Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Interview with Jan Moran, Author of The Winemakers: A Novel of Wine and Secrets + Tour-Wide Giveaway!


Please join me in welcoming author Jan Moran to A Literary Vacation today! I love learning more about how an author ticks and how they are inspired to write the stories they do, so I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did. Don't forget to continue after the interview for more information on her newest novel, The Winemakers, and how you can enter the tour-wide giveaway of a $25 gift card!
 
 
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Hello, Jan, and welcome to A Literary Vacation!  The Winemakers is set in Napa and Italy. Have you ever visited there areas?


Napa Valley and Tuscany are two of my favorite places in the world; The Winemakers grew out of the passion I felt for these regions. I fell in love with the natural beauty and the winemakers’ sense of artistry and stewardship for the land. Add to that a leisurely lifestyle, excellent food and wine, and good friends—need I say more?
 
 
Not at all, that sounds like perfection! Can you tell us how long you've been writing?


I’ve loved reading and writing since I was a little girl. My first nonfiction book, Fabulous Fragrances, was published in 1994, and I turned to writing novels a few years later.
 
 
Since The Winemakers deals, naturally, with wine I wanted to know: what are your favorite wines?
 
 
So many wonderful wines... Some that have special meaning to me include Brunello di Montalcino, one of the wines featured in The Winemakers, as well as Moone-Tsai’s Cor Leonis Cabernet Sauvignon, Chassagne Montrachet, and the Bordeaux: Pomerol, Saint-Émilion, and Margaux. Although I don’t drink a lot, for casual evenings I might enjoy an Argentine Malbec, a Californian Pinot Noir, or a creamy Chardonnay. Every wine-producing region has a unique terroir, or set of environmental characteristics, which make the wines of each area special. When traveling, I love to sample regional wines.


Do you have a profession other than writing?
 

I’ve had several professions in business. For example, I founded a company that created touch-screen beauty programs for Sephora and Duty Free Stores around the world, so I often draw on these business experiences in my writing. I also studied writing at the University of California in Los Angeles, majored in finance at the University of Texas in Austin (hook ‘em horns!), and earned an MBA from Harvard. After that I worked as a management consultant and headed a nonprofit charity. This variety really serves me well in writing.


If you could put yourself as a character in your book, who would you be?
 

Actually, I identify with many characters in my books, and I especially enjoy writing multigenerational stories.


If you ever get writer's block, what helps you overcome it?


Walking on the beach, exercising, or listening to music are good ways for me to summon the muse.
 
 
Can you tell us anything about your next project?
 

I’m working on another historical novel set in the 20th century and can’t wait to share it with readers.


Thank you so much, Jan, for stopping by and chatting with me today! I very much look forward to hearing more about your upcoming novel!
 
 
 
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Publication Date: April 5, 2016
St. Martin’s Griffin
Hardcover, Paperback, eBook; 368 Pages
ISBN: 9781250091185
 
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance
 
 
1956: When Caterina Rosetta inherits a cottage in the countryside of Italy from a grandmother she’s never known, she discovers a long-buried family secret — a secret so devastating, it threatens the future of everything her mother has worked for. Many years before, her mother’s hard-won dreams of staking her family’s claim in the vineyards of California came to fruition; but as an old murder comes to light, and Caterina uncovers a tragic secret that may destroy the man she loves, she realizes her happiness will depend on revealing the truth of her mother’s buried past.
 
From author Jan Moran comes The Winemakers, a sweeping, romantic novel that will hold you in its grasp until the last delicious sip.
 
  

Praise for The Winemakers 



“Absolutely adored THE WINEMAKERS. Beautifully layered and utterly compelling. Intriguing from start to finish. A story not to be missed.” –Jane Porter, USA Today and NYT Bestselling author of It’s You and The Good Woman


“Wildly romantic and utterly compelling, THE WINEMAKERS is full of family secrets and gorgeous descriptions of the Italian countryside and the vineyards of the Napa Valley. I was completely swept away!” – Anita Hughes, author of Rome In Love

“Told with exquisite elegance and style, THE WINEMAKERS is a dazzling tale rich with family secrets, fine wine, and romance that will leave you breathless.” – Juliette Sobanet, author of Sleeping with Paris


Buy the Book

 
 
 

About the Author

 
 
JAN MORAN is the author of the novel Scent of Triumph, and Fabulous Fragrances I and II, which
earned spots on the Rizzoli Bookstore bestseller list. A fragrance and beauty expert, she has been featured in numerous publications and on television and radio, including CNN, Instyle, and O Magazine, and has spoken before prestigious organizations, including The American Society of Perfumers. She earned her MBA from Harvard Business school and attended the University of California at Los Angeles Extension Writers’ Program.

For more information visit Jan’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Goodreads.

 

Giveaway Time!!

 
 
To win a $25 Gift Card to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or iTunes, please enter the giveaway via the GLEAM form HERE.
 
Rules
 
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on April 25th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open internationally.

– Only one entry per household.

– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.

– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
 
Good Luck!!
 
 

The Winemakers Blog Tour Schedule

 
Tuesday, April 5

Blog Tour Kick Off at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, April 6

Spotlight at Bookish

Thursday, April 7

Review at A Holland Reads
Interview at Let Them Read Books

Sunday, April 10

Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Monday, April 11

Review at A Bookish Affair
Review at Back Porchervations

Tuesday, April 12

Guest Post at A Bookish Affair

Wednesday, April 13

Review at The Lit Bitch
Interview at A Literary Vacation

Friday, April 15

Review at Book Drunkard

Monday, April 18

Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!

Tuesday, April 19

Interview at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!

Wednesday, April 20

Review at Book Nerd
Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective

Monday, April 25

Review at Luxury Reading


 
 





2 comments:

  1. Thanks for being part of the Tour for The Wine Makers. I loved her last book so I'm looking forward to this one. Thank you for the giveaway chance.
    Carol L
    Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

    ReplyDelete