Brigit Binns Featured in Central Coast Writers Conference!
Join cookbook and memoir author Brigit Binns on October 5th, 2024 from 8:30am-5:30pm at the Central Coast Writers’ Conference, where she’ll be hosting a session on Memoirs: Writing to Heal:
Memoir writing as a path to healing represents a powerful intersection of personal storytelling and therapeutic self-reflection. This approach to memoir goes beyond simply recounting life events; it involves a deep dive into one’s experiences, emotions, and personal growth. For writers attending a conference session on this topic, the focus is on how the act of writing itself can be a transformative process, allowing authors to confront, process, and ultimately find meaning in challenging life experiences. The craft of memoir in this context becomes a tool for self-discovery, emotional processing, and even trauma recovery. It emphasizes the importance of authenticity, vulnerability, and introspection in writing, encouraging authors to explore not just what happened, but how events shaped their perspectives and lives. This approach to memoir writing also highlights the potential impact on readers, who may find solace, inspiration, or validation in the author’s journey. The session would likely explore techniques for accessing difficult memories, strategies for maintaining emotional balance during the writing process, and methods for crafting a narrative that is both personally cathartic and engaging for an audience. Ultimately, “Writing to Heal” positions memoir as a genre that can be deeply personal yet universally resonant, offering writers a unique avenue for personal growth and connection with readers.
To purchase a ticket and register for the conference, please visit Cuesta College’s site here.
Purchase a copy of Rottenkid: A Succulent Story of Survival here.
Photo Courtesy of Central Coast Writers’ Conference’s Instagram
About Rottenkid: A Succulent Story of Survival:
Prolific cookbook author Brigit Binns’ coming-of-age memoir—co-starring her alcoholic father Edward Binns and glamorous but viciously smart narcissistic mother —reveals how simultaneous privilege and profound neglect lead Brigit to seek comfort in the kitchen, eventually allowing her to find some sense of self-worth.
In the old Hollywood of her childhood, Brigit seems to live in an elite world. But when her parents eventually divorce—her father flees and her mother sends her off to boarding school so she can more easily conduct her decades-long romance with a married California governor—Brigit racks up seven schools and a host of bad decisions before the age of 16.
Marriage to an Englishman takes her across the pond and to professional cooking school. But when that life comes crashing down, she returns heartbroken and alone to Los Angeles eighteen years after vowing never to return. Here she thrives, cold pitching herself to top chefs as co-author for their cookbooks. Peppered with humor and seasoned with optimism, Brigit’s story is an entertaining tribute to female resilience.
About Brigit Binns:
The prolific author of almost 30 cookbooks, Brigit Binns’ books have sold over 100,000 copies. During ten years in Europe, she graduated from professional cooking school, owned a catering company in Spain, and edited the Costa del Sol’s English-language magazine. She now lives in California’s Central Coast wine country.
