When Lemons Give You Life #author Anna Johnston

Redemption is a dish best served warm . . .

Retired Michelin-star chef Griff Barlow has lost his appetite. He’s done with grief, guilt and the beige slop they dare call food at Sunny Glen Aged Care Facility, where he now resides.

Life’s given him all the lemons he can handle – so he breaks into the nursing home kitchen to bake himself one last tart. It’s supposed to be his final meal, but the act of cooking stirs a dormant joy. Soon, he’s regularly sneaking in after dark, serving up flavour and comfort to his fellow residents. Yet behind the apron is a lie so big it could destroy the one thing he has left to protect . . .

Meanwhile, Griff’s younger sister, Lisa, is navigating a new ADHD diagnosis and the spark of an unexpected romance. Despite their fractured sibling relationship, she dutifully visits Griff, though she knows hope of a reconciliation is gone, buried in the silence between them.

But the truth has a way of boiling over – and when secrets, soufflés and second chances collide, they may discover a recipe for forgiveness.

To connect with Anna ...
https://www.annajohnstonauthor.com/
https://www.instagram.com/annajohnstonauthor/
https://www.facebook.com/p/Anna-Johnston-Writes

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

It's good morning, Anna Johnston. Welcome to Yellow Shelf. Thank you so much for having me. Anna, yay! I read your book and it gives me a big smile. Super excited to talk to you. Congratulations. Your book, When Lemon Gives You Life. Tell us all about the book.

SPEAKER_01 0:20

So the book follows a retired star chef called Griff Barlow. He's now living in an aged care facility, lonely, grumpy, depressed, and ready to depart this earth. But he's determined that his last meal will not be the beige slop that they serve at the nursing home. So on the night of his planned demise, he breaks into the nursing home kitchen to cook himself this final gourmet lemon tart. And the act of cooking stirs this long dormant joy, and soon he's regularly sneaking in after dark, serving up comfort and flavour to fellow residents who sort of come alive with these amazing dishes. But underneath the apron is a lie so big that it could destroy everything he has left to protect. And as well as Griff, we have Lisa. The book is told from two points of views. Lisa is Griff's younger half-sister. She's navigating a midlife ADHD diagnosis, the spark of a new romance, and some medical news that may change everything. Despite their long fractured relationship, she dutifully keeps coming to visit Griff, even though she knows hope of reconciliation is long gone. But yeah, the book is, you know, when souffles and second chances collide, they may just stumble upon a recipe for redemption.

SPEAKER_00 1:46

Yeah. And Anna, there's themes of like self-discovery in there, you know, there's that idea of um food almost giving you purpose as well as coping with loss.

SPEAKER_01 1:58

Yes, absolutely. There's some there are some very heavy, deep themes in there, but there's a lot of humor to sort of take the reader on the ride.

SPEAKER_00 2:08

Yeah, I went on the ride. Uh well, I was just talking to you off camera, and yeah, I felt like, you know, if you know anything or you have someone in an aged care facility, the idea of you know, uh that individual sparking joy and purpose is beautiful. So wonderful reading as well. Um, Anna, do you want to tell us uh if for anyone watching who's not familiar with you as an author, we'd love to know about you and you know what inspires you to write?

SPEAKER_01 2:37

Sure. Um, well, I'm a former baby, aspiring octogenarian and an Australian author with a real love for the heartfelt and hilarious. I left medical school to follow my heart into my grandfather's nursing home so we could spend more time together, and there I became the social support coordinator. Um, and I absolutely loved working in aged care, it felt like such a privilege. Um I worked in nursing homes as well as community aged care. And um, unfortunately, an injury left me unable to return to work, and I loved being a stay-at-home mum for over a decade, and it wasn't until the pandemic that I thought I'd like to write a book. And um I enrolled in a couple of courses with the Australian Writers Centre, and here we are. So I've written two books. My debut is The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife, um, yeah, which was really um, really, yeah, a very special book to me. And then my second book we're here talking about today when lemons give you life.

SPEAKER_00 3:42

Yeah, and and I somehow I think there's going to be a third and a fourth conversation here on Yellow Shelf because I think you've got so much more. Um, and I love that purpose. And that's the the power of uh you sharing your your journey to becoming an author and your journey uh throughout your career and and motherhood as well. Uh Anna, if uh what if we're curious about you and the book? Do you want to point us in the right direction? Obviously, I am connected to you on Instagram, but do you want to point us in a direction if anyone uh wants to kind of learn more about you, the book, I'll put it in the show notes as well. Tell us where to go.

SPEAKER_01 4:22

Great. So my website is um anna johnstonauthor.com, Johnston with a with a T no E. My dad still gets it wrong. Um and then I'm on Instagram at Anna Johnstonautha or Facebook Anna Johnston Author. So all of those platforms, um, you can find me and yeah, drop me a message and say hello. I'm always yeah, open to love hearing from readers.

SPEAKER_00 4:46

We love oh, I know authors love to connect with their audience. So I'm gonna put some links in the show notes. Anna, thank you so much. Enjoy the journey of book events, book launches, book talking. And I know I'm gonna love to have you back with future work. So all the best. Amazing. Thanks for having me. Cheers.