Food in Fiction (Day 22): Ginger Nuts and Fezariu Dream Cupcake #foodinfic

Who is eating? Why? What is the occasion? Andi, who hates the way she looks and thinks she is of no value because she is fat.

The excerpt is when Andi is talking to her very slim (and very good) friend who can eat anything.

Excerpt

“Yes, I couldn’t believe it,” Andi answered her long time friend, Sally, who sat stuffing a whole packet of ginger nuts into her face after dunking them into her coffee.

“That’s disgusting, you know that?” stated Andi, as she watched a chunk of biscuit plunge into the depths of her friend’s drink.

“Oh, sorry.”

Dark-haired Sally didn’t seem at all sorry as she spooned out the offending mess and deposited it into her mouth.

“I only cheated once – a small piece of cheesecake, that’s all!”

“Diets don’t work, you know that,” said Sally, as she sucked on yet another coffee-soaked biscuit.

“It’s alright for you, thin as a rake no matter what you eat!”

Guilt suddenly forced Sally to fold the end of the wrapping over the remaining biscuits and put them to one side, looking shamefaced.

“Look, stop worrying about it, a pound is a pound – that’s two slabs of butter!”

“Oh great…that makes me think about the butter-mountain I’ve still to lose!”

“I didn’t mean it like that, I’m just sick of seeing you so stressed all the time.”

“Sorry. It’s just the thought of that blasted Do, not to mention the cruise and my fortieth birthday!”

“You’ve found a dress, haven’t you?”

Sally eyed the biscuits, wondering if she dared reopening them.

“Yes, but…”

“Well then, you’ll look great – and I’ll bet Ray likes it.”

“I haven’t shown him yet – I’m hoping I’ll lose a few more pounds by then, I’ve a few weeks yet.”

“Sure you will.”

“Why don’t you just finish the biscuits? You won’t be happy until you do. And anyway, it’ll be less temptation for me, I don’t know why I bought them.”

Andi couldn’t help smiling at how her friend kept glancing in their direction, like an alcoholic staring at a bottle of whisky.

“You know they’re one of my favourites, thanks!” said Sally, and promptly devoured the rest with a fresh cup of coffee.

Andi has always been anxious about her weight and like many women, thinks that unless she is thin, she has no value.

Follow her ‘misadventures’ and see if this is true or will she find there are more important things that makes a person who and what they are?

I cannot ignore my dreams, so many of them, with names and places and ideas that spark my imagination and compel me to write; to create stories, whether fantasy or horror, or mystery or psychological thriller or murder or even humour and adventure. So, my garden is sown, flourishing, with all manner of growth, and still the dreams come.

Julie Elizabeth Powell, my soul lingering within my imagination; maybe you’ll join me?

Who is eating? Why? What is the occasion? Fezariu has returned to the bakery that was once his home. Fezariu Dream Cupcakes are on offer but he has changed so much that Alycea does not realise she is serving her childhood friend.

Excerpt

‘They’re my favourites,’ Alycea said, wiping both hands on her apron. ‘I designed them myself. I
call them Fezariu Dreams.’ Alycea picked up one of the buns and placed it on the counter. ‘Here, try it with my compliments.’

‘Oh, I couldn’t accept it without payment,’ the man replied.

‘Well, business is good at the moment what with the elections tomorrow. It seems the whole city wants to be a part of it. Why not try a Fezariu Dream for free and if you like it you can buy some more. How does that sound?’

‘Agreed.’ The young man picked up the Fezariu Dream carefully, afraid that the soft cream in the centre would flow from the bun at the slightest invitation. He ate the bun greedily, oblivious to the crumbs sticking to a small patch of cream on his chin. It was only when Alycea giggled that the young man wiped the cream from his face.

12-year-old Fezariu thought his mother died when he was little, but when his beloved stepfather dies the boy discovers she is alive and well – and working at the most famous brothel in all of Elenchera. When she cruelly rejects him it’s more than he can bear, and he runs away to join a band of ruthless soldiers for hire. The Merelax Mercenaries will fight for anyone who can pay them, no matter the justice of the cause.

Fezariu grows up among the soldiers and becomes one of them. He thinks his time with the mercenaries has hardened him. But a campaign in his old home town pushes him too far, and he discovers what really happened to his mother. Maybe there are some things money shouldn’t buy… and maybe it’s time Fezariu took his revenge.

David Brown could be considered a fantasy fanatic, especially since he has spent the last 10 years developing a 47,000-year history for his fictional world of Elenchera. When converting his obsession into literary form, David commits himself to a rigorous writing and editing process before his work can meet his approval. Combined with the critical eye of his wife and a BA Honors in History and English, David’s dedication leads him to his goal of inspiring readers through heartfelt stories and characters.

Although David is inspired primarily by fantasy fiction, he also finds his muse in the form of anime, world cinema, history, and biographies.