Jeanette Hurt is an award-winning writer specializing in examining where culture intersects with food, drink and travel.  She is the author of 13 books, including the critically acclaimed Drink Like a Woman and the just released The Joy of Cider. She writes a spirits column for Forbes and will be presenting “The Starving Artist Myth: How to make a Living While Staying True to Yourself” with Damon Brown.

HM: Tell us a little about your involvement this year at HippoCamp. If you’re running a break-out session or workshop, what can attendees expect?

JH: Damon Brown and I will be sharing our secrets to becoming a working, successful nonfiction writer – how to balance passion projects with work that pays the bills (and can even, at times fill your soul). We met years ago at a nonfiction conference (now defunct) in Chicago, and we’ve been writing goal buddies ever since!

HM: What made you decide to participate in HippoCamp this year as a speaker?

JH: I met Donna at the ASJA conference in New York City this year, and I was so impressed with her, and I’m really excited to be attending my very first HippoCamp!

HM: What’s going to keep you busy between now and HippoCamp?

JH: I am finishing some additions to my Wisconsin Cocktail Book for the University of Wisconsin Press, and I’m avidly writing The Cauliflower Comfort Cookbook for Ulysses Press. My latest book comes out this month, The Joy of Cider. And when I’m not writing my Forbes column (about the indulgence of everything distilled, brewed and fermented), I have other freelance projects, and I’m the mother of a competitive gymnast.

HM: Since you’ll also be attending the conference, when you’re not wearing your “speaker hat,” what are you most looking forward to learning or doing?

JH: Meeting other writers and attending some of the intriguing sessions.

HM: We love introducing Lancaster to attendees. If this will be your first time here, what are you looking forward to?

JH: I can’t wait to visit the distillery. And I’m also looking to reconnect with a friend who was in my very first writers group – she moved back home here two years ago!

HM: As a writer, what brings you joy?

JH: I love being able to go after shiny things. If something catches my fancy, as a writer, I can pursue it. I wanted to learn more about wine and food pairing so I wrote a book about it. I wanted to learn how to make great cocktails so I wrote a book called Drink Like a Woman and then a cider book with cocktails and now, Wisconsin Cocktail Book. I love learning new things, and being a writer gives me permission to explore all of them.

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Thanks for sharing your distilled knowledge with us, Jeanette! If you’re in the mood for more great creative nonfiction for an entire weekend, reader, register now. There are only a couple of days left to sign up!

— post by Viannah E. Duncan