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  • SENSE of TOUCH: Love and Duty at Anne of Brittany’s Court
  • Anne and Charles: Anne of Brittany Series, Book One
  • Anne and Louis: Anne of Brittany Series, Book Two
  • The Least Foolish Woman in France
  • Anne and Louis Forever Bound
  • Anne and Louis: Rulers and Lovers, Anne of Brittany Series, Book Three

Rozsa Gaston – Author

~ Anne of Brittany Series & other works

Rozsa Gaston – Author

Category Archives: travel

Ever tried a plunge bath? Invigorating. Sexy. Rather like Budapest itself.

10 Tuesday Nov 2015

Posted by rozsagaston in Budapest, contemporary romance, faith, foreign romance, inspirational romance, love, romance, thermal bath spas, travel

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American woman, Audiofile Magazine reviewed, best new romance for 2015, Budapest, contemporary romance, Dutch man, InD'tale Magazine reviewed, Publishers Weekly reviewed, romance, thermal spas

Széchenyi Baths entrance, Budapest; the site of Kati and Jan's first kiss in Budapest Romance

Széchenyi Baths entrance, Budapest; the site of Kati and Jan’s first kiss in Budapest Romance

Budapest Romance: a “thoughtful romance.”—Publishers Weekly

Budapest Romance: A “tasty smorgasbord of love and faith.”—AudioFile Magazine

Chapter Six of Budapest Romance is all about taking the plunge. As in plunge bath.  As in an experience you will never forget and should repeat whenever the opportunity presents itself. Why? You will prolong your life span. Your skin will sparkle and glow. Your state of mind will too. What’s it all about?

Contrast. Rather like the city of Budapest. Let’s not get into the hows and whys, as Hungary always manages to find itself historically in hot water. We will confine this discussion to the warm thermal waters of Budapest’s leading bath spas, the Széchenyi baths, Gellért Baths, and Rudyas Turkish Baths. Much more fun to dip into mineral-laden hot baths than into geopolitics … Taking the Plunge, Budapest Romance, chptr. six

Excerpt from Budapest Romance

Have you ever taken a plunge bath?” Jan asked at the entrance to the Gellért Baths.

Kati shook her head.

Rudas Turkish Baths, Budapest

Rudyas Turkish Baths, Budapest

“Then you’re taking the plunge today.”

“What is it?” She loved the fact that Jan was so full of surprises.

“This will be my turn to find out if I can trust you. The plunge baths are located in the men’s and women’s locker rooms. I can’t go in yours with you, but I’ll know if you did it or not when you come out.”

“How will you know?” she asked, baffled.

“Let’s just say, I’ll hear about it one way or another.”

“What does it do for you?” she probed.

Gellert Baths, Budapest

Gellért Baths, Budapest

“It revs up your circulation and makes every cell in your body come alive. You can’t do anything better for your skin or circulation.” His eyes danced. “Well, maybe you can do one thing that would have the same benefit, but in your case, this is a way to experience heaven and maintain your virtue at the same time.”

“Hmmm,” she hesitated. “How long will it take?”

“A matter of seconds. No one stays in a plunge pool for longer than the time it takes a rocket to shoot off a launch pad.”

“What if I don’t want to do it?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.

“I want you to do it, so you know what it feels like. And I want to know if you’re brave enough to do it. Your skin will tingle and glow for hours afterwards. I promise you.”

Széchenyi Baths, Budapest“All right,” she said, more than ready. “Where do I go, and where do I meet you afterwards?”

“There’s the entrance to the women’s locker room. Tell the attendant you want to use the plunge bath. She speaks English; she’ll show you what to do. It’ll all be over in less than five minutes, then I’ll meet you right over there in the Jacuzzi pool. You’ll need some Jacuzzi jets to take the edge off once you’re done.”

“And my reward for this?” She gave him a saucy look.

“You’ll find out when you’re done.” His eyes narrowed, but gleamed. “And don’t cheat. I’ll know if you didn’t go in.”

Szechenyi Baths, Budapest

Szechenyi Baths, Budapest

She got out of the main pool and sauntered over to the women’s locker room, tossing an impish grin back at him. She wasn’t sure of what was going to happen, but after the night before, she was ready to trust him. Her time in Budapest was turning out to be the adventure of a lifetime.

