Comments on: Food-centered fiction vs adding recipes for local color http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/30/food-centered-fiction-vs-adding-recipes-for-local-color/ about the craft and business of fiction Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:54:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Industry News: 1/8/2010 | RWA-WF http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/30/food-centered-fiction-vs-adding-recipes-for-local-color/#comment-130480 Industry News: 1/8/2010 | RWA-WF Sun, 17 Jan 2010 03:20:54 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=2254#comment-130480 [...] I love reading books about food and relationships. I’m not the only one. There’s even a name for it: Foodie Fiction. Barbara Samuel blogs about it on Writer Unbound. [...] [...] I love reading books about food and relationships. I’m not the only one. There’s even a name for it: Foodie Fiction. Barbara Samuel blogs about it on Writer Unbound. [...]

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]]> By: kreddy http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/30/food-centered-fiction-vs-adding-recipes-for-local-color/#comment-130054 kreddy Sun, 03 Jan 2010 12:50:20 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=2254#comment-130054 Barbara, I am thoroughly enjoying The Secret! Barbara, I am thoroughly enjoying The Secret!

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]]> By: Rebeca Schiller http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/30/food-centered-fiction-vs-adding-recipes-for-local-color/#comment-130044 Rebeca Schiller Sun, 03 Jan 2010 02:46:54 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=2254#comment-130044 I'm currently writing my WIP which is a quasi political ghost story. Over a year ago, when I was submitting the first draft for critique at the Internet Writer's Workshop one person commented that my character seem to be having arguments and discussions while eating. It sort of made me a little self-conscious about it and then I realized that my characters were based on my activities which includes eating, dining out and cooking. Some scenes I rewrote, but others I kept because I felt that it suited the character's personalities. At one point I was tempted to add a recipe and I still might since the mc and narrator has penchant for madelaines and pound cake and bakes them when she gets flustered. .-= Rebeca Schiller´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.rebecaschiller.com/writing-blogs/rebecas-top-50-writing-blogs-part-2/" rel="nofollow">Rebeca’s Top 50 Writing Blogs, Part 2</a> =-. I’m currently writing my WIP which is a quasi political ghost story. Over a year ago, when I was submitting the first draft for critique at the Internet Writer’s Workshop one person commented that my character seem to be having arguments and discussions while eating. It sort of made me a little self-conscious about it and then I realized that my characters were based on my activities which includes eating, dining out and cooking. Some scenes I rewrote, but others I kept because I felt that it suited the character’s personalities.

At one point I was tempted to add a recipe and I still might since the mc and narrator has penchant for madelaines and pound cake and bakes them when she gets flustered.
.-= Rebeca Schiller´s last blog ..Rebeca’s Top 50 Writing Blogs, Part 2 =-.

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]]> By: yvonne erwin http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/30/food-centered-fiction-vs-adding-recipes-for-local-color/#comment-129995 yvonne erwin Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:55:57 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=2254#comment-129995 Great post, Barb, and I so agree with every word. I grew up with agricultural people, "from field to tongue," as you said it. I remember picking strawberries with my grandmother in Wisconsin in their vast garden and sitting under the oak trees, with her, a big metal bowl in my lap, snapping beans, the smell of earth bursting out with every snap. There is such a satisfaction in the work of one's one hands, isn't there? A quiet kitchen, the smack-smack of the chopping knife, wooshy steam coming off a pot, love it. I really enjoyed this post. I am a Sarah Addison Allen fan too but haven't read Elle Newmark's book. I'll have to look it up. Thanks, Barb. Great post, Barb, and I so agree with every word. I grew up with agricultural people, “from field to tongue,” as you said it. I remember picking strawberries with my grandmother in Wisconsin in their vast garden and sitting under the oak trees, with her, a big metal bowl in my lap, snapping beans, the smell of earth bursting out with every snap. There is such a satisfaction in the work of one’s one hands, isn’t there? A quiet kitchen, the smack-smack of the chopping knife, wooshy steam coming off a pot, love it. I really enjoyed this post. I am a Sarah Addison Allen fan too but haven’t read Elle Newmark’s book. I’ll have to look it up. Thanks, Barb.

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]]> By: Barbara Samuel O'Neal http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/30/food-centered-fiction-vs-adding-recipes-for-local-color/#comment-129975 Barbara Samuel O'Neal Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:23:04 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=2254#comment-129975 Edie, I'm adding your recommendation to the list, too. It rings such a bell that I must have read a review or something somewhere. Thanks! .-= Barbara Samuel O'Neal´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.barbaraoneal.com/2009/12/pancake-kisses-bacon-hugs/" rel="nofollow">Pancake kisses, bacon hugs</a> =-. Edie, I’m adding your recommendation to the list, too. It rings such a bell that I must have read a review or something somewhere. Thanks!
.-= Barbara Samuel O’Neal´s last blog ..Pancake kisses, bacon hugs =-.

