Book Press Release - Railway Confessions by Carolyn Moncel: Fictional Tales Examines Clandestine Meetings and Confessions

Fictional Tales Examines Clandestine Meetings and Confessions

Author Carolyn Moncel Releases Railway Confessions – A Collection of Short Stories

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND, March 1, 2012 — Would you ever reveal a dark secret to a complete stranger – even if you knew you’d never meet that person again? This question is at the heart of author, Carolyn Moncel’s latest work, Railway Confessions – A Collection of Short Stories.  Currently available as an eBook only, readers can download a FREE copy on March 1 and March 8, 2012 from Amazon.com (http://amzn.to/zYc4od).

As passengers traveling aboard a TGV train from Paris to Geneva one summer evening, three couples casually disclose very intimate, truthful details that could potentially transform their lives either for the better or for the worst.

“The stories fit perfectly into the advice my mother gave me during my childhood,” says Moncel, a Chicago native, whose stories are often set in Paris.  “‘Be careful what you say aloud because: a) you never really know who you are talking to; and b) you never really know who is listening to your conversation and what they may know about the people being discussed.’”

In the story, "My Brother's Keeper," a couple must come to terms with the murders that each of them had a hand in committing and their aftermaths; In "A Choice in the Matter," another couple must address the questions of wanted and unwanted pregnancies and the circumstances for which such requests are ever acceptable; and in the last story entitled, “Pretty Prisons,” a last couple must deal with love, infidelity and all of its complexities. Ellery Roulet and Lola Sanchez from 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover return, and along with four others, confront their deepest fears with unexpected results.

About Carolyn Moncel

Carolyn Davenport-Moncel currently resides in Lausanne, Switzerland with her husband and two daughters. Her previous work includes Encounters in Paris – A Collection of Short Stories and 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover – A Novella and Other Short Stories.  Visit Moncel’s website at:  www.carolynmoncel.com.  Follow her on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/carolyn.moncel; LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/motiontemps; and on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/carolynmoncel.

About Railway Confessions – A Collection of Short Stories

Published in February 2012 by Mondavé Media, Railway Confessions – A Collection of Short Stories is only available as an eBook.  Amazon.com (http://amzn.to/zYc4od).The Kindle edition is $2.99.  The ASIN number is: B0076BLY42.  Ms. Moncel is available for appearances, book club discussions and interviews.

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Wise Words from Toni Morrison

I hadn't been able to articulate this point fully until now but it was definitely what I was doing unconsciously when I started writing Encounters in Paris, at least from the standpoint that there are universal conflicts and themes that human beings face regardless of race or gender.  

What Nobel Prize winning author, Toni Morrison, says in this interview, is exactly where I have been trying to go with my own writing.  Hopefully, I can perfect it one day and be half as good at this as she is!

"'...Gender and race are two factors that authors can use to affect the reader’s projections,' Morrison noted. She said that she would like to see a novel written from the point of view of a narrator whose gender was not distinguishable, because it would remove the assumptions that typically accompany a reader’s conception of the sexes. The same thing, she said, applied to race.

She mused upon the effect of removing race and gender from a story extensively. 'We feel or think we know so much about both. The assumptions are already there, so your imagination is already constrained, but suppose they’re removed.' The result, she said, is greater control over the story by the author and the reader’s use of 'invisible ink.'"

Read the full article:
http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2011/03/02/27811/

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The Birds in Question...

The short story "Some Birds of a Feather..." from Encounters in Paris is about Ellery Roulet's meeting with two very persistent pigeons.  In the back of the book, I mention that the pigeons do exist.  Here they are!

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Book Press Release: Can’t Fall in Love with a Person? Fall for a Book!

In celebration of Valentine’s Day, American author, Carolyn Moncel together with Smashwords invites readers to fall in love with her book, ’Encounters in Paris,’ by offering free digital downloads from February 11 to February 15, 2011.

“We’ve all fallen in and out of love, and some of us may be alone this Valentine’s Day,” says Moncel, a Chicago native, who has lived with her family between Paris and Lausanne, Switzerland for the last eight years. “It doesn’t have to be a tragedy. Instead, why not love yourself this weekend by curling up with a good book and a nice cup of hot chocolate?”

’Encounters in Paris’ centers on Ellery Martin-Roulet, a 35-year-old American public relations executive living and working in Paris has the perfect life. She is married to a handsome Frenchman, has adorable twin daughters and a successful bilingual PR firm located in one of Paris’ trendiest arrondissements. Unfortunately, Ellery soon realizes that life isn’t always perfect. When betrayal, loss, and regrets enter Ellery’s world at five different periods of time over a ten-year span, she quickly learns that it is how she chooses to deal with life’s trickiest situations that shapes her soul.

At the Smashwords site (http://bit.ly/ePNpa2), readers simply select their favorite digital format and type in the coupon code, SE56P, to generate the free download. The ebook, which normally sells for $9.99, is available in virtually every format including PDF, .mobi for Amazon’s Kindle, Epub, and LRF for Sony Readers.

According to Moncel, there is only one tiny request: All readers are encouraged to post an honest review at their favorite online bookseller site like Amazon.com, GoodReads.com and of course, Smashwords.com.

“It’s my way of saying thank you to all the wonderful fans I have met over the last few months,” added Moncel. “If you love the book, then shout it from the rooftops by posting a message! If you hate it, post a message anyway so I can write better books in the future!”

About Carolyn Moncel

A virtual media and web consultant by day and author by night, Carolyn Davenport-Moncel moved to Paris from Chicago, her hometown, in 2001. Known for her online articles on media relations, Moncel owns MotionTemps, LLC (www.motiontemps.com), a Digital Project and Web Content Management firm, and its subsidiary, Mondavé Communications (www.mondaveinc.com), a media relations and publishing company. She currently resides in Lausanne, Switzerland with her husband and two daughters. ’Encounters in Paris’ is her first work of fiction. Her next collection of short stories, 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover will debut in fall 2011. Discover her other works at www.carolynmoncel.com. Follow her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Encounters-in-Paris-A-Collection-of-Short-Stories/171683209508859; LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/motiontemps; and on Twitter: http://twitter.com/carolynmoncel.

About ’Encounters in Paris’

Published in November 2010 by Mondavé Media via CreateSpace, ’Encounters in Paris’ – A Collection of Short Stories is now available in paperback and also in digital format for Kindle at all major online bookstores including, Amazon.com (http://bit.ly/cB9bfR). The retail price for paperback is $17.99. The Kindle edition is $9.99. Single story downloads start at $2.99. The ISBN number is: 978-1-4538-9821-5. Ms. Moncel is available for appearances, book club discussions and interviews.

About Smashwords.com

Smashwords is an ebook publishing and distribution platform for ebook authors, publishers and readers. Smashwords offers multi-format, DRM-free ebooks, ready for immediate sampling and purchase, and readable on any e-reading device. Visit their site at www.smashwords.com.

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