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GIVEAWAY: Lizis excited to give away a free copy of the second edition of her just released book, Food Lover’s Guide to Portland, to a random commenter. Comment within 2 weeks; winners must live in the US to receive the book by mail. You can win a blog contest even if you’ve won before.
The summers that I was 6 and 7 years old in early ’80s, I went to a day camp in the woods maybe 30 minutes or so from the suburbs of Cincinnati where I grew up. There were a lot of memorable things about that camp, as there tend to be, but without a doubt the most memorable was Mr. Brady—the camp nature guide whose office was the old barn across the way from the open-air dining hall—and his resident alligators. The seven or eight alligators ranging in age from a couple years to several years lived in a large, maybe 10-foot diameter, round metal trough topped with a piece of plywood.
One day, every summer, Mr. Brady would take the youngest, or maybe just the most docile, alligator out of the trough, put it in the bed of his old beat-up blue pick-up truck and drive it down the hill behind the barn to the creek, where 15 or so of us would be waiting with our counselor. What happened next is not a dream. I am still friends with one of the campers and can verify that Mr. Brady—longish white beard, rubber pants and suspenders, boots—would then spend the next 40 minutes or so of our nature session wrestling with the alligator in the murky creek. Our task: watch. And in the process scream, laugh and hug each other tightly.
I’m sure there were some teachable moments that I’m missing that occurred during the alligator wrestling. There might have been words about habitat and behavior in the wild and maybe even a little bit about how humans are not typically a part of the alligator diet. Of course, all I remember, and all I am sure that most campers remember, is an old man wrestling an alligator in the creek. By choice. He seemed to have no fear, and he seemed to genuinely love doing it.
Although I have changed the names and some identifying details of the alligators what follows is my own story of wrestling with alligators, except that the alligators are humans and the wrestling is being done with writing.
When I first started freelance food writing shortly after moving to Portland, Oregon, in my mid-20s, I said yes to just about anything work-wise that came my way, including waiting tables, nannying and working in a Montessori after-school program. I also covered a lot of writing territory. I wrote a corporate fitness manual without ever having worked in an office, smoking cigarettes and drinking most nights of the week and never setting foot in a gym. Clearly I was an expert. I also wrote website copy for a few hotel and hospitality companies, health and fitness articles for a smaller circulation magazine in Arizona and movie reviews for an online art and culture startup in New York.
I tried my hand at a lot of different types of writing and, in doing so, did the opposite of what most writing manuals tell you to do—write what you know. Instead, apropos of an ambitious 20-something-year-old, I wrote more often what I did not know.
I always brought my limited life experience and subjectivity to the page, of course, and I researched and dug as deep as my usually too-fast-approaching deadline would allow, but let’s just say I was in all of these writing endeavors far from an expert. And that lack of expertise led directly to lack of confidence. That first year of freelancing I spent a lot of time researching and educating myself, but my primary motivator was a little off. I wanted to know the right things that, in my 20-something year old mind, translated to all of the things that would make me not sound stupid.
Nobody likes a snoop and that’s exactly what I was that first year of freelancing. My regular gig was ghostwriting food and drink pieces for AOL Online. For that, I’d visit restaurants, bars, clubs and markets in and around Portland and then write short profiles of each. I took copious amounts of notes about menus, inventory, décor and service in my tiny black refillable notebook, and if I ever caught whiff that someone was on to me I’d commit the remaining visit to memory as best I could sacrificing any more documentation to save face.
I would only ask one or two questions per visit, and then only if I thought I could get away with it without revealing anything personal. I’d avoid eye contact. My heart would race and my palms would sweat as I took ridiculous notes under the table about things such as the microgreens topping my scallops (“What are the little purpley-green spade-like micros? Mustard?”). If you kicked all that fear-built subterfuge down, I wasn’t being Ruth Reichl-like, in disguise in order to maintain journalistic integrity. I just didn’t want to have a real conversation with anyone that might reveal all that I did not know. Instead, I would go home after dinner and suffer through mind-numbing Google searches of microgreens until I settled on the variety that looked the most similar before ultimately deciding not to use it in the profile anyway. No time wasted at all!
