A year in writing 500 Words very close to weekly, this is a perfect time to reflect. After the disc issues I’ve battled over the last couple months I’m feeling better and ready to recommit to publishing my manuscripts. Hard to stay in the game when you’re as out of it as I was. Add to it that in many industries very little happens over the holidays.
I started participating in the authors call again and as per norm gleaned some valuable insights by those who have gone through, or are in, a similar situation. One suggestion was to get to know the other authors better than via our bi-monthly zoom meeting. One wrote a book about legendary recording studios so I’ll start with him.
Certain we can be more symbiotic if we knew how. It was also a prime directive of the call.
The book covers are moving slower than wished for but it’s more because I dropped the ball (or covers) over the last couple months than any issues with the people helping me. My bad, but I’ve been in no position to be proactive about anything besides feeling better.
There was a profile I’d done for “Home Cookin’- The Stories Behind The Food” where the caretaker of the subject asked me to hold off publishing the story for a time (4 months, which I reluctantly did). I’m not certain why and never got an answer when I asked.
Anyway, time’s up and what a story it is.
Slavery, state assisted murder, exile… honestly it’s hard to wrap your head around. That said, I’m trying to think of the proper way to showcase it in the best manner. My thoughts are it should be a teaser and published alone to introduce the book, but I’d love to hear suggestions below if you have any.
It should be noted that I finished writing Home Cookin’ a couple years ago after doing 20 profiles and submitting 100 unsolicited queries on its behalf to no avail. I’d put it to bed and was not looking for more subjects to interview and write about. But within moments of meeting I knew this story was so incredulous and important it needed telling,
and that I’d come out of my self imposed retirement in order to urgently write it in as close as I could to his voice, on the page.
I spent a couple weeks on it.
In proper journalistic fashion you record and transcribe all interviews so
they reflect as best they can the subjects own words, with little
possibility to misquote or be taken out of context, and follow up with
questions as needed. Perhaps that was the concern but maybe not.
This is pure conjecture on my part.
As creating anything can/should be, it was fulfilling and invigorating
writing such a harrowing, emotionally charged profile. One needing
to be shared to shake us from our comfort zone. We think this doesn’t
happen, or actually rarely think of it at all. But it does and it happened
to this subject and his family.
Now, what to do with it?
Chef/percussionist/writer/reprobate and lover of all things beautiful & delicious, Chef Alan Lake’s culinary career includes East Bank Club in Chicago; Sunset Marquis in W. Hollywood; Izakaya Hiwatta in Ichinomia Japan and legendary nightclub Purpur in Zurich, Switzerland. Working all around the world for over four decades, he's won numerous awards, professional competitions and distinctions. He’s the author of Home Cookin'- The Stories Behind The Food and The Garlic Manifesto- the history of garlic going back to 10,000-year-old Neolithic caves and contains facts, fiction, folklore, myths and legends (besides 100 recipes).
A lifelong musician that plays 70+ percussion instruments, he coined the term “Jazzfood” to describe his cooking style i.e. “solid technique coupled with tasteful improvisation.” He views his food as he does his music and writing and has been known to bust a pout if subpar in any way.