Goodreads asked Jessica Tom:

Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Jessica Tom There were three factors:

I knew I wanted to write about food, but was daunted by the idea of starting a blog or doing freelance writing assignments. There are so many people out there! Does my voice offer anything new? Where was my expertise? Well, my expertise was in fiction writing (that was my college minor)… so I decided to parlay my love of food into fiction, where I knew I'd have a better shot of making a mark.

My friend Alex told me of two friends who piqued my interest: A friend who went to Harvard and was now working coat check at Eleven Madison Park. And a friend who couldn't taste so tended to eat very spicy, highly textured foods (buffalo wings, for example).

I also wanted to write the book I wanted to read: a fun NYC novel with serious food settings that ring true. I had a lot of NYC restaurant knowledge, and I knew I could create a convincing world in a book.

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