Click to play the video above
Today, the little Wine Witch turns one year old!
She’s a feisty youngster who has gone out into the world with your support to spread her message of hope, justice and resilience.
Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much became a National Bestseller with your support!
She (and I) could not have done this without the incredible guidance of my publisher Dundurn Press, literary agent Sam Hiyate and retail agents Hornblower Books and Read and Co.
The emails and DMs from readers that come in daily reaffirm that this is more than a book for me; it’s a mission.
The short version of the video above
Here are a few of those with names changed for privacy. The specifics of each of our stories are different, but the feelings are universal, as is the need for healing:
“Your book resonates very strongly with me. Notice my email address … momneedswine@. It was something my youngest daughter came up with in a darling art piece that she made for me many years ago. Endearing, adorable and innocent … yet, it’s also something that haunts me.”
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“Wine has always been a big part of my life. And through marriage struggles and an effort to walk through an immense journey of betrayal and pain (both in my career life and home life) it became, perhaps, too big of a part of my life. Know that you already have and will continue to make an impactful mark.”
In case you’re watching this on your phone, click the video above to watch.
“I’m a voracious reader. I’ve lived through three bad relationships. I started out with an inherited family home in a nice area and no worries about retirement, and I now live in a basement apartment with no car, but I refuse to think of myself as living in poverty. You have been instrumental in my finding myself again.”
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“This book stirs deep feelings. My father was also an alcoholic and yet I never came to terms or acknowledgement of his condition. Today, because of this book, I understand this condition as an illness.”
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“This is John’s wife. I just wanted to let you know that our son took his own life during Covid. John started hitting the bottle pretty hard. He’s since backed off and I firmly believe that your book was a big part of that.”
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“It’s like you interviewed me for this book, even though I’m in the finance industry. The similarities in our stories are uncanny.”
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My heartfelt thanks to the exceptionally talented Lilia Alvarez Nevarez, Co-founder and Strategic Creative Director at A Land Beyond, for her visionary work on this project.
Lilia possesses a unique blend of creativity and strategic acumen that not only meets but consistently surpasses expectations. Her ability to balance innovative concepts with solid brand and marketing strategy allows me to trust in the exceptional outcomes—truly, she makes it easy to anticipate thrilling results. She’s just as excited about each project as I am, which brings new energy to the partnership.
Lilia’s storytelling prowess and genuine connection with people make her an invaluable ally in the creative field. If you have the chance to work with her, consider yourself fortunate.
As a fellow creative, I find Lilia’s approach both refreshing and inspiring; she challenges me to explore new perspectives that enhance my own work. Her brand and marketing consultancy, A Land Beyond, has successfully worked with leading names in the wine industry and wine-adjacent businesses, including restaurants, wine shops, and yes, even wine writers.
I raise my glass to all of you!
Cheers,
Natalie
From the book cover:
📖 A powerful memoir about how one woman resurrects her life and career in the glamorous but sexist wine industry.
😱 Natalie MacLean, a bestselling wine writer, is shocked when her husband of twenty years, a high-powered CEO, demands a divorce. Then an online mob of rivals comes for her career.
💪 Wavering between despair and determination, she must fight for her son, rebuild her career, and salvage her self-worth using her superpowers: heart, humour, and an uncanny ability to pair wine and food.
🍇 Natalie questions her insider role in the slick marketing that encourages women to drink too much while she battles the wine world’s veiled misogyny.
🌟 Facing the worst vintage of her life, she reconnects with the vineyards that once brought her joy, the friends who sustain her, and her own belief in second chances.
💖 This true coming-of-middle-age story is about transforming your life and finding love along the way.
🙏 Thanks to the brilliant Lilia Alvarez Nevarez, Co-founder + Strategic Creative Director, A Land Beyond for creating these graphics!
Cheers🥂,
Natalie
🍷 PS Get my free “Ultimate Guide to Wine & Food Pairing” at:
http://www.nataliemaclean.com/guide
🔗 Link is also in the bio
✉️ Or just DM me and ask for the guide!