As she entered the women’s locker room, an attendant in a white coat greeted her in English.

“Could you tell me where the plunge bath is?” Kati nervously asked.

Gellért Hotel spa pool, Budapest

Gellért Hotel spa pool, Budapest

“Have you taken a plunge bath before?” the woman asked, pointing toward an inner room.

Kati shook her head.

The attendant smile broadly and handed her a large towel. “First, take off everything and go into the steam room for a few minutes. When you’ve had enough, come out and I’ll take you into the plunge room.”

Kati undid her bikini and wrapped herself in the plush towel. Once inside the steam room, she reclined on the upper ledge and laid on her back with her feet up against the wall. In moments the steam began to open her pores, bathing her in hot moisture. She anticipated the plunge bath to be some similarly agreeable sensation.

Eager to report back to Jan, she hurried out of the steam room, where the attendant led her through another door into a small room. She was the only one there. In front of her was a circular opening in the tile floor with a ladder leading down to a small body of water.

“What do I do now?” Kati asked the attendant.

Szechenyi Baths, Budapest

Szechenyi Baths, Budapest

“That depends on how brave you are,” the attendant replied. “If you are very brave, you jump into the water. If you are not so brave, use the ladder, but in either case, go all the way in and make sure you put your head underwater. Otherwise, you won’t get the full benefit.”

“How long should I stay in?” Kati asked.

“Your body will let you know. But remember to go all the way in. Immersing your head is an important part of the treatment.”

What an odd ritual. She desperately wanted to run back into the locker room, pull on her bikini and go find Jan. But he had made it clear he would know if she hadn’t taken the plunge. She couldn’t lie to him; even if she could, she didn’t want to.
Eyeballing the ladder, she moved slowly toward it. If she eased herself into the cylinder of water, she would have time to back out. She didn’t want to chicken out; jumping in was the only alternative.

Night time thermal baths party, Budapest

Night time thermal baths party, Budapest

“I’ll jump. Just tell me one thing. Has anyone ever died from jumping into this tank?” Of course she sounded ridiculous, but she had no idea what she was getting into.

“No, darling,” the attendant chuckled. “No one has died. Many have screamed, but no one has died. Go ahead, you’ll feel wonderful afterwards.”

Kati liked the way Hungarians called each other “darling.” It suited their warm, interactive culture. Encouraged by the attendant, she shuffled to the edge of the tank, crossed herself, tightly closed her eyes, and jumped.

It was as if she’d leapt into the Antarctic Ocean. Shooting up to the surface, she screamed loudly as she scrambled up the ladder out of the tank. Her entire body felt as if it were being stabbed by tiny ice shards.

“Aarghh!” she screamed again.

Alpentherme: hot thermal bath ©Josef Polleross/ Anzenberger

Alpentherme: hot thermal bath
©Josef Polleross/ Anzenberger

“You are brave, Madame.” The attendant beamed approvingly. “Not many jump. You will feel the reward for the rest of the day.” The woman opened the door to the locker room, where some of the female guests looked at Kati and smiled or laughed. Apparently, the walls of the plunge room weren’t soundproof.

Kati wanted to kill Jan. Putting on her bikini in what seemed like less than half a second, she marched out the women’s locker room exit. She felt as if she had just been plugged into a wall socket and was glowing like a lamp.

In the Jacuzzi pool, lounging, Jan looked up at her, his expression wry. “I had no idea you could scream so loudly.” He chuckled.

Her face flamed. Wading into the Jacuzzi pool, she paddled over to him and splashed a large wave of water straight into his face.

“How dare you do that to me?” she hissed at him.

Other bathers looked on amusedly. The plunge bath was an exciting introduction to spa therapy for many foreigners who visited the Gellért Spa Baths.

Still chuckling, Jan grabbed her arms. Smart move or she would have surely slapped him.

Széchenyi Baths, Budapest

Széchenyi Baths, Budapest

“Do you have any idea how good that was for your skin?” he asked her.

“Do you have any idea what I’m going to do to you later in revenge for this?” she fumed.

“Do you have any idea how beautiful you are right now?”

“Shut up. I’ll never listen to another one of your ideas again. Someone get me a fire extinguisher.”

