"LITERARY STUFFING" THANKSGIVING INTERVIEW WITH JAMIE PATTERSON, AUTHOR OF "LOST EDENS"
Thank you again for donating a book for the "Literary Stuffings" giveaway. Can you tell us more about the book you donated?
Lost Edens is a memoir that chronicles the last week of my first marriage. It touches on issues like family, love, loss, and letting go.
This time of year is usually a warm and happy time with friends and family, how do you usually spend Thanksgiving every year?
I come from a very long line of scavengers--no one in my family cooks. We've been known to go out for Thanksgiving dinner. Sometimes my mom would even order the pre-made dinners from the grocery store so we could have proper leftovers like everyone else. Even if our Thanksgiving isn't centered around food, we're always together.
Can you remember one of your most happiest Thanksgivings?
During my freshman year of college, my older sister was studying abroad in London so we all (parents, brothers) flew across the pond to see her. Our Thanksgiving dinner that year was at a Pizza Hut near Piccadilly. My sister and I were born in the U.K. and our family has friends there so a day or two after Thanksgiving we went to a family friend's house and had a real Thanksgiving meal. I think this Thanksgiving stands out more than the others because we had--and our U.K. friends had--to make a real effort to celebrate (or to help us celebrate!). Again, the important thing is that we were together.
What's your favorite thing about Thanksgiving?
Apple pie!
Some families have traditions they do every year, does your family have a tradition that goes along with Thanksgiving?
One tradition my family has is to go around the table (wherever that table might be or whatever might be upon it) and say what we're thankful for. It's a simple tradition that is nice because it really does cause me to pause and be grateful for all the wonderful people and things in my life.
Food is always one of the biggest things about this time of year, do you have a favorite desert or even a recipe you'd like to share with us?
Some day I hope to be the kind of person who has recipes. I recently started "cooking" and my repertoire consists of scrambled eggs and rice cereal. Embarrassing, I know. My favorite desert this time of year is apple pie. My youngest brother is a wonderful baker (as the youngest he really had to fend for himself and learn at least how to turn the oven on) and can make it from scratch, which, for me, is an amazing feat. He's stationed in Japan and won't be home until Christmas, at which point he'll be put to work in the kitchen!
There are so many ways to cook a turkey, does your family have a special way of getting the big bird ready, perhaps a special ingredient or stuffing?
I'm always entertained by stories each year of families who fry their turkeys and end up burning the garage down. My family uses stories like these as one more reason to have someone else do the cooking. I know by now you might be wondering how my mother managed to raise four children without knowing how to cook--we ate a lot of spaghetti! My mom has, however, always been great at whipping up a batch of Stove Top Stuffing, a staple on our Thanksgiving menu.
After eating all that food and settling in for the evening what do you do with the time that's left before bed?
My family is incredibly competitive and the game we look forward to after Thanksgiving dinner is Scrabble. I think our competitiveness is driven a bit by the mobile game Words With Friends. If we're not playing games, there's always a puzzle out waiting for people to come solve it. My 2-year-old niece already has the competitive drive and can spend a solid half hour trying to figure out a puzzle (an incredible amount of time for a 2-year-old!).
Is there any other information you'd care to share with us about your books that are out now or any upcoming releases?
I've so enjoyed chatting with people who have read Lost Edens and always welcome conversation either via email or book club. If you've read the book and have questions, please don't hesitate to ask. I'm working on a follow-up to Lost Edens that I hope will be completed (the first draft, anyway!) within the year.
This was so fun, Kitty! Thanks so much for the opportunity.
Jamie Patterson is a writer, teacher, runner, and dog owner who spent most of her twenties trying to please everyone she encountered and help everyone she met. She has a Master’s degree in Language and Literature from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. A former spokesperson for the American Red Cross and the Girl Scouts, Jamie is a frequent flier based in Minneapolis, and an academic editor with Walden University. Visit with Jamie at www.lostedens.com and join her fans on Facebook. Some proceeds from the sale of Lost Edens go toThe Institute for Human Animal Connection.
