There are already three people, including myself, who have signed up for this group, and we need another two!

You don't need to be a francophone, or even and francophile (even francophobes will be welcome )

You just need to upload (or just read) written pieces that are losely connected to France, in English or in French. Whether you've written a poem about Provence, an article about how rude French barmen are, a short story set in Paris or a novel that features a French character, you can join The French Connection group! (sorry about the unoriginal title. It had to be fairly self-explanatory...)

There will be at least two native French ladies there, ready to discuss cultural inaccuracies amongst other things. I can forsee heated debates!

Go on, you know you want to join us!

Au revoir et a bientot

Nancy

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or even a francophile, is what I meant

Damn - this would have been so great for me until just recently! Although I'm British and have nebver lived in France myself for more than a few months (though my parents are dual nationals), I've been writing a novel all about an Englishwoman who moves to the Cevennes; it is almost all set there, hence is full of a great mass of French cultural references, French charcaters, snippets of French language, etc.. I could have been checking all of it for authenticity - and no doubt had lodas of mistakes ironed out in the process! But it's just too late for me - blast! - the manuscript is already off to the copy editor, and I have had my French sister-in-law kindly read it over for linguistic/cultural errors in 'Frenchness'.

Good luck with finding more members for the group! I shall enjoy popping by to read things (unless restricted to group members) because (as you may guess) I am a huge Francophile. I am already missing writing about those mountains...

Rosy x

What a shame, Rosy! I shall certainly buy your book when it's published though, as it sounds great

And if the urge to write about those mountains is just too strong, it won't be too late to join us! (although I'm not too sure there will be a group as I haven't had much interest so far...)

Hello,

I live in France and would be interested in the group. The main antagonist in one of my stories is French and she could do with a little - sorry, a lot - more work, so this group may help me to develop her further. I've only just signed up as a full member today so I may have to wait a while for my status to be upgraded before I can be added in.

Let me know,

A bien tôt!

Charlie

Although I have not written much about France (I write only poetry), I would like to be part of this group as I teach French and would find it interesting, I'm sure.

If I need to be writing specifically about France, I think I might not be allowed to join; I couldn't guarantee that I'd produce something for other members of the group to consider.

Over the years on WW, in reponse to challenges and exercises, I have written a few things.

Here's one

and another

Perhaps I do qualify after all!

joanie

Yay! Some answers!
I'm happy for anyone to join: living in France, teaching French... I think these definitely qualify you, ladies!

Nancy

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Joanie, I love your poems! Definitely qualifiers!

I very much hope that this group can get going as I am interested - but thinly spread at the moment - Children's group is very busy indeed, not that I'm complaining.I am wanting to brush up my French, read some in the original, and also watch French films, which I very much enjoy. I am very interested in French culture and history, particularly since the revolutionary period, our near neighbours, and it does seem that there will be some interesting contributions.

At the moment, very little with a french connection on the go, but am hoping at some time in the future when other work is sorted to be able to consider.

All the very best with this. I shall certainly pop by.

Only one member needed before we can go live! Exciting!

We can then have a virtual aperitif to celebrate

Issy, thank you for signing up!

Nancy

The French Connection group is now up and running!
Please join us if you are writing anything remotely connected to France or the French (that includes insults, we can cope)

Nancy

That's great news!

Rosy x

This is soooo tempting. I lived, studied and worked in Paris for years and love France. Have an old piece I wouldn't mind being looked at and one scene in the book is set on the Loire, and there's a story I've been burning to write for years set in Paris. But right now it feels like a beguiling distraction from the stuff I should be doing. Like third draft rewrites and working on the new WIP.

Have a pastis for me and I might drop in and have a read if it isn't a closed group.

Bonne chance!

x S

Sounds interesting, so I'll join! However, I've no work-in-progress remotely connected with France so that, combined with being hopelessly over-committed just now, means there won't be any uploads, just the occasional comment.

Just recently had the great experience of seeing the original recently-discovered manuscript in tiny handwriting of Irene Nemirovsky's Suite Francaise. On the way to somewhere else, I noticed a sign outside the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue announcing an exhibition about French Literature under the Nazi Occupation. It was incredibly well-stocked with fascinating material (e.g. many books had been written on the back of scraps of torn-off wallpaper), great explanations and film extracts, as well as being superbly presented. I ended up spending two and a half hours inside.

Also, just recently, I saw Ted Hughes' translation of Racine's Phedre at the National Theatre with Helen Mirren. Powerful stuff (but I can remember being pretty bored by it at age 17 when we studied it for French A level!).

I read French books fairly frequently and am interested in the country generally, so I'm looking forward to seeing what develops in the group.

Chris