New content on AuthorCortney.com

Last week, I attended the San Francisco Writers Conference to meet with literary agents in hopes of getting representation for my debut novel, Where I Want to Be. I have submitted portions of my manuscript to a few interested agents and now I'm hoping one of them writes back soon and wants to take the next step. At this point, they want to see sales...

If you haven't read my first book yet, I ask you to please download it on Amazon or iTunes and begin reading it tonight! (Thank you thank you thank you!)

After meeting with the agents, I attended many panels and presentations from fellow authors at the conference. One thing I heard over and over was to "blog at least twice a week". I realized I would blog more if I wasn't busy updating two websites. So, in an effort to blog more often, I am merging my Sip, Swirl, Savor wine blog with my beautiful new website.

The content here on sipswirlsavor.blogpost.com will still be available to reference older posts, but for new information, please join my mailing list at AuthorCortney.com.

Please note that my new Facebook page is facebook.com/AuthorCortney, my sole twitter account is @AuthorCortney, and my Instagram account is also @AuthorCortney. Thank you and I look forward to continuing to provide wine tasting notes and winery recommendations to you!

Cheers,
Cortney

A smart and "Savvy" new guide to wine

About a month ago, I received an email from a fellow USC Trojan alum. Although we had not met prior, when Brittany Deal asked if I would be interested in reviewing her new book about wine, I immediately agreed to take a look at it.

Savvy Girl: A Guide toWine is a cute and contemporary handbook for wine novices. Written in a sassy and conversational tone, this 87-page paperback is filled with useful tips, quirky comparisons, and “wino buzzwords”. After reading it—with a glass of wine in hand, of course—I asked Brittany a few questions…

Thank you for contacting me to review your book! What motivated you to start Savvy Girl?

In 2010, I took a sabbatical to travel the world and reflect on what I really wanted out of life.  I have always been a lover of learning and a lover of how-to books. But one day while reading a book on my Kindle in the middle of the Bolivian Amazon I realized that most non-fiction books were full of fluff and repetition. I remember thinking, what if I wrote a book series that made getting savvy quick, effortless and fun? What if I made books that were beautiful to look at, and written in a way that felt more like a conversation than a book?  

So I set out to create Savvy Girl, a go-to source for rich, yet concise, knowledge on the topics women care about.

I think your debut book is perfect for women who want to learn more about wine that don’t have enough time on their hands to, for instance, enroll in a wine class. What inspired you to write the first Savvy Girl Guide about wine?

I chose wine because women love wine, yet many wish they were more wine savvy.

Ultimately, my goal for the wine book was to cut through the clutter and make learning the basics of wine simple and fun so a reader could walk away feeling more comfortable talking about wine, buying it, and reaching for that wine list!

Plus, researching wine was a lot of fun.

Yes, haha. Research and development is always fun when wine is involved! Who are your wine mentors? 

I absolutely love Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan. I love that she took a risk to follow her passion in wine and I also admire her drive. Before I pulled the plug at my banking job (and long before I decided to make the first Savvy Girl guide wine related), I saw an article about her in Fortune Magazine. It talked about how she went from “leverage” (from a banking career) to “corkage” (to being the 4^th woman in the U.S. to get the Masters of Wine title). [The] courage [she had] to go after her dream was inspiring.

 

What’s your favorite wine?

I’ve tried so many good wines it’s impossible to pick a favorite!

Good answer. Your favorite winery?

Favorite winery—Del Dotto. Their cave tour is the most memorable wine tasting experience I have ever had.

I can relate! I was at Del Dotto last month (see picture to the right) and might feature their caves in my second novel in the Wine Country Series... You mention quite a few wine-growing regions in your book (Napa, France, Italy, New Zealand, etc.), what’s your favorite?

Napa!

Good answer. What’s next on your Savvy Girl agenda?

Savvy Girl is growing fast. The next two new titles are scheduled to publish in the Fall of 2014. Our long-term goal is to have over 100 guidebooks in the brand.

We’re also launching a YouTube Channel in 2014. Sign up for our email list at www.savvygirl.net or follow us @SAVVYGIRLguides to stay in the loop.

That sounds fantastic. Best of luck to you, Brittany!

