How can wine and food back memories of more than just the food and drink themselves? Why are so many family secrets associated with food and drink? How has the publishing world changed, and what does it mean for up-and-coming writers?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Dani Shapiro, bestselling author and host of the Family Secrets podcast.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks

Giveaway

Three of you in the U.S. will win a copy of Dani Shapiro's fabulous new book, Signal Fires.

How to Win

To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and tell me that you’d like to win the book. I’ll select the winners randomly from those who participate.

Good luck!

Highlights

What are Dani’s strongest childhood memories of gathering for family meals?

Why did Dani especially love her mother’s brisket?

Which important life lesson did Dani learn via a bottle of olive oil from Provence?

How does biodynamic winemaking bring an extra layer of care to the process?

What’s Dani’s ideal setting for having a glass of wine?

Why did Dani fall in love with California’s Thumbprint Cellars’ Cabernet?

What makes the sense of smell unique compared to our other senses?

Which types of food would Dani pair with Thumbprint Cellars’ Cabernet?

How did Dani end up on the path of a writing career?

Why does Dani urge young writers to slow down?

How has the publishing world changed, and what does it mean for up-and-coming writers?

What was the most embarrassing moment of Dani’s writing career?

How can you build a successful career in a creative field?

What has been the best moment of Dani’s writing career so far?

Why did Dani move away from fiction and into the genre of memoir?

Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live

Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wed at 7 pm ET on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video.

I want to hear from you! What’s your opinion of what we’re discussing? What takeaways or tips do you love most from this chat? What questions do you have that we didn’t answer?

Want to know when we go live? Add this to your calendar: https://www.addevent.com/calendar/CB262621

About Dani Shapiro

Dani Shapiro is the author of eleven books, and the host and creator of the hit podcast Family Secrets. Her most recent novel, Signal Fires, was named a best book of 2022 by Time Magazine, Washington Post, Amazon, and others, and is a national bestseller. Her most recent memoir, Inheritance, was an instant New York Times Bestseller, and named a best book of 2019 by Elle, Vanity Fair, Wired, and Real Simple. Dani’s work has been published in fourteen languages and she’s currently developing Signal Fires for its television adaptation. Dani’s book on the process and craft of writing, Still Writing, is being reissued on the occasion of its tenth anniversary in 2023. She occasionally teaches workshops and retreats, and is the co-founder of the Sirenland Writers Conference in Positano, Italy.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/211.