Not me, I hasten to add but the proprietors of La Grande Galerie in Civray.

When Eileen phoned me a month ago to say that she and Wally were about to retire, had sold the gallery and would be moving over 150 kilometres south by the end of the year, I must confess that I felt very sad.

In the GG, they have created a wonderful little arts hub, displaying and promoting the work of local artists and crafts people and hosting book launches (including mine) as well as art classes, writing groups, charity events and wine tastings.

They have fostered an extended creative family in the most unlikely of places – a hidden square in the market town of Civray.

I owe them a great debt of gratitude, for all their support and enthusiasm for my books. They have sold dozens of copies of Tout Sweet and Toute Allure at the GG and in addition, passed on clippings from US newspapers and magazines and come up with many useful suggestions for promoting the books.

I have also been able to count on them for an excellent dog sitting service.

Things did not get off to a great start, as Biff and their dog Glen (a little rescue dog with springs in his paws) took an instant dislike to each other.

I still chuckle at the memory. It was January 2009 and France, like the UK, was snowbound with all Eurostars and flights cancelled. The local roads were dire – but I had to get back to the UK to give a talk.

It took me a few attempts before I made it to Civray, driving at 20 kilometres an hour through a strangely calm and icy white landscape.

As I handed over Biff, both dogs reared up on their hind legs, snarling and baring their teeth. A diminutive, and elegantly-dressed figure stood in the snow, holding on to each of them –and Biff's doughnut bed – unfazed and smiling.

'Off you go,' she said. 'Have a marvellous time. They will be absolutely fine.'

I had my doubts. As I walked away to the sound of ferocious growling, I was impressed by her positive attitude but felt guilty for leaving the doyenne of the GG to cope with a potential bloodbath.

I needn't have worried. By the time I got back, Biff and Glen were the best of friends and sleeping in the same basket.

It was always a pleasure to see Wally and Eileen and we were always made to feel welcome. Had the GG been on my doorstep, I would have been there every single day.

I'd like to thank Eileen and Wally and congratulate them on making such a success of the GG, thereby enhancing the lives of many locals.

I wish them lots of happiness in their new home and hope that it is not so much Au revoir as A bientot.

Meanwhile, I can't wait to meet the new owners – from Australia – and wish them every success with the GG.

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WOOF! Happy Boxing Day everyone. I love Christmas. Turkey dinners, cocktail parties, Downton Abbey on the telly and lots of unexpected treats – it really is a great time of year to be a dog.

This year my presents included a squeaking carrot (great for throwing around the room for my human pet to catch), a bone and a bottle of something called ‘Biffy’s Magical Hair Rinse’ which Frances made up especially for me. (It’s a blend of cider vinegar and essential oils, designed I think, to make me even more irresistible.)

This morning, I received another gift: a surprise delivery of food from Lily’s Kitchen, the delicious organic dog food brand.

There are no 'animal by products' or 'derivatives' in this, just real meat with herbs and other good things such as alfalfa sprouts and blueberries. (I've noticed my pet's nostrils twitching, whenever she serves me the Goose & Duck Feast with Fruits for dinner.)

I hope that my mate Glen, the little spotted terrier who lived at La Grande Galerie, is also enjoying Christmas in his new home.

His loyal human chums, Eileen and Wally, have taken well deserved retirement after several years of running the GG and have moved to Cognac, where Glen will have a big garden to play in.

I hope they invite me to stay soon, as I'm a little miffed with my pet following a recent incident in the local park, when a crazy French lady with a poodle started shouting that I should be on a lead. (Such a fuss about nothing: I was only having a friendly sniff around.)

‘Ne vous inquietez pas, il est castré,’ (Don’t worry, he’s castrated!) shouted my pet, as the French lady scooped up her poodle.

I was mortified. No chap likes to have his private details broadcast to the world like that. Several of the old boys fishing in the lake, flinched and flashed me a look of sympathy.

Honestly humans can be so embarrassing sometimes.

Before I go, I'd like to wish all my readers peace, love and joy – and lots of walks and delicious treats – in 2012.

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On Friday evening I waved Biff off in a camper van for a mini-break in the Gers with his second family (aka 'Sarah' and 'Steve') as I have had to return to London for a few days for a meeting.

We also have some news concerning our dear friends at La Grande Galerie, but Biff is going to write that posting when he returns from his travels.

In the meantime, I'd like to say a big thank-you to everyone who visited our stand at La Grande Galerie on Tuesday, thereby raising €277 for the Phoenix Association in the Dordogne, and helping some little four-pawed folk have a second chance of life.

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It's taken much longer than I imagined – and mentally I feel like I have run ten marathons – but Tout Soul is now available for pre-order from Amazon.

The official publication date for the print version is 7 March, 2012 but it's very likely that copies will be available in February.

Meanwhile, readers who have Kindles, iPads or other e-reader devices should be able to download the electronic version as early as January. (Date TBC). The e-book will be available to readers in the UK, the USA, Canada and Australia simultaneously.

Everyone who has read or worked on Tout Soul in a professional capacity, has reported back that it made them cry – or at the very least gave them a lump in their throat.

But they also said that it made them laugh, which is good news as I've worked extremely hard to ensure that Tout Soul delivers an ultimately optimistic and message and – I hope – a little beam of light in the post-Christmas gloom.

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Just a quick post to remind people that there is Christmas fair and vide grenier this Tuesday (6 December) at La Grande Galerie in Civray.

Frances (Biff's former owner) and I will have a stall in the morning, where we will be selling off the beauty products that I've received this year, thanks to my day job as a beauty journalist.

It's a mix of makeup, skincare and fragrance - all by well-known luxury brands - and we will be selling them at a fraction of their normal retail price.

