Ruth provides the inspiration...

This week I received a book in the post and a key.

My signed special limited edition (no. 114) of Ruth's new book Cherries from Chauvet's Orchard was posted to me by Julian.  This edition is raising funds for the orphanage in Bamako where Julian and Ruth's adopted son started his life.

The chapter titles are idyllic and make me want to start reading straight away - but I decide to reserve it for when I've started the journey from London to Provence - as a treat!

I also received an email to confirm it had been posted - complete with a review to wet my appetite:

“In Cherries from Chauvet’s Orchard, cellist Ruth Phillips makes music with words, capturing on  the page what her painter husband, Julian Merrow-Smith, does on canvas—a way of life that is achingly romantic yet not romanticized, that is earthbound yet exquisite, and one where sweat is rewarded with transcendence. As the couple struggles to build their home out of a farm ruin beneath the shadow of Mt. Ventoux and to make a living and life together, Julian must harness his muse. In a modern-day twist in this ancient place of luscious colors and cuisine, it is the worldwide web that changes their life. This is a true story of talent, ingenuity, and success against the odds, of pathos,  passion, and humor. You won’t put it down.”

--Dean King, author of Skeletons on the Zahara and Unbound

The book also uses quotations from friends, family, artists and collectors as introductions to the chapters.

Sarah is one of those people - this is the introduction to Cloud Shadows on page 160

Julian confims that painting is like running, or the violin, or the cello...it requires practice all the time. I am so sick of the people who think it pours out like a leaky tap, like it is easy or god given

Sarah Wimperis

So that means we'll be doing lots of practising in Provence!

Ruth's book came complete with a key to their house which we are renting for three weeks.  So now I have the two keys to enter their world as the book provides an introduction to all the places around where they live - and where we will be living later this month.

I'm now off to take the cats to my mother for their holiday and when I get back I'm getting down to some serious packing.....

Note:

• ‘Cherries from Chauvet’s Orchard’ is now available as a mass-market paperback and Kindle ebook (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Chapters and all major retailers for $16.95/ €11.95/£10.95 paperback and sub ten dollars for the Kindle version). 
• You can see a preview of the book here 
• Click the link at the top of this post for Amazon.