Have an Authentic Voice

Last week I interviewed Carl Raymond on Kitchen Chat. Carl is the Director of Marketing for Guideposts Books and an excellent chef who is graciously guiding me around some of my culinary challenges for my work-in-process novel. On the show, Carl shared an essential ingredient for any bestseller: Have an authentic voice.

That is so true, isn’t it? As readers, we can always tell if the author of a fiction or non-fiction book has a passion and connection with what he/she is writing. It’s an intangible quality that cannot be processed --- like a scrumptious strawberry on a hot summer day. The story that grips our heart or the page turning plot of a book---those are the ingredients that entice us to stay up until three in the morning with imaginary characters that seem so real. What are you reading that is keeping you up late at night?

Also, for more advice for writers and great cooking tips for chefs, download Carl Raymond’s podcast free from Kitchen Chat.
Kitchen Chat with Carl Raymond 03-19-2010

Tomorrow on Kitchen Chat: Dallas Jenkins!

Join me on Friday as I chat with the ever fascinating Dallas Jenkins from Jenkins Entertainment!
Jenkins Entertainment was formed by Jerry B. Jenkins and his son Dallas in February of 2000. Within a year, they had completed shooting on their first feature, the $2 million independent film, Hometown Legend. After a limited theatrical run, the film was distributed to VHS/DVD by Warner Brothers in August of 2002 and has thus far sold over 300,000 units. After a brief run on Country Music Television, it recently aired as the Sunday Night Feature on ABC Family and is being distributed all over the world. It was named by Movieguide as one of the Top Ten Family Films of 2002.

In 2004 and 2005, Jenkins Entertainment completed two short films: Cliché (in which every line, scene, and character is a movie cliché), and Midnight Clear (based on Jerry’s short story), both of which Jerry executive produced and Dallas directed. In 2007 they produced, and Dallas directed, the feature film Midnight Clear, based on the short. It won several festival awards and was released by Lionsgate in December 2007. They recently completed their latest feature, What If…, scheduled to be released in fall 2010.

ABOUT DALLAS JENKINS

Dallas Jenkins produced the independent feature Hometown Legend at the age of 25 and supervised every aspect of the production, from completion of the script to distribution by Warner Brothers. Dallas made his directing debut with the short film Cliché, which FilmThreat.com called “Fast and funny...ingenious,” and his next short film, Midnight Clear, starring Stephen Baldwin, won a Crystal Heart Award from the Heartland Film Festival and was the opening night selection of the San Diego Film Festival. He is the co-executive producer of Though None Go With Me, a Hallmark Channel feature that aired in April 2006. In 2007 he directed and produced Midnight Clear, based on the short, which won awards in festivals all over the country, including the Cinequest Film Festival’s Special Jury Prize for “Best First Feature,” and the “Audience Favorite” award at the Kansas Int’l Film Festival,. It was released by Lionsgate in December 2007. He recently completed directing his latest feature What If…, scheduled for release in fall of 2010.
Dallas shares his foolproof steak recipe with us! YUM!
Don't miss it!

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

TOMORROW on Kitchen Chat: Carl Raymond

I'm thrilled about this week's guest - Carl is an amazing man who wears many hats. In some circles he's known Carlas Chef Carl and in other circles he's best known for his publishing expertize with Guideposts as the director of Marketing.

Carl's culinary passions began years ago combining his New England roots with interests in world cuisine. After spending a year living and studying in France, he returned to the United States and continued his studies in language and culture. He has studied at the French Culinary Institute and holds a diploma with highest honors in culinary arts from New York’s Institute of Culinary Education. Through extensive travel in Europe, notably France and Italy, Carl refined his passion and deepened his knowledge of regional cooking of southern France, Provence, Burgundy, Italy and Greece. He has studied Italian cuisine with such luminaries as Guiliano Bugialli, Anna Teresa Callen and Giulano Hazan. Additional studies have included coursework in food journalism with Alan Richman and food styling with Delores Custer. One of Carl's passions is the cuisine of India and he has taken class with Suvir Saran and has studied privately with Julie Sahni.