The contrast of the icy cold plunge bath of a moment before and the warm Jacuzzi jets on her muscles right now was having its effect. Like silly putty, her body went limp in Jan’s arms. It wasn’t a bad way to feel. Instead of slapping him, she gave him as vicious a pinch as she could manage on one of his cheeks. She could kill him, but she was starting to feel like a million dollars.

“A little pain, a lot of gain…” he philosophized.

She sighed. Life was good.

To read more, find Budapest Romance here in paperback, eBook, or audio book editions.

Publishers Weekly and Audiofile Magazine reviews

Native Cover_4032009_Kindle Front Cover

Sense of Touch: Love and Duty at Anne of Brittany’s Court

18 Friday Sep 2015

Posted by rozsagaston in French culture, History, literary fiction, love, Queens of France, relationships, romance, self-discovery, self-esteem, travel

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Amazon, Anne of Brittany, Brittany, Charles VIII, Claude of France, Duchess of Brittany, Europe, European history, France, French Queens, Kindle Scout, Louis XII, Medieval rulers, Middle Ages, Renaissance, Salic Law, Sense of Touch, women of history, women's issues, women's self-identity

Anne of Brittany by Jean Bourdichon, courtesy gallica.BnF.fr

Anne of Brittany by Jean Bourdichon, courtesy gallica.BnF.fr

Sense of Touch is coming soon. My seventh and latest novel is based on the life of Anne of Brittany, twice Queen of France. Her dates? 1477-1514.

Sense of Touch has been chosen by Kindle Scout for a 30-day pilot program to see if readers get interested in this story. If the book receives enough nominations by Oct. 19, 2015, it will be chosen for publication by Kindle Press. That’s a very big deal. Why? Worldwide distribution.

Here’s the link to nominate Sense of Touch for publication. It’s free, and if Sense of Touch gets picked up for publication, you will receive a complimentary advance copy. I will include your name on my acknowledgments page if you let me know you voted. Thank you.

Why am I excited about Anne of Brittany? This remarkable woman, Duchess of Brittany in her own right, and twice Queen of France due to marrying well, lived exactly at the convergence of the Middle Ages with the Renaissance. What does that mean?

Quick answer: Goodbye, Middle Ages. Hello, Renaissance.

To put it in a nutshell, it means goodbye to collective identity and hello to self-identity. My writing platform is all about self-identity, as in how do women achieve their own? Then, how do they hone it through the years as professional and family obligations conspire to obliterate their special je ne sais quoi?

Anne of Brittany did a great job of maintaining her own sense of self. Her motto? A ma vie, to my life. It takes a confident woman to have a motto like that.

Here’s the gist of Sense of Touch.

Fiction

Tapestry design based on Le Toucher from The Lady and the Unicorn series. Courtesy METRAX-CRAYE, Belgium

NICOLE SAINT SYLVAIN serves at the court of Anne of Brittany, Queen of France, in 1497, at age fifteen. Working with horse trainer Philippe de Bois to heal the Queen’s stallion, she shows an aptitude for diagnosing horses’ ailments through her sense of touch. Soon she has fallen in love, but not with the man her father has chosen for her. Duty pulls Nicole and Philippe in different directions and Nicole becomes a wife, mother, then widow while immersing herself in the healing arts. When Anne of Brittany begs her to save her infant daughter, Nicole works alongside a physician from the South whose reputation for healing began with his work with horses. Will Nicole succeed in saving the Queen’s daughter? And if she does, will the Queen reward her with the greatest desire of her heart—marriage to the only man she has ever loved?

Fact

512px-BNF_-_Latin_9474_-_Jean_Bourdichon_-_Grandes_Heures_d'Anne_de_BretagneANNE OF BRITTANY inherited the Duchy of Brittany at age eleven upon her father’s death in 1488. Three years later she married Charles VIII and became Queen consort of France. Instrumental in introducing new techniques of architecture and craftsmanship from Milan to France, Anne of Brittany ushered in the Italian Renaissance to France. By age twenty-one she had buried her husband and all four of her children. Within nine months she became wife of the new king, Louis XII. Pregnant fourteen times, seven times by either king, she raised two children to adulthood. Both were daughters.

She is known as the first female ruler of France to bring together young women of noble birth at court, where she educated and trained them, then arranged appropriate marriage matches. A ruler of influence, refinement, and resources, she rose above personal loss with dignity and grace while espousing the cause of women’s advancement. Her story is for women everywhere.

