Conversations w/ Rekaya Gibson

The Food Temptress
Synopsis:
Who knows how to convert a gay man into a straight lover using a pineapple upside-down cake? Only Ambrosia Bourgeois, The Food Temptress, can accomplish such a task. The New Orleans Goddess of Gastronomy uses food to seduce men in hopes of creating Mister Right. Paralleling southern cuisine, each short story captures the hearts and minds of different men.

In the Power of the Pudding Chapter, Ambrosia realizes that her bread pudding cannot withstand the demands of an associate minister’s plans to make her a dutiful wife. When she decides to forget about him and travels to Atlanta to visit her friend, she ends up in the bathroom with Black Thunder, a local stripper. It is not her fault; the peach cobbler was intended for the birthday girl.

Ambrosia perfects her craft by using traditional recipes from her deceased grandmother and occasionally consulting her mysterious aunt. When she discovers that her meals fall short of converting the man to her specifications, she moves on to the next one - a total of 16 ranging from the local police chief to a Bourbon Street musician. Will she reach her goal before the monstrous hurricane hits her city? The Food Temptress serves a delectable treat connected by Ambrosia’s continuing quest for both romantic and culinary perfection.









AAMBC 2009 SPRING VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR
Rekaya Gibson, Author of The Food Temptress

What is The Food Temptress about?
The main character, Ambrosia Bourgeois, uses food to seduce men in hopes of creating Mister Right. Paralleling southern cuisine, each short story captures the hearts and minds of different men. When she discovers that her meals fall short of converting the men to her specifications, she moves on to the next one—a total of 16 ranging from the local police chief to a Bourbon Street musician. The Food Temptress serves up a delectable treat connected by Ambrosia’s continuing quest for both romantic and culinary perfection.

What inspired you to write The Food Temptress?
I developed the concept from the adage, “a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” I took my interpretation and expanded upon it, using my creativity. As result, I birth The Food Temptress.

What is the meaning of Ambrosia’s name?
The name “Ambrosia” means a Greek Goddess of food or drink. If consumed, one will become immortal. In “The Food Temptress,” Ambrosia’s grandmother named her so that she would have immortality.

How does each short story parallel Southern cuisine?
I use a hint in the chapter title to signify the food Ambrosia will use next. For example in the “Cat Got Your Tongue” chapter, Ambrosia uses catfish as the main dish. In “Green with Envy,” she serves up collard greens. In “The Power of the Pudding,” she makes bread pudding.

Why is it important for Ambrosia to find the perfect man?
Ambrosia wants to find the perfect man for her, not necessarily “a perfect man.” However, she is not willing to compromise on some things. She figured transforming a man into the perfect mate with her food would result in her finding a life-long partner.

Which dish has the greatest impact on a man?
The pineapple upside down cake has the greatest impact on a man because it converts a gay man into a straight.


What happens to women when they eat Ambrosia’s food?
When women eat Ambrosia’s food, nothing happens to them. However, a colleague of mine, John Williams, gave me the idea to create a book about men using food to seduce women. It might happen one day soon.


Biography:
Rekaya Gibson’s love for food is evident throughout her fiction work, The Food Temptress, and her children's book, Are There French Fries in Heaven? Her nonfiction articles have appeared in the “Cabo Living Magazine,” “Desert Saints Magazine,” and “Lake of the Ozarks Second Home Living Magazine.” In 2006, she self-published an e-Book, Wow Them With Your Grant Proposal, under her own e-publishing company, Gibson Girl Publishing Company. She holds a Master's degree in Public Administration from the University of New Orleans and a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Affairs from Indiana University. Currently, she resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Web Links:
www.foodtemptress.com
www.thefoodtemptress.blogspot.com
www.rekayagibson.com

Email:
rekaya@foodtemptress.com

Contact Information:

Rekaya Gibson
P. O. Box 621773
Las Vegas, NV 89162