The Exes in My iPod: A Playlist of the Men Who Rocked Me to Wine Country

I met Lisa Mattson very soon after launching VineSleuth Uncorked. Right from the start I was impressed with her  kindness in helping others learn more and enjoy life, and her enthusiasm for her job. When I heard she was writing a book, I could not wait to read the pages and hear what she would have to share.

Earlier this year I was granted an advance copy of “The Exes in my iPod” and relished each and every chapter as I learned about Harley’s adventures in making her way in dating, life and into wine country. And, of course I wondered how much of the story was memoir and how much was fiction. I’ll warn you… it is a bit of guilty pleasure and a perfect one to curl up with and a bottle of bubbles or a rich red. I have no doubt Lisa would recommend a bottle of Jordan Cabernet with the book or a bottle of J Vineyards bubbles (two of my favorites.)

Read on and see what Lisa has to say about “The Exes in my iPod” and then grab a copy for you or a friend.

–Amy

Guest post by Lisa Mattson

Playlists. We make them for workouts, parties, break-ups, or simply organizing our favorite grunge songs into a digital, heart-shaped box. When I got my first iPod six years ago, it was a gift with a purpose from my husband, and the purpose was to help de-clutter our living room, which was riddled with my collection of CD towers. I had no idea that shiny little square was the best relationship therapist money could buy, and it became the inspiration for my newly released novel, The Exes in My iPod: A Playlist of the Men Who Rocked Me to Wine Country.

While digitizing my CD collection, I listened to some long-lost, favorite tunes. Instantly, I was steamrolled down a memory lane of men—well, more like a six-lane freeway of boyfriend blunders. I don’t know about you, but whenever I hear a favorite song from my past, my mind is always transported back to an ex-boyfriend. Did I really need a teleporter to the past lives of my failed relationships? When you’ve met Mr. Right as many times as Madonna sings the word “material” in “Material Girl” like I have (45, if you’re wondering), you might think, “Hello, no! Keep those skeletons in the closet, please!”

I’ve racked up some humbling relationships over the years with fascinating people–a tubby pot-smoking scuba diver, a coked-out bisexual, a Navy Seal with a top secret wife, a Cuban busboy, and a food phobic winemaker, just for starters. Triggering these embarrassing memories for the first time in years, I could have hit fast-forward or delete—or grabbed a sledgehammer and went Gallagher on my MP3. Instead, I created a playlist called “The Exes” and let my musical time capsule make a comeback with a purpose.

Through this playlist, I reflected on what I’ve learned from my dating mistakes and my progression as a lover of delicious food and drink. Am I proud of the fact that practicing poor judgment with men for fifteen years made me the Jedi Master of heartache? Absolutely not. The healing powers of time and music have helped me face down embarrassment and embrace the beauty of all that heavy baggage. It was my destiny to find happily ever after through trial and error.

Create your own Exes playlist and see where the music takes you. I hope you enjoy my new book and look forward to hearing your Exes playlists soon.

Buy the Book

• Holiday e-book price through December 31: $3.99 on Amazon.com
• Paperbacks price at Amazon and Barnes & Noble online: $17.99
• Links to all retailers can be found here: The Exes in My iPod

With more than 16 years of experience in wine marketing, Lisa Mattson is considered a thought leader in digital marketing of luxury wines. From writing, event planning and public relations to videography and digital media, she continues to diversify her skills with changing trends and technologies.

She resides in Sonoma County wine country with her immensely talented husband, their Italian greyhound and a dwindling wine cellar.