A Walk in the Vineyards~ Love Story Inspiration

A Walk in the Vineyards~ Love Story Inspiration

I can't believe it's already fall. I have a batch of photos from summer I still haven't shared with you.  So, before the rains come, I'll call this blog a re-cap and share some of the photos that inspired me over the summer. :-)

Because I spend so much time sitting at the computer writing, I do my best to get off my buns and walk everyday. It's not a surprise that the more I walk, the more inspired I become. 

Although I don't have a professional camera, I thought you'd enjoy a collage of some of the photos I've taken on my walks in Sonoma and Napa Valley. I have thousands of photos like these stored on my phone. Might as well share them...:-)

Most of the photos were taken in downtown Sonoma, near the Sonoma Plaza.  My book series, The Single Girls Wine Club, takes place here and all of the photos help give life to the scenes I'm often "writing" in my head as I walk. 

* Top left: Sunflowers at St. Francis Winery and Vineyards in Kenwood.

*Top middle: Poppies and wildflowers on E. Spain Street in Sonoma.

*Top right: Roses near the Napa Waterfront.

*Middle left and right: More wine country wildflowers growing along the bike path running through Sonoma.

*Middle-midde: That's me waving behind my roses. They're a very basic climbing rose I planted several years ago. I don't remember the variety, but they took off three years after I planted them.  
 
 *Bottom right is a grapevine we have growing in our back yard.  I love how expressive they are! 

*Bottom middle is actually a wall in a boutique on Hayes Street in San Francisco.  I think they call them "air" plants. They're growing in the wall! Couldn't resist the heart shape design.

*Bottom left (my favorite) is wild grapevine that obviously fell in love with a rose. 

I have exciting news to share with you soon. I'm releasing my first holiday novella. I'm crazy about Christmas and have had this story in mind for a long time.  I hope you like it.
 

The second book in The Single Girls Wine Club Series will be out early 2017. The title is Napa Crush, (Danica's story).  Just a Kiss, the first book in the series is available here.  

 

Visit my website: www.katekisset.com

I'd love to hear from you.
Until next time,

-Kate

Mother's Day Giggles

I usually don't post links, but... I thought you'd get a kick out of these stories from author-moms on Buzzfeed. 

(One of my stories is included!) 

Take a peek: https://www.buzzfeed.com/mcsumb/15-stories-about-children-that-will-make-you-...

 Do you have a favorite story or memory of your child?

As much as I love writing, being a mommy is my favorite "job" in the world!

Don't Hate Me Because I'm Beautiful

When it came time to write the acknowledgement section of my novel, Just a Kiss, I thanked Luciana Parmigiana, my dog.  I know what you're thinking.  Yes, I realize that Lucy can't read (not that I know of). I understand that she is "just a dog." But here's where it gets a little complicated.

I'm not sure I would've written the book without her by my side.  

Just a Kiss is the first "official" book I've written.  It took far longer, (I cut 30,000 words from the first draft), and required more discipline than I expected to complete the novel. 

Being alone, in front of a computer for months can get tedious and that's where Lucy saved the day. 
  

 
She stayed by my side, at all times and soon, Just a Kiss, became "our" project.  I'd read sections of the story to her daily. She seemed to bask in the words.

What would I have done without Lucy, my "surprise" baby and my first "small" dog?  Would I have shelved the story before finishing? 
Would I have given into all those tempting invitations and gone back to my "other" life, the one that doesn't require parking my butt at a desk all day?

I'm not complaining about any of the work, I'm just giving credit where it's due.

So, thank you, Lucy love.  I couldn't have done it without you.

Until next time,
0x-Kate 

To learn more about my wine country life, visit
 www.katekisset.com. 
Follow me on Twitter @therealwinewife 

Buy Just a Kiss on Amazon.

Top Five "Real" Wine Country Secrets in Napa Valley and Sonoma from the romance novel, Just a Kiss

#5: Free public art.  Just pull over (carefully) and stop the car. How many times did I drive past this huge sculpture in Napa and not stop for a picture?

Except for what happens in private homes, behind closed doors, between people who would never, ever, invite me to a party again, if I told you what really goes down, there are no "real" secrets in Wine Country.

Most of what I used in Just a Kiss and the novel I'm working on now, Napa Crush, came from paying close attention to my surroundings.

I'll bet there are a few wonderful areas in your hometown that you take for granted and don't visit often enough.  Heck, there are probably a few people who would like to see more of you.

So, with that teeny disclaimer out of the way, let me share some hidden gems that are not really secrets at all...

#4 Ravenswood Vineyard Hike

This adorable, little plaque is partially hidden under ivy around the entrance of Ravenswood Vineyards in Sonoma Valley.  There is a pretty hike next to the winery. Park in the lot marked for Ravenswood visitors and continue foot on the same paved road. There's lots of shade, but also direct sun for much of the route. 

Hike with a companion, wear a hat and go when the temperature is cool. Early morning or later in the day is your best bet. (If you venture off of the paved road and onto the surrounding vineyard paths, do so with a guide. The trails can be confusing.)

It's an easy stroll along the primarily flat terrain.  When you get tired, turn around and head back to your car, but stop in the winery first for a celebratory glass of wine.

#3: Find a firepit for night sipping. Temperatures can drop at night.

 
In my Single Girls Wine Club series, the women get together for regular “Chill Hours.” In the summer, they meet around the villa’s pool to drink wine and talk about their day.

In the winter, they gather around a fire pit that looks a lot like this.

