Writing Podcast Episode 707: Sheryle Bagwell on writing 'Letter from Provence'

How would you like to spend summers in Australia and then travel to a small village in France to bask in the northern summer during the other half of the year? Well, that’s the current reality of journalist and author Sheryle Bagwell – and in her new memoir, Letter from Provence, she not only documents her French experiences, but also connects to her late mother and the writings of 17th century French writer Madame de Sévigné. In this episode, Sheryle talks about writing the book, resisting her journalistic instincts and her experience publishing it. 00:00 Welcome03:21 Writing tip: Don’t limit your writing identity07:01 WIN!: Whispering Rooms by Genki Kawamura & Marie Kondo08:45 Word of the week: ‘Manel’10:12 Writer in residence: Sheryle Bagwell11:04 Sheryle explains her memoir, Letter from Provence12:30 A homage to her own mother and Madame de Sévigné15:59 Telling a new story about France and her mother18:14 Journalism vs memoir writing20:00 Telling a personal version of events22:27 The timeline of writing this book25:16 Editing and shaping the initial draft26:14 The publishing experience28:36 The process of writing the book34:44 The story of three women across time36:45 Living between two worlds37:28 The double life is possible40:40 Future plans for writing41:32 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.