Pump Up Your Book Chats with Mark Spivak & Enter Kindle Fire Giveaway!

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Mark Spivak is an award-winning writer specializing in wine, spirits, food, restaurants and culinary travel. He was the wine writer for the Palm Beach Post from 1994-1999, and since 2001 has been the Wine and Spirits Editor for the Palm Beach Media Group, as well as the restaurant critic for Palm Beach Illustrated. His work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Robb Report, Ritz-Carlton, Continental, Art & Antiques, Newsmax, Dream of Italy and Arizona Highways. From 1999-2011 he hosted Uncorked! Radio, a highly successful wine talk show on the Palm Beach affiliate of National Public Radio.

Mark began writing Iconic Spirits after becoming fascinated with the untold stories behind the world’s greatest liquors. As a writer, he’s always searching for the unknown details that make his subjects compelling and unique.His latest book is Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History.

Visit Mark’s website at http://www.iconicspirits.net.

Become a fan of Mark Spivak at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mark.spivak.3

Pick up your copy of Iconic Spirits at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Iconic-Spirits-Intoxicating-Mark-Spivak/dp/0762779268/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344434224&sr=1-1&keywords=iconic+spirits

———– ABOUT THE BOOK ———–

Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History (Lyons Press; hardcover, $16.95), by Mark Spivak, is a compelling portrait of twelve spirits that changed the world and forged the cocktail culture. Some are categories and others are specific brands, but they are all amazing, resonant and untold stories. Each chapter closes with recipes for the most popular and important cocktails.

What’s the relationship between moonshine and NASCAR? Why was absinthe considered to be the most dangerous substance on earth? What was the cause of the Gin Craze in 18^th century London, an epidemic of mass drunkenness that continued for fifty years? How did a homeless man become the 165^th wealthiest person in America?

“These are the best types of stories,” says Spivak. “They are the kind a writer could never make up.”

———– AUTHOR INTERVIEW ———–

Q: Thank you for this interview, Mark. Can you tell us why you wrote your book, Iconic Spirits?

I do a lot of writing on wine and spirits. In researching the history of spirits, I kept coming across absolutely amazing stories that were unknown to the average person. At some point I realized I had a book on my hands.

Q: Which part of the book was the hardest to write?

None of it was hard. It was a beautiful and thrilling experience.

Q: Does your book have an underlying message that readers should know about?

There is a very strong thread of entrepreneurship that runs through these stories. Many of the people profiled created something out of nothing, at great risk to themselves. I think this would be an inspirational message for many readers.

Q: Do you remember when the writing bug hit?

I started writing at the age of eleven. In between then and now, I stopped many times—in fact, I had two different and full-blown careers—but I always kept coming back to it.

Q: Besides books, what else do you write? Do you write for publications?

I’m the Wine & Spirits Editor for the Palm Beach Media Group, a collection of glossy magazines. I do a monthly wine column, monthly restaurant reviews, and numerous features. In addition, I freelance for a number of national magazines, maintain two blogs, and do beverage consulting work for private clubs and country clubs.

Q: Would you like to tell us about your home life? Where you live? Family? Pets?

My wife and I live on the southeast coast of Florida (aka Fantasyland).

Q: Where’s your favorite place to write at home?

I have a home office with views of a golf course.

Q: What do you do to get away from it all?

Cooking and drinking Bourbon, preferably at the same time.

Q: Are you familiar with the social networks and do you actively participate?

I have a strong Facebook presence and find it to be very useful, particularly since many people make FB a central part of their social life. I’m also on LinkedIn, but haven’t gotten any value from it yet.

Q: How do you think book promotion has changed over the years?

Since Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History is my first book, I can’t say for sure, but everyone tells me that authors have gradually become more and more responsible for promoting their books. In the past, this wasn’t always the case. Today the publishers are understaffed, the publicists are overworked, and writers have to generate most of their own press.

Q: What is the most frustrating part of being an author?

Constant and unending rejection—it never stops, and most writers aren’t well-equipped to deal with it. Personally, I don’t think you can whine about it. The important thing, after you’re wallowed in your depression for a day or so, is to brush yourself off and get back to work.

Q: What is the most rewarding?

The feeling of being in charge of your own destiny—no small thing.

Q: If you had one wish, what would that be?

To live long enough to complete all the projects in my head.

Q: If you could be anywhere in the world other than where you are right now, where would that place be?

The South of France, of course.

Q: Your book has just been awarded a Pulitzer. Who would you thank?

The people I’ve been thanking all along: my agent, Kate Epstein, who sold the book in record time; my editor, Holly Rubino, who approached the book with wisdom and tact; my wife, for believing in me without taking me seriously.

Q: Thank you so much for this interview, Mark. Do you have any final words?

If you’re trying to become a writer, three words: Don’t give up.

———– WATCH THE TRAILER ———–

———– WIN KINDLE FIRE! ———–

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Question of the Day

How do you make sales happen for you?

A lot of hard work! I sponsor a lot of on line parties, festivals and contests. Book sales don’t magically happen, believe me. An author has to work hard to earn her readers. And then she has to work hard to keep them by giving them something they’ll enjoy reading. I try hard to make my books worth a reader’s time.

-- Sheila Roberts, Author of Winter at the Beach