At the age of fifty-six Eleanor Stoddard was still a beautiful woman. She owned three hotels in France and another two in England. From nothing at all, she had built an empire. Eleanor had it all. Her one weakness was the young man sleeping beside her.

My dear girl, you must cultivate a taste for the finer things. Civilized pleasures give meaning to life.

We are each the authors of our own lives, Emma. We live in what we have created. There is no way to shift the blame and no one else to accept the accolades.

When you are a strong woman, you will attract trouble. When a man feels threatened, there is always trouble.

Never let stress shape your strategy. Most women think better after a brisk walk, a light meal, a massage and a nap.

Life was life. It happened. You never knew what was going to come at you. Or how you could defend yourself.

I will never stop writing. People often ask when I will retire, but I say it's none of their business. Writing defines who I am. I love the feeling of holding a finished book in my hands, and then I can't wait to start the great adventure of writing the next one.