On those rare occasions when I did find myself face-to-face and engaged with folks who I was interviewing or meeting with for some sort of professional reason, I showcased what I knew as best I could and tried to hide what I didn’t know. In other words, I was a bit like 20-year-old Ira Glass in his early interviews with members of the cast of MASH, which he talks about on the “Cringe” episode of This American Life. The worst is when Glass asks Harry Morgan, who played Colonel Potter, a series of needling questions about why he’s never been the lead on any show. So painful.
This sort of bravado is inherently juvenile, but we’ve all done it. Here’s how I got rid of being scared of not knowing: I stopped using my tiny black notebook to take notes in in public and I got a big notebook. I stopped sneaking away to the bathroom to take notes—I’m sure that a few waiters had me pegged as incontinent—and started writing them openly. I stopped muzzling my curiosity and ended more sentences with question marks. I had more and more face-to-face interviews that I needed to conduct for seasonal food stories with weekly deadlines that I was writing—more projects in general. I no longer had time to digest the latest study just enough so that I’d sound smart, to make obscure references that were only tenuously related to the subject at hand (references I’d secretly hope no one would actually try to turn into a real conversation). All of these things that we do from time to time to puff our feathers when we feel intimidated or unconfident, and as a result, hide our truer selves.
After a year of freelancing, I was too busy with assignments to keep up appearances anymore. The real, vulnerable, curious and often ignorant me stepped out into plain view. It turns out that first year of freelancing I’d wasted a whole lot of time getting in my own way. I simply got out of my way and the decade since I’ve been more than willing to often be the fool or even, from time to time, when it seems helpful to the interview and subject at hand, play the fool.
In general, people love to be asked questions—personally and professionally. Ask away. Be brazenly curious. Be proud of not knowing. The less you know means the more you have to learn and that’s a big part of what’s most fulfilling, fun and interesting about writing—the learning. Don’t be a bore and always try to prove yourself and outwit others. No one is impressed and it’s tiresome. Show how ignorant you are—we all are!—and you’ll have a lot more fun and be a much better writer as a result. The best writers are the most curious risk-takers who want to burn and learn and live
life to the fullest. Stop being scared and be one of them. In other words, wrestle those alligators in the creek. By choice. See, I knew I could bring it back to the alligators.
*No alligators were harmed in the writing of this essay.
Liz Crain is a fiction writer as well as the author ofFood Lover’s Guide to Portland and Toro Bravo: Stories. Recipes. No Bull. A longtime writer on Pacific Northwest food and drink, her writing has appeared in Cooking Light, Budget Travel, VIA Magazine, The Sun Magazine, The Progressive, The Guardian and The Oregonian. She is also editor and publicity director at Hawthorne Books as well as co-organizer of the annual Portland Fermentation Festival.
The first in a series of Penguin Cooks blogs, here one of our resident food experts, Pen Vogler, tells us a little about the food featured in some of Jane Austen's earliest works.
Next year, Jane Austen’s juvenilia will be published in Penguin
Classics for the first time. It may seem odd to be trumpeting this on a food
blog, but the young writer delighted in culinary obsessions. Foremost of foodies in the juvenilia is
Charlotte Luttrell of Lesley Castle
(written when Jane was 16) who, broiling, roasting and baking her sister’s
wedding feast, is appalled to hear of the groom’s life-threatening accident;
"Good God!" (said I) "you don't say so? Why what in the name of
Heaven will become of all the Victuals?” Her sister is too afflicted to even
eat a chicken wing.
The Georgian dinner table hosted some strange dishes and I
wonder if the vile-sounding “fried Cowheel & Onion” which comes in her
lampoon, The Visit, was a riposte to
some adult attempt to make her eat it. A more acceptable treat is joked about
by the twelve-year-old Jane whose TheBeautifull Cassandra, “proceeded to a
Pastry-cooks where she devoured six ices, refused to pay for them, knocked down
the Pastry cook and walked away.”
