In the fall of 2023, writer Lauren Palmer booked a culinary-centric trip to Provence with a group of six women she’d never met. Still reeling from the pandemic, closing two businesses, and a major reconstruction project on her home, Lauren's goal was to re-establish her purpose by focusing on the simple elements of life that made her feel the most like herself. Amid busy lives and the roles women must play each day, how often do we stop and focus on the innate "role" given at birth?

For 11 days, Lauren cooked and ate her way across Provence with

• wine, cheese, and chocolate tastings

• baking lessons

• cooking classes

• sight-seeing, boat rides

• wine caves

• museums

• and even visited a goat farm

Her entire journey was documented on Instagram including a post she captioned, "11 days in a carry-on" where she showcased what she wore on the trip. When Lauren returned home from France, she was peppered with questions about packing for that many days without checking luggage.

In celebration of the publication of her first novel, The France Dance, Lauren created a behind-the-scenes travel diary that discusses everything from packing and trip favorites to what inspired the novel. Part travel diary, part scrapbook, part packing how-to, 11 Days in a Carry-on gives an adventurous account of the trip that inspired the novel.