I would be delighted if you would click here to nominate Sense of Touch for publication. You’ll find an excerpt from Sense of Touch too. Enjoy and thank you.

Stay playful,

Rozsa Gaston

Discover Your Inner Princess in Carcassonne: Redoubt of the Ancient Cathars

04 Wednesday Feb 2015

Posted by rozsagaston in French culture, History, modern life, romance, self-discovery, travel

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Albigensian, Black is Not a Color, Carcassonne, Cathars, Cinderella, Eleanor of Aquitaine, France, Hotel de la Cite, jousting, Languedoc-Rousillon, Paris Adieu, Princess, Rozsa Gaston, travel, UNESCO, vacation, Viollet-le-Duc

Fine Wines Fine Quotes

Carcassonne 2-5-15, p. 1Carcassonne by Rozsa Gaston for Westchester Guardian, 2-5-15

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Passion duets with restraint in Budapest’s thermal bath spas in Budapest Romance..

29 Thursday Jan 2015

Posted by rozsagaston in fitness, health, modern life, relationships, romance, self-discovery, self-esteem, travel

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http://blogcritics.org/interview-rozsa-gaston-author-of-budapest-romance/

BookCoverImage

The memory of a thousand caresses flooded over her.—Budapest Romance, Rozsa Gaston

30 Tuesday Sep 2014

Posted by rozsagaston in fitness, health, modern life, relationships, self-discovery, self-esteem, self-publishing, travel, writing

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Budapest, Cafe Gerbeaud, eBooks, fiction online, fitness, Gellert Hotel, Hungary, Kindle, pleasure, promotion, publishing, pursuit of pleasure, relationships, romance, self-discovery, self-esteem, seo, spa, spa baths, spa culture, Szechenyi Baths, travel

BookCoverPreview8.doBudapest Romance comes out November 17, 2014, darling readers. My latest book is a contemporary romance. Set in Budapest, it’s the story of an American woman meeting a Dutchman at a thermal bath spa hotel. Ready to help me decide on the cover?

Let’s go to Budapest and soak in this mineralized pool at the Gellert Hotel Spa while we consider cover choices.

Hot pink or light pink? Big title font or smaller title font? Interested to review and advance copy and send me your review to be posted on launch day in a place of honor? Here’s the story:

BookCoverPreview7.doWhen Kati Dunai travels to Budapest to settle her father’s estate, the last thing on her mind is the pursuit of pleasure. She’s a busy international conference planner, her life rooted in Manhattan.

But from the moment she sets foot in the city of her father’s youth, it’s pleasure that pursues her. At the thermal bath spa hotel where she’s staying, she meets a Dutchman who reminds her of Béla Dunai, a Hungarian refugee who fled his homeland shortly after its 1956 revolution.

BookCoverPreview10.doJan Klassen is in Budapest to mend from a motorcycle accident. His scars have healed on the outside, but inside, he cannot forgive himself for the consequences his son now lives with forever.

Jan has never met a woman like Kati before. Her blend of New England restraint with gypsy spirit captivates him. While Jan introduces Kati to Budapest’s leisurely pace of life, Kati introduces Jan to her own leisurely pace of sensual exploration as their attraction to each other grows over six magical days.

BookCover5Preview.doWhen Kati returns to New York, their relationship continues. But it’s not just an ocean that separates them. Kati’s corporate job with lots of travel is the antithesis of the slow-paced pleasures she enjoyed in her father’s favorite city, one of Europe’s crown jewels.

Which will Kati put first—her new career or her new love; a man who reminds her of the father she never fully understood? And is it the Hungarian pleasure-loving side of herself that she really needs to understand before she can offer her heart to the man who has awakened her to who she truly is?

shades of gray in Paris

Rainy day in Paris’s shades of gray

Now darlings, if you really want to enjoy a book that’s already out there, take a trip to Paris without the airfare with Paris Adieu.paris-adieu-cover-11-17-114

And if you want to be part of the final design and advance review team for Budapest Romance, send me your thoughts on cover design choice or request for advance review copy to rgaston@optonline.net.

One last thing, darling reader—Don’t forget to do something fun today. Just for yourself.KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

Stay playful.

