Q & A With Author Jamie Reidy
Q & A with Jamie Reidy, author of Bachelor 101: Cooking + Cleaning = Closing
What inspired you to write the book? What did you hope to gain from the experience?
I was dating a woman I really wanted to continue dating – she was smart and fun and looked like Kathy Ireland – and her brother came to me with a “great idea” for a book. As soon as I became a published author, I learned that everybody has a great idea for a book – kind of like the doctor at the party who ends up checking out underarm rashes. Anyway, her brother told me it was a cookbook for clueless bachelors called, “The Quickest Way to the Bedroom is through the Kitchen.” I loved that concept and title, and signed on immediately. Alas, he didn’t have time to co-write, so I took over the project myself. I didn’t cook at all when I started the book, so I hoped to gain some rudimentary culinary skills – and hatch a best seller. Still working on the latter!
What have you gained?
I am no longer afraid of anything in the kitchen. I also have a newfound love for cooking. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it’s a lot of fun to cook. And now, when my girlfriend and I make something together, it’s a great way to maximize quality time.
What response have you gotten from men and women?
The book is being very well received, and I've gotten a number of success stories from readers. I hope that young guys who may be afraid of the kitchen now try out cooking and find out that it's easier than it looks and is surprisingly fun. Plus, you're allowed to drink wine while you do it, so how bad can it be? A friend’s fiancé began to read the book and couldn’t wait to rip me a new one! But then she emailed and admitted that everything I said in it was true, made sense, or both. A number of female friends have tried out the recipes, too, since they never really learned to cook.
I love how minutely all the recipes are broken down, but are men deterred by the large number of steps?
Maybe initially. One of my recipe donors absolutely flipped when he saw how many steps I’d turned it into. But I think once the readers see that instructions like “Open oven door. Slide out rack.” count as steps, they understand what I’m going for.
Have any of the recipes been particularly successful for “closing?”
Without divulging any personal information – remember, my girlfriend reads this stuff! – I’ve heard the crab cakes have been quite successful.
Neon signs in the living room? Really??
That’s funny. I think it’s important to remember we can’t just destroy everything a bachelor is used to. Baby steps. If the switch from beer posters to neon beer signs eases the sting, so be it.
Did you know you can wash a shower curtain in the washing machine? Throw it in with towels or socks and hang it back up to dry - a little piece of advice from one Jaime to another. You’re welcome.
What’s this washing machine of which you speak? Did not know that info. Love it! That will definitely make the next edition. Thanks!
To which magazine collection theory do you subscribe: hide or neatly place in the magazine rack?
I just like saying rack. But I am a believer in full disclosure, so the sooner Ms. Right knows her new guy gets Maxim, the less likely she is to overreact six months from now.
Chicks are super snoopers. Does it freak men out? Or just certain snoopy behaviors?
I think men recognize that snooping is encoded in female DNA, so there’s nothing we can do about it. Guys are pretty good at “out of mind, out of mind.” The medicine cabinet is a given, but if I caught a young lady peeking in my closet, there would be a problem. Or, my hamper? I’m calling the orderlies.
Jamie Reidy is a Notre Dame grad, former U.S. Army officer and recovering Little Blue Pill pusher. His first book, HARD SELL: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman is the basis for the current hit film, Love & Other Drugs, starring Jake Gyllenhaal as "Jamie." He really enjoys typing that last sentence. Despite living in Manhattan Beach, CA, he maintains a year round pasty glow. He now writes screenplays, while working on a collection of humorous essays.
