The Write Way Café welcomes Nancy DeRosa, who truly writes what she knows about food and how it brings people together.When did you first have the thought you'd like to write a book?
I have wanted to write books since I was eight years old. It just took me a while to actually sit down and do it! Lol!
What was your path to getting your women’s fiction series, Food for Thought, written and published? What type of research did you do?
My Food-centric Series; Food for Thought; First Course, Second Course, and Just Desserts, published by Black Opal Books, started out as a short story, published by Lines in The Sand, a small literary journal out in California. The editor asked me what happens next? The concept, or should I say challenge to write my series sprang forth from that question. It’s amazing how that editor had inspired me. It leads me to believe the series had always been a part of me just waiting to be developed.
Where did the idea for Food for Thought come from?
My idea for Food for Thought came from every-day experiences we all go through in our busy lives. Love, friendship, family struggles, career choices; “Slices of Life”, as I like to call it is what I write about in The Food for Thought Series. I wanted to make this work relatable to everyone, all told with the backdrop of delicious food. Food becomes the prop as social interactions take place. If there is a family fight at the dinner table, the chicken loses it glisten and the spinach wilts. Most of our social interactions take place around a table, whether it be having a cocktail, lunch, or a four- course dinner. I bring you into the restaurants, the diners, outdoor picnics, and family dinners. The scenes and drama unfold while my characters share a meal. I also describe the meals my characters eat. Food is always a part of my story line.
Tell us about the books in the series.
The series celebrates life and how my characters all strive to progress as they navigate through conflicts. I love to cook, entertain, and I love spending times with friends and family. They say write about what you know and that’s exactly what I did! First Course, Second Course, and Just Desserts are drawn from real life experiences, the characters are fictional, but some of my characters are composites of me and many people I have met along the way. Many of the scenes unfold around the dinner table and I take you into each restaurant, diner, or family meal. What happens at the dinner table laden with delicious food is what I write about.
Why did you pick the setting you did?
Are your main characters completely imaginary or do they have some basis in real people? Do they reflect aspects of yourself?
Yes, as I had said earlier in this interview, I draw from real life experiences as well as from fiction to create The Food for Thought Series. The food aspect is very much drawn from me though, I love to cook and dine out and the characters are often drawn from some of my own relationships and people I have met throughout my life. My secondary characters are well developed to realistically depict the many complications that can arise in all relationships, whether it be friendships, family connections, or a love interest. Many readers will see an aspect of themselves, or a situation they can relate to in my series. Relationships are always changing, there are always challenges, an ebb and flow. I try to reflect that in my writing.
Did you face any blocks while writing your series, and if so, how did you handle them?
The story just flowed, but I found the editing and tightening of my work the most challenging. To make the characters jump out and resonate with my readers was what I spent the most time on perfecting to make them real and multi-dimensional. To create dialogue that is true to life and characters relatable to my readers was the most difficult piece of this series and the most important to me. I want readers to connect to my characters and say; yes, that happened to me, or, I have felt the same exact way! That was how I approached this series on the onset. I really wanted to strike a chord with my audience while they sat at the table with my characters.
What have been surprises you've encountered while writing your Food for Thought series and after?
When I knew my work was going to be published that was the happiest surprise. I have a cooking/lifestyle show premiering very soon on Footprinttv, a streaming channel, produced by Starbaby Enterprises, based on my Food-centric series. In Food for Thought; The Series with author Nancy Dee, I cook some of my favorite meals to share with others and I will be having guests on to share their favorite recipe, or food product, along with the story behind it. I will also cook meals that I describe in The Food for Thought Series. This is the most exciting and surprising development thus far and I am very excited about it!
What did you learn? For instance, what did you learn about yourself, your process, the writing world; about restaurants, chefs, and relationships people have with food?
My main character has issues with food and a poor body image. I write about her struggles and how she learns to love herself and enjoy the food she eats without guilt. I hope her journey and struggles will connect with my readers as women can be so hard on themselves and I wanted to write about that in my series. I have also learned that everyone enjoys a good meal, shared with family, and good friends. Food feeds the soul, connects us all. It is the thread that binds us. We all have coming together for a meal in common. It’s universal and I have found that it doesn’t matter to people where you go to share that meal. It’s really who you are sharing it with that brings the most joy.
Tell us about your other food-related endeavors.