Even I baulk at fried cow’s heel, but I have had a lovely
time cooking my way through dishes that Jane mentions in her novels and letters. As a young woman, left in charge of the
housekeeping, she writes with relish about ordering braised ox-cheek and indeed
it is gorgeous; melty and tender and just the thing for a cold day.
Braised Ox-Cheek, updated from an original recipe by Mrs Rundell, A New System of Domestic Cookery, 1806
Brought up, as she was, on meat from her
father’s livestock, ‘haricot mutton’ is another Austen favourite that deserves
to be restored to the contemporary table.
And who wouldn’t agree with her that “Good apples pies are a
considerable part of our domestic happiness”.
A Buttered Apple Tart, updated from an original recipe by Hannah Glasse, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, 1747
Pen Vogler is the editor of Penguin's Great Food series. If you enjoyed the above, read more on her blog, Pen's Great Food Club, where she describes cooking with recipes from history. For more foodie updates, follow her on Twitter / @penfrompenguin
Sadly, I’ve spent my entire adult life letting other people choose my wine for me with a wave of my hand and an uninterested “Whatever.” Recently, a friend decided it was time for me to start acting like a grown-up and appreciate wine making as the true art it is. Slowly, I’m starting to recognize different types of wines and, instead of drinking whatever is placed before me, decide what I truly like.
If you’ve decided to expand your knowledge of wine, look no further than the beginner wine series by sommelier Sara Fasolino. Her book Cabernet Sauvignon: Beginners Guideis the perfect place to start. In addition to advice on choosing a good Cabernet Sauvignon, there is wine trivia and history, food pairings, and other tips for wine lovers. It’s a book everyone should have on their e-reader.
And, in the interest of making sure everyone has some wine knowledge on their virtual bookshelf, Sara and 101 Publishing are offering everyone a book. Yes, everyone! All you have to do is fill out the form on the Facebook App. You can choose Cabernet Sauvignon: Beginners Guide or one of 20 other wine books! Along with familiar types such as Champagne and Zinfandel there are a few I’ve never even heard of . . . Melon de Bourgogne, Nebbiolo, Tempranillo and more! The giveaway contest closes on the last day of the tour Wednesday, September 7 at 11:59 PM, PST. Don’t let your friends miss out. Tweet about this great giveaway using our hashtag #Wine101CabSauv.
Cabernet Sauvignon: Beginners Guide is available in e-format at Amazon.
About the Author:
Sara Fasolino is the Beverage Systems Manager at Morton's The Steakhouse and is recognized in the industry as a Certified Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers, as a Certified Specialist of Wine by the Society of Wine Educators and as an Advanced Mixologist. Fasolino's role with Morton's includes overseeing the restaurant's beverage inventory for all its locations, serving as the restaurant's liaison with the Court of Master Sommeliers and managing all educational and training materials related to the restaurant's wines, liquors and beers. Fasolino's experience in the restaurant industry dates back to her college years in Ohio, where she was a server in a restaurant. Upon graduation from Marietta College with a bachelor's degree in psychology, she worked with a beverage marketer and distributor in Ohio before relocating to Chicago in 2005. Originally from Buffalo, N.Y., Fasolino has been with Morton's The Steakhouse since 2007, working in its global headquarters.
WOW:Sara, when I read that you were a "Certified Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers" my imagination ran wild. I could picture you being "knighted" by some sort of Wine King. But seriously, tell us how you became a sommelier. What's an average day like for a sommelier?
Sara: Well actually, it was a bit like getting knighted by a wine king! Let me explain. First, I decided to go about this course at the suggestion of my former boss and mentor while working as the Corporate Beverage Manager for Morton’s The Steakhouse. I have been in the restaurant/beverage industry since college and he felt that it would give all of that hard work some added credibility. After panicking a little, I finally agreed to the challenge.
