I am EXCITED to say that I am in the final stages of making a free-sample recipe e-book*. Yesterday I contacted OliviaProDesign, whom I’ve worked with once before, toward handling the cover-art. An author friend recommended her a few years ago — her work POPS!
(*Here’s a secret — I’m actually working toward TWO free recipe e-books!)
I have proposed using two of my favourite photos — one a cookie square, the other some Toasted Almond Biscotti. Olivia is so clever she suggested including my company logo, too — why didn’t I think of that, DUH! Thanks for the pick-up on that, Olivia. My aim is to do the final stages of publishing around the 15th of this month.
Watch here along with my Facebook and Twitter profiles for more announcements!
As it happens, with just standard baking ingredients most of us keep stocked at home — where many of us are at right now — the upcoming April recipe is well timed. It’s simple, fun, and takes no special kitchen implements to make — coco powder, powdered sugar, and a hand mixer is about as fancy as this gets! Quarantine
WITH FOLKS BEING COUPED UP IN
QUARANTINE-VILLE…
Imagine making your own custom fortunes…
I am considering posting a recipe for some big, soft Ginger Snaps I recently made. Dang if those things didn’t disappear within 24 hours… This could give everyone another activity and something tasty to take the edge off. Watch this website, Twitter @WIBakingCo, and my Facebook page for announcement of this recipe-post. Quarantine
With some luck I will be trying a modified version of this recipe later today — as a Ginger Snap Biscotti. I’ve also been looking to experimenting with making (flavoured?) fortune cookies lately ….
But things have been busy here in
The Apocalypse…
Baking has taken a bit of a back-seat lately. Everyone in the house here is dealing with some medial stuff — no, it’s not the virus or a toomah. I’m the most healthy and able person so I’m carrying a bit more of the work around here. Add to that… the pump on our well is threatening to go out any day, the well-guy has a Corona-reduced staff, so we’re working to establish temporary water supplies. ALL GOOD FUN when already juggling the adjustments that come with quarantine life (YAY!) — but we’re keeping our chins up and plowing forward. To that end…
WHILE YOU ARE DEALING WITH
WHATEVER IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW…
I encourage you to do everything you can to take care of yourself, your family, your friends, and your neighbors. Strive even to be extra-kind to everyone you meet when/if you are out & about — yes, even when you’re fighting over toilet paper. I know it’s tricky, but please do your best. This can be as simple as picking up the phone to call folks — just ask how they are. I’ve been doing this and it’s amazing the relief you can bring to someone when you present something so simple and so human. Quarantine
Since Friday I have taken to playing mini-concerts with my Scottish Smallpipes on Facebook and YouTube. A number of authors have been reading their books and musicians playing music online, livestreaming to give a little comfort and respite. So far I’ve played three times since March 20th and I plan to keep going. Smallpipes are more somber than what you’re used to seeing in parades. I’ve been playing tunes from an album I have planned and the traditional sheet music book I’m close to publishing, including Scot/Irish recipes. I play and talk about my books. I hope you’ll join me, please look for BagpiperDon on Facebook and Twitter, for announcements of when I’m going to play. Quarantine
Keep your chins up, be good to your self and do good for others, and we’ll all get through this together!
Best, Don
PS — For a limited time my debut recipe book “Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies” IS ON SALE on Amazon! I have priced the paperback version of my book roughly 25% off WORLDWIDE. You’re home, make something nice for yourself and your loved ones.
Yesterday — late in the afternoon — I jammed to the library as closing time quickly approached …. MY MISSION: Upload the updated manuscript for my book in preparation for the Flash Sale I plan to hold late this month.
My debut recipe book, “Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies“, published on 26Oct2018. For the past year I’ve stayed staunchly attentive for any and all errors to be found in my tome of tasty treats. Yesterday was the big day! Yesterday was when I fixed my inexact “exactally”. Yesterday was when I fixed all the metric mistakes caused by my careless copy-&-pasting. Yesterday was when I deleted the asterisk that lead*. Yesterday was when I atoned for the flour mis-measurement in my Peanut Butter Biscotti recipe. It was also when I changed the cover from gloss to matte, which is supposed to have better market appeal, but in the big picture that really isn’t a big deal.