Rozsa Gaston

 

 

 

 

With his quicksilver intellect he’d be at the end of my own story before I’d even turned the page. -Rozsa Gaston, Black is Not a Color

23 Friday May 2014

Posted by rozsagaston in caregiving, French culture, History, literary fiction, modern life, relationships, self-discovery, self-publishing, travel

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1956, Black is Not a Color, book signing Doncaster Boutique, Bridget Jones, Bridget Jones' Diary, Carrie Bradshaw, fiction, Greenwich authors, Hungarian, Hungarian uprising, Hungary, local authors, Paris Adieu, Rozsa Gaston, Sex and the City, Translyvanian, Transylvania

Local author Gaston looks to her own life as genesis of new novel

 By Ken Borsuk on May 23, 2014 in Around Town, Community

Pictured by her home, Rozsa Gaston has used her own life as the small inspiration for a larger fictional tale. —Ken Borsuk

Many authors, when looking for subjects of the most emotional value, turn inward to their own lives as a jumping off point. And that’s just what Greenwich’s Rozsa Gaston has done in her latest novel.

highres_frontIn Black Is Not A Color (Unless Worn By A Blonde), Ms. Gaston writes of a young woman reconnecting with her father after many years of estrangement. In this story, Ava Fodor is a woman with a thriving career and a budding new romance who was not raised by her father only to find herself having to take care of him over the course of the final year of his life. Despite not knowing her father, and having all the resentment and confusion that comes with that, Ava finds herself drawn to the eccentric Transylvanian/Hungarian man with his passion and zest for life even as it slips away.

“It doesn’t start that way, but this is a book that ends up being about elder care,” Ms. Gaston told the Post in an interview last week. “That’s not a very sexy subject, but it is an extremely topical one and this is definitely a book for Baby Boomers to read and also for those younger than Baby Boomers who are going to be facing this down the line. This is about caring for an aging parent who didn’t raise you as a child. That changes the conversation. Her relationship with her father is she’s just discovering him for the first time as a 30-year-old woman and he’s from a completely different culture.”Zoltan Ivani - 1956 and 1964_crop

Ms. Gaston indeed drew from her own relationship with her father for the book but only in a loose way. It might be the genesis for the story, but it quickly goes in its own direction.

“My father was a Hungarian/Transylvanian refugee from the 1956 Hungarian uprising and I did not get to know him until I was older,” Ms. Gaston said. “I met him when I was about 16 and I wanted to work through feelings about our relationship. Writing the book ended up being a wonderful eye opener for me to realize how much my father actually did give me and how satisfying it was for me that when he did die I did the right thing. I might not have done the best job of doing the right thing, but I knew I did the right thing. I wanted to share that journey and writing this book allowed me to develop a deeper appreciation for my father.”

In the book, while Ava finds herself trying to relate to someone she doesn’t know and who comes from an entirely different cultural frame of mind than she has, she also has to struggle with the feelings of abandonment she has always had toward her father while finding herself drawn to him and his unique style. The more she learns about him the more she relates to her father which makes things even more difficult and that’s before life further complicates her romance…but to find out more you’re going to have to read the book which is available at Amazon.com and can also be ordered from Rozsagaston.com.

“The great thing about this book is that there’s progress between Ava and her father and the reason there’s progress is that her father is very forgiving,” Ms. Gaston said. “He didn’t parent her and she’s his only child so he didn’t parent anyone and he knows he was not a father at all. So he forgives her for whatever she says to him and how she acts toward him. He just wants to get to know her because he does love her and always has loved her.”

paris-adieu-cover-11-17-114This book, which was first released in March, is a sequel to Paris Adieu, which had Ava living as an au pair coming of age in Paris. The romance between Ava and Pierre that began in the first book is a major theme in this new book. Ms. Gaston is quick to compare her lead character to widely known characters like Bridget Jones or Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City in that she’s no saint and can be a complicated person, but is someone readers want to root for.

“As soon as I finished Paris Adieu, I realized that Ava took on a life of her own and that I owed it to her to continue her story,” Ms. Gaston said. “And I owe it to her now to also continue her story through another book if not more.”

That book is still in the planning stages but Ms. Gaston is eager to get to work. A driven writer with several books to her name, Ms. Gaston said she loves to think ahead. Sense of Touch coverHer next book, Sense of Touch, is inspired by the famed The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries at the Cluny Museum in Paris. No one has ever definitively sourced who the women are in those tapestries, which date back to the 1490’s, and this story is a historical fiction exploring that mystery.

