Champagne notes

This is as much for my benefit as yours, but in case anyone's looking to buy some sparkling for their holiday celebrations.... my notes on last night's tasting. With 29 wines poured, I didn't take notes on everything, but I did remark the standouts.

Disclaimer: I have given my heart and my tastebuds to Nicolas Feuillatte. If you really want to impress me, open a bottle of Palmes d'Or Grand Cuvee. Lacking that, however, I am willing to drink around.

( swish and spit... )

I think the best part of last night, though -- other than the wines, natch -- was watching the group of young women at the table with us. It seemed as though one of them was a sparkling drinker, and she was trying to educate the others -- to impressive success. They were so full of giddy delight and totally taking it all in-- neither too serious nor too blithe -- that you could have made a commercial for Champagne just following them.


And now, to work.

Dear Brain: All is Forgiven. Pls Come Home. Deadline Misses You. Love, Author.

A day's work nets me 1,500 new words on Bonnie #3 today, to go with the thousand-plus I've been racking up each day this week. I'm not setting houses afire, but I am building one, slow and steady [along with, y'know, the Other Daily Stuff. In case you thought I was slacking]

Once the framework's set, then I will go back and look over the edits on HARD MAGIC and the final draft of PACK OF LIES and make sure everything's tied up and tidy. I don't really enjoy being this far ahead of publication schedule WRT delivery dates, but the chance to stop and look at all three books as a whole is kinda nice. If nerve-wracking.

Tonight, I am going to kick back with some wine, and the outline for Vineart #3 (to see what has gone terribly off-track and needs to be reworked), and rest up for tomorrow's Big Gig. Will I see you there?

And if not, did you place your order with April? Last chance to get a signed copy of FLESH AND FIRE (or any other book of mine) for someone's holiday present!

[okay, maybe not. There may be Another Chance coming next week. Stay tuned.]

because it needed to be shown, not just said...