Book Review: Eating Wildly by Ava Chin

"My grandfather, a former Toisanese village boy turned Chinese restaurant worker, taught me how to eat. Grandpa spoke an English so informed by the cadence of his dialect that he didn't talk so much as bark, so that he often sounded like he was yelling from across a muddy field rather than just across the kitchen table. He had learned to saute, braise, and sear from the cooks at the various Manhattan restaurants in which he worked. His palate was so diversified that he could make almost anything well. Sometimes it was a whole fish from head to tail -- first steamed, then drizzled with a piping-hot medley of ginger, scallions, garlic, and sesame oil. Soy sauce chicken wings dripping in a brown sugar glaze. American fried chicken dipped in a garlic-ginger batter that had my friends sighing with delight -- even the ones with hard-core Southern roots often asked from seconds."

 --Excerpted from Eating Wildly

Part memoir, part foraging guide, occasional cookbook, Eating Wildly: Foraging for Life, Love, and the Perfect Meal is a delight. Eating Wildly received the 2015 MFK Fischer Book Award. Library Journal chose it as one of the Best Books of 2014. If you haven't yet read Ava Chin's delightful book - newly available in paperback -- you're in for a treat.

The book chronicles Chin's relationships with food and with her family. It follows her as she forages delicious edibles in the unlikeliest of places in New York City. I live in the middle of the rural Midwest, and I was pleasantly surprised to recognize the plants Chin mentioned; I realized that if I ended up in NYC, I might encounter a few familiar (green) friends.

I'm a sucker for non-cookbooks that include recipes. I like the idea that these are "tried and true" favorites that had to be included because the narrative insisted. Chin doesn't disappoint: Of the several recipes in Eating Wildly, the Blackberry-Buckwheat Pancakes and Wild Morel Linguini are especially worthy. Omnomnom...

One thing that could make the book even better would be photos or illustrations of the plants Chin finds. (I mean -- if you're going to pick and eat a novel sprig of something growing out of the ground, you want to be pretty darn sure you're noshing on the right thing.) To that end, Chin has posted a few of The Plants & Mushrooms of Eating Wildly on her blog. Though even more pictures would be welcome, Eating Wildly is more than a mere field guide.

Much of the book's charm is in its exploration of Chin's life. Her fractured relationship with her mother, her attempts to connect with her absentee father, her lessons in cuisine and culture from her grandparents, and her forays into the wilderness of adult relationships all add flavor to the book.

I found myself repeatedly rooting for Chin, whether she was hunting an elusive morsel or searching for her soulmate. When she throws a foraging Wild Foods Brunch, only to have someone question one of her ingredients, I'm pulling for her to be right -- and not just so her guests survive the event. When she tries again and again to forge a relationship with her flighty mother, I'm there, hoping that this time, she succeeds.

Full disclosure: I met Ava Chin when she came to a booksigning at the little independent bookstore here in Southwestern Michigan. She is friends with Kim Jorgensen Gane, who co-facilitates the #Write2TheEnd writer's workshops with me. Ava dubbed us "The Thelma and Louise of writing coaching." (I'm Louise. No doubt about it.) So -- yeah, I know her. And, yeah, I'd still recommend the book even if we'd never met. Check out the book for yourself. See if you agree with me...

Advice on "Should I Write This Book and Tell My Story?"

or, Book Proposal 101

A few days ago, I received an e-mail from a person who is uncomfortable being called a "writer," but who feels compelled to write and share a very personal story. The e-mail briefly outlined the situation and the person's involvement in the story. It then asked my advice on the viability of this non-writer undertaking such a project.

These sorts of letters are not uncommon. I routinely get several e-mails a month from "non-writers" who want my opinion on whether or not a project that they are crazy about has merit.

To be fair, I rarely say "No." But then, I am not a publisher.

(Book industry joke: Q: How does a book get published?
A: Someone forgets to say "no.")

On the other hand, my advice is rarely full of warm fuzzies, either. Here, in a nutshell, is the gist of what I suggest...

I firmly believe that the most important thing for any book, movie, or other undertaking is a passion to see it through to completion. That must drive every project. With it, every project has a chance of success. Without it, every project -- no matter how valid or potentially interesting -- is doomed.

If you hope to write a successful book or screenplay, you must have a real passion for it. If it is a non-fiction project, you must want to share your experience with others in the hope that you can benefit those who identify with you and who share your experiences. If you have such a passion, then I would encourage you to follow this project through. (If not, drop it. Now.)

The only thing that makes a person a "writer" is that the person writes. You don't need to be a fast typist or an eloquent speaker. If you have a great story to tell, you owe it to people who could benefit from that story to tell it.

Some advice on the writing aspect of producing a non-fiction book:

Determine what you want to say. Since your story is true, it will have a very personal feel to it. Decide how closely you will adhere to the truth and where you wish to change names, dates, places, times, or anything else you feel the need to change in order to protect your privacy or the privacy of those you love.

As you develop this project, keep in mind your reasons for writing it in the first place. Articulate these. Keep them before you as the project progresses. They will help keep you focused and on track.

One of your first priorities is to construct a working outline. Don't let this scare you. Jot down 10 to 15 topics that you want to talk about in your project. Underneath each topic, make a list of the things you'd like to discuss about it. Each of these, then, will become a chapter. Your outline will become your working Table of Contents.

Take the chapter or the section that most interests you and write it. Say all the stuff you want to say about it. Pour your heart out. Explore all the avenues you wish. Show it to people you trust. Get their advice. Incorporate the advice you like. Throw out the advice you don't. Make that the best chapter you possibly can.

Then, write a short paragraph explaining what each of the other chapters would be like. Explain what their contents would be, giving examples where relevant.

When those two steps are done, you have the beginnings of a book proposal. You’ll have outlined the entire project AND you will have written one complete chapter.

The next step in the process is essentially writing up a marketing plan to show the publisher, editor and / or agent how timely, viable, and salable your book is. Again – don’t let this scare you. You can finish it in a day, but it’s not the place to begin… Don't do this until you have proven to yourself that you really do have something to say about this subject, and that you can make yourself write at least one chapter -- a good one -- that is worthy of publication.

Now, some comments on marketing -- the other half of the book business:

You can sell a non-fiction book on the proposal. The book does not have to be completed before it is sold. As you develop the project, however, bear in mind that the thing publishers really look for is a platform. They want to know how an author is going to get the word out about a book, and how the author can help drive sales. (Publishing is a business. It’s all about the bottom line.)

Start planning for this and developing your platform now. Tell people you are working on a book project. Look for organizations, individuals, speakers, celebrities, or others with a wide-reaching audience who could get excited about your book and help you move it.

If you write a book just by yourself, no matter how good it is, you will need help getting the word out. But if you have a well-known speaker, or national organization, or advocate for your topic in your corner who will gladly tell the world about how wonderful and important your book is, publishers will sit up and take notice.

Start a list of people who might give you a written endorsement (those blurbs on the covers of books only get there because someone asked someone else to write them). Start another list of people who you wish would give you a written endorsement. Start educating yourself about the realities of the publishing industry. The more familiar you are with it, the less likely you are to be intimidated by it or to be taken advantage of by unscrupulous predators.

In my experience, people are often amazed about how involved they need to be in the business and marketing aspects of their books. Those who are aware of the need for a platform early in their projects often have a leg up on those who have drafted a manuscript and then find themselves swimming in a sea of "Now What?"

In short, I tell writers (and non-writers with good ideas) that if you have a great idea, you owe it to that idea to give it an audience. That means educating yourself about both the craft of writing and the business of marketing. Then, act on that knowledge and make it happen!