Becoming a Sommelier is a difficult task. Within the Court of Master Sommeliers there is a four tiered structure that leads to the eventual goal of becoming a Master Sommelier. Keep in mind there are only about 100 Master Somms in the US. So the first exam is called the Intro Exam. This is a written exam that focuses on regions, grape varieties . . . things like that. Upon passing this exam a person may call themselves a Sommelier, but they are technically not “certified.”
The second exam is the Certified. It is about a hundred times more difficult than the Intro Exam and consists of a written exam as well as a service practical where you have to properly serve a Master Sommelier still or sparkling wine while they fire questions at you about regions, styles, vintages, food pairing, cocktails, beers, cigars and things like that. If you get through that without shaking so badly you spill wine everywhere, and you have passed the written exam, you can call yourself a Certified Sommelier.
Once this task is achieved, you can apply to take the Advanced Exam. If your application is accepted, you are subject to almost certain death. Your life stops and all you do is study and taste and practice. The exam is a week long affair. It begins with a practical exam that is a thousand times more difficult than the Certified. After that, you move to a service practical that is three parts: Decanting, Champagne Service, and food pairing/spirit identification. Again, at each of these three tables, the Master Somms are firing questions at you about everything under the sun. The third part of this exam is the blind tasting where using a deductive process you have to identify the grape variety, region and vintage of 6 wines–the caveat is you have to do it in about 12 minutes. If you make it through this (only about 4% of the people taking the exam pass) you may or may not get invited to take the Master Exam. Honestly I’m emotionally exhausted just thinking about this process! I have attempted the Advanced Exam and was not part of the 4% but I fully intend on going back and subjecting myself to more pain.
WOW:I may have to lie down after hearing about that! If that’s what the test is like, what's an average day like for a sommelier?
Sara: An average day for a Sommelier can vary vastly given your duties and job description. For me personally, I oversee the Beverage Programming for 822 Chili’s Locations and 44 Maggiano’s nationwide, so my duties fall in more of negotiations with suppliers to find the best products at the best price. For most Somms, however, working in the restaurants directly with the guests in service and sales is their main activity while others work in sales with wholesale distributors. One common thread we all share, though is that we have a passion for teaching about wines and spirits. Most Somms should be very down to earth and willing to help you understand things without making you feel embarrassed; that said, if you ever run into a snobby one you have my permission to call them out or completely ignore them. They are not doing their job correctly!
WOW:You're touring with Cabernet Sauvignon: Beginners Guide but you've written several books on several different wines. Do you have a favorite type of wine? If you were stranded on a deserted island with one bottle of wine, what would it be?
Sara: I really don’t have a favorite type; I like pretty much all of them. For me, winemaking is an art and I respect any artist who makes an attempt to put themselves out there to be judged—that’s scary and deserves respect. I typically choose wine in two ways: either by the food I am eating with it or by the weather. For example, on a hot summer day I would be more likely to choose Sauvignon Blanc than Merlot. If I were choosing Sauvignon Blanc regardless of whether or not I was pairing it with food I would then choose the style. Do I want fruity from New Zealand or flinty from the Loire? My mood and the food are typically the deciding factor on that.
So to answer your question about the Island—well, the food would likely be fish and the weather would be sunny and warm so . . . I would stick with a white wine—a nice white Grenache would be great or maybe a Riesling from Germany or a Torrontes from Argentina . . . so many choices, so little time!
WOW:Oh my, I’m still caught up in the fact that you described a wine as “flinty.” I can’t even begin to understand what that means! I must confess, I always let friends choose my wine for me. Why should we all know at least a bit about wine?
Sara: That’s a very good question . . . everyone should know a little about wine so that you can choose what you like rather than relying on someone else’s ratings, reviews or marketing. I often see people buying wine because someone else rated it highly and I think that is a dangerous thing in a way.
Think about it this way—how do you like your peanut butter and jelly? Do you like more peanut butter? More Jelly? Equal amounts? If you ask a group of people this question you will find many different answers. Our taste preference is strongly related to our upbringing and the things we were exposed to.
