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Thursday, July 21, 2011

Wine and Sign





The El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce sponsored a “Wine and Sign” event, the first one they’d ever had. I’m hoping that future ones attract more people. There were three authors featured and, I think, four wineries. In my opinion, they could have gone with three wineries and four authors instead, but that’s just me. The room was small and moving from booth to booth was fairly easy.

Of the three authors present, I visited with two of them. The one I didn’t talk to, Debbi Preston, is the author of 48 Dog-Friendly Trails in California’s Foothills and the Sierra Nevada. However, my husband spoke with her for at least thirty minutes. He had purchased her book at one of the local wineries last year and he’s the one all excited about hiking around the area. I was too, until we came across that rattlesnake last year. If you know me, you know I hate snakes.


I chatted with Cindy Sample, author of Dying for a Date and fellow RWA member. I purchased her book because I’m a sucker for romantic suspense and the cover of her book is simply scrumptious with a picture of a chocolate chip cookie—yummy –beside a gun sitting on top of a broken red heart. I mean, who can resist that? She gave me some great advice and suggested I check out the local RWA Sacramento chapter, which she said meets once a month. Sounds like fun. I will check it out. Thanks, Cindy.

The third author was an interesting surprise. Turns out Gaelyn Whitley Keith, author of The Father of Hollywood, is a distant relative by marriage, way back in the days of Betsy Ross, to my husband. So of course, they had a nice long conversation. I purchased her book also, a true story based on the life of her great-grandfather, H. J. Whitley, “The Father of Hollywood.” Using her great-grandmother’s journal and memoir, Ms. Keith recreates the story of H.J’s life. I was drawn to the book because of a story I had started with a friend about the kidnapping of a young heiress in Hollywood back in 1933. Maybe someday we’ll finish that story, but I thought it would be interesting to read about the man who created Hollywood and took part in building the film capital of the world.




I ended my tour of the event booths with another surprise meeting—an author not participating in the book signings, but pouring wine for one of the local wineries. When I told him about my book, he said he also wrote a book. I was instantly intrigued and asked him his name. I blinked in surprise when he told me. Jeff Hamilton. You see, my previous married name was Hamilton. So naturally, I had to find out more about this writer. He told me he wasn’t a writer, or at least didn’t think he was very good, (Don’t we all feel that way? Well, maybe not all, but I know self-doubt is a big part of my day) but he wanted to write a book about his time spent in Rwanda and a boy he met there named Momomba. (sp?) He gave up writing the story, but his agent decided the story needed to be told, and with the help of editors, his book was picked up by Random House. He gave me his website and, of course, I looked it up. But unfortunately, he must have left something out of the address, because I couldn’t find anything about him or his photography. I did give him my card, and maybe if he visits my blog and reads this, he will offer the correct website address.

So, that was my evening at the first EDH Chamber of Commerce “Wine and Sign” event. I’m so glad I went. I got two awesome reads and tasted some great wine and most of all, I got to see what to expect when it’s my turn, which should be in a few months. I can’t wait.

Thanks for reading.
Regan

14 comments:

  1. Tasting some good wine and talking shop with other writers? Sounds like a win/win to me!

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  2. It was fun and definitely not an everyday occurrence, at least not for me. Being face to face with other authors was a treat.

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  3. I enjoyed meeting you at the wine tasting. What is better than a place to purchase a great book and raise your pinky, and toss around words like fruity, floral, earthy, and smoky along with the best of them! Hope to see you at the next one.

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  4. Sounds wonderful, Regan. Only snag is I'd probably over imbibe and talk gibberish to everyone there. But then again the Welsh aren't big on wine and signings. The wine would probably be gone in the hour and nothing would be signed :)

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  5. Gaelyn, it was wonder meeting you as well and I hope to see you at the next event.

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  6. Michael, you are so funny! I know what you mean though, about being afraid you might drink too much. Some of those wines are mighty tasty and, well, I can't help myself sometimes. My husband is usually pretty good at rescuing me away just in time.

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  7. I enjoyed the article! Thanks for sharing!

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  8. Thanks Rita, and congratulations on your new book, "Tears" http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/12036573-tears

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  9. This sounds as if it was a very enjoyable event, Reagan, although I'm with you that another author always is a good thing. :) It sounds as if it wasn't held too far from where my husband and I live in Tehama County, California, about two and a half hours north of Sacramento.

    I’m glad to be a new follower and have left a response to your comment on Bird’s-eye View at http://michellefayard.blogspot.com/2011/07/getting-blog-comments-to-work-for-you.html.

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  10. Thank you for visiting my blog, Michelle. Yes, it is a small world, we are practically neighbors.

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  11. Hi Regan. It's always such a pleasure to meet other local authors and I was thrilled you stopped by to chat with us. I'm even more thrilled that you gave 5 stars to DYING FOR A DATE! Nothing more fun than signing among the wineries so I'm looking forward to your event.

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  12. Thanks for visiting, Cindy. The five stars were well deserved!

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  13. What an interesting place to have a book signing. I've heard it's important to look beyond bookstores.

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  14. Thanks for visiting, Theresa. It was so much fun, sipping wine and socializing with fellow authors, talking books. There will be more events like it if anyone’s in the area. I’ll post the date and time here on my blog.

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I love hearing from you and always look forward to your comments!