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What It’s Really Like

April 9, 2013 by Joy the Baker 167 Comments

pie split

Hello my darling friends.

I’ve bombarded you with a ton of melted cheese, buttered popcorn, and chocolate chunks lately.  I feel like we haven’t had the proper amount of time to catch up.

Can we just take a breath together.  Maybe have an extra cup of coffee or another half glass of wine?  Let’s absorb this Wednesday the best way we know how.

You may or may not know that I’m currently working on my second cookbook.  It’s a blessing.   It’s totally exciting.  It’s a dream come true x 2.

I’ve heard people compare writing a book to giving birth to a child.  I get it.  Writing a book is laborious and time-consuming and… actually, I totally don’t get it, nevermind.

I haven’t had any back pain or swollen ankles or excruciating pain while writing this book.  Although… I’d like to sign up for an epidural here and now, if you’re offering (which you aren’t).

Diptic

You know what happens when you have a baby?  It comes out and people are STOKED.  You know what happens when you write a book?  It comes out and people write a review on Amazon.

I was doing some deep thinking this morning while washing the dishes produced from a failed pie recipe testing session…. writing a book is exactly like this for me:   I get dressed up, fancy but not tooooo fancy, to go to a friend of a friend’s party.  (stay with me… this is a very detailed analogy… there were a lot of dishes to do).  I’m wearing an outfit I feel pretty confident in, but I’m wearing my favorite, wear-them-waaaay-too-often flats because I’m interested in foot comfort on this particular evening.  I get to the party and (to my horror) discover they this particular house has instituted a no-shoes-in-the-house policy.  Gracious Lord in heaven please help me.

First panic:  I know I don’t have a pedicure on these feet, and things are starting off a little less than perfect.  Second panic: Do.My.Feet.Stink!?  I have no way of knowing…. AND!  Since this is my very own anxiety nightmare, I can’t go to the bathroom to check, I can’t leave the party, I can’t insta-pedicure my feet… I just have to sit with the self I’ve created.

Writing a book is EXACTLY like taking your shoes off at a party and hoping your feet don’t stink… or hoping people don’t notice that your feet stink.  Replace ‘feet’ with the word ‘book’ if you aren’t following my (totally ridiculous) train of thought.  You spend months and months writing a thing, preparing it for the world, trying your best to make it what you want it to be…. and at the end of the day, you just have to take your shoes off and hope to God they don’t (and your dang BOOK doesn’t) totally stink.

It’s just that.  It really is.

Aren’t SO many things like that in life?  You understand, I know you do.

In other news, I’m working on a pie chapter and I need you to come over and help me eat the pies that don’t stink.  Sidenote:  I should have a bake sale.

desk life

In addition to writing a lot, and freaking out a little (and OVERSHAING!)… I’m reading a few books.  Words going out of my brain means I need to put some words back in my brain.  I think it’s math or something.

I’m currently reading:

Lean In.  You know… that totally controversial women’s empowerment book written by  Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg.   I’m glad someone is saying the words she has said about women in the workplace.  They seem to be fighting words, but you can judge for yourself.

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald.   Zelda was a fascinating woman and I am so enjoying this book.  It was spawned by my love of F.Scott and my recent reading of The Paris Wife (which was sooooo good).  Also, if I have a daughter, I’m naming her Zelda… I called it.

Lastly, I’m rereading The Great Gatsby because it’s better than anything that will ever come out of my brain for as long as I live.  Sometimes it’s nice to drown in that sort of work.  Also, the Baz Luhrmann film is coming out this May and I’m a little more than completely obsessed.

Mostly though, I’m testing pies, mixing cocktails, trying to make a lovely book even though it feels like a fight right now… and really, I wouldn’t change a thing (but maybe I would).  I so appreciate that you are here with me.  With my whole heart that’s true.

Note:  The top picture in the post is a recipe test for a Vegan Grapefruit Pie inspired by this recipe by Sprouted Kitchen.  (It was a fail.)

