The Story Cure - Dinty W. Moore

Subtitled as a pain-free guide to finishing your novel or memoir, I grabbed this one right up. Plus, I have read other books by Moore in the past and knew, if nothing else, it would be a pain-free read. And I wasn't wrong. 

Under 200 pages, The Story Cure is set up in two parts - Cures and Checkups. 

Within "Cures" you have your 'diagnosis' and then the 'cure' for the ailment. Plus there are prompts and exercises to help. One of my favorite exercises is the "Green, Pink and Yellow of Character". This is were Moore has you take a chapter from the book and color-code various elements in the chapter. And if you have a lot of green and little or no yellow, then you are on the right track to a good story.

Another thing I enjoyed about the book were the examples Moore gives in each section. A lot of books on writing tell you, but don't show you, what they are talking about. He gives an example to illustrate what the section or chapter is referring to. There is no guess work on your part, so you can't get it wrong.

I enjoyed the book and will be using several of the exercises to keep me motivated in my own writing.

"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

The underground Culinary Tour - Damian Mogavero

I have been toting this book around for months now as we have been trying to get settled into a new, all be it temporary, home.  

A bit about the book - 

ABOUT THE UNDERGROUND CULINARY TOUR

In the bestselling tradition of  Moneyball, The Underground Culinary Tour is a high-octane, behind-the-scenes narrative about how the restaurant industry, historically run by gut and intuition, is being transformed by the use of data.
 
Sixteen years ago, entrepreneur Damian Mogavero brought together an unlikely mix of experts—chefs and code writers—to create a pioneering software company whose goal was to empower restaurateurs, through the use of data, to elevate and enhance the guest experience. Today, his data gathering programs are used by such renown chefs as Danny Meyer, Tom Colicchio, Daniel Boulud, Guy Fieri, Giada De Laurentiis, Gordon Ramsay, and countless others.
 
Mogavero describes such restaurateurs as the New Guard, and their approach to their art and craft is radically different from that of their predecessors. By embracing data and adapting to the new trends of today’s demanding consumers, these innovative chefs and owners do everything more nimbly and efficiently—from the recipes they create to the wines and craft beers they stock, from the presentations they choreograph to the customized training they give their servers, making restaurants more popular and profitable than ever before.

 
Finally, Damian takes readers behind the scenes of his annual, invitation-only culinary tour for top chefs and industry CEOs, showing us how today’s elite restaurants embrace new trends to create unforgettable meals and transform how we eat. From the glittering nightclubs of Las Vegas to a packed seasonal restaurant on the Long Island Sound, from Brennan’s storied, family-run New Orleans dynasty to today’s high-stakes celebrity chef palaces, The Underground Culinary Tour takes readers on an epicurean adventure they won’t forget.

That being said, the book made me long for a larger city where places to eat, especially small, hole-in-the-wall restaurants thrive. More farm-to-table style places. Food trucks being the norm rather than a rarity, trotted out when warmer conditions hit Helena. 

But while I can go on and on about the description of menus, what is fascinating is something few, if any, of us think about - the day-to-day running of shops and how 'numbers' matter. From the number of people who come in to hear a DJ spin songs, to how many order what on what day of the week. Owning a place to eat is far more than just putting food on a plate and setting it on the table.

I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone who loves finding out what goes on behind the swinging doors of a restaurant. And I want to go on one of the culinary tours Damian puts on!

"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

ABOUT THE UNDERGROUND CULINARY TOUR

In the bestselling tradition of  Moneyball, The Underground Culinary Tour is a high-octane, behind-the-scenes narrative about how the restaurant industry, historically run by gut and intuition, is being transformed by the use of data.
 
Sixteen years ago, entrepreneur Damian Mogavero brought together an unlikely mix of experts—chefs and code writers—to create a pioneering software company whose goal was to empower restaurateurs, through the use of data, to elevate and enhance the guest experience. Today, his data gathering programs are used by such renown chefs as Danny Meyer, Tom Colicchio, Daniel Boulud, Guy Fieri, Giada De Laurentiis, Gordon Ramsay, and countless others.
 
Mogavero describes such restaurateurs as the New Guard, and their approach to their art and craft is radically different from that of their predecessors. By embracing data and adapting to the new trends of today’s demanding consumers, these innovative chefs and owners do everything more nimbly and efficiently—from the recipes they create to the wines and craft beers they stock, from the presentations they choreograph to the customized training they give their servers, making restaurants more popular and profitable than ever before.
 
Finally, Damian takes readers behind the scenes of his annual, invitation-only culinary tour for top chefs and industry CEOs, showing us how today’s elite restaurants embrace new trends to create unforgettable meals and transform how we eat. From the glittering nightclubs of Las Vegas to a packed seasonal restaurant on the Long Island Sound, from Brennan’s storied, family-run New Orleans dynasty to today’s high-stakes celebrity chef palaces, The Underground Culinary Tour takes readers on an epicurean adventure they won’t soon forget.

ABOUT THE UNDERGROUND CULINARY TOUR

In the bestselling tradition of  Moneyball, The Underground Culinary Tour is a high-octane, behind-the-scenes narrative about how the restaurant industry, historically run by gut and intuition, is being transformed by the use of data.
 
Sixteen years ago, entrepreneur Damian Mogavero brought together an unlikely mix of experts—chefs and code writers—to create a pioneering software company whose goal was to empower restaurateurs, through the use of data, to elevate and enhance the guest experience. Today, his data gathering programs are used by such renown chefs as Danny Meyer, Tom Colicchio, Daniel Boulud, Guy Fieri, Giada De Laurentiis, Gordon Ramsay, and countless others.
 
Mogavero describes such restaurateurs as the New Guard, and their approach to their art and craft is radically different from that of their predecessors. By embracing data and adapting to the new trends of today’s demanding consumers, these innovative chefs and owners do everything more nimbly and efficiently—from the recipes they create to the wines and craft beers they stock, from the presentations they choreograph to the customized training they give their servers, making restaurants more popular and profitable than ever before.
 
Finally, Damian takes readers behind the scenes of his annual, invitation-only culinary tour for top chefs and industry CEOs, showing us how today’s elite restaurants embrace new trends to create unforgettable meals and transform how we eat. From the glittering nightclubs of Las Vegas to a packed seasonal restaurant on the Long Island Sound, from Brennan’s storied, family-run New Orleans dynasty to today’s high-stakes celebrity chef palaces, The Underground Culinary Tour takes readers on an epicurean adventure they won’t soon forget.