is being published by Ultimo Press on November 1, and to celebrate it, here are three wonderful events coming up, centred around the book!

First up, on Thursday October 26 at 8pm Australian Eastern Daylight Saving time, I’ll be talking about my book, and books generally, with the fantastic writer Suzanne Leal on her popular online Thursday Book Club. The Book Club is held weekly, but once a month Suzanne invites a guest author to talk about what they’ve been writing, and reading, and this month, that’s me! It’s free to listen in, from anywhere, you just need to go to Suzanne’s Book Club page here where you will find the Zoom link to join (just scroll down).

Next, there’s an in person event with a difference in Sydney, 6.30 pm on Wednesday November 8, at the Alliance Française’s NSW headquarters in Clarence St in the Sydney CBD. I’ll be the guest speaker at the November edition of the Alliance’s fabulous Philo Bistro event, which features discussions, in French, with French-language writers, artists, film-makers, musicians, and more, moderated by Sydney-based French novelist Olivier Vojetta. Join us for a fun evening of discussion around my book, French food, Paris, and much more–with the added bonus of a glass of delicious French wine! It’s $10 for Alliance members, $15 for non-members, and you need to book here.

And then, on Saturday November 11 at 2pm, there will be another in person event, in my hometown of Armidale, northern NSW. It’s going to be a launch with a difference too, as it will be held in the Cafe Patisserie, Armidale’s fabulous French-themed cafe which features the most divine and delectable cakes created on site–patisserie that would definitely not be out of place in Paris itself! Some of those creations will feature on the menu for the launch, our lovely local independent booksellers from Reader’s Companion will be on hand to sell the book (you can also pre-order) , and I’ll be on hand to talk and sign! It’s free to attend but it would be useful to RSVP–more details on how to do that soon, but for the moment, do save the date, if you live in the region or might be there at that time!

Leave a comment Posted on Book talk, creative process, Culture, Interviews, Translation

How books get translated

Along with several other writers and literary professionals, I was interviewed recently by writer and journalist Thuy On for Arts Hub, about how Australian books get translated, and the article, which is very interesting, has now been published. You can find it here.

(Below is a pic which illustrates some of what I say regarding translation: it’s the five different editions of Three Wishes, a novel I wrote under the pen-name of Isabelle Merlin. From the top, left, you can see the original Australian edition, the Indonesian one, Polish one, and below them, the German edition and the French edition. )

Leave a comment Posted on adult fiction, announcements, Book talk, forthcoming books, France, Publishers

Advance copies of The Paris Cooking School!

A lovely surprise arrived yesterday: a box full of my advance copies of The Paris Cooking School. So good to hold it in my hands! It looks absolutely gorgeous, and feels it, too, with lovely embossing on the title with the satiny feel of the cover..can’t stop touching it 🙂

Thank you so much to all the wonderful Ultimo Press team for such a beautiful production–I am so delighted and just can’t wait for it to come out and for readers to hold it in their hands! (Publication date is on November 1).

The arrival of the box also coincided with the first (advance) Goodreads review of the book: and it’s a lovely five-star one, by Marianne Vincent. Thank you so much, Marianne!

Leave a comment Posted on Authors, Book talk, creative process, Editing, Publishing business

Working with an editor

Note: This post of mine is reposted from Writer Unboxed, where it was published yesterday. On the WU site, you can also scroll down after the post to see comments, and can add your own. Hope you enjoy!

Working with an editor, by Sophie Masson

I’m just at the very end of the editing process for an upcoming novel of mine, and it’s got me thinking again about the extraordinary job of an editor, and how it’s such a wonderful thing working with them to unearth the final shape and polish of your creation. In my many years as a published author, with many books out there, I can count on less than the fingers of one hand the numbers of times I’ve had a less than good experience with editors. In my experience, they are dedicated, meticulous, intelligent, discreet yet honest professionals who respect both the creative work they are editing and the principles of their craft. In some cases, depending on the book, they’ve helped me to unlock a knotty problem of narrative; or saved me from a continuity error; or helped to polish a less-than-perfect phrase so that it shines as it was intended to.

