Laura Dave has nothing to "wine" about....plus a book giveaway

While Amy was working on these interview questions for Laura Dave (most likely while on her way to NYC), I was texting her that I was sitting next to Laura and drinking wine at that very moment. Laura definitely made a great impression on me during our first in-person meeting. She was so warm, welcoming, and always had a genuine smile on her face. She was happy just to sit with a group of bloggers (including myself) and dish about all the books that are out there. She was even asking for recommendations from us! I learned that she (like Amy and myself) is Jewish and got to hear about her experience "auditioning" for the Jewish Book Council. She also told us about her trip to Sonoma to do research for her latest novel, Eight Hundred Grapes, which was published last week with a gorgeous cover. (It will especially appeal to fans of the color purple.) We're pleased to welcome Laura to CLC today and to thank her in advance for the TWO copies of Eight Hundred Grapes that she's sharing with our readers in the US and/or Canada (courtesy of Simon and Schuster)!

You can find Laura at her website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Synopsis of Eight Hundred Grapes:

There are secrets you share, and secrets you hide…

Growing up on her family’s Sonoma vineyard, Georgia Ford learned some important secrets. The secret number of grapes it takes to make a bottle of wine: eight hundred. The secret ingredient in her mother’s lasagna: chocolate. The secret behind ending a fight: hold hands.

But just a week before her wedding, thirty-year-old Georgia discovers her beloved fiancé has been keeping a secret so explosive, it will change their lives forever.

Georgia does what she’s always done: she returns to the family vineyard, expecting the comfort of her long-married parents, and her brothers, and everything familiar. But it turns out her fiancé is not the only one who’s been keeping secrets… (Courtesy of Amazon.)


How did you come up with the title Eight Hundred Grapes?
We played with a lot of titles before settling on Eight Hundred Grapes! I kept going back to the effort that winemaking takes. I wanted to honor that, and I thought that a great way to to do was to actually say how many grapes - how much care - goes into every bottle.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Probably when I published my first short story. I was in graduate school and I remember getting the acceptance letter from The Gettsyburg Review. It was more like a: fix the ending and maybe we'll publish it letter. It was a great day.

What's your favorite love story? (Movie or book.)
So many! I love a love story. I also love a love story with humor infused into it. A great short love story that I adore is The Children Stay by Alice Munro. And I adore The Lost Legends of New Jersey by Frederick Reiken.

Do you have any writing rituals?
I listen to music while I write -- often I listen to the same song while I write on repeat.

If you could be a pair of jeans, what style would you be? Why?
Great question. I would want to be a pair of stilleto skinny jeans. So I would look good on everyone.

How do you feel about e-books vs. print books and alternative vs. conventional publishing?
You know, the nice thing about being an author today is that there are so many ways to publish and connect with readers. As long as people are reading and talking about books, I'm happy however they'd like to do it.

Thanks to Laura for visiting with us and sharing her book with our readers.

~Introduction by Melissa Amster
~Interview by Amy Bromberg

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here.

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US/Canada only. Giveaway ends June 14th at midnight EST.