How. In the World. Did this happen?
Okay, if you look at it from my perspective... I started writing this book in 2009. There were **SO** many times I wanted to give up. I did, for a couple months at a time.
And there were other times when I would grasp onto any sign from the universe that this would happen. I would see a woman wearing an emerald ring and then a sign that said "Green" (there's a character named Emerald Grace in my book.) and think, oh this was meant to be, keep going. I'd sit at my computer, lost for words, then see the last name "Saltz" in the New York Times. (Foolishly mystical? Maybe. But, hey, it pushed me.)
And now it's almost here. Finished books are printed and are being shipped to stores. Lovely reviews are coming out. People are adding the books to their GoodReads shelf.
And what am I doing? Basically an advanced version of what I was doing two months ago: helping with PR pitching and strategizing, sending out books, creating campaigns.
A few **new** things though:
- This pre-order campaign! To be frank, this took a lot of work. Five original recipes that I created, photographed, and compiled into a cookbooklet. But I have to say... it came out really nice and I'm super proud of it. You can get your own free copy by pre-ordering the book and sending your receipt and mailing address to fwpreorder@gmail.com. Sorry, we can only accept receipts up until 10/20... so perhaps order today? :)
- EVENTS! Okay, this is really becoming a thing now. I have a couple events on the calendar and we're working on securing more. The biggest priority is the launch party at powerHouse Arena on Monday 11/2. You can learn more & RSVP here. There will be wine, delicious food (more on that later), and some sure-to-be juicy convo. My in-conversation partner is my friend Leiti, who makes a career out of eating, connecting, and commenting on the food world. Here's a truly jaw-dropping interview with her in Cosmo (that hustle!). And here's a taste of her jet-setting, lip-smacking travels.
- Excerpts. Today HarperCollins popped the first chapter of Food Whore into my Facebook page. You can read it here. And if you wanna jump ahead, you can read to another pivotal scene in this Entertainment Weekly excerpt.
- And ... there's the primping. Nails (I always go here), eyelashes (I don't have a regular place -- do you have any recs?) And a haircut (I go here). I'm debating whether to get this for the launch party, but I will either look editorial and avant-garde or desperately off-the-mark. Hmm....