Concours d'Elegance & Carnivus....Sausalito....
by Rebecca Mance on 08/31/13
Hello Family, Friends, Fans!
It has been an amazing summer. Update on new book. Cover is done. It is hot. But the book is going to be pretty hot. For several scenes I took a journey with my characters to the Concours d'Elegance. Wow! The finest cars in all the world. I had such a wonderful time and got some fantastic new ideas for the current book. It was amazing. I was the girl in the black hat and white flowered dress and black books if you were there.
The town of Carmel comes alive with the most amazing sports cars. If you love cars, this is it...this is heaven for cars. And, a bit of car history will be in the book....just a bit of weaving in. I love the old ones...the Packards, I loved them all. It was an exciting and fun event. Of course I made my usual stop in to see my friends at Dametra Cafe' where they treat me like family. Lovely family and lovely people who work there. The food was outstanding as always. Hotel was amazing. I want to get back next year for fun...instead of work...but I had fun along with the work.
Tomorrow it is off to only the best winery in the Napa Valley, specifically the best of the best of Napa, which is St. Helena to the Carnivus event at Crocker & Starr winery. Yes, there is a connection, for those that have read Iron Horse King. I just might have gotten a secret story or two about the real Iron Horse King sitting on the porch at the Crocker & Starr winery over a bit of wine with my husband and a gracious ancestor willing to share. Amazing stories I could not have gotten anywhere else. For those that haven't read the book...well...you won't know the secret stories. The real story is even more amazing than my romantic fictional interpretation...
It is a great honor to be a guest there and I am excited. My husband and son are jealous they cannot be with me this time, but, I have promised to taste enough for them too! Nectar of the Gods that wine. The new release I loved at and Carnivus 3...the 2010 Cab...well...I got a little taste of that while writing in some missing scenery text...visit and tasting all the wine caused me to splurge. Outstanding. Yes, there is book research going on tomorrow.... but mostly wine tasting and fun. The winery, which is the inspiration for the next book scenery-wise (because they let me taste wine while writing the scenes while occupying the lovely porch, writer's dream!). And because it is simply lovely there and the Carnivus event is always so utterly elegant so it is just perfect for the current book.
Tomorrow, I will be inspired to expand on relevant scenes about the taste and complexity of the wine .... because I am going to taste a lot of really amazing wine....they treat you like a queen and are a bit too generous with the wine ... they open the cellar with everything they have. Amazing. It will be loads of fun.
Sausalito Art Festival is for Labor Day! The theme this year is the American Flag. Now that is art I can relate to! I can't wait to sip on some sparkling wine and view the various forms of art and listen to the bands. I did enter photos to the photo portion of the contest ... I am curious to see the work that beat me..... I am sure it is lovely. I wonder if I should add this event to the next book? Hum... now that might be an idea....Anyway, it is always fun.
As always, thank you to my readers and fans that have continued to make my books successful. I had an increase in worldwide hard sales, including France and Canada! Previously I did this only in promotion.... so this is a major and exciting development for me and is most appreciated. The US sales are finally pacing the UK. But UK is still beating out the US by some margin. That is amazing to me and so exciting. Thanks again from across the pond.
It has been a magical summer and with the next book release soon, it will round out an amazing 2013. Best wishes and many blessings to everyone all over the world.
