The Arlington Table
Food is one of the primary ways that we discern and identify with culture. It is an essential form of creative expression, with recipes and traditions passed down from family member to family member, as important as oral histories in capturing what is valuable to us as human beings.
The Arlington Table: A Celebration of Food, Family, and Community is a planned anthology of writing that tells about the many local, regional, and international cuisines that help make Arlington, Virginia, the diverse and vibrant community that it is. This work is being done as a public service to this county and a historical record.
The book will feature people ranging from home cooks working from handed-down family recipes to the restaurant owners, chefs, and line cooks who populate our local dining scene. This is not intended as an academic work, but as a collection of creative, deeply personal, and engaging essays that show us why Arlington tables feature a range of dishes and capture important personal and community memories. This work is made possible through a generous grant from Arlington Arts.
Interested in contributing a piece of writing? Or would you prefer just sharing your story with me in an interview? See details below:
Details:
We have a graphic designer on board to help put this into a gorgeous format, possibly with some photos, but writing is the focus of the piece. This is NOT a cookbook. This will be a collection of essays and memories about what food means to you as an Arlington, and to us as a community.
You don’t have to be a professional writer to contribute, but I do encourage creativity and deep reflection. Write a story in your own words about how food has affected you—maybe it’s the story of a favorite recipe passed down among generations, or of a formative experience you had working as a line cook in an Arlington restaurant. Maybe it’s the story of being food insecure, or having an eating disorder, or learning to cook. Maybe it’s the story of your mother or father or some other relative, or of the traditional dishes that grace your table every year. It doesn’t have to be a long story, but it should be meaningful.
Editing:
I would be working with you on what will finally be included in the piece, and reserve the right to decide what is ultimately included. I also am here for editorial guidance, and I also will be possibly interviewing people to tell stories in their words, so if you or someone you know has a story that could be captured that way, PLEASE let me know! I want this to be an inclusive process that celebrates all of Arlington and of your unique voices, and I hope to have broad community participation!
What to Submit: A true, nonfiction essay about your connection with food and what it means to you. The word count can be between 250 and 1500 words.
Deadline: We are accepting stories on a rolling basis. Please send me a short description (one or two sentences) of what you plan to write and a short bio that tells me who you are. If you are submitting previously published work, please specify in your initial email when and where the piece was published. Include a statement confirming that all rights to the piece have reverted to you. You will own the copyright to your writing.
Who Can Submit: Anyone who lives, works, studies in, or has a significant connection (current or previous) to Arlington, VA, is eligible to contribute. Your submission will be evaluated for 1) literary merit, 2) cultural and linguistic diversity, and 3) a clear, demonstrable connection to Arlington. I will work with you on your submission. You need not be a current Arlington resident, but your work must in some way speak to your connections to Arlington and to food.
All writers will receive a free copy of the book (we are still working out the publishing end of this), as well as invitations to hopefully numerous public events!
Email me (you can use the contact form here) if you have any questions! Thank you!
The Arlington Table: A Celebration of Food, Family, and Community is a planned anthology of writing that tells about the many local, regional, and international cuisines that help make Arlington, Virginia, the diverse and vibrant community that it is. This work is being done as a public service to this county and a historical record.
The book will feature people ranging from home cooks working from handed-down family recipes to the restaurant owners, chefs, and line cooks who populate our local dining scene. This is not intended as an academic work, but as a collection of creative, deeply personal, and engaging essays that show us why Arlington tables feature a range of dishes and capture important personal and community memories. This work is made possible through a generous grant from Arlington Arts.
Interested in contributing a piece of writing? Or would you prefer just sharing your story with me in an interview? See details below:
Details:
We have a graphic designer on board to help put this into a gorgeous format, possibly with some photos, but writing is the focus of the piece. This is NOT a cookbook. This will be a collection of essays and memories about what food means to you as an Arlington, and to us as a community.
You don’t have to be a professional writer to contribute, but I do encourage creativity and deep reflection. Write a story in your own words about how food has affected you—maybe it’s the story of a favorite recipe passed down among generations, or of a formative experience you had working as a line cook in an Arlington restaurant. Maybe it’s the story of being food insecure, or having an eating disorder, or learning to cook. Maybe it’s the story of your mother or father or some other relative, or of the traditional dishes that grace your table every year. It doesn’t have to be a long story, but it should be meaningful.
Editing:
I would be working with you on what will finally be included in the piece, and reserve the right to decide what is ultimately included. I also am here for editorial guidance, and I also will be possibly interviewing people to tell stories in their words, so if you or someone you know has a story that could be captured that way, PLEASE let me know! I want this to be an inclusive process that celebrates all of Arlington and of your unique voices, and I hope to have broad community participation!
What to Submit: A true, nonfiction essay about your connection with food and what it means to you. The word count can be between 250 and 1500 words.
Deadline: We are accepting stories on a rolling basis. Please send me a short description (one or two sentences) of what you plan to write and a short bio that tells me who you are. If you are submitting previously published work, please specify in your initial email when and where the piece was published. Include a statement confirming that all rights to the piece have reverted to you. You will own the copyright to your writing.
Who Can Submit: Anyone who lives, works, studies in, or has a significant connection (current or previous) to Arlington, VA, is eligible to contribute. Your submission will be evaluated for 1) literary merit, 2) cultural and linguistic diversity, and 3) a clear, demonstrable connection to Arlington. I will work with you on your submission. You need not be a current Arlington resident, but your work must in some way speak to your connections to Arlington and to food.
All writers will receive a free copy of the book (we are still working out the publishing end of this), as well as invitations to hopefully numerous public events!
Email me (you can use the contact form here) if you have any questions! Thank you!