Wick'd Reads

WINE TASTER’S DIARY …the series:

“The recent decision made by my publisher Wildside/Borgo  Press, and by me, for me to write for it a whole series of books based upon my experiences, past, present, and future … with wine, wine-makers, wineries, and vineyards, world-wide … resulted mainly from six things. One, my experiences, past,  present, and future, with wine, wine-makers, wineries, and vineyards, world-wide. Two, the success of my Wildside/Borgo Press-published help-/cookbook THE GLUTEN-FREE WAY: MY WAY (written with my niece, Adrienne Z.Milligan), and needing another help-/cookbook by me by way of quick follow-up. Three, my ongoing co-authoring, with my cousin, Bonnie Clark, of our help-/cookbook BACK OF THE BOAT GOURMET COOKING. Four, the latter bringing me to Washington State where Bonnie (of Spokane WA) lives. Five, Bonnie and I deciding to search out some Washington State wines to complement the recipes in our book. Six, my suddenly attending so many tastings of local wines that it just seemed the opportune time, by Wildside/Borgo and by me, for me to start writing my long-contemplated series’ of WINE TASTER’S DIARY books for it …beginning with the lead-book, WINE TASTER’S DIARY: WASHINGTON STATE.”

            —Internationally best-selling author WILLIAM MALTESE when queried regarding his recent signing with Wildside/Borgo Press for release of a new wine-themed book series.

JFAY CANDLES, WINE, XOÇAICHOCOLATES, AND THE WILLIAM MALTESE WINE TASTER’S DIARY BOOK SERIES FOR WILDSIDE/BORGO-PRESS:

“A long-time romantic, with a genuine appreciation of good wine, and good food, I early-on recognized how much candle-light can and does contribute to the ambiance of enjoyable drinking and fine dining. In fact, I can’t remember any truly memorable tasting or dinner party I’ve hosted at which I haven’t made sure there were the accompanying flickers of candle-lights in order to intensify all of the senses, not to mention make everything and everyone, including me, more attractive. And for several years, now, the only candles I’ve used have been those I’ve commissioned especially from wax-artisan Jfay.

“There was just nothing quite like attending the launch party of my vampire novel, SUCKS! FIRST BOOK OF THE DRAQUAL CHRONICLES, with its glasses of specially bottled DRAQUAL cabernet sauvignon 2005BV, as teamed up with Xoçai chocolates, amidst the surround of lit Draqual Vampyre Candles designed by Jfay to have the appearance of blue jeans smeared with blood, as is the fashion statement of the book’s men’s-clothing designer Vlad Draqual; candles scented by ultra manly Leather.

“There was nothing quite like attending the launch party of my hedonistic novel, I, DEBAUCHEE, with its glasses of 1960 Chateau LafiteRothchild,  Xoçai chocolates individually wrapped in 23kt edible gold leaf, as teamed up with a surround of lit Chocolate Debauchery Candles by Jfay; Chocolate Debauchery scent wafted lusciousness perfectly indicative of everything affordable by only the very rich.

“There will be nothing quite like attending the launch party of Book One: TEEN WARRIOR of my upcoming teen-angst, candle-reader, vampire,werewolf, witch, warlock, demon, dragon, tree-spirit, shape-shifter,shadow-people, FLICKER series of novels, with its planned accompanying glasses of limited-release Nodland Cellars 2006 cabernet sauvignon, pieces of Xoçaichocolate (so much enjoyed by FLICKER’s vampire character, Gregory), with all-around surround lighting provided by Jfay’s Blood-and-Chocolate candles in dark-chocolate brown, dripped with hints of blueberry and orange, cascaded by blood-red wax, and smelling of dark-chocolate liqueur, chocolate crème, with blueberry-orange undertones.

“Speaking of the limited release Nodland 2006 cabernet sauvignon, it was recently discovered and purchased by me during my ongoing temporary residence in Washington State where I’ve come to complete my Wildside/Borgo-contracted book, BACK OF THE BOAT GOURMET COOKING, being written with my cousin, Bonnie Clark, a Spokane local; this book following on the heels of my hugely popular THE GLUTEN FREE-WAY: MY WAY, written with my niece — nepotism doesn’t pay? — Adrienne Z. Milligan. Bonnie and I decided that we’d like to locate some local wines to recommend as supplements to our recipes, which sees us out, regularly, visiting wineries which, while not yet as popular as those in U.S. states farther south, are definitely coming into their own.

“The eventual launch of BACK OF THE BOAT GOURMET COOKING admittedly has me at a loss. While I suddenly have a whole gamut of good Washington wines that I can serve, plus the always wine-friendly Xoçai chocolates, I just can’t quite figure out, this time around, how realistically to incorporate Jfay candles, considering how all open flames, including those of candles, are genuinely verboten on board any wave-rocked watercraft.

“My publisher WILDSIDE/BORGO has come to my rescue, though, not as regards my BACK OF THE BOAT GOURMET COOKING / Jfay candle dilemma, but as tohow I can even better team Jfay candles with Washington wines, and with Xoçai chocolates, in the future. I’m speaking of my just having gone to contract with Wildside/Borgo … based upon my long experiences with world-wide vineyards, wines, wineries, and wine-makers, in general, and upon my recent familiarization with Washington State wines, in particular, as evidenced by my discovery of limited-release Nodland’s 2006 cabernet sauvignon … for a whole series of WINE TASTER’S DIARY books, beginning with WINE TASTER’S DIARY: WASHINGTON STATE.

“Presently, I’m conferencing with Jfay regarding the commissioning of a whole series of her artisan creations to accompany all sorts of hosted-by-me tastings of Washington wines, culminating with the launch party for my WINE TASTER’S DIARY: WASHINGTON STATE; many of the candle-wax color combinations to be coordinated to “go with” some of the truly spectacularWashington-State winery labels, like the new stunning red-wine Monarch label recently commissioned from local artist Edward Gilmore by Spokane’s Latah Creek Wine Cellars. This time around, though, I’ll be asking Jfay to provide me not only with scented candles … for those events whereat I’ll be most chiefly concerned with good ambiance, good wine, good food, good conversation, and good companionship … but with scent-free candles … for those get-togethers whereat I’ll be genuinely interested in drinker feedback and won’t want anything in the air (even a lusciously delicious candle scent) interfering with a wine’s nose.

—Internationally best-selling author WILLIAM MALTESE when asked to comment on his penchant for Jfay candles, for wine, for Xoçai chocolate as well as on his new contractfor a series of wine-themed WINE TASTER’S DIARY books for Wildside/Borgo Press.

Visit Author William Maltese Online: www.williammaltese.com

Check out all of the FLICKER WARRIOR Candles and Upcoming Book here on Wick'd Reads