What I am saying is just because someone who happens to write reviews for a magazine likes something it doesn’t mean that they are right about their review or that you will or will not like something that they love or hate. Having a little knowledge can give you the confidence to make those decisions on your own and find what YOU like.
The other reason is that the wine industry is a for profit business like any other—sure, there is passion and love but at the end of the day it is a commodity like any other. A little knowledge can help you weigh out the good from the bad. For example, a passionate winemaker may make an incredible wine and charge—say $50 for it—while another perhaps not so scrupulous winemaker may try to make it seem like their wine is also worth $50 and it's really worth about $5. On the flip side of that, from a retail standpoint, a little knowledge can help you understand if the retail mark up is in line with where it should be. If you visit a few different stores you will notice that they pretty much (depending on the state laws) have different pricing on the same items. Knowledge is power!
WOW:I'm sure many people think of wine as a rich man's interest. Do you have to be wealthy to enjoy good wines? Can those of us smack in the middle of the middle class (who are worrying about our children’s looming college tuition bills) also find worthwhile wines to match our budget?
Sara: Indeed . . . YES! There are so many good wines out there that are budget friendly! The best advice I can give here is to take a deep breath and break away from the brands you know best. You’ll be amazed at the quality of the lesser known brand names. I recently did a side-by-side blind tasting of wines specifically geared towards budget friendly and was surprised by how good the lesser known brands tasted. Some I had never even heard of tasted much better than the big names!
WOW:And now a quick question for the next dinner party I'm invited to . . . is Cabernet Sauvignon a good wine to take as a gift when you're invited to someone's home? Is it versatile? Do most people like it?
Sara:Absolutely! Cabernet Sauvignon is still King among grapes. It is good to drink on its own and pairs well with rich foods like steak but its biggest strength is that it is positively brilliant with chocolate!
WOW:Wine and chocolate? You’ve convinced me!
--------- Blog Tour Dates
Wednesday, August 15 @ Books, Books, The Magical Fruit Although Books, Books The Magical Fruit calls the land of wine (California) home, she's eager to learn more about Cabernet Sauvignon from wine expert and author Sara Fasolino. http://booksbooksthemagicalfruit.blogspot.com
Friday, August 17 @ A Writer’s Life Need the perfect wine for your next dinner party? Maybe sommelier Sara Fasolino can help you. Don't miss a review of her book Cabernet Sauvignon: Beginners Guide. http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com
Tuesday, August 21 @ CMash Loves to Read Stop by for male and female points of view on a great wine book for beginners: Cabernet Sauvignon: Beginners Guide. http://cmashlovestoread.com/
Wednesday, August 22 @ Thoughts in Progress Come enjoy a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon with us and read the review of Sara Fasolino's Cabernet Sauvignon: Beginners Guide. http://www.masoncanyon.blogspot.com/
Monday, August 27 @ Misadventures with Andi Experiment with a new wine after reading Sara Fasolino's book about Cabernet Sauvignon. http://www.misadventureswithandi.com
Wednesday, August 29 @ Donna's Book Pub Want to know more about the world of wine? Stop by to learn about a wine series and receive a free e-book on the wine of your choice. http://donnasbookpub.blogspot.com
Friday, August 31 @ Empty Nest Last chance to read a review of Sara Fasolino's Cabernet Sauvignon: Beginners Guide and register for a free e-copy. http://emptynest1.blogspot.com
Get Involved! If you have a website or blog and would like to host one of our touring authors or schedule a tour of your own, please email us at [email protected].
Wine might not go with breakfast, but a free wine book sure does! I just downloaded my copy. :) I currently am really into cabernet sauvignon. Would love to hear what everyone else is into!
Great post. I am a wine newbie (started the love affair with it back in 09) and love discovering different varieties. I may have to pick up the book. Thank you.
About a month ago, I posed that question to The Muffin readers in part one of The Joy of Cooking. I talked about reading it like a book, immersing myself in the narrative, mulling over the ingredients, and savoring each photograph. It's a non-fiction feast that tells a story. The recipes are a bonus.
