A collection of all-new Paris-themed essays written by some of the biggest names in women’s fiction, including Paula McLain, Therese Anne Fowler, Maggie Shipstead, and Lauren Willig—edited by Eleanor Brown, the New York Times bestselling author of The Weird Sisters and The Light of Paris .   “My time in Paris,” says New York Times –bestselling author Paula McLain ( The Paris Wife ), “was like no one else’s ever.” For each of the eighteen bestselling authors in this warm, inspiring, and charming collection of personal essays on the City of Light, nothing could be more true. While all of the women writers featured here have written books connected to Paris, their personal stories of the city are wildly different. Meg Waite Clayton ( The Race for Paris ) and M. J. Rose ( The Book of Lost Fragrances ) share the romantic secrets that have made Paris the destination for lovers for hundreds of years. Susan Vreeland ( The Girl in Hyacinth Blue ) and J. Courtney Sullivan ( The Engagements ) peek behind the stereotype of snobbish Parisians to show us the genuine kindness of real people. From book club favorites Paula McLain, Therese Anne Fowler ( Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald ), and anthology editor Eleanor Brown ( The Light of Paris ) to mystery writer Cara Black ( Murder in the Marais ), historical author Lauren Willig ( The Secret History of the Pink Carnation ), and memoirist Julie Powell ( Julie and Julia ), these Parisian memoirs range from laugh-out-loud funny to wistfully romantic to thoughtfully somber and reflective.   Perfect for armchair travelers and veterans of Parisian pilgrimages alike, readers will delight in these brand-new tales from their most beloved authors. Praise for A Paris All Your Own “This collection from writers who have written about the city is enjoyable addition for readers who wish to travel to Paris or who enjoy travel essays...An engaging, delightful glimpse into female writers’ experiences in Paris.”— Library Journal “[A] lively assemblage…The essays offer tantalizing portraits of both the city's beauty and grit....What makes this collection a treat are the varying viewpoints about this singular city. Each story offers a unique vantage point for better understanding the history and culture of the cit....A quick and fun read that should delight seasoned travelers as well as those planning their first adventure.”— Kirkus Reviews Eleanor Brown is the author of The Light of Paris and The Weird Sisters . Her writing has been published in anthologies, magazines, and journals. She holds an M.A. in Literature and has worked in education in South Florida. Thirteen Ways of Looking at a French Woman J. Courtney Sullivan I. 1987 It begins, like all things, with my mother. In our suburban Massachusetts neighborhood, full of Irish Catholics who throw block parties and summer cookouts, she believes that, in her heart, she is French. She collects Quimper pottery, wears silk scarves with the confidence of a native Parisian, and spritzes Chanel N5 on the dog after a bath. Her passion is inherited from her own mother, my grandmother, who to me seems every bit as glamorous as Catherine Deneuve. She subscribes to W, and when she's collected enough back issues, she bags them up and brings them over to our house. My grandmother is known for being the first person ever to jog in her neighborhood, long before there was such a thing as jogging attire-she did it in a trench coat. She goes into the city to get her hair done at a proper salon that costs a fortune instead of at some underwhelming beauty parlor closer to home. She, too, believes that French women are superior to us, not that she knows any French women. Her portals to that world are fashion magazines and Julia Child, whom she watches religiously on television, absorbing Child's thoughts on butter and wine, filling notebooks with her recipes. Notebooks we will find and cherish after my grandmother is gone. II. 1996 In high school French class, we watch the movies Red, White, and Blue, Kielowski's Three Colors trilogy. On my own, I watch Before Sunrise approximately ninety-seven times. I want to be Juliette Binoche and Julie Delpy in equal measure, even though they are nothing alike. They are both French. Seemingly effortless in their beauty. Strong and commanding and flawlessly dressed, even at life's most depressing moments. I have that sense that if I just study them enough, I might become them through osmosis. I am fifteen. Nothing my mother does could possibly please me. But I realize that on this one point, she was correct: French women are spectacular in every way. I love the language. I love my French teacher, who tells us one day, "Joy is happiness with no strings attached." Later, when almost all my French is forgotten, I will remember this. III. 2001 I announce that I plan to take a year off from college, horrifying my mother. I want to write and see the world. I would love to spend the year in Fra