

Final evening, I used to be fortunate sufficient to speak with my food-writer pal Adam Roberts about his humorous new novel, and I laughed 1,000,000 instances…

We met on the Brooklyn Heights Library, which was shiny and busy (which feels so good this present day!).

Once we walked into the room, we noticed this desk stacked with Adam’s debut novel, Meals Individual. His comedy of manners follows an unemployed meals author, Isabella, who agrees to ghostwrite a cookbook for a badly behaved starlet hoping to revive her profession and popularity. The writing is hilarious and considerate, and the way nice is that cowl?!

Adam’s husband Craig (left) was one of many first to reach — panting after operating to a few totally different branches of the library — and all of us liked Adam’s shirt with embroidered dinner elements.

It was additionally a deal with to fulfill Jenny Jackson, Adam’s editor, and assistant editor Tiara Sharma.


Extra folks poured into the room, together with our beloved Jenny (who had simply gotten a brand new haircut!).

We’ve written posts on what we’ve noticed folks carrying in New York and Paris. As for a micro-trend report on the Brooklyn Heights Library on Cadman Plaza? Gingham! (Right here’s an identical gingham skirt, and an identical gingham tote and polka dot skirt.)

After everybody sat down, Adam and I took to the stage! It was such a pleasure to speak about books, meals, marriage, all of the issues.
Right here’s the video of our dialog, in the event you’d like to look at 🙂 It’s somewhat blurry, however hopefully that’s charming!
A fast breakdown, in the event you’d like to leap round:
4:15: Why Adam jogs my memory of a jaunty younger chef in a Pixar film
4:40: Why Adam is “a modern-day Nora Ephron.”
5:05: Adam’s robust ideas on bagels
5:16: Adam’s robust ideas on tuna (and my not figuring out methods to pronounce “abstemious”)
6:10: Shifting from L.A. to NYC
13:25: What Hollywood actors Adam would forged within the film model of his ebook
18:25: The nuts and bolts of writing a novel
24:00: How Adam hosts FIFTY DINNER PARTIES per yr and his suggestions for low-stress entertaining
26:31: Adam’s tackle essentially the most controversial factor we’ve ever written on Cup of Jo: that you need to be 10-Quarter-hour late for a cocktail party.
28:35: Probably the most controversial factor Adam ever wrote
33:35: Adam and his husband Craig’s secret to a cheerful marriage
37:29: How NYC isn’t at all times good, nevertheless it’s form
38:50: Viewers Q&A


Such an exquisite evening!!! Thanks a lot for having me, Adam! In case you’d like, you could find his ebook right here and comply with his e-newsletter right here. Thanks for studying. xoxo
(Pictures by Nato Tuke for Cup of Jo)