I spent my weekend just past reading your book and I really enjoyed it. Like some out there I found your book first then your blog. Congratulations on coming through what must have been a very trying time and on your marriage!

So nice to see your ending is a happy one :-)

Sally from The Chic Girl’s Guide to Rugby

I bought your book last week saturday as I was buying a gift for a girlfriend who had turned 40. I had promised myself I would not buy any more books for myself, considering the pile of books next to my bed. But I could not resist the tempation. So I bought a gift for a friend and one for myself. I had a weekend get away by myself on an island, without husband and kids and was alone with your book, which I finished in one day. This book being the first book I read since I was on summer holiday last year…
I loved your book – actually you are living my imaginary live I’m having in a parallel universe. The live i’m daydreaming of stuck in traffic jams or at the office. Your book does make me want to go to Paris, but also makes me want to read your blog (which I hadn’t done before last weekend when I saw your book).
As for the merits of your book, as a novel (a non fictional plot with storylines) I must say I’ve read better ones. But you sure can write and I think you’ve found your destiny. Keep on writing, please!

Dutchgirl

I finished reading the book last week, and I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed it. Reading the post above, I absolutely agree with the choices you made when writing. It’s a shame that people have put you in a position where you obviously felt a need to somehow justify your choices, as if they weren’t yours to make in the first place.

I’m a longtime reader (and infrequent commenter) of your blog, and was thrilled when I read about your book deal. I suppose it’s the secret (or maybe not so secret, in some cases) dream of most bloggers to get noticed in such a profound way, and I found it very satisfying to watch as you succeeded, proving that it is indeed possible to be lifted out of obscurity and rewarded for your writing talents.

You should be proud of what you have accomplished, and if anyone tells you otherwise, just point me in their direction and I will lash them with a wet noodle. :-)

You do realize of course that when the novel does come out, your readers will trawl it in the minutest detail for concealed snippets of your own life… I imagine that would be even more frustrating than just letting it all out in an overt autobiography.

Congrats on the book – ’twas just great!

Bisous

I am halfway through an ARC here in Canada and must say that I am thoroughly enjoying it. I must admit that I did not loyally visit your site in the past, only sporadically, so that is making my reading judgment-free for the most part.

But I can relate to so much of it, as a blogger, a mother and a Paris-phile. It’s totally working for me and the suspense has me reading with fervour.

So fret not. As you said, blogging gives readers a sense of ownership. A reader recently emailed me to ask me to tone down my use of curse words — something I felt was a huge part of who I am and my writing style. I took it to heart for a moment and then said, Fuck it. ;)

Congrats on the book and I look forward to meeting you (albeit via webcam) at your blogger book launch in Toronto in June.

i just finished reading all of the 84 or so posts above, and i am amazed at how personal they are — so much evident concern for you and your life. do you leave the ‘snotty’ ones out? or do those folks not bother to post?

I’ve just been on a creative writing course at the Arvon Foundation in Devon, and guess who the guest speaker was on Wednesday night? Your agent! I’m amazed that he was able to make the time given that it’s London Book Fair this week, but he certainly seems to have plenty of energy.