I am so excited about my new cooking show premiering on Footprinttv. That will be the first place it will debut, we are developing this show for other outlets as well. I want to share delicious meals and recipes drawn from my books as well as from family favorites. I will also have guests on Food for Thought; The Series to share their favorite dish, or food related product as we share the story behind it with our viewers. Every meal has history, a story or memory behind it. I will be exploring that theme in my show. It is so special for me to share a recipe with others who will, hopefully, make it a staple in their home. To share a meal, or recipe, and have it become a part of another’s thread of their tapestry is wonderful and what I am aiming for!! I want to share dinner with as many people as I can! What can be better than that? One of my favorite recipes I cook on my show is my grandmother’s chicken and rice. She had brought it over to America from Portugal when she was very young and had cooked it for her family, passing it down for generations. It’s delicious, healthy, and relevant today. I can’t wait to hear from my viewers to see who made it in their kitchen!
Tell us about your writing space and how or why it works for you.
I sit in my sunroom with my dog named Freddy. It has windows on everywhere and I love to look out at my red maple tree.
What are some of your favorite books and why?
There are so many books that I love, I couldn’t possibly name them all, but a few come to mind; Charlottes Web by Stuart Little, when I was young it had such an impact on me, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, A Christmas Carol. It amazes me how relevant that book is today, along with Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin, which also stands the test of time. Kite Runner, and Sarah’s Keys has stayed with me and The Shining by Stephen King had my heart pounding the entire time I had read it which makes it an unforgettable read for me.
What are you working on now?
I am working on Not My Fault, which deals with children as they navigate through their parents devastating divorce written from their perspective. I am also beginning to work on After Dinner Drinks, the fourth installment of the Food for Thought Series.
Would you like to try your hand at writing a different genre? Which one and why?
I would love to attempt a screenplay. I will be exploring options for Food for Thought, The Series for a television series, or movie. I believe Food for Thought would be perfect for this medium as it’s fast paced, scene, and dialogue driven. It wouldn’t be difficult to turn it into a screen play. I will be exploring that at some point. There are many ways I would like to springboard off from this series.
If you were not a writer, what would your real job be?
A teacher, preferably with small children.
What aspect of writing gives you the most trouble?
Making my characters real and relatable. That’s the most difficult aspect of writing for me as well as developing believable dialogue, making my characters come to life. That can be painstaking. Writing is a craft I am always learning from and it’s a process I will always strive to be better at.
In Just Desserts we find Emma Craven's life has become more complicated and difficult to navigate. She's student teaching and working at her husband Gary Parker's restaurant; The Green Spruce Grill. An unexpected pregnancy has Emma's head whirling, and she can't keep up with all the responsibilities she now has in her life. She begins to resent Gary, as his life won't change, while Emma fears she will have to shelve teaching for the time being because she's about to become a mother. Her relationship with Gary's family begins to unravel even further and, for the first time, Emma, takes some responsibility for the problems and misunderstandings she has with others. Black Opal Books
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Nancy DeRosa is a resident of Westchester County, NY. She graduated from SUNY Purchase, NY, with a Bachelor of Arts. Nancy is an actress and published writer of a children’s book; “Lazy Robert” which had been featured in Teacher’s media magazine and women’s fiction; “There’s No Place Like Home, A Penny’s Worth, and Food for Thought; The Series.” Food for Thought; First Course and Second Course is available wherever books are sold. The third installment of The Food for Thought series; “Just Desserts” is due out later this year. Currently, Nancy is working on the fourth installment of Food for Thought; “After Dinner Drinks.”
Among some of the films Nancy has been involved with; she had worked with Chip Hourihan in a supporting role, (director of Frozen River) on his short film; “Twist.” The short film “In Parallel,” in which Nancy had a supporting role, had been accepted and premiered in the Short Film Festival in Canne, 2016. Her feature film; “Home by Now” which she had a supporting role, is now available on Amazon.
Currently, Nancy is rehearsing for the play; “Roundelay” which she has a supporting role. Roundelay will premiere at the White Plains Performing Arts Center, NY, February 25th, 2017.
Nancy had been a member of Actor’s Project NY and has appeared on The Food Network’s “Food Detectives.” Her Food-Centric Series Food for Thought, a cooking and lifestyle show loosely based on her women’s fiction; Food for Thought the Series, will be premiering soon, produced by Starbaby Enterprises. It will debut on Foodytv, and Footprinttv. Nancy is busy working on the fourth installment of The Food for Thought Series; “After Dinner Drinks”, and she is also currently working on a novel about how children deal with a devastating divorce in their family, titled; “Not My Fault.”
Contact Nancy at: fftnancy@aol.com
www.derosabooks.com www.facebook.com/DeRosaBooks.
2 comments:
I know a lot of people who don't have family meals. Great job writing about the things that are important to you through your books. Thanks for joining us today!
I love the premise of your books. Thanks for sharing on our blog!
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