Carl has spent the major part of his career in the world of food media including both publishing and television. As former Publishing Director for adult readers at DK Publishing/Penguin he created a US based food and wine publishing program acquiring and launching such titles are MORIMOTO: THE NEW ART OF JAPANESE COOKING which was nominated for the prestigious James Beard and IACP awards. In addition, he published such acclaimed titles as THE ETHNIC PARIS COOKBOOK, IN THE KENNEDY KITCHEN, and SPAIN AND THE WORLD TABLE with the Culinary Institute of America among others. He has worked as a culinary researcher for After Five productions, producers of Emeril Lagasse television. In addition, he has worked as a recipe tester with the Food Network and has written and developed recipes for Rodale's PREVENTION magazine.

He lives on Manhattan's Upper West Side and continues to follow his culinary passions around the world. He is fluent in French and Italian and is currently at work on his own series of books. You can find out more by visiting his culinary blog.

Please call in with your questions during the show: 1-877-864-4869

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

Tomorrow on Kitchen Chat: Susan May Warren!

Join me as I chat with the oh-so-talented author Susan May Warren. We'll hear some surprises from her past as well as some funny stuff from the present. Susan will also be sharing about her latest releases Sons of Thunder, book one in her Brothers in Arms collection and Double Trouble, book two in her PJ Sugar series.
Susan is not only a writer, but she mentors writer's too. She's joined forces with Rachel Hauck and Sarah Anne Sumpolec to create a story-crafting service, My Book Therapy. If you haven't been to one of My Book Therapy's reatreats - sign up TODAY! The next one is in Seattle for all you northwesterners. Also, be sure to sign up for the Voices eZine - so many useful articles and tips.

Have a question for Susan - call in to the show: 1-877-864-4869

Here is the official bio for Susan: Susan May Warren is the RITA award-winning author of twenty-four novels with Tyndale, Barbour and Steeple Hill. A four-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Book of the Year.

Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!) A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at: www.susanmaywarren.com
Don't miss the contest Susan is running for Sons of Thunder - visit the SHARE page at the Brothers In Arms website and share a bit of your family history for your chance to win a Memory Prize Pack (a hardback photo memory book, a 6-month membership to Netflix, and more)!

Win a copy of Double Trouble and Sons of Thunder by leaving a comment on Susan's segment post here (along with your email address!)

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

Need your help ... !

for a new project! I'm putting together a proposal for my next project. (Details will be forthcoming!) The topic is loss/grief. If you would be willing to answer a few short questions please email Amy Lathrop amy@pearlgirls.info and she will send you a brief description and a few questions!

I would be so grateful if you would share your thoughts, experiences, input on this difficult topic.

Thank you.

TOMMORROW on Kitchen Chat: Julie Papievis

Join me this week as I chat with my dear friend and co-author Julie Papievis! She'll be answering your questions on Kitchen Chat this Friday. Call in 1-877-864-4869 or send your questions via twitter! Also, leave a comment on Julie's segment post here to win a copy of Julie's book.

I co-wrote Julie's story, Go Back and Be Happy in 2008. Her story is AMAZING! In Julie Papievis' words: On May 10, 1993 my life was changed forever because someone ran a red light. Featured on Lifetime's "Beyond Chance", CNN, Woman's Day Magazine, and top ranked WB's WGN News, my story is gaining national attention. After a life-threatening car accident, I suffered a severe brain stem injury and medically died, rating a "3", the lowest number possible on the Glascow Coma Scale.

According to medical experts, 96% of the people with such a severe injury either die or remain permanently comatose. The few who survive typically face a non-functional life. I completely beat the odds even though I remained in a coma for over a month. Paralyzed and unconscious, I was transferred to the locked brain injury wing of a rehabilitation facility, where I awakened with vivid memories of my near death experience. During "death" I saw my grandmothers in heaven. They instructed me to "Go back and be happy" and assured me that my body would heal.

Although medical experts said I would never walk again, or be able to take care of myself, I didn't listen. I believed the words of my grandmothers. Through extensive therapy, I relearned how to stand, walk, and swallow. However, I faced the daunting challenge of facing the able-bodied world as a disabled person. After overcoming paralysis and battling severe depression, I embraced my gift of recovery as a true miracle. In 1999, I ran in a 5K race near Chicago on Mother's Day! In February 2007, I completed my first triathlon. I have become an advocate for other survivors looking for hope and guidance.

I hope my story of faith and determination offers an inspirational and practical approach to dealing with sudden changes in life. Like an oyster, I transformed the unexpected "grit" in my life into a precious pearl. Visit the Julie's website.

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!