As is wont to happen with Home Cookin’ profile subjects, after agreeing to participate some come on board almost possessed to share their stories and others, not so much.
They’re reluctant and in need of gentle reassurance as most know trauma recently if not currently.
If the interview is going to move forward, striking while the iron is hot is the key i.e. shortly after agreeing to talk. As time passes, said iron cools.
I say this because having been excited by finding not one but two possible subjects a few weeks ago, one has now decided against it (the abuela “has nada tiempo”). The other (from Mauritania) is MIA after sharing one of the most profound sagas I’ve encountered on this writing journey. One in need of documentation because of how far from our comfortable western concepts of humanity this gentleman has traveled and endured.
Understanding that their lives are often complicated beyond what we can imagine, you roll with the punches.
This is an ongoing theme. I’d say for every story written 4-5 fell through. I have a list of possible profile candidates that has been whittled down over time for on reason or another.
The award marketing firm (I am interested in using) email’s were returned as undeliverable so that’s temporarily on hold until I can work it out.
I’m also revisiting the wisdom of doing this blog every week. After three months I can’t say besides a stray comment here and there that I’ve noticed anything at all and am thinking of cutting back to twice monthly. I wish I could say someone will notice but think not, as whenever I’ve tried this type of thing in the past (marketing) it’s been with similar results. Not discouraged but realistic. The wheels of publishing move slowly, so slowly that there’s just not that much to report back with weekly at this point.
We’ll see. At the moment I’m vacillating between “I told you so” and “nothing ventured nothing gained.” Never been good at being my own cheerleader and am not in search of acknowledgement but a bit of validation wouldn’t hurt.
Is this what it comes down to? Does it defile the work to hope people are moved by your creation?
That’s more meaningful to me than any notoriety. I’ve been around fame a lot and seems to be way better in theory than practice. Both music and food has put me within arms length of luminaries but I’ve been starstruck only twice.
Once, while catering at an art gallery in Venice Beach for a new movie that was coming out, I looked across the buffet and saw George Harrison plate in hand. Turns out he was one of the producers. A fucking Beatle in my midst which to me was as big as it gets- unless you include the other time, which was Mohamed Ali. He was a shadow of his former self but still to someone my age, a fanboy was in the house.
Should I continue to write a weekly blog or switch to twice a month? Please leave a comment!
Alan Lake a.k.a. “Jazzfood” a.k.a. “The Garlic Chef” has been a globetrotting professional chef for three decades and has won numerous awards, professional competitions and distinctions. He’s also the author of The Garlic Manifesto, a book about the history of garlic going back to 10,000-year-old Neolithic caves that contains facts, fiction, folklore, artwork, recipes, professional insights, quotes etc. – think Mark Kurlansky’s Salt or Cod, but a bit more personal. He’s been a musician since he was a child and coined the term “Jazzfood” to describe his cooking style as “solid technique based upon tasteful improvisational abilities.” He views his food as he does his music and writing and has been known to bust a pout if any of them are subpar in any way.
Keep writing Alan!
noted. thank you.
+1