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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. eliza

    April 10, 2013 at 5:55 am

    How exciting about your second book. I can see how nerve wrecking it can be, but you’ll do amazing on it. Love your stinky shoe analogy.

    Reply
  2. Jennifer @ Licious Food

    April 10, 2013 at 5:53 am

    I heart you Joy. I really do. I love your thoughts and your honesty. It’s refreshing like a nice glass of lemonade on a summer day. I know this 2nd Cookbook will be successful as the last!

    Reply
  3. Kayleigh

    April 10, 2013 at 5:21 am

    I can’t wait for you next book, just so you know. Don’t even worry if people will like it, most will. You did a great job on your first one. It’s by far my favourite thing to look at/bake from.

    Reply
  4. Carlee

    April 10, 2013 at 5:12 am

    Oddly enough, your analogy completely makes sense. That is how I feel putting on a play, doing an interview, etc. (Well, I don’t picture it exactly like that, but I start out feeling pretty good and then nose dive into a complete and utter panic!). And I do like Zelda for a girl’s name. Cute.

    Reply
  5. bakerkat

    April 10, 2013 at 4:41 am

    You book will not suck. It will be as good as your first one which is great.
    This is a wonderful post. You don’t have to worry about your feet.

    Reply
  6. Becca - Cookie Jar Treats

    April 10, 2013 at 4:39 am

    I can’t wait to see what your new book has inside its beautiful cover. :)

    And don’t worry, at least your feet don’t turn purple/red/blue due to blood circulation problems, so I can’t wear flip flops or flats or anything cute like that. :( Instead I make up for it by wearing cute mismatched socks that don’t resemble each other at all! :)

    Reply
  7. Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar

    April 10, 2013 at 3:59 am

    it’s so interesting to have a sneak peak into your process, joy! All the best on cookbook number 2. I will get it as soon as it comes out!!

    Reply
  8. Sonia

    April 10, 2013 at 3:40 am

    Best of luck! Keep going!! It seems like a slog now, but taking those metaphorical shoes off will feel so good! (And there is a 99.9% chance that your metaphorical feet do not metaphorically stink.)

    (…PS.I am really hoping that there is a savoury section, because if your new book were to contain your glorious Caramelised Mushrooms and Dumplings… You might just make my entire life.)

    Reply
  9. Melissa

    April 10, 2013 at 3:26 am

    We love you, Joy! You bring us smiles and laughter and good-feelings and you make us think with your wise-yet-humorous words. I can’t wait for your next book. So glad I’ve had your lovely blog to read these past few years :-)

    Reply
  10. A. Renee Hamilton

    April 10, 2013 at 2:55 am

    Lady, I “heart” you! We share the same anxious worries over shoe bans and wearing our fave shoes (that may – in my instance, be both smelly if removed & worn in) Sigh. I opt for sandals usually in such scenarios, but man, I have a pair of flats that I live in and this analogy is so THERE. It’s an apt analogy. I haven’t given birth either, so, yeah, I feel you on this one. Oh, and can I just say, you are such a beautiful bright glorious light on this crazy thing called the Web, and int this equally crazy place we call our World. Shine on, shine bright, and keep baking *smile.*

    Reply
  11. Kathryn

    April 10, 2013 at 2:46 am

    I hate a no-shoes policy when I’m wearing skinny jeans & boots because my thighs to not look good in skinny jeans minus boots let alone any other concerns I may have. I feel your pain so much. But book number two is definitely not going to stink, can’t wait for it!

    Reply
  12. Carol Anne @ Rock Salt

    April 10, 2013 at 2:45 am

    Dear Joy: c’mere. Have a virtual bourbon in a teacup (virtual is the best I can do), and a sit down. Your book with be beautiful and full of spirit, as you are, but it is OK to worry about it. Course it is. Part of the reason that it will be so beautiful is the fact that you do worry, and are worrying. You can’t really have one without the other.

    Everything is going to be alright.

    We’re all behind you.

    Reply
  13. Miss Kim @ behgopa

    April 10, 2013 at 2:27 am

    Awesome analogy! Was this an Asian home, Joy (cultural thing for Asians)? If many of the guests were like you, oblivious that the event was going to have a no-shoes policy, there might have been others with stinkier feet than yours. No one would have noticed whose feet stank. If your book really were to stink, it would be camouflaged among others that stink just as bad, or worse. No one would be noticing your stink. And if your book turns out to be amazing (which I’m sure it will), enthusiasts (of the matter, in this case baking) will be amazed. Others, who could give a rat’s ass about baking/cooking, might not even notice or appreciate the brilliancy. It’s like if your feet were nicely pedicured and you had pretty feet. Feet enthusiasts (the foot fetish perverts) would be all over your feet because they know how to appreciate beautiful feet (fill in the blank with cookbooks).

    Do you think you will feel Postpartum once the labor is complete? You have spent months preparing. Your friends and family eagerly await for the arrival of the marvel. You have nurtured, have probably wanted to scream into a pillow at times, and spent so much time and energy into what is all going to lead up to that final moment when it is released. And you will be done. You made it…you can finally exhale. But I can only imagine that a part of you will miss the process of it (aka being book pregnant).

    Reply
  14. Mandy

    April 10, 2013 at 2:26 am

    Three things.

    1. Your book won’t suck. I got 9 cookbooks for Christmas last year (I know, right?!) and yours is by far my absolute favourite. But I get the anxiety – I’m a poet :)

    2. You’re absolutely on the money with the baby analogy!

    3. re: Words out requires words in: Yup. Feel the same way. If you’re looking for an amazing read (that will reduce you to emotional tears at least once) I can heartily recommend Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts.

    Bake on, lovely – your fans couldn’t possibly adore you any more than we already do! <3

    Reply
  15. Rach

    April 10, 2013 at 2:16 am

    The moment I saw your first cookbook was coming out a pre-ordered that baby on Amazon and had it shipped the heck out to London! Your feet were beautiful, inspiring and a joy to look at (have I taken that pun and analogy a bit too far??).

    I can’t wait for your next book and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one :)

    xx

    p.s even if your feet (now I am actually talking just about feet) stank, everyone would still think you are awesome. fact.

    Reply
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