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French Leave Encore
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After a five-year break “Chiltern House” is alive and kicking
again. Some of you will know that, at the end of 1987, Anne and I decided
to close down the publishing enterprise we ran from our home, Chiltern House.
We had researched, written, published and distributed seven books during
the Eighties and, in addition, we had “packaged” an eighth title for a main-line
publisher. We had been living far too dangerously as all our annual income
had come from the single book we published each year. Ironically, at the
start of 1988, our publishing venture would have ground to a halt anyway.
Serious eye problems, including a messy case of detached retinas, laid me
low and continued to dog me for three years. Thank heavens the eye problems
didn’t worry me during the years from 1980 to 1987. Every day counted during
those busy eight years and any setbacks then would have meant financial disaster.
The health worries started two days before our move away from Buckinghamshire,
the main benefit of which was to reduce our living expenses dramatically.
Despite the eye problems I kept busy, writing numerous articles for national
newspapers. What didn’t stop were readers’ letters. We had got used to receiving
about one thousand a year. But what did surprise us was that a vast number
continued to arrive at our new home, forwarded on to us by the post-office.
We lost count of the times readers asked: “Is there a new French Leave?”
Your invaluable feedback, on both existing entries and numerous suggestions
on worthy contenders for inclusion in a new edition, has helped us enormously.
In February 1991 we decided to have another go. Why? My eyes had improved
though the doctors could not guarantee a problem- free future. We also felt
much wiser and more confident and we were itching to improve on FL3. This
time all our financial eggs are not in one basket: our overheads are lower,
for both living expenses and book production costs (doing all the maps and
most of the typesetting myself has saved a five-figure sum); and come now
comes from other writing sources as well. We are grateful for the help given
by five friends (chefs and ex-guide book inspectors) who have checked out
cooking standards at some of the new entries. The new maps are also full
of detail but, by adding many more maps and by using the larger text type
sizes, I hope they are easier to read. Few authors and publishers know the
pleasure of doing everything from soup to nuts. Anne and I are the researchers,
designers, editors, cartographers, indexers and proof-readers. There’s no
selling of souls and we relish the joy of total independence of both minds
and time. I am not a gifted writer; I try to “speak” to you as I would to
a friend, giving advice as honestly as I can. I also remind myself constantly
that I’m asking you to spend your own hard-earned cash. We hope that
Encore once again, puts the best of France in your pocket. |
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