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A Love For Literature: The Moranvilles Publish Two Separate Books In The Same Month

John Pemble
/
IPR
Wini (left) and Sharelle Byars Moranville (right) inside the IPR Des Monies studio.

 

Bonded by their love for literature, both Wini and Sharelle Byars Moranville are related by marriage and they have two separate books being released during the month of October. 

On this edition of Talk of Iowa, host Charity Nebbe talks with Wini Moranville and Sharelle Byars Moranville about their book and the stories of how these books came to be.

Food writer Wini Moranville has studied the role of food, and how it plays in the lives of the March family in the book Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Wini says Little Women has been a beloved novel since it was first published in 1868 and she has now combined her passion for food, reading, and writing to publish The Little Women Cookbook: Tempting Recipes from the March Sisters and Their Friends and Family.

The idea for Wini’s book came about from watching, re-watching, and re-reading the novel throughout her life. Researching many Civil War cookbooks, Wini discovered old recipes of the Little Women era and updated them for today’s taste in food. 

One of the unique recipes from this era were pickled limes – a snack popular among the girls in the Little Women novel. Wini, however, did not include this popular treat in her cookbook.

“I could not make [pickled limes] taste good,” said Wini. “I did a playful take. I did pickle lime sugar cookies.” 

Sharelle Byars Moranville, has published her seventh novel: Surprise Lily. This book is written for middle-grade readers that explores the relationships between sisters, mother, daughters and secrets. Reflecting on her own childhood, Surprise Lily tells the story of modern farm kids. Sharelle felt that farm kids were underepresented in books, and she wanted to show young readers they're capable of anything no matter their background. 

Sharelle also speaks on her experience as a young scholar, her path to writing and overcoming the hardship to get her first novel published.

 

Guests Include:

  • Wini Moranville, author of The Little Women Cookbook.
  • Sharelle Byars Moranville, author of Surprise Lilly

 
 

 

 

 

 

Charity Nebbe is the host of IPR's Talk of Iowa
Matthew was a producer for IPR's River to River and Talk of Iowa