St. Petersburg writer Tracey Enerson
Wood comes from a family steeped in military tradition. A member of a
multigenerational military family and an active-duty military spouse for thirty
years, Wood decided to use her writing talent to honor veterans in a unique way
– by chronicling their tales in a cookbook. “I thought about how our family
enjoyed getting together around the dinner table and telling stories over a
meal,” she says. “Then I thought about all the stories that would fade away if
they weren’t documented, and I decided that’s what I needed to do.” The result is Homefront Cooking:
Recipes, Wit and Wisdom from American Veterans and Their Loved Ones, a
cookbook Wood describes as “a little piece of American history.”
Wood came to Florida from Alaska in
2011. “It was paradise,” she says. “After eight years in Alaska, I was ready to
thaw out on the beach.” The retired registered nurse was also ready to
pursue her more creative side. She studied interior design and started her own
business. She also decided to try her hand at writing.
“I always enjoyed writing,” she
says. “I wrote some columns for trade magazines and a few short stories. I also
wrote a play. Seeing my work on the stage was the most thrilling thing ever.”
After taking two years of writing courses, she wrote a screenplay. “It was a
big, splashy historical. I was told that it would be too expensive to produce
as a movie, so it was suggested that I write it as a novel.” So she spent
another two years working on The Engineer’s Wife, a historical novel
based on the woman who got the Brooklyn Bridge built. “I like to write about
women who are little known in history,” she says. The Engineer‘s Wife
will be released by Sourcebooks in April, 2020, and is available for pre-order
at all major booksellers.
For Wood, the most difficult thing about being a writer is the solitary nature of the craft. “Most writers are more introverted.
I’m not. The long hours in isolation are hard for me. It takes a tremendous
amount of time, dedication and discipline to do good work. I’d rather be out
playing." So Wood began collecting stories
from veterans and their families to create a cookbook/memoir that spans from
the Civil War through today’s battlefields in the Middle East. “The
biggest challenge was getting recalcitrant veterans to share their stories,”
Wood admits.
The project caught the attention of
celebrity chef Robert Irvine who contributed his personal recipe for Braised
Beef Shortribs. All author proceeds from Homefront Cooking
will be donated to the Robert Irvine Foundation, an organization that supports
military personnel and first responders.
Wood is very pleased with the public
response to Homefront Cooking. In fact, plans are being considered for Homefront
Cooking 2 which may focus on regional recipes. “I want readers to learn
something, maybe a little piece of history they didn’t know, or find a favorite
recipe or a story they find meaningful,” Woods says. “I also hope the
book will give readers a sense of pride in being an American and a feeling of
love and respect for our veterans.”
HomeFront Cooking now available
here:
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