The reservation: A book that feels like home

 “All lives – even the ones that might appear very ordinary on the surface, such as those of restaurant workers in a small town not unlike Harrisonburg – are extraordinarily rich, complex and mysterious.”  

– Rebecca Kauffman

For those who love food and cozy mystery novels, “The Reservation” hits the right spot. Rebecca Kauffman is an award-winning author that we, as Harrisonburg citizens, are blessed to have as part of our community. With novels like “The Gunners” and “Chorus,” Kauffman has shown that she can make ordinary things feel extraordinary with the right use of words and storytelling. This March 19, Kauffman’s book talk will take place in Seminary Building, Martin Chapel room 215, from 7 to 9:30 in the evening, open to all interested in learning more about her writing process, or want to ask more questions about her most recent novel.

“The Reservation” follows the ordinary lives of employees in a fine-dining restaurant as they solve the mystery of 22 ribeye steaks stolen on the day of their most important reservation. Kauffman was able to make a whole book out of a one-day incident in this fictitious world she created. Kauffman said that her inspiration was born from her abundant experience working in restaurants, from her teenage years to her thirties. “I have a lot of love for that world and the people I worked with. The camaraderie, calamities, and hilarities of restaurant work are unique,” she added.

Taking a different approach in this book, Kauffman chose to portray some college-age characters, and hopes EMU students and other young readers can connect with these characters as they read the book. Kauffman also shared that she is excited about the live reading. “It’s a dialogue-heavy book that moves along at a pretty fast clip, so I’m excited to try out some of these voices myself,” she said. Further conversations about writing and the writer’s process are welcome, since she feels that these are productive for the creative community. “I love learning what triumphs and tragedies other writers are experiencing in their own work – it’s uplifting to spend time together as a creative community.”

Lastly, Kauffman sends a big thank you to the EMU community for inviting her to share about this book, and “for supporting writers at every stage of the journey.”