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]]> By: Barbara Samuel O'Neal http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/30/food-centered-fiction-vs-adding-recipes-for-local-color/#comment-129974 Barbara Samuel O'Neal Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:21:46 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=2254#comment-129974 Hillary, thanks for those recommendations. I am adding them to my list. You wrote: "A part of me wonders about the popularity of foodie fiction. I think people are learning that “gourmet cooking” doesn’t have to be difficult, inapproachable, and complicated, and relearning the romance of ingredients that’s come with the organic produce movement" I agree. There is magic in food, and it's very empowering to cook (and eat) beautiful dishes. Knowing where the ingredients come from, how they were treated as they lived, is a big part of that. (There is an organic farm at the center of Secret of Everything. A special love of mine.) Becca, I love that: that food is a love language! Amy, since you don't like to bake, what you might do is ask around among your friends and relatives for some recipes and/or volunteers to try to create some new cookie recipes for your book. You can give them credit in the acknowledgments. Jael, the book sounds luscious, and from your blog, it's plain that you're a devoted food person. .-= Barbara Samuel O'Neal´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.barbaraoneal.com/2009/12/pancake-kisses-bacon-hugs/" rel="nofollow">Pancake kisses, bacon hugs</a> =-. Hillary, thanks for those recommendations. I am adding them to my list. You wrote:

“A part of me wonders about the popularity of foodie fiction. I think people are learning that “gourmet cooking” doesn’t have to be difficult, inapproachable, and complicated, and relearning the romance of ingredients that’s come with the organic produce movement”

I agree. There is magic in food, and it’s very empowering to cook (and eat) beautiful dishes. Knowing where the ingredients come from, how they were treated as they lived, is a big part of that. (There is an organic farm at the center of Secret of Everything. A special love of mine.)

Becca, I love that: that food is a love language!

Amy, since you don’t like to bake, what you might do is ask around among your friends and relatives for some recipes and/or volunteers to try to create some new cookie recipes for your book. You can give them credit in the acknowledgments.

Jael, the book sounds luscious, and from your blog, it’s plain that you’re a devoted food person.
.-= Barbara Samuel O’Neal´s last blog ..Pancake kisses, bacon hugs =-.

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]]> By: Jael http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/30/food-centered-fiction-vs-adding-recipes-for-local-color/#comment-129971 Jael Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:59:38 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=2254#comment-129971 Hi Barbara, Therese, et al! Yes, the title of SIMMER is still in flux, but the book fits very well into this discussion. The main character, Ginny, is shy and sheltered and has trouble connecting with people on any level -- but she loves to cook, and part of her journey in the novel is to take that inward-focused gift and focus it outward. (Then, of course, there are also the ghosts who appear when she cooks from their recipes... which is a whole 'nother thread.) The chapter titles are dishes that Ginny cooks (Bread Soup, Aji de Gallina, Man-Catcher Brownies, etc) but in previous drafts I haven't included the recipes themselves. I think I want to for the finished novel, though -- so readers can cook along. .-= Jael´s last blog ..<a href="http://simmerblog.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/12/best-bites-of-2009-other-notables.html" rel="nofollow">best bites of 2009: other notables</a> =-. Hi Barbara, Therese, et al! Yes, the title of SIMMER is still in flux, but the book fits very well into this discussion.

The main character, Ginny, is shy and sheltered and has trouble connecting with people on any level — but she loves to cook, and part of her journey in the novel is to take that inward-focused gift and focus it outward.

(Then, of course, there are also the ghosts who appear when she cooks from their recipes… which is a whole ‘nother thread.)

The chapter titles are dishes that Ginny cooks (Bread Soup, Aji de Gallina, Man-Catcher Brownies, etc) but in previous drafts I haven’t included the recipes themselves. I think I want to for the finished novel, though — so readers can cook along.
.-= Jael´s last blog ..best bites of 2009: other notables =-.

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]]> By: Becca http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/30/food-centered-fiction-vs-adding-recipes-for-local-color/#comment-129959 Becca Wed, 30 Dec 2009 23:51:26 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=2254#comment-129959 I can't wait to read this book. I loved Lost Recipe for Happiness and expect to love this new one just as much, if not more. I consider food a love language -- Food and love are at the heart of what we do, and I think it's so natural to weave the culinary delights in with all the other sensual aspects of a book. Food is the center of most celebrations and has a way of bringing people together, and I am so glad that foodie fiction has become so popular! .-= Becca´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.moodymuses.com/2009/12/its-hard.html" rel="nofollow">It's the Hard</a> =-. I can’t wait to read this book. I loved Lost Recipe for Happiness and expect to love this new one just as much, if not more. I consider food a love language — Food and love are at the heart of what we do, and I think it’s so natural to weave the culinary delights in with all the other sensual aspects of a book. Food is the center of most celebrations and has a way of bringing people together, and I am so glad that foodie fiction has become so popular!
.-= Becca´s last blog ..It’s the Hard =-.

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]]> By: Edie http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/30/food-centered-fiction-vs-adding-recipes-for-local-color/#comment-129956 Edie Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:34:12 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=2254#comment-129956 I'm so looking forward to reading The Secret of Everything. I love foodie fiction. One that I recently read was Last Bite: A Novel of Culinary Romance by Nancy Verde Barr. One of the secondary characters reminded me so much of Julia Child. Finally I looked on the inside back flap and saw that Barr was Child's executive chef and culinary producer for 20-plus years. I’m so looking forward to reading The Secret of Everything. I love foodie fiction. One that I recently read was Last Bite: A Novel of Culinary Romance by Nancy Verde Barr. One of the secondary characters reminded me so much of Julia Child. Finally I looked on the inside back flap and saw that Barr was Child’s executive chef and culinary producer for 20-plus years.

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]]> By: amy sue nathan http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/30/food-centered-fiction-vs-adding-recipes-for-local-color/#comment-129953 amy sue nathan Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:54:41 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=2254#comment-129953 Thanks Barbara. The funny this is, I don't bake. But I guess for the sake of my story I'll give it a try! ;-) I see lots of taste-testing ahead. .-= amy sue nathan´s last blog ..<a href="http://amysuenathan.com/pride-without-prejudice/" rel="nofollow">Pride without Prejudice</a> =-. Thanks Barbara. The funny this is, I don’t bake. But I guess for the sake of my story I’ll give it a try! ;-) I see lots of taste-testing ahead.
.-= amy sue nathan´s last blog ..Pride without Prejudice =-.

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