*to nowhere.
What … you don’t dress like this when you go to the library?!?
The clock was ticking close to 5PM. The lethargic upload status on my computer screen predicted completion on a Tuesday following infinity.
AND THEN IT HAPPENED!!!
I successfully uploaded my mitigated manuscript to (click here to read about The Amazon River) and skated out the doors right as the learned establishment was closing. Oh yes, I avoided the wrath of the Library Aids who had to work on a Sunday. Indiana Jones himself couldn’t have done better!
Returning home, I couldn’t have been more calm … cool … and collect. I donned my Keds and cardigan sweater, and settled in for some dinner accompanied by the next DVD in my TBW stack. As the screen flickered in front of my face I found myself content … serene … one with myself and at peace in the universe … Fred Rogers himself couldn’t have done better!
AND THEN IT HAPPENED!!!
No good deed goes unpunished. My phone gave a ding indicating a new email. It was from (click here to read about The Amazon River). Surely not a big deal, they’re just messaging me to say that my corrected manuscript had gone through and the new version of my book had launched …
NOPE!
Okay, I’m tired of this blog post — it’s been fun, but I suspect it’s dragging on for you, too — so I’ll cut to the chase…
My local tribe of Library Aids ….. what, you don’t believe me?!?
It seems (click here to read about The Amazon River) has one problem or another with my book. I’m not clear what it is, and from their emails I’m not entirely sure that they are either. I’m doing what I can to get my book relaunched before they said they might take it down all together. I’ve emailed them, I’ve chatted with online help, and I’ve called them. I’m about to go outside to launch a carrier pigeon followed by starting a smoke-signal fire while Library Aids play their tribal drums (recent photo above). I’m doing everything I can to cooperate with (click here to read about The Amazon River) and get things back on track. I am frustrated but optimistic that they are working to this end, too.
ALL THAT SAID …
IT IS MY SINCERE HOPE that all of this tomfoolery is worked out before the Flash Sale I’ve planned to hold — which is coming up SOON! If you want to get in on my Flash Sale — GREAT — Please Email Me ASAP 🙂 If you’re not familiar with what a Flash Sale is, it’s like this ….. I’ll message you and let you know when the secret sale time will be. During that limited time the price of my book will be greatly reduced. In return, I ask that you read my book and post a review on the site you bought it from — hopefully a positive review. It’s that simple!
… Don …
PS — What a waste of time … I really don’t need extra headaches. It was not my intention to start an international incident and offend The Gods Of (The Amazon River). When this is all done I might be impeached.
PPS — According to Wikipedia “The Amazon River in South America is the largest river by discharge volume of water in the world, and by some definitions it is the longest.”
Nearly 3 years of work and a number of speed-bumps along the way, and my debut recipe book is finally PUBLISHED. I finished the submission to Amazon on Friday and Saturday morning it had GONE LIVE!!! I was part way through breakfast when I found out the news — then the web and my phone EXPLODED with activity. Congrats on getting published, questions about my book, someone bought a copy, someone else wants 3 signed copies as Xmas gifts, keeping up with the comments, posting on Facebook and Twitter …. and about 4 or 6 hours later things calmed down and I turned to find the rest of my cold, uneaten breakfast sitting next to me. Really, coffee shouldn’t be treated that way.
It took me a while, but I finally figured out where and how to order copies of my book. I’m getting about 60 on this first go-around. I have around 20 people to give copies to who contributed to the project and were amazingly supportive along the way — I am grateful to get reminders of how incredible people can be*. There are also two people seeking around 5 copies each (WOW!) for Christmas gifts — 10 copies already sold!
* One among them is this guy — Tom Trimbath! He also has an impressive collection of books he’s written available here.
Yeah, things started moving pretty quick — and finally, now … late Sunday evening, I’m getting to make a blog post about the highlights of what’s gone on. It’s been an amazing ride so far — testing my stick-to-it and gumption, giving me challenges to use my resourcefulness to resolve, and numerous new things and lessons learned — I love this stuff! And now…? book
Now I go from being a writer to being a published author. book
Now I get to work on converting the manuscript for my book into an e-book — and likely an audio-book too, narrated by yours-truly!
