Patience...and Pay Offs

I've been working on the Welcoming Kitchen book for years.  Literally.

I first started writing recipes when my son, Casey, was little (he's now 8) and really cranked out recipes that fit the WK model (allergen-free, gluten-free and vegan) when my younger son, Evan, first started eating solid food.  (He's now 5.)

I tried my hand at self-publishing, but it turns out that I'm a TERRIBLE business person.  I have hundreds of copies of my little, original cookbook in boxes in my back stairs.

Then, I tried to get a publisher on my own.   No dice.

Then, I tried to get an agent.  Jack pot!

She tried to sell Welcoming Kitchen to a publisher.  It took a while.

In the meantime, Megan--my fantastic next-door neighbor--came on board to add some legitimacy to my mom-cook-at-home deal.  Then, our agent got us two assignments to write other cookbooks ... The Everything Organic Cooking for Baby and Toddler Book and The Everything Guide to Cooking for Children With Autism.

Then...Sterling Publishing agreed to publish Welcoming Kitchen!!!!

After a frantic period of cooking, writing, revising and Megan analyzing, the book was at the publisher.  The book was slated for a September 2010 release.  Then it got moved to May.  But... they decided to make it a hardcover.  Then they decided to add a little more color.  Then they gave it the most adorable design ever.

Then they moved the release date to June 7.  Then it got moved to June 14.

I just got the sample copies in the mail this week.  I absolutely love it!  (And, I think you will, too.  And, maybe your mom or your best friend ....)

All the waiting made the project better.  Writing the other books made me a better writer.  Writing the blog helped solidify the voice that I want out there in the world.  Working together for years has made me and Megan a really strong team.  And the book itself is really fantastic for the improvements that the extra time allowed.

We also got the chance to become better acquainted with the gluten-free, allergen-free and vegan communities.  With those new friendships have come new opportunities.  One of the opportunities was to write a guest blog post on the great website, Rockin' Gluten Free.  You can read our guest post here.

We are looking forward to a summer of cooking, writing and talking about the joy that creating a Welcoming Kitchen can provide.

You have our immense gratitude for coming along on this adventure!

Happy Cooking!
Kim and Megan