>> Eric: NOW A LITTLE SWEETNESS FOR THE SHOW.

ROSE MCGEE IS THE FOUNDER OF SWEET POTATO COMFORT PIE, A TWIN CITIES BAKER THAT UUSES FOOD CULTURE TO BUILD CONNECTIONS AND FACILITATE RACIAL HEALING.

ROSE IS A SPEAKER, FORMER BUSH FELLOW, FACILITATOR, BAKER AND NOW AMONG MANY OTHERS, A CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR.

ROSE, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE HEALING POWER OF SWEET POTATO PIE FIRST FOR FOLKS WHO MAY NOT KNOW THE STORY?

>> WELL, I JUST HAPPEN TO THINK IT'S THE SACRED DESSERT OF BLACK CULTURE.

AND THAT MEAN ANYONE CAN BE IMPACTED BY THAT.

AND RIGHT NOW WE NEED ANY OUNCE AND ANY SLICE OF HEALING THAT WE CAN GET.

WE'RE ALL FEELING THE IMPACT OF IT.

WE JUST HEARD ABOUT HOW HEAT IS BOTHERING PEOPLE AND WE KNOW THAT IS CREATING A LOT OF STRESS, A LOT OF FOLKS CAN'T GET OUTSIDE AND BE ACTIVELY ENGAGED.

BUT THE WHOLE THING WITH THE SWEET POTATO PIE AND HOW WE BRING IT FORD IS REALLY TO BRING COMFORT.

>> Eric: TELL US ABOUT THE BOOK.

>> WELL, THE BOOK I'M EXCITED ABOUT BECAUSE IT'S TAKEN A LONG TIME TO GET HERE.

IT'S TAKEN A LONG TIME TO GET HERE.

THE MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY PRESS DID PUBLISH IT.

IT WAS FIRST SUBMITTED TO THEM AROUND 2014.

>> Eric: OH, BEEN AWHILE.

>> YEAH, BUT IT WAS SUBMIT THE AS A CHILDREN'S CHAPTER BOOK AND I GUESS MY INSPIRATIONAL MESSAGE TO PEOPLE IS DON'T GIVE UP.

JUST KEEP AT IT.

AND THEY SAID, WELL, WE'RE NOT PUBLISHING CHILDREN'S CHAPTER BOOKS BUT WE ARE PUBLISHING CHILDREN'S ILLUSTRATED BOOKS.

I CAN'T CONDENSE ALL OF THESE WORDS DOWN TO THIS LITTLE BIT.

>> Eric: BUT THE ILLUSTRATIONS YOU SHOULD GIVE A PLUG TO THE ILLUSTRATOR BECAUSE IT POPS OFF THE PAGE.

>> IT DOES AND THAT'S WHAT WHAT FINALLY HAPPENED HOW MANY YEARS LATER, WENT BACK AND RESUBMITTED THE MANUSCRIPT AND SAID I WILL TRY PUTTING IT DOWN TO A CHILDREN'S ILLUSTRATED BOOK SO THEY SELECTED CHRISTOPHER AARON DEANS, HE'S A VERY WELL KNOWN VISUAL ARTIST AND HE'S DYNAMIC.

WHAT I REALLY LIKE, I LIKE TO POINT IT OUT TO PEOPLE, CHRIS DOES SUCH DETAILED IMAGERY.

IT ISN'T, YOU KNOW, SO MANY CHILDREN'S BOOKS YOU'LL SEE THEY'RE JUST PLAIN WITH EYES AND THE NOSE AND THOSE ARE VERY NICE TOO, BUT HE PUTS THAT EXTRA TOUCH INTO HIS AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

>> Cathy: ROSE, WHAT GOT YOU TO WANT TO WRITE A CHILDREN'S BOOK?

AS ERIC SAID THE LAUNDRY LIST OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AND WHAT YOU ARE STILL DOING IS AMAZING.

BUT WHAT ABOUT A CHILDREN'S BOOK?

>> INTERGENERATION.

I REALLY WANTED SOMETHING THAT WOULD ALLOW CHILDREN TO COME TOGETHER WITH GRANDPARENTS AND FAMILIES AND PEOPLE TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS.

AND ALSO SOME GOOD VALUES THAT, YOU NOW, WITH SUBTLETY ARE BROUGHT INTO THE STORY AS WELL TO HELP TEACH.

SO IT'S CALLED CAN'T NOBODY MAKE A SWEET POTATO PIE LIKE OUR MAMA, AND HERE WE HAVE THIS SET OF TWINS, A LITTLE GIRL AND LITTLE BOY, WHO BICKER OVER EVERYTHING EXCEPT THEIR MAMA'S SWEET POTATO PIE.

THEIR GRANDMOTHER'S SWEET POTATO PIE.

>> Eric: IS MAMA BASED ON A REAL PERSON?

>> WELL, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY MAYBE, WE ALL HAVE THAT PERSON IN OUR LIVES.

MY LITTLE GRANDDAUGHTER -- >> Eric: CAN YOU BRING UP THE NEXT GENERATION?

>> Cathy: WE GOT TO MEET THIS YOUNG WOMAN, THIS LITTLE LADY, IS SHE THE INSPIRATION FOR THE BOOK?

>> WELL, SHE CERTAINLY IS ONE OF THEM.

SHE'S NOT LOOKING VERY INSPIRATIONAL AT THE MOMENT.

[ LAUGHTER ] BUT, YES, SHE IS.

HER FATHER AND HER AUNTIE ARE THE INSPIRATIONS IN ONE SENSE BECAUSE I USE THEIR MIDDLE NAMES S THE MAIN CHARACTERS.

>> Eric: WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE AWAY FROM READING THE BOOK?

AND YOUR WHOLE OPERATION JUST IN GENERAL, YOUR PHILOSOPHY.

>> I WANT PEOPLE TO REALLY TAKE TIME TO BE WITH THEIR CHILDREN.

AND I WANT TO GO EVEN FURTHER TO SAY THIS STORY BRINGS IN FAMILY AND, YOU KNOW, SO OFTENTIMES WE HEAR THE NEGATIVES ABOUT BLACK FAMILIES, BUT THIS FAMILY, THIS LOVE THAT THESE CHILDREN ARE LEARNING AND BEING PASSED ON THROUGH THEIR GRANDMOTHER AND ALSO THROUGH THIS DESSERT.

AND THE RECIPE IS IN HERE TOO.

>> Eric: I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A FAMILY SECRET, AND YOU'RE WILLINGLY SHARING IT.

>> Cathy: SHE SHARES THE LOVE.

>> WELL, THE LAST THING THAT WE DO SAY IN HERE IS THE SECRET INGREDIENT IS -- DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE SECRET INGREDIENT IS?

YOU DON'T?

YEAH, YOU KNOW THE STORY.

WHAT IS IT?

>> LOVE.

>> LOVE.

>> Eric: AND YOU TOSSED IN A "YOU BETCHA" AT THE END OF THE BOOK.

WHAT'S GRANDDAUGHTER'S NAME?

YOU TELL THEM.

WHAT'S YOUR NAME?

>> BENTLEY ROSE.

BENTLEY ROSE, THIS S YOUR TV DEBUT, GLAD YOU'RE HERE.

>> Eric: HERE'S THE BOOK.

PERFECT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE OF ANY AGE IN YOUR READING CATALOG.

THANK YOU FOR