Brittany Deal is a Los Angeles resident and a Seattle native. She graduated from USC with a degree in business and began working for a bank. After a couple of years of two-hour LA commutes, Brittany gave up her job and traveled. She started Savvy Girl shortly thereafter and published her debut book in October 2013. Savvy Girl: A Guide to Wine is available on Amazon in ebook andpaperback.

***Want to win a paperback copy signed by the author? It would be my Valentine's Day present to you! Send me an email now to enter!***

Satisfy your senses at Domaine Chandon with amazing food and wine!

Although I have been to Domaine Chandon in Yountville quite a few times, this past Sunday was my first experience at étoile, the restaurant on the property. Seated with a unique group of authors, journalists, and wine industry folks, the lunch began with a bottle of Domaine Chandon 40^th Anniversary Cuvée Rosé ($40/bottle). This pretty pink sparkler has ripe strawberry and rose petal notes with bright acidity. It was enjoyed with lively conversation as the six of us got to know one another.

On pearl plates with a matching incandescent spoon, caviar was soon served and accompanied by fluffy blini and crème fraiche. The presentation was absolutely exquisite; the saltiness of the caviar paired impeccably with the slight sweetness of the sparkling wine.

For my main course, I enjoyed the artfully prepared arctic char, which was cooked to perfection and served over colorful beets and slivers of blood orange. This amazing dish was delicious with the bubbly!

The luncheon preceded my very first book event of 2014. Along with Lisa Mattson, author of The Exes in my iPod: A Playlist of the Men that Rocked me to Wine Country and Marketing & PR Manager at Jordan Winery; and Emily Brown, author of Stories of the Sisterwives: How I Survived Dating a Sociopath; I participated in a book chat led by Ian White of 7x7 Magazine.

With the exception of Ian, Howard Yune of the Napa Valley Register, and Emily Brown’s boyfriend, it was an all-female crowd. This came as no surprise; all three of the featured books are women’s fiction. Somehow, Lisa convinced Ian to read them and moderate the Q&A. Regardless of the genre, Ian enjoyed reading my novel and left a 5-star review on Amazon!

Coverage of the event was featured in the Napa Valley Register, which is the first time my book has been mentioned in print (yay!!). Read Howard Yune’s article here: bit.ly/1aO4zpx

After the book signing portion of the event, I wandered into the tasting room for a sampling of more sparkling wines. (I am partial to the Etoile Brut and Etoile Brut Rosé sparklers, which are always lovely). Between the beautiful lunch, an enthusiastic attendance at my event, and the delightful wines, this was an incredible visit that has left a lasting impression on me.

The next time you’re in Napa Valley, I strongly recommend that you plan to spend a couple hours dining, drinking, and taking in the views at Domaine Chandon; it will satisfy all of your senses!

Upcoming Book Signing and Wine Tasting event at Domaine Chandon Feb. 9th

Get in the Valentine’s Day spirit with a book chat and wine tasting at one of Napa Valley's best sparkling wine producers! I am so excited to host this event with two other Wine Country female authors. The event is from 2-4 PM on Sunday, February 9th. Please RSVP on EventBrite or Facebook. Copies of our books will be available for purchase and signing. Hope to see you there!

In addition to myself, the following two authors will be attending: Sonoma’s Lisa Mattson, author of The Exes in My iPod: A Playlist of the Men Who Rocked Me to Wine Country; and Napa’s Emily Brown, author of Stories from the Sisterwives: How I Survived Dating a Sociopath. This event will feature a lively Q&A discussion about a range of juicy topics led by Ian White, Wine Country Director of 7x7 magazine and Creative Director of Napa Valley Life’s “INK,” followed by a book signing and wine tasting.

