Category Archives: MAKE COOKIES PLAY BAGPIPES

e-Publishing, MAKE COOKIES PLAY BAGPIPES, Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies, Progress, Update

Is Writing Hell?

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The Four Before MeA Stray, astrayEarlier today I responded to a Twitter post by E.H. Night — author of “The Four Before Me” and “A Stray, Astray“.  She spoke about the weird prioritization that some of us get into.  With her endeavours she was considering making her 3rd-priority book her 1-st priority project or leave it where it’s at.  I understand this — I DO THIS!!!  Then came the question common to creatives of “Is this hell?”

I replied talking about my familiarity with this dilemma — I didn’t have a solution for her, only that I understand.  It came to me though to use this to update everyone on my book projects and where they’re at …. otherwise put, it’s my excuse to blog this week. hell

Before finishing “Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies” (book 1) I started on a bagpipe sheet music book comprised of my own compositions (book 2).  This got put on hold to start on my second recipe book (book 3).  Summer 2018 this second recipe book (book 3) got put on hold to write (book 4) my military & patriotic Highland bagpipe tunes & tune history book.  From my sheet music and tune history book (book 4) I got inspired to write a history book about one of the men who landed on Normandy as part of the D-day invasion (book 5).  When I started it (book 5) I knew that I was going to have to gather my notes and set it aside for later.  I’ve accomplished this and now I’m trying to complete my sheet music and tune history book (book 4) so I can have it published no later than June 2020.  The only problem with that is the audience I developed from Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies (book 1) are ready and looking for another installment of recipes (book 2). hell

Clear as mud — RIGHT?!?

So is being a creative-type, having so many projects we want to bring to life a form of Hell? I don’t know — I’m only saying that I understand — that E.H. Night and all the other creative folks out there reading this is that you’re not alone.

For a mostly full list of my projects (Hell?), please see Upcoming and Completed Publishing Projects.

E.H. Night LINKS hell

Announcement, MAKE COOKIES PLAY BAGPIPES

MYODGC is on GoodReads!

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My book — Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies — has made it on GoodReads!

As you will recall I published in October 2018 — and Jacki Dilley was on it early, posting that December.  She kindly gave me a 5-star review — according to GoodReads 5-stars means “It was amazing!” So, Jacki, if you’re reading this — THANK YOU. 🙂

Writing reviews for authors you like is important.  If you found you enjoyed a book or e-book do the author a favor by leaving your kind review on Amazon, Smashwords, GoodReads and anywhere else. Sharing your experience helps other shoppers to know what they can look forward to and supports the endeavors of the author.

^^^ click the graphic ^^^

If you haven’t read my book yet, please download these FOUR FREE SAMPLE RECIPES.  If you like them, I would appreciate it if you would share the recipes, pick up a copy of my book or e-book, and leave a review on the sites mentioned above.

All the Best, Don

Baking, Cookies, Experiment, MAKE COOKIES PLAY BAGPIPES, Progress

Celtic Cookie Experiment – UPDATE

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I LOVE baking experiments!

Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies COVERWhen I get an idea for a recipe or a way to tweak a baking recipe that calls for an experiment!  It’s actually how a number of my recipes came to be as you can find in Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies.  About half the time I try something new and it works out ‘right’ on the first try — which I consider lucky.  The other half of the time I can usually get what I’m aiming for after about 3-5 tries with recipe tweaks in between.

Lately I’ve had an idea for a new cookie that is so vivid in my mind I can see it — I can nearly taste it!  It’s a Celtic-themed cookie which I’ve talked a little about recently.  During the past few weeks I’ve been looking for the right time to experiment with it.  My delay has mostly been due to not having hot water has been out in my place, and given what I’ve thought to do …. yeah, I need to not be heating water to clean up afterwards.

microwaveTonight I gave it a go!  Well, not all of the experiment ….  what I tried was the frosting.  In this case, melted chocolate chips infused with coffee — and it FAILED!  I appreciate failures like this near as much as times of accomplishment.  What I tried didn’t work and now I know what not to do.  For this I am NOT using a microwave!

I have a new idea to try and I should be giving it a go …. this Saturday?  What will it be …. probably buttercream frosting … simple, easy, duh!

More updates to come 🙂

~ Don

Announcement, Baking, Book, Cookies, Experiment, MAKE COOKIES PLAY BAGPIPES, Product

Celtic-Themed Cookie Experiment

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Donald Duck playing Highland bagpipesAs you know I am working on two new books right now.  One of these is a bagpipe sheet music book — which has taken priority since I am aiming to release around June/July 2019.  Following that I have a new cookie recipe book, and with some luck it might get published this fall. Between the two, the recipe book includes a number of cookies I have dreamed up … some of these recipes do not yet exist. experiment

TIME FOR AN EXPERIMENT!

Fresh Scottish shortbread

One of these recipes — and I’m not giving out much details until it’s perfected — is at least to say  caffeinated shortbread with a cool name. I’m excited about this idea!

During a recent phone call with a close friend I shared the details and this fellow replied “Those sound so good I’d take two batches NOW!” My schedule is a bit of a juggling act right now however I want to bake the first experimental batch this week if I can.

Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies COVERThere’s a handy thing about my shortbread recipe (which you can find in my book/e-book now available on Amazon.com) … The recipe calls for a pound of butter, 4 cups of flour, and 1 cup of sugar, which means  I am able to make this as small as a quarter batch.  That’s great for this experiment because I can try one idea, tweak it, and then try again without blowing through whole batches at a time.

Oh yeah … lookin’ forward to this 😀

I  Baking Experiments!
~ Don

Celtic knot