Temperatures in Napa Valley and Sonoma can vary wildly from day to evening.  Pack a sweater or a jacket.  Seek out a restaurant with a fire pit a night time.

If you're a big planner, schedule your trip around a full moon! (Hey, Jack London didn't call Sonoma, "The Valley of the Moon," for nothing...)  Unrelated: My friend Cindy has the prettiest feet and the best shoes…

#2: Free music at the wineries and more art! Is it a coincidence that one of my characters is a San Francisco disc jockey?  No, I think not...:-)

Although this is a photo of the Markham Vineyards gallery, it's a reminder to check the music calendar around wine country before you head out for the day.

There are exceptional concerts in the vineyards throughout the summer months, but there are also small bands playing at many wineries on the weekends for free. If you're going wine tasting, why not pick a place where they have a band so you can sip in time.

(Shameless Plug: I used to be a disc jockey on the radio in San Francisco. Juliet St. John one of the Single Girls Wine Club characters is a San Francisco disc jockey. Juliet will star in book #3 of the series.)

#1 Sonoma Plaza. Downtown Sonoma. Check out the Tuesday night farmers market

In Just a Kiss, the main character Sarah Dupont moves from San Francisco to Sonoma Valley.  She opens a cafe on the Sonoma Plaza and trains actor Jamie Santino how to bake for an upcoming movie role.  This is where the "fun" begins in the story.  

In "real" life, there is usually something happening on The Plaza. In the summer, Tuesday night farmers markets often feature a band.  You'll find restaurants and shops across the street, surrounding the plaza, and a "Wine Alley" featuring tastes from a variety of local wineries conveniently located in one place.

To learn more about me, visit my website here.

To buy my Wine Country Romance novel Just a Kiss, go to Amazon here.

If you're planning a visit to Sonoma Valley, check out The Sonoma Visitors Bureau calendar here.

Until next time,

0x-Kate  

 

One Moment Changes Everything: He Walked In.

Isn't it amazing how sometimes, just one moment with the right person, can change your life's direction?

Sarah Dupont, the heroine of Just a Kiss, the first book in The Single Girls Wine Club series, has just moved from San Francisco to Sonoma Valley. She's starting to get her life back on track after breaking up with her fiance and has opened a new business on the Sonoma Plaza called the Vine Cafe.

Somehow, Sarah has let her best friend talk her into training actor Jamie Santino how to bake. Here, Jamie Santino, (one of the infamous Santino brothers of Napa Valley winery fame), walks into Sarah's cafe.

This excerpt is from the first chapter of Just a Kiss.

Sarah is hiding behind the espresso machine here: -)

Read the full synopsis of my wine country romance novel Just a Kiss here.

For long excerpts of the story, more information about my projects, and reader's perks, join my private readers club, The Kissables, here.

Until next time, Kate. 

Under the Sonoma Sun

Maybe I'm just one of those people who have an overactive imagination.

Perhaps I just expect ideas will come to me and they do. Or, maybe, I'm just comfortable with having several story ideas running through my brain at any given time.  I am. :-)

For me, ideas or the inspiration for them, can come from anywhere, at anytime, from anything:

An idea can suddenly come to me when I'm watching a movie and the title somehow changes in mind.

Or a when family comes to visit and I take them to some of my favorite local tourist destinations.

Sometimes, someone else's story, from a long time ago, inspires me,

 

My character Lulu Castilli, in Just a Kiss, is the great granddaughter of a renowned winemaker.

Or a song lyric gets stuck in my brain.

Here are a few of the songs I listened to while writing Sarah and Jamie's love story in Just a Kiss: Sarah Smile, Something, Edge of Desire. The playlist is here.

There is a flower in my story that a character uses to explain how she feels about Sarah Dupont. I took this photo right outside my kitchen door.

Maybe all my years in radio taught me that there is no "bad" way to find an idea, just as there are no "bad" ideas.  

Open your eyes, listen with your soul and see what happens. 

Until next time, Kate xo  

Join my private group, The Kissables, here.

Why I Dumped my Big Fat Career

If hindsight is 20/20, don't you wish foresight was at least 40/20 or even 60/20?  How about anything but blind?  

After my mother's death, (because this isn't a sad, soppy blog, and I try to steer clear of tears when I'm not torturing a character, I'll be brief), I was  shattered.

I'm not trying to brag but after twenty years as a radio "personality," "disc jockey," "blabbermouth," in San Francisco, I'm generally okay with stress.

I usually handle anxiety well, but my mother's terminal diagnosis and everything that went with losing her blew me out of the water. Leveled Me.

When I was finally able to breathe again, almost two years had passed, and I had no desire to be alone in a soundproof booth anymore. The radio industry had also changed.


The few jobs that once were available had vanished. Radio stations in major markets were simulcasting other signals or importing radio shows from different markets.

Luckily, savings and my employed hubby could
support another venture, but what? 

Three years later...(and probably several weeks worth of blog content I'll post later), I found my voice again and fell in love with writing.

So far, I've written a contemporary romance called Just a Kiss and I have two additional stories in the works. Obviously, I still have a lot to say. Now, I just say it on paper instead of through a microphone on the radio.

I'm so excited to launch a new career as an author. Just a Kiss hasn't been released yet because it's part of an even bigger plan. I'll keep you posted.

Visit me on my website anytime by clicking www.katekisset.com. 

#career #writer #family #books #love #mothers #new #community #romancenovel  #happilyeverafter