It started with a flash fiction piece I wrote about a group of kitchen slaves plotting to poison their captors so they can escape. Even though it had taken me maybe ten minutes to write that story, it crawled under my skin and stayed. Then I read a couple of Malcolm Nance books positing that Russia is behind a calculated cyber-warfare and disinformation campaign to take down democracy in Europe and America. The “what if” part of my brain started churning. 

Laurie Boris – 15 February 2019

The Back Flap

If an army marches on its stomach, can a cook find a way to win the war?

It’s 2049. In an America torn apart by a long-predicted civil war, Valerie Kipplander—daughter of the assassinated secretary of state—is thrown in jail. When the regime discovers this daughter of privilege is also a talented culinary student, she’s forced into service in the kitchen of a Russian general whose troops occupy New York.

The general’s mansion proves a prison of a different sort. The head chef has a mysterious past, the Russians have a more insidious agenda than what they’ve promised, the resistance wants her on their side, and one of the guards wants her dead.

Valerie knows she must take a stand. The risks are monumental, the choices few. But how long can she serve the men bent on destroying her beloved country?

About the book

What is the book about?

A culinary student is forced to work in the kitchen of the Russian general whose army occupies an America torn apart by a second civil war. Loyalties are uncertain and resistance could be deadly. Her passion for cooking is something of a comfort, but how long can she bear hiding behind the relative safety of her pots and pans while Russia’s plan for her country grows more nefarious?

When did you start writing the book?

I began writing a few key scenes in early 2016, starting with the head chef’s past, most of which got cut from the final novel. Hey, it happens.

 How long did it take you to write it?

It took about three years from start to finish, longer than most of my other books. I put it down to work on other projects; I rewrote it a couple of times based on some really good feedback that helped me expand the scope of the story.

Where did you get the idea from?

A few concepts blended together. It started with a flash fiction piece I wrote about a group of kitchen slaves plotting to poison their captors so they can escape. Even though it had taken me maybe ten minutes to write that story, it crawled under my skin and stayed. Then I read a couple of Malcolm Nance books positing that Russia is behind a calculated cyber-warfare and disinformation campaign to take down democracy in Europe and America. The “what if” part of my brain started churning. What if Russia were successful? What if the technology we’d become so dependent on could no longer be trusted, or was even available? What would an American resistance look like? And…off I went.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

Some of the world-building was a challenge. I had to imagine what the world would/could be like in thirty years, in a complicated geopolitical landscape. How to show what was going on outside of the general’s mansion without totally getting lost there. I was walking a tightrope of suspended disbelief. Too much focus on details would detract from the human element of the story. Too little would leave the characters ungrounded. I think I hit the balance right.

What came easily?

The bond Valerie had with her father, and her memories of him…that came easily. How much she loved him and worried about him; how conflicted she became when she grew old enough to understand that he was a flawed, complicated man who had to make difficult decisions under immense pressure. And the food. I love writing about food. It’s a huge part of the story—food as comfort, for those who cook as well, especially in wartime.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

I may have borrowed a trait or two, from people I’ve met and from myself, but the characters are mostly fictitious. There is no truth to the rumor that the Austrian character came from a certain international company where I was formerly employed.

Do you have a target reader for this book?

First I began writing it for myself, as a way to explore the questions in my head. Then, as I started talking with friends and neighbors about what I was working on, and as they got more excited about it, I had more of a target reader in mind: a reader who not only wants entertainment but something to think about afterward. Maybe one who would like to read a cautionary tale from a mainly female perspective about war, and pride, and patriotism. And food, of course.

How was writing this book different from what you’d experienced writing previous books?

I’ve never written a dystopian story before. I’ve never really done anything political. But I felt driven to write this story. At the time, it was great therapy for me.

What new things did you learn about writing, publishing, and/or yourself while writing and preparing this book for publication?

I had another reminder of how dependent we are on technology…and how easy it would be to disable it. Also, I had some new learning curves to tackle while publishing the book. I tried new software and a new way of printing. I also learned that while I never, ever want to cook some of the things that Valerie had to (woodchuck stew, anyone?), I’m stronger than I thought and I can tolerate more hardships than I believed I could. And that’s good for anyone to have in their pocket.

End of Interview:

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Get your copy of The Kitchen Brigade from Amazon US or Amazon UK.