In case this is the first you're hearing about my novel, here's what it's about: 

During a weekend of wine tasting in Napa Valley, Olivia Goldstein falls in love with the beautiful landscape, the amazing wines, the friendly locals, and one particularly attractive male tour guide. For shy and introverted Olivia who never takes chances, this wonderful weekend is enough for her to make the most spontaneous and terrifying decision of her life. She puts her lackluster job in Los Angeles on hold and enrolls in a wine education program in Wine Country. But she spends the summer learning about more than just the wine industry. As soon as Olivia arrives, she meets three wine-savvy young women who encourage her to step out of her comfort zone. As she dabbles in the Napa dating pool, her awkward and often hilarious experiences teach her to appreciate her newly acquired confidence and her supportive friends. With their help, Olivia pursues a new career path and finally discovers her dream job. This is the first novel in The Wine Country Series and it is about following your passion, learning to trust your intuition, and working your way towards happiness. http://www.authorcortney.com/novel/

Buy it on Amazon ($3.99): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FBWUJU8

Buy it on iTunes ($3.99): https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/where-i-want-to-be/id790472568

Like on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorCortney 

Follow on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AuthorCortney

About The Exes in My iPod: When Harley Aberle got her first iPod, she created the kind of playlist every girl wants to keep on solitary lockdown. She called it The Exes—a collection of long-lost songs that instantly steamrolled her down a memory lane of men wider than a six-lane freeway. The Exes in My iPod: A Playlist of the Men Who Rocked Me to Wine Country is a no-holds-barred account of Harley’s quest to win the hearts of a motley crew of men during her twenties—that golden decade of poor judgment where college, career, alcohol and romance run a crash course. With a musical time capsule of “lucky 13” songs, Harley takes you on a rockin’ journey through laugh-out-loud heartaches and headaches, as this redneck waitress from a long line of alcoholics searches for true love and her calling in life—finding both in California wine country. Grab some earbuds, pour a glass of wine and kick back with an amusing e-book that will inspire you to create your own Exes playlist and discover the hidden beauty of all that baggage. http://exesinmyipod.com/eBooks on Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble and Kobo ($3.99): http://exesinmyipod.com/purchase/Like on Facebook: www.facebook.com/exesinmyipodFollow on Twitter: www.twitter.com/lisamattsonwine

About Stories from the Sisterwives: How I Survived Dating a Sociopath: Emily Brown was a single woman in her mid-30s living in the Midwest when a Dark Prince found her online dating profile. Fearing it was now or never, she relented to his persistent persuasion and immediately began ignoring the instinctual pulls telling her something wasn't right. Their tawdry relationship centered around guilt, shame and withholding served up by the Dark Prince until Emily put her foot down. Well, actually, she put her foot in his backpack. And that showed her all she needed to know. Emily shares the painful discovery of how the man she loved was sharing his life with other women, how she went on to befriend her "Sisterwife," and how she found herself again. “Stories from the Sisterwives” is the remarkable true story of heartbreak, friendship, love and triumph over the darkness. http://storiesfromthesisterwives.com

Amazon ($2.99): http://www.amazon.com/Stories-Sisterwives-Survived-Dating-Sociopath-ebook/dp/B00HET7WEMLike on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/StoriesfromtheSisterwivesFollow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MuddyAtwood

My book is featured on the Traveling Wine Chick blog!

In the January 6th edition of #WIML: What's in my Library on the Traveling Wine Chick wine and travel blog, my debut novel was featured among two other wine-savvy books!

Where I Want to Be is now available on iTunes and the iBooks Store (in addition to Amazon). For additional reviews, please visit AuthorCortney.com.

Here's the review from the Traveling Wine Chick:

A friend loaned me this book and I ended up with two Kindle copies, one gifted to me and one purchased by me, so it was a sign to read this book. My friend kept telling me I had to read it because the similarities between the main character, Olivia, and me were so similar. He was right.

While this is a book about Napa Valley wine country culture and living, it’s also a book about learning to love yourself and learning to take risks in order to live a passionate, fulfilling life. Like me, Olivia had a passion for wine, but had not yet developed the confidence and self-esteem to pursue her passion until she decided to temporarily move to Napa Valley to take an intensive wine course. The wine course is not the focus of the book, but rather Olivia’s growth as a self-confident woman and wine professional. She steps out of her comfort zone many times and takes great risks to achieve her dreams and become a happier person.

I am thankful that my friend recommended this book to me, as I have embarked on the same journey and am moving to Napa Valley in less than a week. If you are someone who has been hesitant about following your passion, then this is the book for you.

Check out TravelingWineChick.com for more wine-related fun!