How writers dine

So when I met up with Katie Cushman for lunch last week, I brought along all kinds of stuff. There were the books I wanted her to sign (I made her sign them right there at the table, giggling at the sidelong glances from various wait staff). And the magazine from my recent vacation that had an ad in it featuring one of the models from the cover of Katie's book--seriously, it was her, only this time, instead of looking downcast over the tragic events of her life, she was curling a bicep under the weight of a small barbell (yeah--it was a gym ad).

Then while Katie waited for her corn chowder to arrive, I flopped open the pages of another mag.

"Look at this," I said.

"Hm."

"I want to write a book about this," I continued, pointing at one small paragraph in an article I'd found in my favorite magazine. I waited as she read the nugget that had caught my attention.

"I like it!"

And just like that, an idea received a bit of nourishment as we talked about what kind of book this might one day become.

Brainstorming while eating is nothing new to me. Come to think of it, my mom and I have had storyboarding breakfasts for years. And hubby often listens to me drone carry on during dinner about some idea I've been cooking up. Hm. So while it's all about the food or the wine or the service for some, for writerly folks it's more about the story--pass the 'what ifs', por favor?