(other) Note:  The photos in this post were taken with my iPhone and tweaked using Instagram, VSCO, and Diptic…. in case you were curious.

…oh man.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Notyet100

    April 27, 2013 at 3:58 am

    Thanks for the book list and u r so right about the book,..:)

    Reply
  2. anna maria

    April 23, 2013 at 5:14 pm

    The stinky-feet analogy? Love it & totally get it. That’s me every Sunday at the free community yoga class. We take off our shoes, bend over our feet on our mats and I stare at my chipped pedicure from weeks ago and hope my feet don’t also smell…

    Love your blog :)

    Reply
  3. Jacqueline

    April 21, 2013 at 4:37 pm

    Joy! Thank for describing EXACTLY what I feel since opening my pie shop! I have been using the baby analogy for months but shoeless at a party is SO much more accurate (also my biggest pet peeve of life is being asked to remove your shoes without warning – see excellent Sex and the CIty ep. about this).
    I alternate between these 3 thoughts: “I’m really lucky,” “I’m really tired” and “How was your pie, did you like it?”

    Reply
  4. Marleena @ The Flex Foodie

    April 20, 2013 at 6:07 pm

    Every time I come over to your blog, I’m always blown away by how open you are and that you own it so well. This is why people come back and buy your cookbook(s), so hang in there! I always know that I can expect a laugh or two when I read one of your posts. You got this!

    Reply
  5. Cara

    April 18, 2013 at 1:23 pm

    Oh, Joy. I can’t tell you what a deep breath this post gave me, even with all the stinky-foot talk. I’m currently writing my very first cookbook and on a daily basis think “Oh, I’ll have to ask Joy about that!” only to remember that you aren’t actually my friend and I can’t just call you up.
    Are you weirded out yet?
    Thank you for your honesty and your willingness to admit what you’re afraid of. I’ll keep cooking from your book and checking in here for inspiration and waiting patiently for your next masterpiece.
    Love,
    Cara

    Reply
  6. Chrystina

    April 17, 2013 at 8:06 pm

    That’s why when I take my shoes off in public I always turn them over before placing them down. Then I hope I didn’t step in anything – it’s a vicious cycle. Your cookbook is awesome by the way – I love that it reads like a blog – I feel attached to all the recipes as I’m reading them. Best of luck on book 2. Oh, and if I lived closer to LA, I’d totally take you up on this.

    Reply
  7. Diana

    April 17, 2013 at 7:30 pm

    Don’t worry about oversharing and being stinky! We’re all stinky somehow, and we’re usually too busy with being around your sweet personality that we don’t notice anyway! And I’d MUCH rather overshare than undershare. Helps make me feel normal. ;)

    Reply
  8. Melinda ke

    April 16, 2013 at 3:26 pm

    Your readers will most likely be buying your book, and they will love you and support you no matter what the critics have to say about it. Plus, your recipes are awesome, so there is no way this book is gonna stink! :)

    Reply
  9. Chelsea

    April 16, 2013 at 2:07 pm

    just want you to know i would totally come over and help you eat pie. i’d even bring a cocktail! there’s a blackberry-bourbon combo kicking around in my brain and i think it deserves to be realized. a blackberry julep, maybe? to go with gatsby?

    Reply
  10. cheyenne

    April 14, 2013 at 10:52 am

    i can’t wait for your book – i bet it’s going to be amazing!
    xo, cheyenne

    Reply
  11. Taylor

    April 14, 2013 at 9:31 am

    Dude. Bake sale. . That’dddddd be bonkers awesome. I just turned from breakfast to write to you. And my cat stole the bacon off my plate. Seriously. So psyched for your next book!

    Reply
  12. Cheryl Johannes

    April 13, 2013 at 12:54 pm

    Can’t wait for cookbook #2! I’m still drooling over your first one, but bring it on! I’m reading Lean In too and really enjoying it. . .it’s been rather inspiring for me, on a confidence level. Hugs to you . ..

    Reply
  13. Rachel

    April 12, 2013 at 12:33 pm

    Joy, please, please, please have a bake sale!

    Reply
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