Because I’m a writer whose first drafts are quite strong—mostly because in fact they are only first drafts in theory, as when I am writing I tend to go over the chapter I wrote the day before I start on the next chapter, and at the end of the week go over again the chapters I’ve written—I tend often not to get big structural edits, but rather more of a light going-over to check structure, then move straight into the first copy-editing. This is quite a forensic process, looking at every aspect of language, as well as continuity, errors of timing or description, and awkward phrasing, rather than plot architecture or characterization overview. It’s about detail, not big picture, and I love this stage, working with the editor to bring out the very best of the details in my novel, so that they can highlight and illuminate my story and my characters. I don’t always agree with the editor; sometimes I will decline a change, and explain my reasons; sometimes, too, the editor’s comments help to inspire me to find a new, different solution. Mostly, though, I agree with their suggestions, because they are based on such a close and careful reading of my work.

The first copy-edit is usually followed by one or two more copy-edits, then the proof, then final pages, each of which is sent to me for review. And each time, as the files go back and forth, something is caught by the editor, some tiny thing that slipped through in the first stages, or some tiny tweak that just gives that final, final buffing of polish. It’s a meticulous but also exhilarating process, as I go through the stages and each time there’s an improvement to my book, no matter how small or subtle. And that goes both for the long works, like novels, and the short works, like picture books (which can in my experience go through as many edits as a novel).

I know that there can be problems with writer/editor relationships; I know that sometimes they aren’t a good fit. In my own career, as I mentioned earlier, there have been a vanishingly small number of times when I haven’t felt comfortable about a particular editing experience and I’ve had to fight a particular interpretation quite strongly. But for the overwhelming majority of my books, working with the editor has been both pleasurable and challenging in the best way—the way that knows that in order for your book to be the best it can be, then you need to be able to see your work objectively, which is exactly the gift that the editor’s skill offers. The irony of course is that a good editor’s work is invisible to the reader–and yet its absence would be all too visible. So three cheers for editors all over—without whom both writers and readers would suffer!

Photo of ‘the invisible editor’ reproduced with permission from ‘Inside Story: the wonderful world of writing, illustrating and publishing children’s books’ (UPA Books, Australia, 2022)
Leave a comment Posted on adult fiction, announcements, Book talk, France, Paris, Publishers, Readers

ARC of The Paris Cooking School

Yesterday afternoon, I went to my mailbox and found this lovely surprise: a copy of the ARC (advance reading copy, or uncorrected proof) of The Paris Cooking School–thank you, Ultimo Press! Very exciting to see it bound, even if not yet in final form! And here’s hoping that everyone(booksellers, librarians, reviewers etc) who are going to be getting the ARC enjoy reading it 🙂

Leave a comment Posted on Book talk, historical fiction, middle grade fiction, Reviews

Fabulous new review for The Key to Rome!

Another wonderful review of The Key to Rome has just been published, this time on the Read Plus blog. Here’s a short extract:

Highly recommended.

Sophie Masson is a master at weaving historical facts into captivating stories, and this book is no exception….The exciting plot moves along well, and readers are drawn into the dangerous game Livia is playing when she tries to figure out what the key means and why her uncle and his enemies will do anything to get or destroy it.  But will they uncover the truth in time to stay alive?  Detailed background notes and a glossary at the back of the book are very helpful additions for young readers.

You can read the whole review here.

Leave a comment Posted on adult fiction, announcements, Authors, Book talk, Illustrators, Publication day

Publication day of Secrets of the Good Fairy House!

Today is the publication day of Secrets of the Good Fairy House, my new Pardalote Press production with Lorena Carrington. It’s been a real passion project for us both, and we’re so delighted to see the book out there! We hope lots of readers will take it to their hearts.

The book is available from any good bookshop across Australia, and can also be ordered directly from our Pardalote Press website, here. And to whet your appetite, here’s a beautiful review of the book, by writer and reviewer Ashleigh Meikle, of the popular Book Muse blog.

Celebration time now!