I also shared that I seldom use a cookbook when I'm in the kitchen. Instead, I rely on instinct and creativity. I just know what works. It's a trait I inherited from my mother and grandmother.
But it hasn't always been that way. Take a look at my culinary reading skills through the years.
This is the first cookbook I owned. I received it as a Christmas gift from my parents. It's a first edition, third printing, and boy, has it seen its share of wear and tear. When my girls were growing up, they used it to learn to cook, too. Open the cover and the first 66 pages are loose. Turn the next page and you'll discover what every junior cook should know. I circled every kitchen utensil we owned. Pretty sure I begged my parents to purchase the utensils we didn't have. But if you flip through the book, you'll notice certain recipe titles are circled - my code for "make this again." Some recipes have an 'x' penciled next to the title - my sign for "it's ok, but i may not make it again." And next to other recipes I wrote the date or occasion I first tried the recipe. Note: I prepared the Drop Biscuits on page 32 and the Bunny Salad (made with pear halves and cottage cheese, p 57) for Father's Day. It may not look like much of a story, but I see a book of memories and a kitchen filled with love - and great food.
This particular cookbook reminds me of love, marriage, and divorce. No juicy narrative printed on these pages, just hearty recipes. I received this cookbook from my godfather when I married in 1982. It's from the church in Primgahr, Iowa, where he was a pastor. The book, like the marriage, unraveled, losing its cover and initial pages somewhere along the journey. The pages are stained from oil, and occasionally, you find a drop of food coloring spreading across a page. You'll also find detailed notes next to the majority of the recipes, suggestions to improve the recipe or notations about cooking times. This book chronicles my life: the pineapple upside-down cake, the prime rib, the wilted salad, the cherries jubilee. Each recipe tells a story of accomplishments and failures. And, it's my favorite cookbook of all time.
But I do enjoy your take on cookbooks. I have so many of them, my husband counts them in pounds. (We've moved a lot. ;) ) Each of them is different, but my favourites are the ones with that little bit of story-telling included. One is a small, rural community's cookbook with old "standards," home remedies, and a few handy household hints. Another favourite is a "family" cookbook (my BFF's family) that includes anecdotal advice from each contributing cook/family member and snippets of family lore embroider the margins and "white spaces."
Until your post, I hadn't considered how much story-telling there is in an engaging cookbook...though, I've long marvelled over my decades-old, dog-eared, splattered and stained copy of "The Joy of Cooking." Old Faithful, I call it. Now I realize, it's the story-tellers voice that I find so reassuring, offering promise for each recipe I try.
P.S. My sister had that very same Betty Crocker cookbook. What a blast from the past it was to see that cover! Although, I still shudder recalling her macaroni casserole.
This year, one of the markets I’m pursuing is food writing. In the course of research, I’ve found a couple of markets that have whet my appetite, which I share below.
First up is Gastronomica, published quarterly and billing itself as ‘the journal of food and culture’. Their content encompasses the myriad ways food touches our lives, ranging from historical articles to interviews to essays. In the Fall 2009 issue, I was intrigued by Andrea Broomfield’s examination on how even the meals on the ill-fated Titanic fell along class lines. I traveled along with photographer Ahahita Avalos viewing images of ‘Al Mercado’, the Mercado Pino Suarez, the central market in Villahermosa, Mexico. And Adela (Mary) Blay-Brody shares memories of the role of hot peppers in Ghanaian cuisine and offers a rich pepper soup to top off her essay, ‘Rx. Pepper Soup’.
Articles should generally not exceed 7,000 words. See submissions details at their site online.
