You might notice that we've featured a lot of food writers on our virtual pages in recent weeks. At first we told their stories because it was fascinating to see how different they all were, and how different their work could be in this arguably narrow category. And now, as blogs continue to multiply, and show no signs of dimming in quality or creativity, we are compelled to keep talking with these folks because we know how many of you out there are interested in this dream of combining food and writing into a viable career. One of these days, a story like Cheryl's (whose new book, Ripe, is perfect accompaniment to summer) will be the advice or inspiration that you were looking for, and the rest will be history.

When did you know that you wanted to work in food?

There were two 'aha's' for me. The first when I was on bed rest with my son, Alex. I spent six weeks lying on my side, with plenty of time to think about the course of my life. I started daydreaming about culinary school. When my mother passed away a little over a year later, that was the second turning point. I realized then that dreaming was only going to get me so far. I needed to act, and quickly. (I wrote more about that moment on my blog, 5 Second Rule.)

How did you get your current good food job?

I was, perhaps unintentionally, mentored by two wonderful cookbook authors who hired me soon after I finished culinary school and changed careers. They were incredibly prolific writers, as well as kind and warm women. Soon thereafter, I pitched my first food article to my local newspaper. I spent the next several years on a slow climb as a writer before I found my audience and my footing. This year, I won a big award, but I'm no flash in the pan. I've been simmering for a good while.

How did your previous work or life experience prepare you for a good food job?

I served in the Peace Corps in the Horn of Africa, and that experience shaped me in so many ways. It taught me, among other things, to look at every situation from multiple vantage points. I try to keep perspective when I write about food, and to recognize that not everyone has access to the ingredients I find so easily in my region. That's why I wanted to include plenty of "everyday" fruits and vegetables in Ripe - carrots, onions, bananas, celery, and the like.

What was the greatest obstacle you had to overcome in pursuing your Good Food Job dream?

The greatest obstacle was definitely the silence, which is a big part of freelancing in general, and pitching in particular. It's easy to lose confidence. But any good writer learns to trust his or her instincts, and eventually I just decided to write more for my own audience and less for other publications. That's when I started 5 Second Rule and began working on the Ripe proposal. Best decisions I ever made.

Every now and then I still find it disheartening that it's so tough to make a good living as a food writer. But the alternative - sitting in a cubicle, working a 9-5 office job, commuting, enduring boring meetings - helps me realize that every day I make a choice to do what I do. If I want to get rich, I can give up my flexible lifestyle and full-on creative freedom. No, thanks.

What can you identify as the greatest opportunities in food right now?

Convincing parents everywhere that better school food is worth fighting for; getting even more people to shop at farmers' markets; teaching people with little time and money how to create extremely simple meals using fresh, colorful produce. People are easily inspired, IF you meet them where they are, and not where you want them to be.

If you could be compensated for your work with something other than money, what would it be?

Kumquats.