Poking Chocolates tracks the author as she bumps into the rich, odd and famous in search of the sweet life:
When I left home at seventeen, I went to Princeton, a stimulating pit stop, but it left me hungry. Not one of my college professors seemed to care about my enlightenment. When my live-in lover decided (after an inspiring eight months with me) that he was gay, I sought a diversion.
Anne Sexton, a Pulitzer Prize winning poet, invited me to a summer writing seminar in her home. She was famous for a sexy brand of alchemy, digging deep for what was true and transforming her lousy love life into passionate poetry. Had I stumbled on an all-purpose mentor?
* * *
Heading out on a quest for she’s-not-sure-what, the author leaves her Kennedy-esque life of easy privilege to find her own way. Whether slicing spam for Grandma Grunt on Martha’s Vineyard or eating coddled eggs with Lady Chichester in London, whether tripping on MDA (the “love” drug) in her mother’s garden or scrapping for justice in a courtroom… the cross-cultural puddle jumping lands her in dozens of unexpected territories, both ideological and geographical.
Funny and fast-paced, Cia’s serendipitous tour leads to an encounter on a country road in England that upends her life.
Thank you Cia and Nancy for coming to our book club discussion. Now that I have met Cia, I plan to read the book again, as I will be putting a face to the protagonist!
All best wishes and love!