When Life Gives You Beef, Make Burgers

by Ricky Ginsburg

Based in San Francisco and set in steakhouses and hotel rooms across the country, "When Life Gives You Beef, Make Burgers" is a cook's tour of struggles between a husband and wife who are trying to keep home and office separate and their love life on track. His out of control ego as CEO of the nation's largest steakhouse chain has brought their marriage to the crossroads of crisis but she's the one holding the maps.The insatiable ego belongs to Paul Bannister who, as a 350-pound high school senior, left New Jersey in 1987 in search of food, fortune, and love. Eating competitively across the country, he found all three...in excess. The story begins thirty years later when the wealth, the unlimited food, and marriage to a woman who is seeking to be his equal in all respects have opened the doors to discord and disenchantment. Despite having world-class culinary talents, his desire for domination has tainted Paul's ability to separate business and love, power and patience, and it now threatens to unhinge their perfect life and destroy his empire.

254 pages, Paperback

Published June 24, 2020

About the author

Ricky Ginsburg began writing short stories and novels in October 2006 and has penned nearly 400 tales in a rainbow of genres since. He has three self-published novels readable on every modern device including handheld paperback:
• “A Tasty Murder” - August 2011
• “Sushi, Burgers, and Rocky Mountain Oysters” - March 2010
• “When Life Gives You Beef, Make Burgers” the sequel - June 2020
The first three novels of his murder mystery series, featuring Detective Valarie Garibaldi of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department have been published by Black Rose Writing:
• “The Blue Macaw” - October 2020
• “Shooting Limpkins” - April 2021
• “Clouds Full Of Ravens” - December 2021
• “Castro’s Pelican” - 2022
• “Herons Die Slowly” - 2022
• “Gulls Cry At Dawn” - 2023
• “Hawks Fly Alone” - 2023
“Boulong’s Cheese,” a post-Covid satire, will be released by Black Rose Writing in September 2021.

His writing comes from a lifetime of experiences, both normal and bizarre with heavy leanings toward the latter. Simply put, Ricky Ginsburg is one of those writers who sees a flock of birds heading south for the winter and wonders what they talk about on their journey. While much of his writing has elements of magical realism and humor, he also has a serious side, but keeps it in a small plexiglass box under his desk.

When he’s not writing, gardening, cooking, hiking, biking, traveling, taking photographs, eating massive quantities of sushi and barbecue, he enjoys mediation and chocolate egg creams. Despite a forced existence from birth until age eighteen that revolved around suburbia, Chinese takeout, and puberty, Ricky has managed to set foot on six of the seven continents, survived the loss of two wives, and eaten jellied monkey brains three times in search of the perfect flavor profile.

Reviews

[Deena B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel is a sequel to the author's 'SUSHI, BURGERS, AND ROCKY MOUNTAIN OYSTERS' - (which I Have Not read) - but it works just fine as a Stand-Alone!
There was really no plot, it read more like a travel memoir - but it held my interest.
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway, thank you to Goodreads, and the author!

[Laurie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Billed as a sequel to Ricky Ginsburg’s novel “Sushi, Burgers, and Rocky Mountain Oysters,” this novel continues in the same vein as the first. Set thirty years after the first novel, it’s an update that brings forward the traveling team of Paul and Carrie, two foodies who have an ongoing struggle with weight issues. The novel revolves around their relationship with food over the years, losing and regaining many pounds throughout and is set in a mystery format. Interlaced with drug usage and references to “bongs,” “taking a hit,” and so on, this many not appeal to a widespread audience, with the subtitle “A Novel of Sex, Romance, & Food.”