William Widmaier

William Widmaier spent many years as a successful marketing and design executive before surrendering fully to his lifelong calling as a writer. Though he long maintained a parallel life of words — serving as a magazine columnist, editing The Memoirs Project for the French Consulate to preserve the stories of American veterans who fought in France during WWII, and writing produced feature films — it is in fiction that his voice has found its truest form.

In 2010, he published his critically acclaimed debut novel, A Feast at the Beach, a luminous and semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story set amid the sunlit shores and vibrant life of Saint-Tropez, where he spent much of his childhood. The novel captured with tenderness and wry insight the rich textures of Franco-American family life — its flavors, its humor, and its quiet complexities.

At the close of 2020, William retired from corporate life and left California for a 265-year-old estate in Occitanie, southwestern France. There, amidst ancient stone walls and a garden that continues to unfold under his care, he now lives with his wife, immersed in the rhythms of restoration, seasonal bounty, and the contemplative pleasures of French country life.

From this setting emerged The Laughter of Small Gods (2024), a collection of evocative short stories, poetry, and whispered reflections — intimate glimpses into lives touched by fate, chance, and the mischievous intervention of small gods. Within the book, the delightful and recurring Madame Chou Chou series adds a distinctive thread of wit and philosophical charm.

William is currently at work on his second novel, forthcoming in 2026.

When not writing, he can be found restoring his historic home, tending the garden, or savoring the simple, enduring pleasures — good food, good wine, and the golden light of southern France — that continue to nourish his work.