Greetings from my home in northern Ontario,
I was prompted to write a food memoir a few years after receiving an official diagnosis of celiac disease (CD). Being a clueless amateur with no writing credentials, I foolishly thought I could whip up a book in a matter of weeks, and then head off on what would surely be an epic book tour where, surely to God, throngs of people would be awaiting my arrival at quaint little book shops in Manhattan and LA.
The year I started my little project was 2010, and although the book completion took a little longer than anticipated to finish (wink! wink!), it's off for publication. My rookie dreams of instant success, as most new writers surely hope for, have long ago clashed with reality, and there's no need for me to get spruced up while waiting to be whisked off by limousine for book signings. But I'm still hopeful my book will find an audience.
The vignettes in the memoir chronicle growing up in Toronto's Little Italy in the '60s, which nurtured my love of food, and the difficulties encountered when diagnosed with CD (along with other auto-immune conditions), that would forever alter my cherished, simple way of life. Chronic anxiety has compounded my challenges, but I eventually learned the hard way that it's better to laugh rather than cry for sanity's sake.
The search to find reading material relatable to my situation proved fruitless. I didn't want a flowery book of nonsense telling me how wonderful it was to live with ridiculously regimented dietary restrictions, I wanted something that might comfort me through transitions I didn't want to make. It turns out there was a bigger picture, and over time my refocusing led to acceptance.
The painting you see above is old - it was my first acrylic, and since I'm moving forward it seemed like the right one to post. Now that the book is complete, I'll go back to being a clueless amateur painter - which suits me just fine. When I'm not painting, I hope I can create a space here to talk about whatever seems worthwhile sharing. Perhaps issues related to CD; or sharing some of my favourite gluten-free (GF) go-to staples; or how external factors can test the resolve to keep making the right lifestyle choices; or whether its time to run away with a travelling caravan of carnival barkers.
I'd also like to add up front that I'm the self-annointed Queen of Grammatical Errors, and no one is editing my posts.
Thank you if you're here, and we'll see how things go!
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