However that story might have to wait until 2015 as Ms. Gaston is planning on having her sequel to Black Is Not A Color done by the fall.

“I can’t stop and I don’t want to,” Ms. Gaston said. “The projects keep coming to me one after the other.”

But she will stop long enough to sign copies of her book this week. Tomorrow, May 23, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Doncaster pop up boutique at 219 East Putnam Avenue in Cos Cob, Ms. Gaston will be on hand for a book signing. Details below.Book signing 5-14-14

 

 

“WHAN that Aprille with his shoures soote The droghte of Marche hath perced to the roote, And bathed every veyne in swich licour, Of which vertu engendred is the fleur.”—Chaucer, Prologue to Canterbury Tales

07 Monday Apr 2014

Posted by rozsagaston in French culture, History, literary fiction, relationships, self-discovery, self-esteem, travel, Uncategorized

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April, Black is Not a Color, Canterbury Tales, chaucer, Greenwich, Greenwich Moms, Party with Moms, PIFS, Putnam Indian Field School, U.N., UN, United Nations

Party with Moms interviews Rozsa Gaston today as their Mom of the Week. Read here and if you enjoy, sign up for the Party with Moms weekly newsletter. http://partywithmoms.com/party-with-moms-interviews-rozsa-gaston-prolific-author/

Chaucer's Canterbury TalesOnce, just a few Aprils ago, I was a freshman in college and forced to memorize the first twelve lines of the prologue to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.

Imagine my delight when I realized that Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales were terribly tickly, not to mention positively ribald in parts! Not some old, moldy, medieval stanzas, but colorful, naughty and well worth the effort to make out the Olde English words.

Geoffrey Chaucer c. 1343-1400

Geoffrey Chaucer c. 1343-1400

Here’s first twelve lines of the most sensational poem written about April I’ve ever come across. Enjoy!

WHAN that Aprille with his shoures soote
The droghte of Marche hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich  licour,
Of which vertu engendred is the fleur;

Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth
Inspired hath in every holt and heeth
The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne
Hath in the Ram his halfe cours y-ronne,

And smale fowles maken melodye,
That slepen al the night with open ye,
So priketh hem nature in hir corages:
Than longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,

And palmers for to seken straunge strondes,
To ferne halwes, couthe in sondry londes;
And specially, from every shires ende
Of Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende,

The holy blisful martir for to seke,
That hem hath holpen, whan that they were seke.

Excerpt from Black is Not a Color

“Did you sleep?” Narcisa whispered to me as the owner of the male voice headed toward the nearest silver-tray-carrying waiter to capture two glasses of white wine for us.
“Did I what?”
“Did you sleep?” she asked again.
“Yes. I slept well, thank you” I answered confusedly. Did I look tired to her?
“You don’t have to tell me who it was. But tell me—who was it?”highres_front
“Uh—it was me. I mean I slept well. Didn’t you?”
“Ohhh no. I didn’t sleep. I had friends who helped me,” Narcisa whispered back, one eyebrow lifted significantly.
“Ohhh, I see. Uh—no I didn’t sleep. I—uh- took the tests last spring and they called me the beginning of August.” Startled by the conversational curveball, I stepped back from Narcisa, still intrigued but alerted that I had no idea who I was dealing with. The U.N. was on international territory. American rules no longer applied.
“The tests. Everyone takes the tests. So what? How did you get the job?” she pressed.
“Like I said, I took the tests. That was it. I waited, I gave up hope, then they called.” I shrugged in what I hoped was the classic Gallic way, perfected by my recent stay in Paris.
Narcisa studied me as I spoke. It was like taking a lie-detector test. Suddenly I felt as if I’d slept even when I hadn’t.
“So you just took the tests and they called you. That was it?”
“Yes,” I said, crisply. I tried to look like I wasn’t lying, even when I wasn’t. It was confusing talking to Narcisa.