More creative offerings are found in Alimentum, ‘the literature of food’. Issues are released yearly in the winter and spring, and they accept fiction, nonfiction, poetry and book reviews. The Winter 2009 issue featured an enlightened interview with Alan Richman, whose work appeared in magazines including Conte Nast Traveler, Bon Appetit and GQ, and is Dean of Food Journalism at The French Cullnary Institute of New York. ‘Useful Kitchen Knots’ was a hilarious piece complete with sketches that gave a new tongue-in-cheek perspective on knots. And for reviews of the latest food-oriented books, click on the ‘Goodies’ heading online.
The submission period runs from September to March and more information can be found at their site.
So if you’re in the market to pursue food writing, give these journals a closer look. They just might be the recipe needed for a new direction in your writing this year.
4 Comments on In the Market for Food Writing?, last added: 1/4/2010
Thanks for sharing these markets, and if anyone is interested in learning how to write about food, WOW! is offering a Food Writing Class in January. Details are here: http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html
AND
if you sign up by January 4th, you will receive a free subscription to Premium Green Markets ($48 value).
Working at a bookstore, I have salivated more than once over the covers of the food magazines. I admit I've never read any of them other than peeking at the recipes on the covers. I should re-think that. I have, however, read through many of the magazines in the homes sections and they too publish articles on cooking, of which I have read a few of and thought there is a great market there.
For a well-organized list of books about kids with a military parent, see children's librarian Jan Pye Marry's website, built as part of the requirements for her MLIS degree. The background for this project is interesting, too, for as she points out, there are over a million children in military families, but she could find only about fifty books, most of them NOT contemporary, (Vietnam era or earlier!) that even in some small way, reflected their experience. My personal favorite, The Great Santini, is on the list as "an adult book for teens." (If you want a look into the world this book was based on, read the eulogy the author, Pat Conroy, delivered for his Marine aviator father.)
I would also recommend the YA novel, Battle Dress, by Amy Efaw, who was one of the first women to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, and who was a classmate of mine at the Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop at Chautauqua in 1996. The book is not about a military family, per se, but it is a gripping fictional account of a young woman's first year at West Point.
P.S. I have some commitments for the next few days, so I'll see you (and reply to your comments) when I return to the blog...
2 Comments on Worth Fighting For, last added: 7/31/2007
Soccer Mom Extraordinaire said, on 7/30/2007 10:39:00 PM
Sara!
I stumbled on your blog tonight . . . very cool pic, btw. This is Amy Efaw! I am so glad that you published, and w/ HarperCollins, too. See, that Highlights conference way back when actually paid off eventually, huh?
Congrats! ~AMY :-)
Sara said, on 7/31/2007 3:51:00 AM
Amy!!! I've been looking for you! I loved your book, and have been recommending it to friends and various teenagers over the years. How cool that we have the same publisher.
I still have my Highlights conference notes and pictures. Julie Swanson (did you hang out with her?) contacted me this spring when I spoke at the Virginia Festival of the Book. She has a YA novel out too: Going For the Record.
OK, I'm going to try to email you. If that doesn't work, can you email me using the address on my right sidebar?
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BY LIZ CRAIN
Do you want to make money with your writing? Do you dream of having your byline in magazine columns? Then the Freelance Bundle is for you. This kit offers two ebooks by our some of our most popular authors: I.J Schecter and Naveed Saleh. Then, use your Writer’s Market subscription and get the contact information you need to send your work to the right people.
Liz Crain is a fiction writer as well as the author of Food Lover’s Guide to Portland and Toro Bravo: Stories. Recipes. No Bull. A longtime writer on Pacific Northwest food and drink, her writing has appeared in Cooking Light, Budget Travel, VIA Magazine, The Sun Magazine, The Progressive, The Guardian and The Oregonian. She is also editor and publicity director at Hawthorne Books as well as co-organizer of the annual Portland Fermentation Festival.
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Wine might not go with breakfast, but a free wine book sure does! I just downloaded my copy. :) I currently am really into cabernet sauvignon. Would love to hear what everyone else is into!
Great post. I am a wine newbie (started the love affair with it back in 09) and love discovering different varieties. I may have to pick up the book. Thank you.
All wine!! But, I'm on a Moscato kick right now. So versatile. :)