News • Events

New Book in 2025: Bonjour, Au Revoir, I’m Finally, Finally French.
On December 9, a day that definitely (hopefully) will not be a day of infamy, I signed a contract for my new book with Skyhorse Publishers, the publisher of (not quite) Mastering the Art of French Living.

The book will be published in November, 2025, just in time for your holiday shopping—so plan ahead, save your shekels, and think trifecta: I’ll Never Be French (no matter what I do), (not quite) Mastering The Art of French Living, and Bonjour, Au Revoir, I’m Finally, Finally French.

Meanwhile, don’t forget this year’s holiday, especially since what the world needs now is laughter, and with I’ll Never and (not quite) Mastering a guffaw and a giggle are a book away. Be bold: spread chuckles; increase tolerance for fools and failures; don’t laugh at others (who don’t want to be laughed at), laugh at me (who has become inured).

Most importantly, though, before all and after all, I want to thank you for your support. You often believed in me more than I did. I hope you understand how much you mean to me.

I also want to thank all the people who are in the book, with special thanks to Donna, Norbert, Leslie, Jack and Daniela: you know what you’ve done to get this book published.

October 25, 2024
A fan created this video on youtube, I don’t know who it was but I’m thankful for it.

March 6, 2024
I'm at Bookmine Bookstore in Napa, California having a conversation about (not quite) Mastering the Art of French Living in an event sponsored by the Napa chapter of Alliance Française.
Click here for more information and to register.

February 20, 2024
I'm at the Piedmont Library in Oakland, California having a conversation about I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do) and (not quite) Mastering the Art of French Living at their Meet the Author night.
phone: 510-597-5011
directions: 80 Echo Ave, Oakland CA

February 13, 2024
I'm zooming with the Richmond/Charleston Virginia chapter of Alliance Française and discussing I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do) and (not quite) Mastering the Art of French Living
Click here for more information and to register.

April 12, 2023
I will meet in person with a book club in Napa, California to discuss (not quite) Mastering the Art of French Living.
More details to come.

January 9, 2023
I will Zoom discuss I’ll Never be French (no matter what I do), and (not quite) Mastering the Art of French Living with Delta Kappa Gamma, an organization for women educators in northern California.

July 1, 2022
I had a Zoom discussion about (not quite) Mastering… with Janet Hulstrand (author of Demystifying the French) and her class “Linguistic (and Other) Adventures in France” at Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington, D.C.

April, 2022
Thirteen years after its initial publication, the audio book of I’ll Never Be French is now available. I helped select the reader, Jonathan Beville, and I’m very happy with the result. Click here to see more.

January 29, 2022 - This event has ended.

I again participated on Zoom with Janet Hulstrand, Adrian Leeds, and Harriet Welty Rochefort in a follow-up panel discussion, Demystifying the French II.
Presented by Alliance Françaises, San Francisco, CA

November 27, 2021
A podcast featuring my wife Donna and I, interviewed by Gilen Chan and Gene Preudhomme for the podcast Retire There. Click here to listen on the web.
Also available for Apple Podcast users here.

January 18, 2022
I will Zoom with the California Retired Teachers Association. (CalRTA), Tri-Valley Division 85, and talk about I’ll Never be French (no matter what I do) and (not quite) Mastering the Art of French Living.

October 23, 2021
Donna and I were interviewed by Gilen Chan and Gene Preudhomme for their podcast Retirethere (www.retirethere.com). They currently have 53 podcasts in the series with people who have retired in Florida, Ecquador, Bulgaria, Canada, Hawaii, Spain, Mexico, and New Jersey. (Go figure!) I’ll send you the link when it’s posted.

August 28, 2021 - This event has ended.

If you missed it or would like to see it again, click the image to the right to watch the whole panel discussion.

I was invited to participate in a Zoom panel discussion sponsored by Federation Alliances Françaises, U.S.A. It included fellow authors Janet Hulstrand, Harriet Welty Rochefort and property consultant Adrian Leeds, all sharing our insights, perspectives and experiences, gathered over the course of many years of living, traveling and working in France.
Click the video for the discussion in its entirety.

Jun 18, 2021
I'm pleased and proud to tell you The magazine My French Country Home has featured (not quite) Mastering the Art of French Living in its July/August issue.
Click here to read the feature. Click the image to the right to enlarge. 

June 5, 2021
A friend and Newsletter reader has invited friends from Rwanda, Israel, California and the East Coast to join me in a private Zoom to discuss I'll Never and (not quite).

May 25, 2021
Live Zoom session with Alliance Francaise, Dupage and North Shore, to discuss the books I’ll Never be French (no matter what I do), and (not quite) Mastering the Art of French Living.

April 15, 2021
The Editor of Connexion, a British magazine, for English-speaking people living in France, has recommended the new paperback version of (not quite) Mastering the Art of French Living to its readership. It won't be available in Europe until June 10, 2021, but you can get your copy in the U.S. in early May.

Click here to read the recommendation.

I do book clubs and Alliance Française meetings—in San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, Richmond, and Alameda, California; Milwaukee; Philadelphia; and Portland, Maine. I’ll Zoom in and out wherever you are to chat about the books, answer questions, and talk about ex-pat life in Brittany. If you’re reading one of my books— I’ll Never Be French (no matter what I do) or (not quite) Mastering the Art of French Living, and you’d like me to attend, contact me, and I’ll be there.

- Mark

March 18, 2021
Afternoon Tea and Talks with Authors at the Los Gatos-Saratoga Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is featuring a talk with Mark.
Click here for information.

December 6, 2020
Lifestyle Blog Oui in France recommended (not quite) Mastering the Art of French Living in their 13 Books about France that make perfect Francophile gifts. Click here for the link and scroll on down. I’m Lucky #13.

November 13, 2020
Literary Journey into the Heart of France
Presented by world-famous bookstore, Politics and Prose, in Washington, D.C. is an online class featuring Mark as one of four American writers who are long-term residents of France.
Click here for more information.

August 13, 2020
This is an interview with Alliance Française in Milwaukee from August 13th. It’s a Zoom interview, so it starts and stops in places, but it has great content. Click here and enter the password, which is case sensitive: mgkA7?Ly

May 2019
Review of (not quite) Mastering the art of French Living
click banner below

Recommendations: 

Mark’s book has been recommended by the blog Americans in France, click here and scroll to bottom of page Brittany”, click here for her blog, and scroll down the page to the mention.

Contest Winner announced for Vacation Home in Brittany!
Click Here.

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