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Eloisa James, the pen name of novelist and Fordham University professor Mary Bly, takes readers to the City of Light in Paris in Love: A Memoir.

You are a romance writer under your nom de plume, Eloisa James, but a Shakespeare professor at Fordham University as Mary Bly, your given name. This new nonfiction work about your sabbatical year in Paris with your family is published under Eloisa James. What are the two different personas, and why publish this one under your romance name?

I suppose the easier answer would be that Eloisa is a good deal nicer. As to whose name appeared on the cover-that was a tossup. The essays are very Mary-ish; the smaller parts-many of which began as updates on Eloisa's Facebook page-are Eloisa-ish. It seemed easier for my Eloisa fans to find me under that name. It was a challenge, shaping those updates during the year, really catching what the snow was like falling in Paris that day

Memories of your father [poet Robert Bly]appear throughout the book: about his losing his memory and no longer writing poems. Was going to Paris a way of feeling closer to him?

Yup. I am watching him forget. He still remembers what he loves-us, poetry, love-but he can't remember what happened to him before. When I went to Paris, I wasn't going to have a wonderful year that I forget. Part of the reason for writing updates was to remember. Death lies ahead, and loss of memory lies ahead, so no matter what happens I leave my children this year. It was wrenching to see what happened to my father, and a hell of a lot of work to find a way to put into words what was happening. When I was growing up, my life and his were put in his poetry, whereas my life now is not put into my work, my romances.

You write that living in Paris taught you how to savor-how to waste. How so?

The French waste time all the time. They meet friends on the street and talk and occupy the middle of the sidewalk and never move. They go to lunch, and you visibly see them wasting time-what we call wasting time-people stand at the high cafe tables, savoring their cigarette and combustible coffee; they are there for 40 minutes and they are not desperately running off to work or having to feed their family. My parents were extremely driven; I would hate not to be a hard worker, and all my success has come from hard work. But it was good to emulate a different way.

You write: "Paris is the most beautiful city and the most heartbreaking." How so?

One of the things I had to learn was that you can lust after objects, but don't have to own them. Living in such a beautiful place surrounded by beautiful things was a big lesson. I grew up with not a lot of money, and I always used to replace things with other things. I don't do that anymore. In Paris it's possible to admire and not acquire.

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Paris in Love: PW Talks with Eloisa James

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Eloisa James, the pen name of novelist and Fordham University professor Mary Bly, takes readers to the City of Light in Paris in Love: A Memoir. You are a romance writer under your nom de plume, Eloisa James, but a Shakespeare professor at Fordham University as Mary Bly, your given name.

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Quote #5 Chapter 4 or "Chastised by Dior" pg. 43

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Quote #5 Chapter 4 or "Chastised by Dior" pg. 43

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"When I wander out, the sky is blue and far away. By the time I emerge from the market, pearl gray clouds seem within my reach. The sidewalk is rain-splattered, and the puppy belonging to the homeless man at out Métro shop retreats under his blanket, nothing showing but a little black nose. I put a euro in the cup and hope it goes to dog food rather than cognac."

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Paris in Love / Eloisa James / NYT Bestselling Author

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Description: New York Times bestselling romance author Eloisa James's site for her memoir Paris in Love, featuring recipes, excerpts, discussion guide, and video.

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Eloisa and Alessandro on their wedding day

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Eloisa and Alessandro on their wedding day

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Eloisa reads and expert from her book

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"I refuse to find myself in my second half century still wearing my furry shoes and Alessandro's sweaters. I intend to learn precisely what these French women buy and, perhaps, just as important, how they manage to look so commandingly elegant after attaining 'un certain age.' It is truly a pity that my mother is no longer alive. I've finally decided to dress like a lady."

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“So this book is my phone call--not from the top of a mountain, or even the top of the Eiffel Tower: the "here" is negotiable. It's so beautiful here. You must come visit before you die.”

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Quote #1 Chapter 1 or "An Introduction to La Vie Parisienne" pg. 3

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Quote #1 Chapter 1 or "An Introduction to La Vie Parisienne" pg. 3

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"I immediately started anticipating the epiphany when I would be struck by the acute beauty of life. I would see joy in my children's eyes (rather than start rebellion), eschew caffeine, and simply be, preferably while doing yoga in front of a sunset. My better, less irritable self would come out of hiding, and I would stop wasting time at the computer and sniping at my husband. I have cancer . . . but the good news is that I will learn to live in the moment."

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A sample from the chapter "A Parisian Winter" or Chapter 7, pg. 71

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Quote #2 from Chapter 6 or "Grief" pg. 62

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Quote #2 from Chapter 6 or "Grief" pg. 62

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"That's what Alessandro doesn't understand. A day spent crying in bed over stories of lost strangers gives you permission to cry for things over which you have no right to grieve: my children are alive and my mother died almost two years ago. Yet I wake thinking of her. I wish I could call her. I will always want her arms around me. I still want to cry for her."

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Eloisa James

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Eloisa explains her book and her experience with moving to another country.

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Eloisa James has twenty five other romance books that she wrote. Eloisa is her pen name and her real name is Mary Bly. She was born in 1962 and is 56 years old. Before she lived in Paris, her and her family lived in New York. Her husband's name is Alessandro and her kids names are Anna and Luca. She discovered she had cancer and decided to move to Paris because her life was only going to last so long. The book Paris in Love, is based on her story about moving to Paris. Eloisa loves her family, but she also loves her life and wanted to expand it to greatness.

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Paris in Love was released on April 3, 2012. It is about the author, Eloisa James, who moves her family to Paris after she found out her had breast cancer. She sold her house, took a sabbatical from her job as a Shakespeare professor, and moved off to Paris. She made the move because she knew life would only last so long. Eloise has a husband, two kids, and a dog. She has to figure out how to live in Paris and what to do in certain situations. Her and her family have to balance all this, along with learning a new language. This book gives the great adventures of moving to a new city or country and is really delightful.