Now I remember that I need to get new business cards made. Now the pivot of WIBC from being a company that makes food to being a company about good food and people connecting with people is complete. book
I’ve been fortunate enough to gain a friend and self-publishing coach in one of my Whidbey Island neighbors, multi-book author Tom Trimbath. My introduction to Tom came through attending his presentation at my local library — how to self-publish a book. At that time I had a few books roughed out and privately socked away that I intended to work on publishing at a later time — a children’s book, a book on how to become a professional highland bagpiper, some screenplay ideas … you know, the usual. publishing
Online booksellers — we can all think of one in particular!
One of the tips that Tom gave in his presentation was that because of online booksellers, book titles are no longer just book titles, they are also search terms … and by the way, book covers are no longer just a book cover, they are also an icon representing your book on that online seller’s site … I mean, this all makes sense when it’s pointed out but you might not think of it if you’re not an author trying to self-publish or new to the arena. publishing
So for the past 2+ years, the title I’ve been working with for my coming book has been “Bake Your Own Darn Good Cookies”. This was the kinder and gentler version of a title to another book I plan to publish (more on that later). Good title, fun title — sure — but there are problems with it. There aren’t really any good search-term words in it … it doesn’t represent the fact that my book gives recipes for various types of cookies, coffee, and main courses, so it kind of confuses the reader …. and it doesn’t really fit with my icon, er, I mean, book cover artwork. publishing
All that to say … publishing
I’ve been working on a new and better title. I’ve come up with one, it’s functional — it has many of the attributes I’m aiming for. It might still stand a bit of work-shopping (polishing), but it’s encouraging to have something that feels like a better fit for the whole package. publishing
How exciting is all of this — is this some Block Buster announcement? No, not really — but for an author and their book, it actually is pretty important. Also, frankly, I felt I needed to provide all the great folks who have been interested and supportive of my endeavour with an update. publishing
So what’s also going on — what’s left to finish my book and when is it going to be published?
Those are questions I both do & don’t have precise answers for…
Some Additional Writing and Final Editing – This book has required an extra year due to my hard drive crashing when I was nearly ready to publish in January 2017. Suffice to say, I’ve learned the hard way, BACK-UP YOUR HARD DRIVE. I had to nearly start over, fortunately I managed to locate an early back-up along with smaller pieces I located in my e-mail history. I’ve been working with these materials since June 2018. The main writing is nearly done — I need to add some writing in the introduction to make the original writing make sense and complete the final editing. That and re-doing the pagination.
Graphics – I took cover art photos last January; most of these were recovered. I lately made two batches of cookies to take step-by-step instructional photos, showing how to roll & cut biscotti along with spreading & cutting cookie squares. To the left is an example of these … unfortunately I picked up light flares in the stove top. I’ve figured out the lighting so I don’t get these flares and I plan to re-take these pictures soon. Then it’s a matter of inserting all of my pictures into my book.
Content Surprise – YES, I have a content surprise. Something you have probably NEVER seen in any recipe book before. Since my original draft of the book I have added 2/3rds more surprise to the surprise and I need to do the initial development on that 2/3rds.
So what is the final book looking like — and when is it going to be published?
Working on my book is one of my current top priorities, and it will be done as soon as possible …. when that is? Could be weeks, could be a few months yet with everything else I’m juggling. The EXCITING news is that it looks to have around 50 recipes ranging from numerous types of cookies, several flavours of my unique biscotti, hot beverages, coffee cake, easy applesauce, and some delicious main courses. Also, I’m trilled to feature guest writers who have contributed both recipes and chapter introductions (you know who you are and thank you Thank You THANK YOU!). publishing
Later that day my 
Now the pivot of WIBC from being a company that makes food to being a company about good food and people connecting with people is complete.
Some Additional Writing and Final Editing – This book has required an extra year due to my hard drive crashing when I was nearly ready to publish in January 2017. Suffice to say, I’ve learned the hard way,