About Rita
I'm a first-generation American—Mom was German, Dad was Lithuanian—born and raised in Michigan. After moving four times in five years without staying in the same time zone, my husband Tim and I settled in rural northern Virginia. Here on our homestead we have two dogs, one cat, eighteen chickens, and three beehives. We have a large vegetable and herb garden, fruit and nut trees, and I finally got my first saffron harvest this past fall. My husband, Tim, built for me the most amazing greenhouse from old windows we collected on our journeys, and it's becoming my sanctuary—my "She Chalet"—because it's so much more than a shed.
Photos by Molly Steele MSteelePhotography.com
I've grown and cooked food all my life. And it was over a marvelous dinner at the singular restaurant Légende in Quebec City that the idea for The Forager Chefs Club first emerged. That restaurant has a focus on the culinary history of the area and, when Tim and I dined there the first time, we were told that all ingredients in the kitchen could be sourced within a 50-mile radius. Tim and I love to watch cooking competition shows, and much of our dinner conversation was around how interesting it would be to have a competition that focused on what could be sourced from a specific region. I grew up in Michigan—that state that is largely isolated from its neighbors by the Great Lakes, and is, in many ways, a region unto itself. And so the idea for my second novel was born over a fabulous meal at Légende. I heartily endorse a visit to Quebec City and that singular restaurant, and am grateful for its inspiration.
I wrote my first novel, Paper & Ink, Flesh & Blood because reading has always been an escape and refuge for me. I wanted to write a novel that could be that for others. A story with empathetic characters in situations that are relatable. About coming to terms with who you are. Acknowledging and accepting your history. Becoming comfortable in your own skin. Fitting in, or maybe deciding that not fitting in is just fine, too. I think embracing who you truly are, regardless of who else does, is the best happy ending of all.
On the professional side, I was the writer of the About.com website Germany for Visitors, a contributor to various regional lifestyle and business publications, and managing editor of Loudoun Magazine. I earned my MFA from Queens University in Charlotte, North Carolina. Outside of the publishing arena, I am a marketer for an IT company, focused on public sector.
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I'm available for speaking engagements, readings, and book club visits—both in-person and virtual. Please send inquiries to me at Rita@RitaMaceWalston.com. I'd love to meet you.
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