Fri 5/9 @ 7pm
Books and wine are usually enjoyed alone and sometimes on a chaise lounge or a hammock, but this week’s special event at Chuck’s Fine Wines in Chagrin Falls will involve other people. Hopefully, that doesn’t hamper your style.
The book Vengeance Follows is a beautifully-wrought book by novelist, short story writer, playwright, essayist, film and television writer and writing teacher Scott Lax. Lax’s previous book The Year That Trembled, about the Vietnam-war era, was made into a film; Lax was named Midwest Filmmaker of the Year at the Cleveland International Film Festival for his work as source-writer and producer. Vengeance Follows was produced by Gray & Company Publishers of Cleveland.
Vengeance Follows, as the name implies, is a book about vengeance. When his wife Sophie dies, Sam, the protagonist, goes after the man he holds responsible for his wife’s death. We glimpse their passion for each other and their Parisian lifestyle before Sophie is diagnosed years ago.
While grieving in a small French village after her death, he remembers Sophie’s description of a horrific event that changed her life and left her wounded, and he becomes consumed with a desire to find the man responsible for Sophie’s death. He wants to confront the man and hold him accountable for his past times, which takes him to a charming Ohio town of hard snows and summer fairs.
It begins with a naked woman and the words: “She stood in slanted sun that filtered through the flat’s single window.” In typical Lax style, he writes, “she smiled a half smile, the other half hidden inside her.” There’s no telling where the book will go, but I want to know more about the woman, what’s inside her, and who the man is who loves her.
During his talk on Friday, Lax will talk about the importance of wine as a character in his new novel and why he chose wine as a motif for the book. The concept of “the soul of wine” and the literary history of wine will be explored.
In an unusual tie-in, he’ll share passages of wine descriptions through the eyes (and palates) of his characters. For example, what did Johnny, a character in the book, smell when he drank Coudoulet de Beaucastel Cotes du Rhone, the wine that made him suddenly miss France?
The event will be interactive—-participants will taste the wines the characters drink in the book and compare tasting notes with those of the characters. For $30, each person will sample wine and get a free copy of Vengeance Follows.
A Perfect Pairing: A Novel Approach to Wine is a combination talk and wine tasting. The event is being held at Chuck’s Fine Wines, 23 Bell Street in Chagrin Falls on Fri 5/9 from 7-9PM. Call 440-244-7534 to make a reservation.
Claudia Taller is the author of Ohio’s Lake Erie Wineries and is working on a second book about Ohio’s wineries. A Cool Cleveland contributor for many years, she helps writers and other creative people discover possibilities for their lives through Igniting Possibilities events, including the upcoming Word Lovers Weekend in Lakeside. Find her at http://claudiajtaller.com.