RESISTANCE IS FUTILE

Hola, hello!

My daughter Olivia and her husband Tom are in Spain with us this week! It’s so nice to have them because – as I said in a previous little note on here – we hadn’t seen them since last August, and even that was only for one day.

Olivia and I speak on the phone all the time, and text each other daily, but it’s just not the same as being together. Today we enjoyed a chilled morning, with a nice long breakfast of fresh berries, yogurt, and toast. There were a couple of ensaimadas, too, which are my favourite Spanish pastries. They’re a bit like doughnuts, but lighter and fluffier, and there’s still one sitting by the coffee machine that I’m currently trying to ignore. The call of the ensaimada is a hard thing to resist if your taste buds are anything like mine.

After breakfast, Cedric (my husband) and Tom went to play golf, so Olivia and I drove to El Corte Inglés, a department store close to the centre of Girona. We were just browsing, then Olivia found a nice sweater and I caved and bought two cushions for the living room sofa. Cedric will roll his eyes at me when he gets back, and say, “more cushions?”, but I don’t care.

Sadly, the weather isn’t all sunny and olé. The forecast is pretty dire these next few days, but who knows; we’re only half an hour from the coast, so we can get a bit of everything in one day. It was pouring this morning, but there’s a ray of sunshine out there now, which I’ve decided is to celebrate the release of Chapter Three of my romantic comedy, Just Like A Movie, on The Empress’ Substack. I hope you’ll head over there to find out what happens next.

CABIN CREW, PREPARE FOR ROMANCE!

Or not…

“My mouth feels like the bottom of a neglected birdcage. Smooching anyone for the next ten years would be a felony.”

Speaking of The Empress, Empress Editions has been invited to the London Book Fair at the end of this month – extremely exciting news. I’ve been wearing my Empress cap out and about, and I’ve just ordered an Empress hoodie and an Empress T-shirt, too, because I’m so proud to be part of this phenomenal publishing team. And I think it’s so cool that we have merch!

I wish you a wonderful weekend,

With love and gratitude,

Francesca xx

ILLICIT CROISSANTS AT DAWN: LIFE IS FIERCE, READ MORE POETRY

“Francesca Bossert’s poetry collection took me by surprise—in the best way. I don’t usually gravitate toward poetry, but this book is such a refreshing exception. With a voice that feels like a grown-up, bohemian Shel Silverstein, Bossert blends humor and heartache, mischief and meaning, in equal measure. Her poems bubble off the page, sometimes with a wink, sometimes with a sigh, always with truth.

This isn’t poetry that tries too hard to be clever or profound. It is clever. It is profound. But it wears both qualities lightly, inviting the reader into moments that feel lived-in, lush, and oddly familiar. Whether she’s laughing through heartbreak or marveling at everyday beauty, Bossert never loses her playful edge—or her emotional honesty.

The book is made even more special by the gorgeous illustrations from her daughter, Olivia Bossert—a mother-daughter collaboration that adds warmth and intimacy to every page.

In short: it’s funny, poignant, and full of life’s beautiful mess. If poetry usually leaves you cold, give this one a try. It just might win you over.”

Bonnie Solomon