Once I set my mind on a project, it becomes a passion and heaven help the poor soul who tries to tell me otherwise. I love collecting family stories about food and family, no matter the culture. And I enjoy knowing how families celebrate life in the kitchen. So, when I first interviewed a gentle elderly Frenchwoman about her favorite foods and began hearing her real story, I knew this was a story I couldn't walk away from. Twelve years later my debut novel, A Cup of Redemption, was published, and is based on this woman's life. Part historical novel, part mystery, all bound up in the framework of women, food, family and war. Published: October 27, 2014 (She Writes Press) In August, 2015, I will publish Recipes for Redemption: A Companion Cookbook to A Cup of Redemption (She Writes Press) — the recipes from the novel are given in the voices of the characters readers loved, and also tell the stories from the families that taught the women to cook the wonderful dishes.