All of the proceeds from the beauty sale - along with second-hand books and other items on our stand - will go to the Phoenix Animal Rescue in the Dordogne, a charity dear to both our hearts as it is the charity that rescued Biff.

Now we would like to help some other doglets.

It should be a jolly day - Biff will also be helping out - so hopefully see you there.

www.lagrandegalerie.com
www.phoenixasso.com

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It's been a while I know - I've been working flat out on the edits for Tout Soul - but when I woke up this morning it felt as if everything had fast-forwarded six months to spring.

The sky was hyacinth blue with a few swirls of white cloud and my neighbours were heading up to the market minus their duvet coats.

Several of the shopkeepers on the square meanwhile, have been busy sprucing up their facades.

As I walked Biff around the village yesterday afternoon I was treated to a scene straight out of Chocolat.

A crowd had gathered in front of the boulangerie where the new baker was perched on a ladder painting the letters above his shop. Meanwhile his lovely wife was busy painting the interior in a mix of fondant lilac and chocolate eclair.

My friend Pierre-Antoine, the owner of a fashion boutique on the square, has spent two weekends updating his wooden fixtures with silver metallic paint. 'C'est beaucoup plus moderne,' he declared, admiring his own handiwork.

And not to be outdone Félix the local artist has also had his paint brushes out. Since this picture was taken yesterday he has also painted his shutters bell pepper red, thereby flaunting the local regulations, which state that buildings on the square must be painted in tasteful blue and ton de pierre (literally 'tone of stone').

Every time I walk past the 'boho corner' as I call it, it brings a smile to my face. For all the talk about its brain-numbing bureaucracy, one of the things I love about France is that officials know when to exercise discretion.

The French treat their artists with indulgence and the mayor I'm quite sure, will turn a blind eye to Félix's eccentric decor and look instead at the bigger picture and the jolly bolt of colour that he brings to the village.

I've even been doing a little redecoration myself, having suddenly been hit by a pressing desire to paint the side doors to the garage earlier this week. It had nothing at all to do with avoiding the aforementioned edits.

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OOF. Je suis cuit as they say in my native tongue. Literally speaking, this means ‘I'm cooked’, but not in the sense that Hugh Fairly-Witless has in mind for us four-legged folk. (Let's hope he doesn't come foraging in France anytime soon, as I'm worried I might fit his definition of organic and end up in his cooking pot).

The reason I’m tired is because my pet jumped out of bed before dawn this morning shouting, ‘Come on Biff, we’re going to watch the sun rise.’

I opened one eye and gave her my glare but she dragged me out of my doughnut and into the car saying, ‘We’ve seen lots of sunsets in France but not many sunrises.’

We drove to a country track and waited. And waited some more. (She had found the timing on a UK website, which meant we were an hour early.) I wouldn’t have minded if I’d been allowed out to join in the night life - deers, foxes, wild boar and rabbits all having a fantastic time - but instead we sat staring at the horizon until the dark faded to cold, grey daylight.

My pet was very disappointed. ‘Was that it? she said. Why no wonderful pinks and reds? Where was the bonfire in the sky?’

As we drove home it finally dawned (pun everyone!!) that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west; that basically the fireworks had been taking place behind us. Yes, we’d been facing in the wrong direction. (In case you're wondering, that's why there is no picture of a sunrise to accompany this post.)

The pet is downstairs right now typing away furiously on a blog entry of her own - something to do with a phone call to France Telecom yesterday.

As for me, I’m hoping that the man from A Taste Of Garlic might be reading this as I wouldn’t mind one of those blog awards that he gives out every week. I’d also like to let him know that I’m available for interviews. WOOF!

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Just a quick post to congratulate M&S on its new French website, which launches today, allowing those of us to live in France to order clothes and home accessories - including the Autograph Maison, luxe bedlinen range - for a standard delivery charge of €4.95. Its part of the store's 'bricks and clicks' strategy and a prelude to the opening of the new Paris store later this autumn. I'll keep you posted.

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This Tuesday [13th September] is Book Day at la Grande Galerie the local arts hub and cafe in Civray. Local authors whose books are on sale at the Galerie - who knew there were so many of us? -will be there between 10.00am-4.00pm.

The Hope Association, which is a rescue association for dogs will also be selling second hand books and all sales from these second hand books will go towards helping ill treated and stray dogs find new homes.
La Grande Galerie, 7 Rue Temple, 86400, Civray, France. tel +33 (0)5 49 87 73 02

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When I first read about the Wigtown Book Festival [23rd September - 2nd October 2011] it sounded so charming that my first thought was 'where can I buy tickets?'

Wigtown, also known as 'book town,' is situated on a picturesque promontory in Scotland jutting out towards Ireland and boasts no less than six book shops, which is reason enough to visit. Then there is the author line up, which this year includes well-known fiction writers Maggie O'Farrell, Julie Myerson and former GMTV newsreader-turned-novelist Penny Smith.

I'll also be there giving a talk, Toute Allure, on Saturday 1st October at 1.30pm

The festival programme is very eclectic and this year includes author walks and mountain biking.

Sadly, I'll miss the Hendricks Gin festival launch party on Friday 23rd but the festival director assures me that if no-one shows up for my event - sharp-eyed readers will have noticed that I will be talking at precisely the time most sensible people will be in the pub having lunch - he will have a bottle of Hendricks on hand and we can have a nice G&T.

Wigtown Ink meanwhile, is a festival within the festival, with a programme of events 'for writers by writers.' On Sunday 2nds October at 12.15, I'll also be joining journalist and author Stephen Armstrong to talk about the black arts of freelance writing for newspapers.

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