All's Fair in Love and Chocolate

I won a copy of this juicy book.  Oui, moi!  Laura Florand had a contest on her Facebook page and I won.  Trust me, this is big news.  I never win stuff even though I enter every contest that comes my way.  I have been a huge fan of Laura's since I found an autographed copy of her first book Blame It On Paris.  Then I found out that she is a French professor at Duke.  Then I sort of started stalking her by email.  Then I actually got to meet her at a foreign language teachers' conference last fall (where I got the brilliant idea of having my 7th graders blog, merci, Laura,  because of her presentation on blogging with students).  Hopefully, she realized that I am normal and not really a stalker.  I signed up for her Facebook page and entered the contest.  Et voilà.  I received my book yesterday and devoured her story.  All in one sitting, I must admit.  It is juicy, spicy, delicious, and right up my alley.  An American food blogger moves to Paris and stalks a HOT French chocolatier, an MOF, Meilleur Ouvrier de France, chocolate-maker even. 
Here is the only hot chocolate maker I've ever met--

Joël Durand in his shop in St. Rémy de Provence.  Just a photo.  Nothing juicy happened.  He did pick out some of his chocolats for me to taste, though.  It was my birthday in 2007...
Back to Laura.  She has a new book coming out this summer, too--

I plan to pre-order it at Amazon.
And last but certainly not least.  Laura's email to me today...

"I just spotted your blog at the end of your email.  What fun you've been having in Provence!  I love the post about the almond trees.  I need to find out more about this chef's assistant sabbatical you had.  It sounds like good material for a story. :)"

I have an outline.  And a beginning.  Thank you, Laura, for the encouragement!

Bon appétit, handsome chocolatiers and the women who write about them!