Good books and good wines are a natural pairing. I love both. As my friend Phoebe Snowe described her popular Chicago wine shop — TASTE Food & Wine — and the twice-weekly wine tastings that draw a loyal following, my brain cells started sparking. I’d been to book signings at book stores where run-of-the-mill wine was offered. Why not elevate the wine to be as good as the books — especially in a convivial setting? What better venue would there be to hold book signings than at a really neat wine shop?
Phoebe jumped at the idea of combining forces with me. The result is BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™, making its Chicago debut July 23rd from 5-8 pm at TASTE Food & Wine, 1506 West Jarvis Avenue. I recruited my dear friend, Nili Yellin (aka Chicago’s much-in-demand “Storybook Mom”), to help with onsite book sales.
Next step was finding the books people want to read and the authors they want to meet. I struck gold right off the bat. The summer lineup will be The Masque of a Murderer by Susanna Calkins on July 23rd and The Best of Enemies by Jen Lancaster on August 20th. And wait till you learn who our future authors will be (yes, you will have to wait but I promise news-making events are lining up).
The Masque of the Murderer is the third book in the acclaimed Lucy Campion series. Set in 17th century England, the book combines finely wrought characters, a richly detailed historical atmosphere, and a tightly-plotted mystery into a compelling read. Booklist says historian Susanna Calkins’ writes with “tantalizing clues and rich historical details,” that “draw readers into the seventeenth century, led by the piquant and elusive Lucy….”
The Best of Enemies is the newest uproarious book (launching in August) from New York Times bestselling author Jen Lancaster and early previews indicate fans will not be disappointed! USA TODAY said, “If laughter is a great tonic for the spirit, then Jen Lancaster… is a double dose.” PEOPLE magazine said, “She’s like that friend who always says what you’re thinking-just 1000 times funnier.”
BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ is a natural expansion of Book●ed‘s: mission to connect authors and their books with booklovers. The rapid response from major publishing houses, authors and publicists proves there is a thirst (pun intended) for such opportunities to bring authors together with their audiences. I look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones at BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™!