Black is Not a Color © 2014 by Rozsa Gaston

“I’ve known perfectly well, for a long time, that I have an irrational heart. But knowing it doesn’t stop me in the least.”~Colette

27 Thursday Feb 2014

Posted by rozsagaston in French culture, literary fiction, modern life, relationships, travel

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aging parents, career, chicken paprikash, contemporary romance, culture, dating, elder care, Elizabeth Taylor, Fellini, free book, Hungarian culture, Hungary, Jackie Onassis, Judith Krantz, New York, personal growth, romance, Scruples, self-discovery, United Nations, women's issues, Yale

Black is Not a Color audiobook cover

“When my father said black is not a color unless it’s worn by a blonde, he wasn’t just talking about the color black or women who were blonde. He was talking about the animus inside the packaging—the spirit inside the body, the woman inside the dress.”—Rozsa Gaston, Black is Not a ColorZoltan Ivani - 1956 and 1964_crop

When Ava Fodor returns to New York from Paris, she leaves behind her budding romance with Pierre and turns her attention to another man: Zsolt Fodor, her father. He’s a penniless Hungarian poet transplanted to New York in the wake of the failed 1956 Hungarian uprising. Raised by her New England grandparents, Ava barely knows him. Dramatic, effusive, emotional, he’s everything her grandmother warned her against. Yet his crazy conversation fascinates her. His chicken paprikash isn’t bad either.

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERAPierre’s pull draws Ava back to France, to the medieval walled city of Carcassonne. There, his tender care of his ailing mother awakens Ava to something lacking in herself. Unless she finds it, she can’t give him her heart.

When her father has a heart attack, Ava is thrust into a caregiver role, looking after a man who never looked after her. She’s terrible at it. So was her father, so he forgives her. But can she forgive him? Until she learns to love the man she has every reason to abandon in his hour of need, she can’t move on. Only her father can show her the way. But will she let him? And if she can, will it be too late for Pierre and her?

Black is Not a Color is Part II of The Ava Series: Ava Fodor’s journey of self discovery, begun in Paris Adieu.

Praise for Black is Not a Color

“Imagine if Judith Krantz had been a history scholar at Yale when she wrote Scruples. If this idea appeals, you are likely to be engaged and fascinated by Black Is Not A Color. The book is at once witty, smart and touching. It will make you want to devour chicken paprikash and then go shopping at a chic Manhattan boutique with your best girlfriend. A sensitive delineation of family dynamics and some wonderful insight into geopolitical geography.”

—Jane Stern, author of The New York Times bestselling Elvis World, Roadfood, and many other books on food and popular culture

“Rozsa Gaston takes us on another delicious adventure through France and
beyond. Sexy, thrilling, and deeply moving, Black is Not a Color has everything
you’d want in a novel, plus lots of spice, specifically paprika.”

— Jamie Cat Callan, author of French Women Don’t Sleep Alone, Bonjour Happiness! and Ooh La La!

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA“Readers will be delighted, intrigued and entertained by Black Is Not a Color. This enjoyable continuation of Ava’s worldly tale, begun in Paris Adieu, is full of vibrant characters with great chemistry. Gaston writes this story with intelligence, emotion, creativity and heart.”

—Laurie Weiner, Fairfield Public Library, Fairfield, CT

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA“Heartwarming, romantic and sexy, Black is Not a Color touches upon friendship, romantic relationships and the strength of familial bonds. This moving read for sophisticated readers evokes both a desire for European travel and a renewed appreciation for my hometown of New York City.”

— Meredith Schorr, author of Just Friends with Benefits and Blogger Girl

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA“An exotic, romantic adventure with a complex soul that connects us all. And the Hungarian thread that runs through it is just delicious. Big enough and bold enough for the big screen.”

—Atessa Helm, film producer, script and story consultant

“At night we are all strangers, even to ourselves.” -Alexander McCall Smith

03 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by rozsagaston in fitness, health, modern life, relationships, self-discovery, self-esteem, travel, writing

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Alexander McCall Smith, Botswana, Cityscape, exercise, fitness, Fordham University, George Bodarky, joggers, love, relationships, running, WFUV

Author Rozsa Gaston interviewed on WFUV 90.7 FM Fordham University Cityscape show, 7-6-13 (12:11)
What are you running from? Are you running from love?
Running from Love front cover
Join George Bodarky on Cityscape Saturday, July 6, 7:30-8 am for a discussion of Running from Love: A Story for Runners and Lovers on WFUV’s Cityscape radio show at 90.7 FM and at wfuv.org. Link to 12 minute audio interview here.

