It’s a Grape Book!
Okanagan author, editor and writing coach, Darcy Nybo, has done it again. In collaboration with West Kelowna artist, Tasha Campbell, she’s released, Wine ABCs: A Fun Look at Wine Grapes from Around the World.
The idea came to Nybo when little rhymes formed in her head while wine tasting. She told Tasha Campbell, part owner of The Gallery Winery in West Kelowna, about her idea for a cartoon-like rhyming wine book. Tasha was excited about doing cute illustrations that educated people on wine grapes.
Nybo, who is also the editor of BC Wine Trails Magazine, was leaning toward writing a wine-centred book for some time and when the idea of a rhyming, illustrated ABC book came to mind, she ran with it.
“It grew from there,” Nybo said. “I looked online and couldn’t find anything like it, so I created it. It was a slow start as I tried to find honest-to-goodness poets to help me write it. I wanted it to be rhyming and fun. I couldn’t convince anyone, so I slogged through it and wrote it myself. It took a few months, but eventually, I found wine grapes for every letter of the alphabet, and thanks to my great beta readers, I created a fun rhyming book. From there, Tasha took over and created the great characters you see in the book.”
This colourful rhyming book is for veteran and novice wine lovers everywhere. Inside Wine ABCs, you’ll find 42 pages of whimsical illustrations with wine grapes from Auxerrois to Zinfandel and lots more in between. Also included in the book are a map and a list of Canadian wine regions and sub-regions, a list of the most produced wines in Ontario and BC, and a pronunciation guide for those who aren’t sure how to pronounce wine grapes like Ehrenfelser, Gewürztraminer and Jubiläumsrebe. There’s even a page for notes, should you want to take the book with you when you go wine tasting.
“I wanted to write the book as I did because I think adults should have fun too. Kids have fun rhyming books that help them learn about things, why not adults too!”
“I wanted to write the book as I did because I think adults should have fun too. Kids have fun rhyming books that help them learn about things, why not adults too!” Nybo said.
Last year, Nybo published A Girl Called Goose, also illustrated by Tasha Campbell. In September of the previous year, she released The Great Nibling, a children’s book, and Dribbles, Drabbles, and Postcards, a collection of short stories from BC authors. Prior to these books, Nybo wrote and released four other children’s books, two short story compilations and a novel. All are available on Amazon.
Wine ABCs: A Fun Look at Wine Grapes from Around the World, can be purchased at Mosaic Books in Kelowna, The Gallery Winery in West Kelowna, and online at Amazon worldwide.
