No chef creates alone and after penning 9 novels, I certainly had no plans to write a cookbook. It was my nephew Michael Thomas who changed my mind, insisting that I create a book of the recipes that my family and friends enjoy. Was it hard? Yes. Did I gain weight? Yes. Once I understood that there were many similarities in creating a meal and writing a book, I was able to fulfill Michael's request. Allowing the ingredients to act as my characters...