Read more: http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=interviews&thread=825#ixzz1diSZax3K
Thank you again for donating a book for the "Literary Stuffings" giveaway. Can you tell us more about the book you donated?
Lost Edens is a memoir that chronicles the last week of my first marriage. It touches on issues like family, love, loss, and letting go.
This time of year is usually a warm and happy time with friends and family, how do you usually spend Thanksgiving every year?
I come from a very long line of scavengers--no one in my family cooks. We've been known to go out for Thanksgiving dinner. Sometimes my mom would even order the pre-made dinners from the grocery store so we could have proper leftovers like everyone else. Even if our Thanksgiving isn't centered around food, we're always together.
Can you remember one of your most happiest Thanksgivings?
During my freshman year of college, my older sister was studying abroad in London so we all (parents, brothers) flew across the pond to see her. Our Thanksgiving dinner that year was at a Pizza Hut near Piccadilly. My sister and I were born in the U.K. and our family has friends there so a day or two after Thanksgiving we went to a family friend's house and had a real Thanksgiving meal. I think this Thanksgiving stands out more than the others because we had--and our U.K. friends had--to make a real effort to celebrate (or to help us celebrate!). Again, the important thing is that we were together.
What's your favorite thing about Thanksgiving?
Apple pie!
Some families have traditions they do every year, does your family have a tradition that goes along with Thanksgiving?
One tradition my family has is to go around the table (wherever that table might be or whatever might be upon it) and say what we're thankful for. It's a simple tradition that is nice because it really does cause me to pause and be grateful for all the wonderful people and things in my life.
Food is always one of the biggest things about this time of year, do you have a favorite desert or even a recipe you'd like to share with us?
Some day I hope to be the kind of person who has recipes. I recently started "cooking" and my repertoire consists of scrambled eggs and rice cereal. Embarrassing, I know. My favorite desert this time of year is apple pie. My youngest brother is a wonderful baker (as the youngest he really had to fend for himself and learn at least how to turn the oven on) and can make it from scratch, which, for me, is an amazing feat. He's stationed in Japan and won't be home until Christmas, at which point he'll be put to work in the kitchen!
There are so many ways to cook a turkey, does your family have a special way of getting the big bird ready, perhaps a special ingredient or stuffing?
I'm always entertained by stories each year of families who fry their turkeys and end up burning the garage down. My family uses stories like these as one more reason to have someone else do the cooking. I know by now you might be wondering how my mother managed to raise four children without knowing how to cook--we ate a lot of spaghetti! My mom has, however, always been great at whipping up a batch of Stove Top Stuffing, a staple on our Thanksgiving menu.
After eating all that food and settling in for the evening what do you do with the time that's left before bed?
My family is incredibly competitive and the game we look forward to after Thanksgiving dinner is Scrabble. I think our competitiveness is driven a bit by the mobile game Words With Friends. If we're not playing games, there's always a puzzle out waiting for people to come solve it. My 2-year-old niece already has the competitive drive and can spend a solid half hour trying to figure out a puzzle (an incredible amount of time for a 2-year-old!).
Is there any other information you'd care to share with us about your books that are out now or any upcoming releases?
I've so enjoyed chatting with people who have read Lost Edens and always welcome conversation either via email or book club. If you've read the book and have questions, please don't hesitate to ask. I'm working on a follow-up to Lost Edens that I hope will be completed (the first draft, anyway!) within the year.
This was so fun, Kitty! Thanks so much for the opportunity.
Jamie Patterson is a writer, teacher, runner, and dog owner who spent most of her twenties trying to please everyone she encountered and help everyone she met. She has a Master’s degree in Language and Literature from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. A former spokesperson for the American Red Cross and the Girl Scouts, Jamie is a frequent flier based in Minneapolis, and an academic editor with Walden University. Visit with Jamie at www.lostedens.com and join her fans on Facebook. Some proceeds from the sale of Lost Edens go toThe Institute for Human Animal Connection.
Read more: http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=interviews&thread=825#ixzz1diSZax3K
RSS Feed