The Daily Kiss: This is NOT what you think it is.

This is NOT what you think it is.

On the surface, this might seem like a standard pitch, from an indie author, hoping to get the word out about her book. This assumption is only half correct. 

Sure, I'd love exposure for Napa Crush, a book that has taken me two years to release, but I'm also thanking everyone, (including you) who is following me on my journey.

This giveaway will not be advertised anywhere. I'm only posting this on my own social media sites, to the people who are already following, and reading me.

If you feel inclined to share the cover of Napa Crush on your blog, Facebook page, or where ever, just sign up to let me know, and you're in the drawing. 

https://goo.gl/forms/EPIQKTiN9ykRI5CW2

The cover is beautiful by the way!

Napa Crush Synopsis:

Napa Crush is a STANDALONE contemporary romance set in Napa Valley wine country. 

That moment when your first crush walks back into your life… and you’re kissing his brother. 

Danica Vargas just met the man of her dreams, but he's not who she thinks he is. She really should remember him, because he's never forgotten her.

Napa Valley feature writer Danica Vargas’ serene, wine country life turns upside down when she lands in the hospital and meets the sexy baseball star who accidentally put her there. Unfortunately, she has no idea who he is. Unexpectedly, she’s caught between two of Napa’s Valley’s notorious Santino brothers, mistaking one man’s flirtation, for love, and another’s undying affection, for friendship. 

In school, Luca Santino’s best friend’s older sister Danica was a knockout. She batted his heart around like a ball… except when they were making out in her bedroom. Back in Napa Valley a decade later with his semi-pro baseball team, Luca rediscovers the girl he loved. As a woman, she's even more enticing than he remembered.

Older and wiser, maybe this time they’ll realize what started long ago wasn’t a game.

Pre-Order: https://www.amazon.com/Napa-Crush-Single-Country-Romance-ebook/dp/B071JRSJ5X

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

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  

 

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.

Every Picture Tells A Wine Country Romance Story

Travel Tuesday Inspiration Story Board: Here's another location that inspired a scene in my upcoming wine country romance novel Just a Kiss.  

Sarah Dupont (the heroine of the story) owns a small cafe on the Sonoma Plaza not far from where this photo was taken.
The gorgeous sunflowers in the photo make a dazzling appearance in a party scene. The fresh veggies and herbs you see in the photo are exactly the kind of local produce Sarah sources for her recipes. 

Learn more about my upcoming wine country romance novel Just a Kiss here.
Learn more about St. Francis Winery in Kenwood here.

Until next time, xo Kate