Final night time, I used to be fortunate sufficient to talk with my food-writer buddy Adam Roberts about his humorous new novel, and I laughed one million occasions…

We met on the Brooklyn Heights Library, which was brilliant 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 Particular person. 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 repute. 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 working to a few completely different branches of the library — and all of us cherished Adam’s shirt with embroidered dinner substances.

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

Extra individuals 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 individuals 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 analogous gingham skirt, and an analogous gingham tote and polka dot skirt.)

After everybody sat down, Adam and I took to the stage! It was such a pleasure to talk about books, meals, marriage, all of the issues.

Right here’s the video of our dialog, should you’d like to observe 🙂 It’s a bit of blurry, however hopefully that’s charming!

A fast breakdown, should 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 understanding easy methods to pronounce “abstemious”)

6:10: Transferring 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 ideas for low-stress entertaining

26:31: Adam’s tackle probably the most controversial factor we’ve ever written on Cup of Jo: that you ought to be 10-Quarter-hour late for a cocktail party.

28:35: Essentially 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 all the time good, however it’s form

38:50: Viewers Q&A

Such a beautiful night time!!! Thanks a lot for having me, Adam! For those who’d like, you could find his ebook right here and observe his e-newsletter right here. Thanks for studying. xoxo

(Photographs by Nato Tuke for Cup of Jo)