Ask the Author: Jessica Lipowski
Answered Questions (6)
Jessica Lipowski
Right now, I'm reading the "Outlander" series, and I absolutely love Claire and Jamie's relationship. Makes my heart melt, to read about a love like theirs. If I can pick another (and I hope I don't sound too cliche), Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett from "Pride and Prejudice."
Jessica Lipowski
Knowing that my words impact someone, somewhere in the world.
Jessica Lipowski
Marketing and promoting my book, Flavors of Life! What comes next, though? That’s a good question. Depending on how everything pans out, I am potentially interested in publishing another book. I have a few ideas in mind, but would like to develop them further before publicly commenting on the concepts. Regardless of where life leads me, writing will continue to be a part of my life.
Jessica Lipowski
The idea for Flavors of Life can be traced to one sunny afternoon in August, 2012. While exploring Amsterdam, my partner, Matthijs, and I discovered a Caribbean restaurant. It got us thinking, surfacing several unanswered questions. What makes a Caribbean restaurant, a Caribbean restaurant? What kind of food do they serve? Who is the owner? Is the owner from a country in the Caribbean or just a fan? Why did they open this restaurant in Amsterdam, of all places?
These thoughts led us to another realization, reflecting on just how international Amsterdam really is. We heard the statistics outlining how many nationalities call Amsterdam home (180), however, it wasn’t until we looked closer that we saw how diversity has impacted the restaurant scene. Furthermore, I knew why I moved to Amsterdam, but it made me curious why everyone else chose this small, yet beautiful and open-minded city. For a while, I had been tinkering with a few different book ideas, but for one reason or another they just weren’t feasible at the time. When we stumbled upon this Caribbean restaurant, it resonated with me that many others experienced similar dreams.
Additionally, we often read reviews, newspaper articles, and Blog posts about the restaurants, specifically detailing quality of the food, friendliness and promptness of the service, and cleanliness of the establishment, yet what is often forgotten is the person who created the experience: the owner. From a young age, I have been captivated by good stories. I love meeting people and hearing about their life. Combined with my journalistic background and passion for writing human-interest pieces, not to mention my love for fabulous food, I decided to interview international restaurant owners, digging into their history – from childhood to present day – to discover exactly how they got involved in the restaurant industry, as well as how they ended up in Amsterdam.
These thoughts led us to another realization, reflecting on just how international Amsterdam really is. We heard the statistics outlining how many nationalities call Amsterdam home (180), however, it wasn’t until we looked closer that we saw how diversity has impacted the restaurant scene. Furthermore, I knew why I moved to Amsterdam, but it made me curious why everyone else chose this small, yet beautiful and open-minded city. For a while, I had been tinkering with a few different book ideas, but for one reason or another they just weren’t feasible at the time. When we stumbled upon this Caribbean restaurant, it resonated with me that many others experienced similar dreams.
Additionally, we often read reviews, newspaper articles, and Blog posts about the restaurants, specifically detailing quality of the food, friendliness and promptness of the service, and cleanliness of the establishment, yet what is often forgotten is the person who created the experience: the owner. From a young age, I have been captivated by good stories. I love meeting people and hearing about their life. Combined with my journalistic background and passion for writing human-interest pieces, not to mention my love for fabulous food, I decided to interview international restaurant owners, digging into their history – from childhood to present day – to discover exactly how they got involved in the restaurant industry, as well as how they ended up in Amsterdam.
Jessica Lipowski
Write! Just do it; a book doesn’t write itself. If you feel you have a good idea or concept, do your research, and make a plan. Don’t be afraid to ask for assistance. Most of all, trust your gut, believe in yourself, and don’t give up on your dreams. Even if it takes 5, 10, or 20 years to complete, the blood, sweat, and tears will be worth it. All it takes is that first step…
Jessica Lipowski
I sometimes look at a blank page for hours, not knowing where to begin. When this happens I do one of three things. 1. I write down anything, literally. Sometimes all I need is to get that first word on paper. 2. Go through the interview transcription and start outlining facts. That helps get my thoughts in order. 3. Do something else, like Pilates, watch a television show, read a book, or cook dinner. That often helps get the creative juices flowing.
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