George Bodarky, host of Cityscape, interviewed author Rozsa Gaston about running with the Van Cortlandt Track Club, running in Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, and topics touched upon in her book Running from Love such as overcoming downhill running and relationship fears. Book Cover Preview 20_cropThe discussion should be of interest to runners in general and specifically to runners on track clubs who have thought about or experienced dating a fellow member of their club. Tune in to 90.7 FM, WFUV Fordham University’s alternative music station and learn how to stop running from love. I’ll be listening myself. Hope I learn something and I hope you do too.

Warmly, Rozsa

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective AgencyP.S. Who’s Alexander McCall Smith? A simply amazing writer and the author of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, a fictitious tale of a female detective set in Botswana. I love this book!

Quote

Surf’s up – get playful.

01 Friday Mar 2013

Posted by rozsagaston in fitness, French culture, health, modern life, self-discovery, self-esteem, travel

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Tags

caregiving, fitness and exercise, follow your bliss, French culture, fun, life tips, March, Moon PR, Nancy Moon, Paris Adieu, self-care, spring's arrival, surfing, Vitamin D, women's health women's well-being, women's issues

Nancy Moon rides the waves

Nancy Moon rides the waves

Surf’s up – get playful.

March’s debut heralds spring’s arrival. Throw off those February doldrums and get playful. You.

What’s that? You spend all your time helping others so you can’t find time to play? Care giving at both ends of the generational spectrum? Tired of everything, starting with yourself?

Stop boring me to tears. Get up from your desk, get outside, and get playful. That’s an order.

Here’s a babe who knows how to do just that. Does this chick look like she’s sitting around compiling a grocery list for dinner? Don’t think so. Nancy Moon, who I think of as Moon Girl, is in the moment, following her bliss. What about you?

Facing the wave

Facing the wave

By the way, Nancy Moon is not twenty-five years old or under. She just looks like she is because she feels like she is. Not all the time, but at the moment these images capture.

Can’t afford to drop everything and take a trip to a surfing destination, never mind that you don’t know how to surf? That’s not an excuse.

Moon Girl glows in golden sun

Moon Girl glows in golden sun

Get out there and get some sun on your face. Today. That’s right, go out and greet Mr. Golden Sun and feel the vitamin D pour into your soul, filling every cell of your body with vitality. It’s easy, really.

The sun glows golden in the late afternoon right before it begins to descend. It’s a bit like the way the French refer to a woman of a certain age as “une femme mûre” or “a ripe woman.” The French highly admire attractive women in their golden late afternoon chapter. Many Americans do too. Connoissieurs of finely seasoned beauty can be found in many unexpected places. Find out more in Chapter Ten of Paris Adieu.

Did you see that man on the corner giving you the eye as you sauntered past? What? You didn’t notice? Next time you take a walk, saunter. Find your inner French femme. When you start to do that, the connoissieurs of this world will take note. Promise. You may even want to meet some of them. You won’t, if you’re in a rush.

Now back to your March marching orders. Go outside this afternoon and let the sun’s golden rays sink into your psyche. Later in the afternoon, coincident with that mid-afternoon energy slump, the sun’s rays are less bad for your skin than  between the hours of 10 am and 3 pm. Have you got a packed day today? Don’t have a single second to yourself?

Fuggedaboutit. Make it happen, darling. Take ten minutes and instead of hitting the vending machine, go downstairs, out the door, and say hello to the world that is your stage. Connect with nature. Open your ears to hear what that bird is singing about. He’s heralding spring’s arrival. A few weeks early, granted, but he’s out there noticing all the signs, just as you should be.

Thumbs up to life

Moon Girl says thumbs up to life

Thumbs up to life, friends. If yours isn’t as glamorous as Moon Girl’s, remember — these shots capture just one golden afternoon. The rest of the time she’s running around like the rest of us, busy, attending to the needs of others, spilling her vitality right and left. But inside, she has bottomless energy to give. Because she knows she’s Moon Girl. Be a Moon Girl too. Follow your bliss. You owe it to yourself. Start today.

Playfully yours,

Rozsa

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Sense of Touch

Publication dateMay 21, 2016
A historical fiction work based on the life of Anne of Brittany, Queen of France (1477-1514). I love this woman, hope you will too when I bring her to life.

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